#staring at my screen doing that one joker pose where hes like holding his head looking all insane with “HAHAHAHA” written all behind him in

[ozymoron]

my joker moment starts with trying to search up certain facial features and all the results being surgery before and afters where they "fix" it

[seasonsofeverlark]

you & I (just meant to be)

Author: @rosegardeninwinter​

Prompt: This silly, silly ditty was inspired by two (count ‘em! two!) lovely prompts which are as follows “Peeta can’t stop staring at Katniss in her costume :0” and “Everlark meeting at a fancy dress party dressed as a ‘matching’ pair, although they don’t each other - maybe a famous couple but who don’t need the other … Joker and Harley Quinn, Batman and Robin or my favorite: Anna and Elsa from Frozen … Peeta would make a wonderful Anna” - I thought these two went well together, and took a couple of creative liberties to make them jive. Hope you lovelies like! [submitted by @deardiaryithinkiamaghost​ and @wendywobbles​]

Rating: T, for implied Everlark shenanigans 

Author’s Note: Thank you to my dear @archersandsunsets​ for her second pair of eyes on this one and to all the lovely moderators and coordinators of @seasonsofeverlark​, the true MVPs. It’s been a busy month, so I apologize for any incoherence. Sometimes, the heart just wants goofy modern AU fluff. Alrighty, Chatty Cathy is done … enjoy! 

____________

“Katniss, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Prim exclaims, though it sounds pretty pathetic with her congested, pinked nose. “You make the perfect ice queen!” 

“I don’t think that’s usually a compliment,” Katniss says dourly, plopping down on the couch where her sister is situated with several fuzzy blankets, a box of tissues, and a large bowl of ice cream. She can’t taste it very well, but it’s the spirit of the thing that counts. Prim is in denial. 

“I wish I could go,” she whines, holding the “o” in a long, dramatic note. 

“I wish I could stay,” Katniss shoots back, holding the “ay” just as long. 

“No you don’t,” Prim shoos. “You love our friends.” 

“I do,” Katniss sighs, plucking at the silver sequined sleeves of her—well, Prim’s—Elsa costume. It’s too long on Katniss, with her sister’s good half inch on her, but it’s all they’ve got. Her original plan was to pull the classic black top and pants plus cat ears, but when it became apparent Prim wasn’t budging from the couch this Halloween, the real snowy blonde princess of the family had insisted Katniss take her outfit. 

“You can’t show up to Finnick’s in a slapdash, last second costume, Katniss,” she’d said. “The man lives for Halloween. Don’t insult his extravagance with plastic headbands and tails.” 

“I do love our friends, but … I don’t want to go out tonight. I’m tired.”

“Just half an hour,” Prim says. “Snag me some candy, make some pleasantries” — “okay, Jane Bennet” —  “and then come home. At least one of us needs to show up. Just pretend to have a social life for thirty minutes, okay? For me.” 

Katniss rolls her eyes as she gets up from the couch in a twinkling of blue overlay and snowflake hair pins in her braid. She does a quick once over of her shadowy makeup in the hallway mirror as she grabs her car keys. “What do you want?” 

“Chocolate. Anything with chocolate and peanut butter. I’ll save it for when I can experience taste again,” Prim calls back. “Oh, and if Delly’s cousin is there, all of the cupcakes he brought.”

“Mmkay. All the chocolate and cupcakes, coming right up,” Katniss says with a resigned smile. On her way out, she clicks on her phone. It’s just now eight. She resolves to be firmly ensconced in bed by nine at the latest. She gives her sister a wave, keys jangling. “I’ll be back. Soon.” 

At ten thirty, Prim looks up from her Harry Potter induced doze to find she’s received a text from her sister. 

Staying a little later. Fifteen minutes maybe. Have the treats.  

Prim checks the time stamp. The text was sent forty five minutes ago. This might be cause for alarm were it not for the text underneath Katniss’s, from Finnick. It’s a photo, taken in front of a makeshift photo op with purple and silver and orange streamers in the background and cutesy little bat and pumpkin and vampire fang cardboard props for people to hold up. It’s captioned “You can’t marry a man you just met!” 

Prim brings her hand to her mouth to catch a laugh before it turns into a cough. Her sister, Elsa costume sparkling in the flash, is pretending to shake her finger disapprovingly at her “Anna” counterpart. The laugh breaks free this time. Prim grabs for her tepid tea to soothe her throat as she cracks up over the really incredible image of Peeta Mellark, Delly Cartwright’s stocky older cousin, in a red braided wig, and strikingly accurate green rosemaled gown, sitting quite comfortably, if amusingly, over his athletic build. He’s pretending to gripe back at Katniss about why exactly he can marry Hans of the Southern Isles. Their mock scowls barely contain smiles. 

Prim quickly fires a text back to Finnick: How??? Did that happen??? 

Finnick’s text comes through a second later: The Lord works in mysterious ways! Idk!

Okay but like?? Yes??

I know!!!!

Some people are worth melting for???? 

Her cold never bothered him anyway? *finger guns*

Omg. 

Katniss arrives back at the house at five to midnight, and Prim pretends to be asleep, watching with one eye cracked half open as her sister unstraps her silver heels and dumps them by the front door, drops her keys into the bowl. Sets down a full bag of what Prim can only guess are cupcakes and sweets. 

She’s humming under her breath. It sounds like the chorus of “Love is an Open Door.” Prim wonders if it’s possible that her folk and indie music loving sister actually listened to a Disney album on the way home. Katniss unbraids her hair and shakes it loose, dropping the pins on the side table as she sinks into the squashy chair kitty-corner to Prim’s couch. She curls up, knees to chest, making her look like some sort of ice mermaid as she takes out her phone and taps something on it, still humming. Prim watches her chew her cheek pensively, as if deciding to send the text. She takes a deep breath and taps one final time on the screen, then drums her phone nervously against her lips for a moment. Prim’s nerves are firing with anticipation. 

They wait a silent minute. Two. Three. Three and a half — 

Katniss’s screen lights up again and she flips the phone up to stare at the reply. Her whole face softens. Eyes, brow, edges of her mouth. Katniss bites her lip and closes her eyes, letting her head fall back onto the chair cushion with a contented sigh. “‘You know what’s crazy?’” she sing-songs in a mumble under her breath. “‘We finish each other’s sandwiches … I’ve never met someone who thinks so much like …” She yawns. “Me.” 

“You know,” Prim says, and Katniss shrieks, sending her phone flying to the carpet, “Peeta Mellark strikes me more as a Kristoff than a Hans.” 

“Prim!” Katniss yelps, going red. “Wha — what? What do you mean?” 

“So we’re done with stupid plastic cat ears for Halloween then I take it?”

[the very next Halloween] 

“Whoa. Okay.” Peeta sits up from the pile of cushions at the head of their bed, eyes wide and staring in approval, pupils gone dark. “Katniss Everdeen in cat ears is not something I knew I needed until this moment.” 

“Oh sure,” Katniss laughs. “Because it’s definitely the cat ears that are doing it for you. Not these.” She hoists one stockinged leg up onto the bed like a mountain climber posing for a magazine. 

“Well, those are certainly part of the appeal,” he teases, reaching for her leg, running his hands up and down the silk tights. “As is this lovely number.” He toys with the hem of her dress, a strapless black velvet thing that falls just above her knee. “Where’s this from?”

“Jo,” Katniss sighs. “She says if I’m going to be a cat, I need to be a Gretchen Wieners level cat.” 

“For whose benefit, I wonder?” Peeta muses, cheek nuzzling gently at her lower thigh. 

“You wonder?” Katniss laughs, taking her leg away and flopping onto the bed. She glances over at him, eyes sly and somehow soft at once. “I don’t.” 

“I can’t help thinking,” he muses. “that this is something of a counterproductive plan on Jo’s part. Because now, I have a sudden and distinct interest in staying in tonight.” 

“Oh?” Katniss raises a come hither eyebrow and pushes up on her elbows to accept the kiss he plants on her lips as he crawls over her, urging her back to the headboard. “Is it the cat ears?” She reaches up to give the (already molting) plastic and faux fur ears a flick. 

“The Kat ears,” he says. He nips softly at her real ear and she shivers. “The Kat nose.” He kisses that too. His nose nudges her head back, inclining her neck at the perfect angle for him to plant a stretch of kisses down it. “The Kat neck.” His mouth wanders down the front of her dress and he scoots down the bed with it. “The Kat’s cradle.”

“You have that,” she says, hiking her legs up to hug around his middle because her arms can’t reach to hold him. “You’ll always have that.” 

“A piece of that Kit Kat bar.” He kisses her stomach. “The whole Kit and Caboodle,” he teases and she laughs loudly, but on a dime his tone is changing, from silly and playful into husky and dangerous, as he moves lower. “Kitten,” he murmurs and her fingers curl in the bedsheets at the name. “Grab my phone,” he tells her, hooking his fingers around the band of her tights, “Tell Finnick we’re going to be late.” 

An hour or so later finds the cat ears lost somewhere among the remains of their costumes and a hasty snack of pepperoni rolls cooking in the convection oven. Peeta, festooned in boxers and an old apron, presides over the food like it needs a baker’s supervision. Katniss perches on the counter, wrapped chest to toes in the white sheet she pulled from their bed, feet batting absently at the cabinets. 

“This is a good look too,” he tells her, gesturing with the salad tongs he’s using to handle the pepperoni rolls. 

“What is? This sheet?” 

“I was thinking more along the lines of sexy ghost.” 

“Or sexy Roman senator,” she laughs, tossing one edge of the sheet over a bare shoulder. “Sexy Julius Caesar.”

“You’d make a good Julius Caesar,” he says. 

“Why?”

“You’ve got that “came, saw, conquered” vibe. Least that’s how I felt that night at Finnick’s party.”

“Conquered?” 

“I was gonna say seen, but — yes. Conquered too. I couldn’t stop looking at you.” He snaps his fingers. “Sexy ice queen? Definitely.” 

“I’m not exactly sure what kind of Freudian analysis one could make on falling in love with the guy dressed as your fictional sister but — ”

Peeta shrugs as the timer beeps, and he sets to fishing the pepperoni rolls onto a plate for them to share. “I choose to think of it as a metaphor for how the two people you love most in the world are your real, actual sister …” He sets the rolls beside her on the counter and sets his hands gently on her sides. She lets the sheet fall and pool slightly around her waist to cup his face as he leans in to kiss her forehead, very gently, thumbs rubbing circles on her hips. “And some loser who has the luck of … oh, I guess having the same first initial and hair color as she does,” he jokes. 

“And the same beautiful heart,” Katniss corrects in a whisper. “I mean that.” She’s rarely so sentimental to anyone except him. She smirks. “And I haven’t even started drinking yet.” 

“Well, my pretty kitty,” he starts, wrapping both his arms around her middle and hoisting her off the counter. She rolls her eyes, even as her hands card through his hair. “The night is still young.” 

[nugsalotbutmore]

Just a routine mission...

Fandom: Mass effect

Pairing: fshenko

Words: 2519

AO3: here

Summary: Commander Krista Shepard took Garrus and Kaidan out on a normal mission to take out some mercs. However, the Normandy's crew can't just have a 'normal' mission

Just me writin some more stuff for my beloved Kris Shepard. Rest is under the cut!

‘Pulse too fast. Seeing red, probably because there’s blood in my eyes. Shit’ Shepard thought. She just took a hit from a grenade that went off right next to where she was crouched for cover. Her ears were ringing, but she could still faintly hear other explosions and some muffled noises that sounded like voices. Maybe. She couldn’t tell. Last thing she knew they were fighting off some Krogan mercs and then said grenade exploded

“-ard! Shepard! Dammit Commander answer me!” Kaidan’s voice rang through her radio. Kris fumbled with the radio control for a second before answering

“Pushy much, lieutenant?” Kris asked, her voice gravelly from the smoke she was coughing out of her lungs. She sounded rough, especially when her voice was transmitted over the air.

“Hold your position I’m coming for you” Kaidan said. Kris recognized his tone. He probably couldn’t be talked out of it. Kris started to respond but was wracked with a coughing fit from the smoke.

“I’ll cover. Go” Garrus said, taking up a stance where he could take out incoming hostiles with his sniper rifle. Damn planet was just crawling with mercs. Clearly they were getting close to something important.

“I’m fine. Get to the control panel first. We have to keep them from getting through” Shepard croaked.

“Respectfully, screw that” Kaidan said. Kris groaned, but knew it was probably for the best. She was pretty sure there was shrapnel embedded in her somewhere and she couldn’t really move. Too dizzy. Ears were shot. Chakwas was gonna have a field day with her when she got back to the Normandy.

“This is the Normandy come in Commander Shepard!” Jokers voice came in over their comms now.

“Joker. Tell me what the hells going on” Shepard answered.

“They had a drop ship, you have another wave of mercs headed your way. I’d suggest getting to that panel and locking the door behind you.” He said.

“Shit” Shepard groaned.

“Can you take them out?” Kaidan asked.

“Not without catching you guys. You gotta get the commander and get out of there.” Joker said.

“Enough chatting I can’t pick them all off” Garrus said, clearly annoyed. Kris curled up tighter behind the crate as another grenade went off nearby. She heard Kaidan curse and then saw him jump over the closest barricade. He rolled on the ground and joined Krista, making sure they were clear.

“I’m with her Garrus, start moving towards the panel” Kaidan said.

“Got it” His response came through, and then Kaidan turned his attention to Kris.

“No time for first aid Lieutenant we have to get out of here” Shepard said.

“I hate that you’re right” he grumbled, pulling Kris’ arm around his shoulder and hoisting her to her feet. She grunted but they started making their way to the control panel- and safety.

“Go, go!” Garrus was yelling, waving them forward. The krogans were coming into view, and they had mechs. Kaidan picked up their pace, practically dragging Shepard along. Garrus closed and locked the door behind them, and Kaidan set Kris down against the wall. He started to look over her, scanning with his omnitool. Garrus was messing with a security terminal on the wall, and Kris was scanning the room. She thought she saw movement, and tried to get Kaidan’s attention.

“Kaidan” She said, smacking his arm.

“Give me a minute, Shepard” He said, annoyed. Kris grunted, and grabbed his pistol off his side.

“What the hell-“

Kris fired two shots and a security mech collapsed to the floor with two neat holes in its head.

“You’re welcome” Kris grumbled, relaxing back against the wall. Kaidan stared at the mech shocked as Garrus laughed.

“Blood in her eyes and she’s still a better shot than you” He teased kaidan before clearing the rest of the room.

“You’re a showoff” Kaidan accused her as he went back to scanning her for injuries.

“You weren’t paying attention. I can’t help the steps I had to take to secure our safety” Kris said. Alenko scoffed at her as she smirked. “We have enough medigel to keep you going but you’re gonna need to see Dr. Chakwas when we get back on the Normandy” He said.

“yes nurse” Kris teased. Kaidan rolled his eyes but offered a hand to help her up. She took it and joined Garrus at the security terminal.

“Looks like they were trying to smuggle the contents of this warehouse here. Plant charges, then get the hell out and have Joker pick us up” he said, gesturing to the maps on the screen

“Sounds good. Lets move” Shepard said. The three made quick work of the charges, going to the furthest point first and planting the others on their way back. There were a few more security mechs but nothing like the small army of krogan that waited outside their first door. Luckily the Mako was a short distance from one of the side exits, as they had to make their way around to get to the warehouse.

“Shepard how you doing” Garrus asked. She had been largely silent as they got closer to their egress point. She grunted,

“I’ll be better back on the Normandy” She said.

“Agreed. Garrus can you drive the Mako?” Kaidan asked.

“I can still drive-” Kris protested.

“No” both of them replied simultaneously. Krista may be a fantastic commander, but driver? Not so much.

“Okay. About 75 meters to the Mako, ready?” Garrus asked, posed at the terminal.

Kaidan and Kris nodded. They opened the door, guns up. A few mechs, nothing of note. They were taken care of quickly.

Of course, things went to shit once the Mako was in sight.

“Shit! Battle mech!” Garrus called out. Kaidan grabbed Shepards arm and pulled her to cover with him. Garrus ducked behind a stack of crates. Shepard pulled out the biggest gun she had. Kaidan raised an eyebrow.

“I have no more time for this shit” She said, then turned and shot the gun full blast at the eye of the mech. Its barriers and armor were destroyed rather quickly before Kris had to get back in cover. Shepard heard Garrus shooting his concussive shots at it, but it also usually took s big biotic move to take one of these guys down. Shepard stood up and powered her biotics, using as much of her energy as possible to do a massive biotic pull. The mech went flying and Kris’ eyesight narrowed. She felt herself going weak and her knees gave out from under her. Strong arms caught her before she fell entirely to the ground.

“Stupid. Stupid! My biotics are better and you know it” Kaidan muttered.

“needed you good to get us out” Kris mumbled back, still recovering her vision.

“Nice, Shepard” Garrus said sarcastically.

“Get in the damn rover” She ordered. Garrus opened the door and Kaidan hauled Kris into the back of the Mako. Garrus took the driver’s seat and Kaidan strapped in next to Kris.

“You’re gonna let him drive and shoot?” Shepard teased.

“He’s a sniper. Plus you hog it all the time so I’m sure it’s doable.” Kaidan said, ignoring her joking and scanning her vitals as they started towards the pickup point.

“Joker! We’re in the Mako get us out” Shepard said, at the protest of Kaidan.

“Can do commander, see you soon” He said. And he did. Garrus drove them out of the place with ease, and they were all safely aboard the Normandy by the time the warehouse blew.

Garrus opened the door and hopped out. Past him, Shepard saw some of her crew waiting for them.

“What happened?” Tali asked, walking in.

“Is anyone injured?” Liara added. Kaidan helped Shepard out of the Mako, and Liara gasped.

“Yeah Liara. The commander here took a grenade or two, and then instead of relying on her team, exhausted herself and used her biotics to throw an entire YMIR mech across a warehouse”

“Nice, Shepard!” Wrex said with a laugh. Kris smirked at his response.

“Don’t encourage her!” Kaidan said, earning another laugh from Wrex. Liara hurried over and took Shepard’s other arm around her shoulders. They made their way to med bay, and laid Shepard down on one of the tables.

“I’m fine I just need some medigel and a nap” She grumbled. Liara rolled her eyes and walked back towards her office space. Kaidan fixed her with a stubborn look, and started scanning her for what might have actually been the sixth time while Dr. Chakwas got set up.

“I do admire your willingness to take one for your team, Commander, but we do need to keep our leader alive.” She scolded her. Kris could sass Kaidan to the edge of the galaxy and back, but Dr. Chakwas was almost like a scary mother when she was fixing you up.

“It looks like she shredded at least one of her eardrums, she has some shrapnel that got through her armor, and she may also be concussed. And that’s just from the grenades.” Kaidan said to Chakwas. She nodded.

“I’ve certainly patched up worse. We’ll have you back in top shape in no time as long as you listen to my instruction” She said.

“Yes doctor” Kris said with a sigh.

“Good. Okay, armor off.” She said, “And Lieutenant you may want to leave now, lest the Commander punches you in the jaw”

Kaidan’s face lit up in a blush and gave a hasty salute before turning on his heel and marching out. Kris snickered at him and Chakwas helped her get the mangled armor off of her body.

“Forgive me if I’m out of line, commander, but he’s a sweet boy. You should give him a chance” The doctor said. Kris froze with a shoulder guard in her hand.

“I- I Had no… There are regulations, doctor. Fraternization in the Alliance” Kris stammered. Chakwas laughed.

“I certainly wouldn’t be reporting you. But if you wish to abide by regulations I cannot say I don’t respect that. Lay back for me, Commander. I have to get the shrapnel out now and I think you’ll appreciate an anesthetic.” She said. Kris nodded. Not that she liked to show it, but she was actually in a tremendous amount of pain. Her head was pounding, her ears were ringing, her whole body ached and creaked, and that wasn’t even counting the metal imbedded in her skin. Chakwas had her knocked out within the next minute, and she sank gratefully into unconsciousness.

---

Beeping annoying. No more ear ringing though. Dizzy still. Kris tried to sit up and hands gently pushed her back down. She made noises in protest but was still achy and weak, so she laid back down.

“She’s waking up” Kaidan said. Eyebrow man. Kaidanadian. Cute biotic boy. She peeled her eyes open and looked over towards his voice. He was talking to the doctor and she ignored what they were saying. Kaidan looked back at her and smiled a little,

“You look like shit, commander” He said. Kris frowned, and flipped him off. Fuck him she always looks good “But less like shit without all that blood on your face, so that’s something”

“Ugh. Feel a lot better without blood all over my face. And what I’m guessing are intact ear drums” Shepard said.

“Healing eardrums, Commander. You still have to rest for a day or two before taking grenades from mercenary bands” Chakwas said.

“Doctor if I didn’t have to take grenades from mercenaries I never would have in the first place”

“I’m sure. Now go get some rest. Alenko will help you to your cabin” Chakwas said. Kris nodded, and accepted help up off the table. They made their way towards the elevator slowly, with Kaidan hovering annoyingly close for Kris’ comfort.

“I can walk, Kaidan” She grumbled.

“I’ve been on the receiving end of Chakwas’ anesthetic before, Commander. I know it makes you weak in the knees” He replied. She scoffed. He was right, of course, but Kris was stubborn. They got in the elevator and Kaidan got them to the level with her cabin.

“Kaidan?” Shepard asked.

“Yes?” He asked, still fidgeting with his omnitool.

“For fuck’s sake just call me Kris�� She said. Kaidan laughed.

“You might regret saying that later.” He said.

“Nope. Been meaning to tell you for a while, you handsome pair of eyebrows” She said. It took a second for what she said to work its way through her brain. Oh shit. Kaidan had a blush covering his entire face, and a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

“Can’t tell whether to focus on handsome or eyebrows” He teased.

“I am also a handsome pair of eyebrows, Kaidan. Have you seen my eyebrows? Theyre amazing” She replied. Kaidan laughed at her, and the elevator arrived. Shepard took a few steps forward before starting to wobble. Kaidan grabbed her elbow and steadied her, leading her into her cabin.

“Alright, dismissed. I can shower and nap unsupervised” Kris waved him off.

“Shower? And knock yourself out again by smashing your head on the wall?” Kaidan asked, completely serious. Kris knew he was right, and sighed.

“God you’re annoying. Stay at my desk” She said, then grabbed some N7 PT’s and headed to the shower. She washed the blood and grime off without any problems (besides the steam making her very dizzy). She toweled off and pulled on the sweats, padding back out to her bunk. Kaidan turned around and his eyebrows shot up.

“You look a lot less scary without the makeup, Shepard” He said.

“Kris” She corrected, heading towards her bed.

“Kris” He echoed, soft. There was a period of comfortable silence between them, Kris sitting on the edge of her bed and Kaidan at her desk.

“You know that I- uhm. I am interested. In you, Shep- Kris. Right?” He asked, not making eye contact. Maybe it was the anesthetic making her head all fuzzy, or just the fact that she was too tired to play games, but Kris felt bold.

“Yes. Dumbass. I’ve already said. There’s regs. I don’t always follow regs.” She said, staring him down.

“But you could get in a lot of trouble.” He said, still not meeting her eyes.

“I’m always in a lot of trouble. No one is going to fire me over cuddling, though.” Kris said.

“Wait what?” Kaidan’s head snapped up, his eyes wide.

Kris grabbed his wrist, yanking him towards her and the bed. He allowed her to pull him, and she threw back the covers, patting the spot next to her. He took off his outer gear and Kris laid down. He slid in next to her, and she could tell that he was nervous. She rolled over, and threw an arm around his waist, burying her face in his chest. He relaxed.

“You can leave if you want, but I’d definitely appreciate your company” She murmured.

“I’m not going anywhere, Kris”

“Fucking finally” She said, then started to drift off to sleep as Kaidan ran his fingers through her hair.

[rpf-bat]

There’s No Way I’m Kissing That Guy

Pairing: Gerard Way x Reader

Genre: Fluff

Summary: Request fic for @sleepersareweaker. “MALE!READER MEETING, LIKE, BASEMENT GEE AT COMIC CON OR SOMETHING AND IMMEDIATELY FALLING IN LOVE BUT HE'S GETTING STRAIGHT VIBES? SO HE JUST NEVER MAKES A MOVE EVEN THOUGH THEY BECOME REALLY GOOD FRIENDS AND THEN GEE MAKES AN AWKWARD HALF-ASSED MOVE.Or gerard does something very explicitly not straight and reader has to rearrange his entire life and like immediately awkwardly asks if gee wants to go for coffee and gee misunderstands so reader has to be like "A DATE" and gees face just lights up.”

Maybe you shouldn’t have cosplayed as Batman, you thought with a hint of self-doubt as you walked around the convention. There were a million dudes dressed as Batman here today, and a lot of them were more skilled at costume making than you.

Besides, you thought bitterly, I don’t even have the body for it. Batman is supposed to be this buff superhero, with six pack abs, who could throw the Joker through a fucking wall. That’s not me! I’m a fucking comic book nerd! The Joker could beat my scrawny ass!

“Maybe I should just go home….” you muttered aloud. You’d already picked up the DC merchandise you’d been hoping to score at the vendor’s booths, and the guests speaking at the panels were kind of B-list this year, anyway. Perhaps it was best to…..

“Can you at least take a picture with me before you leave?” said an unfamiliar voice, interrupting your thoughts. You looked up and saw a black-haired stranger standing before you. He was cosplaying Robin. He was cute.

Whoa, calm down there, buddy, you reminded yourself. He’s probably straight, anyway. That would be your luck.

“You want to take a picture with me?” you asked, surprised. “I’m sure there are better Batmans wandering around, if you want a good picture to post on Facebook, so….”

“No, I like your Batman costume,” the stranger insisted. “I mean, if you’re not comfortable taking pictures with people you don’t know, that’s fine. I’m sorry to bother you.”

“No, I’d love to take a picture with you,” you backtracked. “Sorry, my name’s Y/N.”

“I’m Gerard,” the man smiled. Hazel eyes sparkled from beneath his mask.

“Nice to meet you, Gerard,” you smiled.  His attention was making you feel a bit better. “So, what kind of pose would you like to do?”

“Well, I don’t know where my brother wandered off to,” Gerard sighed. “He brought his camera, and he was supposed to help me take pictures with people, but he met some girl in a Wonder Woman costume and I haven’t seen him since. Not that I blame him.”

“Oh. Yeah, uh, gotta love Wonder Woman,” you said awkwardly. If he ‘can’t blame’ his bro for being distracted by a sexy girl, he’s definitely straight, you thought, disappointed.

“Anyway, since I don’t have him to take the photo, just a simple selfie is fine,” Gerard shrugged. “If you don’t mind using your phone, that is.”

“That’s cool with me,” you replied, and opened the camera app on your smartphone.

Gerard stepped closer to you, to make sure he was in the shot. You felt yourself so warm as his shoulder and hip grazed your own.

“Smile, Y/N!” Gerard grinned, and you did, and took the picture.

“There, that’s perfect,” Gerard complimented. “If I give you my number, you’ll text me the picture, right?”

“Yeah,” you nodded. Your stomach flip-flopped at the thought of having this handsome man’s phone number.

Not that anything will come of it, you reminded yourself, frowning.

“So, what’s your favorite Batman storyline?” Gerard asked conversationally.

“Have you read Red Rain?” you wondered.

“You mean, the first part of the Batman & Dracula trilogy?” Gerard recognized.

“Yeah, the one that came out in the early 90’s,” you nodded, happy he recognized it.

“Those comic books were part of the Elseworlds imprint, right?” Gerard recalled.

“Yeah, that’s right,” you grinned, nerding out.

“Dude, I loved that storyline, too,” Gerard grinned back. “I’m a sucker for vampires, and anything horror movie-ish, though.”

“No way!” you said happily. “I love horror movies, too!”

“Oh, yeah? What’s your favorite?” Gerard wondered.

“Oh, gosh, it’s impossible to pick just one,” you confessed.

“Are you staying in this hotel for the whole con?” Gerard asked.

“Yeah,” you replied. “Why?”

“I packed a bunch of horror DVDs with me,” Gerard confessed. “We should totally hang out in my room and watch some of them, if you’re going to be in town all weekend.”

You hadn’t originally planned on sticking around for the whole convention. But now, you thought you just might have to.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Gerard had to leave to go to a signing with Grant Morrison (you would have loved to have gotten his autograph, too, but tickets to that particular event were extra, and you didn’t have the cash), so you went back up to your room to eat some dinner.

A few hours later, your phone buzzed.

Hey, it’s Gerard, the text said, and your heart skipped a beat. Mikey’s sexiling me lol. Can I bring one of my DVDs to your room?

Sure, you replied, happy for the chance to see him again.

Even if he wasn’t interested in you (or guys, in general), it was still nice to be able to make friends with him, right?

I guess I’m satisfied with that, you told yourself.

When he knocked on your door a few minutes later, you noticed that he had changed out of his Robin costume. His face was even more handsome without the mask. Fuck.

He was wearing a pair of black, skinny jeans, and a baggy concert tee. You read the lettering on his shirt: Smashing Pumpkins – The Infinite Sadness Tour.

“Dude, Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness is one of my favorite albums ever,” you gaped fanboyishly.

“Mine, too!” Gerard said, his eyes lighting up with excitement. “Dude, when my brother and I got to see them live, it was fucking amazing.”

“Oh, you saw them in concert? I’m so jealous,” you groaned.

“Smashing Pumpkins, horror, Red Rain……you and I have a lot in common, man,” Gerard noticed.

“Wow, we really do,” you agreed, a bit surprised. You found yourself daydreaming about going to a concert with Gerard, kissing him while Billy Corgan sang ‘Tonight, Tonight’…….

No, you shook your head. Stop. Gerard doesn’t like you that way. I bet he has a girlfriend. Damnit.

“Anyway, what movie do you want to watch?” you asked, changing the subject.

“I brought Nightmare On Elm Street, and Carrie,” Gerard said, holding up the DVDs.

“Ooh, classics,” you smiled, complimenting his taste. “Let’s start with Nightmare. I love Freddy Krueger.”

“Same,” Gerard nodded, and popped the disc into your DVD player before sitting beside you on your bed. You flushed, trying not to think about how close he was.

For a while, you were silent as the film began to play.

“Oh, I forgot Johnny Depp was in this,” you commented when his character came on screen.

“Yeah, he was pretty hot, even back then,” Gerard said casually.

“Wait, what?!” You whipped around to face Gerard, staring at him, shocked. You were rewriting everything you knew about him in your head.

He said a guy is hot, you realized, asking yourself if this had really just happened. That would mean he likes guys. But, earlier he said he was attracted to Wonder Woman, so…..

“Oh…..um, I’m bi,” Gerard confessed, looking embarrassed. “If you have…..a problem with hanging out with a guy who isn’t straight, I can leave……”

“No, no, I’m not straight either!” you admitted. “I’m gay!”

“……Oh,” Gerard said meekly, like he was reevaluating a lot of stuff, suddenly, too.

If Gerard was attracted to men, then maybe you had a chance. You had to say it before you lost your nerve.

“Would you like to go get coffee with me?” you blurted.

“Oh…..uh, yeah, if you want to have something to drink while we watch the movie, I can go with you to buy it,” Gerard said with a confused look.

“No,” you facepalmed, feeling awkward as hell. “I mean…..would you like to go on a date with me sometime, Gerard?”

“…..Oh,” Gerard’s whole expression changed as the penny finally dropped for him. “…..Oh!”

You buried your face in your hands, horrifically embarrassed. What if, even if he did like guys, he didn’t like you? What if you’d completely fucked up a perfectly good new friendship?

“……Yes,” Gerard said softly, gentling removing your hand from your face. “Yes, I’d love to go out with you, Y/N.”

“Really?” you gaped in surprise as Gerard continued to hold your hand.

“Really,” Gerard grinned, and kissed you on your still-surprised mouth.