#tea and gladiolus spoilers

[herosplatling-replica]

📝 scarlet !

A/N: i actually had a similar thing written for sidestory octavio... i haven't gotten to work on it since i'm still working on sidestory beryl but i think this would be fun to preview :) spoilers for chapter 7+8 of tea and gladiolus 🐙

“What?” 

Octavio snaps out of the haze he let Agent Three rile him up into, eyes scanning Tentakeel Outpost. Not far from them, at the doorway of Cuttlefish Cabin, stands the very girl he was talking about just a few seconds ago. 

My daughter. 

The Octoling girl doesn’t say anything for a moment, silent as her eyes widen, tinged with crimson tears. One of her tentacles is dyed a bioluminescent blue-green, marring the trademark Takowase clan ink color. 

That’s… that’s her. 

I don’t even know her name, but she… definitely knows me, from the looks of things.

Before he can say anything like ‘hey kid, I’m your dad, mind helping me out of this snow globe maybe,’ his daughter turns on her heel and makes a break for it, the whites of her eyes flashing a striking emerald green. 

Ohhh, she’s pissed.

“Jeanne, wait!” Freya shouts, rocketing to her feet as the silhouette of the Octoling girl disappears over the canyon in the direction of Octo Valley. Her legs nearly give out as she reels from the motion, clearly not in good enough shape to be running around like this. 

The Inkling looks in his direction for a split second when her head clears, almost asking if there’s anything else he has to say. The words die in Octavio’s throat as Freya grits her teeth and heads for the edge of the platform. Octavio barely hears someone else interrupting as the squid Super Jumps off in the direction of the valley, not sparing him a second glance. 

Well, if she had that visceral of a reaction, I think it’s safe to say she’s not going to help me out of here. So much for blood being thicker than water… 

Though, now that he’s thinking about it, can Octavio really blame the girl? He was never really present in her life, clearly has some form of romantic interest in Agent Three, his sworn enemy and biggest rival, and also never gave her any form of clues to her heritage aside from the Golden Toothpick he ships out with every tentacle clipping that manages to grow eyes. 

The Squid Sister he kidnapped two months ago, the pink one, marches up to Octavio’s snow globe with murderous intent clear in her eyes. “What. The hell. Did you say to Jeanne, you piece of shit?”

[desthebolt]

Commission for @angelictactics !! Thank you so much for your support bestie!!

[miryum]

The Canary and the Robin (Jason Todd x Reader)

Summary: You find Jason being tortured by the Joker and decided to take him in, imperfections and all. If he happens to be your soulmate, so be it

Warnings: I know reader acts like a white person in a horror movie but bear with me, OOC Talia, descriptions of torture, Joker hurting Jason, descriptions of flashbacks of torture, allusions to sexual assault from the Joker unto Jason but not descriptive at all, panic attack, ignore locations and timelines, timer soulmates once they turn 8, swearing, a lotta angst (literally starts out with Jason’s funeral), but happy ending, hurt/comfort, Jason doesn’t have guns or an autopsy scar in this cause he’s Robin still and lemme tell you it’s so unnatural for me to write him without those, perspective switching, conscious wording (so everything is written like that for a reason), Jason’s awful parents and their drinking and harassment (just descriptions on them yelling and drinking and smoking), spoilers to Great Gatsby, kinda open ended, but also not at all? if that makes sense, lemme know if I missed anything

Word Count: 12k so grab some snacks and tissues

Canary in a coal mine is a common term meant to describe something that’s unusually sensitive to conditions that make it a useful early indicator of negatively changing circumstances.

Jason’s funeral was on May 16th, just eight months after he had been taken by the Joker. Alfred had chosen daisies, lilacs, and lotuses for the flowers, but Bruce brought a bouquet of hyacinths to lay on his son’s casket. As much as Bruce Wayne liked to flaunt his wealth, these hyacinths were hand pulled from his own gardens. Roots and dirts still clung to the end of the stems when Jason’s coffin was lowered into the ground. 

Dick had come in from Bludhaven. When he had heard the news, his timer stopped and reversed itself until it added a year and a half onto his time. He had just gotten a brother and had been learning how to be a role model when his brother was dragged away from him, kicking and screaming. It wasn’t fair, Dick kept repeating to himself. A teenager shouldn’t be targeted just because he eagerly trailed on Batman’s heels, snarky comebacks and smirks ready to fire.

There was a public funeral where paparazzi clicked away at their cameras and Bruce stood stoically in the front row, clearing his throat at the podium when he had to make a eulogy. There was then a private funeral where the casket was actually lowered beneath a gladiolus bush. There were no eulogies for none of the family could bring themselves to say much. It was just Bruce, Alfred, Dick, and Barbara. Selina Kyle showed up that night in Bruce’s room and Dick pretended not to hear Bruce’s sobs. Alfred stood in the doorway of Jason’s old room, feather duster in hand. After a couple of minutes, he hung his head and walked off, closing the door behind him. Nothing was cleaned.

The next day, tabloids displayed the pictures of Bruce Wayne standing by a casket. Bruce stopped investing in any companies that did. His own stock dropped, but Bruce wasn’t answering his financial advisor’s calls. He wasn’t answering any calls. 

It was late one night and Dick couldn’t sleep. He had been wanting to return to Bludhaven, but whenever he opened his suitcase, he couldn’t bring himself to pack. He found Alfred in the kitchen, pouring some hot tea. “I figured you would join me one night,” Alfred commented without looking back. 

Dick couldn’t help but chuckle, rubbing his eyes. “Your sixth sense is never wrong, Alfred.” 

Alfred slid a cup over to Dick who took it thankfully, not caring that the tea burnt his tongue. Perhaps it was what he deserved for not being there to help Jason. “I should’ve-”

“Mister Grayson,” Alfred cut him off. “The Joker was ten steps ahead of Batman. Not even the powerful Nightwing could’ve helped. And you could not have flown to Africa in time.” 

“It was closed casket,” Dick whispered out. “I didn’t even get to see my little brother before he was gone.” His voice cracked and he cleared his throat. 

“It was closed casket because Master Wayne couldn’t find Master Jason’s…” Alfred exhaled and corrected himself, “He couldn’t find Master Jason.”

Dick’s head lifted and his hands clenched around his cup. “What?” he breathed out. Desperation filled his voice, “but Alfie, he could still be out there! Jason could be alive!” Alfred simply gave him a stern look and Dick’s stomach bubbled with nausea. “Yeah,” he muttered bitterly. “I don’t know what I was thinking.” His jaw tensed and after a moment, he decided, “I’m going to go back to Bludhaven tomorrow.”

“Safe travels,” is all Alfred said.

It was then that Bruce woke from a nightmare of his dead son screaming out for him.

~~~~

You hadn’t meant to be passing by Arkham Asylum. It wasn’t something one did intentionally; in fact, many people went out of their way to avoid it. But it seemed as if fate wasn’t on your side today, for when your car broke down right outside Arkham Asylum, you didn’t notice the watch on your wrist ticking down quicker and quicker. You swore to yourself and took the mace out of your glove compartment before sliding your keys in between your fingers. Arkham Asylum had been practically abandoned for years, but perhaps there was a janitor or receptionist who could help you get service. Then you could call a mechanic and get the hell out of there. 

The gates to Arkham had rust creeping up the edges and the lock clanged sharply against its chains. Maybe there wasn’t going to be a receptionist in the building… But perhaps there would be a phone you could use. In order for the gates to creak open, you had to force your bodyweight against the metal and try to shove the lock out of the way, praying you didn’t get tetanus in the process. 

The door to Arkham, however, swung open without a sound. It seemed as if someone had been regularly visiting the Asylum, even if there was no one to visit – or love – in the building. “Hello?” you stage whispered, phone flashlight on, and finger on the button on your mace. 

There was clearly a reason why the public wasn’t exposed to Arkham. All reports were classified and no photographers were allowed in. Wide-eyed and mouth slightly agape, you stared around at Arkham Asylum. The halls were long and dark, meant to cause paranoia and confusion. It was certainly working on you. The only light peeking through was from the grime covered windows and your flashlight. The ceiling was crumbling slightly and you were pretty sure Arkham had been under construction when it had been abandoned; otherwise, how could you explain all the dust, debris, and graffiti? You didn’t even want to think of the disease-carrying rodents that were surely scurrying underneath your feet. 

“Is anything here? That can help me?” Your voice echoed down the cell block, vibrating off the metal bars and old bunks. 

You reeled back when your foot kicked a pebble, sending it ricocheting off your sneaker. After the pebble settled some yards away, you took in a steadying breath. You heard a faint sound, one that didn’t sound at all like a pebble. “Hello?” you asked again. Shadows danced around as you shone your flashlight down the hall, messing with your mind. 

When you strained your ears, it sounded as if a faint wail could be heard. Your brows furrowed with worry and instinctively, you started towards it. Your watch ticked down faster as disquietude and anxiety rippled through you like snakes, biting and twisting in your veins. Your flashlight bounced over empty, desolate cells as your pace quickened and the screams got louder. You contemplated calling the police, but when you checked your phone, you didn’t have any service. And who knew if the police would help or not? Arkham was a place only the brave or stupid went; right now, you were pretty sure you were the latter. 

The screams took you deeper and deeper into the Asylum and you prayed that you would be able to find your way out. If you ever got out… your mind immediately thought. 

It wasn’t long before the blood curdling howls shook you to your bones. They seemed to be coming from a cell, yet when you pointed your flashlight towards it, heart thumping at what you might find, there was nothing. But the screams were there. You weren’t making them up. Where the hell were they coming from– oh.

A shiver ran up your spine when you noticed the comical trapdoor in the corner of the cell. You wondered if the Arkham architects intentionally put it there when they were designing this horror house, or if an inmate had scraped a hidden passageway with a spoon they stole from the cafeteria. 

Nonetheless, when you pried open the door, a wall of whimpers and cries from torture hit you full force. You shook your head, steeling yourself, before swallowing down the queasiness. The goosebumps on your arms were full-time residents now. 

Your feet carried you down the dirt steps of the trapdoor. Your mind wasn’t particularly your own. Your brain was foggy. Your body felt like a child had taken your hand and was leading you down the steps. Later in your life, when you thought back to that moment, you knew the universe had been guiding you. But even if you didn’t make it out of Arkham Asylum, you knew your life was going to drastically change. The nonexistent hand squeezed yours in comfort as your heart jumped and pounded when the faint light at the bottom of the stairs grew brighter. 

A small chamber resided under Arkham Asylum, as you found out that day. In the chamber were two people. One held a crowbar dripping with blood. His back was turned to you, but any citizen of Gotham would recognise that pastel green and purple suit anywhere. The Joker was alive. 

But the second person caught your eye. He was strung up from the ceiling, crusty, brown chains trapping him midair. The red outfit he was wearing was being held together by tatters, but you didn’t know if the outfit was originally red or covered with blood. A black and yellow cape was clinging onto the victim’s back, burnt and torn. A green utility belt had been thrown in the corner, its pockets overturned and emptied. 

And your timer buzzed against your wrist.

You didn’t register it at first, but after a moment of incessant buzzing, you tore your horrified stare away from the ruined man and to your wrist. A crude joke bounced into your head: so either my soulmate is the Joker or someone who wronged him… Either way, not ideal. 

The Joker stood proud and tall, shoulders thrown back and grin wide. “Come on, Robby,” he taunted. “You and I both know these little excursions of ours go better when you make noise. How I love to make you sing…”

It was then you registered the Robin symbol on the man’s breast. You slowly pieced everything together, realising that the person in front of you was the presumably dead Robin. You couldn’t help the little, amazed curse word that slipped out from between your lips. 

The Joker slid out a syringe from his pocket and slunk up beside Robin, injecting the green serum into his neck. Joker chuckled as he pressed the liquid further into Robin’s neck, whispering into his ear, “now, now, you mustn’t leave me, Robby. But whatever would you leave for? Now that the Bats has forgotten you.” Joker was mercilessly teasing the sidekick, spit flicking onto his cheek. Robin whimpered, a parched and cracked noise from the back of his throat. 

“Louder, Robby, louder!” The Joker coaxed in a cooing voice. You grimaced and wanted to crawl out of your skin at his voice. Once you realised your mace wasn’t going to do you any good, your eyes darted around the small torture dungeon. Eventually, they landed on a discarded, bent pipe that had a disturbing red colour coated on. You willed yourself not to think of what the substance was. 

Even though Robin’s limp, swinging body was facing towards you, you doubted he could see you. With the drugs running through his veins, his vision would surely be blurred and his mind muddled.

It was just your luck when, as you were inching towards the pipe, your phone decided to work and began buzzing loudly, indicating a call from your friend, Talia. The Joker whirled around, crowbar in hand and you squealed, grabbing the pipe. Before the Joker could react, his eyes widening in shock, you swung the pipe at his head. With the clang of metal against skull, the Joker collapsed, unconscious. You stared down at him, disbelief flooding your body. Oh my god, I just killed the Joker. Or, at the very least, gave him a good concussion. Your hands shook as a little pool of blood seeped out from Joker’s head. You dropped the pipe and it clattered to the dirt floor. A little groan that escaped Robin and your still-ringing phone brought you back to Earth. 

“Shit, shit, I gotta get outta here,” you muttered, looking around frantically. Your phone kept ringing and with a swear, you brought it to your ear. “What?” you growled out. 

“Wow, what has your panties in a twist?” Talia asked back snarkily. 

You held your phone between your shoulder and your head as you hurried towards Robin. “Nothing, nothing, sorry,” you muttered as you attempted to free him from the chains. “Why’re you calling?”

“Why are you so stressed? You sound like you just ran a marathon,” Talia said through the phone. You could envision her checking her nails while doing so. 

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” You finally got Robin’s wrists to slip from the chains and he fell down onto you. You grunted under his weight. Apparently, just because he had been starved and tortured for months didn’t mean he had lost his superhero muscle. 

Talia paused for a moment and you could practically hear the gears in her brian turning. “Do you need me to help hide a body?” she asked suddenly. 

You laughed nervously as you shifted Robin to your shoulder and began dragging him towards the steps. “No?” you finally answered. “Though if you wanted to meet me by Arkham Asylum with your working car and a cure for an almost dead superhero, that would be great.”

“I will be there in twenty minutes.”

~~~~

“How did this happen?” Talia demanded, more curiosity in her voice than malice and anxiety. You were in her passenger seat, staring at the wounded Robin who was laid in the back. Talia weaved through traffic with ease, headed towards the Yuyan Building.

“I don’t know!” you cried out, panic infusing itself into your blood. It felt similar to the way the Joker had infused serum into Robin. You clutched at the seatbelt, hoping it would take some of your dread. “My car just stopped working and then I was just going into Arkham Asylum like an idiot and I found the dead Robin! He was supposed to be dead, right? It was all over the news!”

“And then Batman got another Robin,” Talia added, almost bitterly. You shot her a confused look and she glanced over at you. Her eyes flickered down to your wrist before you yelled at her to focus on the road again. “You are a rational person, Y/n,” Talia began as the car screeched to a halt outside an imposing, ornate building. You stared up at it as Talia got out of the car. You scrambled to help her with Robin. The two of you each had one of his arms over your shoulders, his feet scraping along the ground, head lolling to the side, as you carried him in. “I do not think you would go into Arkham Asylum without something else guiding you,” Talia continued. “Do not think I did not notice your stopped timer. He is your soulmate, is he not?”

You nodded, not trusting your words. You were worried you would start crying if you actually had a moment to process all of the day’s events. “Will your dad help?” you asked finally, voice wavering.

Talia chuckled dryly, eyes narrowing on a fixed point ahead of you. She led you and Robin deeper into Yuyan Building. “If it gets on Batman’s good side? Absolutely.”

“I’ll take him after you’re done healing him,” you added quickly. “I’ll take him back home and care for him if you and your dad help me this one time.” You realised it sounded like you were begging for help. Briefly, you wondered what had happened in such a short time to make you care so much for Robin. Part of you decided it was what any rational, kind human being would do – help someone who was badly hurt – but another part of you knew that wasn’t the case. You felt tied to this boy you didn’t even know the name of. Whether it was through your soulmate bond or not, you knew you were connected to Robin. You felt his pain and terror. Even though he was unconscious, you could feel his resistance tugging against you. He didn’t want to go with you. He was scared of what you might do to him. His emotions dug into you and you felt a whimper crawling up your throat, begging for escape. 

It was then you steeled yourself and decided one thing: you weren’t going to let your soulmate die. 

Yuyan Building held deeper secrets, you realised. Talia directed you down long hallways and steep stairwells and you felt bad for the custodians who had to clean up Robin’s trail of blood. It was long minutes, full of you groaning under Robin’s weight and Talia looking unaffected, before Talia stopped at a large, ominous door. 

You couldn’t look Ra’s in the eye as he slung Robin into the Lazarus Pit. You could only watch the bubbling green liquid as Robin slowly sunk to the bottom. Agonising minutes ticked by, halted only by Ra’s and Talia whispers to each other. 

You hugged yourself tightly after five minutes passed and you called anxiously to Talia, “do- does he need help? Is he hurting? Why is it taking so long?”

“He had a lot of injuries, Y/n,” Talia reassured you, coming to place a hand on your shoulder in comfort. “He will be okay.”

Yeah. He’ll be okay.

~~~~

Jason’s eyes burned. Green was all that he could see. He tried to breathe in, but the only thing that filled his lungs was the green surrounding him. When the liquid filled his lungs and he coughed out, bubbles trailed up to the surface like a safety rope guiding the way. 

Jason stretched a hand out in front of him, muscles aching at disuse. “Well, we wouldn’t want you to run away, would we, Robby?” The Joker’s voice called after him as Jason kicked his feet futilely. “Not our little prince!” 

A flitting feeling coursed through Jason: curiosity and concern, but he was too weak to form a thought. His arm, reaching out towards the bubbles that led him upward, didn’t look like his own. He remembered the scars criss-crossing along it and he remembered the dirt and grime infecting cuts and burns, even digging its way underneath his nails, but he didn’t remember looking so… strong. Since when did he have the muscles and veins that looked like years of exercise had paid off? Batman had kept him fit – Robin needed to be able to hold his own, but he didn’t quite remember it working so well. 

His hand finally breached the top of the green waves, grasping up towards breathable air and safety. 

Green. Like the Joker. Another one of his charades. A playing card, to show Jason he wasn’t free yet. He was never free.

Everything was disillusioning. His vision veered sideways before becoming foggy and nausea crashed through Jason, like the waves in which he was trying to fight against.

“Stop struggling!” he heard someone cry out, “you’re making your own waves! You have to swim.”

He saw someone reaching out towards him and without a second thought, Jason extended his bandaged hand, clinging onto the buoy in the storm. Their hand was soft and comforting and dragged him out of the water. Jason allowed himself to be dragged. He didn’t have the energy to fight the Joker. He had given up much too long ago. 

“What did you do to him?” someone asked once Jason fell to the ground. The world spun around him and he couldn’t recognise whomever was speaking. He gasped in desperate air, filling his deprived lungs. 

“Take in a good, deep breath, Robby. Smell that blood? It’s yours. A reminder that Bats isn’t gonna come save you. Doesn’t it smell delicious?” The Joker hissed at him, inhaling himself. He cackled and licked his lips. “You’re a sweet little bird, aren’t you?”

“Why does he look like that?” the same voice asked. Jason heard a small thud over the ringing in his ears. 

“The Lazarus Pit not only receives, but it returns, ten times stronger,” a deep voice explained. “It takes what it has been given, and it blossoms it into its full potential. What it needs to become.”

Jason flinched away from the hands that rested on him. The hands retreated and Jason wondered what new tactic the Joker was trying. The Joker never retreated.

The voices were getting more frantic and his heartbeat seemed amplified. As Jason was slowly lifted up, he passed out.

~~~~

The next time Jason woke up, the first thing he noticed was the clock. There was a digital clock on a small table beside him, green numbers staring unblinkingly up at him. Green as in the Joker. Clock as in a bomb. Does he want me to defuse the bomb? Or is it all a trick? The Joker never let me see any clocks. Time was a valuable construct, one the Joker used to his advantage. If Jason didn’t know how much time had passed, the Joker could stretch the days and the torture. 

It took Jason a moment to blink the sleep from his mind. Then, he let his eyes flick around the room as his body stayed perfectly still. It was a tactic he learned from Batman – never let anyone know you were awake. He could categorise helpful information for later, such as possible escape routes, and if the Joker didn’t know he was awake quite yet, there would be less time for torture.

The former Robin was in a room. He didn’t recognise it and that scared Jason more than he would ever admit. There was a dresser opposite him with pictures on it. He couldn’t quite make out who was in the pictures, but it didn’t quite matter yet. A closet door was closed and next to it stood a tall mirror that had a blanket thrown over it. A small bookshelf sat beside him and when Jason had the mental capacity, he couldn’t help but feel the pull to read the titles. It smelled better than anything in a long time. Instead of urine and festering skin, this place smelled like lavender and vanilla. 

It was only then Jason realised he was laying on a bed. And there were no restraints tying him down to it. 

What new tactic was this? What scheme was the Joker pulling? What game did he want Jason to play? What was the objective? The trick Jason had to uncover to live another day? 

Green and purple and yellow whirled around Jason and he gripped his head, begging the colours to stop. Carnival music played loudly in his ears, that same damn tune for the past thirty six hours. 

Strapped to a chair, there was nowhere to escape the Joker’s mind games. Jason had been sedated more times than he could count and dragged to new locations where the Joker found new ways to torment him. Today’s lucky special was the Joker’s old hideout at the abandoned carnival. 

It wasn’t long before the Joker’s voice rang out from within hidden speakers. “Show me those street smarts, Robby! Play with me. Maybe I’ll let you go…” he jeered and inveigled. 

The spinning stopped and Jason planted his feet on the ground. His head dipped and his mouth hung open, eyes crossed and half-lidded. The Joker stood before him, leaning on his crowbar. “Ah, ah, ah,” the Joker tsked. “You're losing your touch, Robby.” The Joker ran his tongue over his teeth, lips curling up in a tantalising grin before lifting the crowbar back. 

Jason didn’t hear anything before he blacked out.

It had seemed that he had blacked out in real life too, for the time had advanced three hours and the sun had sunk in the sky. Next to the clock was a tall glass of water and a small plate of crackers. Two pills of unassuming tylenol sat nearby.

Someone had been in here, Jason realised. The thought made his skin crawl and he quickly flung off the sheets, not used to the feeling of cotton. After a quick analysis of his body, even though his skin was already wrecked and flayed, there weren't the telltale nail marks on his thighs that the Joker had been there in his sleep. The only thing out of the ordinary were the bandages and cleaned wounds. His armour was nowhere to be seen and he had been stuffed into pyjama pants and a shirt that seemed a bit tight. 

Panic flashed through his spine and Jason flung his legs over the mattress. He promptly collapsed and his knees ached at the impact. It took a moment of forcing his lungs open and letting oxygen flow through his system once more until he was able to crawl pathetically towards the covered mirror. His fingers twisted around the sheet and dragged it downward, letting it pool on the floor and around his legs. 

Staring back at him wasn’t his face. It was the face of someone who had lived ten more years and seen fifty more years of battle. 

Jason promptly swung his fist at the glass, shattering the mirror and letting the shards rain down. But he could still see his reflection. Jason forced his eyes away from the unfamiliar face and the scars he could feel burning into his skin.

Just a trick of the Joker. That’s all it ever was. He was never free and never more would believe so. Everything was consumed by that pale skin, green hair, and purple nails. Everything was a mind game followed by excruciating pain. 

His gaze drifted back to the water and crackers. It could be tainted. But the Joker also needed him alive to continue their games. There was always a grace period for Jason to heal before the next session began. 

He limped back to the bed, downed the water, not daring to touch the pills, and fell back onto the pillow. He shifted and adjusted the pillow. It felt uncomfortable. He threw it to the other side of the room before rubbing at his aching wrists. His skin there was red and irritated, not used to being out of chains. That was unusual, when Jason truly thought about it. The Joker knew how powerful Jason was. Jason had even managed to escape his chains once, back when he was healthy and convinced Batman would come and rescue him. But a bullet to the malnourished stomach was enough to stop anyone. 

He kept massaging his hands until his fingers skirted over the bare skin of the inside left wrist. It felt like something should be there. Something was missing. 

“Well well well,” Joker’s voice crooned in his ear. The man’s fingers curled around Jason's wrist. Long fingers tapped a tune on the proud watch that sat on Jason’s skin, ticking like a heartbeat. “Does our little Robby have a soulmate?” 

The boy’s muscles tensed, protesting against the Joker for the first time in weeks. He had been trying to keep the watch hidden for as long as possible, but he should’ve known it was futile.

“But who on earth could love you?” The Joker questioned deridingly.

Jason’s cracked lips parted and he forced a “no” from his parched throat. “Don’t.”

The Joker giggled – a high pitched, ugly sound that would haunt Jason’s nightmare’s for years to come. “Oh… and have you met your true love yet?” 

“Stop it.” Jason wiggled away from the Joker’s searing grip but nothing helped.

The psychopath’s nails embedded crescents into Robin's skin as he forced his wrist around. “No no no,” the Joker tsked as he watched the clock inch down towards zero. “You haven’t met them yet… what?” He turned back towards Jason, eyes wide with fake innocence. “You think they’re gonna come save you, Robby?” A burst of laughter bubbled from the murderer. “Never,” he hissed in Jason’s ear, making the boy cringe away, his chains swinging with him. 

A sob crawled its way up Jason’s lungs as the Joker grabbed his chains, steadying him, before licking a stripe up Jason’s cheek, leaving behind saliva and horrid breath. The Joker then licked his lips, relishing in the taste of Robin’s blood and tears. 

“You really think you deserve anyone?” The Joker whispered in his ear, more serious than Jason had ever seen him. His fist clenched around Jason’s watch and the boy let out a whimper. “You don’t.” The glass cracked under the Joker’s force. “Deserve shit.” He ripped the soulmate watch from Jason and threw it to the ground. The delicate watch sprang open and the timer stopped in its tracks. 

Jason let out a guttural scream as the Joker ground the glass into the dirt with his heel. 

~~~~

A loud thump yanked Jason out of sleep. A sharp feminine yelp followed and Jason was instantly on his feet, no matter the spots that danced in his vision. 

A small voice in the back of his head that sounded suspiciously like Alfred chastised him for not staying in bed and letting his body heal. “Master Jason, how are you supposed to fight crime if you can’t even walk straight?”

Nevertheless, Jason pushed open the door, raggedly breathing and clutching his side. He was sure he looked like a serial killer of some sort, blood staining through his bandages and hair sloppily matted to his forehead from sweat. 

A girl stared at him from across the room. She was smaller than him, was what Jason noticed first. He then noticed her eyes. They were a striking colour and seemed to bore into him, knowing his every want and desire. They were cautious, yet Jason thought he imagined excitement running deep within the girl. 

“Who’re you?” Jason mumbled out, leaning heavily against the doorframe. 

The girl took a breath and said, “I’m Y/n.” A blanket was curled around her feet, much like the blanket that Jason had snatched from the mirror hours earlier. Her hair was a bit messy and Jason categorised a pillow propped up against the armrest of the couch. 

“How’re you—” Jason cut himself off and shook his head. “What’re your… Who…” he struggled to find a question that encapsulated everything while not giving too much away about himself. 

Y/n took a step closer, almost as if he was a wild animal that she didn’t want to startle. It didn’t work; Jason stumbled back over his feet and back into the bedroom. Y/n didn’t follow. “I was at Arkham Asylum three days ago and found you.”

“What were you doing there?” Jason demanded, his words slurred. 

“My car broke down,” Y/n explained easily, though Jason didn’t believe her one bit. “I was looking for help and… found you instead. I had to call a friend for help.”

Jason was done with pleasantries. Alfred had frowned upon swearing, and the boy had quickly learned not to use the words he had heard on the street or the insults villains spat at Batman once they were in handcuffs. But he wasn’t standing next to Batman in bright spandex anymore. He was bleeding through someone else’s clothes and he wasn’t in his own body and there was a girl who was wearing a dark green sweatshirt and green reminded him of the Joker. “Bullshit,” he growled out. His voice didn’t have that prepubescent squeak to it anymore and his veined hand reached up to massage his throat. 

Y/n’s brows stitched together and she stared up at him, slipping the cuffs of her sweater over her hands. “No. It’s not bullshit. I promise,” she said, her voice saccharine. “Look, you’ve been sleeping for almost three days, trying to sleep off that poison the Joker put in you, I’m sure.”

Jason flinched back so hard that he stepped back onto the glass shards from the mirror. It cut into his heel and he winced, blood already leaking from the wound. 

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Y/n exclaimed, crouching down and then standing back up quickly. “I’m sorry. Do you want me to help you with that? Why don’t you sit on the bed and I’ll grab some bandaids.” Y/n hurried away out of the bedroom and Jason stood still. 

Help. 

Help you. 

“You’re gonna help me win back Batman, Robby,” the Joker whispered in his ear, spit flicking on his face. “You are vital. You will be his downfall.”

Help.

Help me.

Y/n came back, shaking Jason out of the parallels. “You’re not on the bed,” she commented. Jason’s feet automatically moved towards the bed — he knew better than to argue with the Joker, but then he remembered he wasn’t with the Joker. This was a girl who looked like one strong look would have her cowering beneath him, especially if he actually had the physique he saw in the now-broken mirror. 

“Who are you,” he repeated his question from earlier, turning back to look at her. 

“Y/n,” the girl reiterated, head tilting slightly. 

“No.” Jason shook his head. “Who are you. Who do you work for?”

Y/n’s brows scrunched together in confusion and she said, “well, my boss is named Marlene, if that’s what you’re asking. But I don’t see how that’s particularly relevant.”

Jason’s chest rose and fell and he brought his hand up to claw at it. “Liar,” he hissed out. “You… you liar!” A yell curled its way up through him and his nails scratched at his throat, trying to tear this unfamiliar voice from him. Who was he? This wasn’t Jason Todd, the broken boy from Crime Alley. This was someone much more dangerous and unpredictable. Batman had always taught Jason how to analyse plans and choose the one with the highest success rate. But this was a different Jason. This Jason was a tornado, sweeping through every emotion he didn’t know how to handle. 

He saw green. And that only reminded him of the years spent under the Asylum.

Jason tore the sheets from the bed. He shoved things off the bedside table and consequently the lamp fell, its bulb shattering and then flickering out. The room was plunged into darkness. The only source of light was from the barely rising sun, peeking its rays into the window and bathing the edges of the room with pink and orange and yellow. 

The light danced across Y/n’s face as she stared around at the damage Jason was inflicting. Pity and guilt ran rampant on her face and she didn’t stop him.

Jason moved throughout the room, the only things he spared being the dresser and the bookshelf. 

After some time, he collapsed onto the floor, heaving in breaths. It wasn't long before he slowly leaned back to lay down. Y/n carefully sat down next to him, staying a good couple feet away. "I know you don't trust me," she said. She slipped her sleeve down her wrist, tucking in her hands. The outline of a watch pressed against the fabric and Jason stared at it numbly and unthinking. "But my name is Y/n. I work at the Gotham Gazette. My boss's name is Marlene. She's pretty nice and I'm up for a raise soon. I've lived in Gotham my whole life, even while my brother moved away the first chance he got. I've contemplated leaving for a long time, but I could never bring myself to do it." She pointed to a picture that sat on her dresser – one of the only things Jason hadn't destroyed. "That's him. My brother."

Jason didn't move his head to look. His green vision began to fade. 

“When I was growing up I had a fish. His name was Captain Sparkles,” Y/n kept on talking. “He was pretty cool and lived a long time for a fish. Two years, if you’re interested. I’m going to Gotham University and studying English so I can hopefully move up the line of command at the Gazette. My parents are chill and are empty nesters with two dogs out in the countryside. My dad always pledged never to get a dog, but now I’m pretty sure they’re ahead of me in the will.” She chuckled and tugged at her hair. 

Jason turned on his side away from her and he missed her eyes trailing after him sadly. Y/n swallowed and blinked away the sting of impending tears. 

“I have a little routine going,” Y/n continues, her voice cracking slightly. “You know, wake up, go to class — I’m a sophomore — come home and do homework. When I don’t have class, I go to work.” The girl wraps her arms around her knees and tucks her chin in. “What I’m trying to get at, I guess, is that I don’t work for the Joker.”

Jason flinched and cradled his head in his hands. Everything Y/n was telling him seemed true; she didn’t seem like an agent of the Joker, but his mind screamed at him to not trust anybody. Each syllable she spoke seemed like a reminder of how normal he was supposed to be. Day in and day out, when the Joker was pushing Jason’s limits, pulling him to the brink of death, Jason had wished to be normal. To not have met Batman that fateful day. To not have accepted the Robin pedestal. To go to high school and college and live in a dorm and get drunk and then regret it the next day. 

What he would give to be normal. 

“I’m sorry,” Y/n muttered. “I didn't mean to say his name. I know it must be triggering.” She exhaled and was silent for a moment. “I’ll go,” she eventually whispered. “If you need anything, let me know.”

Jason heard her stand and move to the door. No! Please don’t go. I- I can’t be alone. I don’t know how to be alone. But the words didn’t come. 

The door clicked shut behind Y/n. Tears made their way down Jason’s face and his body shook with the effort to keep silent. 

I would rather you torture me than make me be alone, he thought. My thoughts are more dangerous than any weapon.

~~~~

For all of Jason’s life, soulmates had always been in his realm of knowledge. Like bombs. He had heard the word in the news, playing with whatever he had scavenged off the street, his mom smoking on the couch behind him, TV blaring. 

But children are oblivious and it wasn’t until later in his life that he figured out what the words meant. ‘Bombs’ became synonymous with Gotham City and ‘soulmate’ became a word Jason held close to his heart. 

Everyone had a soulmate and it was common for the kids on the playground to compare their numbers ticking down. Younger children, who had yet to get their timer, gazed wistfully at older kids’ watches. Rumours of someone’s timer speeding up or slowing down blistered around the jungle gym and it chilled young Jason’s blood with the thought of not getting to meet his soulmate soon enough. 

But besides those insignificant bouts of worry, Jason was very proud of his soulmate. He would be running around the playground and when he heard someone bragging about how soon they would meet their soulmate, Jason would stop the game of tag and go over to compare numbers. 

Not everyone was as lucky as him, however. Some kids would be teased because their timer estimated that they wouldn’t meet the love of their life until they were on the brink of death. While Jason never stood up for the victim, he would never be the one to bully them. His own mom had smashed her timer when she met Jason’s deadbeat dad, wanting to defy the universe and choose her own lover. It had only led to jail time, alcohol, and negligence. Sometimes, late at night, Jason would wonder what happened to his mom’s true soulmate. Were they still out there with a paused timer, wondering who didn’t think them good enough? Did they also think they could find answers at the bottom of a bottle or did they pick themselves up and reroute their life?

What would’ve his life been like if he had two parents who loved each other and were destined to be together? 

But whenever Jason was feeling down, or he got a bad grade (which didn’t happen often), or he was beaten up in the alleyways of Gotham, or his mom smashed a bottle by his head and screamed at him, he would cast his eyes down to his soulmate timer and just remember that someone out there was for him. That someone was fated to love him. And very early on, from the moment he realised what having a soulmate actually meant, Jason decided that he would wait for however long it took and go through whatever it meant to find them. 

“Whose clothes are these?” Jason whispered, his voice cracked and desolate the next time Y/n came into the room to offer him the little food he could stomach. 

“My brother’s,” she answered easily, setting down the plate of toast and some other easy food. “I thought they would be a bit big on you, but then the Lazarus Pit made you ginormous, so they’re a bit tight now. Sorry.”

“Lazarus Pit?” Jason pushed himself to sit up, muscles groaning in protest. 

“I don’t know how much you remember,” Y/n admitted. “But once I got you out of Arkham, I brought you to my friend Talia. She has some… powerful connections to some influential people and was able to help heal you in the Lazarus Pit. I just didn’t know how much it would alter you.”

“That explains a lot,” Jason admitted dryly, thinking of his new physique, emotions, and tinted vision when he had gotten mad. 

Y/n leaned against her dresser. “I didn’t know what else to do. I’m sorry if you didn’t want me to help, but I needed to. You were going to die and I need…” she trailed off and her eyes flicked down to her wrist.

“You need what?” 

“I couldn’t let someone die,” Y/n finally decided on. 

Jason accepted her answer. He felt a small tug at his chest, almost as if something wasn’t right and he wanted to correct it. “What’s…” His eyes trailed to her lap where she held her hands. His jaw twitched and he shook his head. “Never mind.” 

“You can ask me anything,” Y/n offered, a smile lifting the corner of her mouth. Jason’s eyes widened when he saw her smile and his heart fluttered. Jason decided that, even if he didn’t trust Y/n yet, he would do whatever it took to keep that smile on her face. 

“No, I have nothing– I’m good– no–” 

“Spit it out, Robby. What do you want to tell your darling Joker? What are your… worries? Your concerns? Your dear Uncle Ace?” The Joker circled around an exhausted Jason. “Trust me. You can tell me anything…” His speech was slow and intoxicating. Alluring, was the word Jason would use to describe it. It was tugging him in. Jason’s eyes slipped down into sleep just as another needle pierced its way into his skin, courtesy of the Joker. 

Jason dug his nails into the palm of his hand over and over, fingers twitching over his cuticles. His face started to heat up and he swallowed roughly, blinking slowly. “I’m okay,” he mumbled out, even though Y/n didn’t ask. 

“Do you need me to leave?” she offered. 

Jason dragged his head back and forth, attempting to shake it. Eventually, it lolled back and banged against the wall. “Sorry, what?”

Y/n stood up on instinct. “Robin?” 

The title sent lightening up Jason’s spine and his gaze snapped up to stare at her, fuming. “Don’t- don’t call me that!” he screamed out. “I’m not! Stop it!”

Dearest Robin. How Batman will miss his little protégé. 

Robby… 

Robby… 

Robin!

“Let me go!” Jason shrieked. He wiped his hands on his shirt before reaching up and pulling at his hair. Everything felt wrong. “Why won’t you let me go?! Just give up,” he pleaded desperately. His eyes, wide and frantic, swept around the room until they settled on the shards of the mirror he had smashed.

His body was a graveyard.

It was only then that Jason truly comprehended how imperfect he was. 

Scars trailed down his arms and legs and he could even see a smattering of them peeking out of the collar of his shirt. Each scar and bruise was a reminder of each thing the Joker had done to him. 

Each scar is an adventure, Batman’s voice resonated in his head. An image of Batman patching up young Robin’s bloody nose flicked through Jason’s mind.

Each scar is a reminder you were never there for me, Jason thought bitterly. Each scar is a reminder that I’ll never be free of him. I’ll always be tied to the Joker. And that’s what terrifies me the most. That’s what makes me hate you, Batman. 

“Okay, okay,” Y/n surrendered, holding her hands up. “I’ll leave. But I can’t let you go. It’s not safe yet.”

It was then that Jason drove his fist into the wall. Y/n made a little squeak of surprise and seemed to flinch. 

She quickly left and Jason didn’t have time to feel bad before he crumpled onto the bed in exhaustion, bits of plaster now on the floor and sheets.

~~~~

Time after time again, the Joker visited him. The Clown Prince of Crime had grown bored with the relentless torture. There had been new tactics — he had to keep it interesting, of course — but even waterboarding hadn’t quelled the ache that the Joker felt after the boy had grown used to the whipping of chains against his skin, leaving the boy bruised and internally bleeding.

So it was time to pull out all the stops. The Joker strolled into the makeshift dungeon. Robin didn’t even look up at this point. “You look grim,” the Joker stated, pouting theatrically, even though his audience was a despairing one. He strolled over to the table where he kept all his instruments. “Which one, which one?” the Joker sang, running his fingers over the knives, corkscrews, ropes, and other devices to land on a pitcher of water. 

Jason inhaled and exhaled slowly. The Joker poured a generous amount of water into a glass before lifting it to Jason’s lips and tilting it back. “There you go…” the Joker cooed, caressing Jason’s cheek. “Drink it all up like a good little boy.”

Jason’s chapped lips searched hungrily for the water, not caring what the Joker’s motive was. He was too thirsty to wonder.

It was only the first in a long line of drugs. 

“I don’t know what to do, Talia,” a lilting, frustrated voice came from the other room, stirring Jason awake. He was sure that whenever he heard Y/n’s voice, he would snap to attention, ready to throw himself to his knees and execute whatever she commanded. 

Woah. Where did that dedication come from? 

Even when Jason assumed the title of Robin, there was never such blind complaisantness to what Batman ordered. He would always have some street-kid spunk in him.

So why was he feeling so utterly protective over Y/n? It had to be the fact that she saved him from the hellhole the Joker had carefully curated and manipulated. Didn’t it?

Or was it something else?

“No, I’ve been trying to do all my work online, and it’s been working, but I can only go so long before I have to go into the office or go to lectures.” Y/n listened to her friend for a long minute on the phone and Jason strained to hear them. “No, but I feel responsible – that’s the wrong word – but protective of him.” There was a pattering of feet as if Y/n was pacing. “This is kinda a big deal. There are movies and books written about this connection and yet, mine is huddled in my room, sleeping off drugs and the evidence of torture!” Her voice cracked up at the end and Jason physically stood up. 

Bile rose up in his throat and Jason’s knees slammed to the ground, pain shooting up his bones and reverberating in his muscles. He cursed under his breath and pressed his head to the cool hardwood, trying to overcome his nausea.

Stars swirled in his vision and laughs echoed in his head. Jason mumbled words of encouragement to himself, but they were distorted and ugly. Like the Joker. Oh, how Jason dreaded the thought of becoming him. His forearms hit the floor and instead of the Joker’s words stabbing at his brain, it was a static frame of white noise, blocking out everything. Vision was the first thing to go, eyes squeezing out the late afternoon light. The second thing to leave Jason, as everything does, was time. Was it minutes or hours he sat on the floor before the door burst open? 

Words were muted and Jason nodded when Y/n asked if she could touch him. Warm palms encased his jawline, thumbs brushing along his cheeks. “He’s not here,” Y/n whispered. “I’m here. Robi- no, tell me your name. Please.”

“Jason. My name is Jason.” Somehow, Y/n had eroded away his concern and distrust, replacing it with ease and invulnerability. He would never have thought it possible in such a short time, even without his history with the Joker. 

Y/n exhaled a small laugh and a bright smile came to her face. Jason looked up at her, brain still buzzing. “What? What’s funny about that?” he managed to get out. 

“Oh, no no no,” Y/n was quick to reassure him. “I didn’t mean to laugh. That was rude of me. I’m sorry.” One of her hands guided down to rest on his back, rubbing soft circles. In his anxious stupor, Jason curled up in front of her, instinctively resting his head on her lap. If he could see her face, he would’ve seen Y/n’s eyebrows shoot up with hopefulness. However, he definitely heard her intake of breath. “It’s a very nice name.”

“How- how does your boyfriend feel about me staying here?” Jason finally asked after a minute of him slowing his breathing. 

“I don’t have a boyfriend,” Y/n said, sounding amused. 

“But you have a soulmate timer,” Jason pointed out. 

Y/n tilted her head, curiously. She didn’t think he had noticed that. One of her hands moved to Jason’s hair, gently brushing it back from his forehead. She ran her fingers through the white stripe which she had come to find very attractive. Tension left the boy’s shoulders and he tucked his head into her lap. “Everyone does,” Y/n replied. “It doesn’t mean I’ve found my soulmate yet.”

“Have you?”

“Yes…”

“Oh.”

Jason laid in her lap for a long minute and eventually asked her, “is he nice to you?”

Y/n laughed lightly, sighing a bit before saying, “he’s still getting to know me. He’s a very reserved and tentative person and we only met a little while ago. However, he’s been opening up pretty quickly and I’m very proud of him.” Her fingers tapped against Jason’s hair, curling the strands around her fingers before lightly scratching at his scalp with her nails. She noticed how his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down when she did that. Tucking that information away for later, Y/n added, “he’s gone through a lot in the past and I just want to make him feel safe.” 

Deep in his bones, Jason could almost feel her sadness and dedication. He wasn’t sure what magic had given him the power to be so in tune with this girl, but he wasn’t going to let anyone take it away from him. Not even her soulmate. 

Turning the conversation away from something that would surely wound him if he pried any deeper, Jason declared quietly, “I’m going to install some deadbolts and locks on your front door and windows soon.”

“Pardon?” 

“It’s not safe for you to help me.” It never is for anyone. I’m a poison, infecting everyone I touch. “I want to make sure you’re safe before I leave.”

“Leave?” Y/n exclaimed, staring down at him. “No, you’re not ready to go yet.” A part of her was worried she was being selfish, wanting her soulmate as close to her as possible, but one look at the bandages she had just replaced the night before said otherwise. There was less blood than there had been days prior, but Jason was not in any condition to leave bed, much less leave the apartment. 

“You can’t keep housing me forever, Y/n,” Jason muttered. “And I’ll be damned if I’m the reason you get hurt.” His head was still in her lap, but he couldn’t meet her eye. It was imperative that he play with the seams in his shirt. 

Otherwise she might see him beginning to cry.

“Please leave,” he begged, voice breaking pitifully. Y/n couldn’t bring herself to argue, gently slipping out from her place underneath Jason and resting his head softly on the ground before closing the door behind her. 

The nightmares were worse that night. ~~~~

True to his word, Jason ventured out into the apartment the next day like a zoo animal inspecting its new habitat. He crouched his shoulders, bowing his head in an attempt to diminish his size. He still wasn’t used to being so large and accidentally bumped into the kitchen counter and a lamp. 

He was able to install the majority of the new locks and deadbolts until he slid the deadbolt of the front door closed. It whined and creaked beneath his fingers and his mind flashed back to when

Jason awoke slowly. A small groan left his lips, but he stayed still. It was a tactic he learned from Bruce – never let anyone know you were awake. He could categorise helpful information for later, such as possible escape routes, and it was quite possible that he was one movement away from death. He had to be careful. 

But this wasn’t Africa. This wasn’t where Jason was desperately searching for his mother when Batman ran into the warehouse, seconds before the Joker let loose a bomb. 

That’s all Jason could remember. 

Blood was sticking his hair to his head and Jason clutched his side. It ached from bruised or broken ribs that pressed to his skin. However long he had been unconscious, it had been quite a while. His body was already malnourished and crying out for medical care. 

Jason attempted to crawl to a standing position, but when his ankles and wrists caught against metal, restraining him, he knew something else was at play. 

The whine and creak of a deadbolt unlocking caused him to turn his head towards a door he hadn’t noticed. A man in a pinstripe suit stepped through, a long crowbar in hand. Jason didn’t need the upturned red lips to know who was there. 

“Oh, don’t worry, Robby,” the Joker coaxed as Jason stared up at him, pure terror gripping his veins. He had never been so close to the Joker without Bruce. Where was Bruce? Why wasn’t he here? The Joker squatted down to Jason’s level, running a gloved hand over the boy’s bloody hair. Jason flinched away, but it didn’t deter the Joker. “You and your Uncle Ace are going to have some real fun.” 

“Where is he?” Jason sobbed, scared when he didn’t feel the blood on his hair. Why wasn’t he bleeding? What was the Joker’s new game?

“Where is who?” An unfamiliar voice asked despairingly. 

“Bru— Batman,” Jason corrected himself in his stupor. “B-Batman.”

Y/n stuttered, “I don’t know Batman. I’m sorry.”

Jason groaned in pain before a hysterical laugh bubbled from him. He clutched his stomach, on all fours, eyes wide and clouding over with green. Must he always be connected to the Joker? If he could eradicate that damn colour, he would. His fingers ghosted over the place that the Joker threatened to brand him. 

“Maybe I’ll make it permanent on our five year anniversary,” the Joker hummed, knife gently poking into Jason’s cheek. The faded scar of last month’s ‘J’ was what prompted the Joker to re-carve it into the boy. Blood dribbled down Jason’s cheek, joining his salty tears. It didn’t hurt, the wound being surface level, but just the thought of more things tied to the Joker made him gasp for air, crying softly. 

“So you’ll always be reminded of who was the one to beat you. The Clown Prince of Crime!”

Y/n had barely noticed the ‘J’ until Jason dug his nail into his cheek, tracing the scar. The path was imprinted into his memory. 

The skin turned red at the irritation and Y/n caught Jason’s wrist the next time he moved up to trace it again. “Stop. You’re hurting yourself.”

Jason muttered things under his breath at her, but he didn’t pull away from her hold. “He branded me,” he finally spit out. “And it’s only because you found me that he didn’t carve it into my skull,” he said sarcastically, malice in his voice. His eyes blazed a fervent green and he shook his head. “But at least I knew what was coming. At least I knew that a month had passed when he redrew his initials.”

Y/n opened her mouth to argue, but Jason spoke before she could. “I… I’m worried,” he began slowly. “I’m becoming more of the Joker than I am Batman. I was supposed to look up to Batman, but what if he and the Joker are one and the same? Both hurt me. One abandoned me and the other took that for granted.”

“He didn’t mean to abandon you, I’m sure,” Y/n whispered. “No one would ever willingly abandon you.”

Jason grumbled out, groaning at her words. His lips twitched downwards and his biceps flexed. “No one? Everyone did!” he screamed out. “My parents, Batman, Alfred, Dick! Everyone abandoned me!”

Y/n ignored the last name Jason listed off, before murmuring, “I haven’t.”

“Not yet,” Jason whispered after a moment. “But you will.”

~~~~

A couple days later, Jason peeked out of Y/n’s room, one of her blankets in hand. “You deserve your room,” Jason mumbled when Y/n looked up from her book, astonished. 

“I– Jason, you need the most comfort,” Y/n said, gently closing her book. “I’m fine on the couch.”

“You need to get back to work soon,” he said, hugging the blanket close. “You said it yourself. I can’t be the reason that you’re putting your life on hold. You- you need to get back to normal.”

“You are my nor–” Y/n cut herself off before exhaling slowly. “Don’t worry about me,” she began. “I’ve slept on the couch many nights when I had papers to complete or binge-watched too many episodes of The Good Place.” 

Jason’s features softened slightly and he took a step forward. Y/n took the hint and scooted over on the couch, placing her book on the small coffee table she had. “What’re you reading?” he asked as Y/n turned on the television, opening up to the first episode of The Good Place. 

“The Great Gatsby, for one of my English classes,” Y/n said. 

“Really?” A smile slowly grew on Jason’s lips, something he hadn’t experienced in years. His muscles ached a bit from the disuse, but Jason was now addicted to the feeling. 

Y/n decided that she was now also addicted to the sight of Jason smiling. “Yeah. We’re covering the symbolism of water that spans throughout the book. In fact, in the first couple of pages, Fitzgerald references the White Star Line, which is a boat that sank on the same route as the Titanic. Gatsby, obviously, dies in the water, sinking, just as those boats did. Fitzgerald really is an excellent writer.”

Jason was pretty sure he was in love. Or maybe he still was on drugs. Whatever the feeling, it was nice and unexpected and new. 

“I do think you’ll like The Good Place,” Y/n continued. “I won’t spoil anything, but it has some pretty amazing underlying themes.”

“I’m sure,” Jason replied quietly, burrowing under the blanket. It didn’t quite manage to hide his large frame, but it managed to hide his quickening heart and blush that was slowly spreading. 

Just before the first episode started, Y/n quickly hurried to make some popcorn. She plunked the bowl in between the pair and then snatched some blanket away from Jason. “You run hot,” she explained when Jason shot her a bemused look. 

The Good Place was a wonderful show, as Jason soon learned, but what was more wonderful was when Y/n’s cheek pressed against his shoulder and her knees curled up and her eyes fluttered closed. When her breath slowed with sleep, subconsciously trusting him enough to be at her most vulnerable, that, Jason found out, was what was truly wonderful.

Bruce Wayne had never before seen a street rat more excited to see Batman, especially when that street kid was trying to steal from him. 

But what was particularly amusing was that the boy wasn’t particularly excited to see him, but more excited to show Batman his soulmate timer. 

“No! No, you don’t understand!” the boy cried ecstatically. “It just fast-forwarded! Meeting you means I get to meet my soulmate sooner!” He bounced on the balls of his feet, eagerly shoving his wrist towards Batman’s cowl, showing the vigilante his timer. 

“Yes, very… exciting,” Bruce hummed out, not sure whether to laugh or reprimanded him for trying to steal the Batmobile’s tires. 

The boy laughed, a big grin covering his small features. “I wonder what they’re like. Have you met yours yet, Batman?”

Bruce raised his eyebrows and a chuckle slipped through. “Yes, I have. It’s a wonderful thing.” 

As the child kept rambling about his soulmate, Bruce knew that he had just found the next Robin. 

~~~~

Y/n sat on the kitchen counter, legs crossed. She had a textbook in her lap and was mumbling out phrases for memorisation of an upcoming exam. A small smile couldn’t help but expand on Jason’s face as he listened to her mumbles. He paused from his work in the small kitchen, back muscles rippling as he reached for the marinara sauce. When he went to dump the pasta into the strainer, the pot clanged against the metal faucet. 

The Joker rattled his crowbar against Jason’s chains.

“Jay?” Y/n said softly, guiding him out of his memories before he could get too lost. “You can stop straining the pasta. All the water’s gone.” 

“What?” he choked out, turning his head so he could see her.

“The pasta.” Y/n shifted forward so her legs hung over the edge of the counter. “It’s okay. It’s been okay and it will continue to be okay. You- you can let go.” The euphemism wasn’t lost on Jason.

He let the pasta pan drop in the sink and faced Y/n, eyes shining with unshed tears. “No. That’s not what I meant.” Swallowing down the feeling, Jason continued, “what did you call me?”

“Jay,” Y/n whispered. 

The Joker paced around Jason after a few days without any torture. “It’s been too long, Robin,” he said, shaking his head. “I think it’s time to make you sing for your Uncle Jay.”

“Is that okay?” Y/n asked softly. 

Bruce shouted from the other room, “Jay! Come on! The gala’s starting soon.”

“Jason,” Y/n repeated. She reached out and touched his shoulder and the boy came to stand between her legs. Jason dropped his head on her shoulder, beginning to sob quietly. Immediately, Y/n brought her hand up to rest on his head and the other arm to curl around his back. “Don’t you dare,” she shook her head as Jason began mumbling his apologies. “It’s okay. I’m here.” 

And suddenly, everything was okay. Because Y/n was there. “Bruce called me Jay,” he murmured out. “An- and then he called himself Mr. Jay.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to trigger-“

“No, it’s okay,” Jason looked at her, eyes shining with tears. “I like it when you do it. When you call me that.”

“You do?” Y/n asked, hands on either side of his face, cupping them closer and when her hands trailed to hold his neck and then one brushed back his hair oh this must be heaven, Jason thought, eyes fluttering shut. What he would give to live within her arms, always feeling safe and always feeling loved. She had that strange power over him and while Jason usually didn’t like people having power over him, he decided that when it came to Y/n, he didn’t mind. Not at all.

“Yeah,” he whispered, his voice lilting up with an infliction of infectious love. 

Jason stood there, comfortable in her arms and secretly hoping that Y/n would never have to go to work and would always just stay here. Where he could just keep… holding her and touching her and making sure she was safe because if Y/n wasn’t safe, Jason was pretty sure he would go on a rampage. If Y/n wasn’t safe, if Jason wasn’t holding her, then it was only because the Joker had found him and ripped him away from the only thing he had ever loved. 

And that would’ve been the cruellest method of torture. 

No amount of chains would hold him back. No amount of drugs would make him forget Y/n. And no amount of hate would make him forget the amount of love he felt when Y/n held him close and he could hear her heart beating steadily. In that moment, Jason could pretend her heart beat for him. 

He knew his heart beat for her. Then his mind flashed back to it all.

The boy’s muscles tensed, protesting against the Joker for the first time in weeks. He had been trying to keep the watch hidden for as long as possible, but he should’ve known it was futile.

Jason’s cracked lips parted and he forced a “no” from his parched throat. “Don’t.”

“Stop it.” Jason wiggled away from the Joker’s searing grip but nothing helped.

Jason let out a guttural scream as the Joker ground the glass into the dirt with his heel. 

“Oh, picky picky picky,” the Joker teased. “Sensitive, are we?”

“Lemme go! Don’t touch her! Don’t you dare!” His voice cracked and blood began to trickle down his arms as the chains rubbed against his irritated skin and broke the surface. But he would take the pain a thousand times over if it meant he could get to his watch. 

His soulmate. His love. It was all gone.

“Yes!” the Joker cried out, exclaiming loudly. His hands began to shake and a large grin spread on his maniacal face. “Yes! Emotion, Robby! This is what I want! Give me the fucking emotion! If I had known, I would’ve smashed that watch a long time ago.”

Jason lunges towards the Joker, face contorted with rage. “Don’t you fucking dare! Get- stay- no! No!” 

It was the most he had ever fought against the Joker. And the Joker adored it.

“You… you’re my…” Jason choked out, jaw tensing slightly as the dots began to connect.

He didn’t know when Y/n had begun to cry, but as tears streamed down her face and she nodded desperately, things seemed to all click into place. “It took you long enough,” she joked pathetically.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Jason breathed out, his hands tightening on her thigh, a protective instinct washing over him. “Oh, no, no, no,” he shook his head and brought her head in his hands, brushing away the tears. “I didn’t mean- I’m sorry…”

“No, it’s not that,” Y/n’s voice cracked. “I’m not unhappy, not in the slightest—” Jason was so sure of their bond that it hadn’t even crossed his mind that she might reject him or not love him due to his past. “—but I just never thought that you would- that I would-” She hiccuped and Jason’s eyes darted across her face, wanting to somehow help, but so unsure of himself.

Slowly, Jason sank to his knees. Y/n still sat above him, on the counter, staring down, baffled. Her eyes were red from crying and her lips were parted, but she had never seemed more beautiful. “What- what are you doing?” she murmured. 

“I’m showing you how much you affect me,” he answered simply. “Quite literally, you saved my life, Y/n. And if that’s the only way you touched my life, I would consider myself the luckiest man on Earth. If no one has told you those words before, then everyone else is a fool. If you allow me to stay around and cherish the best thing that’s ever happened to me, gladly, I will.” Y/n slowly slipped off the counter, standing before him. “But that’s a lot of ‘ifs’. And I’m not willing to potentially lose you over some ‘ifs’. I know I’ve made you uncertain and I’ve wrecked your apartment and I’m so sorry,” he chuckled dryly. Jason’s hands were shaking as he slowly slid them up Y/n’s legs. She shivered under his touch, backing up until she hit the counter behind her. Jason lifted his hands from her, giving her a moment if she needed, but one look in her eyes led his hands right back to her body. “You’re like a drug,” he whispered, pressing his face to the side of her thigh. 

“Drugs are very very bad,” Y/n managed to get out. 

“I know.” A small smirk appeared on his lips. His lips suddenly looked very kissable. “The Joker taught me that. If I could go back and kill him, I’d do it in an instant, but… I’d also thank him. And I’d thank Batman. And Nightwing. And my mom. And everyone else in my life because they all led me to you.” Y/n’s knees buckled and Jason helped ease her down so she was sitting in front of him. He choked on his tears slightly before saying, “so many people believe in equality in the universe. So if all of that is true, then perhaps every bad thing that ever happened to me was just leading up to you. You… are so good that the universe needed to even it all out.”

Y/n began shaking her head vehemently. “Then let me damn the universe,” she whispered. “Because clearly, it’s been unfair. You were gifted to me, Jason. It’s not fair that you went through so much shit while I lived a fairly light life.”

“Maybe I’m not good enough…”

“Don’t you dare suggest that,” Y/n cut him off sharply. 

“Then perhaps I took the hardship you were supposed to endure,” Jason offered the explanation. Before Y/n could argue, Jason said, “and I’d do it again.”

Y/n laughed lightly, drying her eyes with the heel of her palm. “I don’t want you to go through that again.”

“Then it’s a good thing I don’t need to,” Jason muttered, leaning forward slightly to nuzzle into Y/n’s neck. He slowly, as if testing the water, pressed a kiss to her skin. Feeling her inhale, Jason grinned and repeated the gesture, wondering if he would get the same reaction. He did. After a moment, he exhaled, his breath tickling Y/n. “I’m going to need time,” he muttered. “I’m not going to be the perfect soulmate you deserve right away.”

“I don’t expect you to be. You’re already perfect to me.”

“I’ll work on it,” Jason compromised. “I want to deserve you.”

“You do–”

“Y/n,” he pleaded desperately. “Let me do this for you. Let me be the best Jason Todd for you.”

Seeing that he wasn’t going to back down, Y/n nodded after a minute. “Okay,” she said. “We’ll get through it all together.”

“Maybe we should seal the deal with a kiss.”

A bubbling laugh filled Jason’s ears and he couldn’t help the large grin that came over him. “Hmm,” Y/n conceded. “Alright.”

And so they did.

“Mom, why’re we here?” A small hand gripped onto her mother’s. 

“I signed us up for a soup kitchen,” her mom explained. “It’s coming to the holidays and we should be doing something good for others. Gotham isn’t always the nicest place to live and we’re fortunate enough that we can help when needed.”

“Hmm,” the girl conceded. “Alright.” She puzzled a bit over the thought that some people weren’t as fortunate as they were, before asking slowly, “do we need to help them any more than usual?”

“What do you mean, Y/n?” the mom asked, checking the street names as they passed. The girl frowned, her hair in small pigtails. “Well… Should we have brought clothes? Or blankets? How… How much do they need help?” She struggled to find the right words.

“No, they’re not homeless,” her mom said. “They just need a bit of help bringing food into the family, you know?”

“Okay,” Y/n accepted the answer easily. 

“Just, hold my hand, will you?” the mom said, even though her daughter was already clutching her hand. “This isn’t the safest part of town, though nothing bad will happen. The sun is out, so there’s nothing to be worried about.” 

Out of nowhere, a small boy barrelled out of an alleyway, shouting at some other boys that were running behind him. He crashed into Y/n, who’s mom scooped her up on instinct. “Oh, I’m sorry!” the boy cried out, head whipping from the two females back to the people chasing him. The boys behind him carefully came to a slow once they saw an adult with her daughter. “Uh, where are you two ladies going?” The boy asked, eyes darting back and forth between the groups. Ultimately, he decided that a stranger was more safe than those kids, simply because she was a mom.

“To the food kitchen,” Y/n supplied before her mom could shush her. 

“I can show you the way!” The boy jumped at the opportunity, beginning to walk backwards away from the group of bigger boys. Y/n’s mom looked between the malnourished boy who was silently begging with his eyes to the group who had a smearing of blood on their knuckles.

“Okay…” she decided. “Show us the way.”

The young boy jumped up and began striding away, beaming with the safety of an adult. Y/n’s mom set her down carefully, gripping her hand tighter than before. “Stay close by,” she demanded. Y/n nodded. 

The boy had dark hair that was cropped slightly at the sides with a tuft of it that fell over his eyes. His eyes were blue and he wore a red hoodie that fell just a bit too long over his jeans. “Wow,” he chirped as the trio got farther away from the alleyway. “Thanks. Let’s just say I’m not exactly on those guy’s good sides.” He kept rambling, Y/n’s mom shooting him cautious looks every once in a while, but he didn’t seem to notice. “What’s your name?” he asked Y/n, skipping over to walk by her side.

“Y/n,” the girl replied. “Y/n L/n.”

“That’s a nice name,” the boy grinned. “How old are you?”

“I’m five.”

“I’m seven!” The boy placed a haughty hand to his chest. “But my birthday’s tomorrow.”

Y/n’s mom hummed. “Oh. Are you excited to get your soulmate timer?”

“Yeah!” The boy beamed up at the woman, turning a corner. “Super excited. But this is the soup kitchen. You know, my mom should be stopping by soon. But thanks!” He began jogging off, waving goodbye. 

“Wait! What’s your name?” Y/n called after him. 

“Jason! Jason Todd.”

[rainybyday]

I realized as I was rewriting the title name for the first chapter of "Hedera Helix" that I may have or may not have used the main flower for one of the chapters in "Lycoris Radiata". So I went back and wrote every flower I used.

Spider Lilies 

Chrysanthemums

Crimson Roses

Hyacinths x2

Carnations

Gladiolus

Sweet Alyssums

Blue Morning Glories

Marigolds

Roses

Forget-me-nots x2

Daffodils x2

Common Daisies x2

Lotus

Lewisia

Primroses

Crocuses

Buttercups

Violet

Rose Hip (Tea)

Blue Iris

Strelitzia

White Heather

Poppy

Lilies of the Valley

Stock flowers

Rose Buds

Sunflower

It's a lot. I think I have to rewrite Chapter 1 again and start searching for another flower to be the main focus.

Oh boy...

Also, the flower was supposed to be Buttercups with the title being "A Buttercup Dream We Had" which isn't a major spoiler but it will be kinda fun to see what people think this might mean.

[cutepastelstarsalior]

Currently catches up on the IDW tmnt comics so here are some headcanon; spoilers for the later issues

Because of a couple of issues Casey has heterochromia! One eye blue and one eye brown

Jenny canonical like heavy metal so here what I think the boys like mike-pop, Donnie-techno and classic, raph-classic rock and (cononical) hiphop, Leo-classic and lofi/jazzhop

Leo and Donnie like to hang and listen to music together since they have the same taste

Since Leo has that scar on his eye he’s half bind. He can see but it’s fuzzy

All the boys have scars; from most to least scars is raph, Jenny, Leo, Donnie, Mikey.

April, Angel, and Casey have some too but Casey has the most out of the humans squad.

Leo canonical grows plants and I think he would grow one that represent his family; Mikey-sunflower, Jenny-daffodils, Raph-gladiolus, Donnie-Iris, Alopex-Daffodil, Lita-Goldenrod, Angel-Black-Eyed Susan, April-Amaryllis,, Casey-Pink Azalea, Splinter-protea, Tang Shen-Lily of the valley

He also send a bouquet of Valerian, Tansy, Aconite, and Petunias flowers to his enemies

He can grown amazing flowers but he sucks at grown fruit and vegetables, that’s raph department, but he can kind of grow herbs.

Because he has a metal shell, Donnie had a hard time swimming. He can swim it just makes him really slow. Also he has chronic pain and use a cane.

Donnie also has Depersonalization after he got his body back. Sometimes that makes him slip into the astral plane. First time he had a Depersonalization spell he had a bad reaction, thinking that he was dead and a ghost. He’s working on it though

Foot!Leo had killed people (the writers are cowards for not making him be a killer/j )

Leo also has some Depersonalization as well, it was mostly during his time with foot.

Foot!leo had been tortured as well both my shredder and by kinsun during his time with the foot, he also knows how to torture someone

He, Jenny, and Alopex all help one another cope, since all three have s first hand experience what the foot can do.

Raph during his time on the streets pick up some habit and know a lot on how to survive, one of the trick he knows is how to sew. Another is how to salvage food and how to find edible foods and plants

Casey is very happy to meet raph because Casey believes that if it wasn’t for raph he would have one day have been murder by his dad.

The gang have odd feelings about hob but if they can think of shredder as “uncle saki” they could possibly think of hob as family.

That been said all of the turtles more or less want to stab or kill hob.

Leo is aro/ace, Mikey and raph are bi; Donnie is questioning, and Jenny is demiromantic

Mikey and woody are a couple, raph and aploex are also a couple. Leaving both Leo and Donnie single but there fine with it. But Donnie sometimes thinks it would be nice to have a partner to do science with while Leo is just lonely

They gang like to dress up and experiment with clothes and makeup.

Leo and Mikey were lots of dress and skirts (yes for the Leo one it’s base off his Halloween costume but i think it’s cute) as well as sweater and cute things. Thought Leo like to wear outfits that cover and protect him while Mikey just wears whatever is cute

Donnie wears sturdy clothes (overalls, flannel, cargo pants) as well has long sleeves. Raph wears jackets and heavy layers, casual. And Jenny wears punk.

Leo likes tea and alcohol, Mikey like juice and soda, Donnie like coffee and sparkling water, Jenny likes tea, and raph like water and soda

Leo and Mikey like sweet, Donnie like bitter, raph likes savory, and Jenny like sour.

There all left handed

All of gang and human friends have mental issues and Elizabeth O’Neil is desperate trying to have them go to counseling. She see the boys, aploex, Angel, and Casey as her kids. The turtles give her mother days cards since she the only mom figure they have.

Lila calls Donnie “dad” or “uncle don”

Mikey is “papa” or “uncle mike”,

Leo is “uncle Leo” or “daddy”,

Raph is “uncle raph” or “pop”

Jenny is “mom” or “auntie Jen”

Aploex is “momma” or “auntie apl”

April is “aunt April”

Casey is “uncle case”

Angel is “auntie angel”

[starstruckkittensweets]

iii. gladiolus || myosotis

Summary: A visit to the tea shop brings a slew of pleasant memories, as well as a few familiar faces. 

Fandom: Attack on Titan  Pairing: Levi x Reader  Words: 5.5k 

A/N: I PROMISE I’M NOT DEAD! I’m sorry about the wait for this chapter, my dears! This story kinda took a backseat over the summer while I graduated and worked on a few collab pieces. But now with Kinktober wrapped up and my inspiration for AWWW coming back, I think I’ll be able to work on this story here and there. I have most of the story planned out, it’s just the writing process that’s taking so long haha! But really, I can’t WAIT to get into the meat of this story and the relationship/backstory between Levi and Reader. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this (long overdue) chapter!  

Warnings: Season 4 spoilers, angst and feels, mentions of canon-typical violence, mentions of canon death, jealousy, emotionally abusive/negligent parents, implied past relationships, age difference (older man, younger woman) 

“Myosotis” Masterlist 

-

Just like he said, the tea shop is between Trost and Karanes Avenue. A small white building with blue trimmings, and a blue awning above the entrance. A few tables are set around outside, but the chairs are pulled up and stacked on top of the surface.

You pull your scarf closer to your face. It’s much too cold to sit outside, anyways.

Above the door is a small wooden sign, painted white with stark black letters. Your frown melts into a smile when you read the words written above it: Wings of Liber-Tea.

A silly name, not at all what you expected it to be named. Levi couldn’t have named it himself. If anything, that sounded more like something Hanji would come up with...

Your chest tightens at the thought of her. First Levi, then Petra and the boys, and now Hanji. You want to see them all, to catch up with all of them and see how this new world has been treating them.

In time, you remind yourself. One little step at a time, right?

So, without further ado, you push the door open and step inside.

Almost at once, a wave of heat washes over your body. You snap the door shut as fast as you can, desperate to keep the wintry air out. When you’re sure it’s closed, you glance around the interior, and a flood of nostalgia hits you all at once.

You’ve never been inside this little shop. You’d only just learned of its existence yesterday. And yet, there’s something about it that reminds you of home.

The inside is crowded with small brown tables with cushioned chairs, and a line of booths traces the left side of the shop. The counter to the right is a dark mahogany color, stocked with all different kinds of snacks, including bagged cookies and lightly salted chips. A glass case is wedged in between the two sections of the counter, proudly showing off a wide selection of muffins, cookies, brownies, bagels, and other pastries that have clearly been made just this morning. At the very end of the counter rests a cash register, and towards the back of the store, there’s a small door, probably leading to the back room for employees.

Speaking of employees, you can’t spot a single one in here. A few customers are seated at the tables, munching on snacks and sipping at their drinks. You don’t see any faces you recognize.

Your throat grows parched. Are Petra and Oluo even here today? What if they’re off, and you came here for nothing? Is Levi here, at least? Or is it his day off, as well? Does he really want you to come here and see him? If he was, why was he so eager to get away from you yesterday? Does he regret telling you where the location of the shop was? Does he regret meeting up with you in the first place?

As all of these questions run through your mind, you almost fail to hear your own name being called. Your eyes widen at the familiar voice, and you turn your head at once.

Standing in the doorway, all the way on the other side of the shop, is a ginger-haired girl with bright amber eyes. Dressed in a white button-down shirt, black trousers, and a light blue apron around her waist, it’s clear she’s an employee here. Then, why would she be calling for you?

You almost don’t recognize her, but when the shock subsides, the memories come pouring in.

“...Petra?”

Her face breaks out into a grin at your voice. Without another word, she races toward you and throws herself at you; you barely have time to catch her in your arms and hold her close.

“Oh my gosh,” she whispers your name against your hair, “I can’t believe it! You’re here! You're actually here!”

She sounds so hopeful, so relieved that you’re finally here with her. You swallow hard. For a moment, you feel guilty for not knowing about this place sooner.

“I can’t believe it, either.” You hug her back as hard as you can, completely disregarding the customers around you. This is the first time you’ve really been able to hold her. The last time you saw her, her body was being thrown from a cart—that was after she had been crushed against a tree by the Female Titan.

You suppress a shudder. No need to think about that right now. After all, she’s here right now, right? She’s alive and well, in your arms, where you know she’s safe. Nothing can hurt her anymore.

Finally, she pulls away from you, but she keeps her hands wrapped around your own. “How have you been? What have you been up to? We have so much to catch up on!” Suddenly, her eyes slant into a glare as she peers at your neck. “You look skinny. Have you been eating properly? You’re not skipping your meals like you used to, are you?”

A blush settles over your face. As much as you used to complain about it in your past life, you’ve missed Petra fussing over you like a mother. A real mother.

“No, I’m not,” you reply with a nervous laugh. “I’m eating enough, I promise!”

She huffs, but thankfully, she drops the subject. But then she turns to your coat, and her jaw drops.

“Wait, you came here in just that?!” She grabs your scarf and folds it up, exposing the collar of your coat. “It’s too cold to be walking around in that thing—and I bet you don’t even have a jacket underneath that,” she mutters, shaking her head. “I mean, seriously! You were always the one complaining about how cold it was. You’d think you would’ve learned by now!”

You can’t help it—you laugh out loud, slapping a hand over your mouth. Petra peers at you with dark eyes, her eyebrow inching up skeptically. But that only makes you laugh harder.

God, you’ve missed moments like this with her. You can only hope you’ll be able to have more. You have to make up for lost time, after all.

“Sorry,” you mumble through your palm, “I’m sorry. I just...” You pull your hand away and give her a smile. “I just missed you.”

Her gaze softens at that. “I missed you, too.”

But then there’s another voice in the crowd—a male one this time, scratchy and deep. The exact opposite of Petra’s. And the sound of it makes your throat tighten even more.

“Hey, what gives?! Stop slacking off, Petra! Chat with the customers on your own time!”

Immediately, her eyes flash dangerously, and she begins to march back towards the back of the shop, right to the door she had just come out of. She leans over and peers around the edge of the doorway, her voice ringing out sharply:

“Show some respect, Oluo! Look who came to visit!”

In a matter of moments, she’s pulling the poor man out of the room—by his ear, no less—and practically throws him toward you. It takes a few moments before his glare melts into something softer.

Your eyes grow warm. Here they are, finally in front of you, as if they never left in the first place. Both Petra and Oluo, your two dearest friends in the Special Operations Squad. It’s not as though you weren’t close to Eld and Gunther, but they were more like older brothers, and a few years older than you in age. Petra and Oluo were only a year older than you, and it was much easier to hang around with them than the others. They were too serious for your liking; at least Petra (and Oluo, to a certain extent) knew how to laugh and have fun once in a while.

Oluo clears his throat and looks away. It might be the lighting, but his face looks a little flushed. “Took you long enough, kid,” he grumbles, tugging at the sleeve of his button-down shirt. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

You give him a smile, face heating up with every word. “I missed you, too, you big oaf.”

His eyes flash, but you can see the warmth in them.

It’s not long before the three of you are gathered around the counter, eager to catch up on lost time. Only a few customers remain—most of them have left for the day—and the shop won’t be busy again until later tonight. You perch yourself on one of the stools at the counter as Oluo leans against the cash register. Petra takes her time sorting through the snacks in the glass case as the three of you begin to talk, as if you were still on Levi’s squad.

“What brings you here?” Oluo is the first to speak up. Maybe it’s out of genuine shock of seeing you again, but he’s not as brutish as he usually is. “Haven’t seen you here since we opened.”

“Ah, I live here, actually. Well, my mom does. I'm just visiting her for the week before I go back up to school.”

Petra’s eyes brighten at that. “Oh, really? Where do you go?”

“University of Sina.”

You know you’re just rehashing the same conversation you had with Levi yesterday, but it feels good. Petra and Oluo are much different than the stoic captain. And besides, you have so much to catch up on. There are things you can tell them that you wouldn’t even dream of sharing with your former captain.

Levi.

Your eyes drop to your lap at the thought of him. Should you tell them you met up with him already? Maybe they can figure out why he suddenly left you yesterday. Then again, they might not know the answer; both of them died without knowing the full story between you and Levi, so the odds of them knowing something you don’t are pretty slim.

Still, it’s worth a shot, right? Or maybe you’re just desperate at this point...

“So,” Petra begins, sliding you a strawberry muffin from the glass case, “have you met up with Levi yet?”

As Oluo grumbles to himself about the snack being “on the house,” you shrug your shoulders. “Well... Kind of? I saw him yesterday, when I came back to town...” You trail off, unsure of how to continue.

It’s always been awkward, discussing your captain with these two. Between Oluo’s constant attempts to imitate him, and Petra’s obvious affection for him, you learned early on to avoid talking about him altogether. It was just too weird for you, especially when you had just joined the squad. At seventeen, and with a fiery crush on the captain, you learned to keep your feelings a secret.

Besides, you never wanted to upset Petra. She knew him first, after all.

“Huh...” Petra places her chin in the palm of her hand, seemingly lost in thought. “Well, if you want to wait a bit, he should be coming here in about an hour. He’s always comes in with the night shift.”

Your heart leaps in your throat at the thought of seeing him again so soon. Is that really a good idea? You want to talk with him again, but with Petra and Oluo hanging over your shoulder? You might as well just wait for another time.

Then again... You don’t know when the next time you’ll see him will be. For all you know, he could up and leave tomorrow, and you wouldn’t be able to see him until you returned back home in winter. Although it’s a scary thought, you’re probably better off seeing him today, when you know where he’ll be.

Suddenly, Petra grabs a fistful of Oluo’s sleeve and tugs him over to the edge of the counter. “Stop slacking off,” she teases. “Go check on the customers already. Looks like table two needs a refill.”

Oluo rolls his eyes and shakes his head. But he’s never been one to go against Petra’s orders. So he walks around the counter and heads to the table in the furthest corner, next to the door.

That’s when Petra leans in close, propping her elbows up on the counter. On instinct you lean in as well, and for a moment, you’re reminded of your days whispering to each other in the mess hall, teasing Oluo and the other boys under your breath.

“Now that he’s gone,” she whispers, “we can talk for real. What happened yesterday, when you met up with Levi?”

It takes every bit of strength you have not to choke on the strawberry muffin in your mouth. “W-what?”

She leans in closer—if that’s even possible—and stares at you with those big amber eyes. The eyes you saw in your nightmares, right after her body was tossed from the cart.

Just the memory of it makes you shiver.

“You seem sad. Did something happen between you two?”

“N-no. ...Why do you ask?”

She glances down at the counter between you. “It’s just... Well, when he came into work yesterday, he seemed...different.”

“How so?”

“...More...ah, I don’t know, sullen.”

Sullen? More so than usual? “But...isn’t he always like that?”

Petra shakes her head. “No, not since this place opened. But when he came in yesterday, he looked like…he was upset about something.”

Your chest tightens. Had seeing you again really put him in a bad mood? Did he not want to meet up with you again? Was his life really better off without you in it?

Your eyes drop down to the half-eaten muffin in front of you. Suddenly, you don’t feel so hungry anymore. But you take another big bite before wrapping up the rest. You don’t want to upset Petra.

Especially if you’ve already upset Levi.

“What did you guys even talk about, anyway?”

“Not much,” you answer a little too quickly. “We...we just talked about what we’ve been doing for the past few years. Then he told me about this place, and he said I should stop by sometime. And then...”

He only began to shrug you off when you mentioned your age to him. But you can’t exactly tell that to Petra. She doesn’t know the full story between you two.

“Well, whatever it was, I’m sure he’s fine now. So if you want to stay and see him, I don’t think he’ll have a problem with it.”

You shrug your shoulders and drop your eyes—and that’s when you see it.

A small golden band on the fourth finger of her left hand, glimmering in the bright lights of the tea shop. It’s simple but gorgeous, much like the ginger-haired girl herself. And when she catches you staring at it, she gives you a warm smile.

“Oh, I totally forgot to tell you about this!”

A flare of panic ignites in your chest. Is she engaged? To whom? Your mind instantly goes to the worst possible answer: the black-haired man who owns this tea shop.

Of course, those two would find each other in another life. Of course, they would try to date each other. They suited one another so well, like night and day, sunrise and sunset. It was only natural, given Petra’s affections for him, to seek out a relationship with him. And now that no one had to worry about the Titan war, she was free to pursue him in any way she liked.

“It’s been almost a month since he proposed.”

Your throat feels tight as you watch her twist it slightly on her finger. Then, with the brightest smile you’ve ever seen, she leans over the counter and motions to Oluo.

“Hey, did you tell her how you proposed yet?”

Wait, what?

It’s hard to hide your breath of relief. As the words sink in, you struggle to calm your racing heart.

No, she didn’t get that ring from Levi. She got it from Oluo, who’s had a crush on her for as long as you’ve known him.

The fact that she accepted his proposal surprises you more than the actual ring. You had no idea she felt for him like that. In your past life, she only seemed to have eyes for Levi.

Oluo glares back at her, a faint shade of pink splashed across his cheeks. “Shut up! If you’re so proud of it, why don’t you tell her?”

You stare down at your hands in your lap as Petra and Oluo continue to bicker around you. Your heartrate is still in a frenzy, but no amount of reassurance seems to calm you down.

You can’t keep doing this. You can’t keep wondering about whether or not Levi has a significant other in this world. He’s what, thirty years old? Probably married at some point. Maybe he even has kids. And even though he doesn’t have a ring, he’s not really one to wear it out in the open like that. If anything, he’s wearing it on a chain around his neck—just like he did with his mother’s old bronze band, back in the other world.

Raising a hand to your head, you force yourself to recall everything involving your relationship with Levi. The two of you weren’t exactly a couple, but you did have your fair share of intimate moments. There was the kiss on the forehead before the 57th Expedition. Falling asleep in his arms the night before the battle for Shiganshina, when you were convinced you wouldn’t make it home. A kiss on the lips the night after the battle, when the Scout Regiment base was empty, save for ten surviving soldiers.

But those moments were few and far between. Things that happened in the heat of the moment. Nothing of great importance, right?

Except...

Your skin prickles at another memory, one from the night before the raid on Liberio. It’s the last intimate memory you have of him before everything goes dark. And it’s the one that makes your heart hurt the most.

Soft kisses, gentle touches, sweet moans filling the air—you can recall it clearly, as if it just happened yesterday.

No, stop it. Don't think about that here. You don’t want Petra asking you why you’re acting weird, do you? So stop it.

But it’s hard to push it out of your mind, especially when you can still feel his weight on top of you.

“I have to go.”

Petra’s forehead creases at your words. “What, why? Is something wrong?”

“N-no, I just...” I don’t want to be here right now. “...I need to head home. My mom won’t be happy if I stay out for too long.”

You wish you were joking, but it’s true. As long as you live beneath your mother’s roof, you live by her rules. That means not staying out of the house for long periods of time, unless you’re running errands for her. No staying out late at night—be back home by nine o’clock sharp. Never mind the fact you’re twenty-two years old and fully capable of taking care of yourself.

A groan bubbles up in the back of your throat. Why did you even come home in the first place?

“Oh, okay...” Petra’s face falls with a sad smile. “Well, it was nice catching up with you. You should come back before you leave for school, okay?”

You shrug your shoulders, sliding off the stool at the counter. “Yeah, I probably will.” If my mother doesn’t kill me by then. “It was nice seeing you, too.”

She knows something else is up—you can see it in the way she stares at you, amber eyes glued to your face. She’s always been a little too observant for her own good, just like Mikasa. No doubt she already has you figured out.

“...Oh, Petra?”

She tilts her head, waiting for you to continue. Behind you, the bell on the door chimes, signaling the arrival of a customer.

“If you see him...” You swallow hard. “...Tell Levi I’m sorry for upsetting him. I didn’t mean it...”

Someone gasps behind you. Your instincts kick in, muscles bunch up, preparing to make a break for it. But when you glance over your shoulder, all of that seems to melt away. You’re not running away—not with that face staring back at you.

Two strong arms coil around your upper body. Messy brown hair tickles your face. A high-pitched voice squeals in your ear. It’s a scene you know all too well—and one you’ve missed dearly.

“H-Hanji?”

The newcomer gives you a toothy smile, bright brown eyes gleaming behind shiny glasses. Glasses, ponytail, hands that are practically squeezing the life out of your arms. Without a doubt, you recognize her as Hanji Zoë, fourteenth Commander of the Scout Regiment, and enthusiastic Titan scientist.

When she says your name, it feels like a weight has been lifted off your chest. “I can’t believe it! Of all the days to walk in here, I run into you! Oh wow, Levi wasn’t lying when he said he ran into you yesterday! I can’t believe you’re in town!”

Wait, Levi? You glance around Hanji’s shoulder—and there he is, shrugging his coat off his shoulders. He eyes you coldly before heading to the side, towards the coat rank near the main counter.

Your throat grows tight. Suddenly, it feels like you’re back in your old life, nothing more than a measly subordinate, secretly pining for her captain.

“How have you been?” Hanji throws an arm around your shoulders, unintentionally shielding you from Levi’s line of sight. “It’s been so long! We have to catch up—hey, you two!” She shoots a playful glare in Petra and Oluo’s direction. “You weren’t planning on keeping her for yourselves, were you? You’re not the only ones who have to make up for lost time!”

While the nervous smile on your face says different, you’re glad to see Hanji again. As loud and outgoing as she is, you’ve missed her wild antics and her hyperactive voice. How many days had you spent in her office as a cadet, helping her with her Titan research reports? How many tired smiles had you exchanged with Moblit when she wasn’t looking? How many nights had you gone to bed with a massive headache, only to be right by her side the following morning? No matter how much she wore you out, you always treasured the time you spent at her side.

And none of that had changed, even when she became the Commander of the Scout Regiment. While she was less lively than she had been in her younger years, she never hesitated to smile at you or give you advice. She was still a good friend, one of the few you held close to your heart.

Petra shakes her head at the bespectacled woman’s accusation. “Of course not! We just happened to get to her first,” she adds with a wink.

Your gut starts to churn beneath their eyes. Between Petra’s voice, Hanji’s bear hugs, and Levi’s eyes—it’s all getting to be too much for you.

I have to get out of here.

“I’d love to stay and chat,” you tell them, hoping you sound less awkward than you feel, “but I need to get home. My mom will be looking for me—”

Oluo scoffs and crosses his arms over his chest. “Sheesh, what are you, twelve? You really have a curfew?”

“Ah—well, I just don’t want her to get worried... I’ve been gone for a long time.” Not really.  

Levi’s face hardens at your words. Out of everyone here, he’s the only one who has some idea of just how controlling your mother can be.

Knowing that makes you feel even more vulnerable than you did before.

But before you can make a beeline for the door, Petra holds out her hand. “Wait, give me your phone. At least we can keep in touch, right?”

You pause. What’s the harm in doing that? “...Yeah, alright.” You grab your phone and bring up your contacts before handing it over to her. “...And maybe we can meet up before I head back up to the city, like you said.”

You regret the words the moment they spill from your mouth. Why would you mention that in front of Hanji? In front of Levi?

It’s hard to explain this feeling. On one hand, you want to reconnect with them and catch up, just like the good old days. But on the other hand, you want nothing to do with any of them—especially if Levi’s going to keep glaring at you like that.

Why is he acting so cold all of a sudden? He didn’t act like this yesterday at the café...

A tremor makes its way down your spine. Is he regretting seeing you again in this new life? Is this his way of trying to push you away, so you keep your distance from him?

But why? He’s met up with Hanji, Petra, the rest of his old squad, and most likely the other veterans, like Erwin and Mike and Nanaba. Why would he only try to push you away?

Thankfully, Petra hands your phone back to you quickly, with her name and number recorded in your contacts. “If you ever want to talk or hang out, I’m always here.”

A warm weight rests on your upper back as Hanji leans into you to peer over your shoulder. “Ooh, can I put mine in, too? It’s been so long!”

You barely manage to stifle a laugh. Even in this life, Hanji is just as extravagant and bright-eyed as you remember her.

You hand over your phone and watch her type her number in. Meanwhile, Levi scoffs under his breath and makes his way past you, behind the counter and over to the back door. It’s hard to keep your eyes off of him; you hope you don’t look as desperate as you feel.

Why won’t he look at you?

“Here you go,” Hanji grins at you, shutting off your phone and shoving it back into your hands. “Let me know whenever you’re free! And maybe Shorty can join us one of these days.”

Shorty. How many times did Levi shake his head or roll his eyes at the silly nickname? How many times did he threaten to punch Hanji’s lights out for it, even though he never went through with it? How many times did you have to hear him complain about it under his breath, as the two of you spend your nights locked away in his office—

“Thanks, Hanji.” You try to match her radiant smile, but it falls flat at the mention of Levi. “I’ll see you all later, okay?”

A smile from Petra, a wave from Hanji, a gruff goodbye from Oluo—and you’re back on the streets, leaving the tea shop behind you. But before you can get too far away, you glance over your shoulder at the sign up above—Wings of Liber-Tea, you read to yourself and smile. The black letters, the white background, and right below the words, a pair of wings—one black and one white—crossed over together.

How did you miss that coming in?

It takes you a moment to collect yourself and begin walking again. All the while, all you can think about are the people inside that tea shop—the same ones you called your family for seven years of your life.

Maybe even longer than that, if you can remember that far.

With a sigh, you shove your hands into your coat pockets and continue on your way, with the dual Wings of Freedom fresh in your mind.

“Good, you’re home.”

Your mother barely glances up at you when you walk in through the door. It doesn’t bother you anymore; you’ve grown used to it.

“You got some more mail,” she says, sliding two envelopes over to you from across the kitchen table. The tops are peeled open, the letters inside already refolded. “Nothing important. Just some more interest letters for grad school.”

Suppressing a sigh, you swipe the letters up and hold them close. It’s not unusual for your mother to go through your mail. It’s a common occurrence nowadays, especially when you’re not here to go through it yourself.

“I need you to get some things at the store later; I can’t make it today before I head to work,” she says before standing up. “You can do that for me, right?”

It’s more of a statement than an actual question. “Yes, ma’am.”

“That’s good. The list’s already on the kitchen counter.” She heads out of the room without another word, eyes still fixed on the wad of mail in her hands.

Your eyes flutter over the addresses on the envelopes in your hand: one from Orvud College, and one from Paradis Institute. With a sigh, you drop them in the little cardboard box on top of the shredder in the corner of the room.

Once upon a time, you would’ve loved to go to grad school. It didn’t matter which one, any school would do. But now, there’s the ever-growing feeling of guilt in the pit of your stomach. Grad school means at least two more years out of this house—which equals two more years away from your mother.

She hadn’t been the most excited person when you got accepted into Sina four years ago, especially when you were pursuing a career in art. But as long as you handled all communication between yourself and the school, including loans filed under your name, there really wasn’t much she could say about it. For a brief time, Sina had been your little getaway home, a place where you could live your life without your mother breathing down your neck.

But your time is almost up. Once you graduate, your mother expects you to stay at home, to get a job somewhere in town and continue to live under her roof. You wouldn’t mind it so much if she didn’t always treat you with the cold shoulder.

Just like Levi.

You grimace at the thought. No, Levi’s not like that. He was never like that. He proved that over and over again in the real world. He was nothing like your mother.

Then why is he pushing me away?

You don’t have an answer for that.

When you get to your room, your phone buzzes in your pocket. It’s a text from Petra. And upon reading it, you’re quick to type a reply.

 Petra Ral

Hello! What do you say about hanging out with us tomorrow night?

Reader

That sounds fun. Who else is coming?

Petra Ral

You, me, Oluo, Eld, Gunther, Levi, Isabel and Furlan.

Just a chance to catch up after hours at the tea shop. You in?

Reader

Sure! I’ll see you tomorrow night then.

 You don’t recognize the last two names—they’re probably the people who work at the tea shop later in the night, the same ones Petra mentioned earlier in the day. But for some reason, you feel as though you’ve heard those names before.

Maybe in your past life? But you don’t recall two Scouts with those names. At least, not when you first joined the regiment.

Perhaps Levi would know...

It’s hard not to roll your eyes at the thought. As if. It’s hard enough to get the man to even look at you normally, and not as though you’re a burden or a menace.

He’s never treated you like this before. Even in your old life, when you were no more than a measly fifteen-year-old, fresh out of the cadet corps, he at least treated you with a grain of human decency. But now, it feels as though even the mere sight of you makes him angry.

But why? What could you have possibly done to him in the past that would warrant such treatment from him? Levi was never one to treat people horribly without a good reason. Perhaps you would be inclined to understand him better if you just knew why he was so upset with you in the first place.

With a defeated sigh on your lips, you flop down on your bed and stare up at the ceiling. A few moments later, you hear the door downstairs open and shut—and it’s not long before you hear your mother’s car pull out of the driveway.

Alone again.

Oh, well. You’re only home for a few days; you can’t spend your entire break worrying about what may or may not have happened between yourself and Levi. Your life doesn’t revolve around him—even if it did, at one point or another.

Maybe you’ll be able to distract yourself with Petra and the others tomorrow night, when you meet up with them.

The thought makes you smile just a bit. At least you have something to look forward to during your week at home.

[forgottennamesgame]

hello! Maybe gladiolus and marigold for the ROs???

Hey! Sure! I hope you have your cup of coffee/tea ready, I just made mine, so here we go!

Marigold :   is your muse prone to jealousy ?  how might they handle envious feelings ?

Theo/Thea - the thing about your lover also being your childhood friend is that they know you so damn well. So you could say that they know when they should get jealous. 

For example, the MC can fall in love with the other two ROs, even if they are already in a relationship with Theo/Thea and they can do so in two ways. 

One is the ‘oh dear, I’m falling in love with someone else’ way and the other is the totally oblivious way like ‘I feel something is wrong but I can’t really say what’ (these two options remain even if you’re single until then, because I’m a sucker for oblivious characters falling in love). 

Even if your MC will not notice from the start that they’re falling in love with someone else, Theo/Thea will get it pretty quick. Normally, this will lead to a little drama. 

Usually, Theo/Thea is a pretty calm and grounded person. Moreover their love is one full of trust, so they wouldn’t try to restrain you in any way. Buuuut, you’ll have the chance to see how they react when someone tries to flirt with the MC, in ch. 10 or 11. (spoiler - It’s really funny to see someone who takes so much pride in their sense of reason acting like a kid in public). 

Selim/Aylin - Yes, they can get jealous and their solution is to try to distract the MC from whoever it is that they perceive as a ‘threat’ and to shoo the threat away. Imagine the MC talking with that person and Selim/Aylin just butting in with a big smile on their face and an arm around the MC’s waist, to show everyone that they’re together. 

Now, Selim/Aylin’s personality is a little twisted (it’s related to the plot) and they may play pranks on the individual who doesn’t get the message, or even go as far as to give them a straight warning not to get too close - without the MC knowing about it (this is so specific because there will be a scene with something like that later on). 

This reaction also stems from the fact that their ruthlessness gets coupled with a strange need to protect the MC, which they don’t quite know how to handle. 

However, it doesn’t apply to the cases in which those around the MC are genuinely just their friends or have no intentions of the sort. They have sharp instincts and they don’t get paranoid without reason. 

Plus, they wouldn’t admit they were jealous in a hundred years.

Ilzrus - They’re not prone to jealousy, but as any other individual with emotions, they’re not completely immune to it. But they’re more straightforward than the rest, so the MC will immediately notice it. The funny thing is that Ilzrus will not identify the emotion from the start, so they’ll be confused at first. How will a powerful, but naive dragon react to someone trying to pester their partner? It remains to be seen, I guess😁

Gladiolus :   describe a moment from your muse’s life that they will never forget .

Selim/Aylin - The last moments of the person who raised them. It will appear later on in the story, but it’s a very sensitive topic for them and it’s linked to the biggest regret they have so far. The actual death was a natural one, nothing tragic, but there were some circumstance which made the whole thing a painful memory for Selim/Aylin. 

Theo/Thea - The birth of their first brother, Silviu. It should have been a joyous occasion for everyone, but it was the first time it crossed their mind that they don’t have a place to belong to anymore, that they’re no longer needed. This is not just because they were an only child until then, but it’s about something related to blood ties (it’s hinted at in some scenes, it will be revealed soon). The guilt, resentment and love for their siblings just grew in the following years, making them feel very conflicted about their family. 

Ilzrus - The time when their father told them how he met his partner. This is an important moment because Ilzrus never met their mother and because they imagined for the first time how it would be for them to also find something like that. Ilzrus has two big wishes. To see the world and to find their partner. They’ve been dreaming from a young age about their future family - also, that’s why their hair is especially important for them (there’s a reason why they are the only one of the envoys with their hair braided and it has something to do with the clan’s marriage rituals). 

Well, this was a long one, thank you for bearing with me!

[countingpaperstars]

Divenire | Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter: 27/38? Rating: Explicit Fandom: Final Fantasy XV Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia, One-Sided Prompto Argentum/Ardyn Izunia, Past Prompto Argentum/Original Character Additional Tags: Fix-It, I literally rewrote the entire fucking game everyone, Prince!Prompto, MT!Prompto, based on pigeon princess’ au!, Arranged Marriage, Eventual Smut, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Eventual Happy Ending, Slow Burn, like really fucking slow burn, Guaranteed happy ending, OT4, Established OT3, Polyamory, polyship roadtrip, Canon-Typical Violence, so some blood and injuries but nothing graphic, Spoilers, Minor Character Death, Alternate Canon, in this house we love and appreciate strong and capable prompto, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Near Death Experiences, Anxiety, Self Confidence Issues, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, lore and worldbuilding are tweaked, everyone’s 2/3 years older than canon, prom’s a damsel-he’s in distress-he can handle it

Chapter Summary:

It feels risky, like teetering on the edge of a vast unknown. He knows he’s losing pieces of himself but is it so wrong if he gives them away willingly? If the people he gives them to he knows will take care of them?

The rest of the party, a heated encounter, and heavy discoveries.

Notes:

Happy New Years! Hope you all have a smooth transition into the new year. I hope this chapter will brighten someone's day in the meanwhile. Before you dive in, I also released another prequel chapter for you to read at your leisure. Thank you, thank you, to @pigeon-princess and Tera for your continual support and to Juli for being the best friend, beta, and sounding board I could ask for!

Please note that there is sexual content in this chapter!!! If that's not your cup of tea, feel free to skip from "Lifting their joined hands [...]" to "Eventually they roll out of bed [...]"

Chapter's title comes from Last Train Home by blink-182 which you can check out on the playlist.

Enjoy~

(Please support by reblogging <3)

[ignoctbigbang]

this rose is our destiny, tearing us apart

accompanying art by aiko_lpez

this rose is our destiny, tearing us apart

written by

@placeoddity​​ ​(Twitter)

Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Rape/Non-Con Relationships: Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia, Gladiolus Amicitia/Ardyn Izunia, Gladiolus Amicitia/Ravus Nox Fleuret, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret/Aranea Highwind, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret/Ravus Nox Fleuret, Verstael Besithia/Ardyn Izunia, Ravus Nox Fleuret/Ardyn Izunia, Gladiolus Amicitia/Ravus Nox Fleuret/Ardyn Izunia Characters: Noctis Lucis Caelum, Ignis Scientia, Prompto Argentum, Gladiolus Amicitia, Iris Amicitia, Ravus Nox Fleuret, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, Ardyn Izunia, Verstael Besithia, Somnus Lucis Caelum, Regis Lucis Caelum, Libertus Ostium, Crowe Altius, Nyx Ulric, Cor Leonis Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Revolutionary Girl Utena Fusion, Dark Fairy Tale Elements, Slow Burn, Friends to Lovers, Denial of Feelings, Sexual Tension, Pining, Banter, Domestic Fluff, Philosophy, Torture, Violence, Domestic Violence, Blood and Gore, Consent Issues, Power Dynamics, Power Exchange, Dom/sub Undertones, Suicide Attempt, Sexual Harassment, Dubious Ethics, Incest, Implied Sexual Content, Explicit Sexual Content, Non-Canonical Character Death, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Past Character Death, Experimental Style, Roses, Improbable Architecture, Magic, Angst with a Happy Ending, Dueling, Swords, Tags Contain Spoilers, Explicit Language, Tea, One-Sided Attraction, Childhood Trauma, Biting, Mystery Religions, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Fencing, Kendo, Weird Plot Shit, Fashion & Couture, One-Sided Ardyn Izunia/Noctis Lucis Caelum, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Flashbacks, Medical Experimentation Length: Multi-chaptered, 45,375 words

Read it here on AO3.

Once upon a time, there was a young prince, and he was very sad because his mother and father had died. Before him appeared a great beauty with a regal bearing and a kind smile. The prince found himself wrapped in a rose-scented embrace, his tears gently kissed from his eyes.

"Little one who shines like a flame in the dark despite such deep sorrow," the beauty said, "never lose that strength or nobility, even when you grow up." Pale, slender hands slide a ring onto his finger.

"Shall we meet again?" the prince asked.

The beauty smiled and pressed petal soft lips to his forehead. "I give my ring to you to remember me. Should you do so, it will lead you to me one day."

Was that an engagement ring the beauty gave the young prince? No one knows for sure, but the young prince was so lovestruck, he vowed to surpass the beauty in purity, strength, intelligence, and nobility to become a worthy match! But was that really such a good idea?

———

Ignis is the "prince" of Insomnia Academy, excelling in academics and athletics alike. Then one day, he follows a trail of rose petals to a garden in the sky. There he meets Noctis, the Rose Bridegroom, and his simple world will never be the same again.

Read it here on AO3.

[ffxvficrec]

by Harebelle

Ignis wakes Noctis from a nightmare and stays up with the prince, offering tea and company to help him feel better. They talk about some personal things, but Ignis has trouble revealing a secret.

Words: 1624, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Final Fantasy XV

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Noctis Lucis Caelum, Ignis Scientia

Relationships: Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia, Gladiolus Amicitia/Prompto Argentum

Additional Tags: Ignis is in love with Noctis, Noctis is an oblivious dolt, pure fluff, Cute, Nightmare, Friendship, Prompto & Gladio are kind of dating, sunrise, Tea, Comfort, mention of depression, kind of sad Iggy, Ignis is too pure, Early Game, No Spoilers, Loose Canon, Noctis POV, Yes Noctis is wearing Spyro pajamas

[herosplatling-replica]

Does Freya still have the Tarter voice in her head as she move past the sanitization?

Short answer is yes!

Longer answer would be semi-spoilers for Tea and Gladiolus, so I'll put it under a read more.

After certain events in Tea and Gladiolus, Tartar isn't able to take over Freya's body anymore and has more or less accepted its defeat. It can still scare Freya in nightmares and talk to her, but has more or less backed off.

Freya still hates it.

Tartar is reduced to what I'll call a sliver, where it's small enough that it cannot actually be fully removed without causing some form of brain damage. It's become more of a chronic form of partial sanitization, so some days Freya will be fine and even able to participate in combat while others she's in pain or experiencing brain fog.

[mattonious]

IGGY. MY BOY. ☕💐💎(other than fingers ;) )

☕ Give us one (or more if you feel like it) of your OCs deep dark secrets! Why do they keep it hidden? Spill the tea!

GOD THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO REALLY CHOOSE SOMETHING WITHOUT GETTING INTO HEAVY LORE SPOILERS KAJBFAKJFS

UH WELL i guess the safest thing i can share right now is that besides becoming a lich, he still really aspires to be a famous artist, specifically in sculpting!!

💐 Does your OC like flowers? What are their favourites? Do they keep a garden of some sort? What flowers would they use in a flower crown? (and if you like, research the meanings behind those flowers!)

oh iggy ADORES all sorts of flowers!! of course he enjoys roses, but he also loves Peonies the most! before his adventure, he’d tend the family garden with his mother, ever since he was a child. he’d often secretly take some of the flowers and bring them to the local graveyard, where he’d lay a flower on any grave that didnt already have one.

his flower crown would consist of Gladiolus (remembrance), Hydrangea (gratitude for being understood), and purple Hyacinth (sorrow)

💎 Does your OC collect anything? Is there a reason? When did they start and is it beginning to turn into a little bit of a hoarding issue? What do they do with their collection?

JSKFBKS YES BESIDES FINGERS AND HANDS FROM CORPSES iggy used to collect empty perfume bottles! he’s just fascinated with the elegance and craftsmanship put into creating the bottles.the first one he collected was from his mother when he was a toddler. he’d display his collection upon a shelf in his bedroom dedicated entirely to them.

[g0ldpainted]

4th December - CtC’17

Chocobros and how they show their love for you/relationship headcanons

Hiya! :D

Today I present you a little headcanon. And on a side note, I really suck at finding names for anything. xD

My original thought came from how people sometimes don’t notice all the little things people do when they love someone. And then I spend time thinking about how the chocobros would change/adapt once they truly love someone and what they’d start doing for them - and only for them. ^^

This is the outcome:

(No spoilers nor tw’s needed - just some kinda fluffy stuff)

Noctis: 

Although he could buy you all the expensive things in the world, he refuses to

Doesn't like spending a lot of money on gifts because he fears you'd only be in for the expensive gifts (at least early on in your relationship)

Prefers meaningful gifts

They don't necessarily have to be cheap but he prefers to start off small with gifts

Unlike his father wants him to, he doesn't gift 3000gil bracelets but chocolate and flowers for a one month anniversary

Sometimes even likes to DIY some gifts

And those tend to be a disaster but it's the thought that counts, right?

However, if you tend to have a certain wish he tries his best to grant it

Technically, since he's the prince, he can make anything happen

Wanna ride a horse through the city? Sure thing. 

Wanna travel to Altissia for the weekend? Alright, pack your bags.

Want the most exclusive jewelry? Yeah, that's possible, too.

But he's not only proving his love through gifts

It's the little surprise dates he plans

It's the massages he loves to give you after a stressful day

It’s the way he worries about you to the point he orders the best nurse of Insomnia over to check on you

And the way he cares for you when you go through cramps

He’ll happily be your body pillow and heater anytime

Although he's not a good cook, he'll cook for you, too

You bet Ignis was involved, though - the risk of poisoning you without his help was too high

Noctis will shower you with little gestures

Pecks. All. The. Time.

Very touchy, loves caressing your body

Will do anything for you - that includes brushing your hair when you’re too tired to

Yeah, he's a pretty innocent lover.. Unless he's horny

Giver! He’s a total giver.

Always puts you first.. Even though he sometimes should put his duty as future king first

See's his future in you and doesn't fail to remind you whenever he can

He'll name a street after you to some anniversary once you're married

Also makes sure the garden is always top-notch and full of flowers you like

He's all about you and takes note of everything you seem to show a liking in

When he says he loves you, he really means it.

Prompto: 

The moment you two start dating, you become this sunshine's fuel of life

You make him happy with your presence, voice and touches

You make him feel so much better about his own struggles, he wants to give you back somehow

Now he isn't exactly on the rich side, tends to work a lot to provide for himself

Nonetheless, he never fails to surprise you with little gifts

Picks flowers for you whenever he can

He loves traveling and therefore always saves money to be able to afford trips with you 

With Prompto by your side, you'll always have splendid photos of yourself

He loves photographing you

Makes sure you know he loves your beauty 

Wants to portray your character through your photos

It's not about model photos but authentic ones

Prompto just really wants you to love yourself as much as he does

Aside from that, he's a very gentle lover 

Will be your butler 24/7 

You're always his no.1 

Your happiness is his main priority

He'd go to the end of the world if it'd mean you'd be happy

Feeling sad? Give him a call, he'll drop everything and be over in a minute

In case you're sick he'll take the best care of you, you could probably imagine

Gift-wise he really loves plushies and flowers - corny stuff is what he loves to gift

Plushies of chocobos, of course

Sometimes he may be a bit childish in terms of proving this love but doesn't that make him all the more lovable?

Since he's the most creative one out of all the chocobros, he also definitely likes DYI gifts

Want a cool frame for your photo? He's on it.

Or maybe a nice box? Well, he won't craft it but he'll find a nice way to paint it

Another very sensitive topic for Prompto is his body

Showing his body to you used to give him anxiety but now he's all okay with it - but only in front of you

He doesn't mind you seeing him naked, he trusts you won't make fun of any of his stretch marks or other flaws

If he wouldn’t love you with his entire being, he wouldn’t show the part he’s most insecure about to you

Ignis: 

He's probably the busiest chocobro 

While he looks after Noctis, he also has to take care of himself and his royal duties

He used to think he would never have time for an S/O but then life happened and he actually fell for you

Money isn't really a big issue with him by your side; he never had enough time and will to spend it on himself

So now he can spend it all on you.. Or so he thought

While he can buy you expensive jewelry or clothes from exclusive brands, it doesn't make either of you happy

“Money can’t buy us happiness”

Sure, gifts are nice but.. They aren't everything

His actual "gift" to you is his time

He absolutely loves spending time with you, yet he's unfortunately incredibly busy

But whenever he can take a day off, he spends it with you

He'll take you out on dates

Breakfast at a café, lunch at a fancy restaurant and dinner at home 

All day long you two go watch a movie, go (ice) skating or just spend a romantic day at the park with a little picnic

Ignis doesn't want to miss a chance to cook for you

Also, candlelight dinner at home is his favorite kind of date night

Although he's busy and hard to reach, you can always call him

If he doesn't pick up, he'll call back

And if it's an urgent matter, he would drop his duty and run to you

You're his main priority and always on his mind

You don’t have to fight for his attention nor battle yourself with anyone, Ignis always puts you first.. it’s just that he can’t neglect his duty

So unfortunately, Noctis has to be right behind you, though

Whenever he can, he includes you in daily his routines

Working out? He'll call you and ask to join.

Grocery shopping? Maybe you wanna join and grab a snack?

You’re his motivation, he relies on you just as much as you rely on him

There’s not a single day passing by without him telling you and showing you how much he loves you

When he's dead busy, he finds time to send a bouquet to you

And when you're sick, he'll try his best to take care of you, too

Massages, tea, grabbing your medicine for you, your favorite movies - he knows all the things to ease your mind

Ignis is a very attentive lover and that shows in his gifts

No matter what he goes for, it's always something he's 100% sure you'll like

He's never been wrong before - not even when it came to clothes and makeup

This guy has a brilliant taste

Besides sending flowers, he also sometimes sends surprise letters pointing out every one of his favorite moments with you, or 100 reasons why he loves you - sugary stuff like that but with a touch of romance

Gladiolus:

Although Gladio is fairly emotional, it's usually only anger that he releases

He's not the type of guy to continuously say he loves you

Saying it is rare for him because to him it means showing weakness

But he’s a tough guy, believes he shouldn’t do that

So sometimes he has weird ways of showing he cares

One time you gained a little weight and he blatantly pointed it out

While he meant well - loved you regardless of your weight - and really just wanted to point out that he noticed you changed a bit and wondered if something was wrong, it certainly didn't come out that way

There are plenty of fights because of situations like that

He’s just not good with words and this whole loving someone thing confuses him

To make it up, he usually takes you hiking or on some other trips

Gladio loves nature and feels most at ease when he's surrounded by trees and not houses - and you

The only thing improving this trip even more for him is you

It wouldn't be half as fun without you

And he certainly wants you to know

He really opens up when he's with you in the middle of nowhere

That's when he showers you with love and becomes one hell of a gentle teddy bear

No one besides you will see this side of him

He'll pick you flowers, help you fish.. And even teach you some survival tips or knowledge about animals and insects

Whenever he finds a specifically beautiful flower, he puts it behind your ear

He's a little awkward on speaking about how much he loves you, he prefers to show it 

Gentle kisses, soft touches,.. He's a lot more careful with his actions now that you guys are actually a serious thing and not just a fling

His secret talent is back rubs or really just any kind of massage

He knows exactly what spot to press and how to massage it properly, using just enough power to ease all your pain and help you relax

His favorite method of showing how much he cares is between the bedsheets, though

When you first started dating, he was very self centered

Nowadays he's all about you; he genuinely cares

He won't always show it but he knows when you're doing bad 

And he'll do his best to fix it

Running a bath, cleaning the house, cooking some.. More or less good.. Food

In terms of gifts, he's always pretty clueless

No matter how much time passes by, other than flowers and chocolate he never knows what to get you

In all honesty, he did grab pretty ugly accessories clothes once - but it's the thought that counts, right?

Mom-friend Iggy will come to the rescue, though, don’t worry

However, he really pays attention to what you like

If you mention that you want a specific item, you bet he'll remember that

Gladio is just a secretly awkward guy that loves you with all his heart and he'll do everything he possibly can to let you know

2nd December ; 3rd December ; 4th December ; 5th December ; 6th December ; 7th December ; 8th December ; 9th December ; 10th December ; 11th December ; 12th December ; 13th December ; 14th December ; 15th December ; 16th December ; 17th December ; 18th December ; 19th December ; 20th December ; 21st December ; 22nd December ; 23rd December ; 24th December ; 25th December

Masterlist

[ao3feed-ignoct]

Always there beside you

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/3ilXAs6

by Harebelle

Ignis wakes Noctis from a nightmare and stays up with the prince, offering tea and company to help him feel better. They talk about some personal things, but Ignis has trouble revealing a secret.

Words: 1624, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Final Fantasy XV

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Noctis Lucis Caelum, Ignis Scientia

Relationships: Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia, Gladiolus Amicitia/Prompto Argentum

Additional Tags: Ignis is in love with Noctis, Noctis is an oblivious dolt, pure fluff, Cute, Nightmare, Friendship, Prompto & Gladio are kind of dating, sunrise, Tea, Comfort, mention of depression, kind of sad Iggy, Ignis is too pure, Early Game, No Spoilers, Loose Canon, Noctis POV, Yes Noctis is wearing Spyro pajamas

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/3ilXAs6

[herosplatling-replica]

Freya stares as she pushes herself up. She doesn’t know where she is, where her weapon is, let alone the situation - but then the octoling soldier does something unexpected in return.

The girl smiles with fondness as warm as the sun enveloping her in the radiance of the atmosphere.

Oh no, thinks Freya.

[starstruckkittensweets]

myosotis masterlist || reincarnation au

Summary: You've searched for him for as long as you can remember. And finally, finally, it seems as though you've found him. It’s been ten years since you’ve remembered your past life within the Walls, from bits and pieces here and there. Since then, you’ve connected with those you’ve lost, and you’ve been able to build a better life for yourself in this new world. But there’s still so much you have to reconnect with.

(cross-posted on AO3)

Fandom: Attack on Titan  AU: Reincarnation | Modern | College/University Pairing: Levi x Reader Rated: E (explicit)  Content Warning: Season 4 spoilers, canon-typical violence, canonical character death, explicit language, recovered memories, age difference (older man, younger woman), angst and feels, abusive parents, past relationship(s), explicit sexual content, boss/employee relationship, eventual smut  Additional Tags: female reader, past Levi/Petra, minor Oluo/Petra, tea shop owner Levi, Levi needs a hug, touch-starved Levi 

i. eglantine 

ii. foxglove

iii. gladiolus

iv. coming soon