#tftbtb fic

[bluejaysandblackbats]

The Flames That Burn The Brightest

Fandom: DC Comics, Titans (Fab Five), Arrowfam

Summary: Donna Troy is working as a teacher at a high school, and to her surprise, she comes face-to-face with an old flame who just so happens to be the new guidance counselor.

Chapters: 1/?

Characters: Donna Troy, Roy Harper, Jade Nguyen, Lian Harper, Garth of Shayeris, Dick Grayson, Wally West

Relationship(s): Past DonnaRoy, Past CheshRoy

Additional Tags: Teachers AU, No Powers AU, Donna Troy-centric, Platonic Soulmates Dick & Donna, Parent Roy Harper, Lovers to Friends, Friends to Lovers, Romantic Fluff, Reunions

Chapter One: Sunlight (Donna's POV)

Roy arranged flowers in my hair for a picture once. He leaned over me, chuckling as he worked. His wheezy laugh was grating to most, but it made me smile. Actually, it made me laugh. “Roy, please don’t make a d—.”

“Lay still, you’re gonna mess it up… And stop breathing on me. It tickles,” Roy warned me as he wheeze-laughed. And no, it wasn’t asthma. It was more—. It was a snicker. A raspy snicker. He smelled great. It was probably the best he ever smelled since I knew him. Notes of something baked and sweet complemented by a smoky wood. I pulled his shirt to my nose, and he leaned backward on his knees. Smiling. His mouth formed cute parenthetical folds on freckled canvas. Roy was sunlight.

“Roy, we’ve been here an hour—.”

“I’m almost done. Trust the process,” Roy whispered. His voice seemed more serious at that point. “Donna, you said you already set your Polaroid—?”

“You’re done?” I asked. He nodded and stood over me with his camera. “How do I look?”

“Like a goddess,” Roy whispered, and I felt my cheeks redden as I shut my eyes. Roy snapped three pictures before kneeling beside me and removing the flowers. “Do you have a brush?”

I laughed and shook the rest of the flowers out of my hair as I sat up. “Roy, you’re stalling. Let me see—.” He held them to his chest, protecting them from me. “What? What is it?”

“Donna, if you don’t like them, would it be weird if I kept them anyway?” Roy asked. I gently pried the pictures from his hands, and the flowers spelled out I-L-Y in my hair. I looked at him, and he rubbed the back of his neck.

I laid my head on his shoulder. I was speechless, and he didn’t expect anything, but I wish I said something that day in the field. Roy was like that. He loved and never expected to be loved back. That’s what made him special to me. I could never say what I wanted to, but he didn’t force me to try. Roy pressed kisses to the side of my face and my neck. “Roy,” I whispered.

“You’ve gotta go away… I know you do, but I want you to know I’ll wait for you if you want me to,” Roy whispered.

It felt selfish to make him wait for me, but I couldn’t look at him and tell him to go. I couldn’t speak. I wish I could’ve said something, but my throat ached. I kissed him, and I think he knew. “Let me keep one picture,” Roy whispered. I nodded, and Roy returned to my cheeks and neck. I craned into his touch but could feel his pain through my flesh. It hurt, but I needed him close. I pulled him in by his shirt, and he shook his head. “Wait… Wait, I’m shaking.” Roy pulled away from me, and I turned to him. I reached to touch his arm, and he stood up. “Let me take you home before I say something dumb—.”

“You can say whatever you want, Roy. I won’t get mad,” I whispered as he took my hand and helped me stand. “Roy? Please?”

“I want ya to go. I do. Don’t get me wrong, but I don’t wanna—. I wanna—. Come on, let me take you home,” Roy sighed. He seemed irritated. Not with me, but the temperature between us changed. “You’ve got packing to do, Princess.”

His smile disappeared, and I held onto his hand, desperately squeezing for the warmth and safety it offered only moments ago. I held onto him like a child holding onto a teddy bear. “Roy, are you mad at me?” I asked.

“No, I could never—. I’m a little mixed up right now, but I’ll be okay. This is your big moment, Donna, and I’ve got a present for you back at your place,” Roy whispered, “I’m sorry… I’m gonna miss you a ton. I guess-. It didn’t feel real until today.”

He opened the door for me, and we stared at each other for a while. I wanted him to ask me to stay. I know that sounds cliche, but I hoped he would at least try. Or hell—. I don’t know. I wish he would’ve asked to go with me. We drove to my place in silence, and when I got to the door, I wanted to say everything I’d held inside—. “Surprise!” they yelled. I backed into Roy, and he offered a gentle push toward our friends.

Dick punched Roy’s shoulder. “Hey, chump, what took you so long?” Dick half-joked. Roy forced a smile.

“I had to take a quick detour to spend time with my favorite girl,” Roy replied as he slipped into the crowd. Everyone seemed so happy for me, but I couldn’t help but feel lonely.

The night droned on, and I slipped into my bedroom for a break before running into Roy. He sat on my bed with a gift box on his lap. “Roy—.”

“I know you don’t like people in your room, but I’m—. I thought you’d make an exception this one time,” Roy smiled as he gave me the box. I carefully unwrapped my gift and smiled. A plush lamb in a replica of my first drama class costume. I held it close to my chest. “I know we’re a little old for that stuff, but I—.”

I embraced him, and then there was silence. Then there was longing. Then there were lips… My lips against his warm, peach-fuzzy cheeks. Then there were lips. His lips against mine. And his scent was sweet and smoky, luring me in. I kissed his neck, and he laughed his wheezy laugh. “Donna, the party—.”

“Will you stay until after they’re gone?” I interrupted. He lifted my chin with his knuckle.

“Well, I’ve got a lot of free time with Ollie gone, so I don’t mind waiting around tonight,” Roy grinned. We partied that night, and after everyone left, Roy curled up in my bed and reached for me.

We were quiet. It was so quiet it scared us when the bed made a noise… or Roy bumped into the wall. He was gentle. “This is goodbye, isn’t it?” Roy whispered afterward. I frowned. “Maybe one day it’ll be hello again… But we’ll always be friends, right?”

“Nothing will change that,” I replied. Roy was sunlight. Far too bright to look at. Hot to the touch. He cried that night. He waited until he thought I was asleep, but I heard him. I didn’t speak because I didn’t want to hurt his pride. Still, I wish he would’ve come with me. I wondered if we would’ve stayed together if he’d simply asked to come along. I would’ve said yes. I would’ve done anything to make space for him there.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

The Flames That Burn The Brightest

Fandom: DC Comics, Titans (Fab Five), Arrowfam

Summary: Donna Troy is working as a teacher at a high school, and to her surprise, she comes face-to-face with an old flame who just so happens to be the new guidance counselor.

Chapters: 3/?

Characters: Donna Troy, Roy Harper, Jade Nguyen, Lian Harper, Garth of Shayeris, Dick Grayson, Wally West

Relationship(s): Past DonnaRoy, Past CheshRoy

Additional Tags: Teachers AU, No Powers AU, Donna Troy-centric, Platonic Soulmates Dick & Donna, Parent Roy Harper, Lovers to Friends, Friends to Lovers, Romantic Fluff, Reunions

Chapter Three: First Day of School (Donna's POV)

I started my day an hour earlier. Waking up before the sun gave me time to think. Introduce myself to my students, reviewing the roster, and my lesson plans for the first week. It was all I could think about. High school. I was in my late twenties, struggling to redefine myself, and Garth mentioned something about a shortage of instructors at his school. He made the kids sound so sugary-sweet. I told him to count me in before I had time to think. But I’ve done nothing but think about it since then.   I used to photograph models for a living. Teaching teenagers wouldn’t be anything like that. 

I fed Figaro dry cat food and a little bit of raw salmon before I made my breakfast. He looked up at me with his big gold eyes, probably confused about our early breakfast time. “Eat up, Figgy. Today’s a special day,” I whispered. I tried to hope for the best, but I was frightened. 

He rubbed his cheek against my ankle. It’d been the two of us for a while. The tea kettle whistled, and I poured the hot water over my silicone tea bag. I made the blend the night before—hibiscus and orange with tiny tinges of green tea. I didn’t take sugar in my tea. I used a spoonful of honey and a drop of lemon. I twirled my tea with a spoon before taking it to my bedroom. I lay my outfit out on the bed before taking my towel and caddy to the bathroom. I brushed my teeth and showered. My morning routine was strict. I did everything in the same order for over a decade. Make my tea piping hot, brush my teeth, shower, moisturize my face, check my emails, curl my hair, get dressed, and do my stretches while I watch one of my VHS tapes. I watched the same ten movies on VHS in my living room. Dick hates it. This morning, it was the 1996 Romeo and Juliet . I rarely watched the whole movie in one sitting, but this morning I had extra time.

A fitting choice, because I’d be teaching first and fifth-period freshman English classes. My main subject was Photography. Garth said the principal would let me structure the class however I wanted to. My alarm went off shortly after the credits rolled, and I grabbed my bag, camera, and keys. It was a fifteen-minute drive across town, and it took every second of those fifteen minutes to prepare myself for the walk to the front office. Garth was on the phone when I arrived, so I checked my mailbox and headed to my classroom. I spent the better half of two months decorating it and rearranging my seating charts, so I was proud to see my vision perfectly actualized. I placed a syllabus on every desk along with an icebreaker worksheet. Garth stopped by and knocked on my door. “Hey, Donna. I had a little something for your first day. It looks great in here by the way,” Garth smiled as he hugged me and set a little box on my desk. 

“Can I?” I asked. Garth nodded excitedly as I opened my gift. It was a little blue walkie-talkie that hung from a lanyard. It was a lot like the one I had when we were kids. “Oh, Garth, you’re too much.” I laughed as I put it around my neck. 

“Just a reminder that you’re among friends,” Garth smiled, “It works. Oh, and—.” He plugged in the charger and set it on my desk. “I almost forgot to give it to you.” 

“And look… Here’s the best part. You can change the settings depending on the range you wanna reach,” Garth explained as he showed me on his walkie-talkie. “Have you seen Roy yet?” 

Roy? Garth never said anything about Roy being there. Not once. “You didn’t say Roy would be here,” I whispered.

“I didn’t? Do you guys have a problem with—?”

“No, I just—. I had no idea he worked here. Did you mention it to him at least?” I questioned. I loved Garth. Don’t get me wrong, but… How could he glaze over something like that?  

“Um… No… I meant to, but we had summer tryouts for sports and conditioning… He’ll be here late today. Are you guys gonna be okay working together?” Garth asked. 

“Uh-huh. Yeah, we work—. We’ll work great together,” I stammered. Garth nodded. 

“Dee wants to have you for dinner this weekend if that’s okay,” 

I nodded and smiled. “I’d love that,” I answered. 

Garth left me to set up. The first bell rang half an hour later. A few freshmen poured in, instinctively looking at the board for the seating chart. “Good morning, I’m Ms. Troy… And like most of you, this is my first day here,” I smiled, “Welcome to English 9.” 

One of the boys in the front started poring over the first few pages of the syllabus. I nodded. “Ms. Troy, what is your policy on food in the classroom? It doesn’t say anything about it in the syllabus.”

“It’s first period, so I’m sure some of you missed breakfast. Don’t make a mess and there won’t be any issue… Oh, and no nuts,” I answered, “Great question, Luca. That being said… Do you guys want to do the syllabus first or the icebreaker? Show of hands. Everyone who wants to get the syllabus out of the way raise your hand.” 

I had an alright group of kids for the first class. The kids seemed like they were half-asleep, but they did their best to participate. “Okay… Icebreaker it is! Feel free to walk around—.” 

One of the girls came up to me and asked me if I had a pet. It was one of the questions on the worksheet. “Yeah, his name is Figaro,” I answered. She smiled and nodded as she wrote ‘Ms. Troy’ on her worksheet. 

The icebreaker perked them up while I set up the slideshow for the syllabus. “Pass them up and return to your desks,” I gently commanded. After we settled, I explained the classroom rules, and we wrote a journal based on a prompt. Some of the kids read theirs aloud. One of the girls wrote a compelling short story about a bird that people-watched. It was a solemn tale of loneliness and miscommunication. It was a beautiful start to my teaching career. 

The dismissal bell rang, and I let them leave. During that time, I immediately set up the next class’s syllabi and seating chart. Photography . My wheelhouse. I looked through my photographs and smiled when I came across a photo of Garth, Roy, Wally, and Dick when we were kids. A candid picture of their happy faces from a simpler time. I had several copies of that photograph. It was one of my favorites. The guys had the same picture. We’d been through so much together. A few of my students poured in. All different ages and one of them entered holding a teddy bear. I quietly sat in the seat in front of them and tapped their desk. “Hi, I’m Ms. Troy… You must be, Adrian. How are you today?” I whispered. They nodded.

“D—? Do I have to put him away?” they whispered. I shook my head. 

“I’m nervous today, too… The icebreaker isn’t graded. It’s just something you can do if you’re comfortable. It’s not for everyone,” I reassured them. They handed me a note. 

“I’m a boy… My dad’s still getting used to it, so he calls me a she a few times… But—.” 

I looked at him and nodded. “Understood… Should I read it now?” I questioned. 

“Mhm,” Adrian whispered. I smiled and nodded. 

“I’ll give you some space while I read your father’s note at my desk. Is that alright?” I asked. Adrian nodded.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

FIC UPDATE POLL TIME!

Sweet Honey Bee: Bart tries to uncover the seemingly sinister deeds going on at the campus while visiting Thad's art school.

The Flames That Burn The Brightest: Donna Troy is working as a teacher at a high school, and to her surprise, she comes face-to-face with an old flame who just so happens to be the new guidance counselor.

Kitten Heel: Roy meets Jade in college and she offers to help him study chemistry in exchange for help in her music class. They develop feelings for each other, but Jade disappears after the semester ends. Nearly a year later, Roy catches a glimpse of a woman with a baby getting on the train. And she's wearing his bracelet...

Ango (Dwelling in Peace): A young Connor Hawke spends the summer with Oliver Queen after an accident at the monastery.

Wild Eyes: This is an AU where Jason ends up in Peña Dura with Bane after stowing away on a boat trying to escape Gotham.

An Oyster's Pearl: Shortly after moving in with Joseph Wilson, Grant Wilson makes friends with a fellow pledge for a fraternity. During this time, Grant grapples with realizations about his childhood trauma, his sexuality, and his relationships with his father and siblings.

If There's Nothing Missing In My Life...: Newly-emancipated popstar and child actor Conner (screen name: Lucky) navigates high school and stardom on his own.

Space Oddity: Garth grew up in a carnival freakshow, and he never thought about the world outside the glass walls of the aquarium until a group of kids befriended him. Their love and interest in finding his people might be the key to escaping the silent horrors of his home life at the show.

Frozen in Time: Daddy-daughter weekend does not go as planned.

CHECK OUT MY FICS HERE:

[bluejaysandblackbats]

The Flames That Burn The Brightest

Fandom: DC Comics, Titans (Fab Five), Arrowfam

Summary: Donna Troy is working as a teacher at a high school, and to her surprise, she comes face-to-face with an old flame who just so happens to be the new guidance counselor.

Chapters: 2/?

Characters: Donna Troy, Roy Harper, Jade Nguyen, Lian Harper, Garth of Shayeris, Dick Grayson, Wally West

Relationship(s): Past DonnaRoy, Past CheshRoy

Additional Tags: Teachers AU, No Powers AU, Donna Troy-centric, Platonic Soulmates Dick & Donna, Parent Roy Harper, Lovers to Friends, Friends to Lovers, Romantic Fluff, Reunions

Chapter Two: Kindergarten (Roy's POV)

I awakened to the gentle purring of Fanta as she rubbed her furry face against my cheek. “Good morning, Mama. Let me get cleaned up, and I’ll feed you. I promise,” I whispered. Fanta was a pretty orange Maine Coon. She technically wasn’t mine, but I kept her when I left her the first time. Part of me hoped it’d give her an excuse to call me. She never did. Being in love made the world move faster, and I was prone to reeling out of control. Maybe I left to protect her from that. It’d been five years, and I finally learned I can’t run from everything that makes me feel something. I couldn’t have abandoned my most recent love even if I wanted to. I stretched out and sprawled across the bed. Then I felt a weight on my chest. I welcomed its heavy-handed warmth. I wrapped my arms around her as I playfully rocked side to side.

“Good morning, Daddy,” Lian whispered. I chuckled as I let go and opened my eyes. She leaned over me. “I want to brush our teeth together.”

“Yeah?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “Do I have stinky breath? D’you wanna smell?”

“Yucky,” Lian laughed as she jokingly pushed my face aside.

I sat up, and I saw Lian was already dressed. My breath caught for a moment. “You start kindergarten today,” I whispered. I covered my face, hiding my mortified expression in my palms. Lian pulled my hands away.

“Uh-huh,” Lian smiled, “Are you okay?” Lian asked.

“Yeah, I can’t believe you’re going to school today,” I replied.

“Like you!” Lian grinned. I nodded, brushing my knuckle against her chin.

“Yeah! That’s right!” I exclaimed.

“Are you still gonna take me, Daddy?” Lian questioned.

“Of course, I promised. I wouldn’t miss today for anything,” I replied. Lian jumped from my bed, and I followed her to the bathroom. I put toothpaste on her toothbrush for her while we rinsed with mouthwash.

“Is Mommy coming?” Lian asked. I nearly choked on my mouthwash. I spat in the sink and brushed my teeth.

“Um… I don’t know if Mommy’s dropping you off with me or if she’s only picking you up. I’ll call her during breakfast,” I replied. Jade and I were so hard on each other for so long after the breakup… But Lian was a constant reminder that we loved each other once. Deeply. It was nearly impossible to be upset with each other when we had to focus on co-parenting our daughter.

I was still a dumb kid when Jade told me we had a daughter, but I grew up fast. At least I think I grew up. I finished school, and I started counseling at one. I planned on coming in later because I had to get Lian settled. We brushed our teeth, and Lian sat in the kitchen watching me make pancakes. “Can I call Mommy?” Lian asked.

I reached into my sweatpants pocket and gave her my phone. “Stand here, okay?” I requested while I flipped pancakes. Lian nodded and called Jade from my phone. She put the phone on speaker and sat it beside me on the counter.

“I’m on my way right now, Roy,” Jade answered on the first ring. I chuckled. I was so relieved she’d drop Lian off with me.

“I’m not calling you. Lian wanted to talk to you,” I grinned as I winked at Lian. Lian giggled.

“Good morning, Mommy!” Lian shouted.

“Great morning! Did Daddy make breakfast?” Jade asked.

“He’s making pancakes,” Lian answered.

“Tell your mommy I’ll make her a plate,” I whispered, “We can eat together since everyone’s early.”

Lian lit up. “Mommy, Daddy’s gonna make you breakfast too,” Lian announced. We didn’t usually do meals together, but I figured Lian would enjoy having Jade with us for breakfast.

“Oh, well, tell him I’m using my key when I get there… Roy, are you dressed?” Jade asked.

“Nah, not yet. It only takes me a second to get dressed,” I replied.

“Okay… If you want, I can do the dishes after breakfast so you can get dressed… And I know you have work, so I wanted to let you know I can pick Lian up and take her out for lunch,” Jade offered.

“That’s good with me,” I replied, “Lian, do you wanna go to lunch with Mommy after school?” Lian stood on the tips of her toes.

“Uh-huh! I can’t wait!” Lian exclaimed. It was my second year at the high school, and Jade was super supportive about taking Lian when I had emergencies at work or a meeting that ran late. I had to give it to her. Jade was a great mom.

“Lian, we can go wherever you want,” Jade replied, “I’m in the neighborhood, so I’ll see you when I get there. Okay?”

“Okay, Mommy. Bye-bye,” Lian replied.

“Bye-bye, Lian. Love you… And tell Daddy I love him too,” Jade replied. I choked.

“Love you too, Mommy. Daddy’s choking, I gotta hang up,” Lian replied as she hung up and got my water bottle out of the fridge.

I took a sip and thanked her. “You know your mom means as a friend, right? She loves me like a friend,” I explained.

“Okay,” Lian replied, “How do you love her?”

“What do you mean—?” Jade walked in and picked Lian up, showering her in kisses.

“Hi,” Jade smiled. “Breakfast ready?” I nodded as I took a sip.

Jade grabbed plates and sprayed whipped cream on everyone’s pancakes. We sat at the table, and Jade snapped a picture of Lian with me before scooching in on Lian’s other side to get all three of us. It was nice.

After I ate, I slipped away to get dressed. I put on my pants and a colorblock knit shirt that Jade got me for my last birthday. It sounds weird, but things were complicated. We shared a daughter. We were family. And I desperately needed that. There was nothing more to want from life. Anything else would’ve complicated and confused things too much. I was finally content with life as it was. My phone rang, and I chuckled. “What’s up, Fish-breath? Don’t you know what today is?” I asked.

“Yeah, I called to tell Angelfish I hope she has a great first day at school,” Garth replied, “Oh… I’m canceling next Friday’s swim practice because Cerdian’s got his checkup, and Dee’s busy.”

“Okay, I’ll type up the announcement before lunch today if you forget,” I replied. We always talked about our schedules together. Because on top of being sports coaches, we were school counselors. So, whatever I couldn’t handle, he picked up, and vice versa. Garth was the one who got me the job at the high school. We’d known each other since we were kids, and he wanted an excuse to hang out. To be honest, it felt nice to stay in touch with some of my friends from the past. It was a simple life, but it was my life. I couldn't ask for anything more.