#that joker won’t show up and mr freeze will ask him for help in saving his wife and poison ivy will partner with the WE botany department

[duckysprouts]

if you were at your worst, if you’re a villain or a screwup or whatever, there is a goth man dressed as a giant bat who keeps coming after you, bothering you. he sabotages your journey of self destruction over and over. ur ready to give up but he won’t let you. you think, today he won’t come. today he will give up on me too. he never does.

[redhoodieone]

Fucking Perfect

A/N: Hey, y’all!!! Here’s another fic that was actually a request from @jasontoddslut. I hope you all enjoy!

WARNINGS: Language, violence, and smut!

It wasn’t that late. With a DVD and a large free pepperoni pizza in hand (the pizza was actually a “thank you” from a local pizza owner after Jason saved his life), Jason couldn’t help but keep smiling underneath his red helmet as he drove to his and Danielle’s home. They were supposed to have a night in; no distractions, no interruptions, and no patrolling, for him at least.

But Bruce had called him for help last minute around 9:00 because Joker decided to break out of Arkham Asylum with every other inmate, from Harley Quinn to Scarecrow. To say the mission was bizarre as hell wouldn’t be exaggerating. Jason and Dick laughed their asses off the entire night because it was like a high school reunion for all of Gotham’s villains. Even Bruce couldn’t help but grin a little when he saw the Riddler and Penguin link arms and skip down the street behind Bane, Two Face, Mr. Freeze, and Killer Croc.

It was one hilarious but memorable sight.

But now all Jason could think about was getting back home to Danielle as he speeds down the streets on his bike from Arkham while holding the box of pizza and DVD. Just thinking about a hot shower, cuddling with Danielle on the couch under a fluffy blanket, and just falling asleep in the comfort of their home makes him consider giving up the vigilante life sometimes.

He wondered what his life would be like not being everyone’s hero.

No more subtle or dangerous injuries. Staying in bed the entire night. Having the ability to go here and there and do everything normal like others. Maybe even settling down somewhere in the countryside, where he can finally retain his own property, perhaps build himself his own auto salvage business where he’ll specialize in fixing and rebuilding expensive, fast cars and bikes.

Having something to call his own has always been a secret dream of his. Only Y/N knows all that.

Jason could just see it now: waking up early to see the beautiful sunrise from the safety on the ground, arm wrapped protectively around his wife, who would be pregnant with their child...

He initially tenses up at that particular thought. Jason has never even spoken about his desire to have kids. Hell, he has always boasted about hating kids; often complaining about them being bratty, loud, and just being unbearable little shits.

Jason even pretends to despise Dick and Barbara’s five-year-old son, Tommy, just because he enjoys pissing them off. But in all honesty, Jason loves his nephew and knows damn well that if anything were to happen to Tommy...Jason would fucking kill them in a heartbeat.

Fuck, even Barbara gets on Jason’s ass about when he’s finally going to settle down and have kids of his own. She and Dick make the normal, perfect life look easy. They were brave and strong enough to walk away from the vigilante life, only promising Bruce that they’ll help him every now and then and only for big emergencies.

Jason couldn’t believe it at first. Dick and Barbara just happily moved to a safe, typical suburban but luxurious home far away from Gotham. They made it look so effortless and picture-perfect.

With Dick and Barbara gone, all Jason has is Tim and Damian around. Which isn’t much considering they have their own lives.

And Jason used to have Y/N, his best friend.

Before Jason’s thoughts could consume him more, he pulls up to the private parking garage at his penthouse. After he parks his bike, he climbs off and removes his red helmet; quickly inhaling air after sweating so much. Holding the helmet underneath his left arm, he carries the pizza and DVD and heads to the elevator.

He sighs heavily; his back hurts like fuck after being thrown around a lot from Killer Croc. He wonders if it would be completely sexist or just entirely fucked up if he asks Danielle for a backrub.

We’ve been together for two years. She knows my line of work, and if she really loves me, she’ll give me an all-body massage...and besides...this is the first time I’m asking for one anyways, he thinks to himself.

The elevator dings and opens for him; revealing the private floor that is his, courtesy of Bruce. If it weren’t for Bruce, Jason wouldn’t have the luxury of such a private and quiet place to call home. Bruce owns the entire building, mostly business associates and employees live and stay here anyways.

Jason walks to the door and opens it; is actually quite stunned that it’s unlocked. Mostly because he’s OCD about that, even if this floor and this entire building is private, Jason still likes to take precaution.

The guy fucking grew up on the streets and has seen and done bad things. Really bad. But he’s not like that anymore. Oh, no he’s not. Now, Jason lives by his new principles, but that doesn’t mean he’s not a badass anymore or is violent by nature. He is still Jason Todd.

Stepping inside his penthouse, Jason kicks the front door shut with his heavy boot and sets the pizza and DVD on the entryway table. He puts his helmet back on and quickly pulls a gun from his thigh holster. Jason takes this seriously, just as with any mission or recon.

He quietly goes down the hallway, immediately notices their bedroom door is cracked open and a light is on. He raises his gun and says...

Fuck it. I’m going in with my gun. Hope this all ends well with no blood.

Jason kicks open the bedroom door and has the most fucked up, perfect view of his girlfriend, Danielle, in bed with another man; a man who is on top of her, fucking her underneath the covers, IN THEIR BED!!!!!

Danielle gasps in surprise. “Jason! What-what are you doing home so early?!” she panics. She sits up and pushes the man off of her. Her tits are on display, after the blanket falls from her chest.

The male brunette is shocked at seeing Jason. The naked man uses the sheet to hide his lower body. Jason thinks this guy is a fucking tool. He’s shaking badly, and he’s sputtering like an idiot.

“Oh, oh God! This is Jason? You’re with fucking Red Hood? Oh, my God...OH, MY GOD! This guy is gonna kill me, Dani! He-he has a fucking gun in his hand! I’m gonna fucking die!” the man cries out.

“SHUT YOUR GODDAMN FUCKING MOUTH, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!” Jason yells from underneath his helmet. The voice changer that’s built into his helmet makes him sound more dark...even demonic. But Jason could care less about anything and everything right now. All he can think about is beating the shit out of this guy. “WHO THE FUCK IS THIS?!”

Danielle runs a hand through her messy long red hair, and sniffles. She’s actually...crying?

“This is Paul-”

“Don’t fucking tell him my name! Jesus Christ! Are you trying to get me killed?!”

Jason aims his gun and shoots near Paul’s head. The loud, piercing sound fills the room. The bullet hits the wall, but nonetheless scares the shit out of Paul.

Paul covers his eyes and cries. “Of fuck...please don’t kill me. Oh God, please don’t...”

Jason removes his helmet in anger and throws it down. His green eyes are already red-rimmed. He won’t admit he’s crying...God no...his allergies must be acting up.

“So, what the fuck, Dani? You’re seriously sleeping with someone else?” Jason asks, rhetorically of course. “In our house...underneath our covers...in our bed?!”

“Jason, please. I-I didn’t want you to find out this way,” Dani says.

“But you wanted me to find out?” Jason snaps, suddenly moves closer to the bed. Paul moves backwards away from him. “You wanted me to find out, but just not this way? JESUS CHRIST, DANI! What the fuck were you thinking?! Why the hell would you do this to me, after everything we’ve fucking been through!”

“Because you weren’t here! You weren’t here tonight!” Dani yells.

“What the hell does that mean? You decided to cheat on me because I WASN’T HERE TONIGHT?!”

Paul slowly stands up with the sheet. “Maybe I should leave...” he mumbles.

“How about I show you the way out, BUDDY?!” Jason spits out. He grabs Paul’s throat and drags him across the bedroom.

“DON’T HURT HIM! PLEASE DON’T HURT HIM, JASON!” Dani cries out.

Jason was seeing red. He couldn’t see or think straight at all. With a huff, Jason slams Paul down to the floor and drops down to beat the fucking shit out of Paul. His fist keeps coming down hard and fast, and he definitely ignores Paul crying, pleading for him to stop. Jason even ignores the sight of a lot of blood and bones cracking underneath his punches.

“STOP IT! JASON, STOP HURTING HIM, PLEASE!” Dani screams in horror, pulling Jason back by grabbing his leather jacket.

When Jason finally stops, he realizes Paul’s face is almost disfigured because of the blood and swelling, but he doesn’t care. At all.

Jason shoves Dani away from him and glares down at Paul. “Here’s what’s going to happen, Paul. You’re not going to open your fucking mouth. You’re not going to tell anyone about my home. You’re not going to tell anyone about me. Your injuries? You’re going to tell everyone you got your pansy, white ass jumped in an alley and that you obviously lost the fight. And you’re going to walk out of here naked. You’re not going to look at Dani, not talk to her, not even think about her, you’re just going leave. NOW.”

“B-but what about my-my clothes?” Paul stutters.

Jason quickly collects all of Paul’s clothes and opens his bedroom window. He pulls out his lighter and lights the clothes on fire. Jason drops them over the railing. “You don’t need them. After fucking my girlfriend in my home and in my bed, you bet your homewrecking sweet ass that you’ll be walking home in nothing but shame and remorse. Now, get the fuck out of my house before I break your legs next.”

“Yes sir. I’m sorry, sir. No one will ever know about this,” Paul rambles on as he struggles to stand up. Once he does, he quickly leaves the bedroom but not before mumbling. “Why couldn’t she date Green Lantern or-or Batman. Wait! Not Batman! Anyone but Batman and Red Hood!”

As the front door slams shut, Jason turns to face his naked girlfriend, Dani. He feels his chest tighten, causing a pain he hasn’t felt since he was a kid and lost his mother and home. He wants to cry in front of her, maybe even scream at her, but all the anger he felt before is gone now. Jason’s only left with a sense of sadness and he doesn’t even know what to do about it.

The silence is killing them. He’s no fool. He can see she’s trying to hold herself together but is failing immensely because she’s looking up at him with those sad, puppy dog eyes.

But a thought quickly crosses his mind: only Y/N’s puppy dog eyes make him give into her. Every time. Y/N’s Y/C/E eyes weakens him, and he always wants to please her when she looks at him.

But Dani’s eyes don’t. There’s no sense of comfort and warmth in them like Y/N’s.

“I’m...I’m so sorry, Jay,” Dani begins.

“Don’t call me that. You don’t get to call me that anymore,” Jason interrupts angrily. He doesn’t even know why she’s apologizing. He knows he can’t forgive her. He won’t forgive her.

Dani scoffs. “You can’t seriously be pissed off at me. You’ve fucking cheated before. You’ve slept around like Bruce does. You can’t fucking hold this against me! I gave you a chance!”

“You’re forgetting that I used to do that!” Jason yells. He runs a hand through his messy dark hair and growls under his breath. He needs someone to calm him down. He needs someone to tell him everything’s going to be all right. He needs the comfort and warmth only one person has: Y/N. Jason realizes he needs her now more than ever, and that scares him a bit. “I haven’t done any of that shit since we’ve been together. The second I realized that I was in love with you, I changed. I changed because I wanted to be with you! And you bringing up my past to try to justify your actions is fucking wrong, Dani.”

“Cry me a fucking river, Jason,” Dani spits out.

“Nope. Not this time. Get the fuck out of my house.”

Dani doesn’t put up a fight. She gets dressed, packs a bag of her things, and tells Jason she’ll be back for the rest later. She does glance at him one last time before she walks out though.

“The thing is...I needed my boyfriend, not a hero.”

The door slams shut, leaving Jason frozen in place. The silence is deadly; he can feel his thoughts racing and screaming loud in his head.

He needs Y/N.

Jason needs his best friend.

Tears force themselves out his eyes as he calls Y/N.

“Hello?”

Jason pauses, and he wonders if he’s making a mistake. Maybe she won’t come. He hasn’t been a particularly good friend to her lately. “Y/N, I need you. I...need you, please...”

“I’m on my way.”

Jason knew he was in deep shit after he finished off a new bottle of whiskey before Y/N came over. He couldn’t help himself. After he hanged up with her, he ripped off his costume and stripped down to nothing but his white Calvin Klein boxer briefs. He felt like he couldn’t breathe, even after lowering the thermostat to 62 degrees.

Perhaps the end of his real first serious relationship was suffocating him mentally and physically. He’s never lived with a girlfriend before either.

He was about to open a new bottle of whiskey just as the front door opens and closes.

“Jason?” Y/N calls out.

Jason whips around fast and grins. He’s buzzed, but not quite drunk yet. “Y/N!”

Y/N is stunned to see Jason in nothing but his underwear as he runs to her and embraces her hard. She stumbles back a bit, but he captures her easily to steady her and holds her tightly to his chest.

“You’re soaked...and cold,”

“It’s raining outside like it always does,” Y/N giggles and gently pushes Jason back a bit. “Let me take off my coat and get warmed up.”

Jason allows her, watches intently when Y/N takes off her raincoat. She’s wearing her black and red plaid pajama pants and a Metallica t-shirt he’s positive she stole from him. She kicks off her booties and displays her light blue fuzzy socks he adores.

Jason knew Y/N had to have been in bed when he called, but she came anyway. She always comes to him because she’s always there for him.

She’s always been here for me, hasn’t she? Why haven’t I seen it before? He thinks to himself.

Y/N smiles softly and reaches a hand out to Jason. He takes it, almost hypnotized by how he does anything she wants. She leads them to the couch, but not before she sees the pizza box and DVD on the entryway table. She raises an eyebrow at him.

“That...was my failed attempt at romance tonight,” Jason admits sheepishly.

Y/N shakes her head, but still smiles. “It doesn’t have to go to waste. We can eat the pizza and watch the movie, right? I mean...only if you want to, of course,” she says.

“Only with you, sweetheart.”

Y/N releases his hand and quickly grabs the pizza and movie. She meets him in the living room where Jason’s already sitting down. She smiles and puts the DVD on. But before she sits beside him, she heads over to the kitchen. She returns with two cans of soda and napkins.

Jason looks down when her soft, small hand reaches out to him...only to take away the unopened bottle of whiskey. “No more tonight...please.”

He can’t help but nod his head. She’s right, he’s had enough to drink. He can’t numb his feelings and thoughts anymore. That’s why when Jason starts crying, he doesn’t feel embarrassment or anything. Y/N’s seen him at his best and worst; and she’s still here no matter what.

The movie is playing, but they’re not watching it. Jason can’t even hear it. When he looks up to see why, he can only see Y/N looking at him.

She doesn’t ask why he’s crying. Jason knows Y/N’s caring nature is all about comfort and understanding. That’s why he doesn’t move or say anything when she scoots closer to hug him. The second she wraps her arms around his neck, he cries freely. He embraces her; allows her scent of cinnamon and sandalwood calm him down.

Jesus Christ...has she always smelled so good? Fuck...this perfume is making me hard right now. Jason shamelessly thinks to himself.

“It’s okay, Jay. What you’re feeling right now, it’s not forever. You won’t feel like this again anytime soon. I promise,” Y/N whispers. She runs her hand through his hair. “I’ll always be here for you. Always and forever.”

Jason opens his eyes and pulls back to see Y/N. Clarity finally hits him. His heart beats faster when he looks down to her soft lips and back up to those puppy dog eyes, that he loves so much. She looks back at him with the same intensity, he wonders if she recognizes what he’s just realized.

“You’ve always been mine, haven’t you?” Jason whispers.

Y/N smiles as she runs both her hands up and down Jason’s chest. “It took you long enough to see it,” she answers.

“I’m a fucking idiot,” he says, nodding his head in agreement.

“No, no you just made a mistake and now you’re going to give me what we both deserve,” Y/N says softly.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Jason finally kisses Y/N. He wanted to slam his lips against hers, but he knew she deserved better than that. He takes his time and allows their mouths to move together, so they can really feel each other. But the second Y/N opens her mouth for more, Jason can’t say no and deny her that.

He tastes her as thoroughly as he can, but he wants more. He pulls away and asks her with his eyes. When she nods her head, he gently pushes her back onto the couch and climbs on top of her so their pelvis’ touch appropriately.

“I would take you to my bed, but I have to burn it because it’s seriously fucked up, doll,” Jason says in between his kisses. “Another man’s cum is stained all over my blankets...in case that’s not clear enough, Dani cheated on me.”

Y/N caresses Jason’s cheek and gently smiles at him. He was expecting her to cuss about Dani or get uncomfortable about talking about what happened, but Y/N did neither of those things. Her eyes said it all.

“It’s okay,” Y/N whispers. She leans up a bit to kiss him. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

Jason closes his eyes and sighs. Y/N was here, and she’s not going anywhere. And that’s all his heart needs to move forward.

When he opens his eyes, Y/N sits up a bit to take off her t-shirt. She’s braless. Jason’s sharp intake of breath is evident when he can’t take his emerald, green eyes off her perfect tits. Jason helps her remove her pajama pants, along with her panties and socks.

His cock is painfully hard in his underwear. Seeing Y/N’s naked body underneath his is giving him all sorts of naughty ideas, but he knows what he really needs right now.

Y/N knows, too. She bites her bottom lip and pushes down Jason’s underwear, revealing his hard cock. She briefly takes in how thick his dick is and how delicious the precum is smeared across the head.

“I promise I’ll take my time learning what you taste like and what makes you cum. I just...I just need to feel...” Jason struggles out, but when Y/N touches his chest, he inhales deeply. “I need to feel warm. I need to feel...you.”

Y/N nods and looks deep into Jason’s eyes. “Feel me, Jay. I want you to feel all of me.”

Jason bravely pushes his cock inside Y/N’s pussy. He closes his eyes and breathes hard. She was everything he was hoping for. He loved the way her walls were tight, warm, and wet. He lowers his forehead to hers and he bathes in the way she moans. Jason pulls back a bit to look down at her; he smiles at the way she bites her bottom lip and throws her head back.

“Fuck...Jay move, please,” Y/N moans.

He’s more than thrilled to do her request, especially when she moans out his nickname only she can call him.

Jason moves his hips. His cock shifts in and out of her steadily before he thrusts deeper. Y/N wraps her arms around him and meets his thrusts so his cock can hit her g-spot. Jason was proud at that moment for having a cock shaped well enough to hit Y/N’s g-spot; he desperately wants to make her cum so hard.

“Oh, fuck...you feel so good, princess. Do you like taking my cock like this?” Jason moans out.

Y/N moans and wraps her legs around Jason’s waist. “Y-yes! Your cock is so big. Please go harder. I-I want to cum!” Y/N cries out.

“Fuck yeah, I’ll fuck you harder! I want you to cum with me! I want to feel you cum on this big cock!” he’s panting, he’s giving her everything she wants.

Jason fucks her harder, slams his hips against Y/N’s body. He’s already on the verge of cumming, but he can’t help it. Y/N’s moans are affecting him. Her tight heat is hitting him harder than ever. He knows this’ll be over any second, but he promised her he’ll take his time when they do it again...maybe for round two tonight.

He lowers a hand to rub her engorged clit as he thrusts faster. He’s so close. He’s so close to a hot release and he wants her to cum with him.

“Cum with me, princess. I want to feel you cum so hard,” Jason pants out, his thrusts are crazy and uneven.

Y/N raises her hips so Jason thrusts five times to make her orgasm. She cries out his name. She cums hard and all over his cock. Her walls tighten around him, and she’s sure her body goes into shock. When Y/N looks up with lustful, hazy eyes, she sees Jason’s face contorted in amazement at her.

More than satisfied, Y/N pinches her own nipples and bites her bottom lip. She wants Jason to cum now.

“Cum in me, Jay. Fill me up with your hot, delicious cum. Mmm...I can’t wait to taste it. I want to suck your big, hard cock next,” Y/N says seductively.

Jason’s face adorably scrunches up as his release hits him. He thrusts a few more times, cumming hard like she did, spurting every drop of his cum inside her. His moans drive her wild. He breathes heavily and continues to ride out his orgasm until he has nothing left to spill inside.

He pulls out and drops beside her, but quickly holds her so she doesn’t fall off the couch.

Because just imagine getting a concussion after having an orgasm.

Y/N hums in the afterglow of sex with Jason. She rests her head on his chest as he rubs her back. He kisses her forehead softly. He feels more than okay now but knows there will be plenty to talk about after the sexy haze fades.

Thoughts of living in the countryside flash into his mind. Watching that sunrise, with Y/N’s in his arms, and she’s carrying their child in her womb.

That perfect life appears real now. His dream doesn’t seem impossible to achieve. With Y/N there, everything seems possible.

“Are you okay now?” Y/N asks softly.

Jason grins and looks down at her. He doesn’t quite know what to say but figures he should try.

“With you in my arms, I’m fucking perfect, princess.”

[random-mha-thoughts]

Fidgety (LoV x Reader)

Pairing: League of Villains x Reader, platonic relationship

Shigaraki, Dabi, Toga, Mr. Compress, Kurogiri, Twice

Anon requested: “idk if you do requests, but league of villains with a suicidal parental abuse victim? you don't have to if you're uncomfortable”

Genre: Comfort/slight angst

Warnings: Implication of suicidal thoughts and abuse

Word Count: 1,255

Tags:  @yuki-osaki​ @liviitehe​ @iamsoftsodonttoucheume-blog​ 

a/n: I haven’t been inspired by a request in so long.  Either because it’s finally angsty/feelsy or because I found the perfect playlist on Spotify to listen to while writing it.  I really like it, it’s the first I’ve written that I’ve been really proud of in a while, so I hope you guys enjoy it.  And I hope if this is something you need right now, I hope it makes you feel just a little bit better, treat this as my hug to you.

"You're a weird one."

Shigaraki's voice comes out of the blue, startling me into jumping.  He's casually carrying an energy drink back to his room.  It's late in the night, I didn't think the rest would be awake by now.  I spare him one glance before resuming my activity.  "Says the alcoholic with chapped skin and scratchy neck," I mumble a retort.

"Yeah, says the one organizing Kurogiri's alcohol cabinet at 3 AM," the boy snorts back.  He seems amused by my position, standing on a metal stepladder to reach the top.

"I wish it was a bookshelf," I mutter barely above a whisper.

"What's that?"

"You're awake too, you know," I voice just a little louder.  Amaretto before the gin, Henny right after, I think as I move the bottles around.

I feel Shigaraki scan over my figure again before he shrugs.  "If you need me, I'll still be awake, you know where to find me.  You don't have to be up late alone."

My hands stop moving for a brief pause.  His casual offer echoes down the hallway as his faint steps retreat.  The fingers grasping my glass bottles slowly rest on the wooden shelf, letting the words linger in the air, my eyes closing slowly.

Once the moment is gone, I pull one of the bottles forward from the perfectly arranged lineup.  There has to be something slightly off, or else it'll look too clean.

.

"I thought you were gonna do the dishes tonight, what happened?"

The shift in Dabi's voice to something slightly more deadly makes my skin minutely jump and freeze.  My eyes downcast to the cards in my hand, flicking at the worn corner of the joker on top.  "I forgot, I'm sorry."

I hear rustling from him, and I keep an eye on his shadow on the floor.  He uncrosses his arms, one of them lifting up towards me.  I screw my eyes shut.

His hand lands on my shoulder.  "It's fine, just do it tomorrow.  I already did them so Crusty won't get annoyed."  His aquamarine eyes notice my frozen figure before resting on my hands.  "You must really love those cards since you carry them everywhere.  What do you do with them?"

I'm still shaken by his sudden touch.  "Nothing, really," I mumble.

After a pause, his hand on my shoulder rests on my head, softer this time but still elicits a flinch out of me.  "You're not bad, kid.  Remember that."

My head rolls up to meet his blank face before he turns around and heads back to his room.  The warmth of his hand still remains on my head, sort of as a comfort.  It's foreign, but satisfying, and I miss it.

.

"You always do that!"

I flinch at Dabi's sudden outburst against Shigaraki.  I don't know what they're fighting about, I tuned out sometime before the screaming happened.  A brief image of two people bickering and another of a man's face in full view pass through my head.

"God, you're the worst!  Why'd you come here if you can't handle me?" Shigaraki taunts back.  "Just go back to where you came from!"

"How about I just burn you to ash instead?!"

My mind chooses to focus on my tapping on the glass I'm holding, my back turned to the two, but I know they're probably up in each other's face already.

"Gentlemen!  Let's be more civil, shall we?" Compress's dramatic voice rings out to stop the two.  Kurogiri joins him in breaking it up and reprimanding them to apologize.

If only it were that easy sometimes.  If only they were there earlier.

A warm hand suddenly covers mine to stop my tapping.  "Aww (Y/n) sweetie, are you scared?  Should I go take care of them for you?"  Toga brandishes her knife, catlike eyes sparkling as the metal reflects off the light.

"No, I'm fine, just keeping myself present," I answer too quickly and rip my hand away from her to take a sip from my glass to seem more natural.

"You know, you shouldn't hide your feelings like that."  She leans her head on her hand, propped up on the bar.  "You're valid, you matter here.  Big sis Toga will take care of all your demons, physical and mental.  I'd have so much fun if you let me!"  Her wide smile shows off her sharp teeth.

My drink slides down my throat which much difficulty, passing the lump forming.  I finger my deck of cards near my left hand, playing with the soft, worn corner of the top card.  "Thanks."  It may sound like empty gratitude on the outside, but her words mean more to me than she knows.

.

Shigaraki, Dabi, and Spinner went out on a mission and they still aren't back yet.  I sit at the bar where Kurogiri left me, shuffling through my cards again.

"Oh, (Y/n), there you are," Twice greets as he and Mr. Compress approach and sit in the chairs on either side of me.  I barely nod in acknowledgment at them.

The latter man observes my nervously shaking hands as I move cards around the stack.  "Dabi said you play with those cards all the time.  What do you do with them?"

I sneak a glance at him just briefly.  "I just...organize them.  Put them in order."  My stack is already pretty much in order.  I add in the last of the cards I'd left on the counter to hold onto, save for the Jokers.  I stick those outsider cards randomly inside the perfect deck, ruining the order.

"They looked pretty worn in and creased, how long have you had them?" Twice asks.

My finger comfortingly plays with the corner of the ace on the bottom.  The cards have long lost their fresh white color, some of the colored parts have chipped, and they're all slightly bent instead of pin straight.  They and I have been through a lot.  "I don't know, pretty long."

"They must mean something to you, which makes me a bit reluctant to give you these."  Compress takes out one of his blue marbles and places it in his palm.  Once he opens it, an unopened deck is revealed.  "A brand new deck erases all the emotions and memories from the old one, but I guess I was hoping you'd give them up in favor of making new ones."

I take them from his hand, opening the top.  The smell of new cardboard and paper hits me immediately.

"Well, it's from both of us," Twice adds quickly.  "We know you're probably holding onto your old life and you might not want to move on from it."

That can't be farther from the truth, I wish I can move on.

"But we hope you can perhaps bury them among your more positive experiences with us," Mr. Compress finishes.  "You're part of the family now, and there's nothing we wouldn't do to protect you.  You're important to us, we want you to be happy even if it takes a while to get there."

"And we'll definitely be there to help you get to that point!"

My hands clamp around the box of cards.  I'm afraid to even take them out, fearing that I'll soil the precious gift I've been given if I just touch them.  My eyes fill with tears at their comfort, body trembling as I want to curl in on myself.

As both of them embrace me, I can't shake the lingering thoughts of disappointing them, but I'll be damned if I won't at least try finding my purpose in life, and I know they'll help me every step of the way.  It feels right being with them here, maybe I can live for them, if that turns out to be enough.

[unicornbitchface]

Raat ki Rani

Pairing: Henry x OFC

Summary: The plot moves ahead. 

No warnings yet.

Beta’d by the lovely @madbaddic7ed​ !

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Chapter 2

That’s it. 

She was so over it. 

How was it even allowed? 

There had to be some decorum, some sanctity to the institution. Someone had to make it right, and it will have to be her. Enough was enough. 

Bursting through the carved door of the zenana mahal, her eyes searched for the culprit. Today she would make it clear what goes where, and she is not to be trifled with. 

She kept her head low in front of her father, but Damini deserved to be hit for how she talked to their father! What was so wrong about what he said? Rajputana women are to serve their janmabhoomi (motherland) and later her husband’s jaagir (feudal estate). 

And everyone knows, with that tongue no Kunwar would take that disgrace. 

The only use for her is to make sure Father keeps his gold. How is that so bad? 

Worse than wearing men’s clothes to Meena Bazaar? 

Kite flying with locals like an imbecile? 

Running around like a bloody camel in the palace?

Pranks on the Generals, priests and the guests without a care for her stature?

Surely not.

There she was, giggling with the kids, up to no good as always!

“Damu!” Revati roared. 

The mischief in those almond eyes could not be hidden, not that Damini would ever try to. Their eyes met, and she walked to her elder sister with a poise that would put peacocks to shame. 

“Khamba Ghani bai sa! How can I help you?” 

Smack.

Head to the side, Damini’s insides fumed at the atrocious insult. Fire consumed her when she looked back at her sister. But before she could say anything, Revati had her hands on her ear as she dragged her to the chambers.

“Bai sa! It hurts, ow, stop!”

Revati was silent until they reached her room and spun Damini around making her fall near the bed.

“What is wrong with you, Damu? Why are you so hell-bent on soiling your father's name and reputation all the time? Are you not his ward? Do you not love him? If not any of that, please tell me you at least hold remorse!”

“Remorse for what, Bai sa? Of course, I love him but he clearly doesn’t love me” A lone tear escaped the lioness, her heart squeezing in waste, for a relationship that won’t exist beyond a mention in history books. 

“What was so wrong about what he said? You get to save the maan of our ancestors! You get to maintain your old life while helping Father! You should consider this an honour and-”

Damini stood up and walked to her sister, “I spit on such honour. If it’s so glorious, why don’t you warm his bed? I am sure you don’t miss your husband anyway!”

Revati stood there, speechless. She had no words for the indecency her sister had unfolded without hesitation. 

“Do you know what you are saying? I cannot. I am bound to my husband. I have taken vows, and I shall not bring shame to his name. Never.”

Smirking and raising an eyebrow, Damini shot another crude arrow towards Revati, “Cannot? Shall not? So you mean to say you would if you could?” 

The silence and red cheeks gave her what she needed to know. 

“You haven’t seen him. You are lucky to have a specimen like that in your bed. He has blue eyes, Damu and looks like a foreign God, here to ravish and ravage. He is a Lord you know? That means he is almost in our ranks. He must have lands, and his pockets must be overflowing with gold!” Hands to her chest, Revati’s breaths were close to being shallow and her eyes were dazed/had a faraway look to them.

Damini never understood this weird fawning that women did over certain men. She has seen women literally drool over their choli and panting like parched animals. 

Weird. 

“Brown hair, those curls! When he looks at you, oh those ice cold eyes! Time freezes and you feel a strange fire consume you, pooling in your gut, giving you these ideas that would put apsaras to shame. I haven’t seen him smile yet, but it will be brighter than the sunrise on the highest hills of our kingdom! I’m sure of it! And those muscles Damu! His angrezi trousers barely fit him and oh how the mighty muscles might rip it to shreds. Hmm, and you have to see his shoulders ! Broader than my husband’s best swords, imagine-”

Damini cleared her throat loudly, and said, “Look, I have no interest in that buffoon even if he had 3 eyes, 4 limbs and walked on bloody water! Just leave me alone, and you can continue with your weird fantasy in private, thank you!”

As Damini was leaving,  Revati grabbed her. 

“You will have to bend over for the bright future of Junagarh, little sister. Save the fire and use it in his bed because Father is not going to let this go. You know his penchant for gold Damu. We need that to keep the God at our doorstep satisfied. Think of yourself as a sacrifice! Don’t we sacrifice goats in Dussera? This is not much different. Appease him Damu, and he will shower blessings on our kingdom. You know we need it! 

 Do it by your own will, or you shall be delivered, hands and legs bound. You’re a smart girl, I’m sure you know what is the better option, hm?”

Smart girl?

Smarter than you think sister. 

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

Meanwhile, Lord Cavill was ready to rip his hair out. How has this country survived for so long? You call these jokers ministers? Oh, dear God.

After the first meeting, the Maharaja had insisted that the British envoy must meet and greet with the ministers to get a better understanding of their system. The Lord had reluctantly agreed, after all, he was sent here to keep an eye on the state and its keeper.

While a few tried to speak in English, most of the meeting was held via translation services offered by Mount General, Kulwant Singh. Honestly, Cavill would never get the measure of this odd human. He surely was not intimidated, but this man left him uncomfortable.

Cavill was busy analysing this giant’s diet and lifestyle, wondering how he became what he is. It was a result of mere boredom and not due to any frivolous intrigue. Just as Cavill hid a yawn about to escape, a voice grabbed his attention.

“Long live Cavill Saab, I, Bikram Rajawat, minister of the esteemed court, have a few proposals to put forth. May I?”

Cavill waved him to continue.

“As My Lord must be aware, our lands are arid causing water shortages. The lands beyond the capital need wells, sir. It is hard to-”

Cavill, leaned forward on the cushioned chair, eyes darting to the familiar voice of the Maharaja as he spoke.

“Rajawat! That is enough. I am sure Cavill Saab does not need to be bothered with trivial issues. He must focus on the bigger picture, am I right, sir?” Ganga asked meekly.

“And by bigger, do you mean the palace you want the money for, Mr Singh?”

Chuckling awkwardly, the Maharaja replied, “I am a representative of the subjects my lord! My standard of living reflects on their prosperity. The palace would function as an object of pride for every citizen of my raj.”

“Not your raj, The British Raj.”

Everyone stood up faster than the lightning, swords drawn, ready to get bloody.

“EXCUSE ME?”

Cavill looked around the room and took a breath. These ignorant fools have no idea what they signed up for.

He chuckled at the thought of their possible reactions to his heavy-handed revelations.

“Have you read the treaty, Maharaja Ganga Singh? Have you truly read it?”

Furious by his tone, Bikram yelled, “You are talking to a King, Lord Cavill. I suggest you watch your tone. An insult to him is an insult to the entire court!”

“Respectfully minister, he might be your king and you are allowed to feel so, but I am not talking to a King. When I stand here as an officer from the company, I talk to the WARD of Britain. Not a King, not a Maharaja.”

There was pin-drop silence as Cavill rose from his seat. It was time to show them how things are going to work from now on.

“I suggest you take your seats, honourable ministers and you too Mr Singh. I must clarify that I do not intend to hurl any sort of an insult at anybody. I am merely stating the facts.” Looking at Kulwant, he could only hope for a fair translation. The language was another thing he had to master if he was going to stay here.

His face contorted in distaste as he thought of learning this primitive language, an utter waste of his time.

He pushed those thoughts aside and continued once the ministers had sat back down.

“The British are paying for all of this to be maintained as it were. We are supportive of your lifestyle and would like to see you flourish. However, this is not a charity. The use of our resources need to be monitored, and we are here to provide advice and guidance you all will only benefit further from.” 

The Maharaja nodded and agreed with the envoy. However, he still felt discomfort at his earlier tone. He somehow needed this buffoon under his control, and his only ticket seemed to be Damini. 

That wretched fool. He had a lot of work to do. 

Ganga looked at the Lord and wondered if stoking lust would fetch him anything. There was certainly no harm in trying. 

“Ahem, I would like to extend an invitation to you, good sir. I would like to hold a feast in your honour in the evening. It would be an honour to have you present! This way you get to meet my family and my successor Maan Singh as well.”

A native party? Really? Lord Cavill groaned internally at the thought of fake pleasantries yet responded, “I don’t engage in a lot of social commitments Mr Singh, but I suppose I cannot say no to a feast organised in my honour. I shall be there.”

“So, now that we know what our roles are, I would like to see your proposal for the wells Bikram Singh. I think it will benefit the people and help our taxes in return. There are a few other proposals I would like to work on, so I am requesting you to be prepared with your plans. Include expenditure, time, labour and other needs in detail. Take notes from your Maharaja, as his notes were flawless for the palace plan.”

The court missed his cheekiness and was genuinely impressed by the king’s efforts.

Ganga Singh puffed his chest in pride and got lost in the praise.

Interesting. The king was not hard to read, and Cavill knew what had to be done now.

Ha! A piece of cake.

Previous chapter

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Hindi terms:

Khamba Ghani: Rajasthani salutation and a way to say hello. 

Apsara: celestial nymphs 

Angrezi: English, used commonly to describe any kind of foreign objects, beliefs etc, but mostly rooted in British connotation. 

Maharaja: King 

Dussera: A festival celebrated in India, to honor the various forms of Hindu goddesses. It goes on for 10 days, each day for a particular goddess, and on the 8th day, Goddess Kali is worshiped. Some followers believe in sacrificing animals as a tribute to please her. 

Tags:

@madbaddic7ed @henrythickcavill @toomanyfandomsshreya @inana999 @maximumninjavoid @mistress-of-ward

[tiptapricot]

Hey hi, I’m the Dana accidentally ends up saving Batman multiple times anon and I’m a complete moron for not thinking this until now!!!! 5 TIMES DANA SAVES BATMAN + 1 TIME TERRY SAVES DANA (AND EVERYTHING CLICKED TOGETHER)

Anon I swear this wasn’t supposed to take this long but it became 10k+ words of fluff, angst, and character study so I hope that makes up for it. You can read it on AO3 here, enjoy!

—

1.

The first time she isn’t thinking.

The lights of the club are still flashing, but the pulsing music is drowned out by screams and shouts as people run for the door. Dana should be with them, she should be running too, following Blade and Chelsea and Terry, but she can’t move. She’s huddled behind an overturned table, watching petrified as Batman dances through the strobe lights, dodging blows like a liquid shadow.

She doesn’t know what the goons want or where they came from, but they’re dressed in matching blue uniforms and wielding chains and maces that glow white hot and burn the patterned carpet when they drag on the ground.

She’s scared. She’s lived in Gotham her whole life and she can deal with Jokerz and weirdos but these are honest to goodness super villains, more like the ones you’d find in Metropolis.

The fight moves up the stairs to a higher level and she loses sight of them. There’s some kind of small explosion that sends dust cascading over the upper ledges of the club and Dana takes it as her que to move. She runs from wall to wall, trying to avoid getting caught in the open space of the dance floor. There’s a loud yell from somewhere above her, much closer than she thought the goons were, and all she can think about is that someone’s spotted her and that any second she’ll be dropped like a rabid dog. 

She dives behind the juice bar, pulling into herself and waiting as she tries to calm her breathing. She stays crouched and curled up tight against the tiled floor, her heart hammering against her rib cage. Nothing. The sounds of the fight have resumed and she’s fine, she can move. 

Dana peeks up over the counter, scans the room, and starts to get up. 

She’s fine. It’s fine. The door is so close. She can make it.

A body slams into the wood to her right and she screams. She hopes it got lost in the blaring music from the speakers but she isn’t sure. It takes her a moment to actually look at it, and the sight doesn’t make her feel any better. 

It’s Batman, splayed across the counter and barely moving. There’s a large rip on one side of his costume, the black peeling away to reveal a melted mess of circuits. Either he’s unconscious or… Dana gulps in breaths and tries to focus. No, he’s breathing, he’s not dead. 

She hears shouts and footsteps cutting through the beating bass. If they find him he’s as good as dead, and you are too. Dana slips her hands under Batman’s arms and drags him behind the bar. Her palms are sweaty and they keep slipping against his suit but she manages to press the two of them as far into the shadows as they can go. 

She hears the goons shouting orders, telling each other to “fan out!” and “find that bat-dreg!” and she hopes they’re invisible enough to stay hidden.

She glances over at Batman. He looks so odd, the contours of his face smooth and dark, the suit’s material reflecting the strobe lights in odd ways. They’ve only come face to face a few times, but did he always look this young?

A shadow crests over the top of the counter’s silhouette. Dana’s heart rate spikes again and she feels Batman shift next to her. Her hand flies to cover his mouth before he can make a sound. The white lenses of his eyes go wide and she feels an arm wrap around her back, flipping her over and pushing her further against the counter. She doesn’t even have time to feel weird about it, because a second later he disappears before her eyes. But he’s still there, she can feel his breath on her face and feel his weight pressing her into the bar. What the fuck?

They stay like that until the shadow disappears. She can feel Batman lean back just before he becomes solid again, pulling away. He glances over the counter and leans in so she can hear him.

“Wait a few seconds for me to lead them away and then run for the door, alright?”

Dana nods, eyes wide.

Batman smiles, at least she things he does, and then he’s gone, swooping back into the fray.

She hears a roar and a crash and then she’s running for the door. If the shouts are for her she doesn’t pay attention to them. She’s just running, running, drowning in light and sound and—

And the air outside is cold and fresh. A group of policemen rush up to help her away from the building and someone wraps a blanket around her shoulders. Dana’s hands are shaking and she’s still struggling to breathe but it’s okay, it’s alright. Her legs feel like jello and she’s not sure how long she can stand, so she wobbles to the curb and sits down, closing her eyes and taking breath after breath after breath.

Chelsea and Blade run up from the group of people still crowded around the building asking if she’s alright, their faces pinched with worry.

“I’m fine.” She says. But she’s not, at least… she’s not sure. 

The two of them sit down on either side of Dana and rub her shoulders. Blade goes to get her a bottle of water from the medics and Chelsea tells her she called her dad to pick them up. That eases Dana’s worry somewhat.

But Terry isn’t there.

Chelsea says they got separated in the crowd and they haven’t seen him since, so Dana calls him.

He doesn’t pick up. She calls again and he still doesn’t pick up. She sends him a text and calls his mom but she hasn’t seen him either. She can’t help but worry. What if he’s gotten hurt? Why else would he just leave? 

She worries all the way to Chelsea’s house, all the way through dinner, and all the way to bed. She and Blade stay over at Chelsea’s that night instead of going back to the GCU dorms and Terry still hasn’t responded to her messages when they get up the next morning.

Dana sees on the news that members of the Justice League had to be called in to finish taking care of the villains and she wonders for a moment if Batman is alright. He didn’t look in the best shape when she’d helped him, but there were no reports of a body, so maybe he’s fine. She hopes he is at least.

Terry doesn’t come to any of the classes they share that day, or the day after. When he walks into Science on the third day, he’s sporting a nasty black eye and limping. He refuses to tell her what happened and that worries Dana more than anything else.

She knows Terry. She knows his favorite foods and drinks, she knows he’s a sucker for retro 2000s pop, she knows what sent him to Juvie, but for the life of her she can never tell what he’s feeling. 

He doesn’t talk about his insecurities, even though she knows he has loads. He doesn’t talk about his dad much, even though she knows he’s still hurting, and now he won’t tell her why it looks like he was in some kind of fight.

What did he do that night after the attack? What did he get mixed up in?

She drops it after a few days and tries to enjoy the break he has from work. It’s rare Terry gets a day off, not to mention a whole week. He still does the odd job or two for Mr. Wayne or leaves to help his mom with something, but otherwise they’re free to go out and have fun. It’s awesome. Dana has almost forgotten what Terry is like as a boyfriend and she’s not disappointed.

They go to parks and malls and theme parks. He tries to help her learn how to ride his motorcycle, but it doesn’t work as well when he can’t actually show her. They still have a good laugh and end up taking Dana’s car to a movie. It’s nice. Terry is… nice to have around.

She just wishes it could last.

2.

The second time is nearly a month later. Dana is walking with Terry and Max to one of the arcades near the university when they hear a loud crash. They turn a corner, and Dana freezes.

A gang of Jokerz is crowded along the sidewalk, their bikes propped up against lamp posts and fire hydrants. A few of them are spray painting a small electronics store, its windows smashed, white faced kids laughing loudly as they ferry TVs and holo phones into a waiting, beat up, floater truck. 

It wouldn’t be the most uncommon thing to see in Gotham, except that the shop workers are kneeling outside with their hands in the air, bruises swelling on their faces, and a Joker is pointing a laser pistol at their heads.

Terry grabs Dana’s arm and yanks her back around the corner before they can be seen.

“What should we do?” She hisses.

“I’m gonna run to the police station for help and you and Max are going to go back to campus.” Terry says, ushering her away.

“What?”

“He’s right, Dana. Come on let’s go.” Max grabs her arm and starts to pull but Dana shakes her off.

“But what about those people? We can’t just leave them. Who knows what’ll happen before the cops get here?” 

“That’s not our responsibility.” Max insists. “Come on Dana.”

“Terry back me up on this.” Dana turns to look at him and realizes that he’s gone. “Where the hell did he go?”

“He took off for the police station just like he said.” Max grabs her arm again. “Now come on we should really be—“

But she’s interrupted by a shout and the sound of breaking glass. Dana runs to look back around the corner and stops in her tracks.

It’s Batman, in the middle of the day, slamming the Jokerz into each other as he flies above them, leaving thin contrails of smoke in his wake. The employees have managed to get a safe distance away, but the Jokerz are putting up a good fight and tearing up the rest of the street in the process.

Dana can smell the harsh scent of laser plasma and the shots are blinding. Max keeps trying to pull her away but she won’t budge. The night club was terrifying but the fight she’s seeing now is exhilarating. Batman’s red and black blurring through the blinding laser fire, the sunlight filling the street with a yellow glow, she can’t take her eyes off it.

And so she notices, and she sees that Batman doesn’t.

He doesn’t see that when he swoops down to knock over a Joker he lands himself against a wall, he doesn’t see the Jokerz picking themselves up to tackle him, he doesn’t see that if they manage to hold him still for even a few seconds there’ll be a smoking hole right between his eyes.

Dana moves as quickly as possible, ignoring Max’s shouts of warning and stepping over unconscious bodies as she runs for one of the bikes. She grabs a pipe propped up against the tire and rushes at the group of Jokerz as they close in around Batman. 

She knows which one has the gun, she sees that the others have grabbed onto Batman’s arms and are starting to restrain him and so she moves. The pipe hits with a sharp crack against the Joker’s skull and the guy falls limp to the ground. The other members stare at her in shock for a moment, and that’s all the time Batman needs to twist out of their grip. In the next second the gang members are lying in a heap on the ground, knocked out cold.

Dana stands with the pipe still raised, nostrils flaring as the adrenaline wears off. Max is at her side immediately, yelling about how dangerous that was and how she could’ve gotten hurt, but Dana stops her with a laugh.

“That was kind of schway.” She says, letting the pipe slip from her hands.

Batman is still standing there, and he seems to realize after a moment that he shouldn’t be.

“I, uh, I should go. The police will be here soon to pick up these guys so I’ll be… going. Thanks for the help. Dana, right?”

“Yeah, you saved me from that rat kid a few years back.”

“I’m… glad you’re doing okay. And thank you.” And that time he really does smile, she can see it. It’s not a scary smile, like she expected it to be. It’s soft and almost snarky, like he knows something she doesn’t. Batman gives them a nod of recognition and takes off into the air, wings fanning out behind him.

“Sometimes you really scare me Dane, you know that?” Max says after a moment.

Dana laughs and pulls her back to their spot around the corner.

“It’s better than being scared. C’mon let’s wait for Terry.”

3.

The third time is in the heat of the moment, cradled in light and pain.

Shit. Shit shit shit shit.

Matt isn’t in the ball pit or the tube maze, he isn’t in the game area or by the food counter or the bounce house. Dana has checked all those places. Twice. He isn’t anywhere. She’s asked the cooks and the mascots and the employees and the waiters, but they haven’t seen Matt. Oh god no one has seen him. 

She’d taken him to the bathroom before she went to get them pizza, but she hasn’t seen him since. That is not normal for an evening of babysitting, especially not for Matt. Usually she can’t get the kid to quiet down, and she knows he isn’t a fan of hide and seek, so something is wrong.

She calls Terry first. She knows he’s helping Mr. Wayne with some big event tonight, but she doesn’t know what else to do.

“Dana?” Terry picks up on the fourth ring. “You know I’m kind of busy, right?”

“Yeah, Terry, but something… came up.”

There’s a long pause and Dana can almost hear the wheels turning in his head.

“What happened?”

“You know how I said I was going to take Matt to Cheesy Dan’s tonight?”

“Yeah…” He says it slow, worry inching into his voice.

“He went to the bathroom and now I can’t find him. No one’s seen him for like, the past half an hour and I’ve looked everywhere.”

“Okay okay give me a second.”

“I think it’s serious Terry.”

“I know, I know. Are you still at Cheesy Dan’s?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, listen, I’m going to call the police and then see if I can head over. I’m really tangled up but this sounds bad. Talk to you later.”

He hangs up and Dana goes outside to wait. The air is cool and the early evening makes the buildings stick up in glittering silhouettes against the sky.

How could she let this happen? Matt was her responsibility and if she had allowed him get hurt she would never forgive herself. She owes it to Terry. He used to babysit Matt before his job got out of hand. He still works so hard, too. He hasn’t moved out of his mom’s house because he refuses to let her do everything on her own. He’s taking extra classes to try and get his credits done sooner and he still works seven days a week for Mr. Wayne, most of that money going to supporting his tuition fees so that his mom can focus on the house. It’s the least Dana can do to alleviate some of those responsibilities.

“Excuse me.” A finger taps on Dana’s shoulder, making her flinch. She turns and comes face to face with two pointy ears and a pair of white eyes.

“Batman? What are you doing here?”

“I intercepted a police call a few minutes ago from a kid who said his brother was missing. He also told the operator his girlfriend would be waiting for help at Cheesy Dan’s. I was in the area so I thought I’d stop by and see what I can do. What’s the situation?”

“I’m not sure.” Dana rubs her arms, glancing back at the restaurant. “I guess we can’t talk inside, can we?”

Batman shakes his head and gestures to the suit. “I’m not exactly the most inconspicuous company, why?”

“I’m a little, uh, cold.” She gives him a crooked smile. “And I’m guessing your outfit has a little more insulation than mine.”

“Oh… right.” Batman seems genuinely caught off guard for a moment. He looks up and around, thinking, before he presses something on his belt and grabs onto her waste.

“What are you—?” She begins, but a second later they’re rocketing upwards and she has to bite back a scream. She squeezes her eyes shut against the wind and pulls herself closer to Batman. When the air stops she’s met with dim red light and warmth. Batman sets her down and slides into a seat. It takes her a moment to realize she’s inside a car.

“Is this the Batmobile?” She asks, scooting behind his chair. Her legs are squeezed between the leather and the metal dashboards that circle around the interior. “It’s not very roomy.”

“Yeah, I know. Sorry about that.” Batman says absentmindedly, easing the thrusters forward. “There aren’t any better places to go, and It should only be for a bit.”

“Right.” Dana settles back against a console and watches the buildings blur by

“So,” Batman presses a button and swivels around to look at her, “tell me what happened.”

“I don’t know, that’s the problem. It’s like he just vanished.”

Batman makes a humming noise and turns back to pull something up on the car’s screen.

“It says here one of the McGinnises has a record. Could it have something to do with that?”

“I guess, but Terry hasn’t been mixed up with those types of people since Big Time bit it in our Junior year.”

Batman visibly stiffens. “They never found the body though, right?”

“The Gotham river is big, maybe it just got lost. Though knowing this town, anything’s possible I guess.”

“Did Bigelow know you babysit the McGinnis kid?”

“I mean… maybe. I knew him before all the shit hit the fan when we were younger, but I didn’t babysit Matt back then.”

Batman taps his fingers thoughtfully on the console. He doesn’t talk, but she watches him pull up a few more specs before he turns to look at her.

“I’ll look into it and make sure Matt gets back to his family safely.” He flashes a smile and it’s not real. It’s strained and business like and it’s… jarring. “I can take you home if you want. Where do you live?”

Dana stares for a moment, before squinting in disbelief. “Wait, that’s it? You can’t just drop me off, I lost this kid, it’s my job to help find him too.”

“Dana, listen, you’re very nice, but you’re a civilian, I can’t just bring you on a case.”

Dana leans forward to look Batman in the eye and hits her knee on something. She bites her lip but doesn’t react further. This is Batman she’s talking to, if she wants to convince him she has to be confidant. She’s still nervous, she’s still just a kid, and she knows that, but Batman doesn’t know Matt. Batman doesn’t know Terry. Dana does, and she can help but she has to make him listen.

“If this actually has something to do with Terry, and it’s not something else crazy, then I could be an asset to you.”

“That really won’t be—”

“Batman, a little boy’s life could be at stake, you need all the help you can get.”

She can’t believe the words that are coming out of her mouth. She’s talking down to Batman. Batman. 

He looks at her, and she sees something familiar in the draw of his brow under the suit, in the muscles and the contour of his face. He turns away before she can pinpoint what it is, and the oddness of the moment sticks in her mind.

“Fine.” He says. “But if there’s a fight you’re staying in here.”

“Can do.”

Batman sighs and the car speeds up. Dana stumbles slightly but can’t help but smile.

They spend the rest of the night together. Batman visits different gang hideouts to ask for information, stopping to end any fights or robberies they catch along the way. At first he’s quiet and serious, but he loosens up as the night progresses. 

He stops every few hours for Dana to drop down and get them coffee, he asks her questions about the McGinnises, even though he only seems to be half paying attention, he tries to make small talk, and he jokes. A lot. God Batman makes a lot of jokes. But Dana doesn’t mind. She always expected Batman to be this stoic guy who only cared about justice, but he’s chatty and funny and nice to be around. He’s a genuinely schway guy.

Dana calls Terry’s mom while Batman’s stopping a break in at a chemical lab and talks to her. She’s in a bit of a panic and Dana manages to calm her down. Terry isn’t home yet either, and Mary puts Dana on hold to call him. She checks back in a few minutes later and says he’s still with Mr. Wayne, and that’s a small weight off Dana’s shoulders if anything. 

Afterwards she leaves a message for her roommate saying she’s spending the night at a friend’s house and settles back in the driver’s seat. At least when Batman’s out she actually gets leg room. “Don’t touch the thrusters,” he told her, “Otherwise you’ll end up going at mach three with no way to steer.” She’d laughed at first, like this car could reach mach three, but he’d looked at her in a way that made her stop.

He’s Batman, of course it can.

At half-past three, Batman comes back to the car after a raid. She opens her mouth to ask how it went but he just shakes his head and starts the engine again. They drive a few blocks in silence before he parks on a rooftop and hops out, gesturing for Dana to follow. She pulls herself out and slides down to the car’s bumper, pausing a moment before jumping to the ground.

Batman has moved to sit on the edge of the building. He’s hunched over, his hands balled up tightly in his lap.

“I’m sorry.” She hears him say. He sounds less gruff than usual. “I haven’t found anything.”

“Do you usually solve your cases in the first few hours?” Dana asks, just a hint of laughter in her voice. She moves to sit behind him, not quite on the edge, but close. The drop is too far to sit right on the edge.

“You don’t understand, I don’t know where Matt is, I don’t know what happened, and I don’t know what else to do.” Batman’s voice cracks on the last word and Dana watches him crumble. His shoulders shake and he curls in on himself a bit more. 

She’s surprised at first. After all, this is Batman she’s looking at, Neo Gotham’s hero, its legend. Of course, he’s not the same Batman from the history books, the one who helped found the Justice League, but he’s the only Batman Dana’s ever known. To see him so vulnerable, to see him cry, it’s like looking at a puzzle with pieces in the wrong places. It doesn’t quite… fit.

Besides, he seemed fine most of the night. He had quieted down in the last hour or so but Dana had just thought it was exhaustion. Maybe it was, but not the physical kind.

Dana hovers for a moment, unsure of what to do. She’s never really had to deal with something like this before. She’s never seen her dad cry and god knows Terry would never even think about it. Chelsea had had a hard time recovering from her time at the Ranch, but she’d mostly stayed home. The most Dana had been able to do was offer comfort.

And in a situation like this, what else can she do?

“It’ll be fine, don’t worry.” Her hand reaches out to pat his back. She rubs little circles between his shoulders, distracted by the feeling of the suit. It almost feels like plastic silk, smooth and industrial. She pulls back after a second and averts her attention to the city below. 

“How about we go back to the car, get some more coffee, and try something else. He can’t have just vanished.” She offers.

“Yeah, that sounds… good.” Batman nods and sucks in a sharp breath through his teeth. “And, uh, sorry you had to see that.”

“Don’t worry. You’re only human.” Dana smiles.

“Yeah I guess you’re— duck!” His hand shoves her roughly down against the building top as a barrage of laser fire explodes in the air above them. Dana’s cheek scrapes against the concrete and she winces before Batman yanks her back to her feet.

“What the hell?” She yells. Batman pulls her behind him and shields her with his body, firing several batarangs into the crowd of thugs running at them from the other side of the building. There’s a few more shots fired before he grunts loudly and takes a step back, pulling her closer to his back. They’re getting cornered against the drop, Dana can feel the edge against the heels of her shoes.

“Batman what do we—?”

He cries out in pain when one of the shots makes contact with his abdomen and stumbles back, just a few inches, but those few inches make a world of difference. Suddenly air is rushing past Dana’s face and whipping against the fabric of her dress and the two of them are plunging headfirst into a free fall. 

She screams and Batman twists to grab her, his wings snapping open. His hands are unsteady, and she can smell burnt plastic and feel the roughness of melted metal against her back. The laser fire follows with deafening blasts and they’re only in the air a few seconds before something bursts above Dana with a loud crack, showering her in smoke and sparks.

Batman seizes and goes limp, his arms loosening underneath her, and Dana glances up to see it was his wings. They’re shredded and trailing smoke like a burst jet engine. The tip of one of Batman’s ears is snapped off and Dana realizes with a start that he’s been knocked unconscious by the explosion. 

They start spiraling out of control, the bright lights of Neo-Gotham streaking past, and Dana chokes on her own breath as she tries to think. What can she do? What can she do? She twists so she’s holding onto Batman with one arm and looks around desperately. Everything’s going by so fast, too fast, she can’t see a thing. Dana reaches out blindly and tries to push herself through the air. She sees the lights of a building coming closer and reaches out desperately because how long do they have until they hit the ground?

Her hand smacks against concrete and bounces off, the palm coming away scraped and swelling, but she tries again. Dana reaches out and snags onto a window ledge, the force of stopping nearly yanking her arm out of its socket, and her grip slips again. They tumble a few more feet before she’s able to get hold of something solid. She winces as the pain in her hand flares, and she stops for a moment to catch her breath. They made it. 

Dana closes her eyes and lets herself relax a bit. She’s so tired. Her arms ache, she’s bruised and scraped, and she’s sweating like a pig, but she’s alive. They’re alive. She takes a deep breath, steeling herself, and hauls herself further onto the ledge, lugging Batman behind her. It hurts. He’s heavy and she’s not an athlete, not even close. Her muscles strain and burn, her hand starts to slip on the fabric of Batman’s suit, and her nails scrape against concrete, but she manages to get the two of them onto the ledge. 

Dana gasps and gulps and collapses back against the wall, chest heaving. Batman’s still knocked out, his head lolling to one side, but she doesn’t pay him much attention. Her head hurts and her limbs feel like lead and it’s so damn hard to focus. Dana sighs and watches her breath puff out in a cloud of steam. She laughs breathily and lets exhaustion have its way. Her eyes slide shut, and the calm darkness sinks in.

Gotham’s lights look so beautiful at night.

***

Dana floats in and out of consciousness. She’s somewhere cold and quiet, and there are voices.

I know it was a dumb idea but what the hell was I supposed to do?

Leave her behind. She’s a civilian, no matter how much you like her you can’t let personal ties get in your way.

But she saved my life tonight! This is like, what, the billionth time?

Third, and maybe you wouldn’t have been so distracted if she wasn’t there. You let those thugs get the drop on you.

Oh right, like that was her fault.

You need to focus on the mission Terry.

What mission?

She’s somewhere warm and soft, the dull hum of an engine surrounding her.

Think she’ll be alright? I mean, what am I going to say to her dad? I don’t think she’s visited him for like a year.

Say you two went out to go clubbing and got in a fight on the way home. That’s believable enough.

But my mom thinks I was with you the whole night.

I’m an old man, remember? It can’t be too hard to give me the slip.

Right.

She’s under a blanket, in a place that smells familiar. She’s home.

I’m sorry Mr. Tan, I did everything I could but we just barely got away.

I forgive you Terry, I’m just glad you’re both safe. I know you’re adults, but we will be talking about this in the morning. For now go get some rest and I’ll call your mother.

Thank you sir.

She wakes up the next day confused and sore, her face and hands tingling from healing meds.

“Good afternoon sleepyhead.” She sits up, rubbing her eyes groggily, and sees black hair and blue eyes.

“Terry?” He smiles, pushing off the wall near the door. “What are you doing here?” She pauses partway through pulling her blankets off. This isn’t her dorm room. Her bed is too big and there’s a dresser across the room with picture frames sitting on top. This is her dad’s house.

“Why am I here? What happened to Batman?”

“Woah woah woah. Calm down.” Terry walks over to the bed, wincing slightly when he sits down.

“Terr��� are you alright?”

“Yeah yeah, I’m fine.” He gives her that strained smile, the one that shows too much teeth, the one he uses when he’s lying.

Dana sighs and moves so she can look him in the eye. “Alright, what happened?” 

Terry’s smile drops and he averts his eyes. “I, uh, kind of ditched Mr. Wayne last night. I was gonna go find you, but I ran into some Jokerz on the way over and got a bit roughed up. Nothing bad, but I couldn’t get to Cheesy Dan’s. Then…” Terry pauses for a moment, his eyes narrowing. “Then I was walking back to my mom’s house and this car drives up, real sleek, black with big jets, a custom I think. And… and Batman came out carrying you. He told me to take you somewhere safe and the first place I thought of was your house.”

Dana’s eyes bulge. “You mean my dad’s house? Terry you know I moved out for a reason.”

“What was I supposed to do? GCU is on the other side of town, I couldn’t carry you that far. Besides, do you have H628 in your bathroom cupboard? You were really banged up, Dana, you needed medical attention.”

“So? My dad’s probably going to make me stay here for a year because ‘I can’t keep myself safe.’ I’m honestly surprised he didn’t skin you alive when you showed up.”

Terry chuckles. “Yeah I thought he was going to too for a moment there. Turns out he was just glad you were alright. Well… mostly alright.”

“You didn’t tell him about, you know…”

Terry shakes his head. “I don’t know what you were doing with Batman, Babe, but I’m sure you had your reasons. I said we went clubbing and got mugged. Still going to be hell to explain that to my mom though.”

Dana laughs and pulls Terry into a hug. “I think you’re the only college kid I know who worries about a curfew, Terr.”

He holds her gently, burying his face in her shoulder. “Yeah, well… They still haven’t found Matt you know.”

“But they will.” She assures him. She stares at the shadows stretching across the carpet and smiles. “I’m sure of it.”

4.

The fourth time is the time she chooses. The fourth time is the time she’s sure.

Matt’s been missing for almost a week. No other kids have disappeared, but that makes the whole thing worse. Dana’s gone in for questioning multiple times, even though she always tells the police the same thing. Terry’s been skipping school more, coming in looking more worn out each day. She’s caught him covering up big injuries more than once, but he won’t talk to her. He hasn’t really talked much since that first day she woke up.

Dana’s fingers tighten around the steering wheel and she takes a deep breath. Batman has been on the news a few times since their night out. She knows he’s looking too, she trusts him. 

She turns onto the bridge that cuts over the river and merges into the flow of traffic. Honestly, at this point she’s not even sure whether or not there’s anything to look for. If it was a kidnapping situation, for whatever reason, a ransom would’ve been made by now, right? Dana has thought about it, she’s heard the police talking about it, she isn’t dumb. Sometimes kids just disappear and never show up again. It’s morbid, but this is Gotham. Anything can happen in Gotham.

A car honks loudly in front of Dana and she focuses back on the road. Something’s happening further down the street. She squints against the evening sun, keeping steady. It’s a cargo truck by the looks of it, swerving in and out of the lanes and banging into other cars. 

As she gets closer, pulling up just behind it, it’s side door blasts open and out comes a streak of black, as smooth and dark against the sky as ink. Batman. He’s followed by a hoard of armored goons, dressed much too familiarly for her liking. 

She sees blue outfits and glowing weapons, and for a moment she can smell the dust and smoke from the club, she can feel her heart in her throat, and hear the booming music vibrating in the air around her. Her hands shake on the wheel, and she blinks rapidly, trying to dissipate the memories of darkness and fear and focus on the moment at hand. She’d done scarier things since. The nightclub didn’t matter.

Batman is hanging off one side of the truck, something wrapped tightly in his arms. When he jumps to dodge a shot from one of the goons, Dana realizes with a start that it’s a child. It’s Matt.

Batman barely manages to dodge a second blast, sending himself careening further down the street. He curls protectively around Matt, landing roughly on the road and rolling a few feet before coming to a stop. 

The other cars have slowed or stopped further back on the bridge, and Dana wonders for a moment why she didn’t. 

The cargo truck begins to drive faster as Batman struggles to get to his feet and… No. No. Dana won’t let this happen, those dregs are not going to run them over.

She doesn’t think for more than a moment. Her foot slams down on the gas and she hurtles past the truck, sliding to a halt next to Batman.

“Get in.” She says, with much more authority than she expected. Batman jumps into the passenger seat with Matt in his lap and Dana floors it. She’s never been more angry and terrified at the same time.

The truck follows after them and she can hear the shouts of the goons and the purr of the electric engine.

She takes a cursory glance over at Matt. He doesn’t seem hurt, but he’s huddling into Batman, which isn’t a good sign. They hurtle off the highway and jolt when the car touches the ground for a moment. Dana swerves around a minivan and a hoard of honking cars.

“Take the next left,” Batman hisses, “they’re gaining on us.”

“Can do.” Dana puts on a small burst of speed and takes a sharp turn, entering a side alley. It’s narrow, her car crashing into trash receptacles and scraping against the walls. They emerge onto a busy street, Dana veering out of the way of an oncoming semi and into another lane, taking off with the rest of traffic. Batman looks behind them again and relaxes.

“I don’t think they followed us.”

Dana nods but doesn’t slow down, cutting between two cars and taking a turn towards the residential district. Batman doesn’t stop her, just settles back and closes his eyes.

They drive for a few minutes before Dana breaks the silence. “Matt, are you okay?”

“I wanna go home.” He says. It’s muffled, groggy, but she still hears it. She gives a nervous look to Batman and keeps driving.

They pull up to the McGinnises’ apartment and Dana leads Matt up to their floor. He’s out of it, recovering from some kind of knockout drug, but he makes it up the stairs alright. Dana knocks, Mary opens the door, and the woman bursts into tears.

Terry rushes in after about half an hour and pulls Matt into a big hug. Dana stays the rest of the night, talking to police, to Mary, giving her story. Terry pulls her into his room around midnight and they just sit by his window and hold hands. He massages her knuckles and asks if she’s okay and she leans against his shoulder and says that she is.

But in all the commotion she doesn’t get to talk to Batman, she doesn’t get to ask what happened. 

But Matt is safe, Matt is home, and in the end that’s all that really matters.

5.

The fifth time is the very next night. The fifth time she almost doesn’t.

Dana looks at herself in the mirror. She’s a little worse for wear, the bags under her eyes more pronounced, a few bruises still healing on her arms and shoulders.

Her dad had asked her to house sit while he was away on a business trip and she had agreed, if reluctantly. It’s weird to be back at the house. She hadn’t moved out under the best of circumstances, but the space still feels familiar and comfortable.

Matt had talked to the police that morning. She wasn’t there for it, but Terry had called her when he got the details and the things he’d said made Dana’s stomach churn.

Some guy had grabbed Matt in the bathroom and knocked him out, and when he woke up he was in a cell. He told the police the people didn’t want to hurt him, that they kept telling him he was only bait for Terry, but that didn’t make things better.

Every few days they moved Matt to a new location. He said they’d knock him out with a cloth, chloroform most likely, and he’d wake up in a different room with a different group of people. It was only Batman’s intervention on the truck that had stopped them from moving him again.

He said the goons talked about their boss a lot, apparently they were who ordered the whole thing, but he never saw who they were and the police were still on the hunt.

Dana’s stomach twists. She doesn’t want to think about why someone would want to get to Terry through Matt, because it makes her think about other things. The injuries, the lying, the disappearances. Maybe Terry is involved in some kind of gang after all. It would explain everything else.

She continues with her evening routine, brushing her teeth and washing her face, her thoughts running wild in the background. When she goes to dry off her face she presses her cheeks into the towel and takes a deep breath. It’s soft and warm and she feels on the verge of crying.

What is Terry doing with his life?

Dana finishes up in the bathroom and slips on her nightgown, walking quietly to her bed. She might be alone, but she doesn’t want to be loud. She doesn’t have the energy to be loud.

She grabs the edge of her comforter and slips underneath. It takes awhile to fall asleep, her thoughts keeping her mind awake, but she gets there eventually. She lets her mind relax, lets the weight and warmth of the covers surround her, and finally sleeps.

***

A loud crash jolts Dana awake. She sits up, looking around wildly, her fingers clutching tightly against her sheets. The window is shattered and the curtains are whipping about wildly in the wind. She yanks the blanket off of herself and stumbles to her feet, pulling on a pair of slippers.

“Hello? Is someone there?” She makes her way cautiously towards the window, expecting at any moment to be jumped by a burglar.

But there’s nothing.

The room is quiet except for her own, loud breathing.

Except… it isn’t just her breathing.

The sound is ragged and wet, interspersed with coughs and Dana turns sharply to find a crumpled shape lying near the stairs. Dark liquid is smeared in a streak across her carpet, joining the puddle seeping into the fabric closer to the body.

Dana is at his side in a heartbeat, because she knows who this is, she can see the ears and the smooth blackness of the uniform. She rolls him over and pales at the large gash in Batman’s side. It’s messy, bits of his suit sticking out at odd angles, frayed and twisted, the wound itself a mess of blood and tissue.

Batman’s breathing is slow and he reaches out to grab her arm, his mouth trying to form words, his face screwed up in concentration. He manages to say her name and give a strained attempt at a smile before a thick line of blood dribbles over his lips and his head lolls back. 

Dana slips into a panic.

“Batman? Hey, open your eyes, come on! Please don’t die, not like this, you can’t!” She doesn’t know much about medicine or wounds, but this is too much blood, way too much blood, for a person to be losing. She starts breathing too fast, her chest tightening as she squeezes Batman’s hand.

“I don’t know what to do, I don’t know what you—what you want me to do! Please you can’t just—I don’t—tell me what to do!” She chokes out.

“Hello, can you hear me?” A voice crackles to life, deep and rough and oddly modulated.

“I— who’s there?” She looks around, blinking rapidly before realizing it’s coming from Batman’s cowl. 

“Who am I talking to?” The voice asks, the audio quality fluctuating like a fuzzy radio.

“My name is Dana.”

“Where are you Dana?”

“Why do you need to know? Who are you?”

“A friend. I want to help but you need to listen to me. Can you do that?”

“I—yeah I can, I can do that.”

“Good. Where are you?”

“My house, 326 Eastside.”

“Is Batman awake?”

“No… no he passed out about a minute ago.” 

“Is he still breathing?”

Dana leans over to check, her heart hammering in her throat. The rise and fall of his chest is so faint, so slow, but it fills her with relief.

“Yes, he’s—yes but barely. He’s losing blood fast.” She keeps tripping over her own words. Her skin is humming with adrenaline and her tongue feels heavy and slow.

“Alright. I need you to listen to me very carefully. I need you to breathe.”

Dana takes a deep breath and steels herself. “Ok.”

“I’ve unlocked the belt for you, there should be a pack of medical capsules in the sixth compartment left from the buckle. Can you get them?”

Dana gives a small noise of confirmation. She counts along the belt, then counts again, shaking her head as she tries to focus. Her hands are unsteady as she unclicks the compartment and lets a few oblong, white, capsules roll onto her palm.

“I have them. What now?”

“Crush them and hold the powder to the wound. Wait until it foams and then let go.”

“O—okay. Okay.” She follows the voice’s instructions, cringing as warm blood runs over her fingers. After a moment, the foam spreads over the wound, stopping the blood flow.

“It worked.” She says, her voice breathless and relieved.

“Good. I’ve sent the Batmobile to you. Once it gets there, put him in the cockpit and press the center button on his belt. That will send him back to me where he can get proper medical attention. Do you understand?”

“Yes. Okay.” Dana’s voice is so quiet. 

“The car should come up by your window. You’ll need to get him there. Be careful, the wound is still—” There’s a burst of static and the line cuts out. Dana takes a deep, shuddering breath and tightens her hold on Batman’s hand. 

“Hello?” She tries. There’s no response. She looks briefly at the ceiling and tries to compose herself, but tears slip down her cheeks quick and smooth. She tastes the salt on her lips.

“Hello? Are you there?” She tries again. Silence.

Dana nods to herself, laughing ruefully and closes her eyes.

And then she waits. 

The voice doesn’t come back. The only sound is that of the breeze coming through the broken window. Whenever Dana shifts, her knees dig into the damp carpet, red staining her shins and ankles. 

She doesn’t want to open her eyes. She doesn’t want to see the dying man lying on her bedroom floor. Batman already looked so tired, and his breaths have only gotten quieter. She doesn’t want to look at him yet. She doesn’t want to open her eyes and see that the dying man has died. She doesn’t want to see that the hero has fallen. 

She hopes he’ll be alright.

After what feels like forever, she hears the hiss of a hover engine. She opens her eyes and tries to avoid looking at Batman as she drags him to the window. She kicks out a few more pieces of glass so she can get him through before lowering him as gently as possible into the batmobile. At least she can’t see the blood in the red lighting of the car. 

Dana chances a look at Batman before she presses his belt. His eyes have drooped closed, every muscle in his face slack and relaxed. He almost looks like Terry does when he sleeps. 

But that thought makes it worse, because suddenly it’s Terry sitting there, bleeding all over the fancy leather seats, inches from death. Because suddenly she thinks about finding him in some alleyway or parking lot, pale and cold and stiff in the wake of a gang fight. She sees him in that moment, and the next she’s stumbling back, her whole body shaking like a leaf, and the car is flying away in a blast of hot air.

Dana sits on the floor of her room, tiny bits of glass pricking into her palms, and stares after the Batmobile. She gulps in breaths of air and feels her tears dripping off the tip of her nose and the side of her jaw and her chin. She tries to rid the sight of blood from her mind’s eye and stares at the blackness outside the window.

The blackness that had swallowed the black car and the black bat and that was filling her room with black shadows.

You can’t see the stars in Neo Gotham, and Dana has never been more acutely aware of that fact until this very moment.

She sits and stares until the tears have become sticky tracks on her cheeks and the blood has gummed up the space between her fingers and toes.

Dana gets unsteadily to her feet, takes one last look out the window, and wipes her hands on her nightgown.

Her bathroom light flicks on and the water runs red into the sink and she looks at the girl in the mirror. The girl who had saved Batman.

+1.

The last time is on a sunny Friday in April, just after school, a two months after the night in her bedroom.

“Dana! Hey, wait up!” Terry jogs up next to her and slips a hand around her waist. It’s a welcome touch, seeing as he’s only been out of the hospital for a few weeks.

“Hey yourself. I thought you weren’t supposed to be back at school yet, Mr. recovering from a dog attack.”

“Yeah well,” Terry presses a kiss to the top of her head, “I just couldn’t bare to sacrifice my education.”

Dana laughs. “Yeah right. Like you actually want to listen to Mr. Eiten talk about the science of concrete for an hour.”

Terry chuckles. “You got me there.” He pulls away and laces their fingers together. They walk in comfortable silence and Dana is the most relaxed she’s been in months.

Batman is still alive. She had been worried when he wasn’t sighted for a few weeks after the night in her room, but he popped up here and there after a while. She doesn’t know what happened and she’s not sure she wants to know. She nearly had someone die in her arms, she had fallen off a building and been in a car chase and beaten up gangsters. The police still don’t know who kidnapped Matt, she still doesn’t know why Terry was getting hurt, and she still doesn’t want to think about it. 

She just wants to be here and now, to walk with Terry and feel his hand in hers and not worry about anything else.

Is that so much to ask?

Dana squeezes Terry’s hand and looks up at him. He glances over and smiles warmly, rubbing her hand with his thumb.

Is it so much to ask to be comfortable and happy and normal?

An old car squeals to a halt next to them, the doors open, and in the next second Dana is being yanked up into thick gray arms.

Terry tries to grab her back but he’s knocked to one side by a knotted hand the size of a tire. Dana writhes and screams and she can feel laughter brushing against the top of her head, deep laughter, a voice she remembers.

Charles “Big Time” Bigelow wraps one hand around her throat, each of his fingers thicker than her arm, and begins to squeeze. He smells like burnt rubber and stale chemicals but all Dana can focus on is the air being pushed out of her lungs.

In the next moment there’s a blur of movement and Bigelow stumbles with a grunt. Then two more accompanied by the sound of quick punches. He lets go of Dana and she lands in someone else’s arms before being set gently on the pavement.

She catches her breath, coughing and gasping before she looks up and loses it all over again.

Terry is fighting Big Time. And he’s winning. He moves faster than she’s ever seen him move, vaulting off of street lights and Big Time himself, landing punches and kicks in quick succession. 

Dana can’t believe her eyes. She just watches, completely dumbstruck. 

Terry punches Big Time twice in the jaw as he soars over him. He lands on the car and pushes off, using his momentum to flip Big Time onto his side with a loud thump. Big Time lets out a grunt and goes limp, eyes fluttering shut. Terry steps back, chest heaving, nostrils flaring, and glances up. Their eyes meet and Terry freezes. 

One second. 

The fighting. 

Two seconds. 

The injuries. 

Three seconds. 

You need to focus on the mission Terry.

They’re the same. They’re the same person. 

Terry is Batman.

***

She helps haul Big Time into the back of the car after Terry finds its keys and the two of them drive in silence to the GCPD. The engine sputters and the seats are worn out but it’s fine. Terry calls ahead to the precinct. 

They don’t look at each other once.

Commissioner Gordon meets them outside with a squad to get Big Time properly restrained and then leads them inside. She tells Dana to stay in the waiting room while she talks to Terry but Dana excuses herself after a few minutes. 

She finds a bench out front and sits down. The air is warm and fresh. It smells like hover fuel and the stream of cars passing by the precinct is slowing as the last stragglers from rush hour finally make their way home. 

Dana reaches up to rub the sore area around her neck. The bruising has set in and she knows she’s going to be feeling it more in the next few hours. She swallows thickly around the ball of stress in her throat, feeling it squeeze in response, tight and hot, like every breath is the line between her and a breakdown.

Dana drops her hand back down and sighs, leaning further back into the bench. What a way to end the day. She’d been relaxed, she’d been happy, and something just had to ruin it. Her jaw is clenched and the muscles all along her arms and legs are taught. Her eyes are warm with barely restrained tears but she doesn’t know why.

She doesn’t have a problem with Terry being Batman, she liked both of them to begin with, and it’s not like she’s adverse to stress or danger, the last few months alone prove that. So maybe it’s the fact that they aren’t separate anymore.

Terry isn’t normal and safe, Batman isn’t a faceless person she can detach herself from when things get too stressful, they’re one in the same now. Sure, she’d bonded with Batman and seen Terry get out of bad situations, but the two still didn’t cross over for her. Terry was Terry and Batman was Batman.

Looking back she can see the signs though. Familiar things she noticed about Batman when they talked, or Terry showing up when Batman left and vice versa. Not that it makes it any easier to understand, it just makes her head hurt.

Dana hears the precinct door open and shut with a soft click.

“Hey.” Terry sits down next to her, “Didn’t know where you went for a minute there.”

Dana hums slightly in acknowledgement, her fingers tapping nervously against her knee.

“Babe… you okay? We can go see a doctor if you want, see about those bruises.”

Dana nods gently and takes a deep breath.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Terry smiles nervously. “What do you mean?”

“That you’re Batman, Terr.”

He stiffens before his shoulders sag and he lets out a long breath. “Oh.”

“Yeah, oh. Were you going to tell me at all?”

“I was, I just thought—“

“I mean this has been going on for years right? How long did you think you could keep this from me?”

“Dana—“

“I almost saw you die, Terry, you were bleeding all over my carpet! I thought you were in a gang for heaven’s sake, I thought you were… oh my god.” The tears start to fall, small and slow, little drops sliding over her lashes and cheeks. “What if I wasn’t there to save you? What if you go after some villain next week or next month and you get slagged? How am I supposed to deal with that if you never told me?”

Terry takes her hands firmly in his and starts rubbing her fingers with the pad of his thumb. His touch is warm and careful, and Dana slowly feels herself start to calm down.

“I was going to tell you today, actually. Take you out someplace nice and talk about it over dinner. Didn’t exactly turn out that way though, huh?”

Dana chuckles softly, reaching up to wipe her face.

Terry lifts her hand and presses a kiss to her knuckles. “I should’ve told you sooner, I’m so sorry Babe. You helped me out a lot with the Matt case and I should’ve trusted you more to begin with. But I’m here now, if you wanna talk or ask me stuff or just slap me in the face.”

Dana laughs a bit louder, kissing his cheek. “That’s tempting but I think you’ve been through enough.” She sits back and looks at his face. Just looks. 

He’s filled out a bit since high school, he’s broader, his hair a little longer, but he’s still the same Terry he’s always been, and he’s… Batman. Dana runs a finger along a healing scratch on his cheek.

Batman.

“Terr?”

“Yeah?”

“What… who have you been fighting?”

Terry shifts a bit, his brows drawing together. “Like recently?”

“Who’s been doing everything the past few months. The club, Matt… you know.”

Terry’s mouth makes a soft oh. “I’m not really… clear on all the details.” He says, settling back and pausing a moment before talking again. “When Matt first disappeared I couldn’t find anything. No one had seen him and no one had a grudge against me. Terry me. After we got attacked that night on the roof, Wayne smelled something rotten, so I used some of my connections in the underground to ask around. Found out it’s a new gang, call themselves the Riders. They’ve been given a bunch of high tech weapons, real schway shit, expensive. The old man thinks it might be prototype stuff from Luthor Enterprises, but we don’t know yet. So, I went after them. People told me where their base was, and I went, and… next thing I know they’ve slashed me open like a thanksgiving turkey. I should’ve known better. I couldn’t take them alone the first time, don’t know why I thought it would be different.”

Dana squeezes his hand a bit tighter.

“I knew their leader had something against Terry McGinnis, since they attacked me once and then kidnapped my family, but I didn’t know who it was,” Terry takes a deep breath, “until now.”

“Big Time?”

He nods. “We’ll know after the interrogation, but I think my original hunch was spot on. We didn’t exactly leave off on the best of terms. I was the reason Charlie’s gang gig got slagged, and knowing him, he’s sure to carry a grudge. Plus, I’m looking into a possible cover up by Luthor Enterprises. A few shipments went missing in September, right around when Charlie would have had to start putting the gang together, which accounts for the weapons.”

“So kidnapping Matt, going after Batman, going after me, it was all to hurt you?”

Terry smiles awkwardly. “Pretty screwed up huh?”

Dana nods, averting her eyes. She’d forgotten for a moment. She had looked at Terry and it had slipped her mind for just a second that things had changed. 

Dana rubs her throat again and remembers the way he fought, the way he moved. She remembers all the times he had to ditch dates and outings, the times in high school where he fell asleep during class. She remembers the weight of the body as she lowered Batman into his seat, red melting into red. 

That was Terry. 

Dana reaches out to hold his hand and takes a deep breath.

“What now?” She asks.

Terry smiles, his eyes soft, his dimples poking into his cheeks, and helps her to her feet.

“Burgers?”

Dana laughs, her voice a bit hoarse, and kisses his cheek.

“Only if I get to see the Batcave.”

“Yeah yeah.” Terry swings their arms back and forth as they start off down the sidewalk.

“I love you, by the way. I hope you know that.”

“Yeah Terr. I love you too.”

Dana had forgotten, but the moment has passed and it doesn’t matter. Terry is still the same person she’s always known. They’d gone through rough patches but he always worked to make things better. Now she knows he does that for the whole city.

So Dana is content, content with talking, content with waiting, content with seeing what the future holds, seeing what lies beyond.

[persephonescat]

Birds and Other Supernatural Phenomenons

Okay, so this got way longer than expected, and I've re-written it like a thousand times, so I have to post it before I go completely crazy. Enjoy!

Ch. 1    Previous    Next    Masterpost    AO3

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Ch. 6: Cats and Dogs

Marinette almost died that night. It was so incredibly stupid, that if she hadn't felt so shitty in the morning, she might've had laughed at it.

She blamed Jeremy. They were sitting on the roof until five AM when he had to leave - probably to get ready for school, but Marinette didn't ask. 

He wasn't supposed to stay for so long in the first place, but she started teaching him French, and he was so hilariously incompetent, they forgot to check the time. He was pretty freaked out when he realized it was almost morning.

Okay. That sucks but no biggie, right? 

Honestly, everything would've been perfectly fine if Jeremy'd let her drink her coffee. She went down to get one around two AM when she was already on the verge of passing out - forty-two hours of not sleeping will do that to you, but as soon as she put it down on the roof, Jeremy accidentally knocked it over. She watched as the sacred liquid painted the cold concrete black, and didn't go back for a new cup.

After he left, she fell asleep. On the roof. In the cold.

Ladybugs and cold didn't go well together. By the time Tikki decided to come out of the hotel room and check on her, the Sun was already up, and Marinette's body was freezing. She was still asleep, of course, because being half-dead usually isn't enough to wake her up.

When the kwami shooked her awake, everything hurt. She couldn't feel her legs and hands, her eyes seemed to roll out of their sockets any minute, and she was so freaking cold. It took her an hour to feel her fingers again, and Tikki used the time to lecture her about her sleeping habits. She had a point, not as if she would ever tell her that.

So yes, it was definitely Jeremy's fault. 

***

After breakfast and on Marinette's side, a few hectoliters of green tea, Mrs. Bustier and Miss Alarie, a relatively new teacher who was accompanying them on their trip, decided to take them on a walk. In Gotham. Even Marinette's sleep-deprived and frozen-over brain could see the fault in that plan. Multiple faults, to be exact.

But given that there was no responsible adult on sight - or a slightly intelligent goose who could point that out, - they went on a walk.

Mrs. Bustier went out front, Miss Alarie was at the end of the line, and Marinette was walking a few steps behind her because she liked to think she wasn't a complete idiot and had no desire to see all her classmates die from a threat she didn't see coming.

At least they were pretty entertaining to watch.

Adrien was reading a book he got the day before without looking up, not falling over once, which would've been impressive if he wasn't Chat Noir for three years in the past. Nino was listening to music with his headphones on - not realizing he forgot to plug it into his phone, so everyone could hear the electronic tones blaming from his speaker. Rose pushed her face to every single shop window they walked past, and Alix was trying very hard to not fall on her face in roller skates. Meanwhile, Mylene somehow got gum in her hair, which she and Ivan have been struggling to get out for the past half hour. 

Chloe was fighting with Lila over some celebrity's personal life, while next to them, Juleka and Sabrina were watching a movie on a small smartphone, with Max lecturing them about megabytes, satellites and something else, that also ended in '-ites'. Perhaps egg whites. Or gravesites. If she looked very hard, she could even notice the way Nathaniel moved to the rhythm of Nino's music while playing a game on Max's phone.

Kim seemed to be the only one actually looking at the buildings and people around them, and Alya was... well, Alya was live-tweeting everything. She tended to be a little over-enthusiastic sometimes.

The streets kept getting more and more familiar as they got near to the Wayne Tower. Marinette was just about to disappear and get to know the city's coffee machines when turning in the corner, someone ran into her. Literally.

She grabbed the poor man by his waist just in time to save him from falling on his face, but let go as soon as he got his balance back. She didn't like touching with people, especially not strangers.

"Huh, I'm sorry," he said, panting heavily. "I wasn't paying attention."

"It's fine," muttered Marinette, giving him a concerned look. "Are you alright?"

"Sure, just..." The man stopped, leaned on his knees, and tried to even out his breathing, "Just give me a minute."

Marinette glanced at her class walking away, not noticing her departure and found herself grateful for having a reason to sneak off for a bit.

She used the time to take a better look at the man. He was around thirty, tall and muscular, so he must've run a lot to be so out of breath. He was wearing an expensive suit. A very expensive designer suit, that matched his hair's rich black color perfectly. He looked like someone who just walked off a magazine's front page, except that his tie was messy - he probably tried to loosen it while running. However, the truly upsetting thing about him was - and Marinette had to check it multiple times to be sure, - that he had only one shoe.

His left side was fine, but on his right foot, there was nothing but a wet and dirty, Superman-themed sock.

"Okay, so let's start this over," the man said, straightening up and dusting off his suit-jacket. "Hi. I'm Dick. I'm sorry for bumping into you." He held out his hand for a handshake, which Marinette simply ignored, looking at him expectantly.

He let his arm down and dug into his hair awkwardly.

"Okay, so... you didn't happen to see a dog around here, did ya'? Big, brown, might've had a shoe in his mouth..."

"No," Marinette said slowly, masking her accent, but her thoughts were already flashing rapidly. "But how about I help you get your shoe back?" she started, noting the wary look Dick gave her.

He was about to ask her why on Earth would she do that but she lifted a finger, telling him to wait.

In Gotham, everything had a price, and she was familiar with that. She saw how embarrassed he was. She could work with that.

"And in exchange, you tell me how you lost it." She gave him a confident smile to convince him of her interest.

"How do I know you can help me?" he asked seriously, but there was a playful glare in his eyes.

"You don't. You're just going to have to trust me, Superman." 

With that, she started walking to the direction her class just came from. Dick paced after her easily and frowned.

"You know you shouldn't be walking around here alone, right?"

"I'm not alone. You're with me," she grinned.

"Yeah, well you shouldn't be walking around with strangers either."

She gave him a flat look and said, "You're wearing a Superman-themed sock and you lost your shoe. I figured you won't kill me for fun."

"Hey, have you heard of the Joker? He is a freakin' clown!"

"Everyone knows clowns are creepy," Marinette told him and that was enough for her to consider the topic closed.

Dick let out a resigned sigh and for a few moments, they walked in silence.

"Now what?" he asked finally.

"Now," Marinette said, opening the door to a butcher's shop, "we get some bait."

***

"Okay," She could see the gears turning in Dick's head, "but you have to promise you won't laugh."

"That wasn't part of the deal." 

They bought a few nice bones for the dog and were now walking around seemingly aimlessly, searching. They both knew exactly where they were but they weren't about to show that to the other.

Marinette grinned as Dick let out yet another sigh and started the story.

"So. I was sitting on a bench, having breakfast, minding my own business and stuff, ya' know?" Marinette hummed in agreement and almost told Dick to speak more slowly but she decided that would be too cruel. "So I'm sitting there, and then - don't laugh, I see you're about to laugh, - and then I feel something on my shoe. I look at it, and it's a freaking kitty! Like a legit, gray kitty playing with my shoelaces!" Marinette had a hard time keeping a straight face but kept nodding. "So naturally, I take off my shoe, because a kitty wants to play with me, and I have a heart, you know - stop grinning! - And I start to play with the cat because you should've seen her, she was adorable! But then here comes this big, dark blob running towards us, it's a fuckin' dog, you get it? Like what was the chance of that? And it's running with freaking light speed, - and I told you to stop grinning! - And it scares the kitty away, and then, - of course, my shoe is on the ground at this point, - he picks it up and runs off! Like what the hell?" he finally stopped gesticulating wildly and let out a frustrated groan.

"And you ran after it," Marinette continued, trying to hold back her laughter.

"Of course! I didn't think it was gonna disappear! I thought it'll run around a little, then lie down or something."

She continued grinning but Dick pointedly ignored her until they turned around a corner. Suddenly, he grabbed her arm and whispered cautiously.

"That's him!"

"Really? I thought it's a different big, brown dog chewing formal footwear," Marinette said quietly and brushed his hand off. 

She moved slowly but surely. She didn't go towards the dog, she crossed the street and set the bag of bones off, showing it to the animal. It was looking at her with murder in its eyes. She stood up and calmly walked back to Dick's side.

"Now, wait," she told him.

A minute passed before the dog walked to the bones, sniffed them, then started tearing the bag apart. Dick was staring at its fangs as Marinette tugged him by his shirt. She picked up the chewed shoe lying abandoned.

"Here you go," she told him, holding it up with only two fingers.

"Thanks." He grimaced. "How did you know he was going to be here?"

'I noticed this place when I was looking for potential escape routes for my class while walking. The dog didn't go to our direction, so it must've come this way, and this seemed like a good place to start.'

"I'm good with animals," she said instead, winking. "And by the way, how do you know it's a 'he'?"

"I just know. Instincts," he said while jumping on one leg, trying to put on his ruined shoe.

________________

Comments are my brain-food, comfort-food, and shit-I-forgot-I-have-an-exam-tomorrow-food, so penny for your thoughts!

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[thecomicsnexus]

BATGIRL #1-4 NOVEMBER 2011 - FEBRUARY 2012 BY GAIL SIMONE, ARDIAN SYAF, VICENTE CIFUENTES AND ULISES ARREOLA

SYNOPSIS (FROM DC DATABASE)

Somewhere, an elderly Graham Carter waters his garden. A mysterious figure comes up behind him, and identifies him as a man who survived the sinking of a transport ship, when all 27 others of the crew did not. The strange man introduces himself as the Mirror, and then takes the hose from Mr. Carter, jamming it down his throat, and drowning him with the water within. Crossing Carter's name off the list, the name Barbara Gordon is written below it.

Later, Barbara Gordon patrols Gotham City, finally having returned to her role as Batgirl. High above the city, she spots the killers she's been trailing.

A group of masked thugs are holding the Ortega family at gunpoint while their leader explains why he likes home invasion and murder. He shows them a scrapbook documenting all of their recent killings, and introduces his gang as what the media has dubbed the "Brisby Killers." The leader notes that he picked the Ortegas out of the phone book, and that if the parents cooperate, they may leave the kids alone.

Suddenly, Batgirl smashes through a window, knocking one of the thugs to the ground. She loves the exhilaration of leaping into melee combat, noting that her upper body strength is greater than most, as she knocks out a thug with one punch by accident. After taking out all of the others, only the leader - the gunman - remains. She can see it in his body language that he intends to shoot the Ortegas.

Thinking on her feet, she tosses a batarang into the leader's wrist. Angrily, he tackles her, launching both of them out the window. He winds up dangling at her mercy, and she ties him to the balcony before securing the others and leaving the scene.

That night, Barbara dreams of the past. She was once the Batman's star pupil, but one night, she answered her door to find the Joker standing there with a gun pointed at her. He shot her, and the bullet went through the first lumbar of her spinal cord, paralyzing her from the waist down for three years.

She wakes from her nightmare, and remembers where she is. Fortunately, she regained her ability to walk, since that night. She walks in on her father, James, enjoying a cup of coffee. He informs her that it is actually evening, and she has slept all day. She has plans to move out today; to move into her own place, and "stretch her legs."

Barbara's new place is in a building called Cherry Tree Hall, and her roommate is a bartender by night and painter by day. Despite her new roommate's quirky personality and penchant for activism, Barbara thinks they will get along well. She offers to help Barbara move in, but becomes distracted by the wheelchair lift in the van. She tries not to admit that it was once meant for her.

At Sacred Hands of God Hospital, the thug that Batgirl injured with her Batarang is receiving treatment, and remains under watch by Detective Mel McKenna and her partner. In the same hospital, The Mirror asks to see a Theodore Rankin before punching the receptionist in the face and shooting a security guard. McKenna and her partner hear the shots, and prepare to face whatever awaits them.

Barbara has rigged her phone to receive her father's messages, so that she can follow up on any calls for police assistance. Discovering what's happening at the hospital, she gets her motorcycle out of her van, and rides to the scene. She rides her bike right into the building and onto the elevator.

As the Mirror makes his way to their room, McKenna and her partner warn that if he doesn't get away from the door, they will shoot. In response, the Mirror blasts through the door, shooting McKenna and her partner in the process. McKenna survives, but her partner is not so lucky.

The Mirror approaches the injured thug, claiming that he should have fallen to his death during the altercation with Batgirl, and that has put him on the list. Barbara reaches the scene, and attempts to intervene, but the Mirror aims his gun at her in just the same area that the Joker had when he crippled her. Lost in her memory, she freezes long enough for the Mirror to shove the patient's bed out the window, into a long drop to the street below.

Having watched the whole scene, McKenna accuses Batgirl of being a murderer as she stood there and did nothing to stop it.

Batgirl realizes that she has not fully recovered psychologically from the shooting that crippled her years ago. When the Mirror pointed a gun at her, she froze, and failed to save Detective Douglas Paulson from being shot to death, and failed to stop the leader of the Brisby Killers from being thrown out of the hospital window to his death.

The Mirror prepares to make his escape, but Paulson's partner, Detective Mel McKenna - who blames Batgirl for his death - points her own gun at the killer. She is unfortunately suffering from a likely concussion, and can't aim her weapon properly. She is forced to impotently shout after him as he leaves and Batgirl gives chase.

Batgirl vows to catch the Mirror, chasing him across rooftops and finally leaping down and kicking him from behind. Unfortunately, she misjudges her speed, and both of them are thrown off the edge of a building. Desperately, they both grip an outcropping gargoyle. Strangely, the Mirror seems to have unfinished business. Sympathetically, Batgirl reaches down to help him, but he reveals that she is on his list of intended victims, and wrenches her by the arm from her foothold, throwing her into a free-fall.

Desperately, Batgirl releases her Batrope, grappling onto another outcropping. Unfortunately, her trajectory brings her to street level, and she slams hard into the side of a moving taxi. Naturally, this angers the cab driver, and Batgirl is forced to drag herself up, nurse her cracked ribs, and shuffle away.

Back at the hospital, Detective McKenna refuses medical attention, despite being quite shaken. Eventually, Commissioner Gordon appears, and commands McKenna to allow the attending physician to look at her. He orders that she take mandatory bereavement leave and return after the department psychologist clears her. Before she leaves, McKenna warns that there will need to be a second warrant; one for Batgirl's arrest. The Commissioner is visibly shaken.

Batgirl follows Mirror's trail to the Hollows, an exclusive cemetery reserved for Gotham's rich and privileged. He senses her presence quickly, and calls out to her. She leaps out, but she is no match for him, and he lands a heavy punch in her gut. Knowing that she can't take another hit like that, Batgirl resorts to her wits instead, trying to tire him out by dodging his attacks. Charging him, she manages to steal his list from within his robes. He swipes it back from her hand, enraged that she would dare to look at it. Then, the sound of sirens fills the air, and before she can react, the Mirror is gone.

Without anywhere else to go, Barbara Gordon changes out of her costume and winds up at her new apartment. When her roommate Alysia Yeoh answers the door, she is surprised to see Barbara there, crumpled, wounded, and seconds away from blacking out. Barbara wakes in Alysia's bed. Alysia spares little time in drawing attention to Barbara's obvious injuries, and warns that she is one minute away from calling the police. Barbara assures her that she is not being abused, and is not a criminal - but she won't tell her what's really going on. Barely convinced, Alysia offers to make Barbara some soup. Awkwardly, Barbara asks to borrow something cute to wear.

Later, in her borrowed dress, Barbara has a date with Gregor, her physical therapist. He has worries about the ethics of dating a patient, but Barbara reassures him. They walk through the park, and he asks her why she doesn't talk about when she regained the use of her legs. Barbara responds that she doesn't believe in miracles, and wonders why - if someone is handing them out - she was a recipient. Gregor tries to assure her that some miracles do happen, and that her recovery doesn't have to come at a price.

Later, Barbara does some research at the library, following a lead she picked up on from Mirror at the cemetery. He had mentioned fire, and she assumes that it must have been significant to his reason for being there. She cross-references fires with people who match the Mirror's physical description, and finds the story of a federal agent, Jonathan Mills, who was the sole survivor of a car crash.

Batgirl heads to his apartment, finding that the windows have been rigged with alarm trip wires. The alarms seem to be deactivated, though, and she breaks in. Inside, she finds a veritable arsenal of weapons. Suddenly, the Mirror appears on a large video monitor and addresses her. He explains how he had been forced to watch as his family burned to death in the back of his car while he survived. He feels responsible, and believes that he should have died too.

The Mirror shows her a news clipping showing a man who collapsed on some train tracks, but was saved by a stranger. In response, the Mirror has placed a bomb on the train that the man rides to work daily - for a sense of closure. The Mirror plans to use whatever means necessary to bring an end to all miracles.

With the Mirror mocking her through her ear-piece, Batgirl races to one of Gotham City's trains in order to save a man whom the Mirror has marked for death merely for having survived an event miraculously. Rupert Ansell had fallen onto the train tracks on his morning commute, and had been saved at the last second by a good Samaritan going the opposite direction. The Mirror's MO sees him murdering anybody who seems to have been saved by a miracle, because he doesn't think miracles should be believed in. Batgirl knows better, because the fact that she's standing at all is a miracle.

Banging on the engineer's window, Batgirl determines that the train can't be stopped, and the doors can't be opened. Frustrated, she gets inside by smashing in through one of the windows. Rather than try to find the bomb that the Mirror has planted, she searches for Ruper Ansell himself. When he comes forward, she sends the other passengers out of the car. Understanding the Mirror's method, Batgirl banks on the fact that she is also on his list.

She wraps her arms around Rupert Ansell, knowing that the Mirror can't blow him up without blowing her up too. Batgirl is on the list because she miraculously survived a fall during an encounter with the Brisby Killers. If she dies by explosion, it will thwart the Mirror's plans. However, the Mirror has the upper hand, as he reminds her that the good Samaritan also survived by a miracle. Moments later, the train going in the opposite direction blows with Rupert Ansell's saviour on board. Batgirl saved one man, but allowed another to die.

Two hours later, Det. Mel McKenna tries to convince Commissioner Gordon to let her come back in to work. The Commissioner reminds her that protocol requires her to see a psychologist about her partner's death before she can come back to work. Grumpily, McKenna decides to hold her own investigation into Batgirl, who she blames for her partner's death.

Barbara visits her father at work, and invites him to lunch. She is obviously shaken about her encounter with the Mirror, and the man she allowed to die. Her father sees it, but rather than open up, all she can do is tell him that she misses him. Seeing that she's upset, her father expresses worry that she's taking on too much. She has only just recovered from her injury, and he worries that she will relapse if she works too hard. He can't take lunch with her because of a lead, and Barbara watches him go, wondering if people really see her as that breakable.

That night, Batgirl breaks into the police impound lot, having left her Batcycle outside the hospital the night before. She is interrupted by Nightwing, though she claims to have known he was tailing her the whole time. She invites him onto the back of the bike, and they crash through the fence, speeding through the twilight streets of Gotham.

Though she loathes to admit it, the feeling of Dick's arms around her on that bike makes her feel very good. Parking the bike, Barbara demands to know what Dick is doing there. Awkwardly, he admits that he's checking in on her because he and Batman are worried that she could end up back in the wheelchair if she's not careful - just like her father does. Frustrated, he is forced to simply ask whether she can handle the Mirror on her own. In answer, Barbara kicks his feet out from under him, and rappels off into the night.

She recalls how she and Dick used to chase each other like this even back when they first met - he an acrobat, and she a ballerina. Despite his cockiness back then, his kindness made up for a lot of it - and it became easy to like him. Richard Grayson was the first boy Barbara ever had a crush on who wasn't a scientist. Admittedly, she still feels the way she did during that first crush when she's around him - but it's an admission she can barely make to herself.

When Dick catches up to her, Barbara decides that she's had enough of well-meaning boys, from Dick to Batman - even her father. She will have no more of men trying to protect her when she doesn't want or need it. She says that if men keep on trying to protect her, she would send them back with blackened eyes. She begins physically sparring with Nightwing, offering little quarter, and forcing him to defend himself. Finally, he yells out that the reason that he and Batman have been worried is not because they doubt her, but because they love her. Shocked, Barbara realizes that she has been pushing away those who love her because she craved understanding more than pity; respect more than comfort.

Playing off her realization casually, Barbara states firmly that she has to do this - face this - alone. She cuts off a lock of her hair and places it in Dick's hand, stating that if he can't let her do it alone, then they can't be friends. Reluctant, but understanding, Dick lets her go.

Barbara Gordon's dreams are full of guilt and symbolism. She blames herself for recovering from the injury that kept her trapped in a wheel chair until nearly a year ago. She wonders why she was allowed a miracle when so many others don't. The dream is recurring, and Barbara wakes up in a sweat.

Wandering out of her room, she finds her roommate Alysia sitting near their Christmas tree, having just got off of her late shift at work. Barbara sits down beside her, and the two of them discuss Christmas. Barbara awkwardly describes her best Christmas gift, how her mother walked out when she was twelve, and a year ago that night, her father gave her news of a South African clinic which might be able to help her. Alysia correctly deduces that the wheelchair ramp in Barbara's van was for her. Barbara feels uncomfortable talking about something so personal to her, and hurriedly makes excuses to leave. She's so flustered that she forgets to put on shoes.

To get away from all of the questions, Barbara goes out as Batgirl. She happens upon a gang of thugs holding up an affluent couple. The thugs are using an app for their smartphones which shows them where the Batman is at any given time based on reports, to be sure that he won't interrupt their crimes. Which means that they are not expecting it when Batgirl appears.

Thinking about her case, Barbara is glad that her eidetic memory has allowed her to remember all of the names on the list that she stole from the Mirror, before he stole it back. Naturally, that memory has other uses, like making it easy to take out predictable thugs with inadequate weaponry. Quickly, she disposes of the thugs with surgical precision. The couple are grateful, hugging her to them, glad to be able to see their children again.

The mention of children gives Barbara an idea. Knowing that Mirror feels a responsibility to his murdered wife and daughters, she leaves a note for him at the Hollows Cemetery. The note condemns him for murdering when his own family was murdered, claiming that his feeling that miracles should not happen is no justification for murder. She invites him to Sprang Park for a showdown, after revealing that she has already given the GCPD all of the names on his list, as well as his modus operandi.

At Sprang Park, Batgirl lures the Mirror into the Hall of Mirrors. In the ensuing fight, Barbara realizes that she is outmatched, but still manages to land a powerful kick to his face that smashes the mirrored mask which covers his face. Using the distraction, she activates a projector, which causes the image of Jonathan Mills' family's destroyed car to appear on every mirrored surface in the room, including Mills' own armour. The image shakes him, and he collapses, allowing Batgirl to land a heavy punch which sends him into unconsciousness. Standing over him, she states that sometimes, extraordinary things happen to the worst people, and the best people do suffer. Sometimes, people get their miracles whether they deserve them or not. As she says this, she begins to come to terms with her own survivor's guilt.

Later that night, Barbara and Alysia exchange gifts, and grow closer. When Alysia asks about Barbara's family, she responds that she is used to simple holidays with just her father and brother. Suddenly, the doorbell rings, and Barbara is surprised to find a woman who bears a strong resemblance to her standing there. The woman introduces herself as Barbara's mother.

REVIEW

I have mixed feelings about this story.

First of all, by the editorial decision of returning to Barbara Gordon’s Batgirl. Many agreed that Barbara becoming Oracle was an amazing role model for people facing disabilities. At the same time, Nostalgia played a big part on this and when you have to reset your universe... would you make Stephanie the first Batgirl?

Gail decided to leave the “killing joke incident” in continuity, and Barbara instead of overcoming that tragedy by becoming a different type of hero, she made her go back to be Batgirl. This is also an inspiring story for people with disabilities, but the fact that she got help from science that doesn’t exist in our world, is not that inspiring.

I also don’t have fond memories of this run, other than the appearances of James Gordon Jr, but my guess is that, that happened because of the many crossovers and because I was reading it month by month. When I think of the new 52 Batgirl, I think of the DCYOU one.

Reading the full story in one sitting is different though. Both Barbara and Mirror have similar inner conflicts, and while at the end, looking at herself in the mirror makes her stronger (or at least, makes her face her fears, another inspiring story), when Mirror looks at his reflection, all he sees is death (well, those photos of his dead family were probably the reason). So the story itself is well crafted in it feels personal.

What I didn’t buy much was the villain. I know of survivor’s guilt, and it is strange that this character was also an ex soldier (he managed to survive the war without this issue). It’s just that I have problems believing that a person with this problem would go on to kill survivors of completely disconnected accidents.

Still, some of these changes made a good impression and Alysia Yeoh became a regular supporting character of the DCU. A character with double diversity (Asian + transgender).

The art looks nice, but maybe that is one of the reasons I do not remember this story that much. There is nothing that really moved me about it, and there were moments that should have (the many instances when Barbara was afraid of losing her legs again). I don’t think it’s bad, and at least it isn’t too sexual, but still, didn’t make a mark on my memory.

I give this story a score of  8.

[angelkurenai]

Die for a Laugh - Dean Winchester x Reader - Part 8

Title: Die for a Laugh

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Reader, Joker x Reader

Warnings: None

Prompt: Could do a Jared Leto joker imagine where Sam and Dean are on a hunt for the joker and he takes a certain liking to the reader, the pairing can be whatever you wish, thanks!

Read Part 1 here! l Read Part 2 here! l Read Part 3 here! l Read Chapters 4&5 here! l Read Chapter 6 here! l Read Chapter 7 here!

“Leave. I'm working.” if it wasn't the harshness in his voice that made you feel like you had just been stabbed then it was certainly the fear that started creeping up your chest that in the end made you freeze in your spot.

Between a man that had such a control over your heart and soul and another that had a control over your mind and soul you didn't know what to think, much less do.

“Dean” you choked out his name, reaching out to place a hand over his arm but the way he flinched away made your heart shutter in a million pieces “Please” your throat felt tight but you had to do this.

“Told you I'm busy.” the only time he finally looked at you in days was a harsh glare that made you want to recoil “Leave. Now.” he hissed, looking outside of the window at the blue-eyed man approaching the bar and your heart started hammering in your chest.

“H-how did you find him?” you breathed out in a low hoarse voice that you doubted he heard in the first place.

“Surprised much?” he clenched his jaw, narrowing his eyes at you “I'm not gonna talk about it. If you don't want to go, at least make yourself fucking useful for once in your goddamn life.” he grumbled the words before he could even realize it. But when the small gasp left your lips, realization downed on his and you saw regret flash through his eyes instantly. He had been trying to mask it, along with all the angst and hurt he felt, but he put the cold facade before he could take back what he'd said.

“Unlike you, I've been doing some actual work these days.” he looked away, trying to act as if it wasn't affecting him to say the things he had too “He's not working with demons, or any kind of monster.” he downed another glass, getting on his feet “He's working with hunters.”

“Wh-what?”

“Yes, hunters. Our own freaking kind, ain't that peachy?” he checked on his gun and for a moment you felt your heart leap to your throat in fear that he probably meant you.

“You mean like-”

“Like hunters, what more do you want? The ones giving him all the info and helping him make his next move. Wouldn't surprise me even if that chick he's got around is one too.” he scoffed with such hatred you wished you would die at that moment to not hear him anymore.

“And how did you-”

“While you and Sammy were busy doing whatever shit behind my back I was actually working on the case. Followed him around at first, looking it all up and questioned people when he went MIA for a week. Which is just why ...” he let out a sharp exhale “I am here now.”

“You... will offer him your help.” it was a statement in a low and weak voice. Weak not just because of how affected you were by his previous words – in fact your heart had dropped to the pit of your stomach – but also because you realized that all this time you were by Joker's side had lead to nothing, no clues and no information. And all of that because you were more interested in the man himself than getting the job done, you had let your feelings get in the way and not just for Dean (the way you usually would) but the monster of the case himself.

“Bingo.” he gave you a forced smile “So now leave before he-” he stopped himself, looking at the door as he entered and a heavy silence set in the entire bar.

You looked over your shoulder to see him look around in the all-too-suspicious way he usually did, Frost and the rest of his henchmen around him making him seem all the more intimidating. But somehow you didn't worry, not about yourself, but about Dean. You immediately turned your head so that Mr J was only facing your back and for a moment, that longmoment of silence when you could only hear his footstep as he walked inside the bar, you prayed that he wouldn't look your way.

You subconsciously reached out for Dean who this time didn't have the chance to pull away. You squeezed his arm and closed your eyes as you buried your face in the crook of his neck. Dean was stiff, you could feel his entire body was tense, but in that moment you didn't care. You were also stiff until the rest of the customers continued talking and the music got louder this time as everything went back to normal. Almost normal.

“Get out of here, (Y/n).” he said in a husky voice, giving your shoulders a small push and you stumbled backwards, looking up at him with wide eyes “You're clearly scared of him. I've got this.” he took a step away, ready to walk towards him but you clenched the fabric of his jacket in your hands to stop him.

“No” you breathed out as firmly as you could, despite how you found yourself crumbling down at his rejection, looking him straight in the eyes with your red ones “You can't take him down like this, with all of his henchmen around. It will only take one bullet and you'll be gone, don't you see that?”

“Worth the shot.” his own eyes were burning, staring back at you “I've been to hell before.” he gave you a bitter smile, shrugging.

“But not again. Not on my watch, listen to me here-” you hissed, fighting with all your will to keep the tears back “You're not going to do this, not without me and Sam having your back.” you tried desperately to ignore the scoff that left his lips “He is insane, look at me here, I know you can't even stand to be near me so I'm not going to ask you to do me any favors. I'm asking to do yourself and your brother a favor, along with everybody else that cares about you! You can't expect to go talk to him and in between pull a gun on him and end it! You are not going to make it out of here alive!”

“For all you care.” he growled, pulling away from you and looking for a moment at the blue-eyed man that you merely sneaked a glimpse at but didn't dare even risk fully looking at “Not that I was going to do anything. Only start a conversation, get close, tell him I'm interested in getting and even more offering a lot to him and with our bunker he won't even resist, which-” he licked his lips, clenching his jaw and before you could even react and take a hold of him to stop him, he pulled away saying “I'll do right now.”

“N-no, D!” you breathed out shakily but he slipped past you before you could anything more, and you didn't dare call out for him any louder nor go after him. You tried to swallow the thick lump in your throat, getting your phone out with shaky hands and dialing Sam's number.

“Hel-”

“Sam. Bar, now. Dean, is- in danger.” you choked on an incoming sob, and you could already hear rustling and rushing in the background.

“Wha- How?”

“Sam” you placed a hand on the bar to steady yourself “It's... Joker.”

~*~

“You- you call (Y/n) reckless, you give her the cold shoulder for days, when she dares jump in front of you to save you from a vamp but you- you go and have a casual talk with one of the most dangerous criminals we've met!” Sam threw his arms in the air and the only thing the older Winchester did, was roll his eyes.

“I've had casual talks with the devil before and-” he shrugged casually “Here I am!” he gave him a fake smile.

“This is serious, Dean! And since- since when did you find where he wouldn't and didn't tell us but went all on your own?!”

“Oh I don't know-” he brought the beer to his lips “Isn't... keeping secrets and lying what we've all been doing all this time?” he took a sip casually before pointing at you “You started it.”

Sam clenched his jaw, looking at you that had your eyes casted down. He gave you a sympathetic look, having realized from the first moment that this close call had shaken you to the core. You both thought you were getting over the effect the blue-eyed man had on you but the way your hands were shaking proved a different story.

“Very mature.” Sam breathed out, looking his brother straight in the eyes “But you know what? Fine! You can act like a kid all you want, but I'm not gonna let you risk your life this way! Next time, you're not going alone and yes that means I'm not letting you out of my sight!”

“I don't need a fucking babysitter to-” he grumbled, stopping mid sentence when your phone buzzed with a message and all eyes were on it instantly. You glanced at him to see his jaw was clenched, his eyes burning as he nearly glared at you, and it made you hesitate but you reached out for the device in the end.

“I'm back in town. Get ready. Don't make me wait long for you, I'm hungry.”

“I-” you looked at Sam, pleading him with your eyes “I gotta go.” you whispered in the end.

“Let me guess-” the annoyance – and even more something else, something more important that filled your heart with hope inevitably – was obvious on Dean's face and voice “Boyfriend? Or no, a lead?”

You clenched your jaw and pursed your lips, for the first time actually angry. First he ignored the hell out of you, then broke your heart in one fo the most terrible ways he could – he showed he didn't trust you anymore – and now he gave you hope by showing that he was actually jealous only to be ready to take it back and act like an asshole.

“No” you said bitterly, getting up to face him with as much courage as you had left in you “Joker.” and you bumped shoulders with him on your way out. He just didn't know how to true that was.

“(Y/n), n-no-” Sam huffed, following shortly after you as you rushed out of the motel room “(Y/n)!” he took hold of your arm to make you stop “Do you-” he glanced behind his back “Do you really think that's a good idea right now?”

“He said he wants to see me, and if I've learned one thing is the less angry he gets the more people are safe. And in this case it's definitely us!” you threw your arms in the air “I- I don't like this either but-”

“Don't you?” he asked seriously, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Wh-what is that supposed to mean?” you asked, shifting nervously in your place.

“(Y/n), I'm- I want you to remember I am your friend and the only reason I'm doing this is for your sake. You probably couldn't see the way you reacted to his message but I did. And it scared me. The effect he has on you scared me, beyond belief.”

“Sam I told you I'm past-”

“No” he whispered “No unfortunately you're not. And it's only making things worse. Look, I-” he glanced back at your motel room “I am here only to warn you. Be careful, please, this man is bringing out another you I- I can't recognize. I'm afraid you'll lose it before you can find your way back to not just us but also yourself.”

“The scary part isn't that I won't find myself, Sam. The scary part is that I still am myself... but I am only falling for the wrong man.” you shrugged tiredly, making his eyes widen at your small confession before you leaned in and gave him a short hug.

“I gotta go. Be careful and don't get in too much trouble without me.” you shot him a weak wink before turning around to leave... unsuspected that that your last few words were ringing in both the Winchesters' ears for two entirely different reasons.

~*~

“Late late late late... oh you are late!” were the first words you heard and you doubted he'd seen you with his back facing you or he'd heard you because the door didn't even make a sound.

“I'm-” you blinked, pursing your lips for a moment before clearing your throat “There was traffic, what could I do?”

He slowly turned his chair so that he was facing you and although you expected to be met with an angry glare you got a rather blank stare. You didn't know which one was better in all honesty. But when a smile slowly started forming on his red lips and as if you were experiencing some kind of deja vu you heard his laugh start out as slow and in a low tone before he was actually laughing wholeheartedly.

“Ah she talks back now. Thaaaaat is something I like- no, love to see!” he chuckled to himself and you bit your lower lip to keep yourself from grinning “Oh I've missed you.” he exclaimed, jumping off his seat and striding towards you. You bit your lower lip to keep yourself from grinning.

How could he do that to you? And even more, how could he make your heart skip a beat by saying just a few words?

You still couldn't help a small laugh of your own “Welcome back, Mr J. It certainly is a pleasure to-”

“Oh no, no no no, sweetheart. You don't get to tell me what eeeveryone's been telling me. You-” he snaked an arm around your waist and pressed you firmly against him “Get to show it.” he nearly growled the words and, as much as you hated yourself in that moment, you felt a a shiver run down your spine.

“Show it?” you said almost breathlessly and he tilted his head to the side, grinning this time with no hint of mischief in his eyes but pure fascination.

“You had no problem showing it before, doll.” his face inched closer to you “And my, was it something unforgettable.” he licked his lower lip and in that moment you could swear you felt your knees go weak.

“Mr. J” you whispered shakily and biting on his lower lip he hummed softly.

“What? Please don't tell me you didn't miss me. 'S gonna break my heart.”

“I-” you hesitated but shook your head, offering him an unsure smile – but only unsure because you were scared of the realization that dawned on you the longer you thought about it – and spoke again “No” you breathed out “I actually did miss you, J.” and despite what every logic left in you screamed in your mind you still leaned in and pressed your lips against his.

Unlike you he wasn't going to hesitate, though, and instantly responded to the kiss. He let a soft moan of pleasure as your arms trailed up his chest and wrapped around his shoulders as you pressed yourself even closer to him; if it was possible. He bit on your lower lip and a gasp left that made him grin into the kiss.

“Mr- Mr. J.” you mumbled in between the kiss yet despite the verbal protest, your hands did nothing to push him away “So-someone might wa-walk in.”

He growled against your lips but it was nothing like the others, this time it was frustration as he pulled away from you and his ice-cold eyes gave you a glare “That hasn't stopped us before, has it? Or maybe there is... another reason stopping you this time.” he pulled away, pacing away from you “Some- some- some- someone, maybe?”

Your heart leapt to your throat but you tried not to let it show on your face “I don't even understand where that's coming from. I came here the moment you called. And on top of that, yes, I admit I actually missed you but I thought that any personal conversations and actions would rather be kept outside of your office, don't you think? We need to keep things as professional as possible at least here, even if they all know you very well.” the words that left your lips surprised you more than they surprised him. If anything he looked more pleased and amused than surprised.

He plopped down on the couch, throwing an arm over his eyes and chuckling to himself “My Queen! You're already setting rules, I like where this is going. Are we gonna have some for bed too?” he grinned, peaking at you and you rolled your eyes but smiled to yourself without realizing it nonetheless.

“Well, your Queen... has also some questions if you'd be willing to answer.” you slowly walked towards him.

“Questions! Oh I like that!” he grabbed your arm and dragged you down so that with a squeal you fell down laying on top of him “How am I gonna make you whimper and tremble beneath me in a matter of seconds?” he asked, licking his lips and bit your lower lip.

“No, no that.” you cleared your throat “I- While you've been gone I was doing some work, researching and... Frost had left some files back and... you didn't tell me it was hunters.”

“Does that surprise you?” he frowned “After all, I've worked with so many others before that. Making an empire crumble from within makes it the most fun after all.”

“I didn't- I didn't think you're be involved is all. Demons, maybe vamps, that was your kind of thing. It's usually hard to... crack a hunter, make 'em join the other side.”

“Well...” he grinned, shrugging “I'm practicing...”

“You didn't tell me about it, though, and I thought that-”

“No. No, I didn't...” he narrowed his eyes at you, his mood deteriorating with each passing second “But what are the Winchesters for, right?” it was so casual, so simple, his voice held no hint of anger or threat. The way he casually rose up from the couch and made his way to the mini bar he always had on the corner of the room for a glass of whiskey made you think that you had somehow misheard. Made you think that your mind was playing games on you, maybe you were thinking too much about Dean after all.

“Wh-what?” you choked out, your eyes slowly directing at him; wide and glossy.

“What? What? What?” he turned to face you “Did you think I would be soooo mesmerized by to forget all about being careful? That I wouldn't look you up, have my men follow you? Although-” he took a deep breath, shrugging and looking down at his drink with a small giggle “If you frankly ask me, for a hunter, you are one of a kind, doll, and I can't help but think about you all the time. That I can much give you, you have stolen all of my attention and focus but I really think it's time we stopped pretending... don't we kitten?” he rambled and finally breathed out, locking eyes with yours.

“You...” you felt your heart hammer in your chest and the blood pump in your ears, your lungs were burnings and your chest felt heavy; your eyes stung with unshed tears, of fear perhaps you didn't know, and your throat felt tight “You knew?”

“From the beginning of course.” he played with his grass “What did you take me for? A fool? No, no, no, no...” he shook his head, laying down on the floor close to you “But see you are so-” he licked his lips, giving you a half grin “Unirque and so fascinating, I still couldn't resist. I decided a little game wouldn't hurt so I played along to your biiiig plan and see how far you would go... for me.”

“So what?” you choked out, the realization that you weren't scared he'd pull a gun on you any second but something entirely different adding to the pile that wouldn't let you breathe “Is that what it's all been all this time? A game?”

“Why?” he looked actually amused “Did I hurt your feelings maybe? Why don't you tell me, sweets, was it? How well have you come to know me or more importantly how well have you come to know yourself?”

“Are... are you gonna kill me?” you asked in a hoarse voice, because after all this time you had come to feel so comfortable around him that you didn't bring a gun with you. In fact you'd come to feel so comfortable you considered him your protector but forgot who he really was.

“Don't be stupid.” he growled, staring you coldly in the eyes in a way that showed that he was actually hurt by your words “And answer my question, sweetheart.”

You actually winced at the nickname “Please... don't call me that.”

“Right, because-” he grinned “That's what he uses on you, isn't it? Dean. He ooooh he is tough to crack!” he exclaimed, throwing his glass against the wall, making it shatter and you jump in your seat “He-” he grinned, running his fingers through his hair “So many walls up I don't even wanna get started on what's going on inside his head. And he certainly had the balls to come up to me and start a conversation about business, I'll give him that. But again-” he turned to face you again “That is your type, isn't it?”

“J” your voice was shaky as you looked away.

“Answer the question.” he growled impatient but more angry at the moment when you avoided eye-contact. It was something you'd come to realize very soon: he could see right through you which meant you could never lie, not really. And lying to him about your feelings for Dean was not sitting well with him.

After a long pause you actually looked at him, your eyes red, but just like being entranced; you couldn't stop the honesty from rolling of your lips “It stopped being after some time.” you whispered shakily “And what about you?” you breathedout and it was crystal clear that you didn't care whether you lived or died that moment but what he was going to say about it.

His eyes roamed your face as you stood there, waiting for an answer, but you didn't get a verbal one. A gasp left your lips when he jumped on his feet, grabbing your chin by one hand and crashing his lips to yours in a rough kiss.

“You'll have made your decision within 24 hours. You can stay here, go back to them, isolate yourself but tomorrow I will have your answer otherwise... I will take matters into my own hands.”

“What?” your eyes widened “J, they- they are my family, they're all I have. It's bad enough that I've betrayed them this way when I-”

“Well not anymore, are they?” he hovered over you “You have me now, and a whole fucking kingdom waiting for you. Oh and please-” he pouted “Don't bother telling yourself you wouldn't put anyone before them... you already have, haven't you?” he pulled away, getting on his feet.

He took a few steps away, stopping to turn and face you “Kitten, you know you can push this away for as long as possible but in the end you will fall. Madness is consuming. You think you're still holding onto sanity well enough? Well, let me tell you it won't be for long... been through it. But don't worry, when you take that fall for life and death at the same time-” he locked eyes with yours “I'll be there to catch you.”

And the way he slammed the door once he left made you whimper and close your eyes as you hugged your knees close to your chest. You weren't scared for your well-being, or at least your physical one, but more about theirs. Sam and Dean's. Dean.

“Dean” you whispered, your eyes going wide “No”

~*~

“Dean. Dean open up! Dean! Dean, it's me open the door! Dean are you inside?!” you knocked furiously on the door, your heart skipping beats every second he wouldn't answer. You regretted so bad just letting him take another room instead of staying with you, that way you'd be at least a little bit less worried than now.

Remember the coldness in J's eyes when he said Dean's name made you shiver in fear, he could do anything to him and you wouldn't even realize it. And yet you still couldn't find yourself to hate the man, what was wrong with you?

“What the hell are you doing?” a gruff and familiar voice was heard but from behind you. You turned to face him, calming down only a little bit to see he was for most part alright, although at the same time you couldn't stop a small pang in yourchest when you took notice of how his clothes were messy or the marks that covered his neck.

You cleared your throat, looking away from his neck to mask as well as you could the obvious disappointment on your face “I was- I thought you'd be inside.”

“But apparently, I wasn't. So what was it?” he walked past you to open the door.

“I...You were at the bar, weren't you? What happened?” you wrapped your arms around yourself, hesitating as he left the door open for you to enter, so slowly you actually did.

“Uh kinda blurry.” he scratched his head “There was booze. There was music. Then there was more booze. And then there was this chick. There was some... yeah.” he grinned to himself as he got rid of his jacket “Then- then there a wrong name and now there is a double headache 'cause of that slap. What about you, how was the date?” the irritation, and you could swear jealousy, was so obvious on his face and voice it made you blink twice at first.

“I-” you shook your head “What do you mean wrong name?”

He paused for a second as he was taking off his flannel, his eyes roamed your figure and he licked his lower lip when he looked away “Doesn't matter.” and it sounded so fishy you have questioned him again on what name he called her instead, bu he spoke up first again “You didn't tell me, how did your date go? Was he... was he dreamy? Perfect? Prince charming?”

“It's far from that. And I am here because I got worried about your well-”

“Why?” he frowned at you and for a moment you didn't know how to respond. How could you tell him anything concerning J in the first place?

“Was it that bad of a date.” he scoffed with a smirk and you shook your head.

“It was not a ate.” you emphasized “I wasn't with-”

“Who? The guy you're falling for? You don't have to deny it to me or yourself, no matter how much it scares you.” he hissed “You're falling in love with him, you admitted it to Sam, I heard you.” he dragged a hand down his face “You don't have to hide it anymore, besides-” he shrugged bitterly “You're a free woman, why do I even have to bother hm? You can do anything you want, it is none of my business, is it? Never was really.”

“Don't- don't say that, I always told you everything. You were and will always be the most important man in my life, you know that!” you breathed out and even if you were staring at his back he stopped mid-movement for a whole minute, thinking about your words.

“Am I?” he breathed out “I doubt that anymore.” his voice was low and rough and when he faced you in the end your vision was blurry and your throat felt like it was on fire. The look in his eyes broke you.

You were ready to speak up but your phone buzzed and you ignored it but he didn't “What? Aren't you gonna answer? Don't keep him waiting, might be important. It' alright, not that we don't have an important case going on anyway.”

“It's not like that.” you said hoarsely and he rolled his eyes “It's not! You are so stubborn and so set on your opinions that you won't even listen to me anymore! Alright, I hurt you, I get it, but I kept secrets for your own good! I swear, I never meant it to happen this way. You need to believe me!” you choked out and your phone buzzed, this time with a call, so you took it off your pocket and hung up without even looking at the caller and threw it on the table.

“I have believed you countless times! Countless, (Y/n)!” he nearly roared “I would take a bullet for you and you know that but-”

“But what?” your phone buzzed with a message again “Not now? Not anymore?”

“It's not like that and you know it.” he shook his head “We used to tell everything to each other and now we- we keep secrets and lie. I'm starting to think you don't trust me enough to take a bullet for you and that- that's killing me (Y/n). It's killing me that... that you would would chose another one!”

“Is that what you really believe?” you whispered and he shrugged “How about the fact that I'd much rather you not take the bullet in the first place? How about not wanting you to get hurt because I won't be able to live with that? Because I won't be able to live without you!” you groaned when your phone buzzed again and he shot it an annoying glare.

“Are you gonna answer him? He wants to talk to you, don't leave your boyfriend waiting.”

“He's not my boyf- No Dean!” you exclaimed, jumping when he took hold of it. You could ignore it all you wanted but that didn't mean you wanted him to see the messages from J. That would be the worst way for him to find out.

“Why? Don't you want me to see what he's texting you?” he frowned.

“No, Dean, please leave that. I'll- I'll tell you everything, just don't look at it.” you breathed out shakily but you were only halfway to him to get your phone before he actually opened it and his eyebrows rose in surprise and shock.

“It's...”

~~~

@imagine-that-100 @arikas5744 @captainmwinchester @mickey-m399 @easelweasel @spn-dean-and-sam-winchester @musicaltheatrejunkie @winchestergirl607 @castielsgrace-idjits @carinaryen @thegrungequeer @angieptt @chevycastiel1967 @waywardwolfdiaries @juggysgirlfriend @rochyu @brittany-workman @i-just-need-a-nap-please @jessikared97 @panic-angel3314 @gh0stgurl @spn-marvel-nerd @warwithfeels @lexiiiii28 @migirl323 @you-bleed-just-toknowyouarealive @colargirl15 @nerdcc-1701 @angelofchaos @xalgaliareptx @i-write-about-anything

[misfitgirlwrites]

Chapter Two

        "Do you hear me, Destiny? I said get out of there!"

        "Look, this is the story of a lifetime. I'm going for it." Destiny hissed.

        "Destiny, don't--" She hung up her phone and put it away, staring at the dark red duffel bag in front of her, stuffed with money. She could feel her heart beginning to race.

        "What do you mean you lost the bag? You lost my money?" That voice was unmistakable, and it was almost enough for Destiny to follow her boss' orders and run away with her tail between her legs.

        "I'm sorry, boss! I got distracted! I couldn't--"

        "I don't want your pathetic excuses, Hopkins. I want my damn money." The woman growled.

        Destiny took this opening. She grabbed the duffel bag and walked out into the open. Once she was noticed, guns were aimed towards her, causing her to freeze up.

        'Don't chicken out.' She thought, taking a deep breath. "...Red Widow." Destiny dropped the duffel bag. "I have your money--" Destiny stopped talking as Red faced her. Destiny shivered. It's like Red's light brown eyes were piercing through her soul. A small smile grew on her face as she pulled out her gun.

        'I'm fucked.' Destiny thought instantly.

        "And how did you get that?" Red walked towards her.

        "I was hiding--"

        "Hiding? You must be very good since I didn't see you." Red raised an eyebrow, taking the safety off of her gun.

        "Well, maybe you didn't look hard enough." Was Destiny's immediate reply. She bit her tongue and tensed.

        Red chuckled. "You think so?" She pressed her pistol against Destiny's forehead. "Well, I see you now. But I see no reason in letting you live." She cooed.

        "If you're scared I'm going to snitch, I'm not." Destiny glanced up at Red.

        "Boss! The cops are coming!"

        Red glanced back and sighed before looking back at Destiny. She took the gun away from Destiny's head and aimed it at one of her men, pulling the trigger. Destiny yelped slightly as the gun went off and the man fell to the ground. Red snatched the duffel bag from Destiny. "Don't get spooked now." Red rolled her eyes before looking at her men. "Get the fucking money in the van!" She hissed, sending them scrambling around the bank.

        Destiny took a step back, but Red quickly grabbed her arm. "This can be very painful for you, love. How do you want to do this?" Red asked.

        Destiny thought about fighting back, but she didn't know what Red was capable of, making her decide against it. "As painless as possible."

        Red tightened her grip and pulled Destiny through the bank and out the back door to--

*         Aniyah looked up from her book, hearing someone knock on the door. "Yeah?"

        " Can I come in?" Bruce asked.

        "Of course you can," Aniyah responded.

        Bruce walked inside and closed the door behind him. Aniyah glanced at him and chuckled. "Did you come in here to ask for a razor?" She asked.

        "Very funny." Bruce rolled his eyes. "I see you still read your own books."

        "Of course," Aniyah said, closing her book, but keeping her thumb inside so that she wouldn't lose her page. "What did I do to earn this lovely visit?" She glanced down at his cane before looking back up at him.

        "Happy Harvey Dent Day." Bruce made his way to the bed and sat down.

        "Oh yeah. That is today." Aniyah mumbled. She has some mixed feelings about Batman now, but she still didn't believe that he killed Harvey Dent. "Are you gonna show your face this time." She asked.

        Bruce shook his head. "No. Not this time." He took the book from Aniyah and started to read from where she left off. "Hm. You got better at writing."

        Aniyah chuckled. "Of course. I'm not twelve anymore."

        "Right. this actually has emotion." Bruce nodded.

        "Hey! My writing had emotion." Aniyah nudged him, chuckling.

        "Sure it did." Bruce gave the book back and stood up.

        Aniyah closed the book and gave it back to him. "Take it. I have plenty of copies. Oh, wait!" She grabbed her pen and wrote on the very first page in the book. "Okay. Now you can have it."

        Bruce took the book and opened it.

        To Bruce Wayne, A.K.A Mr. Billionaire. A.K.A Old man. Once you go to the doctor and get rid of that cane, maybe you could get out more. ;).                         Aniyah Bluebell.

        Bruce chuckled, closing the book. "Very funny. See you later." He said, leaving.

        Aniyah smiled slightly and grabbed her laptop, beginning to write.

~~~~~

        "Harvey Dent Day, may not be our oldest holiday, but we're here tonight because it's the most important. Harvey Dent's uncompromising stand against organized crime has made Gotham a safer place than it was the time of his death, eight years ago. This city has seen a historic turnaround. No city is without crime, but this city is without organized crime because the Dent Act gave law enforcement teeth to fight against the mob. People are talking about, repealing the Dent Act, and to them, I say, not on my watch." Aniyah smiled slightly, listening to Mayor Garcia from her window.

        "I want to thank the Wayne Foundation for hosting this event. I am told, Mr. Wayne couldn't be here tonight, but I'm sure he's with us in spirit." Aniyah looked away from the window and sighed, grabbing her notebook. She was contemplating on showing her face or not but stopped when Commissioner Gordon was mentioned. She walked back to the window, putting her notebook down.

        "I have a speech. Telling the truth about Harvey Dent." Gordon pulled out his speech, and it looked to be more than one page. He paused before sighing. "Maybe the time isn't right." He put his written speech away, making Aniyah raise an eyebrow. "Maybe right now, all you need to know is that there are 1,000 inmates in Blackgate Prison as a direct result to the Dent Act. These are violent criminals, an essential clog in the organized crime machine. Maybe now, all I should say about the death of Harvey Dent is this: It has not been for nothing." Gordon said.

        'The truth? Is he hiding something about Harvey Dent?' Aniyah furrowed her eyebrows together before shaking her head and closing the window. She took one last glance at Commissioner Gordon before she put on her sweater and left her room.

        "I'm sorry, Ms. Tate. I've tried but he won't see you." Aniyah walked to the top of the steps and looked at the woman that Alfred was talking to.

        "And you know, you mustn't take it personally. Everyone knows that Wayne's held up in there with eight-inch nails, peeing into mason jars." A man walked towards them, gaining their attention. Alfred's face looked neutral, but Aniyah could see the annoyance in his eyes. "Why are you wasting your time trying to talk to a man who threw away your investment on some, save the world vanity project? He can't get your money back, I can."

        Aniyah scoffed quietly and rolled her eyes. 'What he said about Bruce isn't even true.'

        "I could try explaining that a save the world project, vain or not, is worth investing in, Mr. Daggett. But you understand only money, and the power you think it buys. So why waste my time, indeed." With that, Ms. Tate walked away.

        'I like her.' Aniyah smiled slightly before she made her way to the east wing of the manor to check on Bruce. She jumped slightly, hearing a feminine voice. Aniyah looked over at the open door and peeked inside. 'A maid.'

        "It is Mr. Wayne, isn't it?" The maid asked as Bruce walked towards her. "Although you, don't have long nails, or, facial scars, or--" She looked away.

        "Is that what they say about me?" Bruce asked, walking closer.

        "It's just that, no one ever sees you." The maid's voice was barely above a whisper.

        "That's a beautiful necklace. It reminds me of one that belonged to my mother." Once Bruce said that Aniyah focused on the necklace that the maid was wearing and her auburn eyes narrowed. That necklace was unmistakable. "It can't be the same one, because her pearls are in this safe." Bruce walked over to his cabinet and opened the door with his cane to reveal his safe, that was already open. "A manufacturer clearly explained, that it's uncrackable." Bruce looked back at the maid.

        Aniyah glared at the maid and saw that the look in her eyes went from scared to mischievous and a smirk slowly grew on her face.

        "Oops. Nobody told me that it was uncrackable." She cooed.

        "I'm afraid I can't let you take those," Bruce said.

        "Look. You wouldn't beat up a woman any more than I would beat up the crippled." The maid kicked Bruce's cane from his hand, sending him to the ground. Aniyah's eyes widened. " Of course, sometimes exceptions have to be made."

        "Bruce!" As the maid climbed up the window, Aniyah ran to Bruce.

        "Oh. Wait until I tell everyone that I met The Joker's girlfriend."

        Aniyah's stomach lurched as she glared up at the maid.

        "Love your books by the way. Might steal me a copy of your new one. Goodnight." With that, the maid disappeared, flipping off of the window.

        "Who the hell was she?" Aniyah huffed, helping Bruce up and giving him his cane.

        "I don't know," Bruce answered.

        "I'll go get Alfred. And call the police. We can't let her keep that necklace." Aniyah left before she could hear Bruce's reply. She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and she pulled it out to see that it was a text from Harleen.

HarleyKop: Call me please

        "Is Master Wayne up, Aniyah?" Alfred asked.

        "Hm..? Oh, yes." She looked up from her phone. "He needs your help." She said before looking at her phone again. "I'll be in my room." She mumbled, dismissing herself. She called Harleen as she walked into her room.

        "Hello?"

        "What's wrong?" Aniyah closed the door to her room and sat on her bed.

        "They want to move him to Blackgate." The comment made Aniyah freeze up.

        "What the fuck? Why?!" She asked quickly, her heartbeat picking up.

        "I won't find out until the meeting. They want to know his progress--"

        "Well you've been doing the sessions, right?" Aniyah asked.

        "No. I haven't been down there since he's been locked up, Aniyah."

        "You can't let them take him to Blackgate, Harleen! He'll get out!" Aniyah responded quickly.

        "No, no. Calm down. I'll see what I can do, and I'll keep you posted." Harleen said.

        "Okay." Aniyah sighed. " Goodnight."

        "Goodnight." Harleen hung up.

        Aniyah put her phone down and took off her sweater. Once she calmed herself down, Aniyah turned off her lamp and laid down in her bed, closing her eyes.

~~~~~~

        Quiet. It was quiet as a little girl sat in an empty room, writing in her notebook. The faint sound of talking and laughter could be heard and mint green balloons were tied to the chair that the girl was sitting in.

        A boy walked into the room and saw the girl sitting alone. He walked towards her and watched her write for a few moments. " What are you writing about?" The girl's pen stopped moving as she looked up from her notebook at the boy.

        "Alice in Wonderland." She answered.

        "Why?"

        "Because I like it." the girl's voice was monotone as she talked, but her big auburn eyes were full of wonder and curiosity, all of what she was currently writing.

        "Couldn't you just watch Alice in Wonderland?" The boy asked.

        "I'm not writing the story. Somebody already did that. I'm writing about how Wonderland would be if I fell down the rabbit hole instead of Alice." The girl said. "Writing makes me happy."

        "Are you sad?" The boy asked.

        "Yes."

        "Why?"

        "Mommy doesn't love me." The girl answered.

        The boy stared at her before nodding slowly. "...My name is Bruce."

        "My name is Aniyah."

        "Then, this is your birthday party."

        Aniyah nodded. "I'm ten now."

        "I turned ten last month." Bruce looked back before looking at Aniyah again. "I think my mother will love you. Do you want to meet her?"

        Aniyah smiled. She stood up and closed her notebook. "Okay."

~~~~~~

        "I feel like you make things up to do around here."Aniyah chuckled as she swept the floor.

        "Yes. Because I love to sweep and mop the floors every day." Alfred put a glass of apple juice on the counter for her.

        "You need a vacation." She set the broom down and walked into the kitchen.

        "Master Wayne would set the manor on fire," Alfred responded.

        "I can believe it." Aniyah sipped her apple juice.

        There was a knock on the door. "I got it." Aniyah put her glass down and walked over to the front door. She opened it and tensed, now face to face with a police officer.

        They stared at each other for a while. "You're Aniyah Bluebell. Wow, I love your books." The officer smiled.

        "Um, thank you." She looked away.

        "When are you going to make a sequel for it? I mean, granted I wasn't really a fan of Science Fiction until I stumbled across your book."

        "Oh! You're not talking about--"

        "Paint the Town Red? I didn't get to read it yet. I'm sure it's amazing." He smiled.

        Aniyah blushed slightly. "Thank you, Officer..."

        "Blake. Officer Blake." He nodded, grabbing her hand and shaking it before placing his other hand on top of hers as well. "Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Bluebell."

        "Call me Aniyah."

        "Call me John." He still had that friendly smile on his face.

        "How may I be of service, sir?" As Alfred walked up to the door, Aniyah gently pulled her hand away and stepped back some.

        "I need to see Bruce Wayne," John stated.

        "I'm sorry, Mr. Wayne doesn't take unscheduled appointments, not even from police officers," Alfred said.

        "And if I go get a warrant for the investigation of Harvey Dent's murder, will it still count as unscheduled?" John asked.

        Aniyah raised an eyebrow as Alfred let him inside. She slowly grabbed the broom and started to sweep again, staring at John until he was out of sight. 'He's nice.' She thought. She quickly shook the thought from her head and continued sweeping.

        "He seemed like your type." Alfred walked back into the room.

        "Alfred, can we not?" Aniyah sighed.

        "I think he likes you too." 

        Aniyah blushed. " Alfred, please."

        "Just saying." Alfred took the broom from Aniyah and began to sweep.

        "I can do it, Alfred." Aniyah crossed her arms.

         “This is my job. You should relax." He replied.

        "Yeah, but I want to help. I feel like--"

        "Aniyah?" She paused and turned to look at John. "Would you like to go out for coffee sometime?" He asked.

        "Coffee?" Aniyah mumbled. Before she could answer, Alfred put a hand on her shoulder.

        "Ms. Bluebell doesn't feel comfortable going outside the manor at the moment, but I'll be more than happy to prepare brunch for the two of you." He said.

        'Of course you would.' Aniyah thought.

        "Sounds like a plan. If Aniyah wants to, of course." John responded.         Aniyah looked at him and smiled. "Are you free tomorrow?" 

        "Yup." He smiled back. " See you for brunch then."

        "Brunch it is." She chuckled.

        Aniyah glared at Alfred as John left.

        "I help you get a date, and this is how you repay me," Alfred said as he closed the front door.

        "I didn't ask for your help, sir." Aniyah chuckled.

        "Sometimes I have to know when to intervene." Alfred smiled.

        "Oh alright, sure." Aniyah rolled her eyes playfully. "I'll be upstairs if you need me." She waved, leaving.

        Once she got to her room, Aniyah pulled out her phone and called Harleen.         "Aniyah, I was just about to call you," Harleen answered right away.

        "I have news." Aniyah sat on her bed.

        "Yeah? So do I. But you go first." Harleen said.

        "Well, I have a date tomorrow--"

        "Oh my God, are you serious?!" Harleen cut Aniyah off with an excited squeal. "I'm so happy you're getting out there! Who's the lucky guy? What does he do? Did he ask you out?"

        "Calm down, Harls." Aniyah laughed. "His name is John. He's a police officer. Yes, he asked me and I just met him, don't get too excited." She said.

         “That's amazing. I'm so happy for you." Harleen chuckled. "Wow. Your news was, way better than mine. I need a big favor from you Aniyah."

        "What is it?" Aniyah asked.

        Harleen paused. "There's a meeting in two days. Lex Luthor will be there and so will the board of Arkham. I really need you to come."

        "Harleen--"

        "With me, you, and Pearl as victims at the meeting, there's no way they'll move The J--him to Blackgate. Please. I promise it'll be in and out." Harleen responded quickly.

        Aniyah sighed, closing her eyes. "Alright, I'll go. Just, don't tell Bruce."

        "I won't. Thank you so much. And I'm sorry I'm asking you to do this." Harleen sighed.

        "It's okay. I understand." Aniyah nodded.

        "Tell me how your date goes, alright?"

        "I will." Aniyah smiled slightly.

        She hung up and covered her face, taking a deep breath. 'In and out.' She thought. 'I have to do this.'

[camsthisky]

Teach Me to Dream - Part 1

< day 9 | day 11 >

Prompts are listed here.

Day 10 - Put your characters in the weirdest AU you can imagine.

Summary: Dick’s eleven. Not thirteen and eager to prove himself. Not seventeen and mourning a brother. Not nineteen and wishing his best friend wasn’t dead and Bruce would look him in the eyes. He’s only eleven. So why does he remember all of that?

ao3 | ff.net

It starts with a dream.

A terrible, heart-wrenching dream, and he wants to cry his eyes out and curl up under his sheets just to block out the world. It’s a dream that has him waking up with a jolt, eyes wide and terrified as things he’s never experienced play through his mind. There’s so much, and it bombards him all at once. He can’t make sense of any of it, and it’s horrible. He wants it to stop.

It takes a few moments, but he’s finally able to dig through everything swirling around in his head and he remembers who he is.

His name is Richard—Dick. He’s eleven years old. He’s the ward of Bruce Wayne. He’s Robin.

Dick has faced the Joker, the Riddler, Mr. Freeze—most of Gotham’s underworld, really—and nothing, not even the psychotic clown, terrifies him as much as the new memories swirling around in his mind. He’d take the criminals any day, he thinks.

Because at least criminals are something he can fight. The dream, the memories, they aren’t something he can punch in the face or outmaneuver. There’s nothing to stop them from taking over his head and make him forget who and where he is.

So he hides under the blankets, shivering and trembling with trepidation far greater than he’s ever experienced before, and some part of him is broken and sharp-edged in a way he hadn’t been when he’d fallen asleep the night before.

Who dreams of something like that and stays sane? Who dreams of nine years worth of future memories and doesn’t come out different on the other side?

Certainly not Dick Grayson.

After what has to be hours, Dick peeks out from under the blankets. He doesn’t feel so overwhelmed anymore. His head is still running around in circles, but he can’t quite comprehend his own thoughts, so he tries not to pay attention to it.

He looks around his room with new a new sort of perspective. His eyes catch on the Flying Graysons poster opposite his bed, and memories he hadn’t known he’d had hurl into him. Dick can’t take a breath properly without choking, and this isn’t a panic attack. This is something else entirely. Something worse.

His parents are falling, and Dick can only watch in horror as they drop down to their deaths, their bodies hitting the ground. Someone’s screaming, Dick realizes after a moment, and it takes even longer to realize that it’s him. Dick is the one screaming.

And then he’s flying, but it isn’t with his family, because the Graysons are dead, and they’ve been dead for five years. Jack’s in trouble, though, and flying is the only way Dick can think of that will help.

Dick knows Jack, knows the circus like the back of his hand—or. He did. Before. But whether the circus is still the same or not, Dick knows that Jack would never have changed so much that he’d turn to criminality. He’s a ring master, not a thief.

So Dick’s putting everything on the line, but even with his successful infiltration, there’s a part of him that wonders if he’s doing the right thing by interfering with something that’s so obviously personal. Batman will be so upset. He shouldn’t be here.

And yet, all of Dick’s memories scream at him. He needs to save Jack, if not for himself than for his parents. The old man had been like a grandfather to him, as near and dear to his heart as Bruce and Alfred are.

It’s hard to deal with, and Dick’s feeling sick on top of it all.

He’s not flying anymore. Somehow he’s gone from missing M’gann’s hands by mere centimeters to feet planted firmly on the ground, staring at the colorful poster of his family’s old poster hanging there like a memorial. Dick feels sick to his stomach, and this time it has nothing to do with his illness.

His comm beeps, bringing him back to reality, and Dick hesitates only a moment before he answers it—it could be Bruce, or another Leaguer, and then Dick would be in so much trouble—but it’s not. It’s Wally.

He’s not sure whether to be relieved or equally as wary.

“Dude, where are you?” coincides with “What. Happened.” And the memory changes again. Dick is sore and aching and despairing at what he and Kaldur have been driven to, because he’s done exactly what he said he didn’t want to do. He put the mission first.

The stupid mission. How did it all become about the mission? How had he let himself get this far? Kaldur and Artemis and L’gann, and Garfield and Jaime and Bart. They’ve all become sacrifices of a war Dick’s been forced to wage, and he hates how, if he had to, he’d do the same thing over again. Because it’s the only way he knows might work.

But Wally stalks towards him with something more than anger in his eyes, and Dick wonders if this is the last straw. The mountain is gone, and now so is their friendship. He’s done it now. Years of slipping further away from each other have taken their toll, and now, when he used to look at Wally and hear the “Dude, that’s what a best pal is for,” all he hears now is the “Why can’t you just trust someone for once!”

He hates how right Wally is, too.

But Dick has never been one to back down, so he ruins the best friendship he’s ever had, and says, “It was necessary,” like it doesn’t make his heart shatter into a thousand pieces.

Wally’s eyes glint in his rage, and he opens his mouth—

Dick surfaces from the memories gasping for air, like he’s been underwater and he’s coming up for air. Confused and unable to make sense of anything, Dick lies there. He’s lost his sense of reality. Is everything just a memory? A dream? Is anything real? Is he real?

He doesn’t think so. Not anymore, at least. But he doesn’t know how to prove that he either is or isn’t, so he abandons the contemplation of his entire being and crawls out of bed. He pulls the covers with him, and then sneaks out his bedroom door.

And, so, it’s not really sneaking, per se, but it’s something akin to it as he pads barefoot down the hall, softly and cautiously with all the training he’s ever been offered, blankets sliding after him. He’s not quiet enough to qualify Batman’s brand of sneaking, even with whispers of something in his head showing how he can be even quieter as long as he steps just like this, but Dick doesn’t mind.

It makes him feel like himself to ignore what the half-formed memories tell him. He can barely comprehend them anyways, so he doesn’t pay them attention, instead turning the doorknob to Bruce’s bedroom and slipping quietly into the room.

Bruce is snoozing on away on the bed, and Dick tries not to sigh in relief as he contemplates waking Bruce up.

On the one hand, it’s approaching four in the morning, and Dick imagines that Bruce probably just got home and into bed within the last couple hours. He’s not going to be happy to be shaken awake with less than two hours of sleep under his belt, especially when he has to be up by eight in order to get to work on time.

Besides, Dick is supposed to be old enough to handle the nightmares himself, now.

On the other hand, Dick’s too raw and hollowed out, too young and yet too old to understand what he’s supposed to do with these memories in his head, showing him a future he doesn’t know will come true—or maybe his brain just came up with the whole thing, which means that he’s just really, really screwed up.

In either case, he needs some sort of comfort from the man who took him in and loved him, so he creeps closer to the bed. Waking Bruce up is the only way Dick thinks he might be able to make sense of all of this.

Bruce doesn’t shift when he approaches, so he’s probably tired enough that his paranoia has switched off, and Dick tries not to feel too guilty.

He finally gets close enough to make out Bruce’s face in the gloom, and it’s just his luck that the memories kick-start. Dick sees another million things that have nothing and yet everything to do with Bruce, it’s pure agony trying to make sense of more than a few things.

“I know it’s hard,” Bruce tells him, hugging Dick to his chest, “but you can’t blame yourself. You weren’t even there.”

“But I should’ve been,” Dick sobs. “He asked me—I should have gone with him!”

“And then what I would have is,” Bruce swallows, tightening his grip on Dick, who has collapsed in his lap like he’s seven instead of seventeen, “what I would have is two dead kids, Dick. This isn’t your fault.”

Two sons dead would literally kill Bruce. Hell, one dead is already killing him, and it’s killing Dick, too. How is Bruce even coherent right now? Dick’s head is a mess and he can’t get himself to function because Jason’s dead—

And then.

Wally’s dead. A swallow past the lump growing in his throat almost makes Dick choke, but he doesn’t. He’s Nightwing right now, even if he won’t be for very much longer, and he can’t afford to—can’t afford—

“Nightwing, report.”

“We defeated the Reach. I’ll have my report written by morning—” he wouldn’t, he can’t, not yet “—and you’ll have every detail of what happened then.”

Batman doesn’t comfort him. Not like he had back then, when it was both of them hurting. Now that it’s just Dick in agony, Batman just looks at him. Doesn’t see the hurt, only everything that Dick had done wrong while half the Justice League was on trial. He doesn’t say anything else, either.

So Dick says, “Wally’s dead,” his voice flat. It doesn’t hurt any less to say it loud, but Dick keeps going. “Mount Justice is gone. My friends hare me. I’m leaving, and you’ll have my report by morning.”

Batman doesn’t look sad when he tells Dick, “It was necessary.”

And Dick hates himself when he says, “I wish it hadn’t been.”

The next morning, Dick send his report to Batman, detailing the Invasion and Wally’s death, and then he’s gone. Dick Grayson disappears, and no one knows where he is, not even Bruce Wayne. It doesn’t take a long time for people to realize that he isn’t coming back.

Dick blinks back to reality, tears in his eyes as he tries not to let the emotions of the memories overwhelm him again. Bruce’s face had really sparked all that emotion? It was so strong and Dick hadn’t felt emotion like that since—well, since.

Part of Dick wants to jump on top of Bruce and wrap his arms around the man he sees as a father and never let go, but the other part of him, the older part of Dick that he doesn’t understand and thinks he never will, wants to scream. He wants to scream and cry and yell how could you do this to me? How could you let me become everything you told me never to be? and Dick has no idea what to do next.

He may have skipped a grade, but these feel like adult problems, and Dick’s eleven. Not thirteen and eager to prove himself. Not seventeen and mourning a brother. Not nineteen and wishing his best friend wasn’t dead and Bruce would look him in the eyes. He’s only eleven.

He starts sobbing, loud enough to startle Bruce awake.

“Wha…Dick?” the man asks, bleary-eyed and not at all prepared to deal with a sobbing child at four am. He sits up, bewildered beyond belief, and he holds out his arms, offering comfort easily, even without knowing what’s going on. Even though he’s exhausted.

Dick snatches up the offer before it can be rescinded. He climbs onto the giant bed and all but falls into Bruce’s awaiting arms, ignoring Bruce’s soft “oof” at the force Dick puts into it. He curls his small arms around Bruce’s neck, and Bruce’s own arms fold around him and pull him into his chest, like a protective wall against the world, working much better than his abandoned blankets had.

“Dick?” Bruce asks again. “What’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?”

“I don’t know,” Dick confesses tearily.

He hates that he doesn’t know whether those memories are just a figment of his imagination or whether it’s something he needs to watch out for two, five, nine years down the line. He wonders if he’ll even get that far before screwing things up.

“You don’t know?” Bruce asks, and he sounds confused, still half-asleep, and the guilt of waking him up wars with the need for comfort. “What do you mean?”

But Dick doesn’t know how to explain it. He doesn’t know how to make sense of anything in his head right now. And he certainly doesn’t know how he’s supposed to be a real person anymore. He doesn’t know anything anymore, and it’s frightening.

Dick sobs harder, and that seems to stop Bruce’s questioning for now, which is good, because Dick doesn’t have answers for him. He doesn’t even know where to start.

“Hey,” Bruce hushes. “Hey, it’s okay, Dickie. You’re alright.”

He’s not. He’s so far from alright. But he lets Bruce try to rock him back into a fitful slumber, jerking awake every time a new memory surges up to engulf him again. Dick is shaking, trembling, and Bruce tries to hush him and murmur reassurances, but they both realize pretty quick that neither of them are going back to sleep anytime soon.

Dick zones out while Bruce dozes. He can’t make sense of anything, really, and he’s so tired, but he’s too afraid of what he’ll see if he closes his eyes longer than a blink. But even with Bruce curled protectively around him, even despite his most valiant efforts, the memories don’t stay away.

He doesn’t try to make sense of them buzzing around in his mind, though, because from what he’s peeked at so far, he doesn’t think any of it will be pleasant. It seems his whole life is just doomed to get harder and harder. Like he’s cursed or something.

Dick doesn’t know how long he sits there staring at the ceiling in some sort of numb state, but it’s long enough that the sun is peeking through the curtains and Alfred is opening the door by the time he shakes back to himself.

“Master Dick?” Alfred calls softly when he realizes Dick’s awake, bewilderment apparent in his voice, and Dick’s stomach does enough flips to make even him sick. Bruce doesn’t stir, though, so that’s a plus. Still, it would be nice to have Bruce awake, if only so Dick doesn’t have to face Alfred alone. “Master Dick, are you quite alright?”

Dick bites his lip, but he doesn’t trust himself to say anything. He might start crying again, and Alfred’s not someone he should dump all of this new baggage on.

Alfred leans over the bed, catches Dick’s eyes, and gives the boy the most concerned look he’s ever received. “Master Dick?” he asks softly, and Dick’s plunged back into a memory, this one tinged with an undercurrent of fear and desperation instead of just sadness and despair like the others.

“Master Dick?” Alfred calls, and his voice is as soft and gentle as his touch as he smooths back Dick’s sweaty hair.

Dick can’t recall where they are. Not in the manor, he knows. There’s a reason they can’t go back there, but the reason is lost to the fever currently rampaging through Dick’s system. At twenty, you’d think Dick would know better than to ignore a warning about those cuts. Now he’s down, poisoned, and Bruce is missing. It’s just him and Alfred, somewhere he can’t recall.

“Please, Master Dick,” Alfred says, still sounding so quiet and worried. Something metal presses against Dick’s chapped lips. “You need to eat something. You won’t be able to regain your strength unless you do.”

Dick doesn’t open his mouth. He can’t. If he does, he’s going to start screaming from the pain, and he can’t scream. There’s a reason, he knows, but it’s lost, just like the reason to why they can’t return to the manor.

“Did he eat anything in the past couple hours?” someone asks from across the room, something like a door closing a second after. “He looks worse.”

“No,” Alfred sighs, and the metal retreats from Dick’s lips. “He refuses to eat, and we don’t have enough IVs left to keep him hydrated for very much longer.”

“Have you heard from Bruce yet?”

Another sigh. “I’m afraid not.”

Where is Bruce? Dick can’t remember the answer to that, either. He can’t remember why it’s Alfred petting his hair and trying to get him to eat and not his father. Dick feels almost angry at the fact that Bruce isn’t here to press worried lips against his forehead and assure Dick that Batman will take care of everything and that’s it’s okay, Robin, you earned a rest.

Those words don’t sound quite right in Dick’s head, though, and it takes him a few minutes to realize why. He’s not Robin, not anymore. The endearment has been passed on like a title, and Dick isn’t sure the last time he was actually called by that name by anybody, let alone someone who knows what it means.

There’s a clatter that echoes around them, and through half-open lids, Dick sees Alfred stiffen and turn towards the entrance.

“Not good,” that someone else murmurs—Leslie, he thinks when he sees her, it’s Leslie—and then the room explodes into sound and chaos, and Alfred—oh god, Alfred. Dick doesn’t know where Alfred is, he doesn’t know where Bruce is, and he feels like someone’s ripping through his skin with a knife.

That, of course, is when Dick realizes they are. Someone’s stabbing him, carving into him—

—and Dick fights, lashing out at those hands holding him down. But he’s too dehydrated and sick for this, and he can’t fight off an army of enemies that want to hurt him, and they manage to grab him again.

Dick’s looking into the eyes of the man who is going to kill him, and there’s a glint of glee that makes Dick’s stomach churn with fear. He can hear Alfred yelling in the background, but no one comes to save him. No Alfred, no Bruce, no Leslie. No Wally and no Jason and no Tim, either, because they’re dead. No one is coming to save him.

“This is gonna hurt,” the man says, a knife glinting in the dim light, and then—

Dick screams, lost in the haze of memories, and he’s writhing in agony against the pain of blades drawn across his skin again and again, and it’s only when Bruce holds him down that Dick realizes he’s not in the midst of an enemy attack—

“Dick!” Bruce yells, fighting to pin Dick’s arms to the bed without hurting him. “Dick, it’s okay. You’re okay, you’re fine! It’s—ow—it’s okay!”

—he’s in Bruce’s bed, surrounded by the terrified expressions of the people that took him in and gave him a home after he lost everything. Alfred is here. Bruce is here. He’s safe.

But he’s not okay.

Dick starts to cry again, tears leaking from the corners of his eyes as Bruce rests his forehead against Dick’s, his eyelids fluttering shut as Dick watches him murmur something under his breath. Dick’s crying too loud to understand what he’s saying, but he’s also crying too much to ask.

Bruce finally looks up at Dick, pulling away from him slightly to swipe a thumb at the tears. “You’re okay, kiddo,” Bruce breathes. “You’re okay.”

He’s not. He doesn’t get why Bruce keeps telling him he is when he’s so obviously not. Nothing about this is okay, and he needs Bruce to get that. He needs him to understand, even when he’s not sure how to say that he’s not.

“What’s wrong with me?” Dick sobs, his words barely audible, and Bruce gaze snaps to his own.

“Nothing’s wrong with you. It was just a nightmare,” Bruce tells Dick, but even Dick can see that Bruce doesn’t believe his own words. It seemed more for Bruce’s benefit than Dick’s. “You’re alright, Dick. You’re alright.”

Dick wishes Bruce would just stop saying that. He’s not okay, and he doesn’t know if he ever will be again.

[lastgeeksdying]

Pitches I built a series of stories using the current DC cinematic universe as a loose jumping off point and how to plan it to go forward.  It is a road to get it where I want it, but I think it can be done.  One pitch a week each Friday until Justice League.   So this started posting after Wonder Woman is out but before Justice League.  In theory this means it'll run right up to the release of Justice League.  These speculations will be mostly written before Wonder Woman, with some small changes made following seeing Wonder Woman.  I've included a time line below, with one or two word teases of the pitches going forward.  However, much like this episode, I reserve the right to add titles that I forgot or that I feel will fit in to the mythology as I build out.  Today, I bring you The Batman. 

Here’s the basis of what I think will happen in the films that are already being worked on.  Also, I will be cancelling some of the other films that are set to come out.  DONE DONE DONE. 

Justice League will build the team, tease Darkseid.   Aquaman will be Aquaman fighting Black Manta, set up Ord as Ocean Master.  I'll mostly be treating it as having just been an Origin story. There is a good chance it will actually be Throne of Atlantis, but that isn't important enough for me to factor in when it comes to the pitches down the road.  Which, spoilers, will include a Throne of Atlantis Pitch Justice League: Apokalypse aka JL2  will be Darkseid arriving.(roughly JL:Origin) A Timeline of the Pitches so far are: (Wonder Woman) (Justice League) (Aquaman) (Justice League 2) Wonder Woman:  Fastest in the Jungle THE BATMAN Throne Brave Tower Fear Contract VS Court Identity Black Fall Eyes Serious Shazam Crisis Elegy Corps Peacemakers Young Effigy Society Reborn Kingdom Come Errant Knight Rotworld Return Night Inc The movie opens with a laugh.   A Camera Flashes and a gun shot goes off.   Batman and Robin head to Jim Gordon's home and find Barbara, in her Batgirl costume, shot.  He helps her and changes her out of her suit.  He brings her to the Hospital.  She tells him Jokerland.   Robin rushes out of the room.  Batman tells him to stop but he goes anyway. Sometime later Batman arrives at an Abandoned Amusement park.  The place has been repainted and remarked as "Joker Land".  Bruce travels to the security office and finds each of the guards dead.  Video starts playing showing Robin tied to a chair.  Unmasked.  "Tim Drake?   Bruce Wayne's adopted SON?  Certainly too old to be the old Robin.  Oh well."  Joker comes out of the shadows.  This is a classic looking Joker, his visual look is much more akin to the animated series Joker, but with the classic purple gangster hat.  As Joker strikes the final blow, a door opens in front of Bruce.  This reveals Tim's lifeless body.  A counter appears on the video as the room is lit up and reveals dozens of oil drums.  Batman runs out of the building, leaving the body.   As it explodes he dives out of the building landing at the Joker's feet.   Batman stands up and confronts the Joker.  We see a recreation of the final page of the Killing Joke: http://onlynerdsallowed.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/batman-the-killing-joke-471.jpg Except the ending isn't ambiguous.  Bruce stabs the Joker as he laughs and the sirens wail.   We cut to black and show the title THE BATMAN.   Text appears saying 15 years later showing a modern Ben Afleck.   A gang of Villains dressed as the Original Red Hood rob a bank.  As they come out of the bank a rocket launcher blast is shot and kills all of them.  It is revealed to be Jared Leto's Joker holding the launcher.   "I hate copy cats" Out of nowhere a shot flies down and almost hits the Joker.  Batman swoops in and brings him to the ground.   "Why batsy, I'm so happy to see you."   Joker tries to stab Batman. "I'm trying to protect you.  Someone has put out a hit on you. " "On me?  But why?  I love me!"   "They've pitted 8 of the best killers to bring you down. " "And what, you want that glory for yourself?" "If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead Tim." "DON'T CALL ME THAT."   Cut to 8 Killers each being told by a different person to kill the Joker and they will make 30 million dollars.   Batman calls for the Batmobile as Mr. Freeze ices the vehicle down.  It is at this point that the adventure becomes Batman trying to get from Gotham's first National to Arkham Asylum.   Batman fights down Mr. Freeze, learning that he wants the money to fund research for his wife.  Batman manages to beat Victor, but not without the wheels to the Batmobile being destroyed.  When Batman returns he finds that the Joker has run off and has to chase him down.   In a flashback, we see young Batman chasing the Redhood.  Over the comms, he tells Alfred to let Andea know he won't be able to make it due to car trouble.  We then see Batman taking down the original Joker when he was Red Hood and how he became the Joker by falling into Ace Chemicals.   Modern  Batman catches Joker and berates him for running off.  "You can't blame a clown for trying."  "No, but I can blame you." Jumping up, Thomas Blake attacks Joker.  "Oh, you aren't the fun kitty.  You're the lame kitty." Catman tries to reason with Batman,  explaining that with the money Blake and his Husband can run away from Gotham and never be in Batman's hair again.  Bruce considers this, and knocks him out.   Batman runs Joker into the Sewers, with Joker recounting a time where Batman and Robin fought the Joker in the sewer. Bruce clarifies that since this Joker is Tim, he doesn't remember the story entirely.  The real Joker had a room full of kidnapped kids he had been brainwashing into little Jokers.  Some of them would never recover and would go on to form the Jokerz gang.   Copperhead and King Kobra leap out of the shadows to Sting Joker with venom, instead hitting Batman who protected him again.  A delusional Batman tries to fight the Joker, but is easily brought down by the two of them. The Joker gets the upperhand and cuts King Kobra's throat and throws him into the water.  Copperhead tries to kill Joker, but is ultimately stopped.  Joker goes to kill Bruce, but pulls back at the last second.  Batman comes to and reiterates that he intends to lock him in Arkham and throw away the key.   The pair come up from the sewer and find themselves immediately under assault from Machine Gun fire.  Batman pulls Joker inside of a near by building and can't see who is shooting at them.  Batman notices they are on Second Street, and inside Gotham's Second National Bank.  He uses his wrist computer to summon a bat-drone.  This takes down the Machine Gun wielder, Two-Face.  The Bat Drone descends and reveals a secret compartment in the wall near where Batman and Joker came out.  It reveals and hidden stored Bat-cycle.   As Batman and Joker drive down the streets of Gotham a pink motor cycle appears.  The driver whips at Batman and Joker, pulling Joker off the back.  Batman Turns and stops.  The other Driver is revealed to be Flamingo.  "And who are you?" This leads to an epic chase sequence through the streets of Gotham, bursting through several icon locations including the Ice Berg Lounge.  This leads to a confrontation at the gates of Arkham.  Batman beats Flamingo and almost kills him.  Joker/Tim egging him on.  Bruce stops short of killing him and drags Joker and Flamingo inside.  Joker laments that even if Batsy didn't kill Flamingo, he's just as bad as Joker.  He let's his villains live.  He knows they likely won't get well.  And he permanently cripples some of his victims like Joker did to Babs.   Batman hands off Flamingo to someone he doesn't recognize, but demands to walk Joker down to a cell himself. He enters the mess room with Joker walking aside him.  Over the intercom "This is Doctor Hugo Strange, we are locking down the facility per the request of our special guest." Batman remarks "I didn't speak to Hugo Strange" A light highlights Deathstroke at the end of the hall.  "Your right, I did."   Deathstroke fights Batman and Joker.  Part way into the fight, Batman opens two cells and let's Grant Wislon and Rose Wilson join the fight.  The conversation that happens during this fight is about parentage.   Ultimately the two Wilson Children and Joker and Batman take down Deathstroke.   Rose and Grant voluntarily return to their Cells.   Joker tries to kill Batman once more just as he closes the cells.  He eggs on Batman to kill him.  Pushing him.  Bruce tries to get in touch with his Tim side.  He is not successful.  He returns Joker to the Cell.   Batman goes to the Warden's office and finds Clayface acting as Hugo Strange. Batman thanks him for his help in trying to save Tim.  Clayface asks why Batman would put his life in danger to try and save the Joker, and he says it's because he's family.   Bruce donates money to a cancer research facility in the name of Nora Freis.  

[kaedekisaragi]

Kaede Kisaragi Watches The Flash S3E20 - I Know Who You Are

I’LL PROTECT THIS EXTINGUISHER WITH MY LIFE!

Dark street at night. Flash and Savitar. Barry says he knows who he is.

And title card... Huh.

Cecile and Joe apparently had made a new year resolution to run the Central City marathon. Too bad Joe ain't the runner in the family. The two get all loveydovey together, with Cecile openly professing she loves him too much, aaaaand it makes things awkward. And Joe gets a call and heads out, leaving even more awkward.

Barry is showing the team the intel on Tracy Brand, the future developper of the speed trap. The plan is clear: find Tracy and help her finish whatever prototype of the speedtrap she has going for her. But Julian is taking offense to the entire team focusing on Tracy instead of finding Killer Frost, even complaining about Wally's excuse for being absent (going to Earth-3 to visit Jessie). Julian gets told off by Cisco, who says they ARE doing everything they can already, with both flashes having searched the city, using meta app, satellites, facial recognition... Everything they got. Julian and Cisco are still fighting over how Julian 'saved' Caitlin's life. They get a hit on Tracy, who is currently just a grad student. Barry Cisco and HR go off.

As Cisco exposits his distates for academia (and HR says Albert Einstein was Norbert in his world), they smell burning. They run into Tracy's lab, fire extinguisher, she complains she had it under control, her torch sets off, and HR is hysterical clutching the extinguisher XD Turns out she was burning her notes, for she's a failure as a researcher, her dissertation having failed. Ooooh this is gonna be awkward... As she exposits the wonders of her future Big Belly Burger career, the team scrambles to try and persuade her not to give up. Just as she asks how they even know her work... FROSTING DOOR! Barry saves Tracy, HR taking her out, while he gets blasted good by Frost. Aaaand every scene with Cisco facing Frost will be scary won't it? :( Don't take away his haaaands! Barry's sollution to make her flee is rather awesome, using the torch and a fingersnap to ignite it into a flamethrower!

The sketch artist in CCPD makes a perfect drawing of Frost under Tracy's guidance. Joe and Barry nervously discuss how to handle hiding the attack's evidences when Cecile appears to talk to Joe. Joe reassures her he didn't feel weird about her professing her love. Tracy goes to leave, having virtually no faith in Joe's opinion that Frost is after her, certain it was just a random attack.

Frost meets Savitar, who confronts her on letting Tracy go on purpose, saying she's not committing herself to her name of 'Killer', and that she can be free of the suffering of mankind if she is willing to kill Tracy.

HR approaches Tracy at Jitters, where she's ordering from the secret menu: A Zoom? Seriously? HR tries to charm her into helping the team, reciting all her theories with Cisco whispering in his ear. Julian confronts Cisco on how he did not take a very clear shot at Caitlin, but Cisco is not giving him any attention right now. Meanwhile, Barry and Joe discuss Cecile. Barry tells Joe a very Joe-advice: be honest with Cecile about everything, she can know about the Flash and Kid Flash. Tracy confesses to HR her theory about the existence of the speedforce. She thinks she might have found a way to harness it, even control it... But no one believes her, for she is a crackpot. HR turns on the flirting by laying hand on her hand.

Then his coffee freezes. Frost's here! Flash saves Tracy, the whole team assembled. Frost just smiles and runs off... or rather, ices off, going full on Bobby-Drake-Ice-Man-Ramp-Skating. Flash goes after her, telling Cisco to knock her out when he gets a chance. Flash lures Frost back to Cisco, but Cisco hesitates to harm his friend. Flash has to jump in front of him, taking an ice blast. Frost drags an ice-dagger with her as she approaches the fallen Flash. She complements last time's left-leg stabbing by stabbing it again, in the same spot.

Barry seems to heal up pretty fast, given he's standing up in the labs next scene :P. Tracy is taking her future news well, after briefly mixing herself up as being Sarah Connor (rather than Miles Dyson). They ask her help, telling her about the fact one of their own will die if she doesn't build the trap... She does not take this news well. HR goes after her.

Julian once again confronts Cisco on his not stopping Frost. Julian is livid that they could have Caitlin home by now if he had stopped her, but he didn't. Cisco goes off on Julian, saying he is afraid that he might not hold back his power if he attacks Caitlin, and he does not want to kill his best friend and would rather die. Way to go, Mr Sensitivity.

Barry and Joe talk about Cecile again. Joe says Cecile is his only normal thing in life. He doesn't wanna drag her into all of this. Barry reassures him normal is not real, and love is, and he should fight for it.

And Tracy's gone now. Way to go, HR. Also, he wrote a book on inspirational speeches. Not surprised. As they struggle to find her, HR suggests looking for clues on her future data. Good one, actually. They find photos of her near a stone statue of sorts, and HR immediately realizes where she is... Near a statue of Galileo Galilei. He brings her another Zoom (STOP MERCHANDISING MURDERERS! THIS IS AS BAD AS JOKER FRIES!). She admits that discovering she isn't crazy was scary intimidating, she had her own Galileo moment. HR apologizes for tricking her into thinking he was a genius, and does his wonderful peptalk stuff to reassure her of her own qualities. She needs only belief. And he has belief, for what it's worth.

Joe gets a visit by Cecile. She came to confront him, because she feels he's obviously troubled. Joe is hesitant to come clean. She reassures him that their lives changing forever wouldn't be a bad thing. AND HE SAYS HE WANTS TO BREAK UP, WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS JOE?!? JUST BLOODY TELL HER!!! DON'T RUIN YOUR ONLY GOOD THING, FOLLOW YOUR JOE ADVICES THAT BARRY GAVE YOU!!!

ALSO, KILLER FROST CAUGHT CECILE AND IS HOLDING HER AT ICICLE POINT! She says she'll be sending him a message with an address, telling him to go there with Tracy or she'll kill Cecile. Joe tries to get his piece, and gets blasted away. But it's okay, as the team reconvenes, Barry has a plan. Julian confronts Cisco, reassuring him that he believes the Vibe powers come from a place of love, not hate, and that he can stop Frost without killing her. And doing so, save her. Also, HR apparently needs Tracy for their plan... What are you guys doing?

Flash, Tracy and Joe go to the meeting place. Flash tries to talk to Frost... Only to find her repeating his exact words back to him, simultaneously, sneering at him and commenting how similar he and Savitar actually are. Savitar will always be one step ahead, for this is all history to him. So she knows Cisco is waiting for a shot, and she detonates a charge in his hiding spot, blowing him away. She freezes Joe's gun. Flash takes another icy blast for Joe. She flashfreezes him (ba-dum-tish) into his spot, turning to Joe and Tracy. This time though, Vibe vibes her from behind. Icy blast versus Vibe blast duel ensues. Cisco's being forced back. Cisco manages to overpower her and blast her away. Still alive. But then Savitar appears. He takes Frost away.

At the lab, Julian goes over Frost's blood sample Cisco took. Cisco comments how Savitar's knowledge of the future was too precise for just history lessons... With a fully mutated frost blood, they might find her a cure now. HR tries to flirt with Tracy, fails hard, because she's in full on science mode now. She figures that Savitar is so fast travelling that he needs his armor to neutralize the excess heat. She figures they could build a trap to take advantage of this fact. This means she's staying, though she realizes this means her future might change.

Cecile comes for Joe. Joe apologizes for her getting involved... He comes clean, saying he's done lying to protect her. He shows commitment to this by removing his wedding ring, thanking her for not being upset about him always wearing it. He says the L-word to Cecile, and this is all awesome! THEY KISS! AND HE TELLS HER EVERYTHING!

Wally's back home with the family, and Joe tells them how it went. Joe is gleeful, saying love is all that matters, and what would we be without love...? What would we become...?

Barry's eyes go wide as he has an epiphany, finally realizing why Savitar knows everything.

Savitar blames Barry. Said he created him. Savitar said he created himself. He was creating time remnants and savitar kills them all. Savitar told Caitlin all he'd say. He knows his every move. Always one step ahead. All history to him. Alchemy saying... "I am the Future, Flash."

...I am the future, Flash...

Barry excuses himself from the house briefly. He runs off. He confronts Savitar in the street. He knows who he is. All about Savitar is time. Past, Present, Future. He knows it all. And all about Barry. Joe. Wally. Iris. Their strengths. Their fears. How much they love each other. How to use that. Barry thought he couldn't stop him because he was one step ahead, but that's not it.

Savitar didn't 'know' what was gonna happen to them. He was there. He lived it. He remembers it.

...when he was Barry.

Savitar "Like I told you from the beginning... I am the Future Flash."

Barry Allen. From the future. Half his face burned.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND the plot wasn't all that amazing. Problem? I got spoiled hard by tumblr (stupid infinite dashboard feed won't stop spoiling me). All the clues were there, but that comma where it wasn't supposed to be one? Good clue to hide in plain sight. Also, a bit of wicked irony, totally can see our dorky Flash pulling that off as a way to try to be clever. So let's focus on the good: Cecile and Joe. THANK GOD FOR NOT LETTING THIS DRAG OUT INTO A SEVERAL EPISODE WILL-THEY-OR-WON'T-THEY, JOE WEST DESERVES ALL THE LOVES!!! And HR flirting is never boring XD And Cisco's uncertainty about his powers being able to kill Caitlin was a very good touch, further showing how much Vibe is a great hero already.

Will Barry tell the team all about Savitar now? Or will he keep secrets, again? Three episodes left!