#the au that snuck up on me in a dark alley

[whenthegoldrays]

help

[verysium]

blue lock boys as assassins (au i guess?), i hope you could include Oli, Yuki and Barou!

anon you have me at crossroads because the very idea of an assassin AU spawns an infinite glitch of possibilities....🤔 like mafia underground syndicate assassin? or like solitary mysterious hitman type of assassin? or even better could this be ninja/shinobi stealth warrior assassin? i'm going give a general description though:

oliver is the laid-back good guy. escorts you to the bar, drinks on him. claps every passerby on the back as if he personally knows them. you think he's alright. not too handsome and just the right amount of ruggedness. he offers you a good time, so you two hit off for the night. and that's where everything starts to go downhill. one shoot-out, intense knife fight, and grueling police chase later, you pant for dear life against the side of a brick wall in some torn up alley because it turns out your one-night stand was actually an assassin for japan's largest underground syndicate.

you grip your broken heel tightly in one hand, body collapsed against the brick cornerstone as you seethe, the condensation of your gasping breath forming tendrils in the cold night. you reach up a hand to wipe the sweat off your face. it comes back red, the meticulous hours of applying your makeup wasted when you see the damning smears of lipstick. this was not the type of fun you signed up for on a friday night.

"oliver, what the fuck was that?"

he laughs sheepishly, cocking his gun back with ease before he lights up a cigarette, palm cupping the flame. he turns, then walks over two bodies without blinking, suede shoes clicking against the cobblestone. you're angry at him, but he doesn't care, wrapping an arm around your waist, nose buried in your hair.

"just a side hustle, sweetheart. come on, let's get you home."

yukimiya is the sweet, unassuming literature student. he came home from university to help his grandmother out over the summer, manning the front counter of her antique oddities shop. you like him. he's awkwardly charming, a little too zealous for the job, but still endearingly kooky. you have him pinned down as the sad poet type. the kind of person who wears the same knitted cardigan every day, complete with horn-rimmed glasses and 1940's gingham elbow patches. he can handwrite a sonnet in less than a minute, gift-wrap your purchases in record time. you let him buzz around you while you make your daily visit to his shop, listening to him talk about the collections of radioactive glassware, the vintage phonograph in the corner, and the rare edition of Gutenberg bibles sitting silently in the old book section.

"you know, you really don't have to do that."

he peers up at you owlishly, dark brow furrowed before you point out the spool of twine in his hand, the way he's carefully folding the newspaper around the edges of the new vase you purchased. he laughs, shrugging off your concerns with a wave. you catch a brief whiff of his cologne, the subtle scent of mint and toluene. maybe a hint of vanillin too.

"don't worry about it miss! gift-wrapping is a free service. i'll even add two complimentary trinkets if you'd like. we have a clearance section that's been slow to sell. you could even take a few for free."

"i'm alright. thanks for the offer though." he nods, fingers delicately tying a bow before he places your vase in a bag, fluffing up the tissue paper on top. you smile to yourself when you see the intricate lettering of the card he snuck in. must've been another one of the love poems he wrote. you know how the saying goes.

roses are red. violets are blue.

by the time you step out the shop, the door chime twinkles in the distance, a peal of bells to signal your departure. from behind the windows and glass paneling, he watches your figure trail down the sidewalk, winter coat fluttering in the wind. his eyes darken beneath the tortoiseshell frame, finger moving down the yellowed pages of his accounting book before crossing off another name. he doesn't even look up when he hears the loud honking and screams, the sound of a body hitting the pavement.

one is dead, and so are you.

barou is probably the most obvious one. very upfront about the work he does. the only caveat is that you can never trace his work back to him. he cleans up way too well. always shoots his targets through the eye because it's less of a mess that way. leaves absolutely no evidence at the murder scene. i picture you as one of the unfortunate victims caught up in the fray. collateral damage, as he likes to call it.

"you know, i've never met someone so equally stubborn and stupid."

you glare at him, throat sore and aching as you scream through your gag, cursing him out in every language in existence. he merely stares down at you, arms crossed and eyebrow arched in amusement. you struggle for a good minute, flopping around like a fish as you try to free yourself from your bonds. how the hell do you go from taking an errand trip to the grocery store to getting kidnapped and tied up in a man's trunk?

"what's that? couldn't hear you from all the noise."

god, you want to strangle him. you heave a breath, swallowing the bitter taste of your own spit when he finally unties the gag, your lungs gasping for air.

"i said...you think i'm the stupid one? you're the one who tied me up!"

"because you wouldn't stop squealing like a pig."

"you were trying to kill me!" he snorts derisively at your comment, his red eyes piercing and haughty. the loud thump of the trunk door closing reverberates throughout the parking garage before you find yourself face first on the pavement, body dumped unceremoniously on the ground. he looks down at you dismissively, wiping the dust off his hands.

"nah, i'd save myself the hassle."

your eyebrow twitches in irritation, jaw dropping at that violation. oh, it was personal now. he deserved capital punishment. strangling would be too merciful. you try to get back on your feet, a task that proves all the more difficult with your legs bound and arms twisted behind your back. he merely waits, as if knowing when you'd finally give up, sinking at his feet in defeat.

"you done?" you nod your head, slumping down into the concrete. your voice becomes small and sheepish by the time you raise your face to look at him.

"can't you just...let me go? i promise i won't say anything." he rolls his eyes, swinging you over his shoulder in one fell swoop, locking the car with a resounding beep. you start to panic when you feel him carrying you to the garage exit, vision swirling with nothing but concrete and the solid sound of his combat boots.

"wait....wait! i swear to god! please just let me go. i won't tell a soul."

"nope. can't have any witnesses." you feel a handkerchief come up at engulf your nose and mouth, the sweet smell cloying and sharp. you start to squirm in his arms.

"wait! no...please! if you touch me again, i'll scream." his grin is the last thing you see in the darkness, sharp canines brushing against the shell of your ear.

"oh, you'll do so much more than scream, darling."

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Eyes and Ears

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam

Summary: An AU where Barbara finds Jason instead of Bruce.

It's March and Jason's fifteen in this chapter.

Chapters: 36/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Barbara Gordon, Jim Gordon, Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, Sheila Haywood, Original Character(s)

Relationship(s): Jason Todd/Original Character(s), Past Barbara Gordon/Dick Grayson

Additional Tags: Canon Divergent AU, Older SIbling Barbara Gordon, Jason Todd-centric, Barbara Gordon is Oracle, Jason Todd is NOT Robin, Jason Todd Has Issues, Jason Todd Has a Crush, Adopted Siblings

Chapter Thirty-Six: Albatross

Once Jason was well enough, he snuck out of the house and went on patrol. He felt the warm summer wind on his face as he glided from building to building. Jason tensed. He felt a change in the wind and moved his shoulder just enough to keep Bruce from grabbing his arm. "Don't touch me," Jason replied in a voice that he reserved for his Albatross persona.

"I know it's you," Bruce replied. Jason backed away and narrowed his eyes. "J—."

"Albatross," Jason corrected him. Bruce sighed.

"Albatross, I know it's you. She wanted me to check in with you," Bruce explained.

Jason jumped off the building and glided across to the next one. Bruce followed, and they sat on a ledge overlooking the docks. "You didn't protect my sister—."

"Where's your head at, Albatross?" Bruce asked.

Jason looked down at the water as he swung his feet. "It feels a lot like dying... Or close to it. I dunno," Jason mumbled, "You know when you're jumping from one building to the next, and your breath catches? It's like you're dying, and at the very last second... You choose to live."

"You didn't answer my question," Bruce replied seriously.

"I did. You just weren't listening," Jason replied. Bruce sighed. "You act as if I should trust you. I have no reason to trust you."

"You never liked me to begin with," Bruce noted.

Jason shrugged. "I don't trust you. I never said I didn't like you... When are you gonna fix this?" Jason asked. He turned to look at Bruce.

"I don't know what you mean," Bruce replied. Jason scoffed. "Alb—."

"Conversation's over until you can be straight with me," Jason whispered as he sprinted across the rooftop and jumped. He disappeared into a vacant building and watched from the darkness as Bruce searched for him. He chuckled at Bruce's expense as he walked through the building alone.

"Little Bird, what the hell are you doing?" Barbara whispered.

Jason stood up straight, "I was feeling walled in. I had to get out of there—."

"With no backup? Are you crazy?" she asked.

Jason rolled his eyes. "You had him follow me... I don't know why you're so angry. You knew I was fine," Jason replied.

Barbara inhaled through her nose, and Jason knew he'd upset her, but he didn't care. "I didn't make him follow you. I just asked him to see if you were okay," Barbara confessed.

Jason went through the alley and climbed up the fire escape back to the roof. "I'm not okay. I'm never gonna be okay," Jason snapped, "Are you happy now?"

"Albatross—."

"I could lose any of you, and I have to start figuring out what I'm gonna do if that happens. I've gotta figure out how to be alone again," Jason interrupted. Barbara sniffed. Jason knew she was crying, but he didn't know what to say to her anymore. He couldn't let her know what he really had planned. "It's quiet tonight. I'll be back soon."

"Okay, you have an appointment tomorrow," she replied in a broken whisper.

Jason didn't answer her. He stood on the ledge and leaned over until he could feel himself falling, and he glided straight to the fire escape of their apartment. Jason climbed into his bedroom window and changed into his pajamas before stepping out into the hall. Jim lay asleep on the couch, and Jason came and took his glasses off, and he draped a blanket over him. Jim woke up a little. "Still sleeping with your mouth open, old man?" Jason joked in a low whisper.

"Jason?" Jim asked. Jason stopped and looked Jim in the eye. "You okay?"

"I'm alright. I um—. I just woke up a minute ago," Jason replied. Jim closed his eyes. Jason went into the fridge and finished some of the chicken salad from dinner two days before, and he took a shower. He fell asleep and dreamt peacefully for the first night in a long time.

Jason was the first to wake up, and after he got ready, he made breakfast. "Barbara, blueberry pancakes," Jason whispered through her door. Barbara didn't answer. "And home fries... If that makes any difference to you."

"Just come in," Barbara mumbled. He obeyed and came into her room, shutting the door behind him. "I'm not going anywhere. Dad's not going anywhere... I will do whatever it takes to prove that to you, but I can't do that if you've already given up on me."

"You don't care what anyone thinks," Jason replied without thinking. He didn't realize the sting of his words until he'd said them.

"I care what you think!" Barbara screamed. Silence fell between the two while she collected herself. "I care what you think... Because you're important to me."

Jason stood frozen as he watched Barbara start to cry, and he whispered, "I want to kill him... Every day I wake up, and I want him dead because he took you both away."

"Jason, you can't—."

"Maybe not now, but someday, I'll have the opportunity, and I'll take it—."

Barbara grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "You won't do that. You won't do it because you're too sweet of a kid. You've always been a good kid, and you've never done anything wrong for the sake of wrongdoing...

You're not going to do it, not because you can't. I'm sure you could if you put your mind to it... You aren't going to do it because I'm asking you not to. I'm not telling you. I'm asking you," Barbara whispered seriously, and Jason softened.

"But he—."

"I know. I know... But I don't want you to do that. I really don't. I just want my little brother back," Barbara whispered, and they hugged.

"I really did make blueberry pancakes," Jason whispered, and Barbara chuckled.

"I'm glad you didn't come in here under false pretenses," Barbara whispered as she let go of him. They ran into Jim, who sat at the table eating breakfast without them. "Dad..."

"What? I wasn't gonna let the food get cold," Jim replied. Jason shook his head as he sat down and made his plate. They almost felt normal again.

After breakfast, Jim dropped Jason and Barbara off at their therapy appointments. Barbara offered to sit with Jason while he waited for Meera. "No, thanks... I'm gonna be okay," Jason answered honestly. He filled out the questionnaire and sat still staring up at the clock while waiting for her to come and get him.

A girl came out of the office and called Jason's name. He sat up straight and furrowed his brows. "Jason?" she called again, and he got up and followed her to the office. "I know, everyone thinks I'm a kid at first glance. I'm twenty-six... Meera." She stopped in the doorway and waved once in the introduction of herself.

"Jason... Alisa referred me to you," Jason replied.

[crimsonlyinglilly]

No. 7: “ “I paced around for hours on empty; I jumped at the slightest of sounds.”

Alleyway | Radio Silence | “Can you hear me?”

a little late but here's day 7

Sage because the girl deserves more and Sage/Finn because they didn’t get nearly enough in canon and Finn needs something to make up for all I’m, by that I mean Dahlia, is going to put him through this month.

Oh and Henrik lives in this AU.

—--

Sage always tends to meet Mikaelsons in alleyways.

It starts with the youngest when they were all still human before the creation of the monsters to be, when a young boy with still healing scars attempted to hide from the stares and was followed into the small gap between two buildings by a predator of a human sort.

Sage followed, and the man who had planned to prey on the boy never left. They were found by one of the boy’s older brothers, the other dark haired one, Kol who gave her an appraising look after he saw the body but thanked her after introducing himself and left with the younger boy under his arm.

*

A little over two years later she’s bleeding out in an alleyway not far from the first, choking on her breath as she regretted not checking for a weapon, alone as the man had fled when he realised he wouldn’t get his fun with her dying.

“Can you hear me?” a voice called, she blinked, the world coming into focus to find the second Mikaelson boy, Kol looking down at her.

She glared up at him, not sure why he was bothering in her last moments.

“Sorry,” he shrugged, crouching down to her, “See i have an idea but i need a test subject, if this works take it as repaying you for saving Henrik. If it doesn’t, you're dead, sorry.”

Before she could muster the strength to question him he pushed his wrist to her mouth and held her head there.

She died with a taste of iron in her mouth from blood that wasn’t hers. She wakes later to his grinning face.

An experiment he had explained, it was a moment of chance that he had smelt her blood and recognized her while he had escaped his family to muse on his lost magic. He had the chance to explain the basics of what she had become and left her a ring to allow her into the daylight before he and the rest of his siblings fled to europe.

*

She only met Klaus because Henrik had recognized her.

“Sage?” the voice called her from Alice, the young sister who had snuck out of the convert to see her. For a moment she had just stared, after two and a half centuries her human life seemed more like a dream than reality sometimes, until the mind caught up.

“Henrik, you look well.” she smiled at the boy, shifting Alice to rest against her shoulder, leaving the barley conscious woman to mouth at her neck, where she had already cut.

“How-?” He asked stepping further into the alley, before she could answer him a nd pulled him back.

“Henrik, mind introducing you friend?” Klaus asked, an undercurrent of threat in his words while around Henrik,, she wondered if he knew how much like his father when he spoke like that.

“This is Sage, she saved me back when we were human, Sage this is my brother Klaus.” Henrik replies, apparently not noticing the threat as he tried to step closer.

“Sage?” he asked with a charming smile even as he held Henrik back, if she was another woman it might have worked but his charm was far too much like the men she had grown up with.

“Just Sage.” she smiled, her father may have freed her from thralldom but she had no interest in keeping him or his name alive. 

“And how-” Klaus attempted to take another step in front of Henrik only to be nearly pushed over by him.

“How are you still alive?” Henrik interrupted and Sage smothered her amusement at the look of indignation Klaus sent his way. 

“Didn’t your brother tell you?” she asked but the look of confusion on Henrik’s and irritated realistion on Klaus’s faces answered that question for her, “Kol found me before you left, he said he wanted to experiment and as i was ready dying.” she shrugged, it not quite a grand beginning of a new life but she enjoyed her new life far better than she would have the Hall’s her father’s gods offered. 

“Kol!” Klaus snarled, she may have jumped at the sudden aggression but with Alice still plastered to her front she hid it.

She had been paying attention to the rumours about the Original family and it was a well known fact that either the two oldest brothers were at each other’s throats or tearing through villages together.

“Niklaus I'm positive he had a reason for not telling us.” Henrik tried to calm the now livid, Klaus gave her a look before turning away stalking away, forcing the younger to follow.

“Yes, his own bloody amusement” Klaus snapped but slowed enough for the shorter to catch up. “I'm going to ring his neck.”

She was relieved when the ranting faded, it had been a long time since she had felt threatened by anyone and Klaus Mikaelson brought back far too many memories of her human life. 

She took Alice home and in the morning offered her a choice of freedom from her vow and made a note to herself to avoid Klaus in all future opportunities.

*

Finn was special, even if it’s a few centuries before she finds out he and his siblings were Mikealsons. It’s a few years after her meeting with Klaus and Alice had left her side to enjoy the world on her own.

She first finds him in an underground bar and watches him, she can taste the power but under the cold, impassive charm that has both men and women staring, she knows the look of someone haunted, far too like the pretty young wives with controlling husbands waiting at home. 

Moreover she notices while he only leaves with men he watches the women with more interest, with a longing,  so when she notices him watching her more than a few times she decides to get answers on the fifth night and gets him to follow her to the alleyway just outside one of the exits.

“What do you want?” he asks before she has a chance, she smiles at the clear clipped accent that is far older than those around them, his next words relieving he knew what she was made him even more interesting. “I'm not someone you can feed on.”

“You know most of the girls you’ve been watching would have to have a chance at you.” she tells him instead drawing closer, she didn’t get involved with witches much, but she could almost taste the power he had from across the room, she wanted to see how it felt to touch him.

“I can’t risk it.” He offers as she sets a hand on his chest, the honesty clear in his eyes and the steady heartbeat under her hand, even with her close enough to bite he was unafraid, instead he looks at her with curiosity and something else.

“A child.” There's a story there, but she decides to leave it for now after nearly a week of watching him. It had worked up a hunger in her that wasn’t fading the closer she got to him. He was looking at her in a way she was unfamiliar with even after centuries alive she wanted more.

“But how about me?” the words slip from her before she had really thought them through.

“What?” his mouth hangs over a little in shock and she doesn’t think she’s wanted to kiss another as much before but still she waits.

“I know you’ve been watching me and  you know what I am, you don’t need to worry about that with me.” she smirks gently backing him up against the wall but giving him room to escape if he wanted. Instead he meets her as she leans forward. At first it was gentle but it quickly grew heated until she front her feet lifted from the floor and her back against the wall.

Kissing Finn, being with him even in the quiet moments just listening to his breathing, to his heartbeat, his eyes watching her. It was like finding a part of herself that was missing, some romantic part of her wondered if this, he, was the reason she woke up in that alleyway two centuries before.

She meets the real him in the alleyway behind the bar and didn’t realise she gave her heart to him until another alleyway a century later. He admits his deepest thoughts to her even those he doesn’t place on his siblings and she confesses hers, the ones she had kept to herself since she was alive, and yet none of it ever changes how they look at each other.

Finn tells her his first tattoo was of a Dahlia flower because he had still be concerned she would harm his brother of marking something of hers and had hoped a flower of her namesake would prevent that, in the centuries while he sleeps, and coloured inks become more popular Sage thinks of one day taking Finn to get the Dahlia coloured in golds and red, as far from the black hearted woman that keeps him.   

*

Rebekah finds her while he and Finn are in the middle of convincing a young man to invite them back to his home where his wife was waiting, she does reduces the amount she kills during her time with Finn, it’s not much of a hardship since their time is precious, instead to uses the time to introduce him to as much as she can.

To give him something to dream of while he’s trapped with the witch.

However that does mean she has little patience for any intrusions 

“Sage.” The tone is cold and she can hear the superior attitude that had always grated her nerves.

“Rebekah.” she returned with a far more pleasant tone, she had Finn she wasn’t going to let a spoiled little girl ruin her night. 

She isn’t that surprised to be recognized, Klaus had insisted she sit for him when it had come to his attention she was in town, Rebekah likely had seen the portrait. Sage had sat for hours while Klaus sketched and painted while staring at one of the Mikaelson family, Rebakah sitting in the centre of her brothers. 

“You really are as much a Harlot as I remember.” Rebekah spat and Sage wanted to laugh, as if rumours from people centuries dead and forgotten, just because the Mikaelson were still haunted by their past didn’t mean she was, she had leant to leave it behind in the alleyway she had died in. 

She moves from Harold’s neck to kissing the frown from Finn’s mouth at the words. While her white knight could likely bring an Original down with little effort it would be temporary and all that would do was bring her brothers after them.

“Harry here is taking home to meet his wife,” she called back, carefully shifting them all upright to walk away. “Not all of us are so reserved, perhaps you try to branch out,” she advised, as Finn slipped an arm around both of them, leaving slightly dazed and confused Harold in the middle of them and the walked away from the Original “just because we’re centuries old doesn't mean one has to stay so old fashioned.” she turned to wave back.

She chuckles to herself at the memory of Rebekah’s expression every time afterwards.

*

Sage had lived a long time to know a trap when she saw one, so the young lady walking alone on dark streets far too close to the worst part of town with pretty petticoats that screamed wealth catches her eye, she’s played that game. Not one to interrupt another’s game she watches as the lone wandered gained three followers and ‘took a wrong turn’ into a dead end.

She arrives at the tail end of the fight to three downed men and the lady flipping a knife she had clearly taken from one of the attackers, the lady sighed, one that spoke heavily of disappointment.

“I had expected better.” The words were spoken in an upper class accent but she has to give a second glance when she registers the voice, deeper than a woman’s by far. “Oh pardon, i didn’t see you there.” he looked at her for a moment. “Were you hunting them? you're free to feed on them now.”

It was only then that Sage realised there were only two heartbeats in the alleyway, and the power she could feel from man was only slightly lesser than Finn’s.

 “I was only looking for a good fight, perhaps I should have thought better than dressing like this. I should have known it would only lure out the cowards.” The man ended his statement by flicking the knife from his hand into the remaining living man’s throat, who died quickly choking on his own blood.

“Have a good evening.” the person bid her as they slipped away, it was spoken softly and if she hadn’t just seen and heard everything, she would have been fooled, with the veil replaced they once again seemed nothing more than a lost young lady.

When she confessed the strange tale to Finn later, her love simply groaned and laid his face onto her shoulder. “You met Elijah love, I had hoped to give you a proper introduction.” 

They never do get around to a proper introduction, Elijah leaves town that night and by the time they meet it’s been centuries since that night. 

“Good evening?“ Elijah smirks, his voice oddly soft, Sage laughs and Finn’s eyes are bright with joy.

—-

Freya she doesn’t meet in an alleyway, Freya she meets in the middle of the Mikaelson’s home, Dahlia dead and her love freed.

“I’m glad to meet you sister.” Freya grinned when she had Finn finally loosen their hold on each other, and pulled her into a hug.

[cherry-pop-elf]

🥀 : Ok. I got this AU idea That i wanna throw into the world, as I’m drawing art for it. It’s called “ReallyHogwarts” it’s a dumb meta AU of Harry Potter

🥀: The premise is that JKR did pull a Rita Skeeter, and made a prophet off of Harry Potter. And of course tweaked it and edited ir to meet her own agenda of course.

🥀: By the time the Ministry was aware of it, it already became to big of a deal. Meaning if they got involved, so many eyes would be on them

🥀: So they did a sneaky. They FED INTO IT. They have muggleborns work at the infamous Harry Potter World, and Harry Potter Locations. Feeding into the idea that magic is fake. That if anyone saw real magic, they wouldn’t even believe it themselves. Along with be seen as insane by others.

🥀: The main setting for the AU is at Harry Potter World. Where real wizards pretend to be ‘actors’ and such. Mostly muggle borns, as they would be used to the muggle world. Able to be able to ‘act muggle’ if you will.

🥀: One of the biggest reasons the wizards work there, is also because dark wizards try and take advantage of the fact muggles think it’s all fake. So it’s a breeding ground for dangers. Hence why another reason wizards work there. Governmentally assigned even as agents.

🥀: Doesn’t mean you can’t have other characters outside of the setting. That’s just where it ‘originated’ if you will. It’s a AU. HAVE FUN!

🥀: Here are some stuff I’ve gotten the ideas for. And hope you guys can add on and just ya! And tag me to! Pls! I wanna build this fun world with you guys!

🥀: Fred and George are very aware, and honestly have the most fun with it. They even straight up snuck a floo network inside of the Fake WWW. Hidden behind a fake door, that’s suppose to look fake. Like a prop. They love being ‘face characters’ and just kinda have their fathers spark about the muggle world

🥀: The HPMA cast is there to. Of course. Since Daniel is a muggle born, he works there as a ‘Potion’ master. Which is running a kid friendly bar in ‘digaon alley’ that has a happy hour for adults

🥀: Cherry is a ‘Durmstrang student’ there, and loves showing off his fire breathing. Since they are governmentally assigned to HPW they are allowed to use magic. Encouraged if anything. But he won’t lie. Being told the ‘special affects are amazing’ kinda gets old

🥀: Lottie does character’s there, and loves being able to see so many new faces. Along with hear stories, and see how happy their world makes muggles. She loves to also doodle her fellow wizard family constantly

🥀 : The likes of Cassandra and the twins more so go there to be a menace and tease them at the park. Which looks like just ‘acting’ to muggles themselves

🥀: Another trick they have at the park is when doing a thing where they pick people out of the audience, they’ll typically pick actual wizards. As to keep things safe. They do pick out muggles here and there, to avoid suspicion, but it’s mostly wizards

🥀: Wizards do also work at HPW, but it’s mostly muggle borns/half borns. As they know the lingo and body language to keep from being to uncanny. Along with not fucking up with their magic at the wrong time

🥀: Of course the actual cast of Harry Potter pop in now and again. Fascinated by it all, and playfully pointing out what’s wrong and what’s wrong. Like how Harry and Draco are 100% together, and find it comical that everyone on the fandom is painfully aware of or. That even JKR couldn’t write the gay away

🥀: Guess you can see this AU very meta. How the fandom literally took HP away from JKR and made it its own entity. How we just re wrote things, and accepted that. How her canon isn’t our canon. A love letter to the fandom if you will! : D

🥀: When using this concept, the hashtag is “ReallyHogwarts” it’s fun and simple. Along with effective! Please tag me if you make art/writings about it! It’s a fun little meta AU where you pretty much put your OCs/Canon characters in a setting like this. MC’s as well! Where they are following YOUR canon, and just hijinxs of wizards working in a place where muggles think it’s all fake.

🥀: Have fun with it! Let me see what crosses your mind! I’m excited! I’ll have art for this soon! : D Thanks for reading my little silly thing! Ask me any questions you have! Please!

[timelessxmemories]

I dunno if you remember the au but here's a little thing for the soces and greasers au

The triplets made their way as quietly as they could down the alleyway. It had been a long day out, and they wanted to get home before midnight. It was the summer so it was still pretty light out, but none of them wanted to risk getting jumped while they were unarmed. Shep held up the back, while Cat and Pup walked in front of him. Shep suddenly stopped, pulling his brothers back by their arms. “I hear somethin.” All three scanned the alley. Their search was cut off by Shep yelling in pain and buckling forward. Two boys had snuck up behind them, both wearing orange sweaters. The white cotton of the button-ups they wore under them stuck out, and their collars were folded nice and proper. They looked the exact opposite of anyone you would expect to attack you in a dark alley. The ensuing fight went horrible for the triplets. Shep couldn’t get off the ground in time to help his brothers fend off the attackers since evrytime he began to get up he’d get his hand stepped on or a kick in the ribs or something of the sort. Cat was locked in combat with Gordie, with Gordie dodging around him and managing to catch Cat in the cheek with his knife. Gordon was showing no mercy to Pup, leaving a few long cuts on his face. Neither Gordon said a word during the attack. The triplets tried to shout them off but to no avail. Eventually the two left, and the three tried to recuperate. Shep looked over his two brothers. “You two ok? Anything too deep?” Cat shook him off, but Pup looked to be near tears. “He ripped up my face!” “I can see that, Pup. Let’s get ya inside and cleaned up.” Shep led them both home, Pup still yowling about his face. Shep had to resist the urge to put a hand over his brother’s mouth, but he knew that Pup was just in pain. He just got them both home and sat on the edge of the tub. He got the water nice and warm, and soaked two cloths with it and rubbed some soap over them before handing them to his two brothers. “There you go, just…clean yourself up, ok? You two have blood everywhere…” He watched them clean up, and once he was satisfied then he worked on himself. He wasn’t hurt that badly, he just rinsed off a cloth and used it for himself. He wasn’t sure why those two had attacked. They were usually pretty nice, if a bit quiet. Just like a soc to trick you into thinking they’re helpless, he guessed.

Augh<333 I love this so so much, thank you<333 I forgot how much I genuinely loved the triplets.. Especially Pup. I would post this AU once again, but maybe later considering how crowded my head is right now. But thank you for sending me this, my little mantis

[eskawrites]

okay just saw the flayed!robin au thing..obsessed with the idea!! Anymore snippets or ideas for that I think im hooked

*cracks my knuckles and puts on my dark scenes writing playlist*

Nancy's head is filled with echoes she can't get out. Victor Creel's nails scraping against the table. Henry's voice reverberating between her ears, making her head pound. Mike screaming her name before the roof of the mall caves in. El's cries as she floats in a pool, Nancy's old dress floating around her tiny body. Barb's soft voice, this isn't you.

None of it--none of it--compares to the way Robin screams as she pulls the trigger.

Panic floods her mind, and she whirls around, sure that something terrible happened. Something else snuck up on them while Nancy faced down the demodog. She missed, somehow hitting Robin even though Robin is behind her and to the side, and Nancy never misses. Something went wrong--Robin wouldn't be screaming like that, collapsing back against the wall and clutching her side, if it hadn't.

But nothing seems out of place. The demodog Nancy shot falls to the ground, no longer moving. Nothing else has approached them. And though Robin is panting and sweating as she grips her side, there's no blood. No torn clothes or bruised skin. Everything seems...fine.

No, not fine. Because Robin shoves away from Steve when he reaches for her, and she stumbles over her feet as she backs away from all of them, eyes wide and fearful. And when her gaze flits to Nancy's, something dark and hateful crosses her face.

"Robin?" Steve asks, still trying to approach her. Robin shakes her head. She's so pale. A bead of sweat trails down from her hairline. There's a cruel light in her eyes that Nancy has never seen before--has never even thought Robin capable of.

Because Robin's eyes aren't cruel. They're warm, and usually crinkled in a smile, or at least some level of mischief. Even when she's angry, her eyes are bright, not dull and cold like they are now.

They're also, Nancy realizes, usually blue. But now they're dark, too dark, nearly black.

"Robin," she breathes, and she doesn't even bother to hide the way her voice breaks.

Robin tilts her head--too far, the movement too exaggerated, tugging her neck at an almost unnatural angle--and smirks.

"Took you long enough," she says, her voice flat. Distantly, Nancy hears Dustin cry out behind her. "I was beginning to think you don't care about her after all."

"You piece of--"

"She was beginning to think it, too."

Nancy raises the revolver and levels it at Robin's chest, clenching her jaw as she feels the tears build behind her eyes.

Robin raises an eyebrow. "Are you going to shoot me, Nancy? Can you really live with yourself if you hurt another friend?"

She won't, she can't, but she holds Robin's--his--gaze and tries to keep her voice steady anyway. "Let her go."

"Or what? You'll kill me, like you killed Eddie? Fred? Barb?" The name echoes in her ears, his words but Robin's voice. Their eyes meet, and Nancy sees absolutely nothing behind her gaze as she continues, "You know, she was my friend, too. And you killed her."

Something inside her snaps. Dustin and Steve both cry out, but Nancy ignores them as she drops the gun and lunges forward to shove Robin against the wall.

"Let her go!"

Robin's head cracks against the brick, but she doesn't even flinch. She just glares down at Nancy, that cold hatred back in her gaze.

"It's too late," she says. "You can't save her, Nancy. In fact, you're the reason I chose her in the first place."

Nancy falters, just for a moment, but it's enough. Robin shoves her back, hard enough to send her crashing to the ground. Nancy scrambles for her gun, calling out to the others, "Stop her!"

But Robin twists away from Steve's reach and takes off running down the alley. She's fast, her movements measured and determined--nothing like the way Robin actually runs. Nancy wants to cry. She wants to scream. She picks up the gun and pushes to her feet, ready to sprint after her.

The sound of howls picks up around them, echoing in every direction, and all of them freeze. She hears Robin's cackle as she turns the corner and disappears from view.

[iheartchv]

Mistletoe Matchup 🌿🍒

I’ve never requested or done an ask before. I thought this would be perfect for my first. I love your writing style and am currently getting to know your Dark Turtles AU!

I have loved 🧡Michelangelo🧡 since I was a toddler. Bayverse Mikey is the silliest and sweetest being I’ve ever seen. He is himself unabashedly! I adore him even more for it. I’m currently working on a playlist of songs that make me think of Bayverse Mikey (I may share it… but I don’t know. The intimidation I’ve created in my head about how it would be accepted is strong.)

About me: 5’5”, dark brown eyes, dark brown curly hair with copper highlights, and I think he’d love that I have a dimple on my each cheek when I smile. I love baking at Christmas but am currently laid up for about 6 weeks with a broken ankle. So, I am trying to keep my mind occupied with crochet, fanfics about our favorite turtles, and music. I can just see Mikey being the ultimate lover/partner in my current situation. He’d keep my depression and boredom from consuming me.

I got your message, and I know for sure you'd be paired with Mikey so I'm gonna do a AU bayverse Dark Turtles match up for you😊

Your match is... Dark Mikey

Mike has fallen in love with you

Or more like you stole his heart, as he would put it

You were always captured because you were friends with the good turtles

He would tease you everytime

He's 'playing with his food'

He got mad whenever the turtles would come to your rescue, stealing you away from him

However he always tried to see you

Youd see him in the shadows of alleys or dark corners of buildings, just watching

One time he 'stalked' you to your place to give you something he made

He liked the attention he got from you whenever you got kidnapped by him and his brothers

The good in you saw that Mike was curious about you and the world around him

You had humored him and actually liked seeing the playful sweet side of him

You accepted his gift with a smile in which you could see that he embaressed, nervous

For many nights, even in daylight, he snuck out to hang out with you

You met him at abandoned/secluded areas to avoid much attention from people

As time went by you grew to like him

He was so much like his twin Michelangelo

Just in a twisted sort of way

But you was determined to change him

Mike fought with you when there was truce between his brothers and the turtles

He admired you

He couldn't stop daydreaming about you

He started to change, and his brothers noticed

He didn't expect you to say yes when he asked you wanted to be in a relationship with him

Its been a rollar coaster but rollar coasters are fun in the end, right?

During Christmas Day, he was saddened by the fact that he wasn't able to get you a gift

The bulky dark yellow turtle wanted to show you jow much he liked you

Your heart melted and tears welled in your eyes

You jumped and wrapped your arms around his neck

"Oh, Mike. I don't need gifts to be happy. As long as I have you, that's all I need."

You saw his blue-golden eyes get misty

You showered him with lots of love and affection, encouraging him to copy you

He ended up making a low churring sound that rumbled in his chest, and held you close to him where his forehead touched yours

😈💛🐢💖👩🏻

Hope you like your match 👉💛👈

[the-fiction-witch]

Why Wait Till Tomorrow

Media The Maze Runner AU

Character: Newt 

Couple: Newt x Reader

Rating Cute

Concept: A World Run By Wicked

My black boots seemed to echo through the dark cobblestones streets, the sound of it echoing off rock and steel. The sky that loomed over me was the constant grey, having never once seen anything else.

I kept my breaths steady as I walked making sure not to draw attention to myself.

As much as you can try, you can't be invisible. It's whether or not you get noticed.

I felt my watch vibrate slightly on my wrist. I didn't need to look at it, I knew what it meant. A moment later the sharp sound erupted.

From every lamppost and street sign sat metal speakers they whined and crackled slightly as they always did before the song began.

‘All Hail Wicked.

In Her Beauty.

In Her Times of trial

and success.

All Hail to Wicked

and the spark high above us all

bringing us songs and shade from the sun. All Hail to Wicked

blessed are we to be with her.

All Hail to Wicked

Let her reign forever more.’

I hated the damn song.

It played from these speakers twice a day, more on holidays and events.

Everyone knew it.

Everyone sang it.

The original recording of the song was done so many years ago the original singer was long dead, even if her voice was still hauntingly plaid.

The echo of the song filled the air as everyone sang it in perfect time and perfect tune.

But I suppose they had to, from as early as you could speak you'd be taught it and I'd heard stories of people being whisked away to the isle for daring to ignore the song, there was a tale on the print a year or so ago that told of a man who forgot a line one day, his ankles were broken by the enforcers and this was reported in the print as a good thing, enforcement was praised and the man because a social pariah.

I hurried myself heading down the street past the Langford theatre where the man himself stood. I didn't say a word to him and he said none to me.

Simply moving over to stand with me, walking in line with our boots and words hidden by the loud song.

"Ya ready for this?" Vince asks

"As I'll ever be" I told him "news on Minho?"

"Not a word since last Cresent" he says "gave up y/n. He's dead. Or worse."

"I hope he's dead" I told him as we walked soon enough snuck in an alley I spotted the red mop of hair a shock to his black outfit of jeans and a long button down. We didn't say a word to him and he didn't to us but he joined us.

I picked up the pace knowing we didn't have long, they were on the last verse the further we went more people in black we came across and all of them joined our walk so by the time we reached the corner of new Oxford Street we had a crowd of At least fifty people just as the song was on its last few lines.

"We'll hang back. Wait for the cue" Vince spoke up

"Understood" I nodded

"Make some fireworks y/n" Harriet smirked handing me the large metal hammer from his bag

I took it and headed down Oxford Street as the song ended.

As always there was a moment of silence after the song of everyone thinking, it was meant to be a moment for those lost, those forgotten, but most just froze in fear of what would happen if they didn't. People stood around the little wooden framed shops, mostly women in pastel dresses and men in suits and ties. Frozen. Stopped. As if someone had pressed pause on them. Stood like robots waiting for it to be over.

The speakers hissed in the silence, the slight sound of whirring coming from the many cameras who zoomed and searched each person. I made sure I saw one making unbroken eye contact with its lense.

And in the silence I screamed hearing my voice echo through the streets, in this quiet my voice could likely have been heard for miles.

"Shut Down The Spark!"

And I swung the heavy metal hammer as hard as I could and let it go. It made contact with the glass window of a bakery shop immediately shattering the glass, sending the broken shards tumbling to the floor.

For a moment not a soul moved but everyone looked at me.

One scream erupted from a woman in a yellow dress and soon enough every woman was screaming running to the arms of men who pulled them in to protect them.

But I could feel the vibrations through the cobblestones and second's later I was followed by everyone we had gathered on the walk making any left run, as fast as they could to the underground to get away from us.

Everyone breaking windows, smashing lights, pulling cameras down all while chanting as Loud as possible

'Shut down the spark! Shut down the spark!'

I grabbed a sledgehammer off a young girl near the back and joined of course, heading over to the camera I had made the contact with going as close to it as I physically could meer inches from the lense.

I took my trademark panic purple lipstick from my pocket drawing an X or a kiss on the lens with the lipstick, before backing away blowing the camera a kiss and then smacking it with my sledgehammer so hard it shattered into pieces that scattered across the street.

"Bots!" I heard Harriet yell from the end of the street and indeed there was a crowd of enforcers at the end of the street, everyone formed a line a marched giving them no choice but to do the same leaving us at a standoff

'Shut down the spark! Shut down the spark!" We shouted as loud as possible

And one voice rose from the enforcer's line

"Stop this. Turn yourselves in. You do this willingly, you will not be harmed"

"Screw the bots! Screw the bots! Screw the bots!" Everyone cheered

"This is your last chance, come willingly or face the consequences" he warned

Not a soul moved holding our line strong

"Alright. You had your chance" he says and immediately in his word they began to attack and of course we thought back making sure they didn't get anybody for too long but there was just too many of them.

I felt someone grab my wrist and pulled me through the crowd our the back of our line and I saw it was Vince

"What the hell!"

"y/n go."

"No. I have to stay I-"

"y/n! Go. Lead everyone back"

"You lead them back I'll stay"

"We don't have time to argue!" He yelled as many began running away too "we just lost Minho. I'm not losing you to"

"Fine" I to run many who could get away following me, everyone doing our best to avoid detection, going to the little places we all knew, I made it to the tracks on West Street so I held the door making sure everyone got down into the tunnel. Until I spotted an enforcer on our trial "shit"

"Come quickly!" The last girl urged

"You go. I'll lose him"

"What about you?"

"Don't worry about me." I told her quickly shutting and locking the door, I got his attention and bolted as fast as I could leaving him to chase after me "what have I got myself in for" I sighed as I ran making sure to get onto the track streets were it was harder to run hard for me but worse for him, I knew I couldn't run all the way to the border and everyone would have shut the tunnels off by now.

But luckily I saw parked up on the side of the road still on its track a little blue moped unfortunately it has a rider.

"Hey, weird little question. But could you give me a ride?" I smiled as nicely as I could as I approached.

And the rider turned to see me.

They were as thin as a rake, blue and white lace up canvas shoes with hearts drawn on them, right blue skinny jeans with a withered old grey belt, a long sleeve white shirt with a pastel blue button down over it half unbuttoned, his white Moto jacket over him too and his white open face helmet in hand, he had a freshly cut mess of light blonde hair with brown roots to match his brows and eyes, which to mention were fairly wide as the sound of someone speaking to him his helmet gripped tightly in his skinny fingers as he too looked me up and down noticing my every detail

"Uuuuuhh- h- hi" he stuttered moving his leg over to this side of his bike so he could sit facing me "you uuhh you wanted what sorry?" He asks shaking himself from his head

"I was just wondering if you'd mind giving me a ride home, if it isn't too much trouble" I cooed as innocently as I could attempting to sound as sweet as I could

"Oh uhh no, no not at all" he smiled getting up sitting his helmet on the bike offering his left hand where his watch sat for a moment. I held my breath, better test than any I could do at home I guess. I moved my hand over his own letting his watch scan mine and mine scan his immediately his alerted with a little happy bell and I exhaled in relief checking my own "no trouble at all...y/n" he says having to check it for my name

"Thanks, Uhhh" I said as his hadn't actually come up on mine, I need to fix that

"Newt. It's tricky I know" he smiled clearly scrolling through my file but acting like he wasn't before quickly returning his focus "I don't have an extra helmet I'm afraid but I'll drive carefully I promise" he smiled "where are we going exactly? The address hasn't shown up" He asks pointing to his watch

"Ohh I moved recently,”

“Oh, yeah they take forever to update don’t they”

“Yeah, just to circle nine if you can I need to see someone"

"Circle nine? No problem, I was heading that way anyway" he smiled, climbing back on his bike and offering me the front seat with a tap or two.

So I climbed on immediately noticing an enforcer at the end of the road clearly keeping his eye out for anything unusual I did my best to get comfortable on the little moped and also not look suspicious as Newt for his helmet on and put his arms around me to reach the handles staring it up, electric of course so no engine sound and the moped slowly moved down the track not to inline a small child's roller coaster slowly going down the streets following his on-screen instructions for directions

"So what takes you to circle nine then?" He asks

"Ohh visiting my sister" I lied "you?"

"Aww that's nice, said I'd drop my dad his dinner off while he's at work" he shrugs

"That's kind of you"

"Well I'll be moved out soon might as well do them as many favours as I can while I'm still here" he explained

"Found yourself a place then?"

"No, not yet. Got to find a girl first" he chuckled "got my eye on this lovely little place over in circle two"

"Circle two. Expensive up there"

"There not too bad with my discount" he shrugs and soon enough we arrived at the worse place in circle nine we could have arrived at, the enforcers office "I'll drop his stuff off then I'll drop you home y/n" he smiled climbing off the moped "just a moment" he smiled taking my hand giving it a soft kiss before he went to the doors scanning himself in with his watches screen. I was undeniably nervous. Any of these enforcers could know who I was. Honestly I'm surprised Newt didn't recognize me. I thought about just taking the moped and bolting but it was synced to his watch so it was turned off till he got back and syncing it to mine would take too much time not to mention the obvious stupidity of the idea, of stealing a moped parked Infront of the enforcers office

Soon enough Newt returned climbing back on the bike "all done. Now you direct me" he says starting it up again, I have him directions mostly making him go around in circles getting him lost near the end of circle nine he did try chatting with me nothing important just mindless chatter

"Stop here. I need to check the Address I think" I lied as we pulled into a small off street with no cameras in sight

"No problem take your time I don't have to be home for another hour or so" he smiled

"I uhh I don't know what's going on maybe her address isn't coming up right in here" I laid fiddling with my watch

"Maybe." He says "uhh y/n?" He says slipping his helmet off

"Yeah?" I asked waiting for some people to wander past the end of the road turning to sit on the side of the moped but he took my hand softly making me a little confused

"I'm sorry, but I had to be sure… I saw on your profile you're well…" he blushed making me hold my breath "Not taken" he blushed and I sighed in relief trying not to giggle well this is a good distraction

"You looked?"

"I did. I'm sorry I just couldn't believe it to be true when I first saw it. I checked twice. I can't help thinking this was… a chance meeting of fate. And I admit you're very beautiful" he smiled "I uhh I don't have work tomorrow, did you maybe wanna go out maybe take a nice walk In Melrose park?" He suggested

"That sounds very nice. But why wait till tomorrow" I cooed nuzzling close to his neck stroking his shirt, I could feel and hear his heart beating fast, his breaths sharp as he eagerly glanced down at me

"Uuuuuuuuuuughh-" he gasped melting into the tiny touch of my skin against him "y/n…" he sighed happily his eyes rolling back into his head

God you'd think I was doing something serious to him all I'm doing his nuzzling at his neck and kinda poking him

He glanced at my lips clearly egar to kiss them I went along with it allowing him to get get inches before I grabbed his shirt and pushed him as hard as I could onto the cobblestones

"Oww!" He complained in shock,

I synced the moped to my watch and quickly pulled out the speed Inhibitor

"What are you doing y/n?" He asks very confusedly Still laid on the floor confused

"Thanks for the ride Newt" I smirked blowing him a kiss before rushing off as fast as the little moped would go much faster now without the inhibitor the screen going crazy trying to stop me but I ignored it getting out of circle nine and even circle ten even if it didn't like leaving the tracks at the end of circle ten.

[ashinaburrito]

Never Trust a Narcissist

For the fill Criminal AU for @obiquinbingo

Quinlan checked over his disguise in the cabin of his room on the transport. They’d be landing on Mepho shortly. He had his leather pants on, a jacket and his blaster holster. His lightsaber lay concealed in his bag beneath some thick durasteel. Quinlan checked his face. His makeup had dried, his qukuuf now in the style of one of the more common lower class clans on Kiffu.

Tholme hadn’t anticipated this mission taking long. He’d told Quin to find out what he could about this new Crimson Dawn, but that he shouldn’t be there longer than two weeks. Quin hadn’t wanted to point out how easily his mission went astray.

The captain called all passengers to the exit. Quin checked the fasten on his holster and joined the crowd. There were all different kinds of species leaving the ship. A group of bounty hunters had gravitated together, moving away from the rest of the people.

Quinlan made his way idly towards them, keeping his distance.

“Looks like they’re taking in any low life. Are you sure this job is worth it Zoko,” a bounty hunter grumbled.

“Trust me.”

Quin broke away from the crowd, and disappeared into the shadows. The castle mentioned in the briefing loomed up ahead. Even through his thick shields, he could sense the overwhelming darkness surrounding the building. He swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. This mission just got a whole lot more interesting.

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

Quinlan had dropped his stuff off in the hostel. By now, the rest of the bounty hunters would’ve made their way into the castle. He walked past the crowds in the town, slipping down the side alley with the back entrance. He needed to get high enough in the syndicate, and to do that, he had to attract their attention.

Sneaking into the palace should work.

All the intel said that their business meetings were held in the old dungeon of the castle. Quin snuck down through the gutters, slipping in the old servants’ entrance. He was close. He passed through the halls, till finally he was descending into the depths.

Quin crept through the corridor that ran along the back of the rooms. He kept his ears peeled as he drew closer to the main room. He could hear the low timber of the zabrak, Maul, in the other room, rising above the chatter from the other bounty hunters.

He ran his hand against the stone, searching for any peepholes. There was something odd there. Something. Something flesh like. Quin pulled his hand back quickly, and looked up.

A red-haired human was leaning against the wall, legs crossed and arms splayed against it. He had a scar that ran from his hairline down to his right cheekbone. His eyes gleamed gold in the dim light. Not a burning gold like in the Sith legends, but a gold that was warm and alluring, with an underlying chill. His eyes reminded Quin of Xanatos’.

Read the Rest on AO3

[screamting]

superbat highschool au - Halloween

[warning for: non consensual kissing, implied abusive living situations]

As Halloween grew closer, Tommy (bundled up in the same scarf and loafers as Bruce) asked if anyone had plans for the evening. 

--

Clark hadn’t celebrated Halloween in a couple of years now. Not really. Maybe a Halloween party here or there but that was it. Houses were too far spaced out for trick-or-treat back home.

“Uh, I mean I think Bruce ‘n I were going to head to the library again, but--” Clark began, looking to the other boy for confirmation.

--

Bruce began to nod, but--

“No, Bruce and I are gonna go out on the town,” Tommy said, swinging his arm around Bruce’s shoulders and tugging him close. 

“...Tommy, curfew exists,” Bruce said, huffing a little. 

“Not if we break it, it doesn't,” he said, grinning. 

--

“Uh, okay. Is that an invitation then?” Clark smirked.

Breaking curfew once wouldn’t get him expelled.

--

“It can be,” Tommy said. “Harv?”

Harvey gave him a look that called him an idiot.  

“Gotham on Halloween?” he said. “You're not exactly strolling around the hill houses for candy.”

--

“Is it bad?” Clark asked. “I’ve actually never been off school grounds.”

He’d never seen the city.

--

“Halloween’s crazy for crime everywhere,” future lawyer Harvey Dent said flatly. “It's thematic.”

And if Gotham didn't follow a trend towards the thematic… whew. 

Bruce just seemed to be taking a moment to be stunned that Clark hadn't been anywhere outside the school. 

“Okay,” he said, turning to Tommy. “What’s the plan?”

“I was thinkin’ ice cream and bowling,” Tommy said, grinning. “You wanna plan our escape?”

(Bruce had been thinking too much about the library lately. It was time to steer him towards literally any other thinking direction)

And Bruce nodded, accepting that assignment. 

--

“Sounds fun.” Clark said, shrugging on his jacket.

“So how do you usually sneak out?”

--

“Badly,” Harvey said, still crossing his arms and clearly not pleased. 

“Dodge the guards. Hop the gate,” Bruce said. “Not hard. Easier with a rope. Getting in again’s worse.”

“Cause they actually expect it,” Tommy explained before there were any questions. 

“But at least we’re only on the second floor this year. If we weigh down the curtains and leave the window open it shouldn't be noticeable.”

--

“If it helps any I can jump pretty high,” Clark said. “So you shouldn’t have to worry much about me keeping up.”

Totally within normal human standards. Yes.

--

Bruce snorted. Laughed almost. 

“The gate’s ten feet at lowest,” he said. “Plus spikes.”

--

Clark was so stuck between keeping everything under cover and bragging. He could fly since he was 10. Ten feet was nothing. Ten feet was laughable.

He opened his mouth, swallowed, and sighed.

Dammit.

Keep it under wraps.

“Right.”

--

The boys just huddled together again, nodding and still discussing. “So, do we need rope? Or are we gonna be able to grip the bars?”

“I need the rope,” Harvey said miserably. 

“Got it,” Tommy said. “Leave it to me.”

“Please don't steal stuff and get us in more trouble when we get caught.”

“Never,” Tommy promised. “As if Bruce and I would get caught.”

(Bruce laughed then, but it was anxious for different reasons, then.)

--

“I’ll be able to grip the bars.” Clark said, for what little it was worth. For a moment he even considered offering to carry Harvey over on his back, but he thought maybe that was too much.

Could kids his age carry kids their own size on their backs?

He looked pensive for a moment.

…

No. Probably not.

“Anything I can help with?”

--

Tommy shook his head just as Bruce did. 

“Lay low,” Bruce said. “...have any hats?”

--

Clark thought about that before turning and digging through his things.

He slapped on an old, beat up John Deere baseball cap.

--

Bruce made a distressed face. 

“...have any other hats?”

--

“I gotta winter hat but it’s not that cold out.”

…

“What’s wrong with my hat?”

--

“That Bruce’s gotta wear it,” Tommy said, grinning. 

--

… Clark grinned, took off the hat, and shoved it onto Bruce.

--

“Nnnooo,” Bruce said, hat shoved onto his head and shoved down even more securely by Tommy. 

It tilted his dark hair out of place and looked completely out of place with his ironed white oxford and school blazer. 

--

“It suits ya.” Clark grinned.

It really didn’t.

--

“You're a shit liar,” Bruce said. 

“Quick, get the smallest shirt you have, Kent. He still sticks out too much!”

“Just use some of mi--” Harvey started to say. 

But that got hushed as Tommy urged them into a game of Bruce Dressup, and Halloween grew ever closer, until finally the night arrived.

--

Clark couldn’t do anything about Bruce’s very pressed pants, but he could find a small shirt for him.

‘Small’ being relative.

Bruce would drown in it a little, but at least in the end he didn’t stand out so much in his old ratty John Deere hat.

And when the night arrived he followed their lead.

--

….Bruce, unwillingly, donned the shirt and cap when it was finally time, looking a bit more like a ruffian with the shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbow and the cap on his uncombed hair. 

It made him look shorter. His face seemed rounder. Almost puppyish. 

He was a very determined looking puppy as they rigged up their window so that the corner of the bunk bed jutted into view of the opening. 

Tommy had, indeed, acquired a rope from somewhere, and they tied one end into a loop, tossing it around the shallow jut of the bedpost and getting ready. 

Tommy was lookout as Bruce descended first. 

Then Harvey. They'd wait for Clark. Tommy last. They flicked the rope until it came loose from the bedpost, gathered it up, and raced to the gate, sneaking around the buildings and in the bushes in the low light. 

The gate was closed for the night, and they snuck under the desk guard to reach it. 

Again, Bruce took it first, climbing up between the bars using the traction on his shoe to get up. 

The rope was thrown over between the spokes at the top. Used to control their descent. 

He ushered Clark to mimic him once he'd made it to the other side and decided it was clear. Harvey had to have his foot in the loop and he pulled over to make it. 

Tommy went last again, staying behind to make sure Harvey had someone to catch him if he fell. 

And they were outside. 

--

It was hard for Clark to do things like these guys.

He… might have flown a little to descend out of the window a little faster, but kept his feet on the wall and his hands gripped to the rope so at least it looked like he was doing it like everyone else.

The gate though.

Ugh.

He tried to mimic Bruce as best he could, but it looked a little too… flawless. He didn’t strain or land on the other side very hard.

But they had made it.

… And outside, in the dark, there was even more light for his eyes to catch than usual.

--

He was lucky the boys were largely too focused on their own descents to notice. 

That streetlights were common enough to make his eyes look somewhat normal for the moment. 

Once they were on the street, Tommy and Harvey definitely took the lead, steering them up north of the academy, to a slightly more crowded--and festive--area. 

--

“Is this what you guys do every year?” Clark asked anyone who wanted to answer.

He always kinda wondered what these rich city kids did for fun.

--

“What? No way,” Tommy said. “I mean. That'd be nice…”

Harvey shook his head, too. His hands were wrapped around his elbows in a self-protective hug. “Normally wouldn't be able to get away with it.”

“Besides. Our old roommate was really bad at stuff,” Tommy added. “Like not getting all of us in trouble.”

“Spent last year in detention,” Bruce mumbled. 

(By now, Clark knew that didn't necessarily mean Bruce had done anything to deserve detention. 

It could've just been he'd been around while someone did something. Or been the dorm mate of someone who did something. 

...Harvey’s caving to come made more sense if he would just be punished anyway, if they were caught.)

--

“So, what, you just spend Halloween in your dorm studying? That’s… a lot less than I expected out here.” Clark said, not looking as defensive as maybe he should have been in Gotham of all places, hands in his pockets and head up.

Casual.

--

(Bruce kept his head down and the baseball cap over his eyes.)

“...what did you think we did?” Bruce asked. “Orgies? I'm taking you out for ice cream and bowling, Kent.”

--

“I dunno… parties? I thought that's what rich kids did. Go to clubs. Drink. That kinda thing.”

“... Not that I'm saying I want to do those things, but…” Clark shrugged.

--

All the same, all three kids had paused in walking to stare at him. 

“...I wouldn't even be able to set foot out of the house if Mom had her way,” Tommy said, staring. 

“....” Bruce just had that look on his face. 

“Hey. I worked my way in,” Harvey said. 

“I did too!” said Tommy, turning on Harvey a little. “I had to barter to get here.”

“...”

Bruce shuffled a little closer to Clark and breathed out, “their dads are the ones who drank all night.”

And that was all he mumbled before trying to step forward and break up the fight again. 

The bowling alley would close, late hours or not, if they didn't get a-moving. 

--

“Oh.” He mumbled to Bruce, and started walking too.

“Sorry, I guess the TV makes you think one thing even when it isn't very true. Sounds like I get it more'n you guys.”

--

Once more they turned, surprised. 

“You've fucked?” Tommy said. 

He had definitely pegged Clark for a virgin. 

--

Clark nearly tripped over his own feet.

“N-no!! No! God.”

He was beet red.

--

“Did you mean ‘out’?’” Harvey asked, baffled, at the same time as Tommy said, “oh. Okay. Harv still has company then, at least.”

Bruce could finally see the bowling alley coming up. Extended hours for the weekend. 

Ice cream parlor across the street. 

Yes. 

--

“Ugh, shut up.” Clark groaned, following them while rubbing his face to try and get some of the red from his cheeks.

--

“Yeah, yeah,” Tommy said, dropping it as they ducked into the building. It was much warmer inside. “...it's not like we have the money to get into clubs or buy alcohol, though. Seriously.”

“TV,” Harvey shrugged, quietly trying to reassure Clark a little that it was fine. 

--

“What’d ya mean? You at least get an allowance, right?” Clark said.

“Even I get an allowance. Or at least paid a little when I help out on the farm.”

--

….Harvey shook his head. “...my family doesn't have the money for an allowance, anyway.”

Tommy just scowled. “If I see any of my dad’s money it'll be long after mom’s died.”

…

Meanwhile, Bruce ducked his head, and pulled out a ten dollar bill, handing it to Tommy, who took it and huffed up to the counter to pay, being the one who was clearly not dark-haired Bruce Wayne in a baseball cap and oversized shirt. 

“...I get an allowance,” he admitted. “But it's not like I’m going to hike ten miles into the city from the manor to use it.”

--

“Jeeze…” He mumbled over Tommy talking about his mom needed to die for him to get his dad’s money.

“I guess that makes sense.” He said to Bruce again, watching Tommy pay for them.

“Thanks for treatin’ us though.”

Even if it made sense Bruce would pay for it. Still polite to thank him.

--

Bruce smiled a little. “Yeah. No problem. It's nice to get out. Thanks for the hat.”

“Shoooes!!” Tommy called once he'd paid, waving them over to change. 

A four player game was being set up for them, the first letters of their names being their designations. 

And ready to go. 

A night away.

--

Clark smiled back.

He got his change of shoes and then looked around for the heaviest ball they had. It still wouldn’t be enough to offset his throw, but it would help. It was easier not to look too strong when you needed to roll it rather than throw it. It was just a matter of dialing back the momentum.

His first throw though it went way too fast. Nothing that would break everything in its way, but still just too fast.

Shit.

He would try and hide his distressed face and play it off and… dial it back for the one after that.

--

The desk manager warned him the ball was probably way too heavy, but thankfully, the other three boys seemed to tack up his wild throw to weight and momentum, laughing wildly as it careened impressively fast-- into the gutter. 

“Beautiful!” Tommy whistled at him. 

“Like you'll do any better,” Harvey said. 

(And Tommy did not.)

But after a few rounds, everyone was adjusting a little better to the balls, and…

Bruce sat beside Clark while waiting his turn, and jeered the others when they missed just like they did him. 

And… seemed relaxed and happy for once. 

Smiling. 

--

“Hah!” Clark hollered as Tommy did just as poorly as him.

As the night went on though he did get used to rolling the ball down the lane and compensating for how little it weighed to him in comparison.

It was a lot of fun.

He cheered and jeered everyone when they did well or poorly, jabbing them with words just the same as they did him. He tended to stick to Bruce more than Harvey or Tommy. They had grown to know each other a lot better over the past month working on their Court of Owls stuff.

It was good.

This was fun.

He was clapping and laughing along with the rest of them, and upon noticing Bruce looked happy too he would give him a little nudge and a smile.

Happy to see him happy.

--

Bruce had gotten a lot better at being casual with Clark with their search together the last month, but-- 

It wasn't as if he smiled much during the investigating. It wasn't like he was giddy over crime scenes. Any excitement he had about finding a pattern quickly turned to seriousness as soon as he had to explain what he’d noticed. 

And in school, he said little. Let people part in front of him or walk by him without any seeming preference. 

But here, finally, it was just fun. 

...through some twist of fate, Harvey’s score was highest at the end of the game. 

They had no real way they planned to reward the winner. But it was fine if they just mocked Bruce's place in dead last. 

He had wonderful aim, after all--if he was aiming for the gutter. 

But when the game ended, Bruce trotted over to the shoes, picking up his and Clark’s, and bringing them back over to change quietly before heading across the street for the last half hour the ice cream parlor would be open. 

Bruce didn't have to tell Tommy what he wanted--a float--but Tommy would ask the other two before trotting up once more with Bruce’s cash in hand to pay and order at the counter while the four slid into a booth. 

And maybe because Tommy was up paying, Bruce found himself sliding in beside Clark to sit across from Tommy, instead of beside him for once. 

--

Clark’s choice of ice cream was pretty much the most boring of all; a vanilla shake.

He sat on the inside by the window, and didn’t think twice about Bruce sliding in beside him.

“How often have you gone bowling before, Harvey?”

--

Harvey shook his head. A lot. “Almost none? I think in Jr High we went once as a class trip, but I was terrible at it.”

“Harv has two settings,” Bruce said, leaning his chin on his hand and very carefully not putting his elbow on the table. “Professional, and worst luck ever.”

--

Clark snorted, “Man now I feel worse, I go bowling like… at least once a year when my friends and I are bored back home. It’s one of the few things to do back in Smallville.”

--

“Yeah?” Bruce said, leaning in a little, interested. “You've mentioned your town a couple times. What's it like?”

--

“Lives up to the name.” Clark smiled. “Small. Bowling alley, gas station, market. Got one street light in the whole town. The farm is about five miles from the center of town, you gotta have a car or a bike to get anywhere.”

“People always hang out by the train tracks or the ol’ Glott farm that’s cavin’ in on itself.”

--

“Does it rain any less?” Harvey asked, a little sardonic, but still listening all the same. 

It was about then that Tommy came back with their ice cream. 

Vanilla shake. Two root beer floats. A sundae. 

But when he made it to the table, he paused before setting things down, as if he had to… look around and see where they were all sitting for a second. 

--

“Yeah but we gotta worry about tornados way more.” Clark said, and was already reaching for his shake since he was the only one to get one by the looks of things.

“Thanks Tommy.”

--

“Y’welcome,” Tommy said, and... passed out the rest. 

Sundae for Harvey. Floats for him and Bruce. He sat across from Bruce at the table, and didn't interrupt the conversation. Just started to drink silently through his straw. 

“...are tornadoes actually like what they say?” Bruce asked. “I read they can pick up a carton of eggs and just set them down miles away, completely intact.”

--

“Oh yeah, they’re capable of some crazy stuff. After one I saw someone’s record just… stuck in a tree. Like it was a razor blade. Powerlines bent over like they were made of playdough. Then sometimes it’ll set a full can of soda down on someone’s steps without a dent.”

He took a sip from his milkshake, oblivious to anything amiss with Tommy.

--

It was a nice way to ease into the later part of the night. A nice wind-down from bowling as they asked questions about Kansas and what it was like to live on a farm. In a small town. 

When his float was almost drained, Bruce stood, saying, “bathroom, be right back,” and turned to head to the back of the shop. 

“Me too,” said Tommy, following along behind him a moment later, wobbling to get out of the table with his long legs. 

(They turned a corner and headed into the boy’s bathroom, and once they were there, door shut against anyone listening, Tommy said, “Bruce?”)

--

“Okay,” Clark said, and thought nothing of it. He slurped the last of his shake through his straw.

But he did overhear their conversation, whether he intended to or not.

--

Neither did Harvey, who had gotten content to just sit and listen after a while, and was now just quietly watching the street go by, trying to find room in himself to finish up his sundae. 

(“Hm?” Bruce said. 

“Are you mad at me?”

“What? No. Why would I be mad at you?”

“You’ve been avoiding me, lately,” said Tommy.)

--

… Clark turned and looked in the direction of the bathroom.

He didn’t look too hard. Not yet. But he was definitely listening.

As far as he knew Bruce wasn’t mad at Tommy at all.

Nothing had changed.

--

“Don't lie to me,” Tommy said, voice no louder, but a thousand times more sharp than it'd been a moment before. 

There was a stutter in Bruce’s heart. 

“We tell each other everything,” he said. “I told you everything. And now all you do is hang out with Clark.”

“...we’re just looking stuff up,” Bruce said, voice low and careful. “It's just hanging out. It's different.”

“Really? Because you barely ask to just hang out with me. You were gonna be with him before I got this plan together, you remember?”

There was a footstep. A set of footsteps. Shuffling around. 

--

Clark narrowed his eyes.

He glanced at Harvey, then leaned his head in his hands to try and hide the line of sight to his eyes as they glowed blue and looked harder.

Into the boy’s bathroom.

--

He'd find them both shuffled into the two-stall bathroom, neither in stalls. Just Bruce taking a step back towards the back wall, and the tail end of Tommy moving forward, teeth clenched in distress. 

“It's not like that,” Bruce said, keeping his voice certain, even if he didn't look it. “We came along, we went with your plan, didn't we? You're still my best friend, Tommy, come on--”

“Prove it,” Tommy said. 

“What?” said Bruce, furrowing his nose. 

“I told you everything Bruce,” Tommy said, and took a step forward once more, even without Bruce moving back. “So if you really care then just--”

And Tommy had pushed Bruce by the shoulders against the wall, and pushed their mouths together. 

For a long, silent moment, Bruce just stared, unresponsive at him. 

Then, he reeled back with a punch, and slammed Tommy flat on his back. 

--

Before Clark knew it he had crushed his now empty shake glass in his hand.

“Gnnhshit.” He mumbled, blinking hard and looking away from the bathroom.

Holy shit.

Holy shit.

The woman working behind the counter was already looking up and heading towards their booth to see what happened.

--

Harvey practically jumped in his seat at the shattering, turning to stare. “Oh, crap! Are you okay?!”

He grabbed a napkin and started trying to help, dabbing up the spilled milkshake and reaching for Clark’s hand to check for injuries. 

--

“Yeah, I’m-- yeah I’m fine.”

He showed him his hand.

No blood. No glass stuck in it.

“What happened over here?” The woman asked, and Clark mumbled out something that was hard to hear. Something like ‘wasn’t paying attention’ and ‘sorry’.

--

“There must've been a crack in the glass,” Harv reasoned, helping her pick the glass up from the floor and countertop. “It just broke while you were holding it?”

From the back of the shop, two boys exited the bathroom.

“Did something happen?” Bruce asked, coming over. 

(Tommy was quiet, behind him.)

--

Clark started to help too.

“Broke my glass.” Was all he managed, still a little too stunned to say much.

“You kids be careful, I’ll clean this up. Don’t worry about it.” The woman said, trying to shoo them off lest they end up cutting themselves.

--

The other three figured he was stunned from his glass exploding in his hand, and they shyly backed off a bit as the waitress shooed them.

“Sorry about this-- here,” he said, and shuffled in his pocket. 

He pulled out a five. 

“Whatever doesn't replace the glass is a tip,” he said, handing it to her. 

--

“Sorry.” Clark said again, and carefully got out of the booth, picking any glass off his lap if there was any.

“Thank you young man.” The woman said, not recognizing who it was handing her the money.

--

“It's no problem,” he said, but even though she didn't recognize him at that moment, he still was hit by an overwhelming urge to put the cap on and hurry the group outside. 

If Clark had ice cream in his lap, it was wiped off with napkins, and Tommy said, at some point, “we should probably head back.”

He and Bruce left their floats unfinished, and were ready to get out the door. 

--

“Yeah. Good idea.” Clark said, and quickly started to walk towards the door.

God.

Shit.

Things were going to be so awkward back in the dorm.

Should he ask Bruce about it??

--

Bruce and Tommy said nothing. Nothing at all about what happened. 

They followed Tommy and Harvey back to the Academy’s gates and took the rope out of Harv’s bag to throw it up again and get them all over. 

Bruce first. The surest climber. Clark. Harvey. 

Tommy picked up last. A sure climber, but big enough to catch them if they fell. 

They snuck back on campus. Lassoed the end of the bed in their window, and rock climbed their way up the building in reverse order. Tommy lookout up top to keep the knot stable. Bruce, surest climber, getting up when no one would be there to catch him if he fell. 

...once they were on campus, all three boys fell into their usual quiet, reserved for avoiding detection after hours, but still-- Harvey said, quietly, “...thanks for doing this. I think I needed to have a day.”

“Course,” Tommy said, stripping to his Pjs and grinning. “Anytime.”

Bruce nodded too. 

“It was a good idea.”

...he returned the hat. The shirt. 

He tugged on his night clothes too. 

As if nothing had happened. 

--

Clark followed them all in, kicking off his shoes and sitting on the edge of his bed as everyone wound down.

“... Yeah. Was fun.” He said, trying to sound convincing.

It was already way past hours and he didn’t want to risk sneaking out in his street clothes, so even he changed into his pajamas in the room too. At least the lights were off so maybe they wouldn’t notice anything weird.

Not that he was… that weird. A little more jacked than a sixteen year old should be, but it was dark, so…

He hurried through it and climbed into bed.

--

...tonight, they were all a little too distracted to really notice. 

Even Bruce was too tired to have one of his quiet nightmares, which surprised even him upon waking. 

...and upon waking, Tommy and Bruce would get changed together as usual. 

Head off to class after sitting together at breakfast. 

No hint of what had occurred between them the night before.

--

Clark changed in the bathroom again that morning. He was still too self-conscious to do it around everyone else.

He didn't mention anything to anyone. He ate breakfast with the others, went to classes even if it was just him and Tommy in the same one.

Waited until that evening when again it was just him and Bruce walking to the library.

“Hey, so… last night.”

…

“You and Tommy fight or anything? I thought I heard something when we got ice cream.”

--

There was an uptick in Bruce’s heart rate, but his confused expression revealed nothing of the sort. 

“No? Maybe you heard him spook me when I got out of the stall. Wasn't expecting him.”

--

Ah.

“Okay, yeah. Maybe.” Is what he said instead though rather than keep prying. “Just checking that you guys are okay.”

--

“...why wouldn't we be?” Bruce asked, his own thoughts loud panic bells that couldn't be heard by anyone else. 

No one could know. Even if Bruce didn't want it. That didn't matter as much as Tommy had done it and Bruce was a boy. 

And he didn't want to know what their teachers, or the press, or Tommy’s Mom would do if they found out. 

“Is something wrong?”

--

“Tommy seemed kinda distracted I guess. Quiet. Normally he doesn't shut up.” Clark tried to huff a laugh.

“But maybe I'm reading too much into it. I was kinda distracted too.”

--

“He might be tired,” Bruce said, making a mental note to tell Tommy to talk more. (Maybe it’d even make him happy.) “or dreading break,  now that it's officially November.”

November. 

Clark had made it to the third month. 

--

“Dreading-- oh right, he doesn't seem to like his mom very much.” Clark said, wanting to get off the topic he brought up.

“Man I can't wait to go home and visit.”

--

“...it hasn't been a good couple years between them, yeah,” Bruce admitted. “...what are you going to do at home?”

--

Clark shrugged, “See my friends. See Ma ‘n Pa? Pet my dog?” He chuckled.

“... What do you do on break?”

--

“....” Bruce needed to think a moment. “Walk. Mostly.”

--

“... Walk?”

It sounded so weird Clark needed to make sure he heard right.

--

...he nodded. 

“Around the grounds. I walk. Maybe read.”

He would definitely read. But. 

Even he got tired of reading. 

A massive manor with nothing to do in it but wander. 

--

…

“Don't have any other family to spend Christmas with?”

--

He shook his head. 

“...the Kanes, I guess. But no. We’re Jewish, anyway.”

“...and Tommy and Harvey’s parents won't let them escape long enough for coming over.”

…

“It's fine,” he said, already sensing the look on Clark’s face. “It's been like this for years. It's not upsetting or anything. Just dull.”

--

“Oh.”

…

“Would you wanna come spend it at my place?”

-- 

Bruce turned to look at him, startled. 

“Huh?”

Like he hadn't quite understood for a moment. 

--

“Do you wanna come spend break at my house? In Smallville?” Clark asked again as though Bruce hadn't heard.

“I'd have to call my parents but I don't think they'd say no.”

--

Before he'd even said he wanted to, Bruce was doing math in his head. 

Clark had been open about how his family couldn't really afford GA. Last minute decision to come. If they couldn't afford that with only one kid it might be rough to take in another and 

(Okay. Okay. What do I have to do to get out. How much money. What did he have to do.)

“Yeah,” he said, calculating the price of a plane ticket if Alfred tried to say ‘no.’ Taxi fee. Plane ticket. Get out. “Yeah, if they say yes-- they don't have to worry about much from me, I can pay for my own food and room if they need me to.”

--

Clark laughed a little, “You don't have to pay for room ‘n food. Maybe bus ticket though.” He stopped and looked around for one of the school's pay phones.

“You got a quarter?”

He would need to call and ask. Letters were too slow for this.

--

Bruce didn't usually carry the money around school, but he dropped his book bag and started rooting around in it for a stray quarter in the bottom, finally coming up victorious. 

--

“Nice, thanks.”

Clark took it and walked over to one of the phones bolted to the wall, pushing in his money before dialing back home.

“Hey Ma. … I'm good. Um, question actually. Would you mind if a friend comes over for break? His name is Bruce. … Nah he's-- well he's Jewish but he usually spends it alone, so-- yeah. He can buy his own ticket don't worry about it. Can he use the guest room? Cool.”

Then he paused.

“Uhhhhhhh okay. Hold on.”

He held the phone to Bruce. “She wants to talk to you.”

--

Bruce’s spine was straight as a rail and his shoulders set, the way they always were when he knew exactly what he wanted and was staring down something in his way. 

He nodded and took the phone. 

“Yes, ma’am?” he said. 

--

“Hello, Bruce? Clark says you're thinkin’ about staying with us over break. I'm fine with that but I need to know, have you run this by your parents?” A kind-sounding woman on the other end asked.

“Oh my god.” Clark groaned, having not gotten to that part yet with her and able to overhear it over the phone. He mouthed a 'sorry’ at Bruce.

--

“My guardian will be fine with it,” Bruce said, not letting a pang of anything show on his face. “He's been hoping I'd find someone to be with.”

--

“... Really?” The woman on the other end said. “I know you boys are at school but is there any way I can call your… ‘guardian’ and make sure?”

Clark was rubbing his eyes.

--

“Yes,” he said. “And if you tell him we called Kansas he’ll handle the distance fee.”

Fine. Fine. 

He gave her the manor phone number. 

“Let me call him real fast and make sure he knows.”

He mouthed to Clark, ‘kidnapping plot,’ and rolled his eyes. 

--

Clark gave him a ‘really??’ look like he didn’t quite believe it, but said nothing.

“Okay, thank you Bruce. Is there anything I should know before you come over? Allergies…?”

--

Bruce nodded, looking bored as sin thinking about it. 

He had to let Alfred know the nice lady on the phone was not trying to get permission to sneakily kidnap him or else he'd never get out of here. 

“No, nothing like that.”

--

“Okay, I’ll make up the guest bed for you. Mind handing the phone back to Clark?”

--

“Alright.”

He did. Handed the phone back. 

Listened from the short distance between them. 

You didn't need super hearing to do that. And Bruce’s ears were still sharper than most. 

--

Clark took the phone.

“Yeah?”

“Is this the Bruce you’ve been writing home about?”

“Yeah.”

“You sure his parents are going to be okay with it?”

“Guardian, Ma. He’s got a guardian. And yeah, probably.”

There was a moment of silence on the other end.

“Oh. Ohhhh. Okay, honey.”

Clark thunked his head onto the side of the payphone and looked like he would rather die. “So it’s cool? You don’t have to worry about him getting there or anything. He can afford a bus--” He paused and turned to look at Bruce.

“You gonna get a bus ticket and come with me or like…?”

--

“However I should get there,” he said, letting Clark suffer. “...might have to borrow your hat again for the first part, if it's a bus from here.”

--

“Yeah he’s gonna get a bus ticket with me.” Clark said. “Anyway we got studyin’ to do so--”

“Okay honey. I’ll call Bruce’s guardian tonight to make sure. But I guess I’ll see you in a few weeks?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. Love you, sweetie.”

“.... Love you too, Ma.” Clark said a little quieter before saying goodbye and hanging up.

--

“You've been writing to her about me?” was the first thing out of Bruce’s mouth. 

--

“Yeah?” Clark said. “I told her I made friends with my roommates. If I didn’t tell her that she’d think I was miserable and alone.”

“... Mentioned we’ve been working on a report, but that’s it really.”

--

… “Oh, okay,” Bruce said, not really sure what the knot in his chest (which was normal to have) meant right now, and whether it was loosening or tightening at that. 

“I'll call Alfred,” he said, starting to dig around for another quarter in his bag. “You can go ahead if you want.”

--

“Nah man, I wanna see if he really does think this is a kidnapping plot.” Clark grinned, leaning up against the wall.

--

“Ugh,” Bruce said, rolling his eyes again and shoving in the quarter. “I'm doing it so he doesn't.”

He dialed a number. Waited. 

“Hello. Alfred Pennyworth. You've reached the Wayne Estate.”

“Hi Alfred,” Bruce said. “I'm going to Kansas for winter break.”

--

“Pennyworth.” Clark whispered in disbelief.

What. A. Name.

--

Bruce turned back to look at him. Whispered: “I could've been a millionaire named ‘Pennyworth.’”

“Oh? I see it's all already been decided then, has it Master Bruce?”

--

“Master Bruce?”

Clark was grinning from ear to ear, like this was the most hilarious thing he’d ever heard.

Holy crap was he glad he stuck around for this conversation.

--

That one, Bruce kicked him for. 

“...I'm just going to stay with my roommate for a bit. Okay?”

“I see. And which roommate moved to Kansas, again?” Alfred sounded dry. 

“...the new one’s from there,” Bruce said. “Look, his mom’s going to call tonight and make sure it's alright. I've still got plenty of allowance. I'll just pack weekend clothes and head out from school.”

“...I see. Are you sure you wouldn't like to--”

“Yes.”

…

The other side of the phone was quiet for a while. Bruce just stared down at the buttons. 

“Of course,” Pennyworth finally said. “...but please. Try to keep me more upbraided on things, wouldn't you?”

“It's not hard to find o--”

“I’d just like to not have to go searching all the time is all,” Alfred interrupted. And Bruce went silent again. “...I'm glad you've found someone to spend break with. I'll let his mother know it's fine.”

“...thanks, Alfred,” Bruce said. 

And he hung up without saying goodbye. 

--

Clark didn’t move from the kick, but his amusement died a little when things got… not exactly antagonizing between the two, but not fully great either.

“... I’m sure my mom will give him our address and everything.” Clark said when Bruce was finished, pushing himself from the wall so they could start towards the library again.

--

Bruce nodded. Headed off still feeling good about getting out, but… 

Alfred made it hard sometimes. 

“Yeah. He'll ask. What are we looking for tonight?”

--

“Left off with the Belinsky murders.”

[avewritesmr]

“Never say never; the night is still young.” Like a modernized ‘A whole new world’ with rebel Jaemin from Nct Dream and trapped male reader where they have a playful and mischievous night of escaping, getting chased and breaking some rules. Thanks boo!💕

Prompt: “Never Say never, the night is still young.”

Word Count: 906 words

Pairing: Na Jaemin x Male!Reader

Group: NCT

Genre: Fluff, Angst, highschool!AU!

Warning: Slight homophobia, cursing and smoking

A/N: Really loved this prompt, thank you for requesting and I hope you like it even though I didn’t stick perfectly to what you asked for sorry it took so long. 😘

y/n’s laugh echoed in the dark alley they were running through and he looked back at Jaemin running behind him with a wide smile.

They had probably lost the cops that had been following them long ago but the adrenaline flowing through their bodies kept them going despite a slight ache in their legs.

This was not how Jaemin had imagined the night would go at all. He hadn’t thought he would see the younger male sitting on a bench in the dark tears flowing down his face and a red mark on his cheek. Maybe if he hadn’t been subtly crushing on the him all semester because they just had to sit together in math class then Jaemin wouldn’t even have approached him at all.

Jaemin honestly thought it was all kind of comical, the school bad boy with his leather jacket, tattoos and motorbike having a crush on the small cutesy boy in his math class.

Now with all that said Jaemin did not regret approaching y/n at all, he had sat down next to him and when the other had calmed down enough he had told him about  his parents and how strict they were and how when he had proclaimed that he didn’t see anything wrong with two boys being in love his father had slapped him and sent him of to his room he had decided enough was enough and snuck out and now what the hell was he supposed to do because the city was so scary at night.

Jaemin had felt so bad for the younger he had taken of his jacket and placed on the others shoulders before telling him that they would experience, “a night straight out of a movie.”

That was why now they were sprinting through dark alleyways trying to avoid being seen by the two burly cops that had seen them spray painting the back wall of some random shop.

When y/n stopped and turned around to face Jaemin, Jaemin thought he was looking at an angel as cheesy as that sounded, y/n’s cheeks were pink and eyes were sparkling and his smile was so bright Jaemin was willing to argue that the sun was probably jealous.

“My parents would kill me if they knew about any of this.” Jaemin laughed at that and shook his head taking the younger boys hand in his and beginning to walk down a side alley that he was only partially sure would lead them onto a main street.

“I would like to see them try” he replied, “They’ll have to get through me first.”

y/n giggled and leaned into Jaemin’s side when they reached the main street (Jaemin was just relieved that he had been right and they hadn’t ended up in another abandoned alley) jaemin decided that they needed nourishment after all the exercise they had just done.

They soon made it to a convenience store and went in to buy snacks, Jaemin grabbed a pack of cigarettes and when they had finished paying they made their way to a bench in a small playground opposite the store.

When they sat down Jaemin lit a cigarette and took a puff, he then offered it to y/n who just scrunched his nose and shook his head.

They sat in silence for a while before y/n took hold of Jaemin’s wrist and pointed to a tattoo with two doves on it, “What is the meaning behind it?”

Jaemin chuckled, “nothing I just think it looks nice.” y/n nodded but didn’t let go of Jaemins wrist, he instead held his hand shyly looking up at him.

Jaemin looked down at the younger before carefully leaning down so their noses were touching, “I am going to kiss you.” y/n nodded.

When they kissed y/n realized it wasn’t entirely like all the books he’d read but it wasn’t hugely different, Jaemin’s lips were soft and his hands were warm and they way he kissed y/n made him feel so loved that he never wanted to stop kissing Jaemin.

When they pulled away y/n’s cheeks were flushed and his eyes were sparkling and he had such a dazed look on his face that Jaemin couldn’t stop himself from  pulling him closer and kissing him again.

The second time they pulled away y/n smiled up at Jaemin and Jaemin smiled back.

“I need to get back home soon.” y/n muttered looking up at Jaemin and Jaemin is scared that he might have pushed the boundary and the younger wants to get away from him but his worries are put to rest soon enough, “I don’t want to leave you, I’ve only just properly met you but I never want to be far from you, if they find out I’ll never be able to see you again.”

Jaemin grins, “You don’t have to leave just yet,” he reassures the younger snuffing his cigarette on the floor, “never say never; the night is still young.”

y/n looks at him a little confused, “even if they find out I’ll come to you and they won’t be able to stop me and we haven’t finished our movie adventure yet so lets go and steal a shopping cart or something, yeah?”

y/n smiles at Jaemin again and there’s tears in his eyes, he leans up and he’s kissing Jaemin again and Jaemin has never been happier than he is at that moment.

[a-sirens-melody]

i can’t believe it’s true, i get to love you

It’s finally here!! I’m so excited to share my first drakepad fic. Get ready for 5k words of absolute sap kjskhdg (I’ll reblog with the link to my ao3)

This is part of a series I’m developing too, Let’s Get Engaged! so there will be more of this au.

Enjoy!

***

“Uh, DW? Why are we parked across the street from Mr. McDee’s movie studio?” He heard Launchpad ask behind him. “I don't think W.A.N.D.A said there was any crime here.”

“I, um.” His hands were shaking. “I have something I want to show you.” He double checked the brakes of the Ratcatcher; he didn't need to crash his only ride into the wall as the Thunderquack was already in need of repairs. That sounded like something that would happen to Drake Mallard, not Darkwing Duck. He needed to be Darkwing Duck for just a little longer.

Patrol had been busy tonight, to the surprise of both partners. They'd had to foil seven house break ins, five robberies downtown (three of which had been at the mall), and even got dragged into breaking up a bar fight on the other side of St. Canard. That last one was an unexpected surprise, but at least the stench of alcohol and yelling about… sports? Mothers? Darkwing had no clue what it was even about. He wasn’t sure what higher power he had pleased, but he was grateful for the distraction from the precious cargo he had safely tucked away in his jacket pocket.

He had been planning this for one month, two weeks, and three days. Not that he's been counting or anything. The big moment was almost here, and he felt like he was going to throw up.

Because tonight, Drake was going to propose to Launchpad.

They had talked about this before. Actually, Launchpad was the one to bring up marriage. A year ago, two years into their relationship, the pilot had very bluntly asked him, “so what do you think about marriage?” In that moment, Drake thought that all his head injuries acquired from three years of crime fighting had caught up to him and his brain was truly not working.

After recovering from his mini heart attack, the two discussed and came to the conclusion that both of them really liked the idea of becoming husbands. Loved it, actually. But neither was ready to handle all the planning and stress of a wedding yet. Hell, Launchpad had only been living with Drake and Gosalyn for a couple of months.

Still, that didn't stop Drake from imagining the scenario at least once a month. Launchpad kneeling down with a ring in a pretty box and scooping up Drake to kiss him. Drake getting on one knee instead and offering a golden or silver ring (he hadn't been sure, at first, what color would suit his beloved best) after an incredibly sappy speech. 

What was that he said before about planning for a month? Scratch that out. He'd been dreaming of the moment for a year, but started considering for real three months ago. He asked Launchpad again for his opinion on the matter, just to check that they were still on the same page, and almost died on the spot when his answer was now a confident “yes.” If they lived in a cartoon, Drake surely would have floated off the ground surrounded by tiny pink hearts.

He thought about any and all locations that marked a special milestone in their relationship. The movie studio where they first met, the tower where they constantly met on hero business, the McDuck Enterprises building where they found their first supervillains together and met his future daughter. In the end, the former won because it felt like that was the true start of them. Because of their meeting there, the events of the past three years occurred. That point in time marked the beginning of many changes in Drake's life.

He hadn't spent one month, two weeks, and three days scrambling for a location. That sounded utterly unromantic and incredibly unprepared. No, that was the amount of time he had spent finding the courage to actually ask.

Now the moment had finally arrived. And he was not backing down.

After making sure the motorcycle was properly parked, he hopped out and strode to Launchpad, offering a hand. His boyfriend still looked confused but smiled at the gesture and took it, getting out of the seat. “Such a gentleman.”

“I try.” Darkwing flashed a grin back. Thankfully, his hands had stopped shaking and his voice betrayed none of the frayed nerves within the valiant vigilante.

They continued to hold hands as they crossed the street. Once on the sidewalk, they looked up at the building. It had been closed for the night already, the lights dimmed and the only soul seen was a lone security guard on patrol.

“Man.” Darkwing was drawn out of his daydreams and looked over to Launchpad. “It's been a long time since I've seen this place. Brings back memories, huh?”

Darkwing hummed in agreement. For a while after the failure of Darkwing: First Darkness, the only memories he had of this place were bitter. It was here that his big break as an actor had literally gone up in flames before his very eyes. It was here that his idol Jim Starling, a man he had looked up to the moment he laid eyes on the first episode of Darkwing Duck, had tried to kill him only to be buried in the remains of the set in a sick sense of karma.

But after spending more time with Launchpad, he had grown to see it as a landmark of new beginnings in his life. He hadn't met the pilot here, but they really began to bond when Launchpad broke into his trailer. After trying not to damage several previous pieces of merch, they quit fighting each other and started playing with Drake’s action figures, of all things. As odd as the circumstances were, it was nice. Somewhere along the way, he told the other duck about what he personally called his origin story (yes, he knew it was nerdy, but it felt right and no one was going to make him stop).

And Launchpad didn't make fun of him or call him ridiculous for keeping a beat up lunchbox after all those years. No, he nodded his head and looked on in… admiration. Then he yelled out something about getting Jim to stop fighting Drake and talk together about how they could both fix the movie and. Well. They both knew how that went.

Demise of Darkwing aside, it was the first time in Drake’s life that he had felt completely understood. He didn't have to hide his love of Darkwing for fear of rejection, instead he was encouraged to geek out as much as he wished.

And when the rain machine stopped and the ashes of set pieces and the dream of a starry-eyed boy were all that remained, when Drake thought all hope was lost, what did Launchpad do? He told him to get back up. He convinced Drake that he could become Darkwing Duck for real. He even let Drake autograph his poster, an action which he'd dreamed of doing the moment he started acting.

Three years of what he would call his best (and first) romantic relationship, one alien invasion, one spirited little girl, and another found family full of feisty adventurers later, Drake wouldn't change the events of his life for anything. He’s tried so many times to tell Launchpad how much he appreciates him and the warmth and the love he’s brought, but it always feels like words are never enough. That doesn't mean he won't stop trying, though, as he said, “I knew coming here would change my life all those years ago. I'm so glad I was wrong.”

He snuck a peek at Launchpad and was pleasantly surprised to see his boyfriend blushing. “Yeah.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Never thought the worst movie I'd ever seen could open the doors to the best years of my life.”

Darkwing choked and looked away again, cheek feathers turning pink. “I-I, uh. Yeah. Me too.” He squeezed his boyfriend's hand as he tried to regain his composure. When he succeeded, he began again the speech he had spent hours practicing and pacing in his room over. “I thought all I needed to make my life complete was a starring role in a big movie. That I could inspire other kids like me as a solo hero.” 

He faced Launchpad again, softly smiling. “But you. You crashed into my life,” he raised his hands here at Launchpad’s smirk, “pun not intended. You showed me that I could have a good family, I could surround myself with people that really loved me for who I was. Adopting Gosalyn, meeting the Ducks- I never would've done that if you hadn't pushed me to. Hell, I wouldn't even be Darkwing Duck without you.” He stepped closer and cupped the pilot’s cheek. “And, of course, you will always have a special place in my heart.”

Launchpad’s eyes widened and there was a faint hitch in his breath. “Drake, what are you saying?”

“Launchpad, I-” Just as he was about to reach in his pocket for the ring, Drake stopped.

He still had the mask on. He was still Darkwing Duck.

No, no, he couldn't propose like this. Sure, Launchpad knew Darkwing Duck and Drake Mallard were one and the same and that it was still his boyfriend under the mask and ego but- but it was the principle of the thing, okay!?

He wanted to ask the love of his life to marry him in honesty and vulnerability. And to do that, he had to be Drake Mallard. He had to find somewhere more private.

“Wait.” Darkwing grabbed Launchpad's hand and began to run to the nearest alleyway. “I need to do this with no risk of being spotted.”

“Um. What are you doing now?” His partner asked as he shoved themselves into the dark, quiet alley between what looked like a jewelry store and a hair salon. Launchpad looked confused and- wait, were those tears?

Shit, shit, shit. That wasn’t supposed to happen! That wasn't part of the plan! “Honey! No no no, don't cry, I just wanted-” Scolding himself, he tore off his hat and mask. There. Now Drake Mallard could take out his ring and propose and hopefully calm his partner down. “I wanted to ask if-”

He reached his hand into his pocket and froze.

There was nothing there.

Frantically, he searched his other pocket and checked both of them again. His heart sank as he came up empty handed, and he remembered where the ring was.

He hid the box in one of the boxes of smoke bombs earlier that day. In his panic to get out onto the streets and running through his plan and his words ninety nine times, he must've forgotten to take it with him.

Which meant that his fool-proof proposal plan was no longer fool-proof.

“Dammit!” Drake hissed, angry tears forming. He could've kicked the wall, but he didn't want to scare LP. He tried to ignore the hot shame simmering inside him as he covered his face with his hand. “God, I'm sorry, sunshine, I left something-”

“Drake?” Launchpad's voice was hushed and gentle, the complete opposite of Drake's current mental state.

Drake shushed the voices in his head and looked up.

Launchpad was giving him a soft, knowing smile and his eyes were still watery but he didn't look sad. Actually, he looked thrilled. “Are you... asking me to marry you?”

Even if his original plans were ruined, Drake was still going to see this through. So he took a deep breath, relaxed his shoulders, met his boyfriend's gaze, and said, “yeah. Yeah, I am. At least, I tried to.” He pinched his fingers in between his eyes and huffed a sigh. “Would've helped if I hadn't forgotten the ring. You deserve a romantic proposal, and I somehow failed at the bare minimum.” He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up.

“Hey. You didn't fail at the bare minimum.” Launchpad was standing closer now, determination in his gaze. “You took me to the place that marks the beginning of our friendship and gave a really sweet speech about how I've made your life better. The fact that you don't have a ring to give me doesn't make that any less meaningful.”

“God.” Drake shuddered, relief flooding his body. He'd been so caught up in his setback that his actions earlier had completely slipped his mind. Launchpad was right. The ring wasn't the most important part; the proposal itself was. He wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, overwhelmed with emotion. “I love you so much.”

Launchpad pressed his beak to the top of his head in a kiss, and Drake soon felt a familiar pair of warm arms snake around him. “I love you too, babe.”

For a few minutes, neither spoke and simply basked in the presence of their lover. Drake found himself processing the past few minutes more and discovered another realization.

He hadn't gotten a clear answer yet.

He was strongly tempted to bury his head further into Launchpad's chest, but he had another important question. Plus, if he had to ask more than once, he would run the risk of dying on the spot from sheer suspense. “Um, so. I didn't screw up my proposal to you.” Launchpad gave a comforting hum as Drake lifted his face to make eye contact once again. “And it made you happy, but. You didn't really answer my question. So. Launchpad, will you marry me?”

His smile was brighter than the sun. “Yes!” His hands drifted up to Drake's side and picked him up. His fiancé- fiancé, oh god, it's real now, not just a dream- threw him three inches into the air, laughing. Drake smiled and joined in, then cupped his hands around Launchpad's face and pulled him into a kiss once he was safe again in his arms.

Drake heard Launchpad sigh and felt his partner tighten his arms around his waist. Drake opened his beak, deepening the kiss. Launchpad made a pleased hum before doing the same, and Drake's mind went pleasantly blank.

It felt like hours had passed by the time Launchpad pulled away. Drake bit back a whine and lowered his hands to wrap around his fiancé’s neck.

“Okay, as much as I want to keep kissing you, we should probably go back to the tower. I don't think either of us is gonna be able to focus on patrol anyways.” Launchpad flashed a small smirk, but his eyes were still sparkling. “Also, you need to put your mask back on. It would be really unromantic if someone found your secret identity out,” he added, as fleeting as an afterthought.

Drake let out a small laugh. “You're right, that would totally kill the mood. Could you let me down, please?” He was gently lowered to the ground at that and took Launchpad's hand again. “Oh! Also!” He had gotten carried away in the moment, but there was another good reason to go back to the tower. “Your ring is there.”

“Did you hide it and then forget to get it back out when you were getting ready to go on patrol?” Launchpad guessed.

“Yup.” They started walking back to the Ratcatcher, swinging their clasped hands back and forth. Drake felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off of his shoulders. He did it! And Launchpad said yes! Even if it wasn't exactly perfect, he would remember tonight as one of the best nights of his life.

His fiancé suddenly stopped in his tracks. “Wait. I forgot to tell you something.”

Drake turned to face him. Something about that statement made him wary. “What?”

His figurative feathers were smoothed over when Launchpad smiled again. “You're not the only one who was planning to propose.”

Drake's entire face went red, and as he could faintly hear the other duck say, “I'll show you when we get back”, amidst his stuttering.

“You're gonna be the death of me someday, LP, did you know that?” Drake sighed when he had stopped bi panicking. He scrubbed his face with his hand and walked over to the motorcycle, hopping on.

“Better me than a supervillain.” He heard Launchpad walk over and get on behind him, felt strong arms wrap around him in anticipation. “Besides, you love me,” was whispered in his ear.

“Okay, we're going now,” Drake choked out. He was definitely blushing again. He turned on the motorcycle and pulled out onto the road. 

With that, they sped off into the night.

***

Once he parked the Ratcatcher, Drake practically scrambled off and sprinted to the pile of boxes in the far right corner labeled Smoke Bombs! Do NOT Touch!! Launchpad was right behind him, chuckling under his breath.

“Which one, which one…” He muttered under his breath, looking for the one with the marker he had put on it. A minute later, he found a box with a large black X on its side. “Ah ha!”

He stuck his hand in the box…

And immediately set off a few smoke bombs.

“Okay, note to self,” Drake said, coughing, “don’t hide your engagement ring with little delicate spheres full of smoke.” He waved one hand around to clear the air and used the other to very gently pry the ring box out.

“Tada!” He opened it to show Launchpad the dark purple ring he had chosen. “Your ring.”

“No way!”

“Um. What?” Okay, definitely not the reaction he was expecting. He tried not to let his nerves get the best of him again. “Is it the wrong shade? Or would you rather have a normal ring?”

“Huh? Oh, no! It’s beautiful!” Launchpad rushed to reassure him. “I just think it’s kinda funny.”

What? How was this funny? “Launchpad, you’re not making any sense.”

“Here, I’ll show you!” Launchpad pulled a similar back velvet box out of the pocket on his left sleeve. He flipped it open to reveal a ring small enough to fit Drake’s ring finger.

A ring that was the exact same purple as Launchpad’s.

“We got the same ring!” They exclaimed at the same time, meeting each other’s gaze and giggling.

“Oh my god. What kind of soulmate magic is this?” Drake couldn’t believe it. This felt like the sort of thing that only happened in fairy tales or really cheesy rom coms. “Hold on a second. Is this what you were doing that one time you said you were picking up lunch?”

“Yeah.” Launchpad said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I wasn’t sure how to explain a trip to the jewelry store without giving it away. Plus, it was a pretty spur of the moment thing. You know how bad I am at lying.”

Drake chuckled. “You said you were on your way to Hamburger Hippo at ten am. I was definitely confused. Why purple, though?”

“Gold and silver didn’t feel like they fit you, and I wanted a ring that would represent something special to both of us. So, the first thing that came to mind was Darkwing Duck! ‘Cause you love it as much as I do, maybe even more, and it’s what we bonded over first and you’re Darkwing Duck, so. It felt right.”

Drake could relate to that. As fun as ring shopping had been, it hadn't started out as the easiest task on his list. Launchpad didn't strike Drake as much of a jewelry person. He had never seen Launchpad wear any jewelry casually, and the fanciest thing his work uniform required was a tie. Even on the few occasions his partner wore a suit, the cufflinks had been provided.

There was a slight blush on his fiancé's cheeks and his hands flapped as he rambled, and Drake felt positively smitten. Again, what kind of soulmate magic was this? It had to be magic; what other explanation could there possibly be for the way they seemed to think as one? “That’s so sweet of you, LP. Actually, I got your ring for the exact same reason. Except for you being Darkwing, ‘cause. You know. You’re my partner.”

“And you’re my Darkwing.” Launchpad whispered, gazing with the softest eyes and his words pulled Drake under a tidal wave of emotions. His Darkwing, his Darkwing, his Darkwing-

“You sap.” Just as he thought he was done crying. He wiped away tears. His face hurt from smiling so wide and his cheeks felt like they were on fire. “I can’t wait to marry you.”

Launchpad grinned just as widely. “Neither can I. Before we go back home, though, can I ask you one more thing? Two, actually.”

Drake took a deep breath and nodded, fanning his face.

“I know you asked me first, but I really wanted to ask you and I’ve got my ring so-” Launchpad was bouncing up and down on his tiptoes, running his hands over the zipper of his jacket. He looked like a puppy, all frantic energy and big hopeful eyes. “Can I ask too? Please?”

Drake laughed and nodded. “Of course, sunshine.”

“Yes!” With that, Launchpad cleared his throat and got down on one knee. “Drake, you’re so special to me. You’re the first partner I’ve had that really understood me. That loves my favorite show as much as I do, and knows what it’s like to build your personality around it. You’ve been there for me in the best and worst times, and you’ve given me the best adventure I could’ve asked for: living my childhood dream with someone I love and that loves me in the same way. You already know my answer, but I need to know-

“Will you marry me?”

“Oh, Launchpad. Yes.” His heart felt like it was going to burst. God, it was really happening. This was better than any lovestruck dream he had conjured in the past year. Drake ran over to the other duck and flung his arms around his waist. He was once again surrounded by strong warm arms and sighed happily.

“We did it. We’re gonna get married.” He could hear Launchpad’s voice rumble low in his chest. “Can we have a Darkwing Duck themed wedding?”

“Oh my god, yes!” Drake pulled his head back up, eyes sparkling. “We could totally coordinate our suits and the decorations and the cake, oh my god, we’re gonna get to eat wedding cake together, and-” He paused his rambling as a realization struck him. “Hold on. Is it gonna look weird if I have a wedding themed after myself?”

“I mean.” Launchpad blinked. “We’re both talking about the TV show Darkwing Duck, right?” Drake nodded. “Then, I think it’s fine. If anyone comes that doesn’t know you’re also Darkwing Duck, they’ll probably think of it as an obsessed fanboy thing. And everyone that does know, will probably understand.” He squeezed Drake’s hand with a grin. “It’s our wedding.”

“Our wedding,” Drake echoed. Oh my god. They were having a wedding. Together! Because they were getting married to each other! He started flapping his hands to try to let out some of his pent up joy. “Our wedding! Oh my gosh, we need to tell people! And send invitations and start writing our vows but I don’t know if that’s something you have to do separately or you can coordinate somehow and-”

“We’ll have plenty of time to get all that sorted out,” Launchpad responded, taking a hold of Drake’s beak and tilting his head up to look at him. His eyes were warm. “But, sweetheart, it’s almost three am and I don’t know if anything’s even open. I’m excited too, but you gotta take a deep breath.”

Drake did just that. “Right, right. Don’t need to pass out before we get home. That would also kill the mood.”

Launchpad chuckled. “Shall we?” He gestured to the open foyer.

“Wait, wait, one last thing!” Drake’s gaze had caught Launchpad’s hand and there was still a certain something missing. Something he had already forgotten once, and he was not going to make that same mistake again. His partner jumped a bit at his sudden outburst, and smiled in apology. “Sorry, this really is the last thing, I promise. Do you want me to put on your ring for you?”

Launchpad’s eyes widened. “Right, rings. We should be wearing them.” He smiled back, gaze drifting to Drake’s left hand. “Can I put yours on, too?”

“Of course.”

And finally, after months of dreaming and pacing and purchasing, Drake took the hand of the love of his life and slipped on his ring. Launchpad did the same, and Drake could hardly breathe. They held their hands up to the light, admiring the way the rings sparkled.

“So why is it that you’re supposed to put your engagement ring on your left hand?” Launchpad tilted his head to view his ring from a different angle. “Is it for protection?”

“I’ve heard it’s because your left hand is closer to your heart.” Drake explained. He saw Launchpad compare the distance from his hands and his chest, brow furrowed.

“But. How’d they figure it out? I can’t tell which one is closer!”

“Maybe they made it up to sound sappy. I don’t really get it, either.”

“Huh. That’s weird. Anyways,” Launchpad shook his head and offered his hand out. “Shall we go, then?”

Drake giggled and took his hand. “Yes, we shall.”

***

When they arrived at home, the stars were still shining. Drake would always be thankful for the shortcut built into their house in Duckburg. When he and Launchpad had decided to move in together, the most difficult decision had been choosing where exactly they wanted to live. Drake didn't want to leave St. Canard without a hero to protect it, and Launchpad didn't want to move away from his job and his family.

Fortunately, his pilot worked for the richest man alive who had no intentions of letting Launchpad leave if he didn't want to. With Scrooge’s money, they had a secret tunnel constructed that led from their house to Darkwing Tower accessible via two blue chairs in the living room. Travel was instantaneous, so Drake didn't have to give up his city and Launchpad didn't have to give up his job (it also meant he could come on patrols without sacrificing so much sleep. In the early days, Launchpad barely got any sleep driving for six hours total back and forth every night. It was scary to Drake how dedicated his partner was sometimes. Endearing, yes, but scary all the same).

He was going to try to stay quiet as he entered the house, he really was since he was expecting to find Gosalyn asleep in her room. It was a school night, so she should have been asleep.

Sleeping, however, was not what she was doing when he found his fourteen year old daughter awake on the couch in the living room. She was spread out, feet kicked up on one of the arms and scrolling through her phone. The second she heard the chairs activate, however, her eyes darted over to her fathers and dropped the device and scrambled over.

“Dad! Papa! How was patrol tonight?” Her eyes glittered with excitement. She always loved to hear about their patrols whenever she couldn't go. Which was often because she had school on weekdays and needed her sleep. Sleep that she was currently not getting for reasons possibly not unknown to Drake.

He arched an eyebrow. “It was fine. Only had a few robberies to stop, but you probably knew it was a quiet night. Speaking of which,” he crossed his arms. “It's three am on a Thursday. What are you doing out of bed and still awake?”

“I couldn't sleep, so I figured I'd wait for you guys. And I can see,” her eyes landed on his ring, grin growing wider, “that tonight wasn't as uneventful as you said. Not in the sense of crime fighting, anyway.”

She turned to Launchpad and asked, “so how mad was he that you beat him to it?” He started to explain but Drake cut in with some squawking of his own.

“What do you mean, ‘beat him to it’!? How did you even know he was planning to propose too?” He finally asked, pointing a finger at Gos.

“Oh, I asked her if I could marry you.” Launchpad answered. “‘Cause, she's your family and I wanted her to know.” He seemed shy all of a sudden, blushing slightly and twisting his own ring.

Somehow, Drake felt his heart swell with even more love as his breath caught in his throat. “Oh. That. Makes sense. And that's. That's really sweet of you, LP. Oh my god, I'm so happy I'm gonna marry you.”

His fiancé grinned back, silly and sweet. “Me too, babe.”

The moment was interrupted by their daughter gagging and rolling her eyes. She still had a slight smile on her face, though. “God, go get a room. Anyways!” She clapped her hands and turned back to Launchpad. “You didn't answer my question. Did he fling a smoke bomb at you or something?”

“Hey!”

“No, but he did set some off on accident…”

As they explained the events of earlier that night, Gosalyn listened with rapt attention. She only interjected twice, both times, “I told you so,” and both directed at Drake (she had caught him pacing in the kitchen one day and demanded an explanation, to which he told her everything. She told him he had nothing to worry about as “you guys are so in love, it's sickening sometimes”). When they were done, she asked if they had any ideas for the wedding yet. Ignoring their clear choice for overall theme, the answer was no, so they brainstormed possible locations and the beginning of what was sure to be a very long guest list. By the time Gos brought up food, it was four thirty.

At that point, Drake declared that it was too early for this and said they should all go to bed. Gosalyn didn't argue, as the wedding talk had finally tired her out.

They tucked her into bed, kissed her cheek, and said goodnight. Launchpad was already in their bedroom and Drake was following him when Gosalyn spoke up.

“Dad?”

He turned around. “Yeah, sweetie?”

She met his eyes and gave him a soft smile. “I'm really happy for you.”

He smiled back. “Thanks.”

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Gosalyn.”

He and his fiancé didn't get much sleep. They spent the rest of the night talking in hushed whispers, showering each other in soft kisses, or simply holding one another.

Because they said yes.

And that small word opened a new door, one they were both thrilled to walk through.

Together.

[sodalitefully]

Enter freely and of your own will [GNR, Sluff AU]

I know, I know, I've written vampire AUs before… Several times.  But I had to write something about what a nerd Slash is for vampire fiction!  Mostly inspired by interviews Slash gave after gnr covered Sympathy For The Devil for Interview With A Vampire (so any digs at the movie adaptation are based on Slash’s opinion, not mine – I’ve never seen it!).  Occasional mentions of blood and stuff, but not particularly graphic.  This fic is expanding on an AU I originally drew here.

~~~~

In my mind, it all played out like the plot of a paranormal romance novel.  I’ve gotten familiar with those lately, thanks to the collection hidden in the bottom shelves of Slash’s library, buried below the gothic horror classics, the crime thrillers, and about a mountain of nonfiction.  Hell, I could probably write my own!  “Tall blonde unexpectedly falls for rock and roll bad boy with a dark secret,” yeah, the readers would eat that up.  Of course, our love story didn’t really start when the unsuspecting protagonist moved to a new city, or when the leather-clad love interest showed off his supernatural shredding skills.  No, I’d say it started a couple years later, when I found out Slash’s other deep, dark, embarrassing secret.   

It wasn’t a dark and stormy night… but it was a movie night at my place, a tradition for Slash and I.  Whenever we needed a break from the so-called rockstar lifestyle, we’d get together for a night in, smoke some pot and put on a movie. Slash laid back on my couch while I dug through a cabinet packed with VHS tapes and listed off a few options: 

“Let’s see, we have Jurassic Park, Alien, Interview With a Vampire – Uh, sorry, I guess that would be weird huh?”  Slash made a sour face. 

“Ugh.  I hate that movie, it’s such a bad adaptation. Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, seriously?” 

“Wait,” I dropped The Empire Strikes Back and Blazing Saddles onto the growing heap of tapes and sat back on my heels to look at Slash in surprise. "You’ve seen it before?” 

“Uh…” Vampires may not be able to blush but I'd known Slash long enough to tell when he’s flustered.   

“And you’ve read the book?” 

“… Yes?”  I laughed, Slash ducked and hid his face, obviously feeling self-conscious, but I didn’t mean to laugh at him.  It was just… 

I’d assumed that a real-life vampire would roll their eyes at the cliche, over-romanticized movie interpretations of their kind.  Instead, I learned of Slash’s (nearly) indiscriminate love for all things vampire, anything from Carmilla to Buffy The Vampire Slayer.  He was a sucker (hah, get it?) for dripping fangs, swishing capes, even those crazy accents, ever since he was a kid.  And I can’t lie, it was pretty endearing.  I wasn’t in love with him yet, but the more he told me about his obsession, the more warm and tingly I felt, charmed by how genuine he was – Hell, I barely even teased him about it!  Somehow, that conversation felt even more personal than finding out he was a damn vampire.  I was really touched that he felt comfortable sharing his interests with me, that he trusted me with his softer, nerdier, more romantic side.   

I resisted the temptation to press for more details that night, but a month or so later, I caught him in the act!  I remember waking up in the afternoon after crashing at his place so late it was early the night before.  I wandered around his big, spooky house until I found Slash curled up in one of his fancy antique armchairs, his legs dangling over the armrest and a paperback book cradled in his lap.  I couldn’t make out the curlicued script on the cover, but from the captivated look on his face it was a favorite – his eyes were bright as they darted across the page, and his lips curled into a warm, gentle smile. 

I couldn’t stand to disturb him, so I snuck off before he noticed me in the doorway, and headed down the hall to the room he’d transformed into a tiny library – The man had a library in his house; between that and the subtly gothic decor it was hard to believe I never noticed that Slash was playing up the vampire aesthetic, consciously or not!  Anyway, I poked around until I found where he hid his collection of vampire lit, and snatched a few that were, shall we say, not quite as acclaimed as Dracula or even The Vampire Chronicles.  I don’t remember the titles, but there were a couple paperback romances and a horror novel with a badass-looking dude on the cover. 

I had to see what all the fuss was about, you know?  Yeah, this kind of thing wasn’t exactly up my alley, but Slash usually had good taste, so I figured it couldn’t hurt to check it out.  Plus, if it was important to Slash, I wanted to know about it!  And not just the well-known classics either; I wanted the guilty pleasures, I wanted to see what it was that could make Slash smile like that when no one was watching. 

I’ll be honest, it wasn’t bad.  I wasn’t a big reader at the time, but I raced through the horror novel in just two days, and trust me, I barely slept the night in between!  The trashy romance was more enjoyable than I would ever admit; even with all the cliches and melodrama there was something compelling about unraveling the tangled web of forbidden love in a world full of the supernatural. 

At this point, I was very cautiously beginning to entertain the idea that I might see Slash as more than just a buddy and a bandmate.  As friends, were were closer than ever, hardly spent a day apart, and I was beginning to notice things that I hadn’t noticed before.  Things like the way he always smiled at my lame jokes, the way he leaned on my shoulder when he was pretending to be drunk, the way he tossed his hair on stage… And I couldn’t help wondering whether Slash identified more with the heroine or the love interest.  Did he want to be the cool, mysterious vampire lover, or the unsuspecting protagonist who gets drawn into an alluring new world? 

I got my answer a couple months later, in town again after a leg on the road. It was a steaming hot summer day back in L.A., and Slash was dozing on his couch. This wasn’t unusual in and of itself, Slash’s sleep schedule had been fucked for as long as I'd known him. No, what made this instance significant was that I was also on the couch, reclined with my feet over the armrest and Slash draped across my chest. Tales From The Crypt played at a murmur on a brand-new TV set, but I wasn’t paying any attention. 

See, at this point I’d recently learned that, when Slash focused hard enough, he could hear a living person’s blood pulsing in their veins and detect changes in body temperature.  And that had me wondering: Could he tell that my heart beat faster when he leaned against me on stage?  Could he tell that my ears got warm every time he turned a smile my way? 

Could he tell how much I was affected by his weight on top of me?   

He was like a huge cat in my lap, relaxed from head to toe.  If you paid attention, you could tell that he was breathing more slowly that an ordinary human should be and his bare skin was slightly cool.  Other than that he looked completely normal… Except for his teeth.  His mouth was slightly open, allowing his pointed, knife-sharp teeth to scrape against his lower lip. 

To Slash’s chagrin, they weren't gleaming white, perfectly straight fangs; instead they more closely resembled a shark’s jaw, crowded with small flesh-tearing blades.  It was rare to see them exposed, Slash was careful to limit himself to tight-lipped smiles and mumbled dialogue whenever his secret was at risk. Even in private he was self-conscious about it, and I considered myself lucky when he grinned openly in my presence. 

“Hey, Slash?”   

“…Hmm?” Languidly, he shifted until he was looking up at me.  Midafternoon sun leaked through the blinds brightly enough for me to make out a hint of red in his eyes, the other (un)dead giveaway that was usually obscured by his sedately lidded gaze.   

"You know how you said the other day that you have really strong senses? Well... I was wondering what other, uh, non-human traits you have. How true are the myths about vampires, really?” 

“Well… Hm.  My eyes are pretty sensitive to daylight.  And technically I’m nocturnal.  But I don’t have fangs, I don’t really look like a vampire and I don’t have superpowers.” I swear to god, he pouted a little.  "All things considered I didn’t really get any of the cool stuff." 

“No super-strength?  Or mind reading? Can you shapeshift into a bat?” 

“Don’t you think I’d tell you if I could turn into a bat?  At least I don’t have any of those stupid weaknesses, I can be in the sun and eat garlic and whatever.” He paused ponderously. “…You know, I might be immortal, I was around a long time before Tony and Ola took me in.  Guess I’ll find out in a few decades.” 

“That would be pretty cool.” 

“Yeah, maybe." 

“So... do you enthrall your victims?” I prodded, in a spooky, menacing voice belied by my goofy grin. 

Slash snorted a laugh and shook his head at my antics. “No, I can’t do that either.  Well, I don’t know, do you feel enthralled?” 

I laughed awkwardly and counted my blessings when Slash didn't notice that my unspoken answer was an empathetic Yes. 

Slash chuckled with me, then sighed.  “Fuck, I wish vampires like that were real, though…” he confessed softly. 

“Like what?” 

“You know, badass, seductive, awesome powers…” He waved a hand toward a pinup poster on the wall with a corset and fangs, then let his head fall back to my chest.  He mumbled into my shirt, “Is it really so much to ask for a sexy vampire to come and sweep me off my feet?” 

“Slash, I hate to tell you this, but…” I couldn’t make it through the sentence with a straight face. 

He swatted my bicep – pretty hard too, was he sure he didn’t have super-strength? “Fuck you, Duff, you know what I mean." 

And, yeah, dreaming of being wooed by a beautiful, badass, intelligent and darkly mysterious vampire?  Who appeared in my life and changed it forever, who blew me away with his capability and his passion?  Who could captivate me with just a look? 

Yeah. Believe me, I could relate.

~~~~

Happy Halloween! 

[blursed-ninjago-ideas]

Whumptober 20

Remember how in Episode one Cole said Lloyd “must’ve escaped his boarding school again”?? that implies Lloyd made a habit of breaking out before he was expelled. Decided it was one of those run away attempts before he ever got kicked out.

Prompt: Lost

AU: Thief AU

--

Lloyd kicked another stone down the path. He figured he had a few days before someone came to take him back. If he could figure something out before they found him though, then he wouldn’t have to go back.

His father was his best bet, but he was trapped in the underworld, so it wasn’t likely to happen. His mom had disappeared, and no one knew where in Ninjago she was. Lloyd barely even knew he had an uncle and he wasn’t putting anything on the tiny chance the man might take him in, he wasn’t that desperate….yet.

His options will nil to none, but he’d have to find somewhere to go or he’d be back at Darkley’s by week’s end. So Lloyd was wondering the market of a town he never bothered to learn the name of, hoping for a miracle.

Maybe Lloyd needed to get out of the habit of ignoring the names of things, because some street names would be helpful at that moment. It was getting dark and cold and Lloyd didn’t even know where he was. Stomach growling and fingers numb, he pushed forward, hoping for something to work out for him.

Someone roughly grabbed his arm and pulled him to the side of the path, out of the crowd.

“There you are!” she said in relief.

Lloyd figured he’d been mistaken for another kid, but before he could correct the girl that had snatched him she was already fussing with his backpack and softly scolding him for “running off”

A large man pushed his way through the crowd to them.

“You there!” he yelled, pointing at the girl.

Her eyes went wide as she stared at him, keeping a tight grip on Lloyd so he couldn’t run away.

“What was all that running about!?” he demanded.

“I’m sorry sir, I just saw my little brother. We’ve been looking everywhere for him.” she said.

She sounded too innocent and sure for a girl that plucked a stranger off the street. Lloyd wasn’t a stranger to what was happening, he was a Darkley’s kid for crying out loud. The girl was lying through her teeth to get out of something.

“We’ve been worried sick! It’s been two days!” she yelled at him.

“Was that what all that running around earlier was? You were just looking for your little brother?”

“Yeah, I was starting to think something really back happened to him!” she said, tearing up.

“Well shoot…I though you were up to no good or something.” The man sheepishly admitted.

Lloyd cracked a laugh. She defiantly was.

“Oh you think this is funny? Do you!? Well you wait until we get home! You are in so much trouble! We’ve been worried sick. Two days! TWO DAYS! What is wrong with you!?” she stared to lecture “Look at you, you’re filthy! Have you even eaten anything!?”

Lloyd wasn’t sure of he cared about the girl’s cover or not, but that last sentence struck him. He hadn’t eaten anything since dinner the night he snuck out, which had coincidentally been about two days ago.

She seemed to zero in on the change on his face.

“So since you found your brother now, would you mind answering a few questions for me?” The man said with only a trace of suspicion.

Lloyd felt her hand squeeze on his skin as she dug her nails in. He cried out in pain.

“Oh no. I’m sorry for yelling!” she said, suddenly hugging him. “You must be so scared and hungry. Let’s get you some warm food.”

Lloyd couldn’t help himself at that point. He knew it was a cover, but she was hugging him sweetly and being so nice. And even if it was a lie, just the thought of someone promising to get him a hot meal made him start to cry.

“Oh jeez…um…” the man started to say awkwardly.

“I’m sorry sir, but I really need to get my brother home.”

“Yeah, go ahead. You’re free to go. Sorry for the hassle.” He said, trying to avoid staring at them.

“Thank you!” she said, pulling Lloyd with her.

Lloyd just let her take him. He didn’t have anywhere else to be and pretending that he really did have a big sister that was taking him home for a few more minutes sounded nice.

She took him several blocks away, smiling at people that she passed before silently slipping into a dark alley.

Lloyd thought it was empty at first, but then he saw the boy appear out of a dark corner.

“You ok?” He asked.

“Yeah.” The girl said.

Lloyd figured it was about time for him to leave, but she was still holding his hand and it was cold, so he kept his fingers in hers to fight off the numbness in the air.

“How’d you lose him?”

“Had to improvise. Which reminds me, I think we owe this little guy some food.”

Lloyd blinked his big eyes. Had he heard that right? That had to be too good a deal.

The older boy finally met his eyes, his own brown eyes widening.

“I had to play your ‘I lost my little sibling and need to get them home’ routine with him, and he rolled with it.” The girl explained.

“Nya, he probably has a family at home to feed him.” the boy said.

The girl, Nya apparently, shook her head.

“It’s dark, so maybe you can’t see him, but look at his clothes, Kai. The kid is dirty, underweight, and was walking alone. He’s one his own.”

“Is that true?” the boy, Kai, asked Lloyd.

Lloyd felt like speech was a power he didn’t have anymore, so he just nodded.

Kai sighed, scrubbing his face.

“Alright. I guess we can at least feed him. Come on, I snagged a small fortune while you had the security chasing you, and if he helped you get away, I guess that means he should get a cut, right?”

Lloyd actually pinched himself.

“Can I stay with you guys!?” he blurted out.

The both stared at him.

Lloyd wound up spilling his life story over takeout. Kai and Nya told him their own in return. Kai had at some point put Lloyd onto his lap and had been combing his fingers through his dirty hair for almost and hour. Lloyd fell asleep like that with a big smile. He didn’t just get his one miracle, he got two named Kai and Nya.

--

That one was fun to write.

So all three are at least a year or two younger than they are at the start of the series. Now that Lloyd had a crew to help him and a source of food and shelter, Darkley’s couldn’t track him down and gave up after a month or two. At that point they fingered either he was dead, or at least doing well enough not being found that it wasn’t worth continuing to look.

-Ivy

[verai-marcel]

Dominion (RDO OC x F!Reader, 18+)

Summary: It's been a few weeks since your first meeting with Everett. You've been lying low, just getting by on chump change, but at this point you feel that it's safe to pull off a bigger heist. But destiny is a bitch and loves throwing wrenches into your plans. In this case, the wrench is named Everett.

Author’s Notes: I'll be honest, I was gonna write this anyway, even if no one liked the first part. Fortunately, many of you did. Thank you! Special thanks to @fangirl-ramblings for beta reading!

Tags: OC x F!Reader, rough sex, semi-public sex, clothed sex, shameless smut, doggy style, angry sex, sorta dubcon?

Tumblr exclusive fic! Also, if this fic gets 25 reblogs, I’ll post the next part of Neighbor AU a week early!

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You had been canvassing the local art gallery for days. There had been news about a valuable item to be showcased there, and while most people had just waved it off as some art piece, you had a hunch it was more than that. 

You usually followed your gut when it came to leads like this, and it paid off; a few days ago, you overheard the security team discussing the plans for transporting and guarding the item before the opening night. You knew it was way too many guards for just a painting. 

It was a necklace, designed by some artist in France and being shown here as a way to increase culture in the city, or some such bullshit. To you, it was a ticket out of here. 

The building next door was tall and mostly empty, perfect for scoping out where your point of entry would be. You had planned to climb to the rooftop, sneak over to the adjoining building, shimmy down into the art gallery through the second floor window on the backside of the building. From there, you’d take the necklace and whatever else you could grab, and come out the service exit, through the alley, and maybe back up to the rooftops if you had to. 

You snuck into the top floor of the building next door and rested until nightfall, hiding amongst the crates. For the past few nights, you had been following the movements of the guards, taking notes of when they changed shifts and what their positions would be. It was a pretty tight operation, but they definitely didn’t guard the roof as well as they should have. Perhaps they thought they wouldn’t need to in a smaller city like this. Perhaps they thought they wouldn’t have to before news of the necklace became public knowledge.

Fools.

In the dark of 3AM, when most people were asleep, you were wide awake, making sure your knives were all sharp and in their proper place on your belt. You were planning to sneak in and sneak out, but if need be, you would fight your way out. You sat down and started reloading your guns, the empty floor echoing with the sound of you snapping each bullet into your revolver, then your pistol.

When you finished loading your guns, you stood up.

And immediately felt an arm around your waist and a hand clamp down on your mouth.

“Found you, puppy.”

You trembled. Everett Osborn, the bounty hunter who had fucked you so good that you had gone back to him for a second helping, held you tightly against his broad chest. His heart was a steady beat in contrast to your staccato breaths. With your arms trapped, you moved to step on his toes, but he lifted you up and bent you over a nearby crate, quickly grabbing your wrists with one hand and stepping forward to trap your legs between his. His hips pressed against your rear end, causing a flash of heat to shoot through your body at your vulnerable position. He stroked your back, shushing you quietly as you squirmed in his grip. When you finally laid still, he laughed smugly.

“Been a while, sweetheart. Missed you somethin’ fierce.” Everett bent over, pressing his chest against your back. He dug one hand into your hair and pulled, forcing your head to one side so he could kiss along the column of your neck. You bit your lip, trying not to react to his touch, but a small whimper escaped your lips when he rolled his hips slightly.

“Now, you wouldn’t be thinkin’ of stealing a certain necklace, would you?”

You froze.

“So you are.”

“What’s it matter to you?” you blurted out, finally finding your voice.

He pulled your hair harder. “Do you have any idea how many bounty hunters are after you?”

You shrugged, despite the tight hold he had on you. “I haven’t run into any until you.”

“That’s because I’ve been keepin’ them off your back,” he growled.

You turned your head just enough to look at him. You could barely see anything, but his eyes, so close to yours, reflected the dim light of the streetlights below. There was a dark hunger to his gaze, something both possessive and protective that made your heart skip a beat.

“I thought I told you to be a good girl,” he rumbled, letting go of your hair to trail his hand down to your neck, where he gripped it for a moment, shaking you slightly. “Do you need a reminder of who owns you?”

“No sir,” you said automatically. You inwardly winced at yourself, shamed that you had immediately responded in such a submissive manner.

“I think you do,” he purred as his hand traveled down your body to your pants, undoing the button fly with deft fingers, pulling them down around your thighs. His hand slipped past the open seam of your drawers, humming when felt nothing between you and his insistent touch.

“Already wet for me, hmm? Your body knows who you belong to,” he crooned as he slowly stroked your slit, your juices coating his fingers as he pressed two of them inside of you.

“Ev… Everett,” you moaned helplessly, unable to resist backing your hips towards him.

He chuckled, his tone deep and smug as he held you down and pressed his palm against your core while his fingers curled into you, hitting a spot that made lighting flash down your spine.

“Oh fuck,” you gasped as he took your earlobe between his lips and lovingly nibbled on you, his fingers forming a steady rhythm. You could feel his cock, hard against your body, and out of spite, you rubbed your ass against him.

“Want this, puppy?” he asked sweetly, pressing himself harder against you.

“Yes, please!”

“Lemme hear you whimper. Show me how much you want my cock.” He grabbed your neck again and held you close. “Beg me to fuck you.”

You let out all of the moans you had been holding back, mewling loudly as you moved your hips, trying desperately to get more pressure from his touch. “Please, please Everett, I… I need you to fuck me, use me, take me!”

He suddenly let go of you and stepped back, leaving you feeling completely abandoned, so much so that you choked back a sob as the cool air breezed past your bare skin. But the sound of buttons being undone and shifting fabric was quickly followed by his warm body against yours once more, his cock sliding along your wet folds, the tip of him teasing your opening. He bent over you and shoved his fingers into your mouth, making you taste your essence as he began to press inside of you.

“Lick me clean, just like a good girl,” he murmured, sinking fully inside of you with one swift roll of his hips. He stayed still for a few moments, holding you close and nuzzling your cheek, the stubble on his chin scratching against your skin.

Then he snapped his hips back and slammed into you, beginning his rough treatment of you, taking you hard as he grunted low in your ear, laughing darkly at your whimpers.

“That’s right, you’ve earned a good hard fuck, haven’t you? Begging me so sweetly.” Everett wrapped his arm around your shoulders, pulling you against his chest. “You wanna come, pet?”

At your vigorous nod, he snaked a hand down between your legs and rubbed your center. As your hips jerked forward, you could feel his grin against your temple as he smacked your ass a few times before returning to stroking you, heating you up, leading you towards a fiery explosion.

“You feel so perfect,” he grunted as he sped up, chasing his release as he furiously sent you to yours. A hot shock of pleasure spread through your body, your legs shaking, your arms trembling as you held onto the crate for dear life while Everett pounded into you, his hands moving to your hips to hold you up.

“Fuck….” he moaned as he pulled out. He grabbed you by the neck and pulled you off the crate, onto your knees. Turning your head, he pinched your nose, forcing your mouth open before he shoved his cock between your lips. Immediately you sucked on his thick shaft, looking up at him with half-shut eyes.

Everett gripped your hair with both hands as he came, spilling into your mouth with a deep groan. As you swallowed every last drop of his spend, he stepped away from you and kneeled with you, pulling you into his arms. He pet your head and nuzzled you, murmuring, “good girl,” over and over.

Surprised by his sudden act of tenderness, you tentatively put your arms around him and hugged him back.

“Please don’t rob the gallery.”

You pulled away. “I’ve been planning this for weeks,” you said, ready to tell him off, but seeing the pleading look in his eyes, you faltered, your rant dying on your lips.

“Don’t make it harder for me to keep you alive,” he whispered as he stroked your cheek with the back of his knuckles. “I ain’t perfect. One of these days, a hunter is going to get past me and get to you.”

He pulled you back into his arms. “Please. Stay low for a while. Don’t do anything dangerous.”

“How am I supposed to make money?”

“Work with me.”

You sighed and pulled away. He let you go as you slowly stood up and pulled your pants back up. “Bounty hunting is a far different job from what I do now.”

Everett put himself back together as he answered you. “Still some sneakin’ involved. Your stealth could be a great asset.”

You sighed. This was your life. But having Everett around all the time…

“You won’t be a thief with me?”

He shook his head. “Can’t do that, puppy. Goes against my code.”

“So why do you protect me?”

“I… I don’t know. I should turn you in.” He looked up at you, and in the dim ambient light, you thought you saw a helplessness in his eyes. “But I don’t want to. I’m selfish. I want you to myself.”

At a crossing roads, you didn’t know what to do. You knew that if you continued with your plan, Everett would stop you. You knew that if you went with him, your life would change forever.

“I need time to think about it.” You paused, looking out the window at the gallery below. “But I won’t rob the gallery tonight.” Watching Everett as he slowly got up and stood next to you, his hands wrapping around your waist, you wondered about a future with him. 

“I’ll wait for you,” he said softly.

Seeing a longing in his eyes as he gently gazed at you, your heart clenched and you wondered if this was what it was like to fall for someone you shouldn’t fall for.

--------------------

End Notes: I think this might be it for Everett x Reader for a while, unless I come up with something else! Hope you enjoyed my self-indulgent story!