#there's a version of this with Slade Wilson and his kids in my brain

[haveyouthoughtaboutcomicstoday]

[baticorngirl]

Hello, my dear followers! I received my @badthingshappenbingo card not too long ago, and I'd like to ask you (and anyone else who may be viewing my blog) to help me decide what to do for each prompt!

This post will be updated as I do each prompt. Yellow unicorn horn will indicate that I've received an ask for that prompt, and pink will indicate that I have completed my fic for that prompt. Please only send me asks for prompts that are completely uncovered.

On top of this, I am doing the bingo for the Teen Titans Cartoon, Batfam, and DC Comics fandoms only. Anything else will not be allowed.

Now, you may be wondering- what information should you specify in your ask?

Here's a list of things you can specify, on top of the required prompt specification. Please include at least one of the following:

1. Victim Character(s): Basically just whoever the bad thing is hurting. If I haven't already written (or done a different kind of fanwork) for them before, there's definitely a chance I don't know enough about them to do the prompt. If so, I'll let you know. But to avoid this, I recommend trying to do characters from Batman Comics or the Teen Titans cartoon, since that's more my area of knowledge. That being said, you're allowed to ask for literally any DC character as long as you're okay with it being rejected.

2. Relationship(s) of Comfort: This is the relationship of the victim character and whoever is helping/comforting them. If #1 is not mentioned, they will be chosen out of the characters inside the ship. The relationships can be platonic, romantic, familial, whatever. As a solid rule, though, I will not be writing for any inc*stual, p*dophillic or otherwise inheriently abusive ships (No hate to the shippers of course, this a personal preference), at least for this category. The prosecutor and victim having an abusive relationship of some kind is very different, of course.

3. Culprit/Prosecutor Character(s): This is basically just whoever is causing the bad thing. In some situations, such as sneezing, this may not be an option at all. But in the situations where it can be specified, the same rule as for the victim applies- I have every right to reject a request due to a lack of knowledge about the character. That being said, I am going to be much more open with this one since it's easier to write bad guys you don't know too much about than a whumpee.

4. AU: Coffee shop AU, Highschool AU, you know the stuff... just please don't get carried away with how specific your AU is, especially if more than one other thing on this list is already being specified. I still need some creative freedom!

Now that's over with, please send some asks! I'd really appreciate it so much if you could just quickly throw a prompt and character or something in there!

And if you need some suggestions, I also have some extra examples and whanot under the cut. Not necessary to read, but can be helpful.

Need Examples of characters? Here are some that I've already written plenty for and/or want to write for more:

-Damian Wayne/Robin

-Talia Al Ghul

-Bruce Wayne/Batman

-Dick Grayson/Nightwing/Robin

-Starfire/Koriand'r*

-Raven*

-Beast boy/Garfield Logan*

-Terra/Tara Markov*

-Cyborg/Victor Stone*

-Alfred Pennyworth

-Duke Thomas (Just finished reading Batman & The Signal recently, so I'm still in a mood)**

-Jason Todd/Robin/Red Hood

As for more villainous culprit type characters, here's some examples:

-Ra's Al Ghul

-Slade Wilson/Deathstroke*

-Joker**

-Trigon***

Romantic Ship Examples:

-Brutalia

-Brutalina**

-Talina**

-Robstar*

-BBTerra***

-Ra's Al Ghul/Sora**

-Raestar***

-RobX***

-Slade Wilson/Trigon (Both the Cartoon version and the Tiny Titans version)***

-DamiJon**

-Cyborg/Sarasim***

Platonic Relationship Examples:

-Dick Grayson & Barbara Gordon**

-Beast Boy & Raven*

Familial Relationship Examples:

-Talia & Damian (or pretty much any of her kids)

-Evelyn Grayce & Talia Al Ghul**

-Bruce Wayne & Dick Grayson

-Bruce Wayne & Damian Wayne

-Bruce Wayne & any of his other kids

-Damian Wayne & Dick Grayson

AU Examples:

-Roleswap AU

-No Capes AU

-Crime Drama AU

*Character/ships who I've mostly just written (or simply know more) for the cartoon versions of. Some of them have similar enough personalities to the comics that it won't be a big deal, while others (like Terra and Starfire) may be very visibly different. If you need it to be the comic version, please specify that, although for some characters, I may have to reject it because of not knowing enough about their comic versions.

**Characters/Ships which I have not actually written for (or at least posted fic) of. They are still on this list because I know plenty about the character/ship and I want to write with it and/or I have written things with them that I have abandoned/neglected to post. Plenty of these I may have also done fanart for, but not fic yet.

***Both of the Above

Obviously, though, those are nowhere near the full extent of your options. They are simply ideas to get your brain going, but if you've thought of a different character/relationship you want, feel free to ask for it! Just as I've already said before, all you need to keep in mind is that I'm allowed to say no if it's not an area I know about.

Just for a little extra reference, though, here's some full examples of how you can format your ask:

-Working through the Cold with Bruce, please?

-Can you do sneezing with brutalina?

-For the paralyzed by fear prompt- What about Raven is paralyzed by fear, and Starfire comforts her?

-Hate plague with the Teen Titans, caused by Slade, please?

-Reluctant Caretaker + Bruce Wayne & Dick Grayson?

-For BTHB, can you please do "trying not to cry" with Cyborg if you have to time?

I hope some of these examples were helpful! Now, if you've came up with something, please go over to my ask box and send it to me!

[primeemeraldheiress]

Can you please recommend some recent good Jason fics? I'm kinda still falling in the fandom, but already finished all the most recommended stuff like Not so outlaw or Retrograde motion

I can give you a few recent bookmarks of mine and I’ll give you a few of my favorites. I assume you know what I write so I’m not gonna warn for the possible types of fics you’re gonna find here. 

Runneth Over and All That Jazz - thenafics

If it weren’t for his chest, Jason would be nearly impossible to recognize as an omega. He’s taller and more muscular than most omegas so with his deep voice, no one would ever guess. If it weren’t for his body’s absolute betrayal. Jason, like pretty much all adult omegas, produces milk. It’s meant to help reinforce pack bonds and keep pups adopted into a pack fed. That’s not the problem, that part of it is manageable with absorbent pads in shirts and semi-regular use of a breast pump. It sucks, but it’s not the problem. The problem is that Jason’s pack bonds are weak, so his body will let down and start producing milk on a hair trigger. He’s peak fertile age and tangentially part of a mostly alpha pack, but not bonded well enough to balance his hormones, so his body has decided to try and tempt his pack into bonds with milk.Is it working?-The finished version of my most asked after WIP from evil author day-

Rescue Night - strikeyourcolors

(AU) Jason is trying to make a food delivery when he stumbles across a hostage situation. The captors claim he’s Nightwing, the guy claims he’s just a stripper, and Jason just wants to go home. Unfortunately, it seems he’s going to have to launch a rescue operation. The night just keeps going downhill.

like falling apples - wajjs

If Gotham’s a force of nature, so much akin to gravity itself, then he is the very apple succumbing to its rules and desires.

Daddy Bats and Mother Hen - River9Noble

Jason Todd is back from the dead and pissed as all hell that Bruce hasn’t killed the Joker. Red Hood wants nothing more than to turn his back on the entire Batfamily - but instead, every time he turns around, they’re watching him. He just wants to be left alone… but that chicken noodle soup does taste delicious.

Keeping Secrets From Yourself - WithTheKeyIsKing

Looking back, the signs are all there. But they never noticed it about themselves.

They never noticed how Bruce did.

No Place In Heaven - DarcySkat

Martha and Thomas talk to Bruce about his son.

Bruce thinks it’s Damian.

Lightweight - taugex (I love this story)

Bruce returns to his office after back to back meetings to find his good brandy opened and his sidekick drunk.

Blanket, I rec anything by Skalidra, firefright, scandalsavage, WithTheKeyIsKing, daemoninwhite, WorkingChemistry, lurkinglurkerwholurks, and Ellegrine. I’m going to stop there because, frankly, there are a lot of authors I’d blanket rec. 

Requiem - scandalsavage

He blinks as his brain takes it’s sweet fucking time processing what his eyes are seeing.

“So you’re me, huh?” the kid says, rocking back and forth from his heels to his toes like he can’t sit still for three god damn seconds.

“That’s pretty cool. You’re huge.”

Jason hates him. He hates those stupid fucking curls. He hates that stupid bubbly energy. He hates that fucking earnestness, that eagerness to please. He hates that goddamn costume.

He hates the way the kid clings to Bruce’s shadow.

He despises that hand Bruce has on his shoulder.

The poisoned apple (far from the tree) - inanhourofdreaming

“I mean, your first mother wasn’t…fuck, how do I say this?” Tim pauses to breathe. “You’ve never met your mother, Jason. Her name was Ophelia Frump.”

Where Jason has blood family after all, but they’re a little, well…weird.

The legends and the myths - Syngaly

Jason Todd is the best liar Bruce’s ever met.

Jason Todd is the worst liar Bruce’s ever met.

It’s a problem.

Unspoken Rule - YukinaZero

In an alternate universe where Jason Todd finishes his training with the League of Assassins and simply returns home, Damian asks him why he has never confronted Bruce on the matters surrounding his death.

Or: Jason and Daimion have a heart to heart, and I fail miserably in an attempt to write angst.

You’re Alone ‘til You’re Not Alone - WorkingChemistry

Dick has moved to Bludhaven to get away from Bruce and is doing his best to establish himself as Nightwing. It’s going well, but it would probably go better if he didn’t come running every time Bruce calls.

This time Bruce needs him on babysitting duty, and it’s not just for Gotham. Bruce has League work, Jason can’t leave the state, and Alfred’s on vacation so that leaves Dick to pick up the slack once again. Jason isn’t pleased with the situation either, so there’s that… Dick’s just hoping he can bribe Jason into spending the weekend in the library so he won’t have to deal with the prickly boy.

Then they find evidence of a prostitution ring sending young children into forced heats and kidnapping them. Can they set aside their issues, or is Roy going to be stuck playing referee the whole time?

Familiar Faces - firefright, Skalidra

A mission to save a group of slaves from auction goes swiftly wrong when Jason, a former slave himself, runs into a familiar face while undercover at the party preceding it. And unfortunately for both him and his partner in crime, Dick, Slade has no intention of letting his property go again.

Want - Take - Have - daemoninwhite

Dick presents as an alpha and eventually leaves. When Bruce takes in Jason, he decides to do everything in his power to stop history from repeating. (Bruce will never be alone again.)

Mutually Beneficial - scandalsavage

Jason knows who Slade Wilson is and that he should stay away from him.

He knows the man is a vicious competitor of his father’s with a business ethic firmly in the dark gray to black side of the spectrum.

He also knows that his older brother drank too much one night, while he was in college, and fell for Wilson’s sweet talk, whatever that could possibly sound like, and that the older man still, years later, finds ways suggestively drop Dick’s name into conversations with their father.

So when he sees the man’s signature white hair and eye patch approaching his position at the bar, Jason makes a real attempt to avoid him.

Take Your Finger Off The Trigger - Skalidra

Jason Todd was Talon, the enforcer and right hand of Owlman, right up until he was killed. But then, when he comes back to life and his killer is still running free, with no sign of mourning by the two people who always claimed he was theirs, his agenda changes. He becomes Red Hood, a mercenary bent on taking down any and all operations run by the Owls. Finally, one of his jobs lands him back in Gotham, and he comes face to face with his two former allies.

Happy Reading.

[thefightingbull]

Well... That Was Unexpected (Teaser)

Thanksgiving. It didn’t seem like much, but since Jason had made amends with the family, it had become the single most important holiday of the year. Spending time at the manor and eating a home cooked meal that Steph and Alfred would likely spend hours working on the day before and the day after was a requirement. Or maybe they’d just cater it this year… He thought he’d heard something about that.

The only problem Jason foresaw with the upcoming event was that he was without a date. The year prior only Tim had a date in Steph. Bruce, Dick, Alfred, and Barbara were all single. Unfortunately for him, Barbara and Roy were dating, Bruce insisted that Selina show up, Alfred and Dr. Thompkins were an item and Dick was officially official with Kori again. Hell, even Damian was “dating” some girl from school and of course all of them would be at the dinner.

He scrolled through his contact list and sighed. He did not want to be the only solo act in the manor. It was hard enough being the undead Robin. Harder being the only one who’d been an enemy to his family at one point. The one who’d nearly killed some of them… He shook off the thought.

He was over the past. So was his family. He just didn’t want to be reminded of yet another way he didn’t fit in. He had to find someone, anyone to date. But who?

With a sigh he pocketed his phone and walked into the diner. He needed to get his head in the game. Some asshat was running around casting spells and causing all sorts of havoc. He’d gotten an alert from Deathstroke earlier that morning asking that they meet up. Apparently, the magician was one of the assassin’s contracts.

He really, really didn’t want to be bait. Magicians, wizards, witches? They all sucked. He couldn’t count the number of times he’d been royally screwed playing bait for a magician. He’d been turned into animals, de-aged, shrunk, aged, and once he’d even been turned into a freaking action figure. Yeah, magic wasn’t anything he liked messing with.

Still, if Deathstroke asked, he would do it. Mostly because he owed the cyclops a massive favor. Nextly, because he actually liked working with him. If Dick had half the brain he claimed to have, he would have watched, listened and learned. He would have come out of the engagements stronger, smarter, and more capable.

Jason was seated in the back of the restaurant in a corner booth, his back to the wall so that he could see the men and women coming inside. He ordered himself a coffee, black. Ever since he’d watched Dick dump diabetes type 2 inducing amounts of sugar in his, Jason had avoided the sweet substance. He didn’t even let people put fake sweeteners in his caffeine.

His eyes glanced upward as a few people came into the restaurant. A few guys and a girl. He looked back down at his coffee and took a sip as a very attractive man approached him. He was taller than most with blonde hair and the brightest blue eyes he’d seen in a long time. His shaggy blond hair and grimace did look a touch familiar but it was the way the man moved that really caught Jason’s attention. He approached with purpose and took a seat at his booth.

“Uh, beach is that way, dude,” he snarked as he pointed toward the coast.

“Shut up, Jason,” the man hissed.

He blinked in surprise as he scowled at the blond before him. “Who…?” He shook his head as he looked over the stranger. Blond hair, like platinum blond hair. The guy had stood at least six foot four and he was built like a fucking terminator, or rather, built like The Terminator. “Holy shit!”

“Took care of a witch a few days ago,” he snapped. “Seems he had a few allies that took offense.”

Jason couldn’t do anything but stare at the man. Did Slade realize how gorgeous he was? Truth be told he’d always had a crush on the older man, but he’d seemed untouchable before. Now, all Jason wanted to do was touch. He tried to refocus on the conversation, but it was difficult.

“What’s your problem?” Slade snapped at him.

“Nothing,” he answered immediately. “Just a little taken back, that’s all.”

Slade sneered. “Yeah, that’s why I need your help.”

“Gotta kiss a real boy to turn back into an old frog?” He couldn’t help but tease the old man.

Those sky-blue eyes rolled as Jason was grabbed roughly by the collar. The speed and the skill warned that despite being a good two or three decades younger than he should be and forced to see out of two eyes, Slade was still very much a dangerous man who didn’t always appreciate the lip.

“Your fairy tales are crossed,” Slade growled low. “I don’t know what the fuck I need, but I do believe the spell will resolve itself eventually.”

As soon as Jason was released, he nodded. “How soon?”

“Couple weeks at least, couple months at the most.” Slade frowned.

“So… What did you need me for?”

“I need to lie low,” he answered quietly. “You’re one of the few capes that owes me a favor and one that won’t drag me to Arkham or Blackgate.”

Jason nodded, but then paused. Wait, did that mean? “Slade,” he whispered as he leaned forward to make sure no one else could hear. “Are your enhancements… you know?”

“Gone?” Slade huffed. It would have been funny if it wasn’t so terrifying. “It’s not something I’m willing to explain.”

“But it leaves you vulnerable,” he reasoned and when he saw the glare added quickly; “Or well, as vulnerable as someone like you can be.”

Slade nodded. “You gonna help me or not?”

He leaned back and nodded. “I’ve got a few places you can hide out, not all of them are dumps,” he explained softly. He noticed a few women were staring at Slade as they passed by, especially the waitress who looked like she was trying to hype herself up. “Do you see the effect you are having on people?”

To Jason’s further surprise, Slade blushed! Like actually blushed. His cheeks turned red and he didn’t even scowl or growl at Jason. Yeah, he was a master of self-control with his enhancements, but it seemed he didn’t have the molecular level of control over his body at the moment.  He wondered if Slade was even aware of the way his cheeks turned red.

He was about to ask when the waitress finally sidled over. “Anything I can get you, handsome?” She grinned.

Slade jaw ticked as his fists clenched on the table. “He’ll have coffee, black and a Denver omelet. I’ll have the biscuits and gravy.”

The woman pouted a little, but made off to get their order put in. “Thanks,” Slade grumbled.

“This is really throwing you off your game, isn’t it?” Jason didn’t smile. He absolutely bit back the temptation to continue pestering the man about his predicament and be an adult about it.

Slade didn’t answer, obviously working on trying to control himself. Whatever he tried; it didn’t work. If looks could kill, Jason would be a dead man. The narrowed eyes, the unholy sneer on his lips? It was intense and not something Slade had been prone to in the past unless he wanted to strike fear into the hearts of any surrounding him.

“Jason,” Slade started, but was interrupted by the shout of another.

“Jay!”

Slade turned and Jason looked toward the front where Dick and his partner Devon Peterson had just entered. His brother was all smiles as he and the other cop approached them. He looked down at Slade and Jason almost wondered if Slade’s non-existent cover had already been blown. To be fair, Dick had the most familiarity with the assassin. They’d been enemies, reluctant allies, and had briefly shared a partnership in which Slade had tried to be something of a mentor.

If anyone had known what Slade looked like as a young man, Dick would make the most sense.

“Who is this?” Dick smiled as he looked down at the younger version of his former antagonist.

Slade looked like he was going to tease Dick as he was so used to doing, so Jason kicked him beneath the table. “Hey Dick, this is,” he glanced at Slade to be sure there would be no retaliation and to try and think. “This is uh… Well, he’s…” Shit. Maybe he should have allowed Slade to speak.

The only problem was that Jason had never trusted Devon. He’d been Dick’s partner for a year and seemed shifty as fuck. He frowned and looked to Slade, trying to impress upon him the knowledge or paranoia he had about the other cop. Not that Slade was a fan of cops anyhow. They usually made his life a touch more difficult than necessary.

“Fuck, you know what,” he stalled as he formed a really half-assed plan. “This is my boyfriend.”

Devon’s eyes widened in surprise. “You’re gay?”

“Wow, Jay, really?” Dick smiled. “How long?”

“C-couple of months. I just… you know how I am with relationships… I didn’t want to say anything until I was sure. You know what vultures the media can be.”

Dick nodded; the poor guy knew better than most, he really did. Jason almost felt bad for the oldest of Bruce’s kids. He’d been under a microscope the moment he turned eighteen. Tabloids ran a story on anyone they thought he might be dating and definitely anytime he’d broken up with them. Hell, there’d even been an article devoted to all of Dick’s one-nightstands a few months back.

“You gonna introduce me to your boyfriend?” Dick smiled, he and his partner still standing beside their table. Devon looked bored and a little irritated, but Dick was practically glowing.

“This is… Lance,” He almost cringed but frowned when he saw the furious expression on Slade’s face.

He couldn’t help it though. Slade looked like some kind of New Kid on the Backstreet or something. He was absolutely gorgeous and the first name that popped into his head was Lance. He was so fucking dead. Slade Wilson, who already had a porn star’s name, was now Lance.

“Hi, Lance, I’m Jason’s brother, Dick,” he offered his hand to Slade.  

Lance hid the rage from his eyes as he looked up at and took the offered hand. “That’s not my name. Your asshole brother just insists on calling me that because he thinks I look like a boyband loser,” Slade sneered. “My name is Liam, Liam Kelly.”

Dick laughed and nodded. “Yeah, Jason’s always been a bit of an ass,” he nudged Jason’s shoulder as he spoke. “Well, we’re just grabbing our breakfast to go, but it was a pleasure meeting you, Liam. I hope we see you at dinner this Sunday.”

“I doubt I’ll be in town,” Slade started.

“He’ll be there,” Jason insisted. “Now get outta here before your partner strangles you or something.”

Devon rolled his eyes before turning from them and walked back to the front of the diner without Dick. Jason really, really hated the guy. He wondered how corrupt the officer was. If he was just an asshole or if he was dirty, or maybe even a mole for someone.

“Sounds great!” Dick grinned to Liam. “Catch you later, Jay!”

As soon as he was out of range, Slade had him by the collar again. “What the Hell do you think you’re doing, Jason?”  

“Protecting you and doing myself a favor at the same time,” Jason explained. “Look, the family is always on me about not taking anything seriously. If they think I have a real boyfriend instead of some throwaway lover, they’ll stay off my ass for a bit. You dump me in front of them, like at Thanksgiving dinner at the end of the month? Dude, they’ll leave me alone for the rest of the season at the very least!”

“So, this will be your payment for allowing me to lie low? Putting my new persona in danger just so that you can have a date to some holiday functions coming up over the next four weeks?” Slade definitely looked against it. Still, Jason could only nod. “Fine, but you embarrass me or fuck me over in any way, and I swear I’ll gut you.”

[acheaptrickandacheesyoneline]

Chapters: 6/7 Fandom: Arrow (TV 2012) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak Characters: Oliver Queen, Slade Wilson, Patience and Fortitude the New York Library Lions, Felicity Smoak Additional Tags: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Remember the fic I've been talking about only as IndyFic, This is Indyfic, Indiana Jones inspired, If you think you recognize a plot device or nod from somewhere you're probably right, I have stol...Borrowed so much, From Uncharted to Indiana Jones to The Mummy to Clive Cussler books to Aladdin Summary:

She didn’t plan on ever having an adventure unless it said ‘turn to page 34 to open the door’, but somewhere between being kissed in the library and running from a one-eyed man with a gun, Felicity was pretty sure adventure had found her whether she wanted it or not.

It's like The Mummy, only not really.

Author’s Notes: Here we are at the almost end of this tale. Thank you to those of you who have read along the way, or to those who have stumbled upon this once it's done.

Thank you to @adiwriting, my ever wonderful beta and A+ cheerleading work. Another thank you to @ohemgeeitscoley for her beta work, and yelling at me when I did something exceptionally mean with my writing. You ladies both know how to make a writer feel appreciated.

I had so many cheerleaders during this that I'm sure if I tried to list them, I would forget someone. Know that I appreciate and love every one of you, and I could not have completed this journey I started almost two years ago without you.

READ ON AO3 HERE

With complete honesty, Felicity couldn’t say she had seen the day ending with Slade holding a gun to her head. The only way it could have felt any more intense was if he had been holding a sword at her throat instead.

That was really just a ridiculous thought though. Why on Earth would a revenge-minded, one-eyed man track them to a lost city and into a cavern where people were turned into gold carry a sword with him? It made far more sense to use a gun, given that everything else had made so much sense so far.

She tamped down on the nervous laugh she felt bubbling up inside and wanting out. Instead, she focused on the situation, on where Oliver was in relation to her, and basically everything else but the feel of a muzzle brushing through her hair.

Oliver’s shout of her name echoed for a few seconds, the reverberation hiding the sound of him running towards her. He skidded to a stop a half dozen feet from her when Slade moved the gun from her head to point at him. The arm around her neck tightened a bit as he aimed, and she struggled helplessly in attempt to break free.

All he did was tighten his arm further around her and Felicity became very much aware that, yes, it was possible to be crushed by someone’s bicep.

So many new things she was learning today, none of which she had ever really wanted to know.

“I’ve got to say, kid, I didn’t think you would get so far once you ran out with the arrow head,” Slade said calmly. He seemed to be the only person who wasn’t about to panic. Having total control over the situation did seem to help with any anxiety issues though. Since he was also the only one with a gun, and he had a hostage, no wonder he was perfectly calm and had the sense of control.

When Slade’s arm tightened around her neck in warning again, she made a conscious effort to take a deep breath. Then she made her herself stop trying to break his hold on her.

His chest brushed up against her back every so often. It let her feel how solid and hard it was. It didn’t have that warm, safe feel that Oliver’s chest had given her. Slade’s chest wasn’t warm at all, and didn’t even feel like he was actually a human. Body armor of some sort, maybe. It would explain why she couldn’t feel him breathing, or why her attempt to jab an elbow into his side hadn’t even warranted a grunt.

“Slade,” Oliver said carefully. “Let Felicity go. This is between you and me. It doesn’t need to involve her.”

As nice as it was that Oliver was trying to be the better person, it was harder than she thought it would be to not roll her eyes. Slade hadn’t involved her any more than Oliver had. She was the one who decided to involve herself. If Oliver thought she was going to let himself be killed or wounded just to prove a point… well, she would probably yell and kick at his shin since she couldn’t do much else.

“Let me go!” Felicity demanded. She couldn’t see all of Slade’s reaction, but she was able to manage a quick glimpse before he tugged her back to where she had been. There was no way that the sly smile she saw on his face meant anything good. Not for her and Oliver.

“What I do with you, Miss Smoak, depends entirely on Oliver Queen.” Slade’s voice was low in her ear. A small shiver ran through her body, and she couldn’t hide it. Oliver didn’t react to Slade’s threat at all, which was unlike him. Her captor must have kept his words quiet enough that only she had heard them.  

Instead of worrying about what Slade meant, Felicity raised her head and met Oliver’s eyes without flinching. Trying her hardest to tell him that she was okay -- and she was, even if she was terrified -- and that he didn’t need to worry, she was relieved when he finally gave a slow nod.

At some point, Slade would have to relax his guard long enough for her to slip free. There was no way for this strange standoff to last forever.

“Oliver Queen,” Slade said again. “You took something of mine the last time we met. I had planned on taking something of yours the next time I saw you.”

Felicity felt the arm around her neck move away. Before she could attempt a duck and run that would have made Chuck Bartowski proud, the crazy guy with the gun grabbed a handful of her hair. He tugged her back and to the side, pulled out some of her hair in the process.

Between the heat, humidity, no hairbrush, and now this, Felicity was so glad there wasn’t a mirror around at all. It wasn’t that she was vain, but she did take pride in how she looked. Right now, her hair probably looked like a rat’s nest.

Maybe even the nest of a ROUS.

Her worrying about her hair had the bonus effect of taking her attention away from the fact that she could feel the gun against her temple -- HE WAS HOLDING A GUN TO HER HEAD -- for all of thirty seconds.

What was the use of her big brain if she couldn’t even keep herself occupied during impending death?

“Never let if be said that I am not a considerate man,” Slade continued.

Felicity let out a quiet scoff.

Oliver gave her a smile.

Slade yanked at her hair.

She considered it a win.

“I am a considerate man,” Slade began again. “I know how much this discovery means to you, Oliver. I am willing to give you full credit, and I will walk away. The helicopter is outside and I will leave and never come back. But I will be taking your Felicity with me as I leave.”

Felicity could hear the smile in his voice as he finished talking. Smile, maybe, wasn’t the best word for what she thought she would see if she turned to look at him. Smirk? Could humans snarl? If anyone could snarl, it would probably be Slade Wilson.

He sounded like a shark about to eat its prey after a long hunt.

Watching Oliver’s face go all cold and emotionless, Felicity felt a growing sense of dread taking up residence in the pit of her stomach. She couldn’t recall ever seeing him close off so completely before. Even if he wasn’t fond of sharing what he was thinking, she could always count on his eyes to at least let her know what sort of mood he was in.

He was like the Beast that way. Except he wasn’t under a spell and she wasn’t Belle.

“And what if I don’t walk away,” Oliver asked. There was a chill in his carefully, and precisely spoken words, like he was just barely not shouting.

“Then you and Miss Smoak both die.” The matter of fact way that Slade talked about killing them made her feel like she had been doused with ice water. He said it so calmly, like he was discussing the weather forecast, or how the Nationals had won the night before.  She felt her skin prickle up with goosebumps, even with the fact that the cavern was nice and warm thanks to the fires.

“There is, of course, another option. As I said, I’m considerate. You didn’t give me a choice in what I lost. I, however, am.” He waved his free arm to encompass the cavern. “You could always forget about El Dorado. Forget you were ever here, and walk out with Felicity. You have my word neither of you would be bothered again.”  He gave a slow, unamused laugh. “Of course, that would mean that you would never have anyone know about how you located such a marvelous, historical find.”

Felicity breathed quickly, eyes darting around as she tried to work on an escape plan. Slade was still talking, but he lowered the gun and held it loosely at his side. She might have a chance if she were to make a break for it.

His next words cut her plan off at its knees.

“But what is in a name, really. You are, after all, just Robert and Moira’s son. Why should your name have any meaning of its own?”

Those words were cold, and designed to cut right into Oliver’s heart as exact as a scalpel. She knew how much being Oliver Queen meant to him, instead of Robert’s son Oliver. Her heart dropped in her chest as she watched Oliver clench his fists before looking away from her.

The feeling of dread turned into an actual weight in her stomach when Oliver walked forward but refused to meet her eyes. After a moment, when he started looking everywhere but at her, she knew she couldn’t take it anymore. Trying to look down at her feet, Felicity didn’t feel anything but numb when Slade moved his hand out of her hair and onto her shoulder.

It might have been easy to escape from there, but what would be the point? Oliver would walk out without her, get the credit and the honor he always wanted, and she would be left to the whims of a failed James Bond villain.

The worst part was that she couldn’t even blame Oliver for his decision. It would be like if she was working on a code for half a decade, and then told that if she ever published it, she would be jobless and homeless forever. But if she let someone else take the credit for her work, she would have everything she had ever dreamed of.

It wasn’t even really a choice. Without that first break, it would be impossible to keep trying. Especially when everything had gone into that first attempt. Like Oliver had poured his all into finding El Dorado.

No, even with as scared as she was feeling, she couldn't find it in her to be upset at Oliver.

Felicity was not about to give up and be a damsel in distress. She refused to cry or cower. Swallowing down her panic, she gave Oliver a smile as he reached for her hand. It was a watery smile, but she wasn't going to mention it if he didn’t.

Before she could touch Oliver, Slade jerked them backwards. She yelped at the sting where his hand was still fisted in her hair.

“Stay back, Queen.”

“Slade, take me instead,” Oliver repeated.

Felicity watched in a fascinated horror as Slade trained his gun on Oliver. She could see him thumb back the hammer, the metallic click echoing in the cavern.

“That was not one of the options,” Slade said, voice in a low growl.

Oliver froze and slowly raised his hands. “Your word you won't hurt her?”

“I won't harm a hair on her head.”

The way he phrased it, so specifically saying that he wouldn't hurt her, was not reassuring. Felicity knew he was planning something, she just didn't know what. The feeling of unease grew when Slade began to walk backwards towards the altar with her.

She could see all the gold statues around the room, the flickering of flames making them seem like they were alive. If only one of them actually could come to life and rescue them. With the dais at her back, and the tunnel out in front of her, all she and Oliver would need to do was run.

All Oliver needed to do was turn around and walk down the tunnel to escape right now. So why wasn't he moving? He had made sure she was going to be safe as he left her there, at least from this specific mad man. Chivalrous duty complete.

Unless he wasn't leaving her. Unless he was waiting for Slade to let her go so they could both walk out together. That would mean that he had chosen her though. He would have chosen her over the fame and fortune he had originally been after.

“You said you would let her go!” Oliver yelled out. “I made my choice!”

Holy crap.

He had chosen her.

Slade ignored the shout and rotated slightly so Felicity could see the dais. The gold orb on the altar looked almost like liquid where it poked through time-ravaged wrappings.  

The hand in her hair tightened to the point she felt tears forming before she was shoved at the dais.

“Get the orb, Miss Smoak,” Slade demanded of her.

She didn't need to even look at him to know he was probably focusing only on Oliver. He sounded way too dismissive, ordering her about. It rankled, really, that he thought so little of her and didn't see her as a threat.

It was a good thing for her, sure, but Felicity was all for equality and feminism. She could be just as dangerous as Oliver if she put her mind to it.

It wouldn't be in the same physical way he was. Give her wifi and a computer, and she would find a way to wreak havoc.

Rising to her feet, she squared her shoulders and held tight to the knowledge that she could be a badass bitch if the situation called for it.

She jumped at a sudden bang. It was a firework that went off far too close to the ground.  When the echo faded from the cavern, Felicity could still hear her ears ringing. Her ears felt like they were stuffed with cotton, and she barely heard her own gasp.

Oliver was on his knees, clutching his hands around his thigh. Even from halfway across the room, she could see that his jeans were a lot darker there than anywhere else. The dark spot kept growing the longer she watched.

“Dammit!” Oliver cursed, attempting to get up and failing.

She felt her lungs burning and realized she hadn’t been breathing since Slade’s gun went off. Since Slade had shot Oliver.

Oh god, Oliver had been shot. By Slade.

Slade, still loosely holding his gun, who turned to look back at her.  He raised an eyebrow before circling the barrel of his gun towards Oliver.

“The orb, Miss Smoak. I am not a patient man. The next shot will go through his head,” he told her calmly. “From this distance, I assure you, I will not miss.”

Felicity felt like her legs were made out of rubber, and she expected them to give out from under her at any second. Her breathing was still shaky and uneven as she walked towards the orb on the altar. She couldn’t get a full breath in, and she wondered if she was having an asthma attack. Spontaneously developing asthma was something that could happen.

The logical part of her brain that wasn’t currently screaming in terror helpfully pointed out that she was probably in shock. Perhaps even having a panic attack. Physically, she was fine. It was a good thing, since Oliver very much was not fine.

Slade might have promised to not hurt her, but he hadn’t said anything about Oliver. It was probably why he had looked so pleased with himself before.

Felicity took a moment at the altar to make sure there were no clearly visible traps or pressure plates that might bring the whole place crashing down on her the moment she picked up the orb. She could see all of the golden statues around her, with room for more.  The altar had the same painstakingly carved figures from the walls in the temple, only the orb was at the center of them all, rays coming out from where it rested in the stone.

The orb was the gift from the sun.

With a steadiness she didn’t feel anywhere else in her body, she carefully gathered the torn shreds of fabric until she could lift the orb from its place without touching it. Felicity cradled it gently in her hands and walked steadily away from the altar and off the dais.

She stopped a bit away from Slade before finally looking up at him.

“Bring it here,” he ordered.

The distance between them wasn’t too far. Not really. It was, at most, the toss of a water balloon away.

She chanced a quick look at Oliver, and saw that he was staring at her, worry and fear in his eyes. Felicity smiled briefly, remembering his words from before. With concentration she normally reserved for research or writing code, she focused completely and totally on Slade.

“Catch,” she called out to him. She sent the orb flying in a low arc. It was a rather impressive underhanded toss, if she said so herself. The tattered fabric around it came unwrapped as it flew, making it look like a meteor streaking across the sky.

Her aim hadn’t been as good as she had hoped. Instead of flying right towards Slade, it veered to his left a bit. Time seemed to slow down for a moment as he realized what was happening before he threw his gun to the side and moved to intercept her throw before it could land in the flames.

“No! I won’t lose this!” he shouted out, lunging hard.

The moment he was out of the way, Felicity raced to where Oliver was, sliding the last few feet to him on her knees.

“Are you okay? Of course you’re not okay, you’ve been shot. But are you going to be okay? It didn’t hit anything major? I’m not a medical person but I think there’s only one big vein in the leg?”  She was babbling, and she knew it. Felicity grabbed at the lower hem of her shirt and jerked at it, trying to rip it. No matter how hard she tugged, she couldn’t get the fabric to tear. “This always looks so much easier when it’s on TV!”

“Get his gun,” Oliver said, putting one of his hands on her knee. She refused to look down at it, not needing to see the blood that she knew was probably all over it and now getting on her jeans.

Oh, a three hour long shower to scrub off everything sounded like heaven right now.

“Don’t need to,” she said absently. Giving up on her own shirt, she reached out towards his and tugged at the fabric. “Can you rip this? I need to make a bandage or a tourniquet or something so you don’t bleed out on me.”

“What do you mean you don’t need to get his gun?” he asked her, completely ignoring her plea for help in ripping his shirt. “Felicity, look at me!”

His hand covered hers on his chest and she looked up sharply at him.

Carefully, gently, he closed both of his hands around her one and gave it a squeeze. “Talk to me, Felicity. What do you mean, you don’t need to get his gun? I can’t grab it from here and you’re going to need it to keep him away from you.”

“Oliver, I--” She was cut off by Slade’s loud howl of triumph and she flinched at the noise.

Felicity looked over her shoulder and saw him holding it tight as he rose from the ground.

“You should have grabbed my pistol when you had the chance,” he said. He stepped slowly towards them, measured footfalls that matched the erratic beating of her heart. “Now I--no, what’s happening?” Slade looked down at the orb in his hand and for the first time, Felicity saw fear cross his face as his hand started to reflect the same warm, golden glow as the rest of the statues.

Slade looked up and met her eyes, more anger than a wet cat in a bathtub etched in every line of his face. “You! What did you do?”  

The golden glow was spreading faster, surrounding Slade at an impossible rate of speed.

His angry growl was suddenly cut off when it reached his head. In the sudden silence, broken only by their breathing, Oliver and Felicity watched as the glow faded, leaving a statue behind in its wake. The orb was still clutched in his outstretched hand, shining innocently in the firelight.

“The golden man,” Felicity explained after a moment. She looked back to Oliver and wrapped her own hand around his. “The chiefs were transformed to gold instead of entombed. That way they could keep watch over everyone, like the sun did.”

She looked down at their entwined fingers before quickly pulling her hands away with a blush she could feel, but desperately hoped was hidden in the low light.

“Where’s the huge machete you were carrying around before?” she asked him. “I think I need it to cut your shirt into bandages.”

“No machete,” he said. “But if you help me up, I think we can make it back to our bags. There’s a first aid kit in there.”

Oliver was an incredibly heavy person, as it turned out. Even with him holding more than half his weight on his one good leg as he limped down the tunnel. The passage seemed even longer on the way back. The only good thing was that they didn’t need flashlights on their way back, since Slade had apparently dropped chemical glow lights every few feet on his way in.

Walking the tunnel back in the dark really didn’t sound like a good time, given how her arms were busy holding Oliver up, and his were trying to keep himself steady against the wall. There was no way one of them could have held a flashlight.

“Why did you choose...not choose to walk out?” Felicity asked him. Since he was basically at her mercy and couldn't evade her questions, it was a great time to ask things she felt a pressing need to know. She wanted to ask why he had chosen her, but she couldn’t manage to get the words out. She still wasn't even sure that he had chosen. All she knew was that Oliver hadn't left when he had been given the chance.

Did that count as choosing her?

It was more like he had NOT chosen something. Like deciding that she didn't want the apple pie, so that left only the cherry. Was she Oliver's cherry pie?

Next to her, Oliver stopped walking, and Felicity stopped too. Thinking he probably wanted to rest a moment, she pulled back and leaned against the wall of the tunnel.

She looked up and saw him staring at her. He was looking at her the same way she always looked up in wonder at the night sky.

“Felicity,” he said softly. The whisper of her name seemed so loud in the tunnel it was like Slade’s gun had gone off all over again.

“Oliver?”

He smiled, the side of his mouth quirking up slightly. “Felicity,” he repeated. “He had you and was going to hurt you. There was no choice to make.”

He didn't think he had a choice. Did that mean…

Blankly, Felicity grabbed his outstretched hand and helped him back to his feet.

Outside of the temple, Oliver wrapped a bandage around his leg while she held a flashlight steady. The dull metal of the helicopter at the bottom of the terraces reflected the light back enough at them to see it was really there.

“As much as it hurts to do it, we need to destroy the carvings that opened up the way to the tunnel,” Felicity said, handing him another piece of gauze. “I don’t think that anyone needs to know about that.”

“No, I agree,” he told her. He taped down the edge of the bandage before leaning back on his hands. “It would be better if that treasure never saw the light of day.” Oliver stared at her, and it took her a moment to realize he was probably looking for any major injuries on her.

“I’m okay,” she reassured him. Felicity flipped the flashlight off before settling next to him in the grass. Even with the light of the full moon, she could see more stars in the sky than she had ever remembered there being. She focused on his face, the way he was looking at her, before gently patting his back. “I am sorry you lost your treasure though.”

He shook his head and took her face in his hands. “Pretty sure I’m not losing any treasure,” he said.

Oh,” she exhaled on a soft breath. Felicity leaned forward, and kissed Oliver.