#until you remember that cass and luke really were good friends

[mediumgayitalian]

Ask game: 18

18. Do you ship your blorbo with any character?

nico di angelo: light of his skies will solace obviously. i don't really like any other nico ships.

will solace: been burning the torch for nico di angelo since he was literally ten years old. tho i once read a will/percy/jason mortal au that was pretty good actually.

clarisse la rue: okay i have nothing against chris rodriguez but LORD clarisse and selena..................it will always haunt me to death

lee fletcher: is down actually bad for carter eze from the athena cabin like it's embarrassing for everyone around him

cass hasapi: used to have a thing for luke. doesn't really, not anymore, but. nah. she's not looking for romance atm.

diana mckinney: theeeeeee lesbianest of all time like apollo kids tend to be naturally bi but she was like nah couldnt be me. is actually drowning in pussy as the fckn greek hero resident camp 'i'm just experimenting' go-to and absolutely loving that (father's daughter). not hung up on anyone in particular.

michael yew: aroace. does get in fights to experience physical contact tho not that he will admit it.

naomi solace: something is going on sexuality-wise but she's got a job so she's not worried about all that right now. doesn't love dating either, has done so on and off and prefers being single literally every time

percy jackson: would actually become a nuclear bomb if anything happened to his soulmate, annabeth chase

cecil markowitz: favourite hobby In the world is shamelessly flirting with will solace to watch nico's head pop. got a thing going on with ellis from ares but they're being weird about it.

kayla knowles: she's thirteen. she's got the olympics to worry about right now. however if justin bieber circa 2009 were to fall to her feet and beg for her hand she would be amenable.

annabeth chase: would shatter if anything happened to her soulmate, percy jackson

[andorerso]

Okay can I maybe ask for one more?? I just saw “We need groceries, not just junk food. You’re worse than the kids.” and it made me giggle

Thank you for the prompt, hope you like it! There’s a lot of family fluff, children, talk about children etc. I don’t usually write about these things so I hope it’s not too cheesy. Enjoy :)

Jyn whipped around, staring atCassian in disbelief. He was sitting at their kitchen table, eating toast, andwatching her cautiously.

“I’m sorry, you agreed to what?”

He swallowed his bite.

“I agreed to look after Poe forthe weekend while Shara and Kes fly out to Hawaii for his cousin’s wedding,”Cassian repeated patiently.

Jyn took a menacing steptowards him, her own plate of toasts still in hand. “You weren’t talking aboutjust Poe a moment ago.”

Cassian held up his hands indefense.

“Well, Han and Leia heard, andthey practically begged me to take Ben too. They said they really needed sometime together. Frankly, I took pity on them. You remember that Luke said theywere having some problems. Maybe a weekend alone will help.”

Jyn dismissed the issue of Hanand Leia’s marital problems for now.

“And what about Finn? And Rey?”

Cassian was positivelyfloundering now. “Rey practically screamed that she wanted to come too, andBodhi, very helpfully, suggested it could be a sleepover party. And you knowRey and Finn, where one goes, so does the other. I couldn’t say no.”

He very well could have but Jynknew Cassian – when Rey looked at him with her big doe eyes and pouty lips, hewas putty in her hands. It was usually adorable, though rather frustrating atthe moment.

“Did I mention that in return theyall promised to babysit our own kids someday?” Cassian asked casually. “Becausethey did.”

Jyn sighed. Her husband was adamn pushover when it came to kids.

“So you’re telling me thatwe’re looking after four children between the ages of five and eight for threewhole days?”

“Essentially.” He paused. “I’msorry.”

Jyn snatched away the knifefrom Cassian’s hand, using it to butter her own toast.

“It’s fine,” she told him, alittle snippy. “But you’re cleaning up after them.”

A week later they were coursingthrough the local supermarket with Jyn slowly pushing the cart and four kidsrunning wild in front of them. They were loud and misbehaved, and they got afew looks from other customers – but they were laughing as they picked thingsoff the shelf and Jyn had to admit it was pretty adorable. Cassian’s smile was unwaveringas he watched them.

“Auntie Jyn, can we getchocolate chip ice-cream?” Rey bounded up to them, eyes round and pleading.

“Sure, sweetie.”

“What about apple cinnamon Cheerios?”Finn asked as he followed Rey, already holding a box in his hand.

Jyn gave Cassian an amused lookthen shrugged. The kids had been putting in sweets and snacks left and rightfor the past ten minutes but neither of them had said no yet.

“Put it right in.”

Finn obeyed with a happy grinand Jyn knew why they didn’t have the heart to refuse them anything. They weretheir aunt and uncle, they were supposed to spoil them a little.

“Thanks for not bailing on me,”Cassian said as Finn and Rey ran ahead again.

“Oh, I was tempted. It wouldhave served you right.” Jyn paused, giving Cassian a little playful nudge. “ButI couldn’t leave you in the lurch. We’re a team.”

Plus, she really did love herniece and nephews.

“And,” he began, in that casualtone he used when he was anything but casual, “it could be good practice forwhen we have kids.”

Jyn withheld a smile. She knewhow Cassian felt about children, she always had, but she told him, when theygot married, that she needed more time before she was ready to have any of theirown. That was four years ago and he never pushed the issue, only occasionally makingsmall comments like this. Lately, they had become more frequent and less subtle,but she couldn’t say it particularly upset her.

“Cassian,” she said, just asnonchalant, “when we have kids, it’s not going to be four.”

Before he could response, therewas a loud thump coming from the direction of the kids and they both turned tosee several boxes of cereal on the floor and Poe and Ben loudly arguing oversomething. Jyn gave Cassian a look that said, “it’s your turn” and with a sigh,he approached them to see what the commotion was about.

As he settled the issue betweenthe kids, Jyn pushed the cart ahead to get some frozen pizza from the fridge. Cassiandidn’t like them – he always said that they didn’t need that trash when hecould cook well enough for the two of them. Jyn, for her part, wasn’t thebiggest chef and she knew it never hurt to have emergency food at home. Therewere times when it came in handy, no matter what Cassian thought.

She grabbed a box of the typethey usually bought, then straightened up to watch Cassian with the kids. Hewas kneeling down, one hand on Poe’s back and the other on Ben’s shoulder as hesoftly talked to them. A small smile played on her lips. He was good with them.They were all listening to him, practically hanging on to his every word. Jyncould so easily imagine a little brown-haired girl staring up at him with adoration,or a little boy the spitting image of his father laughing as he made faces athim. She wanted that.

Subconsciously, a hand driftedto her stomach. A woman stopped next to her, giving Jyn a friendly smile.

“You have a lovely family,” shesaid just as Cassian hugged Poe and Ben to his sides.

Jyn paused, so caught up in thesight that it took a moment for the words to sink in.

“Oh.” She shook her head. “No,they’re not my kids. We’re just taking care of them for the weekend. But thankyou.”

The woman gave her another kindsmile before pushing her cart forward. Jyn stood still, staring at Cassian withthe kids. She was still holding the pizza in her hand when he came back, the fourchildren now perfectly appeased.

“Is that frozen pizza?” Hesighed. “Jyn, we talked about this. We need groceries, not just junk food.You’re worse than the kids.”

Jyn shrugged but before shecould answer, Rey dropped another box of cereal, declaring “Oops,” in a loudvoice. Cassian gave them an exasperated but fond look. Jyn laughed.

“This doesn’t really make meanxious to start popping out kids, you know.”

“Hey, we can handle these four,we can handle one baby.”

Jyn paused, running a handthrough her hair. She was finding it hard to figure out how best to approachthe topic – even though they were alreadytalking about the topic.

“You really want that?”

Cassian looked at her, caughtoff-guard by the questions. “Well yeah, someday. We talked about it.”

“I know but… when is someday?”

He shrugged but his nonchalancewas fake. “Whenever.”

She gave him a strict look andhe folded.

“Today, tomorrow, next year. I’mready, Jyn. But I’ll wait until you are.”

She nodded absently. That waspretty much what she expected his answer to be. They walked ahead in silencefor a few seconds, her brain racing with thoughts.

“Hey,” she said slowly,catching his eyes, “You know I was joking earlier. About not wanting to havekids.”

“What?” Cassian asked, blinkinga couple of times. “Oh yeah, sure. I know.”

“Because I think you’d make anamazing dad.”

He paused, staring at theground for a while before he could stand to look at her. The insecurity in hiseyes came from growing up without parents. She would know, she was in the sameboat.

“Really? You think so?”

“Oh yeah.” She nodded, not ahint of doubt in her mind. “Absolutely. I mean those kids adore you, you knowthat.”

Cassian gave her a smile sobeautiful, her heart skipped a beat. Even after all these years, he could stilltake her breath away. She hoped that would never change.

“For the record, they adore youtoo.”

She smiled at the ground, herturn to be bashful. They were silent as they browsed the aisles, watching thechildren. At some point Rey, the youngest, ended up climbing into the cart torest. The boys continued on ahead, taking everything off the shelf to examineit. Rey was beginning to fall asleep when they walked by the alcohol aisle and Cassianreached out to grab her favorite brand of whiskey.

“Ah no, leave it,” Jyn toldhim. She was the only one who liked that stuff; Cassian usually preferred wine.

“But we’re out of it at home.”

“I know.” Jyn paused, bitingher lip. “But I won’t be able to drink it for the next couple of months.”

Cassian said nothing, staringat her in confusion as his mind practically whirred trying to figure out whatshe meant. Jyn’s lips were already curling into a small smile, patientlywaiting until he finally understood what she was saying. She could barelycontain her grin as his eyes widened, running over her body and settling on herstomach. The joy she could see on his face, lighting up his whole body, wasworth every agonizing question she asked herself about her ability to be a mother.Whatever happened, Cassian would be there to help her.

He stepped forward, taking herhands, looking at her with a hopeful searching expression. His eyes were wideand shining.

“Are you –”

She nodded, laughing a little. Herown eyes were beginning to tear up in response, but she ignored it. Hormones. Were they already kicking in?She had no idea, frankly, she would have to ask one of her friends how thewhole pregnancy thing worked. But right now, all she cared about was Cassianstaring at her in awe, his hand warm in hers.

“Looks like we’ll be able to cashin those promises of babysitting soon enough,” she said quietly. Cassian letout a happy laugh.

“How long have you known?” heasked, his eyes sparkling.

“I’ve had my suspicions, but Ionly confirmed it yesterday. I didn’t want to say anything until I knew forsure and then the kids came over and we didn’t have the chance to talk…”

“But you’re happy, right?You’re okay with it?”

“Yeah,” she said softly,squeezing his hand. “I’m ready, Cass.”

That was all he needed to hear.The next second, he was pulling her to his chest, kissing her forehead, hercheek, her lips. Jyn let him have his moment, smiling when he pulled away andput his hand on her stomach. He looked like a kid on Christmas morning.

“Can you feel anything?” heasked, the excitement barely containable in his voice.

“Cassian, I’m barely a fewweeks along,” she replied, laughing. She knew he was going to be overzealousfor every second of her pregnancy, but she didn’t really mind.

“Right,” he said, a littledisappointed, but it didn’t last for long. He shook his head, looking aroundthe store. “I can’t believe you told me you’re pregnant in a supermarket in themiddle of the alcohol aisle,” he said but he couldn’t sound stern while hestill looked so overjoyed.

Jyn laughed. “You proposed tome in the car in the middle of a traffic jam. We’re even.”

Just then, there was a shout upahead, a petulant voice screaming “It’s mine,” and Ben stomping his feet on theground.

“Boys,” Jyn called out to them,“What did we tell you about fighting with each other?”

“Sorry, aunt Jyn,” Finn shoutedback but they continued to argue amongst themselves, only quieter. Jyn shookher head but when she looked at Cassian, he was giving her a look full ofadoration.

“You’ve got this mom thingdown, you know.”

She rolled her eyes, but shesecretly appreciated his reassurances.

“Yeah, yeah, you can stopstaring at me like I hung the moon and the stars now. It’s embarrassing.”

“Sorry. Can’t help it.”

She shook her head, a littlefond, a little exasperated. The smile on her lips felt like it was permanentlyfixed on her face. It was so unlike her but – she couldn’t help it. She wastruly happy. With Cassian’s hand in hers, great friends, a secure job, adorablenephews and nieces, and their own baby on the way, she had everything shewanted.

“Uncle Cassian, uncle Cassian,can we get cotton candy too?” Finn ran up to them to ask. Cassian was noddingbefore he even finished speaking.

Jyn doubted he’d say no toanything they asked him now.

[violetsmoak]

Pieces of April [13/?]

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21099044/chapters/50202530

Summary: On the anniversary of his death, Jason’s second life takes an abrupt new turn and he’s faced with a challenge that neither Batman nor the All-Caste prepared him for.

Rating: PG-13 (rating may change later)

Warning(s): Past Jason/Isabel, kidfic, minor canon character death (pretty sure you can guess who), I’ll add more warnings/tags as I think of them.

Canon-Compliance: Takes place in between the two RHATO series, so after Roy and Kori and before Artemis and Bizarro. Jason and Isabel Ardila were in a brief relationship.

First Chapter

________________________________________________________________

“Have you seen this?!” Damian explodes, stalking into Tim’s office with all the fury of a pit-bull wearing a thousand-dollar suit. His somewhat bruised face is red with fury as he slams of a piece of paper down on Tim’s desk.

“Did we have an appointment?” Tim asks lightly. “Because otherwise, I need to call an exorcist about a demon problem.”

“Stow your inappropriate humor, Drake, I just received a memo from our lawyers—”

“You received a memo? You don’t even work here officially. You were probably just sitting in B’s office pretending to do your homework and then snooped in his inbox when his back was turned.”

“A technicality that holds no bearing on this,” the boy sniffs, waving the paper again. “The patent office is denying Wayne Enterprises claim for the personal water filtration device we filed for on Tuesday.”

“What?” Tim demands, snatching the paper and glaring down at it; that was one of the projects he’s been overseeing the past few months. “On what grounds?”

“LexCorp apparently filed for a similar product 24 hours before we did.”

“Bullshit,” Tim snaps. “As of last month, they weren’t even out of the developmental stage on that.”

He knows because he’d been to the factory chasing down a lead on a completely unrelated case as Red Robin and happened to catch sight of their prototype. It was nowhere near the quality that Luke Fox already perfected in the Wayne tech division.

“Apparently someone’s been helping them out.”

“Any idea who?”

“I can ferret out the traitor soon enough, and make them see the error of their ways,” Damian says, smiling unpleasantly.

Which could mean anything from destroying their legal existence, or a personal beat-down by Robin depending on his mood.

“No,” he says. “We’ll figure out who did it, and why. Then we take it to Lucius.”

“I would imagine the motive for the deceit is rather self-evident.”

“It isn’t always. Motive colors everything. For all we know, it could be a blackmail situation. I wouldn’t put anything past LexCorp, or their R&D team.”

“And the issue of the patent itself?” Damian demands, folding his arms. “This company has invested significant capital in developing the product; if LexCorp retains the patent, our profit margins this quarter will tank.”

Tim smiles coolly. “They’ve invested a lot more than we did. Especially if they’re paying off a corporate spy. I’ll talk to Luke and his dad, but I think if we circulate the story we’re placing the design schematics online to ensure anyone in need can construct their own unofficial versions of it—for humanitarian and innovative reasons of course—LexCorp will take the worse hit and with the good press WE gets, we can recoup.”

“You don’t actually intend to follow through with that, do you?” Damian asks, nose wrinkled in distaste. “That reeks of compromise.”

“Of course we’ll follow through. With the prototype designs, not the final versions. Profit was never the main goal of that project anyhow, so we can afford a delay on returns. With the sudden influx of bootlegged versions of the technology, owning the patent will no longer be the challenge, it will be providing the most efficient and functional model. Which ours is, given the time we spent developing it.”

“So even if LexCorp releases their version, it will continue to underperform next to ours,” Damian realizes. He thinks about it for a moment and then nods. “That’s a semi-acceptable solution. Not enough justification for you to still be here, though.”

A brief, shining moment of an almost-compliment…and we’re back to that again.

“You know, if you’re so concerned that the team in San Francisco is bereft of management, you could always fly down yourself.”

“This is my city. I won’t leave it.” Which is the same argument he used last night; odd, considering Damian likes to be varied in his attacks on Tim. “Besides, we have all seen the results of the alternative.”

Meaning their short-lived team-up where everyone compared them to each other and Damian split.

Tim raises an eyebrow at that.

It almost sounds like he’s…upset about that. Funny, he’s never indicated he minded leaving the Titans when I came back. And half the time he’s off doing whatever it is he does with John.

“Well, maybe if you hadn’t been such a jerk to them, they wouldn’t have been so eager to see the back of you,” he points out, even as he immediately knows it’s the wrong thing to say. Damian’s expression, on the cusp of showing vulnerability, shuts down completely.

“I have learned it is futile to argue with stupidity, and that includes a preference for subpar leadership. Which you should be getting back to and cease wasting company time on whatever it is you don’t actually contribute here.”

Tim rolls his eyes, counts to ten in his head, and replies, “I have a case here, you know. I’m not leaving until that’s done. And maybe if you stopped being such an ass about it and just came out and asked, I’d be happy to call the team and suggest giving you another chance.”

“I don’t require your pity!”

“That’s not what—” Tim groans and pinches the bridge of his nose; why does every conversation with Damian that doesn’t include weapons, always go pear-shaped? “Are you and B fighting again? Is that what this is?”

“Of course not!”

Twin spots of red indicate that’s exactly what it is, and Tim groans internally.

Exactly when did I take over from Dick as chief soother of family problems?

Probably shortly after Dick “died” and went undercover with Spyral. Which he thinks is patently unfair, considering Cass is technically second-oldest, and Jason gives off more of that brother-vibe despite his abrasiveness.

Not that that’s particularly helpful now; he’s got his own problems to deal with.

And of anyone in the family, Tim’s the only one Damian interacts with almost as much as Dick, so maybe it’s not surprising.

Before he can ruminate any more on that, his phone buzzes; it’s from an unknown number, but Tim can guess who it’s coming from based on the first words in the text message.

- Hospital called. Tests positive…

There’s more to it, but Damian’s trying to read it upside down, so Tim snatches it up and reaches for his briefcase.

Apparently, the hospital put a rush on the paternity test results after all. Jason is probably freaking out right now.

 “We can continue this whole you-asking-for-help-but-not-really-thing tomorrow.”

“I’m not—that isn’t—you presume—” the kid splutters as Tim closes his laptop, before recovering and demanding, “Where are you going?”

“Picking up Ives at St. Camillus,” he lies with ease and mentally apologizes to his absent friend for using him as a cover. “He’s had a hard go of it, so we’re doing pizza and a Mission Impossible marathon.” He pretends to pause. “You’re welcome to come, but I’m telling you now we’re not ordering vegetarian or vegan pizza for you. It’s going to be a no vegetable zone.”

In the past few years he’s discovered the fastest way to get Damian to leave him alone is to welcome him to spend time with him. The kid is so set in his ways of insisting he loathes Tim that he’ll go out of his way to refuse such an invitation on principle, even in cases where Tim suspects he wouldn’t mind sticking around.

Tim thinks he has another year or two of that strategy working before Damian finally figures it out. Which could potentially be fun—he wonders what it would be like to have a younger brother that isn’t constantly trying to cut the knees out from under him—but for now, he really wants to avoid it.

Luckily, in this Damian remains predictable.

“I’d rather not stunt my growth like you,” the boy sneers.

Tim pretends that dig doesn’t irritate him, the way it has been since he noticed Damian catching up to him in height. The kid is smug about it and likes to rub it in. Tim, however, has learned the best way to circumvent that is to make a joke of it.

“I thought everyone assumed it was the energy drinks,” he grins.

“I’ll be sure to keep an eye out on your territory since you’ve decided to engage in an evening of sloth instead of important work,” Damian grumbles and stalks out of his office.

“So that’s a ‘no’ to pizza night?” Tim calls after him, fully aware of the answer.

“You’re a disgrace, Drake.”

“Make good choices!”

He allows himself a moment to bask in the satisfaction of ticking off the younger boy, before growing solemn again. He unlocks his phone to scan the whole message.

- Hospital called. Tests positive. Pickup tonight. Legal stuff figured out?

Tim shakes his head; Jason might as well be organizing a stakeout for all the details he’s given. It’s a typical Bruce-ism they’ve all adopted for when they are too overwhelmed to deal with something. He wonders if Jason’s even aware he’s doing it.

He quickly types out a reply—I’ll pick you up and we’ll go together. I have papers you need—and heads for the company garage.

He remembers the process from when Steph had her baby and signed the adoption papers, and so has ensured the documents the hospital will require are on-hand. Social security and medical history forms, birth certificates, driver’s license—a surface survey of identification to prove that Jason Ardila exists.

All Jason needs to do is memorize them on the drive over in case anyone decides to ask questions. Which they won’t, since the fact of Jason being the baby’s biological parent cuts down on a lot of paperwork for them, and Tim knows from personal experience that when it’s possible to avoid paperwork, most organizations do.

Inching back home through Gotham’s usual rush hour madness, Tim wonders if Jason will still be there when he gets to the apartment or if this is the point where he gives up and makes a run for it.

Halfway to the Nest, he gets another text from Jason, this one informing him he’s not at Tim’s place. A follow-up message lists an address Tim thinks he might have read recently, and it’s only when he gets home that he recognizes it from the file he read on Isabel.

Guess he decided to go out today after all.

He quickly changes from his business suit to something casual and unassuming, not wanting to draw attention if he goes into the hospital with Jason, and then hunts up the car seat from the piles of baby things Tam bought. Once that’s carefully installed into one of his less flashy cars, he heads out to the location Jason gave him.

He pulls up in front of a well-maintained condominium, and texts Jason about his arrival; though he knows he’s there, he’s still somewhat surprised when the older man materializes from behind the building, his face ashen and entire body pulled tight and tense.

As Jason gets into the car, Tim knows better than to ask him what’s wrong or if he’s alright.

Instead, he asks, “Have you eaten?”

Jason blinks at him like he’s speaking a foreign language, and then processes. “Not yet.”

Tim’s eyebrows go up at that because usually, it’s him that has to be reminded of eating; Jason’s one of those people that has to eat every three hours, or they become ornery.

He spares a moment to wonder where he picked up that bit of knowledge, and then suggests, “We can stop for food first if you want.” There’s a place on the Upper Eastside where Red Hood has been known to frequent. “We can take as long as you want.” 

“If I eat anything right now, I’m going to throw up,” Jason informs him. “I want to just get this over with.”

“Right.” He can understand that. “Okay, on that note—” Tim strains behind the seat, finagling the folder he stuck there with only the slightest pulled muscle, “—here.”

He hands Jason the folder of documents.

“These are all the official stuff they might ask you for, though I doubt we’ll need all of them today,” he explains. “I also included a list of social media sites you’re now registered on and tweaked your membership dates to exist retroactively, though that’s more for you and not the hospital.”

Jason makes a face. “You gave me a Facebook account.”

“Having one is almost more proof of your existence than having a passport these days,” Tim replies. “Which you still need to get, but we can hold off on that for a little longer. Everything here is just to throw off anyone from social services or the government if they decide to investigate you while we’re coming up with the long-term plan. And if we need an ironclad background, we can bring Oracle in on this.”

Jason’s expression becomes darker.

“Obviously I know you want that to be a last resort,” Tim says quickly. “But just keep in mind it’s an option. And O’s pretty good at keeping secrets from the rest of the family too, you know.”

The older man flips through the documents again and shakes his head. “This is pretty comprehensive considering the kid’s not hanging around here for long.”

“Trust me, if you want to get her out of the hospital, it’s going to have to be that comprehensive.”

It looks like Jason has a comment for that, probably about how he doesn’t want to take her from the hospital, but he visibly buries it and focusses on getting familiar with his new background.

The rest of the drive is silent and tense, and not for the first time Tim questions the wisdom in getting involved at all. Out of everyone in the family to help Jason through a tough emotional spot, Tim always considers himself the last resort; even Damian has more in common with Jason. On the other hand, with this particular scenario, maybe there is no right person to help.

Luck of the draw, I guess…

The tension in the car ratchets up tenfold as they pull into the hospital parking lot. Tim makes a judgment call to not simply drop Jason off on his own this time and even offers to carry the baby-carrier with him into the building, though Jason declines.

Probably needs something to do with his hands.

Tim feels a modicum of relief at that; the contraption is bulky and seems too big for the baby he held in his arms yesterday. Knowing him, he’d probably drop it and send Jason into a panic attack…

They head to the neonatal section in silence, and when they get there Tim’s the one who speaks to the receptionist. She hands him a clipboard with a bunch of release forms and waivers, then assures him the doctor will be with them shortly, before pointing them toward the waiting area.

Once seated, Tim divides up the forms and offers Jason a spare pen from his jacket pocket.

“This stuff’s all insurance and stuff,” he tells him. “I can fill them out for you.”

“I said I was going to handle it.”

“Did I say I was putting my information down on it?”

Jason scowls. “I hope you know how creepy it is you know so much about me.”

“Creepy, but useful,” Tim retorts and shoves a different form at Jason. “This is all family and medical stuff. That’s on you.”

“How generous,” Jason deadpans, though he takes the paper and reads through it.

Despite having the majority of the forms, Tim finishes long before Jason does. When he glances over to see what’s keeping him, he realizes that while everything else is filled out, he seems stuck on the name part of the questionnaire.

“You almost done?” he prompts, instead of asking if he’s alright.

Jason visibly shakes himself, jots something down on the paper, and practically shoves it back into Tim’s hands. “Yeah. All good.”

Tim glances at the form, noting that in a fit of inspiration, Jason has added Isabel as the child’s middle name.

As if expecting Tim to comment, he mutters, “Wherever she ends up, she should at least have a part of her mom.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

He takes the documents back to the receptionist to be copied and filed, before returning to sit with Jason.

“It’s a nice name,” he offers after a while. “Luisa Isabel.” He considers. “We can call her Isa. It works for both.”

“Shit. Jason blinks. “I didn’t think about that. Maybe it’s not too late to change it.”

“I wasn’t making fun, you know. It’s a decent nickname.”

Jason shoots him a sharp look. “What did I say about getting attached?”

“Why do you even care? Whoever ends up taking her might change it anyway.”

That comment makes Jason frown, as if he didn’t consider it, but if he has anything to reply, it’s cut off when a nurse appears and calls out Jason’s name.

“Right this way,” she beams at them, leading them to the hallway outside of an observation room; she promises to return in a moment.

Jason and Tim look inside, where there are rows of infants in clear cradles. The nurse stops in front of one of them—labeled Baby Ardila—and picks up the pink swaddled infant.

“Mr. Ardila,” a familiar voice interrupts, and they glance up as Dr. Kerry makes an appearance. He hesitates upon meeting Tim’s gaze, clearly wanting to keep to the privacy he requested yesterday. “Mr…”

“Draper,” Tim supplies smoothly, glad for the attempt.

“Right.” The man shakes his head and returns his attention to Jason. “As you’re aware, we did receive the tests back confirming the paternity. All that’s left is to release her into your custody, though I do have a few last-minute matters to discuss.”

“Sure,” Jason says tightly.

 “Don’t worry, there’s nothing wrong. She’s in excellent health,” the doctor assures them, as Jason fiddles with the baby carrier. He seems to be unsure if he should carry it by the handle or in his massive arms.

It would be kind of funny if he wasn’t so terrified.

“Her Apgar scores are perfect, she’s already had her Vitamin K injection and shots against Hepatitis B—all of which was arranged and signed off on before the birth,” he adds quickly, wary like he’s expecting them to rage at him for vaccinating the child.

“Good,” Jason says, probably because it’s one less thing to worry about.

Kerry appears relieved, and continues, “She’ll have a series of injections and boosters she’ll be needing, but her pediatrician will give you all of that information when you bring her for her check-up a week from now—" Kerry cuts himself off as if remembering the situation. “I can give you several referrals if you haven’t selected one yet.”

“Thank you, but that’s unnecessary,” Tim says. “We have a family physician.”

Kerry glances at Jason, as if unsure if he should be deferring that decision to Tim considering the kid’s paternity, but Jason nods. “I think that’s probably the only thing we for-sure have covered.”

Not entirely sure Leslie’s area is babies, but she’s still the only doctor worth trusting in this city. Jason knows it too.

“Very well,” the man says with a hint of doubt in his voice. He appears to debate with himself about something for a moment and then squares his shoulders. “We do have a social worker on-site if you change your mind about adoption.”

“No,” Jason says.

Kerry sighs. “Mr. Ardila, if you’ll pardon my input—you’re young. And given the circumstances, this is quite a shock. It’s admirable you want to do the right thing and step up to your responsibilities, but it would be remiss of me not to remind you to do what’s best for the child and yourself as well. If at any time you think you can’t do this, you have options. It’s better to figure out what you want to do now while she’s so young than once she’s had time to bond with you.”

Jason looks torn by either prospect, so Tim cuts in with a polite, “Thank you, doctor. We’re aware of our options. As you said, this has been quite a shock, and we have a lot do discuss. However, we would rather the baby not be left indefinitely in the hospital while we do that. I’m sure you understand.”

“Of course.” Kerry clears his throat, uncomfortable. “The attending nurse has a few papers to give you, commonly asked questions and the like. Just an overview of care for the next week or so, but if there’s any concern—anything at all—I’ve included my emergency phone number and email.”

“Thank you.”

He hesitates a further second, before excusing himself. There’s hardly any time to process that, before the nurse has returned, Luisa in her arms.

“Here she is,” she murmurs softly, almost a coo as she presents the baby to them.

When Jason hesitates a half-second too long, Tim immediately reaches out to pick up the swaddled infant. He may have done a little bit of research and YouTubing earlier to ensure a little more confidence when holding her.

Today, Luisa’s eyes are actually open—barely—though unfocussed. She has no reaction for Tim other than a slight scrunching of her nose and futile wriggle against the blankets keeping her wrapped like a baby burrito. Her skin’s blotchy and a bit greasy looking, and she still resembles a potato, though maybe a bit less wrinkled today.

Jason puts the carrier down, and while he appears intent on whatever the nurse is telling him—either congratulations or the infant care Kerry promised—Tim busies himself with figuring out how to put the infant in the carrier.

Does she really need that many straps and buckles to keep her in? It’s not like she’ll even have the coordination to escape for another two years…

Eventually, he manages it, however, and picks up the carrier by the handle; he sees now why Jason felt so awkward with it before, it doesn’t exactly feel convenient.

“…and that’s it,” the nurse is saying, while Jason nods.

I highly doubt that’s it.

He doesn’t say that out loud, though, if only for Jason’s sake; instead, he smiles and says, “Thanks for everything.”

“You take care now,” she admonishes. “The first week is hard on new parents.”

“No kidding,” Jason replies with a laugh that anyone else might call nervous, but which Tim recognizes as bordering hysteria.

Time to leave. “I’ve got no doubt we’ll manage. We’ve been in tougher situations.”

That seems to penetrate some of the panic the other man is working himself into. He blinks as if suddenly remembering who he is and how much they’ve survived.

“Yeah,” he agrees, a little shaky but surer. “We have.” He takes a deep breath, offers an actual attempt at a charming smile at the nurse, before turning to Tim. “We should get going.”

“We should.”

He still makes no move to take the carrier, but Tim doesn’t comment on it; he’s sure in the next days and weeks Jason will be easier around the baby. But right now, he’s not able to do it, and that’s the whole point to Tim being there.

They turn to leave, baby safely in her carrier between them; when the nurse calls out a parting, “Congratulations!”, Tim pretends he doesn’t notice Jason flinch.

⁂⁂⁂

Your feedback matters! I want to know what you think of my story, so feel free to leave kudos, a comment or as many of these emojis as you want and let me know how you feel!

❤️️ = I love this story! 😳 = this was hot! 💐 = thank you for sharing this 🍵 = tea spilled 🍬 = so sweet and fluffy! 🚔 = you’re under arrest! the writing’s too good! 😲 = I NEED THE NEXT CHAPTER 😢 = you got me right in the feels 🤯mind blown 🤬god damn cliffhanger 😫 whyyyyyyy?!?!?

Next Chapter

[purplebenjy]

Christmas || 2019

Benjy knows who it is by the knock on the door, Luke’s pattern different enough from Cass’s that it was easy to tell them apart. He’d only been in their lives since...July? August? He couldn’t remember, but that wasn’t really the point. Luke had fit in flawlessly and Benjy couldn’t imagine their lives without him now. There hadn’t been anything missing before, of course, but everything was elevated with Luke here. 

“Come in!” Benjy calls, humming tunelessly to Christmas music playing in the background. He glances up from the Ballerina in a gas mask and leather jacket he was painting for Dora and smiles at his nephew, Cass’s twin. His chest fills with warmth and affection, thinking about how all the more lovely Christmas was going to be with Luke around, but of course, when he opens his mouth, it doesn’t come out the right way.

“What’s up? You see your own reflection and get scared again?”

“No, actually, just looking at photos of you.” Luke grins, flicking a bit of his long curly hair out of his eyes. Cass wanted him to cut it but Benjy and him had both refused. He’s got on a pair of jeans and one of the ‘vintage’ t-shirts he’d found in Benjy’s closet, though he resented the fact that the White Stripes T-Shirt he’d bought in college was vintage now. He has the black denim jacket on that Cass had bought him at an outlet in Arizona-it’d been a bit colder than anyone had anticipated and Luke had shown up with only the clothes on his back during the middle of summer and thusly hadn’t had a jacket on him. Benjy was now convinced that the 8th circle of hell was an Old Navy outlet mall, but it’d been a successful, wonderful trip otherwise. A precursor, hopefully, of  what was to come for Christmas. They’d just gotten back Sunday, today was the first day back to reality, school for Luke, work for Cass and general household chaos for him. Benj had spent the morning decorating the kitchen for Christmas until inspiration struck for his first of countless Christmas paintings-Dora was going off to college soon and he thought he might as well give her a conversation piece. Per usual he hadn’t gotten changed out of his loose grey sweatpants and his pink kimono tied loosely over his bare chest, and he reaches back behind his neck to scratch at the tag that he keeps forgetting to ask Cass to cut out for him. 

“Won’t being around me increase your fear?”

“What’s that thing called when you’re like, afraid of something so they force you to be around it as much as possible so the fear goes away?”

“...immmersion therapy?” 

Luke nods. “That’s it.”

Benjy laughs and turns the easel towards him for inspection.

“Who do you think it’s for?”

Luke closes one eye and turns his head slightly to the side.

“Um...I’m still not up on everyone’s name but your one friend who used to be your roommate? With all the kids who loves her husband’s butt?”

Benjy laughs.

“Andromeda, no but close. For her oldest, Dora? She has pink hair and all the safety pin earrings?”

“Oh. I thought that was just her Halloween costume.”

“It very well could be, she just never takes it off.”

Luke grins. 

“Well I like it.”

Benjy nods at it. “Definitely not my worst. How was school?”

Luke shrugs.

“School.”

“Riveting.”

“It was.” 

Normally by now he’d shrug off his coat and backpack and crash onto the couch, working on homework and keeping Benjy company until Cass came home. Benjy glances up from mixing more pink and frowns slightly.

“What’s up, Lucas?”

It wasn’t his proper name, but it was what Benjy had deemed his proper name, what he called Luke when he was serious. Luke’s laugh is nervous and Benjy puts his paintbrush down, suddenly worried, his brain racing at all the possibilities and fully prepared to kick some teenage ass if needed.

“Um, I was wondering if you could help me with my Christmas present for Cass?”

Benjy feels himself physically relax.

“Oh! Yeah of course. He’s one of those boring people who likes practical presents, so you could get him like, a new mop and he’d go ape shit. Or, go to a bookstore, find the heaviest, dullest looking, complicated book you can find and he’ll finish it in like, two days and bore you to tears with a synopsis you didn’t ask for.”

Luke pauses and smiles slightly.

“Personal experience?”

Benjy chuckles.

“Maybe.”

“I uh...well I kind of had something in mind already?” Luke tells the floor. Benjy’s concern rises again, his mind moving too fast to even settle on a specific thought-just recognizing Luke’s anxiety and taking it in, hoping to hold any of it he could. Benjy’s voice softens.

“Well I’m sure he’ll love it regardless. Why do you need me? Is it booze? Weed? Something you need a credit card for? A stripper?”

“I-Benjy why the fuck would I buy Cass a stripper?”

Benjy shrugs.  “Was just thinking of the most absurd shit I could to try to get you to relax. Dude, he’s like, obsessed with you. You could give him like shitty macaroni art and he’d go apeshit.”

Luke chuckles drily. “That is plan B.”

“What’s plan A, Lucas?”

He clears his throat, looking away from him still, his skin flushing and his freckles coming out.

“I was um...wonderingifyouguyswouldadoptme?”

Something inside Benjy blooms and he drops the paintbrush out of his hands as he stands, grinning.

“Wanna say that again?”

“I was um, wondering if you guys would adopt me?”

Benjy crosses the room and wraps Luke in a bone crushing hug, lifting him off of the ground even though he’s got too inches on him. He doesn’t respond, just keeps hugging Luke until his nephew hugs him back, melting into the embrace and laughing when Benjy kisses the side of his head like Tony Soprano. 

“Oh my god, Lukey. Oh my god!”

“I can’t breathe-”

“Good.”

Benjy pulls away just enough to look at him, smiling so big his face hurts.

“You really wanna be our kid, like officially?”

Luke’s face jerks like he’s going to cry.

“I mean...you guys have been more of a family to me than my actual parents ever were. So yeah.”

“Even though I just called you Lukey?”

Luke laughs wetly. “Yes. I wanted to surprise you both for Christmas but uh, there’s a bunch of legal shit I need an adult for and I figured between you and Cass…”

“I have much more time on my hands, am better at using my annoyance to be effective and embody the true spirit of Christmas?”

Luke nods. 

“Exactly.”

Benjy grabs the sides of his face and smiles before finally letting him go.

“He’s going to…” Benjy stops talking, his throat clogging with emotion as he grabs Luke fiercely, his chin resting on his shoulder as he blinks back tears.

“You’re perfect for us, Lukey.”

“Is that gonna be a thing now?”

“Shut up, we’re having a moment.”

After several more moments, where Benjy is fussing over him and crying just a little, they start setting the wheels in motion. Benjy promises to keep the secret from Cass, despite, as he told Luke at least seven times, he’d never really done that before.

“I’m mad at you.”  Benjy says after about an hour of research. The legal emancipation his mother had sent in September a weird blessing now, making the process that much easier. Benjy had a few connections down at City Hall and with promises to call them in the morning, he was fairly certain he could get some form of adoption papers expedited to him by Christmas. 

“Why?” Luke says, the fear returning. With a pang, Benjy realizes he’d probably been told that by a parental figure before, unironically. He’s suddenly as mad at Cyrus and Rebecca as he had been the night of their wedding in 2002-how dare they treat yet another sweet, smart, good person this way. Benjy pushes aside his anger for the time being and quickly continues his thought, making sure Luke can see his smile.

“Cause the really boring book I bought him for Christmas is going to pale in comparison to a family.”

Luke laughs.

“We already are a family, Benj.”

He reaches forward and grabs his son-to-be’s hand to give it a squeeze.

“But it gets to be official. And that’s going to mean more to Cass than I think either of us will ever know.”

[bluboothalassophile]

Hello Blu!!! Blu, I'd like to ask you, what if exist a flashpoint like in Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (in your mind/your point of view), for ex: What if Jason had been saved by Bruce, what would have change in this flashpoint paradox? What other things/people would have changed? What do you think of this? Sorry just a random question that came to me ^^ and i'd like to know your opinion! ^^

Hello,

In a flashpoint where Jason lives instead of dying… Alright, well, I’ve thought a lot about this. I even have a story on the parameters of if Jason had lived rather than dying, but that’s a bit closer to the Arkham Knight AU for what happened to Jay.

Anyways, B would save Jason, he wasn’t late, but Jason’s still in critical. I HC that B managed to save Jason but couldn’t save Shelia so that bitch dies in the very explosion she was meant to die in (a moment of silence as we mourn the bitch… okay back to business).

Jason is rushed into a hospital, coma, rehab, years of work to come back; because he’s not magic. Dick is now growing the fuck up and pulling his head out of his ass and trying to be a big brother to Jason as Jason struggles through PT. Alfred forces the family to see a shrink (JL or other), traumas are addressed rather than manifesting unhealthily. Alfred finally just had enough of this shit and said they would see a shrink; all because Jason’s brush with death scared decades off him, and B, and they both see the value now in maybe growing up and addressing the traumas. Also, B doesn’t blame Jay, especially not after he finds out about Sheila. 

They address Jason’s trust issues, inferiority feelings, how he felt when they isolated him and were going to take Robin away from him. Dick gets to talk about his needs to grow up, spread his wings, be himself, and address his anger issues and maybe they’ll also talk about his relationship with and his feelings about Jason and how Jason IS NOT his replacement. B never develops his god complex, because God Knows That Man Is Merely A Man! It’s fucking annoying too, B feels that.

I think that Dick and Jay work on becoming brothers through Jay’s PT, movie nights, Titans actually properly meet Jay, books, books, more books, and Jay might even get to go to that school dance he wanted to go to. Even if he’s pushed into the dance in a wheelchair. Dick’s Titans, Garth, Roy, Donna, Lilith, and Wally completely support Jason’s role as Robin now. Yes, Jason still is crushing on Donna, but she’s out of his league and she finds it sweet.

In that time, I think Tim finds the Waynes, and I think Tim and Jay bond; tight and fast, Dick’s actually stepping up to be a big brother. Tim becomes Robin, Jason focuses on PT; resentments about that situation are addressed and Jason doesn’t have that festering wound of being replaced. 

Tim is now the baby brother, and Dick and Jay adore him. They like teasing Tim, and drawing Tim out of his shell, maybe even doing normal brother shit, like beating up Tim’s bullies, rough housing with him, and even possibly formally telling Jack Drake to fuck off, Tim’s their baby brother. I think with that in mind, B legally goes about adopting Tim, and Tim is shocked at this news. They have a huge family dinner to make the announcement, and Tim cries like a baby in joy (No one will ever say anything about that, because Tim’s family).

Stephanie comes barrelling into the family (Jay’s starting to go back into the field; possibly under a different name, Red Bird, or Bluejay or something). Dick and Jason torture Tim about his crush on Stephanie, and they adore Stephanie. B tolerates her still, and maybe tries hard. Stephanie never becomes Robin, staying Spoiler, and she practically lives at the mansion. She trains with the boys, plays with them, and is never adopted because of Tim’s feelings for her, also B might like her but she’s so not his kid. Babs takes a real liking to Stephanie, and takes Steph under her wing, even presenting Batgirl to Stephanie when she’s older.

Yes, we still find Cass, or better Cass finds them, and she’s adopted by them. Babs is still Oracle. The Batfamily; whilst dysfunctional in different ways, is functioning, and they are recovering. B adores her; obviously and she’s his favorite child; the boys all know this and they adore her. The boys are also painfully aware that Cass can do no wrong in B’s eyes, and could probably get away with murder, they can never get away with anything.

Jason never clashes with Joker; and Joker is a quadriplegic, blind and mute after B is done with him. [I Know There are ways to incapacitate Joker without killing the fucker, so B can stay on his ‘No Kill’ rule and Joker is fucking gone from the depths of nightmares and on a painful trip to Hell]. Joker dwindles into nothing more than a nightmarish memory on Gotham’s psyche. 

Jay and Roy become BFFs during his PT and Roy’s recovery, and get into a shit ton of antics still. Jason never makes that first kill, but is still reckless, he even acquires the All-Blades; though no one knows how he accomplished that. Alfred is the one who teaches Jay to shoot, it’s a coping mechanism to make Jay feel some form of control and safety. No, he does not use guns on his patrols, opting to stick to B’s methods and the swords.

Jason becomes a Titan, on a team with Raven, Eddie Bloomberg, Conner Hawk, Kyle Rayner and Koriand’r on his team. Jason torments Dick about this when Kori crashes here and Dick’s tripping over his tongue and feet around her. Tim just finds it hilarious too.

Dick and Babs never work out, but they stay friends, and Dick eventually marries Kori. Babs and Kori are great friends, and have a girls weekend once a month (Babs is Mar’i and Jake’s aunt, Raven’s still their godmother and Wally their godfather).

B and Talia never get back together, instead their fall out is of epic proportions when B finds out about Damian. The Bats take Dami in without questions.

Damian still clashes violently with Tim, Jason beats Damian up though and Dick comforts Damian. Damian still bonds closest to Dick, while Tim and Jay both leave the demon spawn to Dick. Tim will never admit this but he totally slept in Jason’s room for the first year after Damian moved in; after that first night and he was violently woken up by Damian’s attempt to murder him. Jason is Tim’s favorite brother at that point.

They adopt Duke a year after Damian, Dick and Jason actually insist on this; with Cass’ help, and Duke is dragged into the lunacy of the Bats.

Cass and Stephanie are BFFs, and they work closely with Oracle, they are Orphan and Batgirl, and together all of Gotham’s criminals fear purple glitter bombs, and ass-kickings. The girls are the ones who stumble over Harper Row and her brother, Cullen, and they quickly accumulate Harper and Cullen into their little group. B has no idea what to think about this, but everyone knows he’ll never say no to Cass.

Tim becomes a Titan, on a team with Kon, Bart, Cassandra Sandsmark, Zachary Zatara, Tanya Spears.

Kate joins their ranks, but is not permitted her firearms, in fact, she is the biggest clashing force in the Bats with B. But B, and the family are firm on their No Killing policy and their No Fire Arms. In fact, this is almost a fall out for Kate and B until the Bats have to save Kate, and they kind of make it clear that if she’s in she’s all in exactly how they want. If not, she’s no Bat.

Luke joins into the Bats too, though that’s completely accidental as he’s only interested in saving his father at the time. But he kind of falls hard for Babs, and sticks around. He’s also the buffer for Tim when it comes to keeping his secret as Red Robin from Tammy, though Luke vastly disapproves of tihs. But neither of them want Tammy in the Batfamily world; it’s dangerous. Luke and Tim also save Tammy from Bane’s venom, with the aid of Stephanie when that rolls around.

B marries Cat. No heartache or heart break there, they are married, almost a year after what happened to Jason because they realize: Life Is Too Fucking Short.

Jason gets into Princeton, he’s always at the top of his class and involved with athletics and vigilant life. He’s not a lady’s man like Dick was before Kori, but he’s good with the ladies, and has a lot of girls who are his friends. He’s not Mr. Popular but the world has finally stopped comparing him to Dick. Jason’s time in Princeton is huge! The family is extremely proud of Jay and they are vocal in their pride, even being the dorky family cheering at his graduation. Jason did punch Dick for that, and caught Tim in a headlock as Stephanie glitter bombed them both for having a banner there. Cass has the photographic evidence of this. Damian just clicked his tongue in disapproval before Dick glitter  bombed him too. Duke was Cass’s perch for the glitter bombing so, he was safe from all glitter bombs. Over all though, it’s good times.

Jason later goes to Harvard to study medicine, which he’s really excelling at. He wants to be an ER doc, to help people shortly after their trauma, knowing the importance of quick actions after extensive damage.

Tim and Tammy get engaged. Tammy is furious when she finds out she engaged a Bat, but she’s mostly upset he didn’t trust her enough to say something.

Cass does become a ballerina, and still takes acting classes from Clayface.

Babs and Luke eloped; a weekend in Atlantic City neither of them really remember.

Tim and Tammy break up though when Tim moves to San Francisco to be with the Titans more.

Duke goes to Princeton after Jay, and meets Claire, they start dating.

Damian becomes a Titan, he’s on a team with Kaldur’ahm, Garfield, Wallace West, Jon Kent (for whom he is falling for almost painfully), Djinn and Emiko Queen.

Helena was born at some point, she’s adored and the center of the family’s eyes, even Damian fell for her. He’s also a sucker for Mar’i and Jake (though he’d soon eat glass than say that). 

Jason finds Terry and Matt, by accident after they lost their parents in a wreck and were at the hospital Jay. The DNA testing showed Terry and Matt were B’s kids, so he kind of brings them home. B goes off on Waller for this violation, and the using of his DNA to create the boys. 

Babs and Luke adopt Carrie Kelley and Nell Little, bringing them into the Bats when they can’t keep Carrie out of it.

Life continues on though, and they keep going. They are a family. They aren’t perfect, the Bats are far from perfect, they still have epic blow outs, and fights, also huge feuds but they are a family. They banned together after Jay’s near brush with death and didn’t travel down that morbid rabbit hole of self destruction and god complexes of inadequacy.

[laniakeabooks]

January Wrap Up

I read 11 books in January which is a personal record. I’ve included the synopsis pulled directly from Goodreads and my (short) thoughts on the book. If you’d like a longer review of any of the books I read this month, feel free to request it!

The Innocence Treatment by Ari Goelman - ⭐⭐⭐

Lauren has a disorder that makes her believe everything her friends tell her--and she believes everyone is her friend. Her innocence puts her at constant risk, so when she gets the opportunity to have an operation to correct her condition, she seizes it. But after the surgery, Lauren is changed. Is she a paranoid lunatic with violent tendencies? Or a clear-eyed observer of the world who does what needs to be done?

Told in journal entries and therapy session transcripts, The Innocence Treatment is a collection of Lauren's papers, annotated by her sister long after the events of the novel. A compelling YA debut thriller that is part speculative fiction and part shocking tell-all of genetic engineering and government secrets, Lauren's story is ultimately an electrifying, propulsive, and spine-tingling read.

 Nothing I found particularly impressive… it had potential but didn’t quite meet it.

 The Memory Book by Lara Avery - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 Sammie was always a girl with a plan: graduate at the top of her class and get out of her small town as soon as humanly possible. Nothing will stand in her way--not even a rare genetic disorder the doctors say will slowly start to steal her memories and then her health. What she needs is a new plan.

So the Memory Book is born: Sammie's notes to her future self, a document of moments great and small. It's where she'll record every perfect detail of her first date with longtime crush, Stuart--a brilliant young writer who is home for the summer. And where she'll admit how much she's missed her childhood best friend, Cooper, and even take some of the blame for the fight that ended their friendship.

Through a mix of heartfelt journal entries, mementos, and guest posts from friends and family, readers will fall in love with Sammie, a brave and remarkable girl who learns to live and love life fully, even though it's not the life she planned.

 I am shocked. I never expected to like a contemporary this much... especially "sick-lit" or whatever people are calling it. Maybe it was because I found a lot of what Sammie said to be so relatable, or maybe because NPC is exactly the type of disease I'd like to research in my future. Maybe it's because one of my greatest fears is getting dementia and losing my memory.

Whatever it was, I hope I can find it again in another book.

 Vox by Christina Dalcher - ⭐⭐

 Set in an America where half the population has been silenced, VOX is the harrowing, unforgettable story of what one woman will do to protect herself and her daughter.

On the day the government decrees that women are no longer allowed more than 100 words daily, Dr. Jean McClellan is in denial—this can't happen here. Not in America. Not to her.

This is just the beginning.

Soon women can no longer hold jobs. Girls are no longer taught to read or write. Females no longer have a voice. Before, the average person spoke sixteen thousand words a day, but now women only have one hundred to make themselves heard.

But this is not the end.

For herself, her daughter, and every woman silenced, Jean will reclaim her voice

 Uh, yeah, not impressed. Disappointed. Annoyed. It felt like Dalcher was trying too hard and was clearly ridding on the coattails of The Handmaid’s Tale’s recent re-emergence.

Also, the narrator on the audiobook and pronounce Wernicke’s area which just grated on my nerves and honestly pissed me off.

 First We Were IV by Alexandra Sirowy - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 It started for pranks, fun, and forever memories.

A secret society – for the four of us.

The rules: Never lie. Never tell. Love each other.

We made the pledge and danced under the blood moon on the meteorite in the orchard. In the spot we found the dead girl five years earlier. And discovered the ancient drawings way before that.

Nothing could break the four of us apart – I thought.

But then, others wanted in. Our seaside town had secrets. History.

We wanted revenge.

We broke the rules. We lied. We told. We loved each other too much, not enough, and in ways we weren’t supposed to.

Our invention ratcheted out of control.

What started as a secret society, ended as justice. Revenge. Death. Rebellion.

 Wooooowwwww... I am starting off this year with some pretty good reads. Granted, I read probably 3/4 of this one in emerge on my birthday after having twisted my knee skiing the day before...

This book didn't take the path I thought it would. It just felt like the climax and conclusion occurred in the same paragraph? I don't know maybe that's just me...

I'd love to see this as a TV show (maybe Netflix since they tend to do a rocking job).

 Day 21 by Cass Morgan - ⭐⭐⭐

 It's been 21 days since the hundred landed on Earth. They're the only humans to set foot on the planet in centuries...or so they thought. Facing an unknown enemy, Wells attempts to keep the group together. Clarke strikes out for Mount Weather, in search of other Colonists, while Bellamy is determined to rescue his sister, no matter the cost. And back on the ship, Glass faces an unthinkable choice between the love of her life and life itself.

In this pulse-pounding sequel to Kass Morgan's The 100, secrets are revealed, beliefs are challenged, and relationships are tested. And the hundred will struggle to survive the only way they can -- together.

 I still much prefer the Netflix adaptation. Although I enjoy this recovering from an apocalyptic event storyline the books take, I find that they lack the action that I love so much in the show… not to mention that my favourite characters don’t exist.

 52 Reasons to Hate My Father by Jessica Brody - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 Lexington Larrabee has never to work a day in her life. After all, she’s the heiress to the multi-billion-dollar Larrabee Media empire. And heiresses are not supposed to work. But then again, they’re not supposed to crash brand new Mercedes convertibles into convenience stores on Sunset Blvd either.

Which is why, on Lexi’s eighteen birthday, her ever-absent, tycoon father decides to take a more proactive approach to her wayward life. Every week for the next year, she will have to take on a different low-wage job if she ever wants to receive her beloved trust fund. But if there’s anything worse than working as a maid, a dishwasher, and a fast-food restaurant employee, it’s dealing with Luke, the arrogant, albeit moderately attractive, college intern her father has assigned to keep tabs on her.

In a hilarious “comedy of heiress” about family, forgiveness, good intentions, and best of all, second chances, Lexi learns that love can be unconditional, money can be immaterial, and, regardless of age, everyone needs a little saving. And although she might have 52 reasons to hate her father, she only needs one reason to love him.

 Be prepared for a spoiled, bratty, unlikable main character. If you can’t stand characters like this, then I suggest avoiding this read, especially since we are trapped in her head (1st person narration) for the duration of the book. However, Lexi does have a great character arc, so if you are able to tolerate her for the first half of the book, you’ll actually start to like her.

Another contemporary I really enjoyed… not sure if this is because I’m not as picky when it comes to my favourite and least favourite genres anymore, but then again it my just be that I stumbled across two contemporaries that suited my fancy this month.

 The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 Romy Silvers is the only surviving crew-member of a spaceship travelling to a new planet, on a mission to establish a second home for humanity amongst the stars. Alone in space, she is the loneliest girl in the universe until she hears about a new ship which has launched from Earth – with a single passenger on board. A boy called J.

Their only communication with each other is via email – and due to the distance between them, their messages take months to transmit across space. And yet Romy finds herself falling in love.

But what does Romy really know about J? And what do the mysterious messages which have started arriving from Earth really mean?

Sometimes, there’s something worse than being alone . . .

 Okay. First of all, the UK paperback cover is gorgeous. This would have one hundred percent been a cover buy if the synopsis hadn’t also intrigued me.

I went in thinking that it would be a space-based romance, but boy was I wrong. And good thing too. I’m not a huge fan of romance (more like I tolerate it for a good plot), and this book did not focus of the blooming romance as much as I thought it would.

Space, suspense, beautiful cover? Sign me up!

 Crash by Lisa McMann - ⭐⭐⭐

 Jules lives with her family above their restaurant, which means she smells like pizza most of the time and drives their double-meatball-shaped food truck to school. It’s not a recipe for popularity, but she can handle that.

What she can’t handle is the recurring vision that haunts her. Over and over, Jules sees a careening truck hit a building and explode...and nine body bags in the snow.

The vision is everywhere—on billboards, television screens, windows—and she’s the only one who sees it. And the more she sees it, the more she sees. The vision is giving her clues, and soon Jules knows what she has to do. Because now she can see the face in one of the body bags, and it’s someone she knows. Someone she has been in love with for as long as she can remember.

In this riveting start to a gripping trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Lisa McMann, Jules has to act—and act fast—to keep her vision from becoming reality.

 Not bad but not amazing either. It’s your typical psychic teen struggling with her newly found gifts and trying to prevent a tragedy. I’ll continue on with the trilogy since I have the bind up, they’re quick reads, and they’re a good distraction from my stressful studies… so basically just what I need.

 Bang by Lisa McMann - ⭐⭐⭐

 Jules should be happy. She saved a lot of people’s lives and she’s finally with Sawyer, pretty much the guy of her dreams. But the nightmare’s not over, because she somehow managed to pass the psycho vision stuff to Sawyer. Excellent.

Feeling responsible for what he’s going through and knowing that people’s lives are at stake, Jules is determined to help him figure it all out. But Sawyer’s vision is so awful he can barely describe it, much less make sense of it. All he can tell her is there’s a gun, and eleven ear-splitting shots. Bang.

Jules and Sawyer have to work out the details fast, because the visions are getting worse and that means only one thing: time is running out. But every clue they see takes them down the wrong path. If they can’t prevent the vision from happening, lives will be lost. And they may be among the casualties…

 This second book in the Visions series took an interesting turn on the whole psychic thing, but a lot of the book was spent going back and forth between “No I don’t want to do this” to “Yes I’m in” and “No I don’t want to help” to, again… “Yes I’m in” which was kind of a drag.

 Number of Pages Read: 3438

Average Rating: 3.5

Favourite Book of the Month: The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James

The cover, the space adventure, the thriller-type aspect to the plot… everything I love all in one.

Least Favourite Book of the Month: Vox by Christina Dalcher

I was just… really disappointed.

  Keep up with me on Goodreads!  (https://www.goodreads.com/LaniakeaBooks)

[offbrand-valk]

Stephcass week day 7 - Marriage

Finally done, now i just need to actually do day one, and i’m really really done. Also, if you think I just used this as a vessel to show Kate and Renée being the embarrassing gay aunts we all know them to be, you would be correct. (slightly nsfw for lots of talk about sex toys and stuff)

This had been supposed to just be a small thing. A few friends, a backyard and some good food. How in the world had they been talked into a moderate media presence, Wayne tower, and canapés (canapés!)?

At least the press wasn't allowed inside the church, but Bruce had told her with the size of the event and the people involved it would be impossible to keep them away entirely. "and whose fault is that B-Man?" Steph wanted to scream at him, while Cass just got more tempted to call the entire thing off as time went on.

 Even as she was walking down the aisle, Cass was still wondering if she was making a mistake. Not in marrying Steph, that was without a doubt the best decision she would ever make. In allowing other people in on their special day. She had thought the worst would be over when they had decided it would be Alfred walking her down the aisle to stop Babs, Bruce, and Kate fighting over the right. Boy had she been wrong.

Steph was mentally running through her vows for the billionth time, as Selina walked her down the aisles, she was pretty sure she would be reciting them in her sleep for the next month, and at the same time she was convinced she would mess them up when the time came, because that was just the kind of screw up she was. She hadn't had anything to drink all day to keep her mind sharp as could be, and she was very much regretting that decision. She hadn't eaten either, since her dress fit absolutely perfectly right now, and even the slightest bit of tummy was going to ruin that, she would gladly starve herself for the sake of her aesthetic, so long as she remembered not to look at the appetizers.

Somehow some way they both got their vows off without a hitch, and the fairy tale moment lasted all the way through the kiss, which felt so good Steph had a mini heart-attack/orgasm. Neither the paparazzi, nor rice in the bra could ruin the day. In fact, their moods were so high, they were genuinely considering a quickie in the limo while they changed to their party dresses.

 Canapés aside the party went great! Harper got drunk and started loudly arguing about thermodynamics with Luke, Jason had to get thrown out of the party for his behavior no less than 5 times, and Alfred had made sure to buy cheap sheet cake they could throw at Damian when he said something Damian-like!

 Most of the presents were bland, way too mature, and coming from people neither of them knew. Seriously who the hell wanted a brand name spice grinder?

Bruce gave them an apartment and the promise of paying all their tuition if they wanted to go to college. Steph had tears and snot running down her face as she thanked him for the most Bruce gift she had ever gotten.

Selina got them a "get out of jail free" card. literally. From the game monopoly and everything. When Cass and Steph looked up from the card, Selina fingergun'd them, and the penny dropped. "Ayyy." All 3 said simultaneously when Cass and Steph returned the fingerguns.

Times had been tough of late for Harper, but she had managed to scratch together for a "personal massager", and if she ever thought she had a chance of getting in Batman's good graces it was lost then and there.

 Then there was Kate and Renée's gift. They had been aggressively protecting it from peeking since the start of the reception, it was the size of a fridge, and they insisted it could only be opened after midnight.

With so much hype there was around it, Cass and Steph were pretty sure the box was just going to contain packing peanuts and a waffle iron. Still they kept their hopes up, because Kate and Renée were absolutely the wildcards.

At 2am Kate pushed the box up in front of the brides' table, whilst Renée grabbed a microphone. Steph woke up from her cake induced coma, and Cass let Dick out of the chokehold so she could focus on the last present of the night.

"You see, there's a bit of history to this present." Renée began, whilst Kate pulled a combat knife out of her boot and opened the box. "Being the designated gay aunts of the family, we felt it was our responsibility to prepare you for your adult queer life, with a bit of a care package." She continued whilst Kate unceremoniously dumped a pile of flannels, snapbacks, and slogan t-shirts all wrapped in a pride flag in front of them.

The box was still mostly full, and Steph was practically vibrating in her seat to see what else was in there, whilst Cass chose snapbacks for them to wear the rest of the night ("strong athletic queer" for herself, "bi nerd" for Steph). Renée slumped overdramatically. "Then Kate heard Bruce was buying them an apartment, and you know how competitive they get."

Kate and Renée switched places, Kate planting a quick peck on Renée's lips when she handed over the microphone. "Well don't worry guys, there is no second apartment stuffed into this box." Everybody chuckled loudly, probably due to the alcohol.

"However there is:" Renée placed a cardboard box roughly the size of a shoebox in front of them. "A sex swing." Across the room, Bruce spat out his drank, and if there was nothing else in the box, that would have been fine for Steph just to see that face.

However Kate was only just beginning. "A strap-on harness, along with 5 different size dildos. we didn't want to be presumptuous after all." as she spoke, Renée began lining them up on the table. They ranged in size from "the length and width of 2 fingers" to "how would this ever fit inside anyone?!", and Cass sent Steph a predatory smile that made it absolutely clear which of them would be the first to wear the harness.

"Lube, as well as flavored lube, because not everyone is able to conjure Niagara falls between their thigh at the first mention of titties." Kate stared accusatively at her wife, and both the brides groaned in disgust. "TMI aunt Kate, T M I!" Steph yelled from her seat in Cass's lap.

"We've also got you ballgags, and in this case we specifically mean you Cass, because we thought you might need a break from Steph once in a while." Renée placed the gag in Cass's hand, who replied. "Won't but thanks."

And they kept going like that until Bruce had nearly choked himself to death with how hard he was clutching his pearls. The cat o' nine tails had in the meantime become Cass's favorite fidget toy, and Steph was finding it ever hard not to think about trying a hitachi wand.

 Luckily Kate and Renée's performance seemed to have drained the rest of the guests of what little energy they had left. People started leaving in droves, either to go home, or in Kate, Renée's and Dinah's case to find a sleazy bar to get in a fight at.

Babs drove them home, and Steph managed to sneakily throw some of their new toys along with a waffle iron into a backpack before they left.

Safely home and naked in bed together, Steph looked at Cass solemnly. "Ready for your first night as a woman?" She asked, doing a bad parody of Azrael's voice, and Cass laughed so hard she started choking on air.

[nightwingswing]

The family’s girl (Batfam x reader) Part3

Hi there! I hope you all enjoy the third chapter of “The family’s girl”. Finally you met the Family!

Part1 Part2 Part3 (You are here!) Part4  Part5   [Interlude] Part6  Part7  Part8 Part9  Part10

“Timmy? Little brother what are you doing here?! Came over to see you favorite big brother?”

Tim blushed and turned to Dick who was smiling broadly while Tim glared.

…

Awkward.

“Brother? Tim, this is your brother?” You asked.

“Why yes, (y/n). My little brother didn’t talk about me? Wow Timmybird, I’m hurt.” Dick feigned sadness.

“Dick, I thought you had work to do.” Tim said smiling sarcastically.

“I thought you had homework. “Dick smiled sardonically.

“I already did it” Tim glared

“Really? Does Bruce know?”

“Okay, stop it you two.” They stopped glaring at each other and looked at you. “What do you want, Dick?”

“Oh, right. I wanted to invite you to have breakfast tomorrow, like the two of us had this morning” As Dick said that you two had a date he looked at Tim smirking.

Tim glared at him. “Oh. (y/n) I didn’t know you and my brother knew eachother.”

“I meet him when I moved here. I told you about him, remember? The guy who helped me move. My neightborg?”

“You didn’t tell me it was my brother.”

“I didn’t know!”

“So, What do you say (n/n)?” Dick asked.

“Tomorrow I got to go to the university. I got some paper to submit.”

“Oh well. I could take you there and after we could go have lunch together!”

“…Okay. See you tomorrow, Dick” You smiled at him.

“Night, (y/n)!. Can wait until tomorrow!” He winked at you before going back to his home. But before he closed the door he said

“Oh right. We’ll see tomorrow at the special family dinner, right Timmybird?”

“Yeah” Said Tim, who all of you had forgot about.” We’ll see each other.”

“Do you want to come in Tim?”

Tim thought about it, he really really,really, really wanted to come in. He sighed, But he got to prepare everything for tomorrow night.

“Just for a bit. Meanwhile I wait for the car.”

/////*\\\\\

Meanwhile Dick was pressed against the door, green with jealousy.

His little brother had to like the same girl he’s starting to fall for.

Perrfect.

He had to upgrade his flirting methods.

Tomorrow was the day he would demonstrate he was the better option.

He just had to find his secret weapon.

His tightest pair of pants.

wink

////*\\\

The morning came and Dick was waiting for you in front of his door.

He looked at his watch, nervous.

Heh, Dick Grayson, nervous?

Impossible.

As you came out of your house, Dick looked at you and a blush invaded his cheeks.

“You’re beautiful, (y/n)”

“Thanks Dick”

“Let’s go”

////*\\\\

After a fun trip to the university, you handed your papers and they gave you your schedule. Dick was waiting for you in his car, all the while checking if his hair was perfect, if his teeth where impeccable, if his breath smell… he even put more cologne on!

“Okay, I’m done.” You said as you entered the car.

Dick jumped a bit, surprised the his ears became a cute red color.

“So where are we eating?”

“I know the perfect place”

/////*\\\\\\

Dick took you to a wonderful place, where they served (f/f). Your smile widened as you grabbed Dick by his hand and dragged him in. Dick smiled lovingly as his cheeks blushed.

The dinner was wonderful.

Funny jokes, flirty remarks, you two chatted of almost everything. He told you how he was an acrobat before and promised to show you soon some tricks

“I hope to see you in the manor tonight.” Dick smiled shyly.” I-If you want, we could, uh go together.” His hand brushed back hi hair nervously.

“Sorry Dick” You smiled apologetically.” But Tim will pick me up tonight.”

His eyes hardened.

“Like last time? He let you freeze in the cold night!” Your eyes widened surprised.

“How do you know that?” Dick eyes widened and his hand covered his mouth. But it was too late.

S*it

He and his mouth.

“U-uh, m-my friend uh, Night- Nightwing! Yeah! H-He told me that he saw the prettiest girl he ever saw and I knew it was you.”

You raised an eyebrow, skeptical.

“Sure…”

////*\\\\

Wayne manor was chaotic.

“No, Alfred! Dick MUST sit as away as possible from (y/n).”

“NO! Damian can’t sit next to her! He will tell her LIEEES about me!.”

“Or Dick or Damian, what do you prefer master Tim?”

“…Cass?”

“What’s going on here?” Bruce Wayne entered his dinner room to see his middle child graving all the plates that Alfred put on the table, each plate with the name of each of his children, and moving them. Changing them from place to place. The only plate he didn’t touch was (y/N)’s and his plate.

Alfred looked done.

Tim ran around with plates, moving them around. Yelling hysterical.

Bruce face palmed.

What does this girl do to his strategist, practical, intelligent son?

Really Tim, so OOC.

Bruce smiled behind his hand.

He can’t wait to meet her.

////*\\\

Tim was up in his room, looking over all his suits.

This one.         No, to ugly

That one.         No, to baggy

Then this?       No, to tight.

*Sight* Tim choose already!             Oh, I got it!

Finally!

Tim put a black tuxedo with a red tie. The suit made him look like a character out of a movie.

He smiled at himself and started brushing his hair.

Oh no

Here we go again.

Hair up            No, to Robin.

Hair down      No, to Dick

Hair to the left                       Nah, to normal

Hair to the right          This wasn’t too bad, but no.

Hair slicked back        This could-

“PFFFT. What’s up, Timmybird. Getting pretty for you lady?” Jason Todd, dressed casually, was leaning against his doorframe. Looking at his little brother rare antics, it was to funny!

“Jason! What-Wait a moment, are you recording this?!?!”

“Totally. This is going to YouTube.”

“JASON!”

Jason ran out of Tim reach while laughing hysterically. Tim tried to chase after Todd but Alfred showed up on his way.

“Master Tim, I’m going to pick miss (Y/n). Do you wish to accompany me.”

Tim glared at Jason, whose head was sticking out of the corner of his room, smirking at him. Seeing that Tim was looking at him, he pointed at the phone and then mouthedat Tim:

“IM GOING TO SHOW HER THIS”

Tim fisted his hair, frustrated.

He had the feeling the night wasn’t going to end well.

At least, not well for him.

////*\\\\

You were dressed in a beautiful (f/c) dress, with a pair of (flat shoes/ heels) that matched your dress. Your (long/short) (h/c) hair was brushed and fabulously styled. A diadem decorated your hair. You put very little of makeup, tonight you preferred to be yourself. Your lips were painted with a pink gloss.

You looked breathtaking.

Yor phone buzzed.

Tim said:

(y/n)! I’m outside!

You said:

‘Kay! Be there in a sec.

You grabbed your purse and keys and went down, where you saw Tim waiting for you.

He looked so handsome today. You blushed and looked at him shyly.

“You’re looking handsome, Tim.”

“You think so, hehe” Tim said scratching his head. “But you are looking extremely beautiful tonight. I knew a natural look would look better on you. Even though you look extremely beautiful all he time and-“Tim babbled flustered until Alfred saved him by opening the door for the two of you.

Thanks Alfred, The life saver.

/////*\\\\\

The two of you were in front of the doors of Wayne manor, and you couldn’t keep your mouth of opening in astonishment.

This house was so big.

Oh my gosh, it was like a thousand times your apartment.

Wow

Before Alfred could open the door, someone did it for him.

“OMG, she is here!!!” You heard before a purple blur grabbed your hand an dragged you in.

“Steph!” You heard Tim shout in the backroom. But the blurr you think was named “Steph” dragged you to the dinner room but before entering Tim grabbed your other arm and stopped the two of you. Then you could look at this “Steph” and she was a blonde girl around your age dressed in a purple dress.

She smiled at you and winked.

“You’re cute (y/n). I think I’m gonna like you”

You smiled at her before looking at Tim whose hair was disheveled.

“Ready?” Tim asked as he slicked his hair back again.

“Ready” You said.

As Tim opened the door you started hearing chatter inside. When the door opened completely you two (more you than Tim) became the center of attention.

You blushed and waved at all the unknown faces.

“Hello, I’m (y/n). Pleased to meet you” You blushed under all the scrutiny gazes.

“(Y/N)!!” Dick shouted as he came to you to hug you, pushing Tim slightly away from you. “Come, come! I’m going to introduce you to the family!”

“Okayyyyy” You said as Dick dragged you person by person.

“This is –“

“I’m Todd, Jason Todd. Nice to meetcha (y/n). Didn’t think Timmybird had such a good taste in women.” Jason smirked at you and kissed your hand flirty.

Cue the glaring of the older and middle bird.

“Ignore him, Hi! I’m Stephanie but you can call me Steph. Nice to finally meet you. Really Tim never shuts up about you. Since I know him he’s been talking about you nonstop.” You laughed embarrassed as Tim covered his red face in his hands.

This was a bad idea.

“This girl next to me is Cassandra! We call her Cass thought” She smiled at you calmly and you smiled back, at least she was less rambunctious that Stephanie.

“Nice to meet you” You said and she nodded.

Then came a woman in a wheelchair. She smiled at you.

“Sorry for them, they’re just excited to finally meet the mysterious (y/n). Tim always talks about you. My name’s Barbara Gordon. Nice to meet you.” She shocks your hand and you smiled embarrassed.

“Did he talk about me to everyone or something like that?”

“Pretty much, yeah he did” Barbara said.

“Oh!”

“Hey, I’m Luke, Luke Fox. Nice to finally meet you. I got to say, Tim is right you’re beautiful.” He smiled nicely and you flustered smiled back.

“Thanks, nice to meet you too, Luke.”

“I have to say you are not as bad as I thought you were going to be, if Drake liked you.” The youngest member said. He looked intimidating for sure. His gaze was the most scrutining gaze of the room. “My name is Damian Wayne. Pleased to make your acquaintance.” He said you smiled at him.

“Likewise, Damian.” You nodded at him, and a bit of red could be seen in his ears.

Tim quickly came to you and tried to drag you away from Damian.

“I’m not done talking with her, Drake.” Damian said as Tim scoffed.

“You are now” Tim replied.

Damian grabbed your other arm and pulled you towards him.

“Stop it, demon!” Tim said, repressed anger flowing of him like waves.

“You can’t tell me what to do.” Damian relied.

They began a tug war, pulling you from one side to another.

Dick saw that it could end in a fight and tried to stop it only to be pulled on it. Jason saw the pleading look Dick gave him and tried to save you and the situation.

Tim saw the looks his brothers gave you and didn’t like it.

No one bit

Suddenly a booming voice came from the doorframe.

“WHAT IS GOING ONE HERE!?”

The man you recognized as Bruce Wayne said.

Suddenly, the boys stopped and let you go with all your bad luck that you fell on the ground. Bruce Wayne looked at you, eyes unreadable. You swallowed, he was even more intimidating that his son.

You smiled at him from the ground, waving.

“Hi…”

“…”

Wow (y/n), such an awesome first impression.

To be continued...

(promps/ requests  still open!)

TAGS:(I still don't know how this works sorry) @twilight-loveer @syrenak

[mikaelasbooks]

Recent reads #1

Here are all the books that I have read in 2020, I'm going to be writing mini reviews on them. There will be 10 books in this recent reads blog post. The books that I'm going to be talking about in the post are some of the books that I read all the way back in January. I'm sorry if I don’t say a lot about them since it has been awhile since I read these books.  

 The Haunting of hill house by Shirley Jackson

Synopsis 

A professor sends out invitations out to several people to ask them if they would stay at “Hill House” the most “haunted house” in America for the summer. Theoadora and Eleanor both get inventions  from Dr Mongague. Luke also goes because he is the heir to Hill House. 

They all end up staying at Hill house for most of the summer. 

My thoughts  

☆☆/5 stars  

This is one of the times where I liked the tv show more than the book. I read the book because I love the tv show a lot. The tv show is one of my all-time favourite shows. It’s so complex. It deals with a lot of important themes, such as grief. It has a dual timeline which is so good, it adds a lot to the story. Where the book is only one time. The tv show took the book and made it so much better.  

I was very disappointed by the book. I thought that it was going to be similar to the book. I was very wrong. I was bored throughout most of the book. I was told that this is a horror book and that it was very scary. It was not, the scariest this in the book was the doors closing. Not much happened either.  

All I can say is to just watch the Netflix show. It is actually scary. It gave me nightmares.  

   Burn for Burn by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian

Synopsis    

Kat and Lillia were best friends but they drifted away until Mary came back to Jar Island. They all want revenge, so they all come back together. 

My Thoughts 

☆☆☆/5 stars

Burn for Burn was a very entainating read, I finished the audio book in a day.

It was a very stereotypical high school story. I felt kinda immature, the way the characters acted at times. I did get all of the POV confusing sometimes. I didn’t know who’s POV I was reading sometimes. The girls sound very similar to each other, I wish that their voices were different. Maybe only 2 would have been better. 

I definitely prefer To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han to this.  

With The Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo

Synopsis 

Emoni is a single teenage mother who has a passion for cooking. Her life’s dream is to be a professional chef, but it’s hard when she has a child. 

Her school is offering a culinary class this school year. Through this class Emoni gets to take a once in a lifetime trip to Spain to learn alongside some of the world’s most amazing chefs.

My Thoughts 

☆☆☆☆/5 stars 

After two kinda disappointing books i finally read a book that i fell in love with. This book was amazing. I love Emoni, she is such a good character. I also love her child, who I have forgotten her name.

I love Elizabeth Acevedo’s writing style a lot, it’s so good. I also love her other book The Poet x also (i will talk about it in a later recent reads). She is one of my new favorite authors now. I can’t wait to read Clap When You Land. Her books are so amazing.  

The Selection by Kiera Cass 

Synopsis  

The bachelor meets the royal family. 

America is ready to marry Aspen but the selection might have other plans for her. She only participates because her family needs her to but this is an opportunity of a lifetime. To live like royalty even if it's only for a little bit. 

My Thoughts 

☆☆☆☆/5 stars 

This was a reread for me. I first read it at the end of 2015. From what I remember, I really liked it. Though I did dnf The Elite. 

This reread I loved a lot more. It was such an entanting and light read. 

I ship Maxson and America so much, they are so cute together. I love the first time that they interact with each other. It’s one of my favorite moments in the book. I really liked that they started off as friends and then slowly started to have feelings for each other. I think that their friendship is really underrated, everyone focuses on their romance. 

I hate Aspen so much. I really don’t like the way that he treats America. 

The Near Witch by V.E Schwab 

Synopsis 

The near witch is just a legend, or is it? 

One day everything changes when a stranger comes to town when there hasn't been a stranger in town in years. 

The near witch might not be a legend after all. 

My Thoughts

☆☆/5 stars 

Last year I read City of Ghosts and Tunnel of Bones by V.E Schwab, I loved these middle grades so much. So I wanted to read some more V.E Schwab books. I thought about reading Shades of Magic but i don’t really like high fantasy and this was available to borrow from my library, so i did it. 

I was very disappointed. I do understand that this was her first published book but still. 

Not a lot happened, I was very bored while reading it. I thought that it was going to be this really spooky fantasy book but it just wasn’t that. 

In the future I would definitely want to read more books by her. I would love to read her book about villains, that seems really interesting.

I hope that you enjoyed this blog post and that you come back for more. 

[theseventhhex]

Julia Lucille Interview

Julia Lucille

Julia Lucille was born in Crager in Evanston, Illinois and grew up in Menlo Park, California. She studied music at Lewis and Clark in Portland, Oregon, with a focus on ethnomusicology. She recorded her first two albums ‘Portland’ and ‘Flower and Bones’ while living in Oregon but later scrapped them, feeling they did not represent her sound. She moved home to California to strip her life down and took a yearlong break from performing. ‘Chtonic’, is the excellent upcoming album release from the young virtuoso, consisting of infectious and dreamlike compositions that linger long in the memory… We talk to Julia Lucille about trying out new things, music as a landscape and cooking…

TSH: In the lead up to your latest release, did you outline certain intentions and aims that you wanted to imply within this record?

Julia: I had some ideas about how I wanted the music to feel, but even those were vague. I know what I like and what I don’t like and so as we recorded, I was able to guide the record to where I wanted it to go, all the while never knowing where that was going to end up. Just making one decision about what worked or what didn’t at a time. It was important for me that record be “perfect” not in the literal sense of the word, but emotionally. But lyrically, I didn’t have any sort of overarching plan, and when it came time to name it I looked at all of the lyrics on a page altogether and it took me a while to pick some overall themes. So the theme was actually the last thing to come together rather than the starting point.

TSH: When you personally overlook ‘Chthonic’ what does the record convey to you?

Julia: It conveys to me those moments in life where you turn away from something, a relationship or a city or anything really significant to who you are, and you say no to it, but you don’t know what is coming next to replace it. So you have this period of lack, but it’s a positive lack. You did the right thing, but the next thing to fill you hasn’t come. And you’re sort of waiting, missing your old life, but you can’t go back.

TSH: With the album being recorded in Dripping Springs, Texas at Moon Phase Ranch, how did your surroundings help you to hone in on your desired outcomes?

Julia: I think the wide open space did affect the music, and made it more expansive, open and empty and maybe more reflective.

TSH: Do you feel there is a type of versatility that is essential to your crafting process?

Julia: Well I do believe that creativity is always available to us, and therefore not a limited resource that we have to freak out over. I think that makes me more flexible and okay with trying new things out. I think that whatever starting point you come from, as long as there’s a spark and you care and think there’s something there, you can get to an end point that will work. And you can also scrap it and start over if it doesn’t. I love Julia Cameron who is a creative theorist and one of her main ideas is that creativity is an unlimited resource in every human and that we never run out. She also believes artists need to be easier on themselves and just play. Her writing has a big influence on how I view my process. She’s helped me accept myself and not be a perfectionist in a way that is a hindrance.

TSH: Was ‘I Don't Think I Can’ a challenging track to form?

Julia: Actually yes, that was one of the last songs to come together. The vocals parts are really drawn out and slow, so I had to do those over many times before it sounded okay. The arrangement came pretty naturally though. We made it a simple waltz and Luke Dawson came in to record the beautiful pedal steel parts, and that day flowed very naturally. I remember the harmonies at the end being a bit difficult as well. Emily Cross was engineering and she’s wonderfully frank, and she kept encouraging me to sing louder and louder, which is something I don’t really do well. At one point I sort of got upset that I couldn’t get the part right and I remember she swivelled around in her chair and said “Stop it”. I love her.

TSH: What can you tell us about your experiences in bringing together the video for ‘Darkening’…

Julia: That was all Jordan Moser. I was pretty nervous about making a video because I didn’t want it to be cheesy. But Jordan had been making some videos for our friend Molly Burch and they were just amazing. So I went into it knowing he would do a great job. That being said I was incredibly nervous and very actively “trying to act natural” haha, during the shooting. But once I saw the first edits, I was amazed. I can’t believe how talented Jordan is. Also, I love Texas, so it’s lovely to have a video that celebrates its beauty.

TSH: You’ve mentioned in the lead-up to this album release you were struggling at the time to feel inspired, what helped you overcome this?

Julia: Well actually a show did, as well as time. But I had gone through a breakup and I was feeling sorry for myself, and I was actually at home at my parents for Christmas when I got a show offer—probably the nicest one I’ve ever had. And I remember I was sitting in bed, and I decided to put a band together for it. When I got back to Austin we started rehearsing and then the show went so well. Just having a goal and a project and something that involved other people and some activity helped enormously. Besides being nice to listen to, music is a great community builder, which becomes so important when you feel sad. My tendency is always to be alone when I feel terrible, and having a forced reason to gather and then to have the therapeutic quality of the live music—it can be so helpful.

TSH: What kind of magic were you referring to that you wanted to honour with the record?

Julia: I guess the magic that there is meaning in this world. I’m not sure what I believe, but I know I feel better when I feel there is meaning to things. And I feel like I want to die when I feel like there might be no meaning. I guess I wanted to honour the feelings of well-being that meaningful experiences provide. That helps me feel good, and that helps me be a bit kinder to others. But I don’t know anything. Who knows?

TSH: Also, how does nature seep into this body of work with your expressions?

Julia: The California landscape is very important to me. In Texas I have mostly lived in the city, but when I stayed in Dripping Springs I used field recordings in my Bedroom Tapes and once again the landscape was a place to process intensely sad feelings. And I do imagine music as a landscape sometimes in my mind. I don’t know—I think in my own life, I’m not a person who is always in nature, communing with the natural world, etc. I mostly live in cities. I love coffee shops and the hustle and bustle. But if I am going through something and I can’t get out of my head, nature can provide a bullshit meter that I find really helpful. You can’t go for a long hike and not understand by the end of it which of your thoughts are true and which are societal garbage. There’s something about it that helps me remember what matters and what doesn’t.

TSH: What’s pleased you most about the progression of your live offerings?

Julia: I have been really enjoying performing in a way I always hoped I would. I had really terrible stage fright when I started performing my own songs, and that continued until just a couple years ago. I’ve worked really hard, and still do, to relax onstage and just enjoy myself. Because I don’t want to be up there criticising myself while people watch. No. That’s not what live music is about. I really watch other people perform and find that the more people accept themselves and loosen up and have fun onstage, the better I feel in the audience. I guess I’m pleased that I have been able to become so comfortable onstage and enjoy the experience. That’s so dear to me, in terms of the life experiences I want to have before I die.

TSH: Which attributes of touring do you mostly appreciate?

Julia: I love meeting new friends. Some of my best friends now are people I’ve met on tour. I love waking up in the morning, getting coffee in a new place, and starting that day’s drive. I love taking hikes with my dog and that freshness of being in a new place. I love reconnecting with old friends who have moved away.

TSH: What are you passionate about mostly, outside of music?

Julia: I love to cook. I love cooking shows, cookbooks, food podcasts, cooking at home, going to restaurants. I’m currently loving The Great British Baking Show.

TSH: Do you still have several photos on your phone regarding your mom wanting you to take a picture of a cloud/hillside she might want to paint later?

Julia: Haha yes. Actual number = 25. She has recently retired and is really enjoying her landscape painting class.

TSH: What gets played most on your YouTube binges?

Julia: My current musical obsessions are Julia Holter, Hand Habits, Cass McCombs, and Adam Torres, plus old standbys Radiohead, Beach House and Grouper. I also am really enjoying Alex G and Tame Impala’s album Currents.

TSH: Finally, what’s the best advice that you adhere to?

Julia: I think I’m going through a phase of life where I don’t feel like I know anything for sure. I don’t really have any advice at this time, except maybe don’t be too hard on yourself and maybe to do something nice for yourself. I think those are good things to do.

Julia Lucille - “Darkening”

Eternally - Single