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luninosity · 4 years

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Okay, I’d already had the idea, so I couldn’t resist! One final @whumptober2020 ficlet (so...extra completion, I guess? :D ) for theme 30 (because I’d forgotten I’d already done that one!) NOW WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? prompt: Ignoring an Injury

This one’s in the Character Bleed universe! It’s a Sam/Leo story, set sometime in the future...

Sam had seen a decent amount of television, and a decent amount of science fiction. He’d even seen a few episodes of this particular show, though not one in which Leo’s amoral space villain character popped up.

He waited very quietly where he’d been told to wait, out of the way behind cameras. He gazed at the movie set. They were filming in Ireland, in a wild jumble of dark rocks and crashing waves that’d stand in for an alien planet. Sam had never been to Ireland, or on a movie set, before.

Before Leo Whyte. Before kisses like rainbows, and brightly-colored teacups appearing in the morning, and the way Leo’s eyes warmed, green and brown shifting like shyly happy sand, every time Sam took his hand.

Dating an actor wasn’t without complications. Leo spent more money on new couch pillows than Sam had spent on an entire couch, and generously offered to pay for Sam’s whole family to visit London, and genuinely had no idea how to navigate a supermarket. Leo wasn’t Colby Kent levels of famous, but was recognizable enough that cameras popped up at airports and restaurants, and only the day before Sam had stepped to the side while Leo smiled and took pictures, as requested, with a group of fans who’d spotted them in a Reykjavik bookshop. That’d taken at least twenty minutes.

He watched Leo and the other actors get into position, crashed spaceship behind them. The male lead, the counterpart to Leo’s delightfully over-the-top petulant wickedness, said something that made Leo laugh, a joke or a comment. They were all dressed in tattered post-crash versions of science fiction extravagance, colorful and quirky. Leo’s long coat billowed in Icelandic wind; he glanced across rocks and cameras toward Sam, and waved enthusiastically before flopping down into rubble.

Dating an actor might be complicated. But dating Leo Whyte made Sam’s whole world more wonderful. Bigger. Way more full of rainbows. He wouldn’t be anywhere else.

He stayed out of the way. No one minded him being on the set—in fact, the director had been enthused about Leo’s photographer boyfriend dropping by, especially after Sam’s portraits of Colby Kent and Jason Mirelli’d had such an impact, and had said it’d be an honor if Sam wanted to document some of the filming process—but Sam was also very aware that he knew next to nothing about the intricacies of television production.

He had been capturing moments all week, and he’d happily contribute to a behind-the-scenes book. He was honestly amazed to have been asked, and asked in that tone of voice. He was still getting used to people knowing his name.

They began rolling. Leo’s character woke up first, struggling upright. He’d been responsible for sabotaging the ship, of course; but he had not planned for an outright crash.

He gazed around: at broken rocks, at a split-open ship hull, at flung bodies of companions. His expression changed; his whole posture changed. So many emotions ran through hazel eyes, lingered in the tip of his head, the set of his shoulders. He could escape. He could finish off his sworn enemy. He could try to contact his evil minions, back with the fleet.

Leo was so good at embodying a character, Sam thought. So brilliant. So talented. So much nuance. So amazing.

And his chest and body and even fingertips glowed, despite chilly wind: that was his boyfriend, being a genius.

Leo—clearly still shaken from the crash—staggered to the body of that adversary, that equal. The hero. Injured—badly so, a skewer of metal through his stomach—and bleeding, unconscious. At his mercy.

Leo, in character, dropped to both knees. Looked at the hero; looked at the blood; looked at the rocks, his own hands, the pouch at his belt that held poisons, communications arrays, sonic weapons. They’d fought each other and challenged each other and taunted each other for years, in the course of the show, on and off: a relationship fraught and crackling with intensity.

Leo’s character had studied energy transference, vital forces, psychic powers. He put out a hand. Rested it on the dying hero’s chest. No other characters, no companions, had stirred yet, though they would momentarily, on cue.

Special effects wizardry would transform the moment, Sam knew. But he looked at Leo’s face: calm, making a choice, no hesitation.

The wounds should fade. Vanishing. Healing.

Transferred.

They did not cut—the visual effects would handle the vanishing—but let the scene play out. The hero gasped in a breath, woke, sat up easily. Took in the situation with rapid-fire intellect. Spun to glare at Leo’s villain, who was now leaning back insouciantly against a broken piece of spaceship, arms crossed.

Leo just smiled. The hero demanded, “Don’t just stand there, be useful!” and pushed himself to his feet. “Shouldn’t expect anything else, should I…”

“No.” Leo didn’t move. “Why would I help you?”

“You’re still here. Why didn’t you run?”

“Perhaps my plan requires my presence. Shouldn’t you assist your minions?”

“They’re companions!” But he was, even as he scowled at Leo some more. “Just stay out of the way.”

Leo gave an ironic small salute. The main cast pretended to come to, waking up, groaning, checking on each other. Discussions began happening: where they’d landed, repairs, what to do next.

Leo, with no one paying him any mind, slid a hand inside his shirt, between fasteners. His fingers came away red; he looked at them for a moment, then buttoned his coat, dark and tight, over the shirt. Hiding the wound. Concealing the layers of emotion.

Sam, watching, felt his heart speed up. Of course it was the character, of course he felt for the character—but it was Leo too, his Leo, beautiful and wounded and exhausted, and nobody’d ever know how much he’d just done, the pain he’d taken, for a man who’d sworn to fight him…

Leo’s face was aware of all of that, in that second. And Sam, despite knowing it was fictional, ached for him. Hated everyone who’d ever made him lonely. Loathed the blood on Leo’s hand, under the shirt.

Leo looked up as the good characters all turned his way, and said brightly, “Come to a glorious optimistic decision, have we?”

“Be quiet for once,” grumbled the angriest of the companions, “prisoners don’t get to talk. We’re taking you to the Time Authority.”

“Ah, a plan. I shall look forward to seeing how you’ll manage it, with no working transport or communications.” Leo held out both wrists for binders, ironic. “Lead on.”

They began to walk, just enough for the shot; Leo stumbled. Caught himself, bound hands lingering against a chunk of ship for support, for an instant. “Sorry, just a rock, terribly treacherous, aren’t they?”

“You’d know about treacherous,” said the hero, quiet and frustrated and not knowing anything of what had happened moments ago; and he caught Leo’s shoulder. “Come on.”

They took a few more steps. And cut there.

Sam sagged into his chair, worn out by emotion. And he was only watching. Christ.

They did it all again, and again. Four times. Five. Leo was brilliant every time: dry and clever with dialogue, and silently profoundly compassionate, in a complicated and selfish way, when kneeling beside his adversary. Transferring the injury, letting himself bleed for the man he loved and battled and hated and was drawn to; and saying nothing about it, knowing they’d all believe he simply didn’t want to lift a finger.

Six times, and they were done; they’d have a bit of a break while moving to the next location, the corner of a fortress in black rock and whipping winds. Leo wriggled hands out of prop binders, waved at cast-mates, and ran over to Sam. “What’d you think?”

“I think you’re amazing.” He caught both of Leo’s hands, laughing; he leaned into the kiss. “So much emotion. Your expression—I mean, wow.”

Leo’s whole face brightened. He loved compliments, and rarely believed them, Sam knew: a hell of a lot of self-doubt hid under on-set pranks and kitten-adoption events. “It worked, then? I did think it went well, but then again I never feel like I know for sure. And it’s been some time since my last appearance. I was worried about getting back into the rhythm.”

“I felt it all. And I’m not even caught up with the show.” Sam glanced at Leo’s fingers, at a smudge of fake blood. Some of it had soaked through his shirt, and the coat. “It felt…real.”

And for a second, a split second, it did. He knew it wasn’t—he knew—but he’d said it aloud, and he could see the red, and he’d just watched Leo stumble and trip and stagger with pain, and it’d looked so…

“Oh, Sam.” Leo’s hands tightened around his, grip made of fingerless gloves and affection. “Thank you for the lovely praise, and I shall try not to let it feed my ego? What does one feed an ego? Is it like an eagle? Sort of carnivorous, and rather dangerous? I expect it could be, if one pushes the metaphor. Would you like tea?”

Sam, who knew exactly how Leo’s brain worked by now—the steps might not be obvious but made perfect sense, from bashful deflection to silly word-association to surprisingly insightful philosophy to making sure other people were taken care of and well-fed, both in terms of comfort and tea—said, “I love you, you know.” He did.

“I love you, and I love it when you say nice things to me.” Leo batted eyes at him, long-lashed and weightless. That was a joke, one that covered up absolute sincerity. “I’m glad I managed to make it believable. I’m obviously not at all presently being skewered by a spaceship section, not even a magically transferred invisible one, so it’s a bit difficult to act, in that sense.”

“Yeah,” Sam said. “I’m glad you’re not being skewered.” He held Leo’s hand; they wandered toward craft services and a tea break, over scattered rocks, through slicing wind. Sam’s own coat was cozy and thick; he nearly asked whether Leo wanted it. That outfit couldn’t be very warm.

A personal assistant ran up. Thrust a blanket, large and woolly, Leo’s way. Leo took it and managed to transform it into a swooping fashion statement, a bundle of plaid and protection, and thanked her as she bounced off to continue blanket-deliveries elsewhere. Sam relaxed a little more.

Leo said, watching his face, “They do keep us warm, you know.”

“I know.”

“Are you having thoughts about ways we might warm up back at the hotel? Scented oils in a bathtub? A massage? Fabulous sex while I give you a massage in the bathtub with scented oils?”

A passing pair of extras, dressed for guard duty at the planetary fortress, froze mid-step and turned wide eyes Leo’s direction. Leo put up a hand and wiggled fingers, a wave. “I’ll see you in a few moments, and you can menace me with those laser spears! Looking forward to it!”

The taller extra opened his mouth, closed it, and managed, “Us too!” Leo beamed, saluted them, and kept walking.

“You’re not actually going to die, though,” Sam said. Leo’s fingers were still too cold, in his. He despised the invention of fingerless gloves. “I mean, on the show. They love bringing you back. Though—are you allowed to tell me? Don’t, if you’ll get in trouble.”

“You and I are such different people,” Leo said cheerfully, and stopped walking just to kiss him. “I love spoilers. I love knowing everything. Especially when no one else knows. But, sadly, it’s not a secret, at least not here on set. No, I’m decidedly not going to die. He’ll choose to let me go. So I can show up again later on. Everybody lives. It’s marvelous.”

“I like that,” Sam said. “Everybody lives. It’s a good ending.”

“Even the villain of the story,” Leo said. “Yes.”

“You’re not the villain. Antagonist, yeah. Anti-hero. But not a villain.”

“Really?”

“You save people. Yeah, it’s what you want too, it’s because you need him alive, you’re obsessed, all that. But you still save him, and then you help him, because you know he won’t leave his crew behind, and you want him to be…not happy, exactly, but…out there. Free. For you to find again. So, yeah. Not a villain.”

“Yes,” Leo said, “yes. That’s what I—thank you. For that.” His eyes were green and brown and pleased as spring.

“I get to give you a massage later,” Sam said. “And warm you up. You know. While you recover from magically transferred skewerings.” I love you, he meant. I want you warm and happy, underneath me, on top of me, whichever you want, as long as you’re here and laughing and probably making terrible jokes about the size of someone’s laser spear, in bed. I’ll make tea after, if you want. That blend that reminds you of home.

“All of that sounds splendid,” Leo agreed, clutching a fold of blanket as it started to slip, other hand still in Sam’s. The wind tugged at his hair, ruffling dramatically spiked blond strands. “You know how much I love your hands on me. All over. Every…inch of me.”

Sam had to grin. Leo Whyte, he thought again. His Leo. Finding a way for Sam to fuss over him, guessing Sam might need to affirm that every last bit of red was only fake, just in case, just to know; and then flipping it all into a sex joke. Ridiculous. Adorable. Perfect.

He said, “Sounds like a plan, then. I love all your inches.”

#whumptober2020 #no.30 #now where did that come from?#ignoring an injury #fic #character bleed #sam/leo #my fic #original characters #sort of?#fic for my published novels?

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nokomiss · 4 years

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deadtedkord replied to your post “taking prompts!”

more excellent jaysteph bonding please you're stuff for them is amazing!!

Even in Gotham, it’s hard to get takeout at 4am.

So after a particularly grueling night fighting crime -- not Arkham-escape bad, but involving the Condiment King teaming up with Mad Hatter for easily one of the grossest in every imaginable way nights Steph could remember -- the troops all ended up at the Cave, fighting over who got into the showers first. The troops in question being Bruce, Damian, Tim, Jason and herself. Steph saw the writing on the wall immediately and booked it up stairs to shower in luxury before Bruce could complain about ketchup in his fancypants rich people showers.

After convincing herself that she couldn’t, actually, just live in the bathroom at Wayne Manor for the rest of her life, Steph reluctantly got out, wondering if she could convince Bruce that installing the same shower at her decidedly less luxurious home was actually a necessary crime fighting expense. The water pressure alone had relieved a few lingering muscle aches she’d been nursing a few days.

She ransacked various rooms for a new, mustard-free outfit -- she had clothes stashed away somewhere, but everyone knew other people’s clothes are far superior, especially when they were Selina’s yoga pants, which she was never returning because damn they were amazing, Cass’ fuzzy socks and Tim’s softest hoodie.

By the time she returned to the cave, smelling like coconut and feeling like a champ, the boys had managed to clean themselves up and were bickering about food.

“I got Stromboli’s to deliver at 3 last week,” Damian was insisting, even though the Batcomputer clearly showed that they were closed.

“Maybe we could bribe someone at Batburger? They’re open all night,” Tim suggested, sounding doubtful about the prospect.

“There’s food here,” Steph suggested, because she, too, was starving.

Silence for a moment, then Bruce said, in a voice that almost sounded sheepish, “Alfred isn’t here.”

Steph felt a little bad about the smears of ketchup she’d undoubtedly left in the bathroom. “Did he… did he take the kitchen with him?”

“Pennyworth is the only one permitted to use the kitchen,” Damian said loftily while also not looking at anyone directly.

“Yeah, but… we’re hungry,” Steph pointed out.

“They don’t know how to cook,” Tim said, gesturing towards Bruce and Damian. “They’re really bad at it.”

“Like you’re any better,” Damian snapped. “Remember when you set the microwave on fire?”

“I didn’t realize there was still a spoon in the bowl!” The tops of Tim’s ears were turning bright red.

Steph looked at the only person in the room not howling about their own ineptitude in the kitchen. “Please tell me you’re not as useless as they are.”

“I’m insulted that you would think I am,” Jason replied. “I certainly didn’t grow up with a butler.”

Steph sighed, and said, “Wanna go make some food?”

Jason looked at the other three, who were suddenly very focused on writing the night’s mission report. “If it means we’re done with the paperwork, yeah.”

So she climbed the steps to up to the manor for the second time that night, and when she entered the kitchen she suddenly understood the silence and sheepish looks.

“I have seen active crime scenes less disastrous than this kitchen,” Jason said with an awed tone.

“How long has Alfred been gone? A year?” Steph said, staring. “And the question is, is he ever gonna return if he knows this is waiting on him?”

“Probably he will, but he’ll finally snap and murder them all in a dishes-fueled rage,” Jason said, poking at the mountain of dirty china piled haphazardly in and around the sink. He poked at a dish. “I’m pretty sure someone ate Spaghetti-Os out of fine china. Is this a real silver spoon?”

The spoon in question had curdled milk clinging to it.

“Okay so ten minutes ago, I would have told you there was no way anything could be grosser than Mad Hatter flopping around in a pool of mayonnaise,” Steph said, “but oh, how I have been proven wrong.”

“How do they even function as human beings?” Jason wondered. “Was it always this bad? I mean, I lived here. I know Bruce is an absolute moron in the kitchen. But…” He looked around. “Wow.”

“Do you suddenly feel so much better about yourself as a person?” Steph said. “Because I gotta say. Really feeling good about myself right now.”

Jason offered a hand to high five, and Steph did, happily. They rummaged through the pantry side-by-side and found that the staples were still intact, though anything ready-made had been ransacked. The fridge offered up similar bounty -- takeout leftovers of questionable providence, some wilting produce, and basics.

“Pancakes?” Steph suggested once she saw the state of the waffle iron -- had someone tried to make a grilled cheese on it? -- and pulled out the dry ingredients. “I’m not willing to eat anything that requires a condiment right now.” Thankfully maple syrup had not been one of Condiment King’s weapons of choice.

“I’ll make eggs,” Jason said, pulling out a carton. “And there’s some fake bacon of Damian’s.”

“We are a breakfast-making machine,” Steph said. It was true, too -- away from the chaos of crime fighting, she found that working alongside Jason in the kitchen was surprisingly easy. Steph stared at the sink again, and said, “I think that it’s time that certain vigilantes learned the domestic arts.”

“Yeah, we can’t let Alfred come back to this,” Jason said. “He’s too valuable. If he quit--”

“We’d never have his cookies ever again,” Steph said in horror.

“Maybe we could steal Alfred,” Jason said after a pause. “Like, let nature take its course, then swoop in and take Alfred for our own.”

“Share custody of him,” Steph said, nodding. “We could put him on a rotating schedule, and give him days off, and… I don’t know. Let him join a book club, instead of spending all his time with these disasters.”

They spent a few moments in quiet contemplation of a life where Alfred showed up and made creme brulee at any hour of the day. Then Steph sighed, giving the pancake batter one last stir before letting it sit and moving to the stove, clearing off several crystal goblets with what looked like coffee dregs in them before finding a griddle. “There’s only one flaw with our plan.”

“The thing where Alfred loves Bruce like a son and would never abandon him to die alone and hungry in his filthy mansion?” Jason flipped the fake bacon.

“That’s the one,” Steph said, deciding the griddle was hot enough and spooning pancake batter onto it in cute little shapes. She thought that Damian’s should be hearts, and she experimented with bat-shapes for Bruce.

Jason peered over and saw what she was doing. “I want stars.”

“Of course you do,” Steph said, though she tried to make one as soon as Damian’s hearts were done. It turned out a little wonky, but still recognizable. She was awesome. “Gotta be difficult, right?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jason replied, cracking eggs into a bowl. He glanced at the kitchen door. “Are they hiding in the cave in shame?”

“Like, it’s wrong, but the fact that I think they are makes me really happy,” Steph said. “Like, kind of makes up for all those times they acted like I was a moron for not knowing something.”

“Right?” Jason said.

“I mean, how do you master dozens of different kinds of kung fu, but never once master the grilled cheese? I was making my own grilled cheese in kindergarten!”

“There are only three ingredients,” Jason agreed. “It’s a true embarrassment.”

“We should nominate him for Worst Cooks In America,” Steph said. “I really want to see Bruce on reality television, and that would be comedy gold.”

“Just seeing him get an invitation to be one of the worst of anything would be fucking amazing,” Jason said. “Like, congratulations, sir, you suck at this.”

“You suck so hard we want to feature you on television,” Steph snickered. She flipped the last of Bruce’s pancakes onto a plate before they burned, and began making Tim’s. She tried to make a coffee mug shape, but it turned out looking like a blob, so she made teddy bears instead.

“I mean, I kind of get why they’re so terrible at it,” Steph said, “given their upbringings. But I would have literally starved if I hadn’t figured out how to cook early on. Takeout was not an option.”

“Right? Only for special occasions,” Jason said. “The rest of the time, you had to make shit yourself.”

“Exactly,” Steph nodded. They didn’t really talk much about how they were the ones in the family who’d grown up poor, who’d spent a lot of time raising themselves because their parents hadn’t been capable of it. She knew it was why Bruce had compared them so much -- there was a startling amount of similarities between their childhoods, from their mothers’ drug problems to their fathers’ criminal inclinations -- and for once, it felt nice to be the ones with the necessary skills while everyone else floundered.

They grinned at each other, then put the last of the food onto the plates. Steph grabbed the maple syrup, and stopped short, staring at the calendar on the fridge. “Four days!”

“What?” Jason said through a mouthful of fake bacon.

“Alfred has only been gone four days,” Steph said, pointing to the note on the fridge, “and he left prepared meals.”

They gazed in wonder at the chaos around them.

“He’s going to be back tomorrow,” Jason said suddenly, pointing.

“Okay, so we feed the troops, then we start Mission: Learn to Do the Damn Dishes,” Steph said. Sleep was for the weak.

“Yes, ma’am,” Jason said, and followed her to the breakfast nook, setting down Tim and Damian’s plates and going back for the rest. “Wanna tell them now?”

“Let them have a final meal first,” Steph said. “Then we’ll light a fire under them.”

Jason grinned. By the time Bruce, Tim and Damian came out of the Cave, she and Jason had polished off half of their meal, and Steph had to admit that delivering a lecture to Batman about chores was one of the highlights of her week. Possibly the entire month.

It took until dawn, but Alfred came home to a kitchen that no longer looked like it had witnessed the collapse of civilization.

#deadtedkord #my fic #batfamily #stephanie brown #jason todd #this is literally just steph and jay making breakfast and trashtalking everyone else's lack of cooking skills #totally a valid bonding experience

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travllingbunny · 4 years

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Breakdown of the short TV promos for The 100 season 7

with screenshots and speculation!

While we’re waiting for the trailer to come out (which should happen by the end of this week, “hopefully” today according to Jason Rothenberg’s latest tweet), and after we’ve secured Eliza the victory she deserves as E-Online’s Top Leading Lady, I’ve watched the two short TV promos that CW has aired during other shows, which are both now on YouTube. Although both versions of the promo are pretty short (the second one is slightly longer and more interesting), there’s a surprising amount of various scenes.Although some of them are blink and miss it, there are a lot of dramatic shots of random people fighting or getting killed or taken captive, and all of it is out of context.

However, the press release with the descriptions of the first 4 episodes helps figure out what some of the scenes may be. It looks like there are many shots from the season premiere, but also scenes from 7x02, 7x04 and the backdoor pilot (7x08).

youtube

Bellamy crying seems to be the continuation of his last scene in 6x13. He even still has the same clothes and is crying over Octavia disappearing from his arms into thin air. This is definitely 7x01, maybe even the first scene.

The second scene also seems to be Bellamy - Octavia would've bled onto his arms before she disappeared.

Also outside Sanctum: this shot in the woods. I have no idea what's going on here, a person is crouching on the ground - Bellamy? Someone else? Is this Anomaly-related?

Speaking of the Anomaly...

The person sitting on the ground looks like Gabriel. But why is he just sitting there? It wouldn't be surprising if he went into the Anomaly. He's certainly nowhere to be seen in Sanctum scenes.

These people, who look very SciFi and are obviously connected to the Anomaly, are likely to be new antagonists - and this may be from 7x01 From the Ashes, when, according to the press release, “ a new threat rises in the woods”. Their masks have a design similar to the title card of S7 opening titles.

Meanwhile, in Sanctum:

“Clarke (Eliza Taylor) and her friends attempt to rebuild Sanctum “ (press release for 7x01 From the Ashes) but “As Raven (Lindsey Morgan) faces an unexpected threat, Clarke (Eliza Taylor) must keep the peace among opposing factions in Sanctum” (7x03 False Gods).

The Children of Gabriel (we see Nelson among them) vs Earthkru? Is that the conflict now? What's going on with the Sanctumites who still worship Primes and those who hate them? Are Wonkru and Eligius prisoners going to be in conflict, too?

Raven (who's back to her pre-S6 look, and even has a red jacket - not the one she had in S1-2) tells Murphy and Emori (looking normal, not like fake Primes) that "This place is a powder keg.” “It always ends the same..."

Also in Sanctum - Indra (still in her warrior gear), saying "New world, same problems"

and Clarke talking to Gaia (in front of an idyllic looking house with a fence, maybe where she lives with Madi now in Sanctum) - "I used to think fighting is what we do... now I worry that fighting is what we are." We aren't done with the S6 angsty soul-searching!

And in a different mood -my favorite moment in the promos, Clarke punching Russell! I thought it wasn't him at first, so I thought "I wish she was punching Russell" but it is. It’s his clothes, and they are in the Sanctum shrine. (It's just obviously not JR, but a stunt double, which is unfortunately pretty obvious, LOL.)

s he still Russell or Sheidheda as Russell? He's certainly yelling the same way he yelled "I want REVENGE!" in 6x13 (f*ck you, Russell). Now it's "I want DEATH!". His death? I wish. We're not that lucky. And it looks like he's talking to Brainwashed!Jordan. (sigh)

Outside Sanctum, at night, Clarke (with a great new leather jacket) is pointing a gun at someone in the 1st promo... And it becomes clear in the 2nd promo that she's pointing the "Mysterious outsiders (who) arrive with news of Clarke’s missing people" in 7x04 Hesperides.

The mysterious strangers are led by the bald white dude who says: "You are the key to winning the last war mankind will wage". Wow! Color me intrigued!

Since she only has Gaia, Niylah and some guys with her, it's safe to say Bellamy, Echo (+probably Gabriel) are among the missing people.

Which, however, doesn't mean Bellamy, Echo and Gabriel are in the same location.

The trailer only shows Bellamy in the early scene of crying over Octavia, and he's not mentioned at all in the press releases, so it seems his storyline is too spoilery and they’re keeping it under wraps.

In this interview, Jason said about Clarke in season 7: “And as we’ll see going forward, she is now definitely determined to not lose any of her family again, in a way that is almost obsessive. Her family being Madi of course, and Bellamy and Raven and Murphy; these are all people that she loves and is not going to lose. “ Which I have (mis)interpreted as Jasonspeak for Clarke obsessed with saving Bellamy. ;)

Unlike Bellamy, we do see what Echo is up to. Here she is with short hair as one of those new masked Anomaly people, on some kind of mission? Possibly undercover?

(Remember when the fandom decided Echo was dead because Tasya cut her hair? LOL I always thought the drawing such conclusions from BTS things made no sense. Likewise, it’s now clear how silly it was to decide some characters must have died early because actors were off in LA for a while. I don’t know why so many people think the cast are glued to the set 24/7 for 6 months, and we now know that episodes were shot out of order - because there are multiple locations, with different characters/actors, so an actor could take a few weeks or even a full month off while they are shooting on another location and a storyline they aren’t involved in. For episode 1x08, the backdoor pilot - which was shot late and is production number 7x13 - that would have probably meant the entire regular cast had a few weeks off. I’m sure the cast took the chance to go and audition for new roles - at least one of them, Lindsey, got cast in a new show while the shooting of The 100 was halfway.)

We also see one of these new Anomaly soldier people here, looking pretty threatening as they pull out some kind of a weapon.

Definitely the Anomaly here and - wow, that's Diyoza the way we've never seen her before. Looks like a "garden of Eden". Probably Hope's flashbacks from the episode 7x02 The Garden (according to the press release: "Echo and Gabriel learn more about Hope and her mysterious past").

And here’s Octavia and young Hope, who's nodding her head. Looks like they are in some kind of danger. Third time lucky for O, after Ethan and Rose.

I don't know what this person is looking at, but they seemed shocked... and I think the large green eyes are Hope's. In fact, this is probably again young Hope.

Now here's the truly weird stuff. Octavia, in her season 1 tank top, in a sterile white laboratory that looks a lot like Mount Weather, being experimented on under the supervision of someone who looks like Dante Wallace? (We see this same shot in both promos, but mirror flipped in one of them.)

Whatever this is, I'm sure it's NOT the actual MW. And it sure as hell isn’t a simulation by Dante and the Mountain Men. They’re super dead.

What I think is going on here - it could be another trippy sequence for any reason, but I like the theory that the Anomaly somehow shows people alternative realities, things that might have been, What if? scenarios.

Unlike the other scenes in Sanctum, this one is likely to be from a later episode. If this is even in Sanctum, have no idea where Emori is and what's happening to her... but probably nothing good.

Nothing good is happening to this guy, either. The way the lightning goes from sea green to red/purple suggests that something Anomaly-related may be happening here?

Probably somewhere on Alpha: A body (unconscious or dead?) being dragged.

(A bunch of people are convinced it's Bellamy, which is weird, because this person's build looks absolutely nothing like Bellamy. Or that it’s Gabriel, when this person is clearly nowhere near his height. This can only be him if they picked a body double extremely poorly. Though to be fair, there was that hilariously badly photoshopped season 5 promo image of Bellamy where they stuck Bob’s head on a body of some skinny guy with narrow shoulders, so IDK,)

Someone on a motorbike outside Sanctum.

Please someone remind me who else can ride a bike. I know many of the people from Sanctum can and Clarke can because she picked up the skill from Josephine. Anyone else?

An unknown man taken captive by someone. He has similar Anomaly symbols on his forehead as Hope.

I’m pretty sure this is from the backdoor pilot (7x08 Anaconda) and these people dying from radiation are probably Second Dawn members who weren't among the chosen ones and went to Cadogan's decoy bunker.

Finally, this person must have died a sudden, instant and grisly death and quite a while ago. It could be another scene from the backdoor pilot - when the survivors got out off the bunker and saw the victims of the death wave.

Or maybe someone who was caught in a temporal flare on Alpha, which almost happened to Octavia in season 6 before she hid in the live sand. But I don’t know if the temporal flare would have instantly killed them, or just aged them a lot until they die a little later. Death wave seems more likely.

#the 100 #the 100 promo #the 100 season 7 promo #the 100 season 7 #the 100 speculation

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zerotosiki · 4 years

Text

Bonus Stories of A Little Too Much Part 1

Honestly, I’m planning to post all of the bonuses when I finish it but sadly it takes more time than I’m planned to :(. I don’t want to make you guys waiting, so I’m posting half of the bonuses right now. There are still 3 or 2 more bonuses that I still writing at the moment.

Main Story || Bonus 1 (You’re here) || Bonus 2

Pairing(s): Damian Wayne (DC) x Marinette Dupain-Cheng (MLB)

Description: Lila being threatened by a random girl, even though she is the one who threatens that girl. Alya being salty because she has been left out by Marinette. And Damian being the over-protective boyfriend in front of Agreste.

Word Count: Roughly around 3557 words?

Warnings: I’m putting my OC into this just for the sake of launching “Exposing Lila’s lies” plan. I’m really sorry if you didn’t like it :(

Just to let you guys know, in this version, Adrien is just a little innocent bean who tried his best on doing whatever he is doing now since this is his first public school. So Adrien is kind indeed (He is the one who makes ---or force--- Lila convince the school to prevent Marinette from being expelled, after all. Just like in the canon).

But he is too soft so whenever he reprimanding his friends whenever they tried to bully Marinette. They just replied, "Oh you're too kind, Adrien. Marinette doesn't deserve you," which got Adrien confused and disappointed, not towards Marinette, but towards himself and his classmate. To him because he cannot be more firm to his friends, and his classmate because.. they choose to believe Lila over Marinette, the girl who always helps them, the girl who used to be called 'our everyday ladybug'.

And the last thing, here's a shortlist to clarify somethings:

Damian, Jason, and Tim were the only ones who already met the French class. Although the French class didn't know Tim since he's just observing them from afar.

Damian never introduce his last name to the French class, because why would he? Although you can see whenever they travel around WE, the employees there always greet him and Jason. Does the French class notice this? Nope. They're too busy with praising Lila's lies. The only one who notices this are Marinette, Adrien, and Chloe.

Unlike Damian, Jason introduces his last name too. It such a shame the French class never took a short lesson from the internet before they went to Gotham, though. Because if they are, they're going to found out Lila's lies about her knowing Wayne's family since her childhood. The only one who recognizes his last name is, again, it's the same people, Marinette, Adrien, and Chloe.

Dick never met the French class because he'd been busy ---going for a trip--- with his girlfriend.

While the French class is indeed leaving Gotham, Marinette stays in the Gotham for a few weeks more, much to Damian's delight. She stays because she was offered to enter the fashion contest held by a famous designer in Gotham. From then on, she stays in Wayne's place and her very existence made the atmosphere in the mansion look brighter than ever.

Maribat inspired by @ozmav and the songfic “A Little Too Much” inspired by @officiallyathiana.

Bonus Story 1. "She's a bully? That's so bullshit. Just look at her eyes. It's a deep pure love."

Did you guys really think Lila will just stay quiet when Marinette takes that boy's hand with a happy look while the inhumanly handsome boy is singing to her? Oho, of course not.

Lila is happy when she saw the same-sad-lonely look on Marinette's face this morning. But that look instantly vanish when these strangers but very handsome boys start playing the guitar while the center one is singing an English song? Oh, well, whatever. She doesn't really care anyway.

"Oh, what is this? who're these boys?" the crowd started to gather and of course, her classmates are curious as to what is happening.

"Oh! Aren't they're the employee in WE when we went to Gotham's city on the last trip?" said one of her classmates.

This is a perfect chance! thinks Lila. She said to the people around her, "Ohh... these must be the people who sent by my damiboo! He's such a romantic person after all."

Yes, she started to lie that she's been dating Damian Wayne ever since she went to Wayne Enterprise in the last class trip. But why, from all of the people, she chooses Damian Wayne? Isn't that stupid to lie that you've been dating the son of WE's CEO when you were in the building itself? Because there's a high chance that someone will find out your lies...?

Well, it's simple. First, it's because he's hella rich. Secondly, it's because his father is one of the most influential people in the world. Thirdly, she's pretty sure her classmates were stupid enough to believe this lie. And the result? It's very satisfying. Her classmates are very impressed with her. See? her classmates indeed believe her! And no one clarifies her at the end of the trip so she's safe. ...Right?

Of course who the first person who will fall to her lie? Yup, it's her best friend, Alya Césaire. "Wow, girl! So this is a romance song?! That's so sweet! You're indeed an awesome girl! I'm so lucky to be your best friend."

Lila is bashfully laughing, "Oh Alya, you flatter me! I'm not that awesome... Because if I am indeed awesome, there are still people who think otherwise... Like Marinette..." Yes, she's trying to provoke them by telling bad about Marinette without them noticing.

Alya sighing, visibly looks tired with Marinette-Lila's problem, and then she gives her encouraging smile, "Don't take Marinette's words to your heart, Lila. I don't know since when she changes into a bad person... She was very kind after all... Right now, she's still clouded with her jealous. Give her time and I am sure she'll eventually warm up to you just like she usually did to us."

Lila just gives her a tiny fake smile. Not really feeling satisfied because Marinette didn't respond at all. She still staring at the boys with wide eyes, clearly looked shocked because of something.

But much to her surprise, one of the boys who sit at the center, the one who's singing, suddenly stop playing the guitar and stood up. He sauntered to... here??

Lila thought the boy sauntered to her because he was captivated by her beauty. And Alya being Alya just shaking with excitement and whisper shouting to her, "Oh girl! He's coming here!!".

Lila then replied with full confidence and smug face, "He probably was captivated with me... Although he's indeed handsome sadly I already dating Damiboo, remember? He will be really sad if I leave him...".

And when the boy was near them, Lila goes saying, "I'm sorry, I know you were--" only to see the boy pass her and Alya. At first, they were confused as hell, but when the boy stops, directly, in front of her, Marinette. The confused look on Lila's face instantly changes into a raged look. How dare she. Plus there was a cough sound beside her, that sound similar to when they were trying to hide their laughter. She was about to stride to that boy and Marinette, ready to destroy their happiness until---

"At least you don't have to be worried about breaking up with your boyfriend," someone said suddenly, making her stop. The sound oddly came from the same direction as before. The one who was coughing.

"Excuse me?" ask Lila with a hint of anger, she turns to that person, only to find a girl who wearing... swirling glasses? who the fu** wore that on this era??

The girl just smiled "Oh I'm sorry, I just heard your talk with your friend because I've been standing next to you. And I thought at that time you were worried because you thought that handsome boy would confess to you when you already have your damiboo, which I thought, he is your boyfriend".

Lila notices her french accent is a bit weird, like there's a hint of foreign accent. ...And did she just hears the sarcasm in her tone?

"Who are you and did... you just sarcasm me?" Lila asked with a fake smile on her face, she tries to maintain her image. Although on the inside, all she felt is just pure rage. Towards Marinette... and this random girl.

Alya when realized what Lila means, turns around to face that random girl, ready to shout at her for being rude to Lila, only to cut off by that same girl before she can say anything.

"I am really sorry if I offend you in any way... Because it's really my pure intention to cheer you up since you look so worried.." the girl looks really sad with head turns down. "...And to tell you the truth, I am still new in here... so maybe my French isn't that good and causing this misunderstanding..." She then proceeds to cry little.

This girl. This girl reminds her of someone. Oh right... Isn't that someone is herself when she still new at school? When the class still close to Marinette?

Alya being the nice person she is, quickly turns panic while trying to console that random girl, "Oh don't be sad, girl..! Lila probably just a bit tired with Marinette's behavior and misheard your words!".

The girl then looks at them with a surprised look, her tears have long gone, "Your name is Lila too?!".

"...Yes, Is there something wrong?" Lila is suspicious of her. Because... how do you compete with your same kind? Wait.. don't tell her, even their name---

"No no no! I'm just surprised because my name is Lila too! Well, actually my name is Kamelia but everyone usually calls me Lila!" she said excitedly while beaming... a pure smile...

How the hell she did that? When she, Lila, clearly can tell that her smile is a fake one but at the same time, it looks so real. She's a good actor, she realized.

Alya then beaming too, happy to meet a friendly person. She then introduces her name too and suddenly they talked and talked as if they had been friends for a long time. Which is odd, Lila thinks. She has to do something, quickly, before this girl ruining her kingdom.

"So.. I heard you mention this Marinette a lot... If I may know, who she is? Is she troubling you guys..?" asked Kamelia, with the way her eyebrow scrunching, it's screaming 'I am worried about you guys' look.

Alya is the one who quick to reply, "Oh well, Marinette... was my best friend... She was my first friend when I moved here... She was kind, really kind... She always helps her friend whenever they're needed help... She always gave free macaroons to her friends every morning..." Alya's eyes oddly look blank for a glance, but when Lila blinks, her eyes look normal again. Weird... This is the second time she felt it... This odd feeling...

"..And then?" Kamelia looks at Alya with an encouraging smile, but Lila decided to reply to her instead of Alya. She's planning to manipulate this new girl and she's actually worried because she thinks this girl... is more dangerous than she looks.

"All people always said that Marinette is a kind person. She was their everyday ladybug after all. But after I moved here, I tried to befriend everyone which includes her. But maybe because I'm so close with the boy who she has a crush on, she decides to hate me and bully me..." Lila explained with a really sad face. And you can even hear the trembling of fear in her voice. Wow, Lila's really proud of her own skill.

"...Oh really?" that's just her reply. When Lila starts explaining, she can feel that Kamelia girl's attention turns to her and somehow her stare is... unnerving. But Lila ignored it and continue with her act. But when she replied, suddenly Lila felt shiver with how cold her voice sounds. Did she already figure out my act? My act should look perfectly fine!

Alya somehow didn't notice the suddenly changed atmosphere and solemnly continue, "Yeah it's sadly true... Although I still believe one day Marinette will change and apologize to Lila..." at this remark, that Kamelia girl just oddly stays silent, Lila can see the way her mouth and brows are scrunching in displeasure. "...And we all can be friends like old times!". Oh yeah, keep dreaming on, Alya.

"Is Marinette is the girl that the boy was singing to?"

"Yeah! Although I'm confused. She was supposed to have a crush on this boy but somehow she and this other boy get close...? I can't believe she's such a cheater! Marinette is really changed... I don't even know her anymore...".

Lila then proceeds to console Alya, "Oh, Don't be sad, Alya. People can change after all. I am sure Marinette will be aware of her mistakes! Karma is always there, after all!".

"Yes, Alya. Don't worry because I believe too, that, Karma is always there." that Kamelia girl assured Alya, although Lila felt her words are more toward herself. But that's just her imagination, right?

"Well, I love talking with you guys. But sadly I have to go right now. My boyfriend probably will panic when he notices I'm gone for a long time!".

"Yeah, we're happy to meet you too, Kamelia! Probably I will just call you that from now on if that's okay for you since I don't want to confuse you with Lila, my friend."

"Oh, I don't mind!" said her with a beaming smile. That Kamelia girl then goes hugging Alya and Lila. But when this girl hugging Lila, oh she's surprised alright. Although she knows this Kamelia girl isn't an ordinary person who she can lie to, but to hear the tone Kamelia used changes drastically still manages to surprise her, "...She's a bully? That's so bullshit. Just look at her eyes. It's a deep pure love. While your eyes, it's a deep pure rage."

What? Right now, Lila is clearly furious with this girl, her hand is trembling and her face is redder than tomato. This Kamelia girl is clearly looking for a fight with her. First, she was mocking her with her sarcasm although she won't admit it. And then, her stare! It's was like judging her and Lila can tell that this girl won't believe her lies.

So she grabs the girl's wrist, hard, and suggesting to Alya that she will escort Kamelia back, afraid that she will be lost because Kamelia is still new in Paris before they take a quick exit.

When they pass a block building and Lila takes the girl straight into a nearby alley. Then, she releases her grip and glowers at her, "You...! I don't care who you are but now then you have already upset me, you will face the consequences too."

Not to her surprise, she just blinks and spoke with a bored tone, "What? Just like you did to Marinette?"

Lila ignores her sarcasm and continues her threat, "Not really, but maybe I will. I will find your friends, your family and then turn them against you, just like what I did to Marinette."

"Aah! So my hunch was true. You're the real bully here, Lila. Not Marinette," Kamelia gloats to herself while bobbing her head occasionally.

Lila scoffs, "Whatever you say, no one will believe you anyway. Because I already turn them all against Marinette. Although I don't feel satisfied because Marinette still looks brave even if she was being bullied by her own friends". Lila then distances herself, "You should remember this, Kamelia. You better not crossing your line or I will make sure, that threats will come true. And maybe I will get to turns your lovely boyfriend against you too."

And then she went, leaving Kamelia alone in the dark alley and missing her smirk, "I'd like to see you try... after you survive, that is."

Bonus Story 2. "Why they're here, Marinette?!"

"Hold it!"

The second they heard this, Marinette froze while Damian becomes rigid. They turn around to face the Class. Damian's mood abruptly turns into sour and he knows Marinette isn't happy with the way she tense and her grip on his hand are tighter (Although he doesn't mind that). His brothers aren't that far too, Tim just staring at the group with a bored look, Jason wholly glaring, and Dick just look confused, although he didn't appreciate the way the group's look at Marinette.

Marinette, yes, she was happy when she met Damian and she honestly thinks that they can go back to their place in peace. Not like this. Confronted by her Classmates. Although she can see there's no Lila in the group, which is strange but eh, that's very good for her. She doesn't want to face her lies again. She's tired okay?

"What is it, Alya?" asked Marinette, she tried to be kind, as kind as she can be. But let's see how far her friends will test her patience.

"Why they're here, Marinette?! Aren't they supposed to be in Gotham?"

"They're here because of me, Alya. And they can be wherever they want to,"

"Because of you? Oh Marinette, so you were in Gotham after we all left because you were seeking attention to them since your methods aren't work here," suddenly came a sickly sweet voice that makes Marinette shudder and she tried to swallow the nervous feeling that threatening to comes out.

There she stood, Lila, with her usual sickly fake smile.

"And you seducing the poor guy here, not knowing that he falls into your sweet trap all along," Lila then turns around to face Damian, and proceed to say solemnly with her broken English, "I know this is hard to believe, Mr. Damian. But Marinette here is not sweet as you think she is. She has been manipulating you all along, like what she did to all of us,"

She glances at Marinette before she takes a step forward to Damian, in which Marinette can feel Damian become tense and she tried to soothe his rage by rubbing gently his trembling hands. At this point, Marinette worried about Lila's safety if she keeps up with her lies in front of The Wayne Brothers, especially Damian. She knows Damian has been keeping his rage with her Class since they're taking a trip to WE back then. Heck, even she knows Damian has been secretly listing on how to get rid Lila on his "101 ways to get rid Marinette's bully", which she hopes it won't really happen.

"...In fact, she's been bullying me, Mr. Damian! And now as a victim, I'm worried about your safety too. You should leave her immediately..."

Damian scoff while he side-hug Marinette, ignoring the blush on Marinette's face, he mocks Lila in perfect french, "You're talking nonsense. As a matter of fact, that lines should turn towards you, Ms. Liela. Beside, Marinette is my girlfriend for 3 years and I already know her more than you know, Ms. Liela,"

"What?! Girlfriend?! No way! You're lying!"

"No, he's not lying, Alya. Damian is my boyfriend and that's why he comes here, to visit me."

"But.. but..."

Bonus Story 3. "But you have a massive crush with Adrien!"

The first time Alya know Damian is Marinette's boyfriend, she can't believe it! She shoots her past-best friend disbelieving looks while saying, "But you have a massive crush with Adrien!" which got a response from both boys.

"Keyword, had," Damian remarked,

"What?! ...She has a crush on me?" Adrien exclaimed with a surprised tone, his eyes visibly turns bigger.

"Again, keyword, it's had. So it's already in the past. There's no point in discussing it anymore. And you Agreste," Damian said while pointing to Adrien, Marinette tried to stop him but he still continues, "You better not try anything funny to Marinette because right now she's my girlfriend. Which is, Marinette is mine. And just to let you know that I don't like sharing." At this point, Marinette's face is red like a strawberry, and she tried miserably to conceal it.

"But she likes me... And I don't realize it until now.." Adrien shooting her 'I am so sorry' looks because at that time he really doesn't know that Marinette has a crush on him until now, and he keeps telling her about Kagami. Not to mention, he invited her, just to see him and Kagami being lovey-dovey! Although at that time, he thought Marinette and Luka are dating since she brought him too. It's must be hard to pretend to be okay when your crush telling you about their lovely date over and over again. It's like rubbing salt on your wound over and over again.

Marinette elbow Damian, hard, for being such an ass to Adrien. She already told him that Adrien is innocent. But maybe Damian is still jealous over her past-crush on Adrien or maybe he is a little upset because Adrien cannot keeps her classmate from bashing her which is not his fault okay? It's their classmate's fault.

"I admit I used to have a crush on you, Adrien. But, that crush merely turns into a platonic one after I got to know more with you. And you don't have to be sorry because it's no one fault. Now you're happy with Kagami and I am happy with Damian."

Adrien still seems unsure with this, he bit his lips and asked with a timid voice, "...So are we still friends..?".

Marinette then smiled at her best friend, because Adrien always homeschooled in the past, he rarely got a chance for socializing with people, even more with people who same age as him, so sometimes he feels insecure with himself, like right now. "I thought we are best friends?" she asked back.

His face then visibly turns brighter, "..oh. Oh! Yes! Of course! Yes, we are best friends."

"What about us, Marinette??" ask Jason and Dirk with a fake pout which got Damian to groan in disgust, ashamed to have such kind of brothers. Although Tim is just nodding, agreeing with his brothers.

Marinette is giggling, sometimes The Wayne brothers may act like a child but they still care for each other, which includes her too, and that's why she loves them too. "Actually I already thought of you guys as my brothers that I never have," said her while scratching her cheeks, a pink color tinted, a bit embarrassed to admit. Not realizing, her behavior made several people turn into a blushing mess (yeah I'm talking about you, Damian), while there are people who felt more unhappy (And we can ignore that).

"Oh my bats, Marinette, why you are so cute and adorable!!!" cue their group hugs, minus Damian because he doesn't want to get involved with his brothers' group hug. No way.

"Damian! You have to marry Marinette asap! Because if you don't, Marinette will get taken away by other people, and we don't want Marinette to leave us!"

"Don't worry Todd. We'll get married when we're both in legal age for marriage," Damian said calmly, maybe he already planned it or maybe not. Nobody knows.

"Damian!!" she whined while she still being hugged.

"Uh, that is if you want to, Habibti..." Damian worried if he said wrong things because marriage is what a couple dream on, right? He pretty damn sure that marriage between him and Marinette is his happiest dream, and he will make sure that dream comes true. But only when Marinette wants it too, of course!

Marinette then let go of the group hug and frantically tried to explain, "O-of course I want to... But please don't talk about that here...", which gives Damian a chance to tease her.

"Ooh... so it's okay if we talk about it in more 'private' place?"

"Damian!!" Marinette whined for a second time, although this time, she hides her red face with her hand.

Damian just laughs, which made his brothers send him strange looks, they would never get used to this cheerful-Damian. "I'm just kidding, Habibti," he then proceeds to hug Marinette, trying to help her hide her embarrassment, although that's just his excuse. He just wants to be close to his girlfriend. And Marinette visibly looks content whenever he hugs her so that's a big win for him. His big ego, you mean.

TBC to Bonus 2.

Main Story || Bonus 1 (You’re here) || Bonus 2

Taglist:

@persephonebutkore @bungou-stray-alies-tales-of-aly (uhhh, why I can’t tag you..?) @northernbluetongue

I think that’s all? I’m sorry if I miss someone but please tell me if I really miss someone who wants to be tagged!

#my attempt writing #songfic: a little too much #daminette #damian x marinette #marinette x damian #maridami #damimari

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xiubaek-13 · 4 years

Text

Providence

Prompt: You kind of-sort of said you had a boyfriend and now you both are invited to a ‘couples only’ party and now you have to find a boyfriend ASAP

Pairing: Chen x Reader

Warnings: Alcohol, poor dating history, a little bit of smut.

Word Count: 9,118

A/N: This was for a one-shot challenge. We had a really cool idea for a Valentines prompt but life decided to come in and drop multiple anvils on all of our progress. Life can be shit like that sometimes but at times like that you also have to step back and realise that the writing can wait. We made a group decision to kind of call off the challenge but still post if/when we finished. This is my contribution.

Anyway, let me know what you think - apparently I cannot write a short one-shot to save my life so here is an almost 10k present for you.

You only had yourself to blame for this. Why the fuck did you tell him you had a boyfriend? Did you enjoy suffering? How the hell were you supposed to find a boyfriend before the weekend?!

You were just so sick of feeling left out of social gatherings but Suho was all about couples parties… originally you thought it was a phase that would pass but six months later it was still invite only and you had to have a boyfriend or partner or significant other. The rules were that you couldn’t turn up alone or with a fuck buddy, not after that one time Baekhyun turned up with an escort just to piss Suho off. You still remember Baekhyun telling you that story and how Suho hadn’t invited him again for two whole months. That man was too concerned with how society perceived him and his perfect wife. He just didn’t understand how you could possibly have no time for dating and dismissed you every time you asked to come alone.

So you hadn’t seen him in six months. You still talked and still saw each other at work but you missed hanging out with your friend. You just wished he cared less about what everyone thought of him. One by one they’d all gotten girlfriends and wives and suddenly you were no longer the main woman in their lives. Gone were the days when you’d have to pretend to be their date, scorned ex, sister, or bitchy friend to save them from awful dates. Now none of them were ever free to do the same for you because it wouldn’t be proper.

At some point you gave up on dating. You just decided one day that you’d had enough of being disappointed by every so called suitor and weren’t going to participate in it any more. Your mother was distraught, but you were pretty sure it was more that she was upset that she couldn’t play matchmaker any more rather than any sort of concern for your wellbeing. What you would give to not have been born into high society with all of these convoluted rules and stigmas. You had to marry a career man of good stead from the right family. You had to mask and hide your feelings, always, because any sign of emotion was a sign of weakness. You had to have a good education and a good career but be willing to drop it all to get married and start a family then spend your days on committees. You could never not be seen in designer wear, what would the neighbours think? All of this superficial bullshit. You were done with it. There had to be more to life than this and if there wasn’t then what the hell was the point of anything? Why put up with all of this just to be a beige blip or boring in the grand scheme of things.

You craved excitement like that art student you dated in college who had a talent for body paint. Your mother haaaaated him and once he found out about your status he was done with you. You craved a person who could chill with you and be happy in just your company for days on end when the rest of the world became too overwhelming like that library assistant you dated for a couple of months until you found creepy poems everywhere and had to call it quits before you ended up the subject of a cold case study in a decades time. For some reason you always ended up with the weird guy who seemed great… until he wasn’t.

Your luck wasn’t any better when your mother set up the dates. There was the lawyer who always had to argue with you and spoke over the top of you, there was the medical student with the foot fetish, there was the personal trainer who didn’t believe in showers, the stock broker with anger management issues and a possessive streak, the list went on. Back in the day Suho, Baekhyun and the others would laugh with you about these jerks and give you hope for the future but now, now you couldn’t help but feel like they thought you were a lost cause since you were the only one left who was single. Maybe you were just destined to be forever alone like Chanyeol had once suggested.

***

“Are you sure it isn’t you that’s the problem?” He asked.

You paused as you brought your coffee up to your lips. “Wow. Thanks Kai. You’re a beacon of positivity you know that?”

Kai pressed on. “Think about it. You’ve been on countless dates and all of them, every single guy you’ve ever dated hasn’t been good enough. You’ve found a flaw in every single one. People have flaws, it’s normal. It’s not normal to have gone on like 50 dates in the past 2 years and still have nothing to show for it.”

“You couldn’t be more of a finance guy if you tried. I know people have flaws but don’t you dare try to tell me I should have just looked past Jason’s poetry thing.”

“Oh fuck no. That guy was a textbook serial killer in the making, you’re lucky you got away from that relatively unscathed.”

“Kai, they’ve all be terrible. I don’t know what to tell you… maybe the guy for me just isn’t in this universe. Maybe he was here but he died before I could meet him and now I’m alone forever.”

“You’re incorrigible.”

“You’re lucky I like you Kai. Now are you going to help me get into one of Suho’s parties or have I just wasted a half hour at this overpriced cafe?”

Kai laughed and put his drink down. “Just go through your phone and find the least terrible guy you ever went out with and see if he’s up for playing along for a night. Suho will know if you just bring a guy you’ve never met before - it’s kind of how he caught Baekhyun out.”

“And here I was thinking it was because she was propositioning Sehun in the kitchen or when she told Xiumin her price list that really gave her away.” You deadpanned.

“You know what, you might be right.” He laughed and shook his head. “We are lucky he’s finally settled down, single Baekhyun was wild.”

You checked your phone and realised you had to be back at work in 20 minutes so you thanked Kai for brunch and headed back to your office.

***

Your phone was mocking you, you were sure of it. It felt like a stone in your hand ever since brunch with Kai. His words kept coming back to you but every time you opened your contact list and started scrolling you felt like the world’s biggest loser. What would you even say to any of these guys if you called? Hi I’m pathetic and still alone but please date me for one night so I can go to a party? Yes I know things didn’t work out between us in the past but what’s one night for old times sake? Ugh. You needed wine if you were going to stoop this low.

One hour and five glasses of wine later you were three quarters through your contact list and you had gained nothing. If anything you’d lost some dignity in the process but you’d also deleted about 10 numbers from your phone for good, ones that were disconnected or if the conversation felt too forced or if he was rude. You cursed Kai, so far this was a horrible walk down memory lane of your failed love life. What you saw in any of these men was beyond you. One conversation stood out so far - Lance. Lance was clearly a low point of your dating life, really the name said it all. Stereotypical frat boy, on the rowing team, thinks women are to be seen and never heard, thinks the ability to do a keg stand makes him a certified legend. Lance was more than happy to chat with you tonight, to catch up on old times and tell you all about himself and how well he was doing at the law firm he was a partner in. Not once did he ask about you. His response when you’d asked, through gritted teeth because you were certain you’d end up killing him on the way to the party, was “Cool, cool, look sweetcheeks I’d like nothing more than spend a night with you but I don’t do the whole date thing plus I haven’t seen you in years - you gotta send a guy some pics first. You should just come over later tonight, we can have a party of our own if you know what I mean.” You actually felt greasy after talking to him and never before had you deleted a number from your phone so quickly, because fuck ever talking to him again.

Sighing and pouring your sixth glass you settled into your couch and scrolled to the last three numbers. If none of these provided results you were back to square one. You glanced at the remaining names, remembering who they were and if they were worth calling. Taekyeon was a med student in college and you’d lived in the same dorm. He was actually a really good guy back then. You recalled that one time where you were so horrifically hungover after one bad night out and he’d somehow procured a drip and solution to hook up to you to rehydrate you as well as feed you painkillers and took care of you. He’d never asked for anything in return either. You dialled his number and waited as it rang.

“Hello?” A male voice answered.

“Hi, is this Taekyeon?” You asked.

“It is...who am I speaking with?” He responded hesitantly.

After you got past formalities and got to chatting you didn’t even bother bringing the proposition up. Instead you made up some lie about a project you were working on and needing to reconnect with your past. You were right, he was still a great guy. So great that he was a pediatrician, married and had two adorable children. It got you nowhere with needing a fake boyfriend for a night but it was wonderful to chat to him again after all this time and he seemed just as happy to chat with you. He promised to call again after he returned from a work conference so that he could invite you over for dinner to meet his wife and children.

“After all, I owe you for not letting me turn into one of those awful frat boys. You kept me in line so my morals never wavered.” You couldn’t really turn the guy down. Not when you could tell he was serious about having you meet his family and really, you were a little bit curious to see how he turned out.

“It was the least I could do, you were younger and more impressionable. I just didn’t want you to turn into a jerk, especially if I had to live next to you for four years. Don’t think of it as a selfless act!”

He laughed and the two of you continued chatting for a bit before saying your goodbyes and promising to speak again soon. With a smile you moved down to the next name, Wonsik. Wonsik...Wonsik… who the hell was he? You racked your brain to try and pull up some detail that would enlighten you as to who this guy was. Was he that forgettable? Or is he just some random dude? You sat for what felt like hours trying to work out who he might be but in the end you took a big sip of wine, threw caution to the wind and dialled. As you waited for the mystery man to answer his phone you continued to mull over the name in your mind.

“Heeeey! It’s been so long since we last spoke. How have you been?!” a bright and cheerful voice greeted you from the other end of the phone line. Who the hell IS this guy? Why does he seem to know me...that would mean my name is saved in his phone. So we must have met in the last year.

“Hi! I know it’d been ages. I’ve just been so busy. What have you been up to?” You decided to play along like you remembered who he was to see if he’d give away any clues that might jog your memory.

“Oh you know, same as usual - museum stuff. Preparing the newest exhibition which has been taking up all of my time. Honestly the hoops you have to jump through to have artifacts leant to a museum is just mind boggling. Anyway please, tell me what you’ve been up to. I had honestly given up on hearing from you again.”

No. no no no no no. You remembered him now. Eight months ago you had a weak moment and joined Tinder. This guy had matched well with you so you’d chatted and organised a date. He seemed nice enough, he still did now, but you remembered getting the strangest vibe from him during that date. Something about him made you feel unsafe and you just wanted to be as far away from him as possible the whole time you were on your date. Being a smart woman you’d told a few friends about the date and teed them up to contact you an hour in to check on you, providing a believable reason to end the date early if you needed to. You did this with any date you went on but this was the only time you’d used it.

“Oh just the same, work and more work. I’m sorry if I bothered you, I’ve just been going through my phone checking all of the numbers in here - it’s been playing up lately. So this call was just to confirm that it’s still you. I wish I could chat longer but I really do have to go.”

“Yep, still me! Ah well hopefully we can meet up again one day and finish that date. It was such a nice surprise to see your name come up.”

You made loose promises to talk again sometime and hung up. Instead of deleting you made a note in his contact information - Tinder date - so that you would remember not to ever call or answer his calls, deleting his number could mean that you’d answer him and be stuck talking to him again and you really didn’t want to be caught off guard like that.

The final name stared at you. You knew this name and you had a sinking feeling about it. You used to work for Yesung as an intern. He was only a few years older than you and he was handsome. The two of you had dabbled in an office fling. It had been hot and heavy but it was short lived since both of you desired your careers more than each other. You both knew it was only lust and proximity that kept causing you to end up in compromising positions so you’d put a stop to it after one too many close calls. He was a nice enough guy but he was a workaholic so you weren’t sure if he’d be down to play pretend with you for an evening.

You put the phone down and made your way back to the kitchen to pour another glass of wine only to find the bottle empty. Had you had six glasses already? It was probably a sign to stop drinking for the night before you regretted it the next day. The storm outside intensified as rain pelted against the windows. If I’m making this call I need to do it before the thunderstorm starts. You grabbed a bottle of water from your fridge and headed back to the couch. You unlocked your phone and your thumb hovered over the dial button. Fuck it. You thought as you pressed his number. It rang and rang and rang until you were sure it would go to voicemail but at the last second a voice answered.

“Hello?” a warm voice greeted you from the other end of the line. It wasn’t how you remembered Yesung’s voice but it had been a few years so you weren’t sure.

“Hi, is this Yesung?” You asked tentatively.

“Oh, sorry. No this used to be his phone, it hasn’t been for years though. Was it personal or business?” The voice answered. Dammit. I called everyone and came up empty handed.

“A bit of both really.” You lied. You were feeling a little pathetic now but your manners meant that you would continue this conversation until it was polite to end it.

“Maybe I can help with the business part. I work with him now.” You thought this voice sounded younger than Yesung. Maybe he was his new intern? You didn’t really care. His voice was nice though and after a bottle of wine the warmth in his voice made you feel a little less pathetic.

“Oh uh, I don’t think you can. It was more a proposition. I used to work for Yesung.” You replied. If he’s not an ass he’ll ask more questions.

“Hmmm why not just tell me it’s a personal call then?” He chuckled.

He had a point. Why lie? “I don’t know, it’s late and I might have had some wine but I also don’t know who you are. Why should I give you a proper answer?”

He laughed. “Yeah, coz that makes total sense.”

“Oh shut up.” You snapped.

“Do I know you?” He asked. Surely he didn’t? Did he?

“Why? Don’t many people tell you to shut up?” You quipped.

“Ha. No, your voice sounds familiar. I can’t place it though. You said you used to work to Yesung though right?” He wasn’t letting this drop, he must actually think he knew you.

“Mmmhmm” You were unsure how much you wanted to divulge to a complete stranger. For all you knew he was just playing with you.

“When did you work for him?”

“A few years ago.” It was a vague enough answer that he shouldn’t be able to get much out of it.

“As…?” He pressed.

“I was an intern.”

“Oooh! I DO know you!” He sounded excited on the other end of the call.

“Well, can you enlighten me? Because I’m drawing a blank here.” You exclaimed, confused at how the hell he’d seemingly worked out who you were, or that he knew you.

“Ah wae! I’m not sure if I should be offended that you don’t remember me just by my voice.” He feigned offence at your lack of memory. The whiny complaining he did triggered something in your memory but.. It couldn’t be… could it?

“Wait...Chen?” A handful of you used to go to karaoke rooms after work on Fridays and Chen was the guy with the voice of an angel. You had no idea why he wasn’t a professional singer but you could have sat and listened to him sing for hours. Surely this wasn’t him? Chen was always argumentative and loud at work, not this soft spoken voice you were currently talking to.

“Ah, you do remember me. I’m flattered.How have you been?” Now that you knew it was him you couldn’t work out how it hadn’t clicked earlier. That voice, that warm and inviting and vexing voice.

“Good I guess.” You answered softly. You weren’t really expecting that question from him. You had been mentally preparing yourself to deflect the ‘why did you call’ question that would inevitably be brought up again.

“So good that you’re calling your old boss’ phone on a weeknight at 11pm? What’s going on?” Damn. Apparently you weren’t going to evade this question any longer.

“Uh. Don’t worry about it.” You mumbled. There was no way you were telling Chen why you rang. He was a smartass and a tease if you remembered correctly and as nice as his voice was, you wouldn’t enjoy it if he was making fun of you.

“If you don’t tell me I’m just going to assume it was a booty call & I’ll be sure to tell him all about it tomorrow.” He teased.

“You wouldn’t!” You exclaimed. It had been too many years for you to know for sure if he was bluffing or not.

“Wouldn’t I? I can even give him your number and I’m sure you remember how he is when his ego is inflated by pretty women.” He teased.

“Oh I remember now. I hate you.”

Chen couldn’t speak because he was laughing so hard at you. Eventually he pulled himself together enough to speak “Then tell me why you rang and avoid this fate.”

“You’ll only make fun of me so either way it’s a bad result for me.” You whined.

“Either I can make fun of you or Yesung can call you expecting you to offer up sex… your choice. I know what I’d pick but hey… maybe you were just after a booty call. Maybe I’m doing you a favour by handing Yesung your number… You can thank me later. Send a gift basket or something.”

You nearly choked on the water you were drinking when he’d spoken. “Oh my god. I needed a date ok? It wasn’t a booty call. Jesus Chen.”

“You needed a date & Yesung was who you called? There has to be more to this. Come on, make my night interesting and tell me.” He egged you on. Something in his voice, something in the way he spoke made you want to tell him more but you weren’t giving it up for nothing. If you were about to tell Chen how desperate you were then he was going to have to offer something in return.

“What do I get in return for telling you? I’m not drunk enough to just drop it on you and the shred of dignity I have left isn’t going easily.”

“I… promise I won’t laugh at you or judge you.” He replied.

“You’ve already done both of those things!” You exclaimed. No way were you letting him lowball you like that.

“Fine. I’ll sing for you. Is that a better offer?”

“Actually yes, it is.” You reluctantly launched into your tale of why you were calling Yesung and why you needed a date. You tried to brush over the part where you were, for lack of a better phrase, forever alone and kept it as simple as possible. True to his word he didn’t laugh but he did remain silent for a painfully long stretch of time before he spoke again.

“I cannot believe I promised you I wouldn’t laugh. You’re not kidding are you?” He said, his voice trembling as he tried to keep his promise.

“Nope. This is my life.”

“Fuck me. Firstly, let me say that your friend sounds like a dick. What kind of jerk only holds couples parties? I might not know you that well but I know you shouldn’t be spending your night calling every guy in your phone just to see if you can convince them to pretend to be your boyfriend for a night. No offence but it kind of makes you look crazy. Secondly, is your contacts list that sad that you got all the way down to Yesung’s name and still hadn’t found anyone who would do this for you?”

“It’s the last name on the list. Correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t you promise not to judge me Chen?” You chided.

“Not judging you, just your choices. Anyway, that brings me to my third point. I’ll do it. I know you weren’t expecting to talk to me tonight or anything but this whole thing is too amusing to not want to be a part of it. So if you are still in need, which I’m pretty sure you are, I’ll fill the role.” You were sure you’d heard wrong, there was no way Chen had just solved your problem. Surely not. You must have lost your mind or only heard what you wanted to hear because you could have sworn he said he’d do it.

“What? Seriously? You’ll do it? Chen, you have no idea how much you’d be helping me out!” You practically beamed down the line. He had to hear the sudden uplift in your tone and pitch. You’d honestly thought when Yesung didn’t answer, well actually even before that, that you would be back to square one and still alone. Suddenly there was a light at the end of the tunnel. You had plans for this party, plans to tell Suho exactly what you thought of his couples only crap at some point of the night but you’d play along until the perfect moment then throw it in his face. Was it petty? A little. Was it deserved? You thought so. How could he still call himself your friend if he organised events and wouldn’t let you attend on your own?

“I never said I’d do it for free, but we can discuss my price later. I think we should meet up for coffee tomorrow to reconnect and get some facts straight. If we’re going to fake date we need fake dating history.”

***

You stop outside of the cafe entrance and internally debate for what has to be the eighth time since hanging up the phone last night whether or not this is a horrible idea. What if you went inside and he never turned up? How would you handle rejection from a fake boyfriend? What if he was in there but he mocked you or judged you for your forever alone status? What if he thought you were pathetic? For the eighth time you reminded yourself that he suggested this meeting after he agreed to be your fake boyfriend. He’d been so amused at your inability to find someone but also so pissed that your choice of friends sucked that badly that you needed a fake boyfriend in order to hang out with them. He’d texted you a time and a place after you hung up last night so you steeled your nerves and pushed the door open.

Once you were inside you looked around, searching for him. A hand waved from the back left corner and beckoned you over. You started walking towards him and relaxed when you saw his smiling face. “Good, I was starting to think you’d chickened out on the whole thing.” He exclaimed when you slid into the seat across from him.

“Why a booth in the back corner Chen?” You asked. The cafe wasn’t that busy that he had to choose the seats furthest away from any of the other customers.

He shrugged. “I wasn’t sure how comfortable we’d be discussing the semantics of our fake relationship so I opted for some privacy.” He pointed to his hot chocolate. “Please, order something to drink or a snack, it’s on me.”

You wait for the waitress to appear then order an iced chocolate. You and Chen make small talk until the waitress returns with your drink, then he gets straight into it. “I think we should incorporate our real history into this fake backstory, it makes it easier to lie when half of the lie is truth.”

“It won’t make it weird?” You ask.

“Not at all.” He responds, taking a sip from his hot chocolate. “Hear me out. We met a few years ago through work. You were an intern and I was an office lackey. We had the same boss and on Friday nights after work a group of us would all go out for drinks and karaoke. The two of us hung out and got to know each other. We became friendly but we were both off limits, I had a girlfriend and you were kind of seeing someone. We remained friends until you finished your internship and left, losing contact with each other until about a month ago.” He paused while you processed the story so far. So far it wasn’t fake, it was just exactly your history with Chen. You weren’t really sure where he was headed with it but you were curious.

“What happened last month?” You asked.

A slight smile formed on his face, knowing he’d reeled you in so far. “A month ago you had one of the worst blind dates of your life. I’m talking the guy was drunk and lewd to the point where you told him you were going to use the restroom but instead left the restaurant and went to the bar down the road. You were sitting at the bar quietly having a few drinks to try and wash the evening away when we ran into each other. We got to talking and caught up on each others lives - me getting promoted to junior partner, having my fiance cheat on me and you having a string of bad luck with love but success with your career. We kept drinking and chatting and once we realised that we were both single, flirting. One thing led to another and you let me get you home. I left your doorstep with the promise of a date and a month later we’re still dating.” He sat back and waited for you to chip in with your two cents on his story. It was good, almost too good actually. For one thing, you could definitely retell that blind date because you’d been on one like that. The rest was plausible and enough that not too many questions would be asked.

“It’s good.” You eat a spoonful of cream from the top of your iced chocolate. “I think that’ll work well actually. The truth thing does make it a lot easier, honestly I hadn’t thought of it from this perspective. Plus I’ve been on that horrible date so that won’t be a stretch of the imagination should anyone want details.”

Chen’s eyes widened. “Seriously? You’ve been on a date that bad?”

You laughed defeatedly. “You have no idea.”

“Wow. I thought I’d concocted a date so bad that no one would want to know more but I didn’t think anyone actually had dates that bad. What kind of- nevermind. We’re getting off topic. Are you happy with the backstory?”

You nod and continue to spoon the cream off your drink. “I like it. Honestly I had no idea what we were going to tell them if they asked but of all the options I thought up last night, none of them are as simple and realistic as yours. Way to choose the most believable one” You smile and laugh to yourself.

The two of you keep chatting and catching up on each others lives. A lot had happened to both of you since you’d lost contact. You’d forgotten how easygoing and warm Chen was. Hanging out with him brightened your day and you hadn’t realised how much you’d missed this feeling. He can’t contain his laughter as you enlighten him with your failed dating history. At one point he is in tears from laughing so hard after hearing about a particularly bad date with the non showering personal trainer and he begged you to stop talking. You swapped the conversation to find out more about him, pressing to see if the whole fiance and being cheated on thing was true and you were appalled to find out that it was.

It was the aforementioned girlfriend from when you worked together. He’d fallen head over heels for her and after a year and a half of dating they were engaged. Chen had never been happier, he was progressing in his career and he had the love of his life by his side. Sadly it turned out that the love of his life was a manipulative bitch who had been using him. He’d noticed something was off when she accused him of stealing her phone. He went to talk to a friend about her behaviour but as he spoke he realised more and more things she’d done to him. He was so in love with her that he hadn’t noticed her toxic behaviour but now there was no going back. He’d arrived home early from an out of town business trip and went home to surprise her only to arrive home to something that shattered his heart. It’s one thing to know that someone is manipulative, it’s another to see just how little you mean to them in person.

She was in his apartment fucking not one, but two guys in their bed. Once the men saw him they hightailed it out of there, not wanting to be a part of whatever conversation happened next. She didn’t even try to apologise. No, she tried to turn it back around and make it his fault that she cheated. He was so heartbroken and disgusted that he simply told her she had 3 hours to pack all of her shit, return her keys and get out of his life for good then turned around and left the building.

You were so mad for him at the end of his story that you didn’t notice the tear escape your eye until he reached forward and caught it on your cheek. You flinched at his touch which didn’t escape his notice. “Hey, don’t get worked up over it. I’m past it and I’m much stronger and self reliant now. I’m also a much better judge of character than I once was so out of all of that pain some good occurred too.” He smiled gently at you. “What worries me now is that you flinched when I touched you, and you’ve done the opposite of what a girlfriend should do every time I’ve touched you or looked into your eyes since we started chatting. You’re too tense.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realise we were acting from now Chen. Here I was thinking we were just catching up as friends.”

He chuckled. “We are but I figured I’d test how you responded to me touching you. You do know that for this whole thing to be believable you have to act natural when I invade your personal space. We’re supposed to have been dating for a month now and if you flinch at any point and someone notices then we’re done for.”

He got up and moved to the other side of the booth, sliding in next to you. What the hell was he doing? Why was he so close all of a sudden? Was he always this handsome? You shook your head and looked at him with a confused expression on your face. “Chen what are you doing?”

He cocked his head as though you should already know the answer to your question but when you made no attempt at speaking again he sighed and filled you in. “We are going to sit here and chat until you act natural with me being so close to you, with me looking into your eyes, with me touching you. If we can’t master this then there’s no point in going through with it.”

You furrow your brow and ask. “So...we’re acting like we’re a couple now?”

He nods, a playful grin spreading across his face. “Yep. A smitten couple. One month in you’re still clinging to each other, still completely absorbed in one another, inseparable. So if you want to pull this lie off, you need to get comfortable with me.”

So you sit there, incredibly close to Chen and continue chatting. Now that there wasn’t a table separating the two of you he’s even more disarming. You knew he was handsome having sat in a karaoke bar and stared at him on more than one occasion but that was when he floored you with his voice, after that you really looked at him and noticed the handsome man that lay beneath his bright and joking demeanour. You’d never been this close to him before though. He’d swiveled you so that you were facing him and pulled you closer to him. His hand rested on your thigh while the other alternated between playing with your fingers, holding your hand and brushing your hair off your face. His touch was somehow gentle and firm at the same time and his hands were warm, you could still feel where he touched you after his hand had moved away.

Maintaining eye contact was the difficult part. His deep brown eyes told you more than his words did and you were afraid you’d see pity in them if you stared for too long. The last thing you wanted was his pity, you knew you were pathetic and he’d been doing a wonderful job at making you forget how pathetic you were but you couldn’t help that niggling voice from returning to tell you that he was only doing this whole fake boyfriend thing because it amused him.

Every time you broke eye contact he’d squeeze your thigh or lift your head back up to look at him before starting again. He leant forward and whispered in your ear at one point. “The sooner you stop averting your gaze, the sooner you can go home and get ready for this party. If you can’t do it then I guess our deal is off which would be a shame since we’ve put in at least two hours of work at this point.” When he leant back you saw the smirk on his face and you steeled your resolve. You could do this. You could hold eye contact and withstand his touches and act like a smitten couple and you would do it to prove to him that you could.

The next time you break eye contact it’s not because of fear of judgement or pity. It’s because you felt something. Something about his gaze and his touches had made you feel too hot. You’d felt exposed and you wanted to run away or throw yourself at him and you were embarrassed. “Ah wae! You were doing so well!” He exclaimed and you tried to brush it off as nothing. He made you repeat the task again until you were able to hold eye contact the entire time. You were certain that you’d gone a shade of pink or red by the time you passed Chen’s tests but if you were he said nothing.

His eyes and touches made you feel warm and on edge and you were trying your hardest to keep yourself together but you kept noticing his gaze, his inviting lips, his arms, his legs, his touch and you were going a little insane. Did he sense it too? Or was he just playing his role? You had no idea but you needed to leave this cafe soon before you made a fool of yourself. “Chen, thank you for helping me. I still don’t know why you’re helping me but I’m choosing just to go with it at this point. I need to get back to work so I can leave on time to get ready for this party.” He checks his watch and lets you know he should be getting back too. He pays for your drink and snack then heads back to work & tells you he’ll pick you up at 7 at your place so the two of you can go over the plan once more. He smiles and gives you a quick hug before leaving.

***

Quit acting like a moron and get ready. It’s fake so of course he was acting sweet and endearing, it’s his role, nothing more. Ever since you’d left the cafe you’d been feeling strange. It had felt like you’d seen him, really seen him, for the first time and it was having an effect on you. You kept thinking about him, about his warm eyes, his mischievous lips, his charming words and his proximity to you. Every small touch he made seared into your skin, every gesture, every glance, it all felt too intimate and it was driving you crazy. You hadn’t counted on your emotions not realising that he was only acting that way because of the arrangement the two of you had. He’d been right, if you hadn’t spent the extra time getting comfortable being so close and touchy with each other then tonight would be a bust. Apparently your brain had decided to ignore the arrangement and instead focused on how his touches made you feel and how he smelled, the way his arms flexed when he moved, they way he looked at you. It clouded your vision and you felt too hot and overwhelmed. You’d been glad to leave the cafe before you did anything stupid and the fresh air was a welcome change to the encompassing tension of everything Chen you were now experiencing.

You stared in the mirror as you evaluated your outfit. The dress you chose was cute, a retro 50’s style pin up dress so it showed just enough cleavage, nipped in at your waist then poofed out into a full skirt. The couples party had a retro theme and the dress coupled with flawless make up and rockabilly hairstyle made you fit the part perfectly. You had no idea what Chen was going to wear but he told you he had it covered and you were willing to believe him. You kept trying to remind yourself not to read into anything tonight and not to let your emotions take over because you were going to pretend to be smitten with this guy and you had the slightest fear that you would feel sad and alone after he dropped you home tonight. You needed to go through with it though. If this was the only way you got to give Suho and your friends a piece of your mind about how unfair and terrible they were as friends then so be it.

A knock at the door pulled you from your thoughts. You make your way to your front door and open it. You had spent a decent amount of time trying to guess what Chen would wear tonight and for some reason you’d kept landing on suit as the option but you were wrong. Standing in front of you was temptation. He was dressed in blue jeans, a white v-neck tee and a black leather jacket. He’d gelled his hair back and looked like he’d stepped out of Grease or Crybaby. You sent a silent curse to the universe because he looked so good that it wasn’t fair. The suffocating tension that you felt earlier returned tenfold and you could do little more than stare at him.

His mouth quirked up into a smirk as he watched you stare at him unabashedly. He leant against your doorframe and watched as you tried to compose yourself. It gave him plenty of time to stare at you. “Hi doll.”

The only words you could get out were “How dare you.”

He quirked an eyebrow at you encouraging you to elaborate. “How dare I what?”

“How dare you turn up looking like this. You know it’s rude to look better than your date don’t you?”

He chuckles and very obviously gives you a once over. “Clearly you haven’t looked in the mirror because you, you look amazing.” You looked beautiful, more than beautiful, incredible. And sexy. Something he was not prepared for. He was prepared for cute and for pretty but not for the bombshell standing before him.

As his eyes raked over you you felt yourself heating up. “So, uh… are you gonna let me in or are we conducting this discussion purely in the doorway? I don’t mind either way but I’d like to know so I can get comfortable if you aren’t letting me in.” His words brought you back to reality and you finally remembered your manners. You stepped aside and let him enter the room.

As you closed the door his hand grabbed you, spinning you around and pulling you into an embrace. You were glad he couldn’t see the blush forming on your face. “So, how did we meet?”

He was testing you again. You tried to remind your brain of this fact but it was no use, it was giving in to the feeling of having Chen pressed against you and part of you couldn’t blame it...it was a damn nice feeling. But it wasn’t real. “We met a few years ago through work when I was an intern.” you responded, running your hands along his firm arms.

He rubs circles into your hips with his thumbs. “How long have we been dating?”

You rested your head in the crook of his neck as you replied, your body betraying you as you tried to get closer to him. “Just over a month now.”

He lowered his head and whispered in your ear. “Why are we only dating now?”

The feel of his hands roaming over you was making you light headed as you tried to concentrate on answering him. “W-we were both seeing other people at the time so we were only ever friends. We ran into each other a month ago and hit it off. The rest is history.”

“Now this if more like it, you aren’t awkward at our proximity. I can officially say that you stand a chance of fooling these ‘friends’ of yours tonight.” He detached himself from you and stepped back, smiling down at you.

See, it’s an act. He’s just putting on an act. He isn’t feeling what you’re feeling. Why would he? Your subconscious, ever the downer, decides to rear its head and berate you with negative thoughts. It usually waited until after the date before it ruthlessly came for you but it was determined to make an early start tonight.

You forced a smile and hoped that Chen didn’t notice it. “Then your method of teaching was a success.”

He stepped forward, cupping your face in his hands, his eyes laced with concern. “Are you ok?”

Apparently he did notice the shift in your demeanour. You tried to nod which must have looked ridiculous since his hands hadn’t left your face. “I’m good, just nervous. I promise.”

He didn’t move away. He stayed there, hands holding your face as his eyes darted to assess if you were being truthful or not. His gaze didn’t meet your eyes as he spoke quietly, voice lower than it had been moments ago. “You know, there is one thing we haven’t covered off on.”

“What’s that?” You whispered.

“Where we had our first kiss.” His eyes lifted to look you in the eyes now as he tried to gauge your reaction.

You didn’t miss the way he licked his lips or the way his eyes kept dropping to stare at your mouth. Your brain was a mess and couldn’t work out if this was another test or if he was flirting with you now. All you knew in that moment was that you really wanted him to kiss you. “I, well, wouldn’t it be a month ago when you walked me home. We would have kissed on my door stop before you, ever the gentleman, took your leave.” You let your eyes fall to his lips, they looked soft and inviting and you really wanted to know what they’d feel like, what he’d taste like. Would his kiss be soft or would it be demanding?

“Oh, did you think I was a gentleman?” He moved his hand to push a strand of your hair back behind your ear and your breath hitched. He stilled and searched your eyes for any sign that he should stop and he found none. “Fuck it.” he breathed before closing the distance between the two of you and pressed his lips against yours.

For a moment you couldn’t do anything except stand there but then your body seemed to remember how to react and you reciprocated, kissing him back with fervour. He help you against him as your mouths moved and your kiss deepend. His lips were incredibly soft and skilled, which you silently thanked the universe for, and you could barely get enough of them.

The two of you parted only to catch your breaths as he pressed his forehead against yours. “Sorry if I overstepped a boundary or something but I’ve been wanting to do that for hours.”

“Don’t you dare apologise Chen.” His eyes widened as you pulled his face back down to yours and kissed his again, your tongue flicking against his as he walked you backwards until you were pressed against the wall. You could barely remember how to breathe as he peppered kisses along your jaw and neck before returning to your mouth and drawing your bottom lip between his teeth, causing you to moan.

Things only escalated from there, clothes were hastily stripped from your bodies as you made your way down the hall to your bedroom, leaving a trail of discarded garments in your wake, only breaking contact to lift his shirt over his head. Your kisses became more urgent and passionate as he pushed you down onto the bed.

The only word you have to describe the sex is ravaging. As you lie next to him, both of you panting trying to catch your breaths and have your heart rates return to normal you replay the events that just occurred. He’d pushed you down onto the bed and positioned himself at the end of the bed with his head between your legs. You’d tried to close your legs out of embarrassment but he held them open, telling you that you looked beautiful like this, all spread out just for him. He nipped, sucked and licked until you were a writhing mess begging for him to let you cum. He led you to the edge of your release repeatedly but backed off right before it hit you. “Do you want to cum doll? Maybe you should show me just how much you want me to let you cum.”

He stood at the end of the bed as you knelt on it and took his length into your mouth, working him over with vigour and need. He’d hissed and moaned when you took all of him in your mouth and moaned, telling you just how well you sucked cock. He didn’t let you finish him off. He pushed you back onto your back and pinned your hands above your head before entering you in one thrust. You’d cried out at the stretch and he’d stilled as you adjusted to him. When he started moving again you saw stars. He would alternate between rolling his hips and relentlessly pounding into you and soon enough you were screaming his name and begging for him to let you cum. This time he complied, chasing his own release shortly after yours crashed over you.

You giggled and he turned his head to look at you. “We’re going to be late now.” He laughed and pulled you against him to snuggle.

***

The party was more or less a success. You had turned up with Chen on your arm and hung out with your friends. It was almost too easy to forget why you were pissed with them when you were enjoying catching up on their lives and they were so engaged with yours but you didn’t forget.

When Suho came up to tell you how glad he was that Chen had come into your life so that you weren’t sad and alone any more you snapped. You told him in no uncertain terms that if it took having a boyfriend for him to want to catch up with you then he could shove his friendship up his ass because you deserved better. You didn’t hold back - you told him how upset you had been when all you wanted to do was hang out with your friends but you were rejected time and time again because you were alone. You told him how worthless he made you feel and how he should be ashamed of how he’d acted.

The party fell silent as everyone stood in shock at your outburst. After a few moments you heard a slow whistle followed by Baekhyun’s voice. “Dude, you fucked uuuup.” You turned on him next.

“No Baekhyun. All of you fucked up.” He shut up after that.

When you were done telling all of them just how terribly they’d treated you Chen took your arm and gently pulled you to him. “I think we’ll be taking our leave now.”

He took you home. The ride home was silent as he let you process your thoughts and emotions. He rested his hand on the console, palm facing up as an invitation to take his hand should you need it. You didn’t need it but you wanted the comfort of his touch so you took it and he gently squeezed your hand.

“For the record, you did the right thing and for what it’s worth I’m proud of you.” He paused. “I could see the internal struggle you were having all night and I wasn’t sure if you’d be able to go through with your plan.” His tone was so gentle and it made you feel warm and safe.

“Until I did it I honestly didn’t know if I would.” You whispered. He squeezed your hand again and continued driving in silence. When you arrived at your home he walked you up to your doorstep and embraced you. You relaxed into the hug and smiled.

“So, now comes the business end of my deal.” You stiffened at his words. You’d completely forgotten that he had told you there would be a price for having him pretend to be your boyfriend. Apprehension seeped through your veins as you waited for him to enlighten you.

His silence got the better of you. “What’s the price?”

“A real date. In three days time.” He watched your face break out into a genuine smile, one he could get used to seeing, before you pulled him down into a kiss.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed it!

#exowritersnet #exo fic #exo scenario #exo imagine #exo smut #jongdae fic #jongdae scenario #jongdae imagine #jongdae smut #chen scenario #chen fic #chen imagine #chen smut

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noisydreamlandkoala · 4 years

Text

Chapter 1: Flashbacks

(A/N: so I wanted a chapter dedicated on all that has happened in the past 2 years. So the girls are having another one of their sleep overs.)

Marinette's POV

We're having another one of our sleepovers. It's currently Thursday. Thank God the week is almost over.

I get a weekend away from my easily influenced classmates (oh Mari why can't you just say idiotic or oblivious 😁😁). So yeah were having a flashback party as we like to call it.

"Oh I remember when Chloe defended me from our easily influenced classmates."I say.

"You mean idiotic" Chloe says.

"Don't be afraid to call them idiots Mari-him" Kagami says.

"Yeah what ever , just let me tell the story"I say.

"Ugh fine" Chloe says rolling her eyes.

- flashback -

Lila walks into the class limping with bruises all over her body.

"Oh my Gosh Lila what happened to you" my so called best friend screams going to the liers aid.

"Ma ma ma" the lier says.

"Come on Lila tell is who did this to you" Rose says.

"Yeah they won't do anything to you with us here" Alix says.

"Marinette" she says with a fake horse voice.

"Wait. WHAT! You can't just accuse me like that I haven't seen you all day. How would I beat you up"I ask.

"I have a voice recording of you threatening me"she says playing it. If you listened closely you would hear it's not mine.

And I would never say something that bad about my friends.

"How could you"Mylene says.

"Not cool dudet" Nino says.

"But I didn't say all of that"I say looking at Adrien for help but he just shrugged.

"Denying it. You worse than Chloe and I thought we were friends" Ayla scoffs.

"This is ridiculous utterly ridiculous" Chloe says"we all know Marinette would never do or say all of those things"

"Wow a bully protecting a bully now that's priceless" Sabrina says earning a glare from me.

"Don't just don't"I shout "she was just trying to defend me unlike you she didn't believe a lier over me so if you don't have anything nice to say just Shut UP!"I shout.

"Wo-"Alya tries to say.

"Didn't you hear me I know for a fact that whatever is going to come out of your mouth is a snarky remark and I don't want to hear it"

"Wow dudet chill" Nino says.

"Ok I'll chill but first let me ask you one question, do you believe what Lila is telling you"I ask.

"Ummm"

"Do you believe it"I shout.

"Of course we do I mean you've been acting up these couple of days"Ayla says.

"So you don't believe me"my voice cracks.

"I believe you" Chloe says and I smile and nod and head to the back of the class and Chloe joins me.

"We are now officially the outcasts of the class" I say.

"Listened Marinette I'm sorry for everything I've done"she says"could you ever forgive me"

"Of course"I say with a smile.

- back to present -

"Wow that was how we became friends" Chloe says with tears in her eyes.

"You mean sisters"I say.

"Yeah were the three marketeers" Kagami says making us all laugh.

"What really bothered me that day was what Adrien said to me that day"I say.

- flashback -

"Mari wait"he says as I was heading out of the school entrance.

"I have nothing to say to Agrest"I say.

"Come on Mari L-"he starts.

"Marinette"

"What"

"Only my friends call me Mari"

"But we're friends" he says.

"Were not friends because if you were my friend then you would have defended me back there"I say coldly.

"But Lila's lies are not hearting anyone. You just need to stop being such a baby and take the high road"he says.

"Good by Agrest I say leaving"

- back to present -

"Wow" Kagami says.

"Let's forget about that and for us more on the good times" Chloe says.

"Ohh like the time we went to Gotham" Kagami says.

"Oh yeah the WE meeting"Chloe says.

- flashback -

It's the summer holidays and Chloe's mom decided to take us all on her next business trip. Right now were sitting waiting to talk to Mr Wayne.

"Ahh Bruce I'd like to introduce you to my daughter Chloe and her friends Kagami, Luka and Marinette" she says.

"It's nice to meet you" he replies" so what's this about a million dollar deal"he asks.

"Well you see Marinette here is one of the best designers I've ever seen and I think she would be a great asset to Wayne Enterprise."

"Wait so this whole trip is about me" I ask.

"Well of course darling who else"she replies.

"Well ok then we'll discuss it over dinner at my place"

- back to present -

"The look on Mari's face when she found out the whole trip was about her" Kagami says laughing.

"Yeah I wish I had my phone out it was utterly ridiculous"

"Come on guys" I complain.

"Ok ok , let's talk about after dinner when mom was talking with Bruce"

"Oh yeah when Mari was reunited with her brother"Kagami says.

"And tossed her boyfriend across the room" Chloe says.

"He was about to kill my boyfriend and he was not my boyfriend at the time" I say blushing.

- flashback -

"Hey we haven't introduced ourselves I'm Marinette and these are my friends Chloe, Kagami and Luka"I say pointing to each of them.

"Tt nobody cares" the boy with green eyes says.

"Demon spawn don't be rude I'm dick and these are my brothers Damian"he says pointing to the rude green eyed boy " Tim and Jason. Unfortunately the girls are away for the holidays"

"Jason hmm that's weird you have the same name as my brother"

"Yeah and I use to have a sister named Marinette"

"Wait Jay-jay"

"Pixie Pop"he says engulfing me with a hug.

"Woah what's going on here" Chloe asks clearly confused.

"Oh guys meet my brother figure Jason"I say introducing him to my friends.

"Wait why haven't I heard of him" Kagami asks.

"Because he disappeared when I was ten"I answer"by the way I thought you were dead you idiot"I say punching him.

"Owch pixie Pop when did you become so strong"he asks"I'm sorry okay I'll explain it to you later"he says.

"Tt I don't want anything to do with anyone related to you" Damian says.

"Hey Marinette is an amazing person"Chloe says

"I don't know about that, if she's related to this idiot then I can disagree"

"Hey that's my sister you talking about"Jason says clearly angry.

"Calm down Jay" I say"I'll like you to refrain from sizing up people before you get to know them Damian"

"And why should I listen to you"he scoffs.

"Oh no I never said anything about listening to me oh great ice prince of Gotham"I say earning a laugh from everyone.

"Good one Mari"Chloe says.

"I'll just return the favor. I would never associate myself with someone who dresses like that I mean what I you wearing"I say, by now almost everyone is rolling on the floor laughing.

"Tt I deserved that"he says.

"WHAT demon spawn admitting that he was wrong"Dick says.

Tim starts running around saying"the world is ending, the world is ending" over and over again.

"Wow pixie only you could tame the beast"Jason says.

"Tt what did you call me" Damian asks.

"A beast cause that's what you are a cold hearted be- woah Damian get the katana out of my face"Jason says.

"I'll kill you" Damian says.

"Ok" I say pulling him of Jason and throwing him across the room"my brother might have been wrong but they is no need to kill him especially in front of me"

Everyone just stares at me in surprise.

- back to present -

"But there faces were priceless" Kagami says.

"Another perfect meme gone to waste Chloe complains.

"How about your facial expression when you found out the Wayne's were the bat family" I ask.

"Yeah and when they found out we were Parisian superheroes"Kagami says.

Everything continued like this for the rest of the night non of them knowing what was to come tomorrow.

✨✨✨

Wow. There is the first chapter thought I must warn you this book is not going to be that long. I'm glad I made a flashback chapter, now you guys know what's going on. Yeah so vote and comment feedback is appreciated 😁😁😁❤️

Jenny ❤️❤️❤️

#miraculous #booklr #books & libraries #fanfic #fiction

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redhoodieone · 5 years

Text

It’s Cold in Here Part 7

A/N: And hereeeee is Part 7! Wow, and there is more to come because there are more scary and dangerous things ahead. So, enjoy this part, and wait for the next one.

Warnings: Language.

I woke up around six in the morning because I knew I couldn’t stick around to see and talk to Jason. I quietly got up from his cuddling embrace and got dressed and left without looking back at him. I even snuck around Alfred, who was in the kitchen making coffee, and I got into my car and drove off.

The second I get back to my home, I wash up, shower, and I find myself searching through the kitchen for something to eat. But after not going grocery shopping for a while, I end up eating the last slice of bread with the little spoonful of peanut butter at the bottom of the empty jar.

I then contemplate what to do today. I know I have work tomorrow, and today’s my last day off, and there’s got to be something I could do to stop me from obsessing about tonight’s encounter with the mysterious text messenger.

The fact that I must go alone makes me anxious, but I know I don’t have any other choice. My thoughts are interrupted from a knock on my front door.

Oh my God. Could it be Jason?

Fuck.

I shove the rest of my piece of bread into my mouth, and race to the door. I hesitate to open the door, but once I gain some sort of little confidence, I open the door.

It’s Dick.

My heart starts to pound in my chest. Why is he here? What’s going on?

Dick’s dressed casually; black pants with a white shirt and blue sweater on. His dark hair is gelled and messy like always, and his ocean blue eyes are focused on me.

I move aside and let him inside. The tension between us is awkward and I do feel like there’s a chill between us. It’s as if I just allowed a stranger into my home.

“Y/N, can we talk?” Dick finally asks. The way he says it sounds practiced, and a little heavy. “Please?”

I want to laugh, just to make him feel uncomfortable since he has no problem making me feel uneasy right now. “I guess we have to, right? Since our relationship is pretty much over except for who’s going to end it first,” I say.

“I...I don’t want us to be over. I still love you, and I want you to be with me,” Dick confesses, as he sits down beside me.

“W-what? Dick, you can’t be serious! You’re...into guys too, and you cheated on me. How could I be in a relationship with you after that?” I ask, suddenly feeling ambushed by him.

“You don’t understand, Y/N. I know what I did was wrong. I shouldn’t have slept with him and lie to you, but I can’t just break up with you right now. Look, I had a moment of weakness. I fucked up. But it’s not going to happen again. I’m not gay or anything,” Dick continues, as he begins sounding more desperate and nervous.

“I know you’re not gay, Dick. You’re...bisexual. But that’s...that’s not what bothers me. I mean, it did in the beginning but it’s something I can’t change or ignore. What bothers me is that you cheated on me; it’s still cheating when it’s with a woman or a man,” I say, no longer frightened to keep silent. Dick needs to know the truth. “And the fact that you keep wanting us to be together just makes this relationship fake. Why would you want to put me through that?”

“BECAUSE I DON’T WANT BRUCE TO FIND OUT!” Dick yells. He’s clearly afraid, and angry about the whole thing.

Dick begins to cry. He pulls his hair, and cries looking down at the carpet.

“All my life, I had to be perfect. I was supposed to be the best. My earliest days in the circus as the star acrobat along my family, when Bruce molded me into being the perfect sidekick Robin and to be a man a woman deserves. True, I haven’t exactly treated women right from time to time but being with you is something I feel like I was meant to have,” Dick says, wiping his tears away. “But as any perfect creation comes, it comes with flaws. My...sexuality is my fault.”

I feel guilty beyond words. “Dick, don’t say that...”

“It’s true! Imagine what the tabloids would say: ‘Bruce Wayne’s Son Dates Another Man! What Has Happened to Gotham’s Straight Ladies Man?!’ It could destroy our family. It could destroy me. I would be named the ‘queer’ of the family! Or those worse names homosexuals hear.”

“I-I understand your fear and all, but don’t you think you’re overreacting? The world is slowly changing now, because of the LGBTQ communities. Most advocates and activists are speaking out, and most of the time the publicity is positive. Maybe your real fear is coming from you. Maybe you have yet to accept yourself. Not everyone around you is going to think differently of you, especially the ones who love you,” I say, hoping to break through Dick’s strong, stubborn walls. “You can’t keep pretending to be someone you’re not. And you can’t have me pretend to be in love with you.”

Dick’s clear blue eyes look up to me in confusion. “You-you don’t love me anymore?” he asks softly.

“I love you Dick, but...I’m not in love with you anymore. Our relationship...is different now. I know you can’t choose which gender you want for fun or for a serious relationship, but I think you’re torn between what you want to discover and pursue now. This is clearly new to you, and while you figure it all out, maybe you need to be single to do that,” I admit.

Dick breathes heavily. He rubs his eyes, and after a while, he takes my hand and looks at me.

“You’re right, Y/N. You’re right about everything. I...I should have handled this better, but even though I still fucked up, I’m still in love with you and I still want to be with you. My feelings for you haven’t changed at all,” Dick confesses.

“What about Wally?” I finally ask.

“What about him? This isn’t about him. What happened between us doesn’t mean anything. He knows that, and I know that. This is about us. I want a future with you, a family. Did you honestly think I would have all that with him?”

The pain in my stomach hurts more than ever. I know Dick is wrong, and he’s being more ignorant than usual. But arguing right now isn’t going to help us. I suddenly feel tired and very exhausted from this talk. I lean back until I completely lie down on the couch, as my legs are on Dick.

“I’m sorry, I just...don’t have a lot of experience with this kind of thing. I’m tired, and I think I need to nap,” I say. I sound sleepy and he should know I’m not faking it.

“I’m tired, too,” Dick says, as he kicks off his shoes and lies down behind me.

I don’t want Dick holding me, but when his arms wrap around me and he pulls me closer to him in a hug, that it brings me back to a happy place like in the beginning. His smell, his touch, and his affection makes me fall all over again.

“You-you slept with Jason, right?”

His question startles me at first. “Yes.”

“Was he...better than me?” Dick asks quietly.

It would be easy to tell him the truth; that yes, sex with Jason made me feel more pleasure and love, but I can’t deal with the truth anymore right now.

“It was okay. It was just sex,” I finally say. “You’re better, because you know how to make me feel important.”

Dick’s breathing is calm again, and he holds me tighter. “Good, I-I didn’t want you to have a bad time but just knowing our sex life makes you feel important is more than enough for me.”

I close my eyes. I want to wake up and see that this was all a dream.

“Y/N?”

“Yes, Dick?”

“I-I want to spend the night with you. Would that be okay?”

Dick’s practically begging me now. But since I can’t exactly be honest anymore since he refuses to be honest, I realize I have to go to Ace Chemicals alone tonight.

To face the unknown text messenger.

“I actually have to go to Zatanna’s tonight,” I lie, hoping he would buy it. But I mentally slap myself for not talking to Zatanna or Artemis today to make it more believable. With my luck, Artemis might still be hungover with Connor, while Zatanna did in fact sleep with Tim. “Artemis wants a girl’s night to dish on her hookup with Connor. I already accepted the invitation. I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t be sorry. I should have known you would already have plans since you’re an amazing girl. I’ll probably hang out with Jay, Tim, and Dami anyways. I’ll just see you in the morning then.”

“Yeah, that’ll be fine,” I agree.

“Let’s just take a nap first. Let’s us forget everything,” Dick says sleepy.

It would be good to forget everything. It would be like all this never happened. No heartbreak. No cheating. No lies. No one-night stand Jason.

Jason?

My feelings for Jason resurface again, because no matter how many times I try to drown them, they just float back up to the surface because they’re un-drownable.

Before I know it, Dick’s already sound asleep.

I guess it’s easy for him to block everything out, while I’m here suffering in silence because my heart and head want to burst.

I know I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself. I don’t have time to sit and worry about Dick’s denial, or how I have secret feelings for Jason.

Because all I know is that I’m going to finally find out who has been harassing me about Dick, and once I find out who it is...I’m going to end them.

Take them down.

Kick their fucking ass.

And make them regret fucking with me by using threats and fear.

Because when anyone threatens to hurt and destroy those closest to me, they’re just asking for a ticket to die.

And I’ll gladly give them a ticket for death.

Comments, questions, and notes are greatly appreciated!

#dc comics #batfamily #batman #dick grayson #dick grayson x reader #dick grayson x y/n

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surveys-at-your-service · 4 years

Text

Survey #261

“i hate you for every time you ever bled for me.”

If you have a job, how long is your shift? I'm unemployed. Do you ever wear your hair in a pony tail? It's too short for that. What language did you take up in high school? Latin for one semester, then I took four of German. Do you like sunflowers? It's illegal to live in the South and not lmao. Have you ever held hands with someone in a car? Yeah. Would you rather be called honey or baby? Hunny. What is your favorite card game? Even though I never learned it super well, I used to enjoy Magic: The Gathering and have actually been like dying to play it for months lmao. How many emails were you sent today? None. What was your favorite Christmas gift you got last year? Well I mostly got money life chose I didn't get to use, lol. I honestly don't really remember anything else prominently... sounds bad, but yeah, so is my memory lmao. What have you thought up yet for this year’s list? Well it's only April, but a treadmill or something like that is at the top right now. Do you have any embarrassing usernames? Ha ha, none that I still use. Do you have a backpack in a shape of an animal? No, but I almost got a meerkat one. But it was too small. :'( Have you ever waxed your legs? OW no. My hair is too long and thick. Have you ever taught a little kid to flick people off? lol wow no. Have you ever itched yourself until your skin was raw? I do that remarkably easy, especially on my legs. I literally have long scars from it. Do you always clear your history after using the computer? No. Have you ever had your food stolen by a bird? Ha ha nah. Are you responsible for stuffing someone's stocking? No. Do you make your own smoothies or juices? No. Do you like oatmeal raisin cookies? I absolutely hate raisins. What age do you think is too old to still live with your parents? It greatly depends on a lot of things: the person's health, financial position, etc. Have you ever watched Bob's Burgers? A couple times. It was pretty funny if I remember correctly. Denim, leather or varsity jacket? UUUUGGGGGHHHHH leather. I've wanted one since middle school. ;_; Has a teacher ever caught and read a note you were passing in class? No. I honestly didn't pass notes, but I find it mean as FUCK when teachers do this. Privacy is a goddamn thing that should be respected. I do not support passing notes in class, like you're there to learn, but having it shared in front of all your peers is not the fucking answer. I get heated about this shit. What's your favorite perfume that you own? I only own one that's called "Blush" from rue 21. It smells really nice, though. Do you clean things that are already clean when you're bored? No. I'd rather clean something that isn't already. Do you have an older brother? Yes. What do you do when someone overweight complains about being overweight? Lol I'd probably say "mood," but it depends on our relationship of course. Like there're times to be humorous and light-hearted about it and other times when you don't make it about you. If they're clearly more sad and especially if I don't know them well, I'd say something like "I understand," because I can almost guarantee I do about this. Have either of your parents ever been to jail? No. Have you ever been to jail? No, I'm a good noodle. :) Are your collarbones prominent? No. ;_; You can see them, yeah, but they're not like very obvious. It's one of my biggest motivators to lose weight though because I am dyinnnnggg for dermals there, but I think it would look weird without that contrast. Have you ever in your life worn overalls? When I was a kiddo. Ugly things. Do you own anything tribal print? No. Do you watch any beauty gurus on YouTube? I'm not even very interested in beauty, yet I love Jeffree Star??? Nikkie is cool too. I've found I watch more for personalities than content, in all genres of vids. Do you like Skittles? More like LOVE. Do you have a PillowPet? No. If you do, what kind of PillowPet do you have? N/A Do you have sleep paralysis? Thank the fuck to god no. That shit sounds absolutely terrifying. Is there anyone at home right now you wish wasn't? No. Do you like Placebo? Tbh I can't think of one song by them rn. I know I've heard them, Mom's even got a CD I'm sure I've tried out long ago when I got into her music, but obviously nothing stood out well enough, at least back then. Has anyone ever carried you to bed? As a kid, yeah, usually my dad. Could you happily date someone prettier than you? Yes???? Do you know anyone with cancer? Both my mom and grandmother right now. Are you easily offended? No. Do your parents buy you most anything you want? HI we've always been poor so no. Not just that, but they knew better than to spoil us. Have you ever tried to jump a fence? I have. Do you watch My Strange Addiction? No. How attracted are you to the last person that kissed you? A bit above moderately ig. Have you ever known a white supremacist? HUNNY I live in the South. In regards to who do you think "what if?" Jason as a fucking whole is my absolute "what if." Do you like the smell of a barbecue? Yes, even though I enjoy like almost no food at most of them. Doesn't stop it from smelling good. Has anyone ever called you apathetic or unemotional? I can't even imagine someone calling me that, no. I'm the polar opposite. How much money do you spend in a month on clothes or accessories? None in the average month. What was the last clothing item you wore that doesn't belong to you? A pair of Mom's pants. I didn't have any clean pairs. Do you own anything with your state or providence's name on it? No. Got no interest in sporting anything relating to a boring-ass, bigoted, racist state. How often do you hold back from saying what you are thinking? WOW A LOT!!!!!!!!!!! Do you like the Paranormal Activity movies? Yeah, I do. I mean yeah, they're fake, but what horror movie isn't even though it claims it is, honestly. How do you like your oatmeal? Apples & cinnamon with a bit of sugar. Does it make you feel better when an ex starts dating someone unattractive? No. Appearance doesn't mean shit when it comes to what the heart wants. What's your favorite way to eat peanut butter? In a sandwich w/ grape jam. Do you fall in infatuation easily? Infatuation, I'm not sure. Who has initiated most of your first kisses? Considering almost all previous relationships, usually me as they all knew I needed to go slow. I'd only do it if I was aware they'd wanted to kiss already, though. Do you like bows? Omg yes, cute shit. Has a boyfriend ever made you breakfast? Yes. Jason first went to college to be a chef. Are you more likely to show affection through your words or your actions? Probably words when you consider I'm slow with physically doing that, but I'm honestly really affectionate either way when I'm comfortable with you. Do you like Cheez-Its? VERY MUCH SO omg keep them away from me. Do you ever use coloring books? Not anymore. How do you feel about instrumental music? I have to be in the mood for it. Have you ever been on a trapeze? No. What's the coolest natural event you've ever witnessed? I still don't know to this day what it was, but I THINK it was a star exploding. Scared me, man. Seeing the big lunar eclipse last year was also wicked cool. Do you know how to use chopsticks? HA, I never could. Not with my tremors. Do you buy chocolate after Valentine's Day when it goes on sale? No, I don't need chocolate. Do you think bunnies are cute? I would fight God to give a lop-eared bunny one (1) pet. Do you personally know anyone who is an author? I've had a friend get something published in a magazine before, and during one stay at the psych hospital, I met a published poet. His stuff was really good. Last time (if ever) you were on an airplane, where were you going? Otw home from Illinois. Do you know anyone who is left-handed? Yeah? I'd assume everyone would at least know one... If people could read your mind, what would they usually find? The thought "I'm bored" every five minutes. What's a song that makes you feel happy? "Jump" by Van Halen came to mind first. How did you meet your best friend? YouTube. Do you need money to be happy? To a degree, yes. Money can buy happiness - but again, to a degree. Saying it doesn't is bullshit. What's a good idea you've had recently? Probably just OC ideas, lmao. I've thought of some decently cool stuff recently. what is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Cinnamon rolls uggggghhhhhh How many slices of pizza do you usually eat? Two or three if I'm seriously hungry. If you could switch places with someone for a day, who would it be? Is "Mark's girlfriend" even remotely surprising lmao but no seriously she's an amazing and productive person like I WISH. What's the last song you listened to? "Roots" by In This Moment is on rn. Do you like the movie Zootopia? Ye! Do you ever go on Pinterest? Yeah. What's the last kind of chocolate you ate? A Reese's. Tell me a line from the song you're listening to: "I'm stronger than I ever knew - I'm strong because of you." Have you ever participated in a march/protest? No. Have you ever performed in front of a large audience? Yeah, for dance classes and school stuff. What did you eat the last time you went to the movies? Popcorn. I may have gotten sour gummies, too? Idr. Who was the last person to see you cry? Mom. Do you listen to music every day? There are rare days where I don't. I'll be watching too many actual videos. Do you have a hard time making decisions? A STUPID hard time. I'm extremely dependent, including when faced with decisions. I second-guess myself with everything. Do you start the shower water before or after you get in? Before. How many times have you been to a museum? A good number of times. We live pretty close to an art + science one. Are you going to be getting any new pets soon? Most likely not. Would you rather be a Panda or Grizzly bear? A panda so it wouldn't be legal to shoot me lmao. Do the stairs in your house have carpet? We only have one floor. Can you do a twirl like a ballerina? Oh wow, no. Even when I was a dancer, I SUCKED at that. When you were younger, were you ever in a relationship with someone you now realize was way too old for you? No. Is your family dysfunctional? To a degree. How old were you the first time you travelled alone? 22? What's the longest hotel stay you've ever had? I don't know. Not long. We only ever really stayed at one when we had to go to Myrtle Beach for annual dance competitions, and those were only like, a weekend. What architectural style was your childhood home? Uhhh idk. Very normal. Tell me a bit about your last relationship. What was it like dating them? It was great, but also stressful because of distance. What's the largest animal you've seen in the wild? Maybe like a large buck or something. Do any of your friends or family members have strange occupations? Not that I'm aware of. Have you ever been in weather so severe that you feared for your safety? Oh yeah. What political issues are the most important to you personally? Gay rights and the pro-choice stance. Does your neighborhood have a community garden? I've never even heard of such a thing. What small thing makes you automatically distrust someone? Acting secretive or cryptic about who they are as a person. Of all the states/provinces in your country, which one is your favorite? Visually that I've seen a good number of pictures of, Utah. Are there any obscure foods you've eaten that most people have never tried? I very much doubt that. What's the kindest thing a total stranger has done for you? I'm unsure. Have you ever used a meal kit delivery service? Yeah, I did one of those diet things before... but the name is evading me, even though it's super common. Nutrisystem, maybe? Do you have any pets? If so, how old are they? Venus is around five, and Roman is two. Do you have any psychological issues rooted in events from your childhood? My psychiatrist and former therapist predict my discomfort around men, particularly when they're behind me, and extreme fear of rape is rooted in two kids from pre-k that used to chase, randomly hug the hell out of, and try to kiss me. I'd actually entirely forgotten about it until we really started to dig deep, so I guess it's a repressed memory. Do you remember your locker combinations from high school? WOW no, son. What's your favorite DIY crafts youtube channel? I don't watch DIY stuff. What was your high school's mascot? Firebird. Who were your best friends in high school? Hannia, Megan, Maria, Girt, and Dennis were The Crew. Who was your first boyfriend or girlfriend? Aaron was my brief puppy-dog love, but Jason was my first real boyfriend. Would you rather sleep on the top bunk or bottom bunk? Bottom. If I slept on the top, but bottom is getting crushed lmao. As a little kid though when Nicole and I shared a room, I had to have the top bunk until I got a bit older. What insects are you afraid of? BEETLES, CICADAS, AND LARVA GET THE FUCK OUT. Honestly most insects scare me to a degree. Have you ever had a secret admirer that left you notes? I think the aforementioned Aaron did in middle school at least once before we dated. What was your favorite thing to do at sleepovers when you were younger? Swimming in the pool, if they had one. What's one way in which you're still a child? I'm dependent as shit on my mom. What's one way in which you're old? I now say "back in the day" sometimes lmfao. Do you feel old or young? Or do you feel both at different times? Both at different times. Did you ever skip a grade or get held back a grade? No. When you look at your baby pictures, do you recognize yourself? Only once at a certain age. What is your favorite thing to do in the pool? Just kinda swim around and think, or watch nature. Have you ever taken a picture at the perfect moment? I know I have, but they're evading me, gaaaah. What color(s) eyeshadow do you wear the most? I only ever wear black. What’s your favourite brand of peanut butter? Uhhh never really paid much attention to brands. Do you put all your stuff for class in one binder or several? When I was in school, I had one binder with dividers, but I also had specific folders too. What’s your favourite Lunchables meal? The nachos. How many languages can you recite the alphabet in? Two. What’s your favourite flavour of sunflower seeds? I hate those. What’s your favourite flavor of muffin? Chocolate oof. Have you ever had carpal tunnel? I do. I haven't had problems in a couple months, though. Are you one of those people who is really smart but has no common sense? OW FUCK OFF. How old were you when you met your first love? I was just shy of 16. Did you get ice cream from the ice cream truck when you were little? Do they still have an ice cream truck where you live? We occasionally did as a kid, but they definitely don't have that where we live now. Has the last person you kissed met your family? She met my mom, dad, and younger sister. What was the last strong emotion you experienced? Who was responsible for it? Remorse. Myself. Have you ever had to cancel a bank account? Yes. Was the last conversation you had an argument? No. If you knew you had the right person, would you marry them today? I am not in the financial or mental position to get married right now. Where was the last place you got completely wasted? I've never been "wasted." If you could have anyone as your roommate, who would you choose? Sara. Have you ever changed the prices of items at a store? Wow no. Well, MAYBE when I actually worked in stores and I was supposed to, but I don't remember doing that. Do you go for walks often? I never do because of having no area to (my house is along a dangerous curve), and I need to be very careful because of muscle atrophy in my legs. I need to have easy access to a place to sit and recover or else I get very close to collapsing. As mentioned, I desperately want a treadmill. Would your parents disown you if you got pregnant? No, I'm 24 years old. My mom would never in her life do that at any age anyway. How strange do people say you are? Idk?? That's not something I really try to find out because my AvPD would possibly make me cry asldkfjwe. Have you opened food at a grocery store & ate it without or before paying? I would never do that without, but I have before in cases of being very dizzy and knowing I desperately needed food. How artistic are you? I think I'm pretty artistic, but more in concept than actuality... Like I have so so so SOOOOOO many ideas, particularly with drawing, I just don't. Do it. Can you legally drive? Not currently, because my permit has been expired since last year. Did anything dramatic go down yesterday? No. Do you find smoking unattractive? Very. Have you ever been in a situation where you had to be around your ex everyday? No, thankfully. Have you seen someone recently you used to talk to, but don’t anymore? No. Are you comfortable sharing drinks with your friends? No; I don't even share drinks with family. Honestly, have you ever written something on a bathroom stall? No, I hate that shit. When you were a kid did you ever look up “sex” in the dictionary? Actually no. I literally didn't learn anything about it 'til family life in the 5th grade. Is there anything written on the shirt you’re wearing right now? No. Are you shorter or taller than most of your friends? I'm a normal height, really. Honestly, do you double dip? If I'm sharing, no. All you have to do is break the chip. What was the last junk food you ate? I had a little bit of popcorn yesterday.

#survey #quiz #questions

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jq37 · 5 years

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Let's go final bloodkeep ep breakdown!

**spoilers for the tomb of ultimate evil**

I was originally kind of annoyed that dropout wasn’t working when I wanted to do this originally, but it’s actually kind of a blessing in disguise now that I think about it because it means I get to rewatch and discuss the ep in light of the bombshells Brennan dropping in the BTS video.

As I watch the Previouslies, I realize I’m still not over the fact that Maggie named her kid after Leiland. It was so sweet an unexpected.

So, at the start of this episode, Brennan must have realized that his plans are pretty much jossed because the 4 baby blessing was *very* not on the docket

“Absolutely, Lilith’s got 25 strength.” Idk why that’s so funny to me. Maybe because I think Rekha was asking whether Lilith was allowed to carry her, not if she was physically cable but Brennan was like “Of course she can carry you. She’s an absolute unit.”

Leiland’s first move? Drawing all the enemy fire. Markus’s first move? Immediately hiding. In fairness, my dude is a rogue.

Lol, spiderweb baby bjorn.

“We’re evil but we understand communication and consent.”

Nat 20 from Old Pickering! Finally he’s useful!

Watch a bitch call lightning! A different bitch, but still.

Amy’s childish delight at the prospect that there might be a bomb in the goblins is so good.

I love how on board everyone was for the mystery potion.

Did Hork exist before this episode? I have no memory of him existing.

Nat 20 for Sohkbar!

Brennan is really so good at all of his on the cuff J'er'em'ih nonsense.

Erika yelling, “Sanctuary!” a la Hunchback of Notre Dame.

I like that Lilith calls her spider kids to defend them by going, “Get ‘em ladies!” and then Brennan decides one of the kids she summoned is Jason.

“I really am sorry. I’m sorry for everything I’ve done…and everything I’m about to do.”

Leiland Jr. MVP!

I love that Lilith treat’s Sohkbar as if he’s also a parent.

Two words I’ve learned to fear since I’ve started watching RPG shows: Lair action.

Leiland just BARELY not being on the falling chunk of floor.

Brennan really faked me out on that Jason fall. Man really was about to make me cry over a fictional spider for the SECOND TIME in my life (Charlotte’s Web).

I love Erika screaming over Jason in and out of character separately.

“Guys, this is our element! Knocking people off of things!”

Leiland’s affirmations. Who is doing counseling at the Bloodkeep.

AOE spells are so boss.

“Everyone look at Leiland! He’s doing it!” Aww, everyone finally gets to see him be cool! It’s really wild how much of an arc these guys went through in just 2 days of play. It’s very narratively consistent.

“Oh you fucking freak, you’d love that.”

“Tell him something is gonna happen to his bones but don’t explain it.”

Rekha loudly announcing her ridic amount of hitpoints is on of my fave things

I love how in both campaigns so far, Brennan has had a moment of, “You’re not bad at magic, you’re just depressed.” What an oddly specific thing but also, relateable.

Cell Block Tango ft. Leiland.

Leiland curses one of the Vingury. I’m sure that won’t be important later (I’m lying).

Ify/Markus just refusing to learn Hobbert and Frod’s names.

Ify: *Trying to do a shenanigan*

Brennan: I see what’s happening here.

DOOR LORE. DOOR LORE. DOOR LORE.

So I guess the real lesson of this season of D20 is always commit to your running jokes because you’ll get free nonsense out of it. (A 19! That’s so painful!)

Jessa just straight eats not-Gollum.

Both Jason and Jessa are very protective of their mom and I love it.

Maggie All elves look the same. (Maggie said F elf rights)

The full 6 seconds of silence from Matt between his saying he loves J'er'em'ih more than any other animal companion and looking directly at the camera and saying, “Except for Trinket,” very seriously.

Amy: I must become the necro boatman.

Brennan, whose plans have now been entirely womped: :O.

I truly didn’t even consider attacking the boatman. I feel like this is such a good DM moment, because I feel like my reaction would have been, “That’s not how this works,” but Bren just let it happen, which is better both for the story and player agency. I’m taking notes.

Efink getting validation on her chosen name by the evil statues.

“Kick his ass and you get the power!”

“I’m like a setpiece, not like a guy!”

Sohkbar claims the baby as his ward. This baby is gonna have so many godparents.

“MY DAD SHIT IN A BAG?”

What a wild improv.

I love the ancient evil statues have Lilith’s back on the fact that she should have gotten the promotion.

When Leiland Jr was born Brennan was like, “He’s not gonna do much. He’s a baby.” One ep later this baby is taking turns and fireblasting enemies and talking like he’s the Godfather.

OK so there’s a lair action. Leiland rolls a NAT ONE to not plummet into the Bloodkeep. Brennan clearly is ready to bring out the ghost figurines we saw in the BTS.

The statue Lilith JUST got the blessing from falls which means if she hadn’t gotten it that turn, they would have been screwed. Sidenote: Brennan says it was an instant lose condition for them which is part of why I was surprised that this wasn’t his plan to begin with. He just readjusted everything on the fly and set new parameters. What a good, confidence projecting, quick thinking DM.

It’s Leiland’s turn. He is once again falling to his doom. This time, without the bossa nova music and soothing apathy because he actually has something to live for.

AND HE USES HIS HEX TO TELEPORT TO THE VINGURY HE HEXED BEFORE.

It was JUST close enough. And he almost cursed Olag instead! That decision saved his undead ass!

I love that Leiland is Uncle Leiland to Jason! And later Jessa calls Efink Aunt Efink. I wanna see evil Thanksgiving so bad.

“You’re really killing it today Leiland!” My boy finally getting the praise he deserves. (Also, wild that this is all still THE SAME DAY)

“oKAY, okay, OKAY, oKay.” –Brennan having a moment

“You wanted us to play evil characters but we’re actually playing evil players.”

Man this episode is truly how Leiland got his groove back, huh?

Boatman rolls a 4 to resist fear. Go Leiland!

“I take off my mask to reveal…I’m sexy as fuck.”

Everyone including the evil statue is hot for Markus.

“Shut the fuck up, Olag. Go kill yourself.” Maggie just has no patience for nonsense (that’s not the kind of nonsense she enjoys anyway).

“Do I take psychic damage from that?”

Lilith gets a nat 20!

Maggie, upon Leiland calling her 'my queen’ for the second time: Just call me Maggie, please.

“THAT’S AN ABILITY J'ER'EM'IH HAS?”/“I guess.”

“Lilith, you’re my girl! Lilith, my girl!” They grab hands over the table. It’s such a pure moment.

Brennan after they kill the Boatman: I mean, fuck me I guess.

Leiland goes down. Leiland Jr. goes, “Nah, get up, you’re fine,” and he gets back up. (Brennan at this point has clearly fully leaned in to the direction his players dragged him).

Leiland comes back as Leiland the White. And I just realized! That’s the ghost figurine! I thought that was the figure Bren got for when Leiland inevitably completed his story arc. No! It was the figure for in case Leiland DIED.

Leiland FONZES at Leiland Jr.

Nat 20 from Maggie to avoid falling into the Bloodkeep!

Leiland lets Markus convince him to not kill Olag (for future shenanigans). Leiland instead owns Toby and rolls a 29 to convince Oswald back onto their side. Toby also comes as a zombie on their side. Everything’s coming up Leiland!

Except no, he goes back down immediately and falls face first into the blood pool.

OK, check it. Markus bargains with one of the evil statues to make Olag alive and undead for eternity. The statue is kinda on board but wants to make a trade. Markus basically goes, “Watch this,” and STEPS INTO THE VOID.

Go back and watch Amy’s reaction. It’s so genuinely shocked and concerned. Matt’s is good too.

Sidenote: That is apropos of nothing goal wise. He just wanted to torture Olag.

Maggie gets the final blessing with a quiet, heartfelt speech Brennan doesn’t even make her roll for. The statue tries to get her to put in a good word w/ her dad for it and steps all over the moment.

Ify, about to pull out shenanigans part two, electric boogaloo: I never got a chance to attack on my turn.

He attacks himself and warps back up!

Amy: Is that how you play a rogue????

Why sneak attack damage? Can you sneak attack yourself?

“You’re a liar!”/“I’m a rogue.” Beautiful.

We’re evil!

Oswald dies and Leiland comes back! Hexing Oswald really panned out for him

“It’s all spiders from here!” I wanna start saying that.

Efink cancels out a nat 20 on Sohkbar!

Lilith telling her kids to go find safety is a small thing but sweet.

“You know you live near Goblin Island and you always say you’re gonna visit.”

Markus swashbuckles over to the bloodkeep before he falls. Leiland is ready to jump his bones.

Nat 20 from Leiland! Is that his first one?

AND THEN HE ROLLS TWO NAT ONES!

Classic Leiland.

I love that Leiland is pro J'er'em'ih now.

John Feathers comes back for the epilogue. Rehka is more excited than anyone.

Lilith is voted queen regent of Gorgar! Go girl! And Jessa opens her fashion firm while Jason sets out to the forest. Good for them.

Scream beast babies!

And little Leiland asks big Leiland to get him the head of Galfast Hamhead! Full circle, I love it.

OK so Brennan said this and he was right. Leiland and Maggie have such a wild ass arc. She goes being “that whore” in ep 1 (idr what he actually called her but that’s the vibe he gave off) to “my queen” in episode 6. And like, man. Imagine planning a game where the goal is to lead the players into a PvP free for all and, instead, the only two characters with a legit grievance mend fences so much that one names their child after the other and that one swears fealty to that mom and her child. Imagine failing so hard at your original goal. Wow.

Anyway, that’s it for Bloodkeep! Thanks for hanging in there for me to write this up! I want to say something about the teaser for T.U.S. too but I’ll save that for another post.

Sidenote: So Matt has been on D20 and Brennan has been on Naddpod. I think this means Brennan or Murph gets to be on Critical Role now. I’m a lawyer and I’m pretty sure that’s how the law works.

#asks #a-salty-alto #escape from the bloodkeep #bloodkeep #dimension 20 #i know this is typo riddled but this is a 3 hour episode and I don't have the patience to edit this rn so...

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chibinightowl · 5 years

Text

Dinner, Dancing, and a Dog

For the @jaytimsecretsanta 2018, I received prompts for @brightestdaay and chose fake relationship for the mission. Beta read by @comebackolivia.

Enjoy!

~*~*~

It starts with a favor, as things involving Jason so often do. Tim adjusts the phone against his shoulder and blows his bangs out of his eyes with an impatient huff. “You want me to what?” “Be my date for the night. It’ll make my cover more complete if I have some arm candy.” Yeah, that’s what he thought Jason said the first time. “You do know that five hours before isn’t exactly the best time to ask a favor like this, right?” He can hear the frustration in Jason’s voice. “I know, I know. But it’s just dinner at Scarpetto’s. Guy or gal, doesn’t really matter to me.” “No, but it matters to the Sicilian mobsters it sounds like you’re trying to nail.” Tim eyes the clock on his desk. If he leaves now, he’ll have enough time to shave and tame his eyebrows into something vaguely feminine that won’t take forever to grow back. “You owe me.” “Done. I’ll pick you up at 8.” Tim glares at his phone. One of these days, he’s going to collect on all the little favors Jason owes him. Big time. ~*~*~ Jason lets out a low whistle when Tim opens the apartment door. Traffic had not been kind earlier so he’s glad the rush job passes muster. “Wow, I’ve heard some stories about the things you can do with makeup, but this is top notch.” Tim shrugs and the fabric barely covering his shoulders flutters slightly. “If I’m going to crossdress, I’m not going to half-ass it.” “Nope, I can see that.” Jason nods approvingly. “Perhaps you can teach me a few things.” It’s hard to keep a straight face because Jason’s idea of a disguise tonight is a goatee. Tim can’t spot any telltale signs that it’s a fake, so it is entirely possible that the dark facial hair is real. He supposes he can give him a bonus point for dyeing the white streak on his brow. It stands out. “About what?” Tim replies blithely as he grabs a coat. “Padding? Falsies? Gaffes?” Jason pales slightly. “I was thinking mascara and eyeliner. There’s a club I need to hit up in a few nights where that kind of look is in.” Tim flashes him a bright rosy smile. “Darling, that look hasn’t gone out of style for ages.” He takes Jason’s arm and marches him out the door.

The target is Paul Giannini, an up and coming mobster who Jason believes is the newest hitman for the Petrillo crime family (the irony behind the name means nothing to Jason, so Tim doesn’t elaborate). They’re relatively new to Gotham, transplants from New York, and seem to be trying to rebuild what was once Carmine Falcone’s little empire. Not that this has a chance in hell of happening under Batman’s watch, but it’s nice to let these guys spin their wheels before showing them the ugly reality of what doing business in Gotham really entails. Jason isn’t doing more than surveillance tonight and for his own reasons that have nothing to do with Bruce as he was quick to explain during the drive to the restaurant.

Tim doesn’t care. He’s the one in a dress after all.

Dinner is good. It always is here, and Tim makes sure he bats his eyes and coos at appropriate times. Jason tries to play along as best he can, but it soon becomes clear he has no idea what to do with a date. “You’re acting like you’ve never done this before,” Tim says quietly once the antipasti is devoured. He may be playing a simpering girlfriend but damn if he’s not getting a free meal out of it. The faint reddening of Jason’s ears is all the answer he needs. “I haven’t exactly dated much,” he admits quietly, which is more than Tim expects from him. “Time, inclination, you name it. I always worry I’m going to hurt the other person.” Tim can’t fault him for that. “I get it. I really do.” Jason smiles crookedly and huffs a small laugh. “I’ve heard about your track record.” “It’s nowhere near as bad as Dick’s,” Tim replies with a cheeky grin and takes a sip of wine. The woman Giannini is with gets up and heads toward the bathroom. Tim glances at Jason and he nods wordlessly. She’s almost as important as the mobster so he follows after counting to ten. Sauntering into the women’s bathroom like he totally belongs there, Tim pauses at the mirror to check his makeup since the woman he’s tailing is in a stall. Nothing wrong there so he freshens up and shares a smile with the bottle blonde when she emerges. The smile drops when she draws a gun. Tim is moving before she has a chance to aim it, gripping her wrist tightly and forcing her arm away from them both toward the floor. She’s shouting at him, screaming about how they can’t pin anything on Paul. He doesn’t know or care how they knew they were being spied on, all he’s focused on at the moment is not getting shot or his eyes clawed out by the woman’s free hand. He shifts slightly and puts more pressure on her wrist, forcing the woman to drop the gun. She shrieks as he kicks it into one of the stalls and Tim blinks from the sheer volume she manages to reach. The gun is out of the way, so he pins her against the countertop and forces both arms behind her back. “Would you please stop that?” he says in a low tone. Too low. Her eyes widen. “You’re not a woman!” she manages to get out before Tim claps a hand over her mouth to muffle her. In the brief silence, they both hear the gunshot from the dining room, followed by loud shouts and screams from the other guests. It’s impossible to say who shot who from in here, but Tim just hopes that Jason isn’t involved.

This is all going to hell. The blonde tries to headbutt him and Tim decides he’s done with her. A quick nerve strike has her limp in his arms, her eyes wide in shock from the sudden paralysis. “You’ll be up and making trouble in less than ten minutes,” he says as he tucks her inside one of the stalls and closes the door. “Enjoy the view.” Retrieving the gun with a tissue, he hides it in his purse and peers out the door to get the lay of the land. It’s pure chaos in the dining room and Tim doesn’t spot Jason immediately. He does see Giannini laying against an overturned table with blood streaming down one shoulder, gun in hand and shouting at some unseen person about his innocence. What he’s saying doesn’t make sense though, not for what Jason dragged them here for, so there’s a distinct possibility this isn’t Jason’s fault at all. Tim keeps low and carefully creeps out. It’s a challenge in three inch heels but he manages. As soon as he emerges, a voice speaks up from behind him. “Thank fuck that’s you.” It’s Jason. Glancing over his shoulder, Tim finds Jason peering out from the men’s room. “What are you doing?” he hisses and tries to crab-walk backwards. Again, heels. “Can’t a guy take a piss in peace?” “You’re on surveillance. Hold it.” “You went to the bathroom!” Tim wants to throw up his hands and scream. This is what working with Jason always does to him. “Whatever. You get what you need or is that little firefight out there not the kind of trouble you feel like jumping into?”

“Those are Maroni’s goons out there. I think they’re gonna take care of my problem for me.”

That sounds awfully permanent. Tim scoots past the men’s room door and hides behind a large planter. Taking his phone out of his purse, he sends a quick text to Barbara via one of their encrypted numbers for police backup. She replies back an instant later saying they’re already on the way, with the SWAT team en route too.

“Time to leave,” Tim announces and darts down the back hall to the employee only door. He’s been here enough to know it’s actually the backdoor to the restaurant that leads out into the alley.

“What the hell?” Jason protests as he follows. “Since when were you in charge?”

“Since SWAT is on the way and we really don’t need to be stuck here for questioning later.” He also doesn’t want to be here when the nerve strike on Giannini’s girlfriend wears off as she’ll easily point him out unless he gets gone now.

“Works for me.”

They’re barely outside when Jason wraps an arm around Tim’s waist and hauls him close, the hiss of a grapple line firing up and into the night. Tim has a brief moment to hold on tight before he’s swept off his feet like the proverbial damsel in distress.

“What was that for?” he asks once they’re on the rooftop, feeling slightly breathless. He smacks Jason upside the head for good measure, which makes him feel much better.

Jason growls and rubs his head. “I have a safehouse in this building. We can lay low for a couple hours, watch a movie or something, and then I can take your bitchy ass home.”

Tim wants to protest but his ankles hurt and the sooner he’s out of these shoes, the better. “Fine. But I’m picking the movie.”

~*~*~*~

After the other night, Tim should have seen this coming. At least this time, he has more than twenty four hours notice, which is good since his ankles are still sore.

“What time?” he asks with a long suffering sigh.

“Nine?” Jason replies hesitantly. “Your place because I still can’t quite get the hang of that thing you showed me with the eyeliner?”

This, at least, he did see coming. “Fine. What club are we going to?”

Jason rattles off the name of a gay club in the Upper East Side that Tim is rather familiar with. “I know it. I’ve picked up my fair share of drug samples there.”

“You don’t need to wear a dress,” Jason adds, clearly trying to be helpful since he knows Tim is doing him yet another massive favor.

He’s glad they’re on the phone because Jason would probably try to deck him if he saw his hugely exaggerated eye roll. “Well, I could, but that would send the wrong message. I’m more believable as your date if I’m in pants this time.”

“Huh?” Jason sounds confused.

There’s a growing suspicion in Tim’s mind, one that is going to have him on the floor laughing once this call is over. “Jason, you do know this is a LGBTQ club, right?”

The long silence is answer enough.

“Right,” Tim replies matter of factly. “In that case, make sure you wear a pair of tight pants and a t-shirt that’s one size too small for you. Anything else and you’ll probably stand out too much.”

Considering Jason’s considerable physique, he’s already going to stand out. Tim has a feeling he’ll be the one doing the real work.

“Okay,” Jason agrees in a slightly taken aback tone. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

“Later.” Tim hangs up and glares at his phone. Why is he putting himself through all this? The favor he’s going to call in at some point will need to be a doozy.

~*~*~

Tim totally called it earlier. For all the guys whose type is tall, dark, and muscular, Jason is a piece of meat they can’t wait to get a chance with. Most aren’t pushy once they see him all but clinging nervously to Tim, but a few are forward enough to keep the taller man close. They put out a cover story that fits all too well — this is Jason’s first time in a club like this and he’s a bit overwhelmed.

Proud to be out with his boyfriend, but still overwhelmed.

Another new suspicion grows in Tim’s mind, one that harkens back to their dinner conversation the other night. Jason doesn’t date much. Or very possibly at all. This would explain volumes as to why he’s asking him of all people for assistance. Sure, Jason has to know he’s opening himself up to Tim’s ridicule but what he has to dish out is lightyears weaker than the constant ribbing from Dick.

So Tim plays the role of the more experienced boyfriend, laughing and teasing his significant other lovingly as they maneuver slowly toward the VIP rooms where a drug dealer on Jason’s radar has taken up residence and uses a handful of people here as runners who scope out potential deals, from those who just want to have a little fun to others looking for a more serious fix.

Jason isn’t after him tonight, he just wants to see what he’s pushing.

“I’ve heard a rumor that he’s got access to fentanyl,” he explains to Tim out on the crowded dance floor, their bodies pressed together firmly. When he’s not stressing over where to place his hands, Jason is a decent dancer. “If it’s true, then I want to know where he’s getting it.”

That is definitely something Tim can get behind. He nods and wraps his arms around Jason’s neck, drawing him closer so he can speak without shouting. “Any idea what the street name is around here?”

If he’s going to be asking around, knowing the right terminology for this part of town will help. What Jason’s real interest is here remains to be seen, but there has to be a connection to the Bowery and Crime Alley if he’s wandered out of his usual haunts.

Jason frowns, but whether that’s from Tim’s breath tickling his ear or because he doesn’t know, Tim can’t be sure. “I’ve heard both Jackpot and Murder 8 on my streets.”

Tim knows quite a few more, but this doesn’t do him any good. “We may need to do this more than once. Establish ourselves, work our way up.”

“I thought you’d been here before?”

“In various disguises.” The one he’s wearing now is a bit more eye shadow heavy than usual and for once in his life, a five o’clock shadow hides the shape of his jaw. It irks Tim that it still takes him a few days to grow something that Jason, Dick, and Bruce all have to shave off twice a day if the need calls for it. Perhaps he’ll get lucky the further into his twenties he goes.

The first night is a bust, even if they do score some rather questionable lollipops in a bright shade of blue that would make Dick proud.

They come back several nights later and Tim manages to buy some oxycodone from the backroom dealer. Apparently, the man doesn’t trust his little army of tweekers with the real cash deals. He drops a hint that he’s in the market for something a little more potent and the dealer gives him a smarmy smile, openly eying Tim in his too tight pants and stylishly ripped t-shirt.

“I’ll see what I can do for you,” is all he says, and Tim takes that as his cue to leave.

He makes his way toward the bar where he left Jason and stops short, fighting down the impulse to laugh. It’s way too loud in here for it to carry far, but he’s undercover.

Jason has two men practically wrapped around him, one with a slender build Tim would probably have if he didn’t have to work out so much while the other guy is a bit more compact. He can’t help but notice neither one of them is any taller than him. What’s even more hilarious though is Jason’s deer-in-the-headlights expression. He’s on the verge of bolting, Tim can tell.

Well then. He can’t have that.

Tim strolls up to the bar, letting just a hint of predatorial intent enter his gaze. Right here and now, Jason is his and those two guys are poaching on his territory.

The things he does to maintain a cover.

Jason spots him and shoves away from the bar, completely ignoring the two men pouting and pleading with him to stay.

“Thank fuck,” he says as he all but hides behind Tim. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt more like a piece of meat in all my life.”

Tim makes sure to smirk at the other men before turning his attention on Jason. “I can’t take you anywhere, can I?” he asks, wrapping an arm around Jason’s waist and dragging him out to the relative safety of the dance floor. They can’t leave quite yet. “Do I need to put a collar on you? A leash?”

“You’re such a shit, you know that?” Jason comments as they find the beat of the music and settle in.

“You’re the one who’s a trouble magnet.”

“I didn’t ask those guys to climb all over me!” Jason’s ears are more than a little red.

Tim wraps his arms around Jason’s neck and tugs him down slightly, his mouth pressed close to Jason’s ear. From the right angle, it looks like he’s mouthing a line up the side of Jason’s neck, which is the point he’s trying to make to the two men who are still watching them closely from the bar. “You need to relax. We’re undercover and you’re the one acting like the shy virgin. In case you’d forgotten, we’re a couple here. Act like it or these things will keep happening.”

This close, he can feel Jason swallow even as his back stiffens. Before Tim can even register it, he’s shoved away from him. His protest dies on his lips as Jason spins him around, slotting himself against his back, hands falling to Tim’s hips like they belong there.

“Better?” Jason’s voice is rough and low in Tim’s ear as they start dancing again.

Tim swallows, startled by the overwhelming sense of how right this feels. He’s no stranger to being held like this, some nameless person grinding against him while his attention is elsewhere following his target. His body reacts as it never has before and ever so briefly, he wishes that Jason’s hands would slip just a little lower.

Reality comes slamming back into him when another dancer accidently jostles them. What the hell is he thinking? This is Jason Todd, the same man who has tried to kill him more than once. A few years may have passed since then and they’ve managed to forge a pretty good working relationship, but to say they got off on the right foot would be a complete and utter lie.

So why is Jason making him feel this way?

A little too late, Tim nods his head, remembering the question. “Yeah. Fine.”

They leave a short while later, Tim hoping that Jason doesn’t notice the slight awkward shuffle to his steps.

Third time is the charm, a fact for which Tim is glad for because once they hit the dance floor again and Jason’s big arms wrap around him, his body starts to betray him once more. He’s never felt so glad to see one of the drug runners and hit them up to see their boss.

Tim pays out the ass for the fentanyl, not quibbling because this guy knows he’s got the money and is marking it up.

That night after they leave, he and Jason part ways to change into their uniforms and return, staking out the front and back doors of the club. It’s late by the time the dealer exits through the employee door. They tail him all the way to Burnley and into a nondescript townhouse.

Jason lowers his binoculars. “Well, thanks for helpin’ me out. I think I got it from here.”

Tim frowns, but doesn’t argue. His part in all this, pretending to be Jason’s boyfriend to create a believable cover, is over. “No problem. You still owe me one.”

“Yeah, yeah. You know I’m good for it.”

Surprisingly enough, he does.

~*~*~*~

Tim drops his box with a heavy thunk. Inside, something crunches and he takes a certain amount of petty delight in Jason’s frown.

“What if I told you the coffee mugs are in there?” Jason says. He’s arranging the silverware drawer.

“That’s your problem, not mine. I have travel mugs that don’t break.”

Tim stalks away to grab another box. How the hell he let himself get talked into this, he has no clue.

This being the third time in less than two months that Jason has asked him to help out with one of his cases. Or, more specifically, asked him to be in a fake relationship to help establish his cover. He’s starting to see a pattern here.

“Why the hell did I say yes?” Tim mumbles as he grabs another box from the back of their small moving van.

He knows all too well why he did. It’s the same reason that’s been haunting him for the last six weeks. The same little feeling that keeps reappearing anytime he even so much as gets a text from the man.

This isn’t happening to him. It can’t be. He does not find Jason attractive.

“His face is stupid,” he mutters, then sighs.

Leaning against the back of the van, Tim closes his eyes, trying to calm himself even as he toys with the wedding band resting on his finger yet again. There is nothing to be worked up over. It’s not as though Jason is doing this on purpose. He really does need his help here because a single man living in a neighborhood like this one is going to catch someone’s attention, especially since Jason needs to make himself visible and approachable. He gets to be the house-husband while Tim toddles off to work every morning and returns in the evening. Their marriage is a complete and utter sham. Nothing to get worked up over.

Besides, it’s not like Jason even sees him the same way. This is just a job. A case. Bad guys to be caught.

The drug ring Jason has been after is much bigger and better organized than he originally suspected, the trail leading into the suburbs of Gotham Heights, a solidly middle class neighborhood where crime is more of the white collar variety than anything else. This particular subdivision is relatively new though and when Tim poked around, there were more income figures in the upper five digits and lower six than the rest of the area. Wannabe real housewives of Gotham is what Jason called them and Tim has to concur. In fact, it’s what they’re hoping for. Two good looking gay men moving into the area is bound to attract the kind of attention they want, and Jason is fully ready to play house-husband and collect all the gossip while Tim is at work.

“Here, let me get that one.” Jason’s unfairly big arms reach around Tim to grab a larger box.

Tim huffs and blows his bangs out of his eyes. He needs another haircut but decided against it as it’ll help detract from how similar he appears to Timothy Drake-Wayne. That and the glasses that are perched on the end of his nose, ones that he never lets himself be seen in public with for this very reason. If it works for Clark, it’ll work for him, at least to the casual observer.

“I had that.”

“You’re supposed to be the computer nerd, remember? Lifting big boxes isn’t in your repertoire.”

Tim eyes the muscles flexing under Jason’s t-shirt, easily managing the weight. “Fine.” He picks up a large plastic tub labeled Bedding and takes it into the house.

There are three bedrooms in the house, but from what Tim understands, one is being used for their surveillance equipment and the other for the makeshift office where Jason is ostensibly writing a novel. The current plan is to rotate sleeping in the master bedroom while the other sleeps on the sofa.

Right. Tim heaves a sigh as he drops the bin on the floor and stares at the unmade king-sized bed he’d help set up earlier. “This is gonna suck.”

~*~*~

Two weeks later, Tim is ready to revise that statement. His life doesn’t suck. His life is a miserable living hell.

The routine he and Jason have fallen into is, well, domestic. Every morning, he’s out the door no later than eight to do battle with the evils of rush hour into the city where he mucks around and does casework from the quiet safety of his apartment in Crime Alley. Every evening, he makes his way back out to the suburbs, rolling in no later than six.

Thank god they have a garage because Tim is pretty sure he’d die if he had to go through the front door and make a show of kissing Jason for anyone who is watching.

“Honey, I’m home!” Tim calls out with more than a little bit of sarcasm coloring his voice.

“Fucking finally.” Jason sounds frustrated over something.

It’s probably dinner. He’s taken to watching cooking shows in the afternoon and applying what he’s learned.

Tim kicks off his shoes in the laundry room and crosses into the wide open kitchen.

Jason is wearing an apron. It’s a crying shame he’s also wearing jeans and a faded blue henley.

Son of a fucking bitch. Not again. Tim swallows hard and thanks every god he can think of that the man is facing away from him and can’t see him flounder.

“Rough day?” he manages to say without stumbling over his words.

“Just a shitty one.” Jason points toward the sink. “Wash up, then grab your plate. We need to talk.”

Great. Just great.

They sit at the kitchen counter, Jason taking a large swig from his beer bottle before digging into his meal. Tim is a little slower to start and fiddles with the wrapper on his. “What happened?” he finally asks.

“I think I’ve narrowed it down to which house around here is our real target. I finally saw that pool maintenance truck pull up today.”

The fentanyl and possibly some other drugs are being funneled into the city with vehicles that appear to be for legitimate small businesses, like plumbing contractors or yard maintenance trucks. Vehicles that wouldn’t catch anyone’s attention with drivers who actually make a show at doing what they’re there for. Or so Jason says from what he’s observed.

Tim perks up. “That’s not bad news.”

“No, it’s actually pretty good,” Jason concedes. “The problem is that I can only take so many walks through the neighborhood and chat with so many people before it starts to look strange.”

“Okay…” Tim doesn’t see where this is going.

“We need a dog.”

He blinks and drops his fork. “What?”

“We need a fucking dog. One with a good amount of energy that gives me an excuse to wander around.” Jason viciously stabs some broccoli and stuffs it in his mouth.

“And just what will happen to the dog when we’re done here?” Tim asks. He’s always wanted a dog but doing so for the sake of a mission isn’t exactly the best reason.

Jason gives him a look that clearly says he thinks Tim is being an idiot. “We find it a good home, duh.”

Right. Because that’s totally going to happen.

~*~*~

The dog’s name is Darcy because this is what happens when Tim lets Jason name things. He’s a two year old black-and-white American bulldog who thinks he’s a lapdog and drools more than any creature Tim has ever seen.

For some bizarre reason, he also adores Tim and tries to sleep with him on the sofa instead of on the big beach towel they’ve laid out on the bed in the master bedroom.

“Ugh, get off me,” Tim says, trying to shove Darcy aside one night. “You’re supposed to sleep with Jason.”

He’s tired. Really tired. All this sleep he’s been getting can’t be healthy because pulling an all-nighter didn’t used to be this challenging.

Darcy whines and gives him the big sorrowful puppy dog eyes that never fail to melt Tim’s heart. How anyone can say no to this dog is beyond him. If it weren’t for the fact that most people thought he was a pitbull mix at the pound, he’d probably have been adopted sooner.

“You’re a big baby.” Tim yanks at his blanket. More of it needs to be over his shoulders and not pooled around his waist where the dog has made a nest from it.

“I can’t believe you let him walk all over you like this.”

Tim looks up to find Jason leaning in the hall entrance. Apparently, his battle over the blankets caught his attention. “I do no such thing.”

Jason rolls his eyes. “Come on. The bed’s big enough for all three of us.”

No. No no no no no. This has been what Tim’s resisted most from the moment they moved in together last month. Living with the man that he’s finally acknowledged to himself that he has a crush on is painful enough. Sleeping beside him is a whole different ballgame.

“It’ll be okay,” Tim says, trying to find an out. “If you can just get Darcy in there, that should be fine.”

Jason is already shaking his head. “He whines at the door to be let out. Get your ass in there. Or are you afraid I’ll smother you in your sleep?”

Tim would almost prefer it if it means he can escape what are likely to be some very awkward morning boners. “I starfish in my sleep.”

“What does that mean?”

“I tend to sprawl out. There’s a reason my bed at home is a king.”

Jason runs a hand through his hair and yawns. “We’ll fuckin’ deal with it if you start kickin’ me. Now, get in there and go the fuck to sleep.”

“I want to state for the record that this is a bad idea,” Tim comments as he stands. Darcy ever so helpfully jumps off the sofa, freeing the blanket.

“Noted.”

~*~*~

The case drags out for three months, two of which Tim finds himself sharing a bed with Jason. And Darcy, because the dog somehow manages to sleep between the two of them on his beach towel.

In the end, Jason not only manages to figure out the supply route, but also where he needs to head next.

“Montreal is not where I expected this case to go,” Tim says one evening as they’re eating dinner. “But it’s not entirely surprising. Canada has a pretty similar problem.”

Jason nods thoughtfully. “I’m sure I’ll end up in China at some point, but the base of this particular supply line seems to end there.”

“Well, my Mandarin is a bit rusty, but if you need help, gimme a call.”

“I will. And don’t think I’ve forgotten what a massive favor you’ve done for me with all of this.” Jason gestures to the house around them and the home it really has become.

Tim frowns and glances down at Darcy, who’s waiting ever so patiently for any crumbs or slivers of meat that may fall to the floor. “Yeah, about all this… Umm… I really don’t care about the house, but… I don’t want to give up that overgrown lapdog.”

Jason smiles fondly at the dog. “Neither do I. You’ve got the space at your apartment, right?”

“Yeah, but I’m busy. Face of WE and all that crap.” Tim scowls and leans down to rub behind Darcy’s floppy ear. The dog’s tail thumps loudly against the flooring. “He needs more attention than I can give him on my own.”

“Well, I can always stop by. To help.” Jason’s gaze darts away in a brief flash of uncertainty that Tim hasn’t seen since that neighborhood barbeque they went to last month where they had to act like the married couple they’ve been pretending to be. Holding hands was enough to make Jason’s ears turn red, although he tried passing it off as too much sun.

Tim narrows his eyes, a suspicion rising in the pits of his heart that almost feels suspiciously like hope. Before he can talk himself out of it, he reaches out and takes Jason’s hand.

Cue the red ears. And a faint flush that reveals a slight scattering of freckles over his cheeks.

“What?” Jason asks, clearly startled by Tim just randomly holding his hand. He looks everywhere but at him.

“Jason,” Tim says slowly, carefully because he really doesn’t want to be wrong. “You do know you can come by my apartment to see me, too. I wouldn’t mind at all.”

He doesn’t let go of Jason’s hand.

“I… uh… Are you sure?” There’s that insecurity again, but Jason’s giving him a hopeful look, one that makes him appear so much younger than he is.

Tim raises their joined hands to his mouth and presses a kiss onto the scarred knuckles. There’s no mistaking the heat that flares in Jason’s eyes. “I’d love it if you did. Perhaps we can take Darcy out together. Have a cup of coffee somewhere.”

“Yes!” Jason all but shouts, then blushes harder as Tim chuckles over his enthusiasm. “Fuck, we kinda went at this ass-backwards, didn’t we?”

“Well, this is actually one of the longest relationships I’ve ever had, but it’s also the first one where I haven’t gone on a real date. How about we fix that before you go to Montreal?”

Jason nods, then bites his bottom lip. “Umm, does that mean I can’t kiss you until after the first date?”

“Hell, no.” Tim pushes their mostly empty dinner plates to the side and seats himself on the counter. He tugs Jason to his feet and the taller man slots himself between Tim’s parted thighs in a way that he can’t wait to explore in more explicit detail later.

Their mouths meet, hesitantly at first as Tim lets Jason set the pace, then harder as Jason’s confidence grows.

Jason moans against Tim’s mouth as he tugs lightly on the short hairs at the back of his neck. The moan quickly turns into a groan as Darcy launches himself up from the floor, whining and barking as he tries to get in on the action.

Tim starts to laugh, even as the dog manages to get his front paws up on the counter. “I hope he doesn’t do this all the time.”

“Something tells me he’s going to be a worse cockblock than Dick.”

#chibinightowl writes #brightestdaay #jaytimsecretsanta #Tim Drake #Jason Todd #Darcy the Dog #JayTim #Eventual Relationship

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gaveuplovecats · 5 years

Text

Oh boy, it’s long.

Today, a man came into my work and immediately began being annoying. He was one of those showboaters, talking loudly about business deals and being a millionaire. My boss’ and my bullshit meters were off the charts from the get-go. We are trying our best to ignore him, but he is clearly trying to get us to fawn over him by talking louder and louder about “millions of dollars”. His not-so-subtle brag was falling on deaf ears, so in a last ditch effort to get and hold our attention he loudly hissed “PSSSSSSSST”. My boss (smart gal) hightailed it out of the area, I turned to him and he wagged his finger at me in a “come here” manner (fucking RUDE). When I approached him, he asked “do you know why I’m a millionaire? Do you know what happened to me? You must because I’m all over the news. Everyone is talking about me and my discovery!”. He was trying to bait me, get and hold my attention, and it was not working. I was truthful and told him that no, I had not heard anything. He continues on, “I found an authentic babe Ruth baseball card! It’s worth 4 million dollars!”. My first thought was “why would you be practically shouting about being worth millions of dollars where anyone can hear you? Aren’t you afraid of being robbed?”, but that thought was null when he PULLED OUT THE BASEBALL CARD HE WAS TALKING ABOUT and loud enough for every Tom, Dick, and Harry to hear, exclaims (while waving the card around) “THIS IS WORTH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS!”. First of all, I don’t give a flying fuck about sports memorabilia, second, I don’t believe a word of what he is saying. I had to act somewhat enthused, and replied “oh wow. good for you, congrats.”, then walked away to finish what I was working on.

This was not the response he was expecting, or wanting.

As my back is turned to him, I hear him excuse himself to answer the phone. The one sided conversation was just him shouting about “business”, “millions of dollars”, and “deals”.

I must note that I have dealt with a lot of millionaires and billionaires. While they may not be humble, they never talk about their net worth or business. They will actively avoid calls, and they NEVER parade around, brag about, or showcase any item that would make them a significant amount of money.

I have also been approached by people claiming to be famous, rich, and/or “premium” customers...all fakes. (A man claiming to be Jason Aldean requested a security escort and went to every employee trying to get recognized. He was called the fuck out by two aldean superfans he tried to rope into his fantasy).

Anyways: this guy is clearly trying to get some kind of star treatment, and really milking a dead cow. He did not only receive unenthusiasm from the very people he was desperately trying to impress...he also inadvertently told a bunch of shady individuals that the one thing that would make him rich was in his fucking pocket.

I ended up looking into his claims online, and hooo boy, he sure seems like a fraud.

1. News outlets had covered his story, but were conflicting on the details.

2. The “authentication” was done by an anthropologist who specializes in Native American artifacts. (NOT sports cards..terminology?)

3. He never submitted the card to any organization specializing in sports cards (again, terminology?)

4. He said “some auction house on the east coast” told him the card was worth over $4 million. (Some auction house is pretty broad)

In conclusion: It is my strong belief he is a fraud. He got the card “authenticated” by someone completely unfamiliar with the subject, realized the card would ultimately be deemed fake, and is trying to get it stolen...or claim it was stolen. If it is “stolen” from him before the real experts can look at it, he will go down as a courageous, humble man (with millions). He didn’t know that his family’s wellbeing would be “so tragically swiped away.”

His children deserve a good education.

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sassycassie-s-writing · 6 years

Text

Baby Batman

By: SassyShoulderAngel319

Fandom/Character(s): DC, BatFam - Jason Todd/Red Hood, feat Bruce Wayne/Batman

Rating: PG

Original Idea: I saw some fan art on Pinterest of a de-aged Bruce interacting with Jason and I couldn’t help what came into my head.

Notes: (Masterlist)(By Character)(About Me) This one is SO. LONG! Almost 3500 words. So it’s got a Keep Reading option. @welovegroot @batboys-and-other-messes

^^^^^

My phone rang. It was Jason. I snatched it up. "Hey Jason!"

"Heeey babe… how fast can you get to the manor?" Jason asked, sounding a mix between awkward and panicked.

"I don't know, like, fifteen minutes?" I said.

"Great, can you come out?"

"Uh… Sure. Be right there."

I started to get ready---just throw on some clothes that weren't pajamas and brush out my hair. Once that was done I climbed in my car and headed out of Gotham City to where Wayne Manor rested, nestled amongst the trees.

I parked along the edge of the wide drive and jogged to the door. Knock-knock-knock-knock!

The door flew open almost immediately. Jason stood there. "Come in, come in!" he said breathlessly, beckoning me in. I slid in. Jason shut the door. Hard.

"Jay, what's going on?" I asked.

"Oh good! She came!" his brother Dick exclaimed, coming out of the parlor.

But he wasn't alone. There was a small child in his arms.

A small child with black hair, bright blue eyes, and a rather familiar scowl.

"Uh… please tell me that's not Bruce," I said.

Jason cleared his throat. "It is," he admitted.

"Anyone want to explain why Bruce is three?" I asked.

The little child pouted---he looked remarkably like Damian. "I'm fouwa!" he protested.

"He got hit with something on our last patrol," Dick said.

"So why am I here? I'm not a very good babysitter---"

"No, no. Jay's playing the babysitter," Dick said, passing tiny Bruce to his younger brother. "You're here to watch Jay while we go out and find the man who did this to Bruce and have him reverse it."

"How come Jason doesn't get to go out with you?" I asked.

"Because, whether or not I'll admit it to anyone else outside this room," Jason said, "I'm the best with kids. Also they don't want me to just straight up shoot the idiot who thought this would be a good idea."

Baby Bruce started absentmindedly tugging at Jason's hair.

"Also Bruce hasn't wanted Jay to leave his sight since this happened," Dick added, pulling up a video on his phone to show me.

It was little Bruce stumbling to Jason and wrapping his arms around Jason's leg and pleading, "Stay! Pwease?" Then Jason sighing and picking him up, making Bruce squeal.

"How long will you guys be gone?" I asked.

"Till nightfall at the latest. Then we come home in shifts to help babysit. Once the sun goes down you can head home," Dick answered.

I clapped him on the shoulder. "Good luck," I said.

"Thanks. We'll need it," Dick said before running off for the Batcave. As he ran, he stripped off his shirt to reveal the back of his Nightwing suit.

"Does he always wear his suit under his clothes?" I asked Jason.

Bruce nodded. "Uh-huh," he said.

"No, he doesn't," Jason put in. "Wait. Does he? I don't know. I mean, I doubt it. That wouldn't be very comfortable."

Bruce nodded more emphatically. "Awways," he said.

Jason cleared his throat. "Right. C'mon, kid. Ya hungry?"

Bruce lit up. "Juice!"

"Okay. Let's go get you some juice!" He glanced at me. "Coming?"

"Obviously." I followed them to the kitchen. "How much of this are you guys going to save for blackmail and private jokes?"

"All of it, babe. All of it."

"Taowy!" Bruce said, reaching for me.

"I think he wants you to hold him, Tally," Jason remarked. I took tiny Bruce from Jason's hold and into mine so Jason could look for the juice.

"I'm surprised he remembers all of our names and stuff," I said.

"Me too," Jason said.

"Me free!" Bruce exclaimed brightly.

I blinked. "We're certain this is Bruce? Like, he wasn't place-swapped with someone else's happy kid?"

"Nah. Did you see his scowl when Dick brought him into the foyer? Looked just like Damian. It's Bruce."

"Ah, Miss Tally. I see you're helping Master Todd watch over Master Bruce," Alfred remarked, coming in. "I tried to inform the boys that just because you are a woman does not necessarily make you a more qualified nurturer but, of course, they didn't listen."

"Oh no, Alf," I said, "I'm not here to babysit. Jason's babysitting Bruce and I'm babysitting Jason."

"Babe!" Jason protested from the cupboards.

"What? Is that not exactly what Dick said?"

Jason cleared his throat. "Sort of. I guess."

"Wonderful, Miss Tally. Now, if you don't mind, I've been asked to provide technical backup to your brothers," Alfred said to Jason.

"We don't. We can handle Bruce till sundown," Jason said. "Thanks Alfred."

"You're welcome, Master Todd." Alfred ducked out of the kitchen right as Jason found boxes of apple juice buried under some powdered drink mix.

"Score!" he said.

Bruce clapped his hands. "Juice!"

"So…" I handed Bruce back to Jason after he punched the straw into the foil corner. "Is there a place in the house where we can let him roam a little freer without being worried that he'll, I don't know, knock over a priceless vase, stick his finger in a plug, or, say, find one of your guns?"

"The playroom from his childhood should still be there," Jason mused. "His… first childhood."

"Then I guess that's where we should go hang out."

"S'pose so."

We took baby Bruce to the playroom. It was a large child-proofed room with bins of old toys, bean bags, and a small plastic slide. Everything was coated in a layer of dust. "I guess no one's been in here for a while."

"Nope," Jason said. "Except Dick, probably." Jason nodded to the hooks mounted securely in the ceiling and the less-dusty, wound-up ribbons that the hooks attached too and hung.

"I didn't know he could do ribbon routines."

"Oh, sweetheart, he can do just about anything acrobatics-related," Jason muttered as he set Bruce down. "If he's not too tired when he gets back we'll have to have him show you. I'll never admit it to him but it's actually pretty neat. I'm a little acrobatic myself, but nowhere near as flexible and skilled in circus stunts as that clown."

Bruce squealed from where he'd toddled away from Jason and ran back to him, hugging Jason's thigh. "Cwown!" he whimpered. "Scaowy cwown!"

Jason knelt down and ruffled Bruce's hair before hugging him. "There's no clown, kiddo, I promise. I was just saying that to tease Dick, 'kay?"

Bruce nodded. "'Kay." He started to walk off, a little clumsy, toward the plastic slide, singing to himself. "Dickie, Dickie, Dickie…!"

"Gee, wonder who's the favorite," Jason muttered.

I nudged him. "You. He adopted you first, remember? Dick was a ward before he was a son. You were a son. Your death nearly broke him. He's just singing that because you mentioned Dick's name."

"Mm," Jason grunted.

Bruce came running back to Jason and grabbed his hand. "Jay, Jay, Jay! Pway!" He turned big puppy-dog eyes up to Jason. "Pwease?"

Jason smiled down at his adoptive dad with the softest smile I'd ever seen on him. "Of course, buddy. Let's play."

Bruce dragged him over to the plastic slide and the toy bins.

"Hey Tal!" Jason called. I looked up from Bruce to Jason. He yanked his phone out of his pocket and threw it at me---gently. "Take as many pictures and videos as you want. Even if I look like an idiot in it, as long as he looks cute or dorky, I want you to keep it."

I grinned. "Okay." I sat down at the door, just to make sure Bruce didn't try to escape.

Bruce and Jason started to play together, play-tackling and fake-wrestling. Bruce was squealing and laughing as Jason tickled his sides, the little kid trapped in Jason's powerful but gentle arms and lying on Jason's broad chest. Bruce was kicking and squirming as he laughed but he couldn't get away. I grinned and filmed the whole thing on Jason's phone.

After about a half-hour, I got a call from Dick. "How's everything going, Tally?" he asked.

"Surprisingly okay," I replied. "Can you hear him laughing?"

"Yeah. Wow. I don't think I've heard B laugh like that in---ROBIN! Put the katana away!"

"How's it going with you guys? Any luck so far?" I asked.

"We split up and tackled three dead-end leads and are currently pursuing a fourth," Dick replied. "So far none of us have been successful. Glad to hear Bruce isn't being too much of a handful."

"Well… Jason has big hands. He can handle it," I remarked.

"Good point. He's being nice?"

"He's being beyond nice. He's great with little kids."

"Yeah. Hence why he stayed home."

"Question, Dick," I said.

"Answer, Tally," he replied.

"Are you wearing Nightwing or Batman tonight? I saw Nightwing under your shirt but I didn't see you after you went for the Batcave so I don't know if you changed."

There was quite a long silence. I knew Dick wasn't the biggest fan of wearing the Batman suit---he claimed the cape was too heavy and felt like he was wearing a ball-gown made of Kevlar. Though, I still had no idea how he knew what a ball gown of Kevlar would feel like. But he wore it whenever he had to. Because he was the eldest and felt it was his responsibility.

"Batman is taking the day off. So many people can go years between sightings that no one will notice that he wasn't patrolling for one day while the, uh, Batlings are clearly out on a mission. If worse comes to absolute worst and Gordon activates the Bat-Signal for any reason, one of us will come back fast and either change or call Jason ahead of time and have him put it on and switch him out for babysitting duty," Dick replied. "Then have everyone else go with him to meet Gordon because I will absolutely not let him go alone."

"Well I have Jason's phone while he's playing with Bruce so you'll get me then too. But I'll hand him over the phone."

"Great. Thanks Tally. You're a gem. Jason's lucky to have you. ROBIN! I SAID PUT THE KATANA DOWN!"

"You said put it down. You didn't say I couldn't pick it up again," Damian's voice pointed out quietly through the speaker.

"Robin…" Dick warned.

"Okay, okay. Whatever you say, Nightwing," Damian relented, but sounding rather bitter about it.

"Okay Tally. Gotta go. Robin and I have some more leads to run down."

"Good luck, Nightwing."

"Thanks. Be back by nightfall. Or someone will."

"You need sleep too," I said.

"Bye Tal."

"Bye Dick." I hung up.

"That Dick?" Jason asked.

"Yup," I answered.

"Dickie, Dickie, Dickie…" Bruce sang under his breath, coming over to me so I could hand him his juice.

"What'd he want?"

"Just to make sure we're okay and Bruce is still alive," I said. Jason rolled his eyes. "And to tell us the contingency plan in case Batman is needed today for any reason."

Jason sat on the floor directly in front of the door so Bruce couldn't escape. Not that he seemed to have any desire to. He was spinning in circles after giving me back his juice box. "And what is that contingency plan?"

"Depends. One of them will come back and change into Batman---probably Dick---or they'll call you and have you put on the cape and cowl while they drive back and swap you out for babysitting duty," I said.

"I like that second one. I never get to play Batman," Jason said.

"Gee, I wonder why, Mr. Gun Enthusiast," I muttered under my breath. Jason snickered.

Bruce perked up, wandered over, and sat in my lap. "I'm Ba'man!" he exclaimed.

I ruffled his hair. "That's right, Brucie. You are Batman," I said. "Just not tonight."

He slouched. "No… I'm too yittle," he mumbled.

Jason tugged on Bruce's sleeve. "Hey, you wanna play Batman?" he asked.

Bruce's eyes widened. He gasped and smiled. "Yeah!"

Jason grinned widely and got to his feet. "Okay buddy. You're Batman. And I'm the Batwing." He pulled Bruce out of my lap, while Bruce squealed, and flipped him so Bruce's back was pressed to Jason's chest. Jason's hands held Bruce's upper legs in such a way that Bruce was basically sitting in his hands and stuck his thumbs up. "Okay, Brucie. Hold my thumbs! They're your controllers." Bruce wrapped his little hands around Jason's thumbs. "Let's fly!"

Jason started making plane noises, running around the playroom and tilting Bruce side-to-side (carefully) like they were flying over Gotham. Bruce was shrieking and giggling, having the time of his life. I watched with a smile. Jason would be a great dad. "Jay! Jay! Jay!" Bruce was squealing as he "steered" Jason around by the thumbs. I filmed the whole thing on Jason's phone.

I set the camera down, flicked the child lock on the playroom door so it would keep Bruce in without being monitored, and got to my feet. "A challenger approaches! It's Harley Quinn!" I exclaimed.

Bruce gasped as Jason made puttering noises and set him down. Jason came over to stand by me. "And the Joker!" he added. "It's up to you to take them down, Batman!"

Bruce scrunched his little eyebrows and charged at us.

He tried to bowl me over. I was too heavy for him.

But I fell back dramatically. "Oh no! You've got me, Batman!" I cried. Jason was biting back a laugh as Bruce turned on him and did the same thing.

Jason scooped Bruce up and started tickling him. "Joker's not going down that easily, Bats!" Jason said. Bruce screamed and giggled at being tickled again. I snickered from my position "knocked down" on the floor.

We played "Batman" for… what felt like an hour. But was probably ten minutes. Then we settled down to get some water.

But Bruce had a ton of energy so we played tag through the halls of the manor, never letting him out of our sight. Whenever Bruce was "it," he only ever chased Jason. Shouting, "Jay! Jay! Jay! Jay! Jay!"

Jason tried to do a front flip off the stairs to land in the foyer, but I grabbed the back of his leather jacket. "No acrobatics," I snapped. "There is an impressionable four-year-old five yards away who is the de-aged version of a rather acrobatic vigilante who will think he can do a flip over the banister. And he can't. Because he's four."

Jason rolled his eyes. "You spend too much time with Alfred," he complained, slinging me into his arms and running down the stairs while I shrieked in surprise.

Though, honestly, I shouldn't have been surprised. Jason did that a lot because he thought it was funny. I didn't.

We played all afternoon, running Bruce until he was absolutely exhausted come nighttime. Jason gave him a bath while I found an old guest room with a twin bed to tuck him into. And some of Damian's old pajamas that would be way too big on Bruce, but Damian had grown out of them. I set them just outside the closed bathroom door---hearing splashing and laughing from both Jason and Bruce---and went to the kitchen to get a drink and a snack. We'd fed Bruce at the proper suppertime according to Alfred but hadn't had much more than snacks ourselves.

Once I had a few crackers I went and stood by the bathroom door, having nothing else to do till Bruce got out of the bath. I folded my arms and waited.

Jason's hand emerged and grabbed the pajamas before disappearing again and shutting the door. I didn't even move.

Bruce ran out of the bathroom moments later, black hair still damp and sticking out at odd angles. Or rather, he stumbled out the door, tripping on the too-long pajama pants. He wrapped his arms around my knees. "Taowy! Jay-Jay says it's bedtime!" he said. I couldn't tell if he was complaining or not.

"Yup. Bedtime, squirt," I said, picking him up and putting him on my hip. I took him to the guest room with the littler twin bed and me and Jason tucked him in. Jason read him a bedtime story while I went to Jason's room and retrieved his guitar. I got it back to him just as he was finishing the story and passed him the guitar. He played it gently as I sang an old lullaby.

Bruce was out before we finished the first chorus, snoozing deeply.

Jason and I grinned at each other and left the bedroom. We texted Alfred where we'd put Bruce to bed---he was still down in the Batcave helping the rest of the Batlings find the villain that de-aged Bruce---and ate a real meal for dinner.

"Hey Tally. It's too dark to drive home. Why don't you stay here tonight?"

I shrugged. "Okay."

"You've gone far beyond what we told you that you were here to do," Jason remarked. "You were supposed to watch me not Bruce. But you really shared the load with me."

I shrugged. "I guess that's just what good girlfriends do when their boyfriend's dads get turned from boss vigilantes into four-year-olds," I said.

We finished our dinner and went to bed. I slept in the guest room next to Bruce's, so I'd hopefully hear him if he woke up in the middle of the night. Jason and I shared a goodnight kiss before I went to sleep---in a borrowed pair of Jason's pajamas that were way too big on me.

^^^^^

The next morning, after getting over the confusion of "Where am I why am I not at home?" I went down to the kitchen.

Jason and Dick were making waffles. "Morning babe," Jason greeted.

"Morning."

"Sleep well?" Dick asked.

"Always do when I come here and have a sleepover. The beds are so comfortable," I said.

"Waffle?" Jason offered, holding up a plate stacked with waffles.

"Sure." I sat at the breakfast bar and let Jason hand me a plate. "So… any luck last night?" I asked.

Bruce stumbled in at that exact moment-fully-grown and in his own pajamas, which I'd never seen before. "I… had… the craziest dream," he said.

"That you were turned into a four-year-old?" Dick suggested.

"Y-yeah. How did you---?"

"It was real," Jason deadpanned without preamble. "Waffle?"

Bruce swore. "I was hoping it was just a bad dream," he said.

"Nope," Jason said, popping the p.

Bruce noticed me, eating a waffle drowned in syrup and whipped cream. "Certainly explains why you're here," he remarked to me. "You have a nice singing voice, by the way." I blushed as Jason handed me chocolate syrup and a glass of milk.

"Thank you, Mr. Wayne," I said to Bruce. "And thanks Jason."

"Yes. Thank you, Jason," Bruce said. "You two are remarkable at childcare. I haven't had that much fun in a long time." There was the ghost of a wistful smile on his face.

Dick snickered and plopped down next to me at the breakfast bar to eat his waffle. Jason did as well on my other side. Bruce took a waffle from the stack and sat on Dick's other side. I finished stirring my chocolate milk and did my best to disappear. The men were all family and I was the awkward intruder---the girlfriend who didn't really belong.

Jason nudged me with his elbow and began to sing the lullaby. I grinned and sang along with him. Dick grinned at us.

"I trust everything went well," Bruce said to his eldest. "In changing me back and finding the man who caused it."

"Woman, actually," Dick said. "Yeah everything went fine. She called herself the Queen Mother." He shrugged. "Damian could have taken her out with his eyes closed. She wasn't really a fighter. But the antidote was right there. We moved you from the kid guest room to your own room once we got back---I think Tim took a hundred and fifty pictures---and put you in your own pajamas before administering the antidote. Then we all went to bed. Figured it would take a couple hours to take effect. Just like the initial transformation did. And here you are."

"Thank you. All of you," Bruce said. "It's much better to be an adult."

"No problem, B," Dick said.

I nodded. Jason grunted through a mouthful of waffle.

Once I was finished, I gave Jason a syrupy kiss. "I should head home. See you later, babe."

"See ya!"

"Bye Tally!" Dick called as I left the kitchen.

"Goodbye!" Bruce added.

I laughed and headed out.

#Baby Batman #Jason Todd #Jason Todd Imagine #Jason Todd FanFiction #Red Hood #Red Hood Imagine #Red Hood FanFiction #DC #DC Imagine #DC FanFiction #BatFam #BatFam Imagine #BatFam FanFiction #Batman #Batman Imagine #Batman FanFiction #Bruce Wayne #Bruce Wayne Imagine #Bruce Wayne FanFiction

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thisisawesomeness1825 · 6 years

Text

Fruity Loops and Fake (But not Fake) Proposals

Annabeth has a blanket draped over her head. Percy holds a blue pillow close to his chest.

They're standing inside Annabeth's room.

Both kids are panting heavily, heaving large gulps of air to recover their breathing. At the age of ten, it isn't that weird to find two children trying all their might to playfully strangle each other. No, they aren't playing tag. They just invented a new game where Annabeth takes the role of a wicked witch and Percy, a brave but naïve knight.

Taking two cautious steps forward, Annabeth keeps her grey eyes locked in with Percy's sea green ones.

"I'm going to take you down, Wicked Witch," Percy declares, holding the pillow tighter in mock stance.

Annabeth smirks at him, changing into attack position. "Now, now. We all know that isn't true Seawe—I mean Naïve Knight."

She advances two strides while Percy steps back.

Silence ensues and Annabeth dashes to Percy, yanks his pillow expertly and tickles him until he flops down her bed, helplessly.

"No, Annabeth, please—No!" He lets out a girly scream that sends an eerie shrilling vibration on Annabeth's ears. She just continues poking his sides, giggling.

"Stop. Annabeth, please!" his voice pleads.

There's a smug look on her face that says otherwise but her innocent voice tells a different story. "Say the magic line, Percy."

The poor kid sighs in defeat, knowing that begging will not work on his so-called bestfriend. He scoffs, a little breathless. "Okay. Fine. A-Annabeth," he stutters, and he sees Annabeth's expression that clearly tells him to go on (the humiliation part it is) but there's also that affection that sends warmth on his chest.

"A-Annabeth, b-beat me in the Witch and Knight game—"he pauses, "again."

Annabeth flashes him a mocking grin, much to his annoyance. "And?"

"For the bazzilionth time," Percy finishes. He lets out a huff, because the humiliation part is over.

Annabeth finally releases him and stands up, straightening her shirt in the process. Percy scoots over to give her space as she places herself beside him.

"I'm cool," she states, looking over to Percy who is obviously scowling.

"Nah. You just got lucky," Percy retorts, shoving the blue pillow in her direction.

She rolls her eyes and nudges him. "Luck doesn't bring you bazillion wins, Percy."

He exhales, sea green eyes flitting over to her. "Oh well. You're Wise Girl, anyway."

"I know. I know." She chuckles lightly.

They sit in a comfortable silence, thinking of new ways to spend their time together. Percy thinks of eating, but his Mom is still busy to bake some blue cookies for him and Annabeth. Which kind of reminds him of the pack of Fruity Loops he keeps in his bag.

He instantly stands up and reaches for his knapsack perched on top of Annabeth's study table. His hands delve inside and produces a bag of Fruity Loops.

"What's that?" Annabeth asks, her curiosity increases as she stares at the mystery pack.

Percy laughs, much to Annabeth's dismay. He knows how she hated not knowing. "Fruity Loops. Mom bought it for me. It tastes good, actually. Want to try some?"

Annabeth glares at him. She then fishes out three loops; red, yellow and pink. She scrunches her nose in disgust. "Isn't there a grey colored one?"

Percy chokes on his loop and looks incredulously at her. "Grey loop? Is there even a grey colored fruit?"

She scoffs. "Oh well. Never mind."

She swallows the rainbow food down to her throat. They aren't as bad as they look. They're sweet actually. Maybe she should stop judging foods by the way they look. Her biased taste buds scream yellow because it tastes like lemon. And she loves lemon.

"I like the yellow one," Annabeth decides.

Percy hums in response before passing her more yellow colored loops.

They stay like that for a couple of minutes, quietly munching on Fruity Loops. Annabeth enjoys his presence more than anyone else. The truth is, she's never been comfortable with other kids aside from this dork she refers to as her bestfriend. Percy knows her in more ways than one, and she does so with him.

"Annabeth," she hears Percy mutter. She turns so she could look at him, fully.

"Yeah?"

Percy blinks at her, then buries his face on the pillow. "Let's get married."

"What?"

He pushes the pillow away and shifts his body to look at her. "It's a game from what other kids say. All we do is act out the persons in the wedding. And Piper says she plays it with Jason, so I thought . . . we could also."

Annabeth thinks about it for a moment and nods her head slowly. She's never played it before but it sounds cool. "O-kay. But, I have a condition."

Percy beams at her. "What?"

She smirks and throws him her blanket. It lands with a thump on his face. "I get to be the groom."

Percy flails his arms wildly, a frown sculpted on his face. "That's unfair! That should be me. Only boys are allowed to be the grooms!"

Annabeth chucks her tongue at him. "But, you're girly."

"Hey! I am not!" Percy argues. He tries to catch Annabeth but he ends up stumbling on the floor. He gives up.

They play the whole wedding thing, starting from the proposal. Annabeth acts as the groom because she wants to. Percy takes the role of the bride because Annabeth wants him to and he can't argue with her anyway.

"Will you marry me?" she asks, feigning a deep, manly voice. She doesn't get on one knee since Annabeth thinks it's humiliating. There's a blue fruity loop on her palm.

Percy fakes astonishment. He looks ridiculous with a blanket over his head and a red smudge lipstick. But, he's a bride. He needs to look girly.

"Wow! Yes, yes! I'll marry you!" he exclaims, as he tries a womanly voice, but it comes out as a hoarse, strangled noise.

He takes the blue fruity loop from Annabeth's hand and slips it in his left pinky. He eats it right after.

When the wedding ends, they exchange another set of loop rings and Annabeth places a kiss on his cheek. Percy blushes.

"Annabeth?" he asks, once the fake ceremony is over. "Can I eat my ring now?"

"Shut up." Annabeth whacks him with a pillow.

Percy tickles her instead.

Annabeth has a blanket draped over her head. Percy holds a pillow close to his chest.

They're sitting on Annabeth's couch because she's in need for a Super Bestfriend Depression Kit right now.

Annabeth sobs on his shoulder, quietly, fisting on his shirt in an attempt to pull him closer. His breath hovers in her ear as Percy whispers sweet nothings, encasing her tighter in his arms.

"Stupid. Stupid," she mumbles on his shirt. "I'm so stupid."

Percy feels a little colder, as her tears seep through the material of his shirt, the wet clothing foreign to his skin. He doesn't mind though. And even if Annabeth cries in all of his shirts, he'd still gladly offer himself.

"No, Annabeth. You're not stupid," he says, patting her head in an effort to remove the thought.

"I am! I am!" she shouts, her voice hoarse and shrill and broken. She furiously pounds her fists at him, and Percy just draws her closer. He'll admit it hurts, Annabeth had taken a few judo lessons with him that he knows she throws punches like a guy. But the pain he feels is nothing compared to her, her heart shrinking and splinting and cracking.

"I should have known, Percy! I missed all the hints on those times. I feel so utterly idiotic and useless. Stupid! Stupid!" Annabeth yells. She cries again, his heart breaking little by little everytime her body shakes with sobs.

"It's not your fault, Annabeth. He's a douchebag for cheating on you. He should have known better," he mutters, trying to counterattack the insults she directs to herself. Percy rubs her back until the tension on her body eases.

He keeps her in his arms for a while, the two of them alone in their thoughts until Annabeth's breathing becomes even, his shoulder being her pillow. He pulls the blanket over them, tucks her in and presses play on the remote, humming some childish tune till he too, drifts off to sleep.

The steady thumping rhythm of Percy's heart rouses Annabeth from his shoulder. She blinks around and sees his sleeping face illuminated by the light from the TV. She considers waking him up for some company, but she suddenly remembers how much trouble she caused him, so she decided to watch the sleeping guy instead.

Her mind then wanders about Percy. How he has always known her whole being. The simplicity of the things he does for her; buying her favorite food whenever he comes, giving her cups of coffee during her late night shifts or even buying her tampons when it's her time of the month, all of this he does without bothering to ask her a favor. The whole idea of Percy is always there, lingering at the edges of her cerebral cortex, but Annabeth never got to notice it until now.

She is so used in seeing the whole bestfriend thing that she didn't pay attention to the details making up the big picture. Yet, as a bestfriend. How couldn't she see it? Hadn't she known him longer than anyone else aside from his mother? Hadn't she by his side when he lost the swimming competition?

Now that Annabeth thinks of it, she feels so selfish. So stupid. How come she hadn't read between the lines? The hint had always been there. Percy has always been there.

There's a rustling on her side and she looks over to see Percy blindly reaching for her hand. He grasps it tight and all of her worries and fears loosen with the feeling. She ruffles his hair till he glances up. And somehow, the memories flood back, like loose strings pulling tight on her mind that it hurts, just to create the perfect tone for the moment. Annabeth internally chuckles at the vague flashback, for the sight of a ten-year old Percy wearing smudged red lipstick is so adorable (though most of it is actually gross). But, the innocence of the moment crashes onto her like a euphoria, spreading warmth all over her body. She remembers teasing him girly (for he knows girly stuff she wasn't even aware back then) which he poorly argues. There's also a memory of them faking a proposal and shamelessly eating their engagement rings (Fruity Loops) right after.

She keeps the recollections close to her, the emotions swell like rivers to her heart.

"Hey," she hears Percy say. He buries his head onto the crook of her neck, and Annabeth wonders whether he's smelling her or breathing her in, both of the options sounded well anyway.

"Hi," she replies, scratching mindlessly on his hair. It had always been a favorite of her to play with his hair, constantly that it became a hobby. A content sigh escapes his lips, and Annabeth knows she's done the right thing.

"Did I fell asleep?" Percy asks. She has half a mind to answer with sarcasm. The other half wins.

"Yeah. You did."

He chuckles and curls into her, their skins tingling at the contact. "You smell like the Annabeth I know."

She stops scratching his scalp, sounding amused. She doesn't know if she is to be glad or not, pondering whether the comment 'You smell like the Annabeth I know' is a compliment or not.

"What?"

"Recently, you wore sadness and desperation like a perfume, you know. But now . . . You smell like your old self. No masks, no perfume, nothing. And, you're back now in smelling like a field of lemons. I love it."

She'll admit, she's taken aback. These words calm her mind, even though they mean nothing but to tease her. The boldness and honesty of his words appeals to her, that he actually takes time to recall these small things she doesn't even consider herself, and she feels so loved.

She watches the movie and he does too, as she tugs and strokes his hair while Percy rubs soothing circles in her back.

They reach the scene where the protagonist proposes to her bestfriend and Annabeth's mind suddenly wanders to their 'what if'.

"Hey, Perce?" she voices out.

"Hmm?"

"What do you think of bestfriends marrying each other?"

He's quiet for a moment, perhaps thinking (which she thinks is actually pretty hard to come by) and plays with her fingers, occasionally lacing them with his.

"That'd be cool, I guess. And cute. Some people actually believe that it's kind of endearing to have your spouse as your bestfriend before anyone else. In that way, they'll just understand each other better."

Annabeth nods, understanding his point.

"Why'd you ask that, Wise Girl? Having thoughts on marrying your bestfriend?" Percy inquires, jokingly.

She snorts. 'Thinking of doing it right now, really' she wants to say. But, that'll be way too forward.

"I think. Yeah. I might have."

Annabeth glances at her right only to find Percy's sea green eyes on her. There's a look on his eyes that seems hopeful, happy and various more. She doesn't know which one is true.

"You aren't serious, are you?" he questions, cautiously. A passive expression masks his face, but Annabeth can clearly see into that façade. She has seen almost everything about him that she's aware of the meaning behind each appearance.

"I am. I am serious," she answers, more determined. Then, she adds to lighten the mood, "Even though you'd be a horrible wife. Talk about armpit hairs and morning breath."

A chuckle bubbles up his throat and he cuddles to her closer. He presses his face to her shoulder and Annabeth instantly knows he's smiling. She is too. She is smiling so wide it's starting to hurt.

"You hate my armpit hair, really? I'd pretty myself for you then, husband. Just propose to me, properly," Percy replies, poorly mimicking a woman's voice.

Annabeth laughs but plays with him, too. "Oh yes. I gladly would honey. If I only have a ring."

"Oh silly. What are Fruity Loops for? Wait here sweetheart. I'll go get 'em."

Percy abruptly gets up and goes to his bag for some Fruity Loops. As he searches, he calls out to her. "Just wait there, my Periwinkle."

Annabeth loudly groans. "My Periwinkle? Are you kidding me, Percy?"

"No. Just go with it, Annabeth."

"Okay then, Munchkin."

Percy comes back holding a pack Fruity Loops, grinning stupidly. "Did you just say Munchkin, Wise Girl? Munchkin, really?"

Annabeth ignores his comment and grabs the pack from him, finding a blue and yellow one. Percy looks at her expectantly.

"I'm not kneeling, you idiot. Come over and sit in the couch," she orders him. He happily obliges.

When they're already comfortably sitting, Annabeth reaches for Percy's hand and encloses it with her palm. She feels the callouses on his hand, a few scars he got from saving her and she thinks she's never gonna live the same life without this guy.

"Hey," Percy says, his voice soft and like home, a familiar ringtone in her ears. A hand gently strokes her cheek and he stares at her with so much affection. "You don't have to do this, Annabeth. I know the pain from your breakup still hurts. We don't have to rush this."

"I know. I know." She nods because she understands and she's glad Percy does too. But, she isn't about to be affected by her previous relationships. She's way too focused now on Percy.

Foreheads touching and eyes closed, Annabeth whispers, "But, I want to do this now. Besides, do you want me to change my mind?"

Percy laughs nervously and he searches her eyes for a second "No. I don't want you to change your mind."

Annabeth purposely bumps her nose to his. He thinks it says 'I love you'. She smiles.

"Then, marry me."

This time, it's Percy who nudges his nose to Annabeth. She thinks it translates to 'I love you, too.' He chuckles.

"That sounds like an order, not a proposal."

She huffs impatiently and glares at him. "Do you want to marry me or not?"

"Of course. Of course." He leans in and kisses her, lips softly brushing against each other. She kisses back, her hands on his neck to pull him closer. And suddenly, everything falls into place. The way he's holding her, his mouth pressed gently to hers, the cliché factor of the moment seems incomparably wonderful. There's something about the spontaneity of the moment, the exact time is all too picture perfect until her nose knocks onto his. He smiles against her lips because it is so cute, and he shifts his head to get a better angle and there it is again. Nosebumping. She laughs and they pull back, foreheads still in contact. Their ragged breathing fills the room as they stare at each other.

Percy says after a while. "I hate your nose, really."

She laughs again. "Don't worry. My nose says the feeling is mutual."

Annabeth then takes his hand as she tries to fit the blue loop ring. It barely grazes his pinky.

"Aw. The ring doesn't fit," Annabeth observes as she examines his finger. Percy stares at her with so much adoration and wonders how she couldn't notice it.

"Annabeth?"

She looks up at him, smiling way too sweet. Percy swears they'd get ant bites later. "Yeah?"

"Remember when you asked me about grey colored loops?"

She nods, reminiscing the question.

"Well, I tried to think about it. I researched so maybe I can find you some, but . . . I found another thing. It's still a loop, but not grey. Instead, it's silver. And you can't eat it. It costs way too much for a hundred pack of Fruity Loops," he confesses as he pulls a small red velvet box from his pocket. Perched on the center of the soft material is a ring, a real silver engagement ring.

"I'm just waiting the span of my entire life for this exact moment to ask you so. I-I know I should have proposed to you first, if that's what you're thinking but you-you look so cute in the whole proposal thing that I"—his rambling is cut-off when Annabeth kisses him again, hard. Percy easily responded, with the same amount of fervor. He feels so infinite with this ephemeral moment. His thoughts can't get coherent and all he knows is he doesn't want to stop. They pull back when their oxygen supply runs out and Annabeth encases him in an almost death hug.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she questions, breathless.

"Because I love you?"

"Oh shut up you dumb dork!"

He draws her tighter and she hugs him back and maybe Percy can die happy now. (Not that he wants to)

They cherish the silence, their steady breathing and heartbeats forming music into their ears. Percy speaks after a few minutes.

"Annabeth?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I eat my ring now?"

"Shut up." Annabeth whacks him with a pillow.

Percy just kisses her instead.

#my fic #percabeth #percy jackson #annabeth chase #i kind of love this story #but i'm probably just biased hahahaha #pjo

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solangelover · 6 years

Text

Disney Love - a Solangelo Disney AU

Happy late Thanksgiving for those who celebrate it! I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON AND OFF ON THIS FOR SO LONG. It’s based on this prompt! Will is Peter Pan and Nico is Flynn Rider at Disneyland :)

Read on AO3 or Fanfiction.net

Will Solace was living the life.

He was enrolled in a good college and was having a good time. He had a great internship that made good money. His Disney internship allowed him to be in Disneyland most days of the week. That was enough to make Will happy. It was a bonus that he actually got to be a character - Peter Pan, one of his favorites, no less.

Peter Pan was a happy-go-lucky kid who never wanted to grow up and only wanted to have fun. Will couldn't imagine a more fitting character for him to be. Plus, since college wasn't totally sucking his soul like it was some of his friend's, his inner child wasn't far out of his reach.

Will loved interacting with the kids in the park. They were all so happy and excited that they were meeting THE Peter Pan in real life – it was written all over their faces. Seeing those bright, smiling faces made Will's job easy. Who couldn't smile back at that?

One of his favorite things about being a character, however, was the behind the scenes things. He enjoyed getting dressed and ready to be in character along with all the other cast members. While some think it kills the magic to see characters half in costume, Will finds it fascinating. It almost makes it more real because it seems like the characters are just normal people getting ready in the morning like anyone else. Except with fancy costumes and wigs and much more makeup.

It can be a buzzkill to discover some cast members are really grumpy and rude out of character, but Will likes to focus on the bright side. For example, he's learned to see just how beautiful some people actually look. When coming out of costume, it's a bit shocking to see a normal person, but then you realize just how amazing normal looks and how strange Disney characters look. And then there are those who look almost the same when coming out of costume. Not exactly the same, but with the same amount of you're so pretty, you have to be a Disney character, you can't be real kind of thing.

That applies to one person in particular that Will noticed one day. Flynn Rider, the counterpart to his favorite Disney princess, Rapunzel, happens to be quite the eye candy in real life. Just his face gives off the Flynn Rider feel of I'm a handsome troublemaker and I know it. Will doesn't look for him every day, but he's never disappointed on the days they both work.

The sad part? Will doesn't even know his name. All he knows is that a cute guy is Flynn Rider and they pass each other sometimes around the park. Each time Will sees Flynn walk by, he admires the way he interacts with the kids. His smile seems genuine and he laughs a lot, but he still has his smirk like he's secretly pick-pocketing them all. Who knows, maybe he is. Will loves how perfectly he portrays his character and how he clearly loves his job, unlike some cast members. Once, while Will was admiring Flynn's looks, his cast member reminded him that Peter Pan had a line of kids waiting to take pictures with him, not to mention the kid that was standing right in front of him. Will had blushed and put on his brightest smile for the camera, but not without missing the glance from Flynn, who lost his cool composure for a second to show a bit of curiosity and possibly hope?

Today, Will was feeling a bit more tired from schoolwork than normal and, thus, had to really concentrate on his character in order to do a good job. Unfortunately for him, his one and only distraction was working that same day and had already passed by him a few times in the park. Piper McLean, the cast member that walked with him and controlled his line, pulled him aside and said, "Okay, I realize that you have a major crush on Nico, but this is the most obvious you've been about it. You need to do something about it before I step in because your daily pining is starting to get annoying."

Will couldn't even process all those words. Wait, what? She knows? It's that obvious? Wait wait... "Nico? Who's that?"

Piper rolled her eyes, "Hello? Flynn Rider? You're telling me you've been staring at him this whole time and you didn't know his name??"

Nico. His name is Nico. Wow that's hot. Will was too distracted to pay attention to Piper scolding him. He finally got his name! And it's a beautiful name that matched his beautiful face.

While Will thought this, he didn't realize that he was staring right at Fl--Nico with a dreamy look on his face. He only noticed when he registered those chocolate brown eyes staring right back at him. Will suddenly straightened up with a blush rising to his cheeks. Then he noticed the light blush that also donned Nico's cheeks.

"Peter Pan!" Will whipped his head around to see Piper glaring at him with a fake smile. "I know you’re a busy kid, so how about one more picture before we go find your Lost Boys?" She asked a question, but her eyes told him to pull it together and do what she said.

"Uhm, right, yeah, good idea." Will shook his head and reminded himself that he is Peter Pan, not Rapunzel. He turned on his 100-Watt smile and found himself saying the words engraved in his brain automatically to the little boy in front of him. He risked a glance at Nico, who was doing the same as him. Piper and Flynn Rider's cast member, Jason, were talking in hushed voices to each other, glancing at their respective characters every so often. That couldn't be good.

Once Will finished chatting with the boy, he excused himself and Piper whisked him away to the cast members' break room. Shortly after, Jason entered with Nico, who nervously glanced at Will.

Once sitting in the room, Piper and Jason began talking quietly again. After the two boys pushed their blushes away, Nico leaned over and said in a hushed voice, "Do you know what's going on?"

Will admits that it was hard for him not to ask Nico to speak again so he could memorize just how smooth his voice was. Instead, he replied, "Um, I think we're in trouble? Piper seemed mad at me..." Who knows why, Will thought sarcastically to himself, though he had no idea what would happen now.

Will looked back at Nico, who was watching Jason and Piper with concern. Will took a breath, put out his hand, and said, "I don't think we've ever properly met. I'm Will - Will Solace."

Nico smiled and took Will's hand. "Nice to finally meet you. I'm Nico di Angelo. I've seen you around several times." At that, Nico turned a light shade of pink, causing Will to smile a little wider. They were still holding their handshake.

"Will!" Piper's strong voice startled the boys, causing them to jump apart. "Really? Right now? I just-- gah!" She had annoyance written all over her face. Luckily for the boys, Jason stepped in and placed a hand on Piper's shoulder, saying, "What she's trying to say is that you guys should get to know each other more. Then maybe-"

"Maybe, you two could quit staring every time you pass by each other and actually do your job! I mean, honestly Will, kids keep wondering why Peter Pan won't pay attention to them and keeps staring at Flynn Rider," Piper rolled her eyes.

Will was blushing so hard he probably looked like a tomato. An ashamed tomato. Piper was a force to be reckoned with and just her frustrated side scared him – he couldn’t imagine if he actually messed up big time. Will didn’t even want to make eye-contact with Nico, so he just looked down.

Jason sighed, saying, “Same to you, Nico. You do a good job covering up, and you’re lucky when you have Rapunzel walking around with you, but don’t think your little glances go unnoticed.”

Surprised, Will risked a glance at Nico, who seemed to be feeling the same way as Will. He was red, but there was something in his eye that told Will that he wasn’t as embarrassed. When their eyes met, Will saw the twinkle in Nico’s eye and understood. They both looked at each other each time they passed by, both were becoming increasingly interested in the other. Both wanting more.

It’s funny to think about, considering they just learned each other’s names today. And here Piper is, pushing them together in the most harsh, obvious way just because they can’t do their jobs well. No tact, no schemes, just force. Will couldn’t help it – he started laughing.

Piper fixed him with a stern glare, “WHAT is so funny, Solace?” Will knew he should be nervous, that he should stop, but he couldn’t.

“You two,” Will gestured to Jason and Piper while still shaking with laughter, “you knew, the whole time, that we liked each other. But you didn’t do anything. This could’ve been over with weeks ago if you’d just told us!” Will began laughing again just picturing how mad Piper looked when it could’ve all been avoided.

Soon, Nico joined in too. It was ridiculous. They both could have confessed, both could have gotten to know each other sooner, both could have avoided upsetting their cast members. Will suspected they were laughing with relief that they liked each other as well. But, whatever the reason, they both looked a little crazy to Jason and Piper, who only rolled their eyes at the boys.

“I swear you’re all idiots,” Piper stated. “Okay, well you guys need to get back out there. I expect a smooth-sailing rest of the day. You can do whatever you want after work.” And with that, they were rushed out of the room and back into the park, but not without a smirk from Flynn Rider and a wink from Peter Pan.

---

Nico and Will set up a date, talked, laughed, confessed, blushed, and quickly became a couple. Jason and Piper were the first to know. They didn’t even ask – it was just that obvious. They were ecstatic that Nico and Will finally got together, because, of course, they were shipping them the whole time, and because they figured work would be a lot easier.

Eventually, people at work started noticing, but really, Nico and Will didn’t care. They were happy together and did the sweetest little things for each other. Nico found out that Will liked Rapunzel and often quoted Flynn Rider to him, impersonating the thief as best he could (which he could, he was literally Flynn Rider). He also made Will sing Rapunzel’s flower song because Will was blonde and beautiful and Nico couldn’t help it. Will discovered that Nico was actually this really cool, emo kind of a guy outside of work, or at least, he tried to be. Will was one of the few people who knew he worked at Disneyland and loved it. Thus, Will pushed Nico to show more of his softer side and embrace the love of Disney. He’d get Nico little Disney figurines and finally found out that Nico liked The Lion King, especially Scar (he was very into Disney villains).

Of course, they got to know each other in other aspects, but getting to know someone’s Disney side brings this air of childish innocence and joy that made their relationship more pure and simple.

---

A few months after they got together, Piper seemed to be getting annoyed once again. Will didn’t understand why. He was finally with Nico! He wasn’t pining anymore – he could look forward to seeing Nico each day, whether they worked the same day or not. He couldn’t stop thinking about the beautiful boy, his olive-tinted skin, his dark chocolate brown eyes, the little splash of light freckles high on his cheeks, the way he tried to hide his blush, his—

“Peter!” Piper’s voice brought will out of his thoughts. He locked eyes with her and, upon seeing the suppressed anger in them, he quickly turned away from her and towards the kid that walked up to him. He bent down to him and chatted for a bit before signing his book and walking away. Piper quickly walked up to his side, probably about to scold him, when they encountered Flynn Rider. Flynn was walking with Rapunzel by his side, along with Jason. When they saw each other, they slowed to a stop.

“Hey there,” Will smirked as he saluted Nico.

“Hey yourself,” Nico looked at him through lidded eyes, turning on his signature smolder – whether he meant to or not, Will would never know.

Jason and Piper both cleared their throats loudly, trying to get their characters under control. Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite working. The boys stared for too long, not noticing a little girl had walked up to Flynn Rider and Rapunzel. When she saw Peter Pan taking Flynn Rider’s full attention, she latched onto Rapunzel’s arm and stated loudly, “Yes, now Rapunzel is mine!”

That caught everyone’s attention. At first, Nico was surprised. He quickly recovered, grabbing Rapunzel around the waist, saying, “Not quite,” with a little smirk to the girl.

“Aw, but why were you looking at Peter Pan?” the little girl pouted.

Now Will took over. He bent down to the girl and put on his best troublemaker look. “Flynn and I are close friends. We like to have fun and make trouble together. But, we normally don’t take pictures together. Do you want a special picture with all of us?” The little girl nodded enthusiastically, before adding, “But I want Rapunzel to hold me. You can hold Flynn.” Will did not expect that, but he chuckled and nodded yes. Piper and Jason didn’t seem too pleased, but they couldn’t say no to a little girl.

Rapunzel picked up the girl with ease. Will went up to Nico and held his arms out, a bright grin plastered on his face. Nico grumbled, “I hate my job,” to which Will quickly replied, “Love you too!” And with that, Nico jumped into Will’s arms and Will held him bridal-style. It was a picture Jason and Piper made sure would never happen again.

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