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hoodedwing · 3 years

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Inhisar

Summary: After an hour of waiting, Dick goes to hunt for Tiger who didn’t make an appearance. Tiger isn’t just fighting a migraine but something else he refuses to meet head-on with.

Characters: Tiger King of Kandahar, Dick Grayson, Jason Todd (mentions), Damian Wayne (mentions), Bruce Wayne - as Batman (mentions)

Warnings: Mentions of a knife but no blood, gore or anything.

Additional notes: 80% of the fics I see revolving Dick and Tiger are usually Tiger looking after Dick but because I’m a sucker for hurt characters who’ve been through hell and refuse to open his/her/their mouth, I swapped the roles and did something hurt/comf ish. I’m also setting up my ao3 where I’ll transfer my fics there too. Enjoy!

Word Count: 1,801words

inhisar - reliance

***

Dick waited at the rooftops for close to an hour already. He couldn’t shake the buzz from his body as he did a few backflips to shake the feeling off. He was supposed to meet Tiger here close to thirty minutes ago but he hadn’t shown up. It was strange of the usually punctual man who promised some vital information on Dick’s current case. The extremely resourceful man never ceased to amaze Dick although he came off rather cold sometimes.

No matter, he thinks as he shoots his grapple towards the neighboring skyscraper and swings with ease. Metal after metal building appeared in the backdrop of the neon Wayne Industries signage, a testament to Gotham’s cry of need. Dick snorts at the idea before heading over to Tiger’s small place in Gotham. His usual residence wasn’t here but Dick insisted he take one of his safehouses (to which Tiger begrudgingly agreed to). It was one of the smaller ones Tiger argued about since one man doesn't need too much space, idiot.

He nimbly sweeps down to the window and sees it’s dimly-lit, almost dark inside. Frowning at the fact that it was ajar, he pushes it and rolls in silently. He flashes out his escrima sticks, lightning blue and making the crackling sound he’s accustomed too and sneaked to the obvious occupant on the couch. He’s about to swing when he realizes-

-its Tiger.

Asleep?

Dick has to hold back laughter. His previous anxiety was ill-seated as he cheekily leans against the armrest of the sofa.

“Excuuuuse meee?”

He starts, in a fake and airy voice that’s loud but not enough to somehow wake Tiger up who just changes his position and curls deeper into the leather couch, pulling himself up in a small ball.

Dick’s eyes are up at him like a wolfhound. He knows that Tiger is indeed a very light sleeper and he should be awake right now and calling him an idiot and realize he’s the bigger idiot for missing their meeting. He lazily curls himself in a painful-looking position and waits on him.

Sensing the pressure change, Tiger suddenly opens one exhausted green eye and looks at a smiling Dick in civilian clothing. Blinking and clearing his sleep-ridden eyelids, he tosses a cushion at Dick who caught it easily.

“Idiot-”

“Don’t flatter yourself, you didn’t make to our meeting so as a friend-”

“We aren’t friends”

“-okay, okay whatever but hey I gotta make sure you didn’t die out there.”

“I’m not incapable, Agent-”

“-I’m in civvies! You can’t just Agent 37 me.”

Dick retorts, smiling widely. Tiger mutters something under his breath before swinging himself up but his vision spins before he falls back on the couch, angrily staring down at the floor. His head is pulsating again wildly. He only hears the roar of gushing blood in his ears.

Dick is still talking in the background, probably a lecture about something Tiger couldn’t care much about right now. He just needed to make sure he’s not about to kneel over and possibly embarrass himself.

“WIll you shut up for a minute?!”

He hisses, head in his hands, pressed tightly as he tries to filter out the remainder of the supposed light present. Dick is immediately silent before he asks, undisguised concern in his voice.

“Are you okay?”

“Sit down,”

Tiger tests his limbs, and slowly gets up before half-stumbling to the small attached kitchen. Dick had worry etched all over his face as he tossed his jacket onto the vacated couch before switching on the television. He knew no matter how much he insisted, Tiger never told him what was wrong.

He chose to keep to himself, quiet and only spoke when needed. Dick was the one who added life, chatter and still kicked ass alongside the man. Don’t get him wrong, Tiger was a brilliant fighter but he was too quiet, more than usual. Dick was usually good at reading people, seeing the truth in their eyes and figuring out what’s wrong before they can.

Dick cannot say the same for Tiger. He remembered when he met him for the first time. Tiger was unreadable, almost neutral and it threw him off balance. The few things he figured out was his upbringing in war-torn Afghanistan, his love for really hot qehwa and Medjool dates as well as his preference for darker colors. Belatedly, that was it. The rest of it was shut behind cold, emerald eyes almost similar to Damian’s ones. Tiger was a man with calculation, precision and silence, that much Dick knew.

Speaking of silence, it had been ten minutes since Tiger left the couch for the kitchen. Dick decides to go there anyway, at worst a pan might hit his head. He enters the sparsely furnished kitchen and the first thing he registers is a man leaning against the counter, lost in space as he absentmindedly swung a paring knife and his trigger finger constantly twitching. Tiger hadn’t worn his shemagh so Dick can see the ebony hair and slight curls .

“Yes?”

Dick is now slightly afraid of the paring knife in Tiger’s hand so he makes sure he’s a safe zone away from him. Still absentmindedly flicking the knife, Tiger looks at Dick questioningly and with deadly ease, throws the knife at a poor apple sitting on the countertop.

“You didn’t answer me back there, Tig..”

“Hm?”

Hands in his pocket, Dick tries to start a conversation but Tiger pinching his nose bridge stops him from opening his mouth. He observes his silent friend lean a little more against the cold exterior of the marble countertop as the water boiled with lazy wisps of steam trailing near the surface.

Pity washes over Dick who lowers the blinds at the kitchen window and sees some tension from Tiger dissipating.

The water is whistling, bubbles frantically escaping and Dick steps forward to switch it off. Tiger looks up and Dick can see him clearly. Exhaustion, frustration and irritation all rolled up in one impressive eyebrow raise.

“Go back, I’ll finish this. I’m sure you trust me enough to fuck this up.”

He doesn’t bother with a jibe, just heads back to the couch and loses all track of time. Face buried in the leathery couch, everything was tilted off its axis. He vaguely registers throwing a warm jacket left there off the couch before sinking into the cold surface.

A strong smell of qehwa enters the room as Dick balances both cups at a ridiculous angle. Setting them down, he feels Dick sit beside him on the carpet, cross-legged and rocking back and forth.

“Are you gonna tell me what’s wrong?”

“Minor inconveniences”

Is all he says as he buries his face deeper into the couch, blocking all light because it was making his head worse and then Dick had to come here and be an annoying prick. He woke up that morning with a dull pressure from his neck and decided to sleep it off since he had no urgent things to do, blessedly. However, he swore he did set an alarm two hours in advance before their meeting-

Oh no.

“I can give it now and you can be headed on your way.”

Dick stops rocking and narrows his eyes at the figure on the couch, wondering what Tiger meant before a slow grin starts appearing on his face.

“You can’t even walk straight to the kitchen so I’m staying. It’s like a sleepover and don't feel bad about missing our small reunion. It’s okay to feel like absolute shit sometimes.”

He helpfully suggests as he passes a cup of the hot beverage to the man whose face is still planted on the couch. Tiger points one finger at the small coffee table and shakes his head, the action making everything worse. He doesn’t understand why his stupid little... headache isn’t leaving him but he doesn’t care anymore.

Dick had been watching his actions the entire time, evaluated if his chances of dying were high and then gently but softly asked Tiger.

“Migraine? Seems pretty bad. I’ll be back.”

He gets up to hunt for some Imitrex and grabs a cold compress before turning off the lights completely on the way back to the lofty living room where Tiger had already fallen asleep in a very still position.

He has no heart to wake him up because he knows he gets only so much sleep. Gently tapping his shoulder and shaking out a tablet, he probes him again.

“Sit up, I got you some meds. It should help.”

A small groan comes from the couch and then a reluctant turnover as he faces Dick blankly, eyes squinted and Dick instantly feels terrible for waking him up.

“Tell me about one of your inane adventures.”

Tiger asks quietly from where he’s still laying with Dick hovering over him, pill in hand. Confusion momentarily graces his face before he launches into some story about a mission with Damian.

Dick is animatedly whispering about the entire thing as his unconscious hand reaches out to ruffle Tiger’s thick hair. The heavenly head scratches surprisingly comforted Tiger who leans ever so slightly to the touch. It felt nice to be treated like this for once.

Don't get sentimental.

He faintly ignores that voice and reaches out to his primary need of relief and comfort. Dick had gone on to his second story about Jason and how he loved reading. He joked about how he’d spit lines from plays and shoot with equal jest. There was a wistfulness in his tone and a small part of Tiger hated himself so much for being so soft and vulnerable and letting Dick comfort him but it felt normal and everything else considered. He’s unnerved by this unfamiliar experience and he has to get it to stop before he’s caving in and dependent.

He can’t do that.

It’s incredibly stupid and dangerous in his line of work.

What if one day he’s gone?

What would he do?

“Are you feeling any better?”

Dick asks kindly, softly smiling at Tiger who’s trying to suppress all the new emotions Dick stirred up and it somehow warmed him a little but he doesn’t show it.

“Thank..you?”

He fumbles slightly, awkward and the usual firm line on his face was replaced with one slightly curved at the ends. Dick is grinning wildly.

“Did I make the great King smile?!”

Tiger is trying to hide his face before Dick lets out an ecstatic yell.

“You’re smiling! I didn’t know your facial muscles allowed for that action!”

Another cushion was thrown at Dick who’s caught it again before sticking his tongue out at Tiger.

“Agent 37, still childish as ever.”

Tiger doesn’t mind, he really didn’t mind, even if his qehwa turned cold.

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mor3tti · 5 years

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Boy Wonder & The Young Goddess -Chapter Three-

Dick Grayson (titans) x Reader

(Dick Grayson GIF not mine)

It’s been a long time, I know. But I’m back so I guess that’s good, right?

Please give me feedback on this series! It is my first time writing anything like this so help is welcomed!

Send me an ask if you have any questions/suggestions or improvements!

This will be a series! So stay tuned for more chapters to come!

The plot: When Y/N gets a sign from the gods to go after a troubled girl, she stumbles upon and reconnects with a dear friend from her past.

WARNINGS: SELF DESTRUCTIVE ACTIONS BY CHARACTER

Taglist: @nightshade7117 @yetitty @affection-rabbit @drabby-abby @caitsymichelle13 @caswinchester2000 @petersunderoos96 @sataninsatin @chewie-redbird

Let me know if you want to be added to the taglist!

You weren’t surprised that you both ended up sprawled all over the bed. Both of you had always been rough sleepers, tossing and turning through out the night. What did surprise you was that you woke up on his chest, his arm wrapped around you. He must of pulled you there during the night. The thing is, it was incredibly hard to wiggle out of his grip. Once his arms were wrapped around you, there was no escaping. Yes, it is quite a good thing, it makes you feel safe, you get to be surrounded by muscles and he’s very comfortable to sleep on, but the con of not being able to get out without waking him pushed all of that out of the way. You could easily transport out of there but your body was too tired to even think about it.

It was nice to be cuddled up to someone after being alone for many years, but it wasn’t fair. In the room next to you a woman was lying there that cared deeply about Dick. She fought for him and attempted to kill you just to protect him. She didn’t know who you were or what you were doing here but she knew you were here with Dick and that struck her in the heart. They had been on a break but still, it wasn’t fair.

Eventually you gave up and decided to just lay there. Your head rested on his chest near the crook of his neck. You closed your eyes and took it all in. His breathing had become more stable and you could feel that the intensity of his pain had dulled down. You opened your eyes again and looked to his face. There was still blood there, some stained under his nose. Even when he was at his utmost relaxed position, the stress still showed on his face. Suddenly he took a deep breath in which scared you and he let out a grumbled “Why are you staring at me?” as he exhaled. You felt his arm loosen up and rub up and down your back. You brought your hand back closer to your body and started biting off the three month old nail polish out of habit, trying to avoid his question. Your nose twitched and you glanced back up to him.

“I wasn’t staring, I was observing how badly you got your ass kicked last night.” He let out a soft chuckle as he stared up at the ceiling but then turned his head back to you. He brought his hand up and started playing with your hair. “I was also thinking how we can’t do this to her.” You looked him dead in the eye and he looked confused. “She is right next door and you can’t lie to me and say there’s nothing between you two because I can see it, I can see how much she truly cares about you Dick.” You sat up from his chest and pushed his arm off you. You weren’t angry at him but you had to set this straight. He had a look of frustration on his face as he looked out to the window, slightly ignoring you.

“Are you going to reply or just sit there and grumble to yourself?” You stood at the end of the bed, trying to get him to look at you. He did this when he knew he was wrong, he would take it in and attempt to ignore it but you always got him to give in. You sat near his feet which were trapped under the covers. “We decided to take a break.” He mumbled to you, watching your hands play with the covers. His sigh was low and drawn out. You looked up to him and you could see he was hurt by it. His jaw was grinding a little bit and his eyebrows crossed. He wanted to say more but thought it wasn’t worth it. You patted the bed before deciding to get up. “I’ll leave you with your thoughts then.”

“No just...stay.” He said, the sentence getting quieter as he finished. Dick had a look of guilt on his face. He didn’t know what to do and he thought you would know. The feeling Kory brought to him was warm and gave him comfort and he needed that. Once they decided to take a break he felt off without it. You crawled back up the bed and sat up next to him. His head instantly dropped onto your shoulder, not knowing what else to do in this situation. You reached around his shoulders are scruffed his hair gently, continuing to play with it. Everything with you felt so much easier. He felt balanced and at home, but you were right and he knew he had to sort it out with Kory.

You clicked the button down on the kettle as you offered to make a cup of tea for Gar. Dick, Kory and Rachel had gone out to grab some groceries as the kitchen was just about bare. He sat at the kitchen bench tapping his foot on the stool, his head rested in between his hands with a questioning look on his face. You looked through the cupboards for the tea bags and sugar, which were on opposite sides of the kitchen. His tapping continued and you could feel his wild thoughts even though he was silent. You pulled the cups down from above you and set them down on the counter that you were leaning on. He was silently trying to even out his breathing while more questions popped into his mind. He was a fidgety kid, reminded you of Dick when he was younger. He calmed down as you brought his tea over, the steam opening up his lungs.

Together you drank in silence, sharing a look every now and then. “So I’m guessing you’re not from around here?” Gar asked. In reality he just wanted to know if you were going to hurt Rachel, take advantage of her like everyone else had. You sat your cup down near Gar’s and cleared your throat. “Is there something obvious? It’s not like I have green hair or something.” You teased with a smirk. He reached up to his neck self consciously. A little guilt pinged you so you made up for it. “Don’t worry, Dick dyed my hair red when we were teens. I loved it.” You reminisced on it. It was amusing to see your above shoulder length, fiery red hair turn into the luscious locks of the Goddess, it used to shock everyone even if they already knew it was going to happen. He looked back down to his tea with a soft smile and you went back to yours. “Plus, Batman thinks coloured hair is cool if that helps.” You quirked to him. A bright smile broke out on his face as he gushed over such a badass presumably loving his hair.

You rinsed the cups out and placed them upside down on the drying rack as Gar sat on the couch. He’d taped the cover of the remote back on and got it to work again so he was content. The clock on the oven read 12:34, they’d been out a bit over an hour and a half. There wasn’t much else to do around the apartment. You could only handle watching so much TV so you stared out the balcony instead, the view from the couch was pretty good. You could feel that there was a storm coming and it calmed you. The cool change had swept along with some rolling clouds. The others had stopped for lunch at a bakery not far from the apartment. The rain had kept them there but Dick just wanted to come back and be there with you. Things had eased slightly between Dick and Kory, his plan to go calmly grocery shopping worked and they had a steady conversation. She didn’t press him about you as she knew that the reasoning would come eventually.

The conversation between you and Gar was kept light. He asked about what the superheroes were like, so you answered. You shared some memories of what it was like being raised by them. Training with Diana, having deep conversations with Aquaman on the rare occasion and showing Oliver Queen who’s boss at archery. In turn he told you his story about involuntarily becoming a green tiger, how it felt to become this thing he never wanted to be. He also gushed about meeting the one and only Wonder Girl, Donna to you. You smiled along at his adoration for her, keeping everything else in. He was even blushing over her, but your lack of actual emotions other than smiling gave you away. He slowly silenced and instead tried to catch your gaze. “Not the best of friends huh?” He seemed a bit guilty after saying all this stuff about her. You sighed and looked around the room, looking for a nice answer. “Donna and I grew up together, like with Dick. We were practically raised together but you know how time treats people. We just grew apart.” You shrugged, hoping that would satisfy him. His hand came under his chin and nodded, totally not believing you. “You might want another cup of tea if I’m telling you all this.” You waved your hands around as if you were motioning to an array of stuff. Gar shuffled in his seat and stared at you, giving you the green light with a humble smile.

“When we were kids we used to run around the mansion together. Making fun of the paintings on the walls that Bruce had collected over the years.” You could hear the little giggles erupting from your younger self ring in your mind. “Dick strayed us away from the one of Bruce’s parents because he knew it hurt us both, with his parents being dead and me not even having any to begin with.” Gar chewed on his lip not knowing how to reply, you were over it by now as you knew you already had the only family you needed.

“He would always make up for my lack of parents by re-telling my own ‘origin story’ that’s what he liked to call it. Like Diana, I was made not born. She was made from clay, but I was much more. As a favour from the gods, they sent a meteorite their way. In the centre was a rock of stardust ready to be used, that’s what I was created with. They combined it with the clay they used on Diana and sculpted me.” You looked like a normal person and acted like one, Gar couldn’t quite wrap his head around you being a star. A smirk quipped up on your face. “They say my eyes have never glowed brighter than the day I came into this world.” You walked around the island in the kitchen and pushed the button down on the kettle, Gar spun around the bar stool so he was still facing you.

“The thing is, I’ve always had powers. I’ve been a bursting ball of energy and light my entire life. They trained me on Themyscira until I could ‘handle’ myself.” Exaggerating the air quotes. “This meant that I would be sent into the real world and that I the predecessor, would learn from my master. I just ended up living in the shadow of ‘The Goddess’, the one who came before me. Her name was Adelia Zeru, an Amazon who took it upon herself to train and become worthy of The Goddess’ armour.” Gar then repeated this name to himself, liking the ring of it. “Although I was the next of kin of the armour, she was stubborn to pass it on. To her I was deemed not worthy as I was born for the armour and didn’t train for it as she did. This resulted in her always passing me onto Diana which caused a wall to come between Donna and I. On one of the few occasions that Bruce and I talked, he told me the truth about Donna.” You stood there for a couple seconds, pondering if you should tell this kid who she really was to you, the chance that it could ruin her reputation with him. He had an innocent look on his face and beaming eyes that just wanted to know more.

“She put herself through training which ended up harming her more than helping her. She would push herself until she would collapse and then once regained consciousness, continue on. Any time I saw her I was treated with a cold attitude and frustration.” Your hands slowly crept into fists. “In the mansion there was a training room that us kids were allowed to use. Dick obviously used it the most but Donna was the one most attracted to it. During a Justice League meeting, Bruce noticed Donna was gone and mentioned it to Diana but she knew she could take care of herself. Going against Diana, he looked for her. What he found wasn’t the Donna they were all used to. She was thrashing into the wall, punching it as hard as she could, even past the point of her hands no longer looking human. Bruce ran in to stop her but she said something that held him back. While she was punching she was yelling at herself. ‘Come on you have to be stronger! She doesn’t love you like she loves her! I have to beat her!’ she was screaming with a scratchy voice on the edge of it snapping.

As her hands slowed down she let out a final sentence. ‘You have you be better than Y/N’. She broke herself with this.” There was a silence between you and Gar. It still haunts you. Just imagining Donna beating herself to a pulp because of you. The breath you let out shook through your chest and blew out onto the bench. Your eyes slowly glazed over as you heart tightened for her. “She was crumpled on the ground, crying over her own self worth. Bruce left her there, thought it would be better if he didn’t get involved. Instead he came back to the meeting and told me later that night.” Now the tears were falling. A sigh left you as your eyes met Gar’s, he was nearly crying. He never really thought of the real life of a superhero, what they struggled with. You gave him some time to let it set in as you turned back towards the bench, trying to calm the guilty tears. All you wanted was Dick to be here, even if he just left a couple hours ago.

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evien-stark · 4 years

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✧I Need You✧ Chapter 64

And so it went. Tony very quickly learned the importance of not arguing with you about bedtime. While you would have liked to take solace in that, he decided to be stupid in other ways. Because going to bed with you but then getting up roughly an hour or two later to go back downstairs to the lab to work wasn’t really doing either of you any favors. It didn’t help you sleep. It didn’t put your mind at ease. And who even knew how much sleep he was barely surviving on at this point.

You woke up alone in the middle of most nights, and if not in the middle then in the very early mornings. Sleep seemed to be escaping the both of you, even if one of you was trying harder than the other. You kept promising to yourself that you weren’t going to get frustrated with him, and certainly not angry, but… some days were harder than others.

June dragged on into July the same. Empty nights and restless days. More often than not you weren’t sure you were a real person anymore. You certainly didn’t feel like it. And nothing seemed to want to convince you otherwise. Certainly not Tony, who spent more time in the lab now than he did doing almost anything else. Every time you ventured down to drag him to a bed he would not stay in he seemed to be working on yet another different suit. You’d stopped keeping track around number fifteen- mostly because he’d started being a wiseass about it.

“This one is called Heartbreaker.”

“How apt.”

Not frustrated. Not frustrated. Not frustrated. Yet you were letting little passive aggressive notes slip between the two of you. That was no way to do things. No way to act. But every other time you turned around it was something different.

Cassanova. Tiger. Hot Rod.

Gamma, which was an absolutely ugly green and slate color. He really was truly losing his mind, you thought, when you’d seen that one. And what were they all for, anyway? Certainly not for personal use. What would he need with so many? Sure, when you’d asked, he’d started rambling off how different the specifications were for all of them. That they all had one solid purpose that made them different-

But even that served to show you how crazed he was getting. What were they for? What were they for? You kept asking yourself, but found yourself too afraid to ask him. Because you knew the answer. You just didn’t know how to handle it. Worse yet, how to help him handle it. That was far beyond you. You could love Tony Stark with all your heart, all your ability, but that would never heal the pain and trauma he’d been through.

And that was the toughest thing of all to live with.

Another bombing slipped by the two of you, and the only reason you knew that was because Tony had it on one of the wide monitors as you’d come downstairs one night. And he’d been too tired to even realize he’d let himself get caught doing the thing you and Rhodey (hell, even the President) had asked him not to do. It was only when you very pointedly, and tiredly, stood there for too long a time just staring at that screen full of info he wasn’t supposed to have or see that he finally took notice of his own faux pas and turned it off.

Too much time was slipping by. But how to even start shopping for therapists? Did ones even exist for this sort of thing? Rhodey had said he’d help you find someone- JARVIS, had, too. But… the idea was too daunting. Too huge and horrible to even begin to tackle. Not even just for yourself, but for him. And the thought of even if you did find someone, he’d just kick and drag his feet and wear you out and down until you gave up anyway…

Was this really a way to live life? Was this what life was supposed to be? Was this what all superheros felt like? Bruce seemed to be doing alright. And Steve, too. But you and Tony?

Drowning. Endlessly it felt like.

As August crept in you let yourself get pulled. You didn’t want to go back, but you couldn’t stay here, either. Stuck between two worlds that you were falling apart in. You stood in the doorway of the lab for far too long. He was working on another suit. Something even uglier. Orange and red and yellow and…

“I have to go back to New York.”

He didn’t even look up. “Why? Pep can’t handle it over there? Or did Banner blow something up?”

A sigh built up in your lungs without your permission and you had to do your best to keep it from escaping too dramatically. “I sent you an email about it. We have a PR press campaign on the 10th. You didn’t forget, did you?”

How could he forget something he didn’t even know?

“Of course not. So, what, you need me to just do a fly-by? I can do that.”

“I need you to be there with me. Take questions. Show off some of the clean energy we worked so hard to get off the ground.” Right before aliens attacked and the two of you had fled. What a great start to that story.

“So I’ll be there.”

He was barely listening to you. Just saying whatever it took to make you stop. That was what it felt like, anyway. “I’m going to a proof of concept meeting at the office, and then I’m taking the jet.” Because you just couldn’t… while he was busy building hundreds of them, the thought of getting back in your own suit made you nauseous. Something else to bury and not think about.

He still had yet to look up once. “Who’s proofing what concept?”

“It’s a presentation. No tech to even demo. You signed off on the papers. Beck, I think. You remember?” No. There was no way that he did.

“Sure.”

Not frustrated. Not frustrated. Not frustrated. And not angry. But you were. And in the middle of both those feelings you were also incredibly hurt. It was like the two of you had gone back to merely co-existing. Like you were his personal assistant, running a company he no longer cared about. Because he was too busy being Iron Man.

Losing himself. Losing him. That’s what you were doing.

The door slipped shut as you walked all the way into the lab, taking him by the shoulders and pulling him enough to get his wheeled- stool moving with his weight still atop it. You dragged him into the center of the room, taking him away from those terrible suits he was becoming more a part of every day, and waited. You waited for a long time as he looked up at you and you looked down at him.

And finally he spoke first. “...there something you wanna talk about, honey?”

“I need you to be here with me, Tony.”

He gave a cautious look around the room before looking at you again, arching a brow. “I’m literally sitting right in front of you. Where else would I be?”

“You’re not here. You haven’t been here in a long time. I don’t know where you are. But it’s not here with me.” Trying. Trying your hardest to impart these feelings without accusatory tone. Without malice. Without bitterness. You were sad. You were terribly sad about how things were. Everything else came second.

“Look, I…” His glance dropped and you feared you might have unjustly infected him with your feelings, which wouldn’t help. You needed him to start being honest with himself, that couldn’t come if he just felt what you were feeling. His hands smoothed up the back of your thighs. For a moment you foolishly hoped he was going to be real with you. That the two of you would finally get to the bottom of things. Start healing. But, instead, he looked up again with a half grin. “When I slip into a different plane of existence, I think you’ll be the first to know about it.”

That was that. He was going to continue to ignore everything. Might as well. So were you.

Reaching up, you cupped the sides of his face in your hands, and didn’t know whether to feel relief or even more heartbreak as his hands moved to grasp at your wrists. Holding you there. Melting into that one simple touch. “I love you.” Reminding him. Just in case.

“I love you, too.”

Easing in, you laid a long, lingering kiss to his forehead. Staying there for probably too long a time. “Don’t leave me waiting in New York. I can’t do it without you.”

“I’ll be there. I promise.”

The two of you looked at each other. Probably staring right through. Then you had to force yourself to leave. In the car, you kept the visor rolled up, hoping Happy wouldn’t report back that you’d cried the whole way to the office.

-------------

It was a blessing that it took you less time to clean up in the restroom than you thought it might. Being late for a proof meeting wasn’t the worst thing in the world, but it was rude. Giving your hard working employees the idea that you didn’t care about them, or the kinds of things they were developing, was the last thing you really wanted to do. Especially because their other boss hadn’t even been on the property in months.

Your secretary helpfully slipped you a file as you walked in, and you took a moment to say hello to some of the board members who had come down (probably because they were bored and had nothing better to do ((also probably hoping Tony would show up)) ), and the tech department before shaking the hand of the man who had brought you all there for at least thirty minutes that day.

Quentin Beck, his profile read. He’d been working with Stark Industries for a little while now. And while you’d told Tony he’d okay’ed the patent requests for the Stark Tech, it was actually your name on the bottom line. When had that happened? You couldn’t even remember. His had probably been signed with several others in the same day, same week, same month…

He was radiating nervousness, but curiously also a bit of aggressive arrogance that had yet to actually show itself. You hoped for his sake it wouldn’t, but you knew better.

“What have you got to show us, Mr. Beck?” Deciding not to wait too much longer. The sooner this was over with, the sooner you could grab your things and head to a city that would only exacerbate your condition. Hooray.

“I want to thank everyone for coming. I know you’re all very busy. So I’ll get right to it.”

Getting right to it actually consisted of a computer failure that ate up ten minutes of his window as he had to reboot and restart powerpoint. His transitions were cheesy, his thoughts were kind of all over the place… the tech stuff was just a touch over your head. For something like this you really would have preferred Tony be in the room to confirm or deny all the things coming out of this guy’s mouth.

He was pursuing some sort of brain image scanning… pattern reconciliation or… something or other. Your lack of sleep was definitely not helping you right now. But science and tech mumbo-jumbo aside, you got the actual crux of what he wanted this tech to do. And that’s where it got dicey.

The plan being to implement tech that could replicate someone’s worst thoughts, or maybe not even their own thoughts. Maybe just whatever you wanted them to think- ah, but of course once he saw your disapproving look, he tried to save face by saying it had other practical uses…

Once he was finished the room fell silent and all heads turned to you. How to put it delicately… “Well this is all very impressive, Mr. Beck, and it’s clear you’re working hard on this, I’m not sure this is a technology Stark Industries should be utilizing in its current form.” With the current man behind the curtain. Beck seemed a little too antsy. A little too eager to use it to do… well… “It seems very weaponizable-”

“But that’s the thing. It isn’t a weapon! Can’t you see the application? No physical harm is done.”

“Physcological torture is still torture.” You felt you might have been an authority on this. As you lived pretty much every day that way, now. “Stark Industries hasn’t been in the business of selling any kind of weapons for quite some time.”

He was getting angry. Angry because clearly you didn’t see or understand his vision. And because you were shutting him down. “Right, that’s why you and Mr. Stark fly around in metal suits with laser beams, right?”

A few fools failed to read the room right, chuckling once or twice before being elbowed by their much smarter companions. You kept your stare very much dead-eyed. “What are you implying, Mr. Beck?”

“Nothing- I just… I think we’re getting off to the wrong start, here. Look. There’s a lot of practical applications for this. Won’t you at least have Mr. Stark look over it before passing on it?”

Because Tony would know better. Tony would know better than you. That’s what he was saying. Utter nonsense that that theory was. Tony would back you. And, knowing this… “Sure. Of course. I’ll pass it along to him and we’ll let you know.”

Beck brightened at this. “Thank you! Thank you. You won’t regret this.”

Yet you had a feeling you definitely would.

-------------

Dvahli was about your only saving grace as you boarded the jet with her in tow. She was becoming quite the seasoned traveler for such a little thing. All the better, because you really needed a companion to get through the mess that had become your life. Your other life partner was just too absent.

A thought you chose not to dwell on too hard as you descended back down into New York City. You lied to yourself that the nighttime lights were just too bright for your poor eyes, you were tired after all, and you just weren’t that interested in looking at the city. So after drawing every shade shut in your private cabin, you sat back down and really focused hard on brushing Dvahli’s coat out. Couldn’t have her looking like a slob as you touched down. Everything to do with that and nothing at all to do with all the noises buzzing around angrily in your head.

The flash of camera bulbs only exacerbated your feelings further. Happy was quick and efficient in swatting the press away and getting you into the private car. He’d become really good at that, in fact, something you knew you should thank him for. A thought you spent too long thinking about until you found you’d pulled up to the Tower.

And one you wished you’d hung on to as you stood there, stock still, staring up at it. The repairs had been finished. No longer Stark Tower, now just the A standing atop your building proud and just. Something that you had hoped had become a beacon of hope for the city. And yet…

As you continued to look at it all you felt creeping up was an insurmountable horror.

Happy startled you, with a hand on your shoulder, and you put your hand up to him. Then realized. Then apologized. For the hundredth time. He pretended to look the other way on it. So did you. Not saying a word except a minor apology. And then up you went.

While you wanted nothing more than to bypass the actual offices and go right to bed, Pepper had let you know there were some exceedingly important documents on your desk that needed signing. So as you stepped onto the floor and several people vied for your attention, you put your hand up to them, too. More authoritative. Less out of control. As you should be. “I’m just grabbing something from my office and going upstairs. Consider me not here.”

Enough of a statement to shut out most of the voices. Save Pepper’s. “Your six o’clock is in your office.”

And then you wondered how far gone you were that you had an appointment you couldn’t remember. “I’m sorry?” Asked as your hand had just turned the knob on the door.

The man sitting in your office stood with all the unenthused flare he could muster. Which quickly turned into ire. “It’s about time. I’ve been here for fifteen minutes waiting for you. Not surprising, considering.”

You tried desperately to think if you’d ever seen this man before. He had a very distinctive face, one you were sure you would remember, and yet… “I’m sorry, Mr…?”

“Doctor. And, two for two aren’t we? Let’s consider for a minute you hadn’t scheduled a consultation, which I’m doing you a favor by even being here by the way- but we’ve been running in the same circles for years. I’ve been at the last ten Family Firefighter Galas.”

Your nerves were chafed. And this man pretending he was the leading presence in the world was not doing you any favors. “The Firefighter Fund has only been running for six years.” As dry as you could make it. “And I didn’t schedule an appointment with you.”

“Consultation. It’s fine. I’ll make this brief. I’m only here on behalf of some of my colleagues, anyway. Everyone’s scared to say no to the Starks. Not me. I wouldn’t be wasting my very precious time here if I didn’t have a point to make. Every hospital is in the city is extremely busy thanks to Stark Industries’ usual business.”

Stepping further into your office, letting the door finally swing shut, you approached him, shoulders squared. “And you’re implying?”

He grinned. “Mr. Stark might be able to change the name of the game, but we’re all still servicing the people the same way, aren’t we?”

“I don’t know what you’re trying to imply, but The Avengers stopped an attack on New York.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

You squared up. “Feel free to get off my property any time you’d like, Mr…?” Doing it again. Because it upset him.

Easy to see as his eyes narrowed in a brief twitch before he hung his head, shaking it, scoffing. “Doctor. I won’t tell you again. Strange. By the way. You would know that, since you called me.”

“Trust me. I didn’t. So there’s the door. Goodbye.” Brushing by him as you moved to go to your desk.

“Let me at least give you my diagnosis. I’m wasting time to be here. And I wasn’t even charging.”

You sat down, opening the folder you’d come to get. The papers in there were inconsequential, really. But now you attended to them like they were the most important thing in the world. “Knock yourself out, Dr. -...Strange? Really? Are you serious?” Looking up at him again with only the judgiest of faces.

“How childish of you.” Sneering at you as he came close to the desk, laying a hand on it. “Like I said, time is money, and I’m wasting millions being here. So let me say this, stop calling looking for someone to take Stark’s surgery. Nobody will. That’s coming from the top down.”

You had to hold very still. Very. Very still.

Surgery? Tony was looking for surgery? You couldn’t think of anyone else who would’ve made that call. But why wouldn’t he tell you? Was he sick again? Was he-

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Keeping your voice level, holding it all in. You were getting better at that.

“Playing dumb really suits you. Sleeping with the highest bidder might make you the boss here, but you’re not in charge of anyone else. You can’t bully your way into my world. Even if a surgery like that was 100% risk free, which it’s not, and even if we had the technology required, after all the damage he’s done some people consider it just retribution.”

“So which is it, then? Too much of a risk or we’re playing saints at the hospitals? I thought you were supposed to help people in need? Didn’t you take an oath or something?”

His grin showed itself again as he barked out a laugh. “Rich coming from somebody like you. And him. Why do you think nobody can do it? Stark’s been clean for years now, yet I haven’t seen a single medical patent hit my hospital floor.”

“We have hundreds. Just because they aren’t run by you doesn’t mean they’re not happening. And which one is it- you can’t? Or you won’t?”

“Does it matter? Both, if it makes you feel better. I wouldn’t touch Stark’s surgery with a ten foot pole. My record is worth more than his life. And worth more any notoriety it would bring. Which is obvious, isn’t it? Why do you think nobody’s called you?”

Holding steady yet again with a deep breath, you stood slowly, perching your palms on the desk and leaning in to him. “So it’s not that you can’t, it’s that you won’t. Thanks for clearing that up. Doctor with a record more precious than life. What a headline. Can’t save people because you’re too scared to-”

“Don’t attempt to talk down to me. You don’t know anything about me.”

“I know everything about you, Mr. Strange. I’ve met thousands of men like you. We call them cowards.” The pleasure you felt backing him up away from your desk as you rounded it was brief. None of this felt good. “Get off my property. And, for good measure, why don’t you stay fifty feet away from all Stark property for the foreseeable future?”

He made a face at you. “You can’t be serious. What, did I hurt your feelings?”

“Get out. Before I call security, and let me assure you, there are dozens of reporters waiting for a good story on the sidewalk. Don’t make me give them one. Your precious record might not live through it.”

He tried to stare you down but you stayed firm, unblinking, unmoving. Until finally he did, much as it clearly pained him to be pushed around. He probably wasn’t very used to it. His mistake, for coming here. No matter who had called him. With an extra huffy scoff he turned on his heel and tromped his way out of your office, out through the reception floor, and into the elevator. You waited maybe two minutes to make sure he was out of earshot before you hung your head out your door-

“If anyone else makes any personal unsolicited appointments on my behalf like that again, I’ll fire this whole floor. Do I make myself clear?” And while there were scared murmurs of agreement, you eyed Pepper, who looked half as scared as the rest of them. Silently, you asked her, you?

And silently with a look she told you, I would never.

When you shut your door again, you asked, “JARVIS who made an appointment with Mr. Strange?”

“I believe he said he was a doctor, ma’am.”

“I really couldn’t give a fuck less what he thinks he is. Who made it?” JARVIS had access to everything. He would know. And if he didn’t know right now, he would find out. And then you could make this right. Because nobody had business scheduling an appointment- a consultation- a whatever for surgery on Tony’s behalf. You’d wring their neck.

“I have a file for you, on your computer.” Apparently done running his calculations.

Already you knew you weren’t going to like what you saw. And it was a good thing you were sitting down, because what played on screen shred your last ounce of strength. Tony. In the lab. Working on one of those stupid suits. An electrical misfire. Tony falling to the floor, silent. Shrill sounds of machinery going off. DUM-E obscuring the camera. The sound of Tony gasping in relief.

The clock moved forward in a cut of the surveillance. Tony had a drink in his hand. And, with the way he was swaying, as he still worked- on a different suit, you noted- he had had more than that one half empty bottle sitting at his desk. When had he started drinking again?

Drinking like that? A monster the two of you had never tackled. Foolish you. As much of a coward as Mr. Strange. Never addressing it. Just pretending he’d gotten better. Because that’s how alcoholism worked, right? It just went away?

“That can’t happen again, JAR… VIS. JAR head.” Laughing to himself as he slumped down onto his stool, sloppily refilling his drink.

“What should you suggest we do, sir?”

“Find me … someone. Someone good. The best. I think we can look into it- I’d do it myself but… not really my forte- I think… machine parts are easier than… I mean I probably could-”

“I would not recommend attempting to perform heart surgery on yourself, sir. Regardless of your estimation of your abilities.”

“Probably right. Well. So… go ahead then.”

“Sir, you’re violating the Drunk Me protocol. You know I can’t.”

He waved his drink around in the air. “You can- what was the… peaches and cream right? That’s it, right? See? I’m not that drunk. Do what I’m askin’ you. Please. It’s important. We’ll just look. We don’t have to … we don’t have to… uh… commit.”

“...yes, sir.”

“She can’t know about this.”

“Why not, sir?”

“Because.” Tony’s voice in the office spooked you nearly half to death. You jumped right up out of your chair, looking at him as his voice blended with the one in the video. “She has enough to worry about.”

“Tony- jesus fucking christ- don’t scare me like that!” Trying to catch your breath.

He came in from the doorway, head half hung, hands in his pockets. “Spying, are we?”

“I thought someone else had brought that asshole here. I was going to fire them out of a cannon into the sun. But now that I know it’s you, maybe I’ll just throw you into the Arctic Circle.”

His smile was tired. “Huh. Bad news then, I take it? That’s fine. I was too drunk to be serious about that, anyway.”

“What happened in the lab?”

He shrugged. “Nothing. Got shocked, muscles locked up. Heat from the electricity melted a wire and the housing unit got loose. JARVIS would know that. So I don’t know why he’s going around acting like it’s a big deal.”

JARVIS cut between the both of you, “You said the password, sir.”

“Oh please. I probably had a BAC of .30 that night. You knew better.” He stopped when you were just in front of him, on your feet again somehow- you didn’t even know how. You felt very near the verge of passing out. “So. What’s the verdict? Sufficiently worried?”

“Wouldn’t you love to be right about that?” Sitting on the edge of the desk for your benefit, you drew him in between your legs, taking hold of his face as he came close.

“I love to be right about everything. You know me.” His nose brushed yours, eyes closed.

“I used to.” The threat of tears nearly overwhelmed you, saying this, but you bit them back. Pulling him in all the way, you wrapped your arms around him, and took solace in him holding you back. Tight. “These days I think we’re both a little out of sorts.”

“Yeah… war will do that to you.” He couldn’t let that statement hang, quick to keep speaking. “That’s what Rhodey keeps saying to me, anyway. He check up on you as much as he does me? It’s starting to get annoying.”

He was offering you an out. A joke about Rhodey being a pest. So easy to feed into. Instead, you pretended you were strong enough to ask the next thing out of your mouth. “What are all the suits for, Tony?”

He squeezed you so hard then you could barely breathe. “Protection.”

“Protection from what? One isn’t enough anymore?”

“No. Not with- ...not- ...I… I saw something- something up there. We’re not alone anymore.”

Your smile against his chest was bitter. “You’re starting to sound like Fury.”

“Maybe he was on to something. But unlike him, I’m not looking to nuke the whole of outer space. Just the uh… just the one time is enough, I think. And that wasn’t my fault. Really.” Rambling just a little.

Easing back you looked up at him again and let your eyes close as he took your face in his hands next. Staying strong was a losing battle. “And the surgery?”

“Who cares? Guy said no, right? What was his name even? I never thought to ask JARVIS.”

An angry sort of breathless laugh escaped you. “He said a whole lot of stuff, nothing worth listening to. And a name that’s just as unimportant.” If you never had to see that man again it would be too soon. Looking up at him, the two of you fell into a less than amicable silence. Not knowing what to say next. How could you fix this? Fix him? Fix yourself? Any of it? Impossible. Too impossible. So you became every bit that coward you already knew you were. “Can we go to bed?”

“Yeah, honey.” He followed your lead. “Let’s go lie down.”

Sleep wouldn’t solve any of your problems. But at least you had him for one night. No lab to escape to- ...at least not one to build suits in, anyway. And when you woke up the next morning, seeing him still lying aside you made you feel like maybe this wasn’t unsalvageable.

Maybe the two of you could be fixed.

You just didn’t know how.

#Tony Stark #Tony Stark x Reader #INY Chapter Sixty Four

5 notes · View notes

iatethepomegranate · 5 years

Text

Homecoming Chapter 22

@iontorch @dick-rarepairs

See notes for story masterpost and AO3 links.

Pairing: DickTiger

Rating: Teen (this chapter)

Length: 3k

Summary: Dick and Tiger settle back into Wayne Manor, but between Dick's new ailment and the secret they're keeping from Bruce, they're just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Notes: I LIVE. Okay, since I don’t trust Tumblr to let this post appear in the tags if I add links, I’m going to add masterpost and AO3 links in a reblog, so check the notes.

***

Chapter 22

As the days passed, Dick waited for another migraine to come along and ruin his life again. It felt like everyone was watching him with bated breath, expecting him to drop any second... Dick most of all. Tim, at least, tried to make himself useful by going over Dick's symptoms to help him figure out his warning signs for when the attack finally did come.

Tiger had clammed up since that last conversation about the shooting. That was never a good sign. The man was a classic bottler when it came to his emotions and wouldn't entertain further discussion. It would all come to a head eventually. Dick was not looking forward to it.

What made matters worse, possibly, was that Bruce was being oddly polite to Tiger. It was possible he genuinely felt bad for kicking Tiger out, but there was also a chance he was trying to lull Tiger into a false sense of security. It wasn't working. Tiger was more anxious than ever. Unless that was Bruce's plan. Dick hoped not. That was a douchey kind of plan.

Dick came to dinner one night in a not-so-great mood. Irritable for no reason. He'd already snapped at Tiger three times in the past hour, and he'd deserved exactly none of them. And his neck was kinda stiff, which made sitting in a dining chair a rather annoying experience.

Tim took one look at him, pausing in the motion of cutting his steak, and said, “You know irritability and neck stiffness are pre-migraine symptoms, right?”

“Who says I'm irritable?�� Dick replied, irritably. Internally, though, his mind was a litany of shit shit shit.

“You’ll probably have, like, twelve hours from when the symptoms started,” Tim said, looking back down at his plate. “Maybe more. Hard to say. Try to get a good night's sleep if you can.”

Dick wasn't sure how he was supposed to sleep with his neck like this. Tiger was staring at him, trying to catch his eye, but Dick didn't feel like talking. Especially not after snapping at him so much.

Tiger made a show of shrugging and piling brown rice onto both their plates. Dick also received a generous load of vegetables and not as much meat as he probably would've liked. But he'd already been an asshole today, so he shut up and took it.

Dick excused himself as soon as he was finished, knowing that he was not good company tonight. Tiger, in a fit of masochism, followed him back to their room.

Then, in what could only be a lack of self-preservation, he took Dick's hands and led him to the bed. “Sit. Let me help.”

“Look, I wouldn't blame you for not wanting to be around me. I don't want to be around me.” The words came out way sharper than he'd intended. Naturally.

“Hush.” Tiger knelt on the bed behind him and dug his thumbs into the hardened muscles on the back of Dick's neck. “I forgive you.”

“Ugh.”

Tiger kissed the top of his head. “I am trying to spoil you.”

“I don't deserve it.”

“I do not care.”

Dick shut up and let him rub his neck. It helped a bit. A warm shower later, he felt almost like himself.

Sleep was elusive. Dick kept shifting position, unable to get comfortable. Tiger had ended up on the edge of the bed, well away from his fidgeting. Dick was kind of offended but couldn't really be mad because Tiger had done that in his sleep.

He was still kinda mad.

Dick fell into a fragile kind of sleep eventually, flitting in and out when Tiger got up to pray. He woke in the daylight, eyes grainy and brain fogged. Right. Fatigue. Another fun symptom. Apparently even sleeping made him tired now.

Tiger was eating a bowl of oatmeal on the bed, legs crossed with a huge photo album in front of him. “Good morning.”

“Mmph.” Dick rubbed his eyes, which helped a tiny bit. “Is it morning?”

“Barely.”

Dick used Tiger's arm to haul himself into a sitting position, slumping against his shoulder. “Whatcha looking at?”

“Jason stole a photo album Alfred kept of your first few years as Robin.”

Dick rubbed his eyes again, until he could see the photos. Oh. Oh God. The green underpants. It was actually a leotard at least fifty percent of the time, but no one believed him.

Look, it wasn't that Dick was ashamed of his childhood fashion choices. It was just... well... everyone was ashamed for him.

“Bastard,” he muttered. “I'm gonna show you his album.” He dug his chin into Tiger's shoulder. “Nice breakfast. Where's mine?”

Tiger leaned over and grabbed another bowl from the nightstand. “I was about to wake you. Here.”

There were spiced pears in the oatmeal, which lifted his mood a little bit. But he still felt kinda fuzzy and doubted that would improve.

There was one photo in the album that Tiger paused over. It was a selfie, in a way. Dick-as-Robin making a face in a funhouse mirror. Alfred had seen the mask camera footage and liked it.

“Where is the camera?” Tiger asked.

“In the mask. It was a prototype at the time. The lenses broke constantly so we had to carry spare masks and cowls in our belts.”

“Wait.” Tiger's eyes went wide and his face turned the most worrying shade of grey. “You have cameras in your masks? Does Jason have...”

“Jason has a few,” Dick said. “He only wears the cam-masks when he's working with us.”

“So there is a video of Alia...”

The shooting. Fuck.

“Jason would've thought of that,” Dick said, trying to sound sure, even if he was kinda panicking. “Right?”

Tiger sighed and shoved more oatmeal into his mouth. Good idea. Dick did the same. Soothing his panic with breakfast. They kept flipping through the album with a detachment born out of preoccupation.

As soon as Dick had scraped the last bite out of his bowl, Tiger snatched it off him. “I'll take these to the kitchen. And find Jason.”

“Yeah. Do that.” Dick wanted to trust Jason had remembered. If not... Bruce would have seen the footage by now.

God damn it.

Dick took a piss while he waited and then spent a few minutes flipping through the album, tracking Robin's fashion evolution over the years. And the Discowing outfit. He still thought the high collar was pretty cool, no matter what anyone else said. He just couldn't turn his head as much as he would've liked. Still, some of Bruce's old costumes had the same problem.

There was just something in him that made him desperate to defend even the most questionable of fashion decisions. It didn't matter if he had been questioning them himself. The instant someone else teased him, he had to take it all the way.

Voices erupted in the hallway.

“Maybe I just don't like the way you're trying to corner him.” Jason.

“That is not what I—”

“You're not fooling anyone, Bruce. You've had it out for him from the moment he entered the city.”

“This is not a productive conversation.” Tiger.

“Right?” Jason said. “You prepared to say whatever you wanted to say in front of Dick? You think he's gonna be happy?”

“You're being dramatic,” Bruce said.

“Am I, though? Am I?”

“But if you wish to be involved in this discussion, I have plenty of questions for you, too.”

“I've answered your questions already. Not my fault you didn't like the answers.”

“I am missing some context in this conversation,” Tiger said.

“So am I!” Dick yelled impulsively.

There were a few horrible seconds where no one breathed a word. Then Tiger, Jason and Bruce entered the room. Tiger and Jason at least had the grace to look sheepish.

“Is someone going to explain what the hell is going on?” Dick said. “Quickly, if you don't mind. Not sure how much time I have before my head explodes again.”

“Jason's mask camera footage is missing,” Bruce said. Well. That answered that question.

“I told you already,” Jason complained. “The equipment's been on the fritz for weeks.”

“You should've had it fixed.”

Jason shrugged. “You don't trust me with your stuff and Tim was mad at me again. What was I supposed to do? Steal your shit? I only do that when I'm really mad at you.”

Dick had a distinct feeling Jason was lying his ass off. He also had a feeling Bruce saw right through him.

Tiger leaned against the closet door, arms crossed, watching the exchange with a muscle twitching in his jaw. Dick would trust him on a battlefield, but he wasn't so sure how well he was gonna hold up in a war of words over something he already felt terrible about. Jason wasn't gonna budge. Dick certainly wouldn't. But Tiger...

“I find it convenient that your equipment failed on that night in particular,” Bruce was saying.

“Sorry. I forgot to pencil it in.”

“Do you let your grapnel gun wear down like that?”

“No, because I would die. Again.”

Bruce's face twitched; he hated it when Jason brought up the dying thing. “Jason. That's not—”

“Oh, am I playing dirty again? Sorry. Force of habit.” He was blatantly not sorry. “Sometimes you gotta prioritise the important stuff. You never look at my mask cam anyway.”

“Because I never know when you're wearing it.”

“Then why did you bother looking this time?” Jason was smiling now, but it wasn't a pleasant one. “Seems to me you were looking for something specific.”

“I deserve to know what happened when someone dies on my watch.”

“I told you what happened. Is my word not good enough?”

“No. It's not.”

“Bruce,” Dick said, before this could spiral further, “I was there, too, you know.”

“You didn't see what happened.”

It wasn't worth arguing. Bruce knew what he was talking about. Good old blood spatter analysis, ruining everything.

“I saw Jason holding Tiger's gun.” Dick wasn't about to let this go without a fight, though.

“That proves nothing. And evidence has conveniently disappeared. Where did Tiger's clothes end up?”

Tiger still looked kinda grey from earlier. It was probably best he wasn't talking much, because Dick honestly didn't know if he could keep the lie going.

Jason, bless him, kept fighting. “Well, fuck me for getting him out of that blood-soaked shit. Not like I was thinking about how you were gonna be a giant asshole over this. My bad.”

“You haven't told me where his clothes are.”

“Gone. They were wrecked. Maybe if you'd asked in a timely manner, you could've examined them.” Jason actually sounded convincing. Dick tried not to get his hopes up. Bruce wasn't called the World's Greatest Detective for nothing.

“This is all rather convenient,” Bruce said. “Your spare gun jammed, recording equipment failed and vital material evidence happened to disappear, all on the same night.”

Could they have done this better? Given the circumstances, could they have found a way to keep Tiger out of this without tripping Bruce's coincidence meter? Dick wasn't sure there was. If only Jason hadn't been wearing his mask cam that night.

Still, Bruce didn't have concrete evidence. He just had a pile of coincidences that could mean someone was hiding something. Certainly not enough for a legal conviction or possibly even a trial in the first place, but that was not what they had here.

Bruce didn't need incontrovertible proof to believe Tiger had helped kill Alia. All he needed was enough doubt in Jason's version of events.

“Enough,” Tiger said.

Bruce rounded on him, staring silently. He didn't need to speak. Dick and Jason shared a grimace behind Bruce's back.

“There were three shooters,” Tiger continued, crossing his arms tighter across his body. Dick could see the slightest hint of a tremor. “Jason, Helena... and me.”

Okay, so they were doing this now. Things were still salvageable. Maybe.

“He saved my life,” Dick added. “The three of them only had a split second to do something.”

“Murder is never the solution.”

“Then tell us, O Wise One,” Jason snapped, “what would you have done with fuck-all time to save your favourite son?”

“I'm not his favourite,” Dick muttered. They ignored him.

“I would not have resorted to murder.”

“That's not what I asked,” Jason growled. “Dick is on the floor, literally cornered, back against a wall. Daedalus's gun practically touching him. He won't miss. You have a second to do something and you don't have a good enough angle to hit his gun. If Daedalus takes over Dick's mind, he dies. If the gun goes off, he dies. If you spook the bastard, the gun will go off anyway and Dick dies. So tell me, with all your boundless wisdom, what could we have done in that second to save Dick's life without killing Daedalus? The woman he possessed isn't even a factor. She was a goner already.”

Tiger flinched. Dick wanted to go over and squeeze his hand, but that would just draw Bruce's attention while Jason tried to divert it.

“Remote-controlled batarang,” Bruce replied.

“Yeah, we didn't have one of those. Even if we did, setting it up would take time we didn't have and he probably would've heard it coming.”

“The fact remains,” Bruce said, turning back to Tiger. “You hid this from me.”

“He wasn't even there when I told you what happened,” Jason said. “You gonna get mad? Get mad at the right person.”

“People,” Dick corrected. “I helped Jason mess with the evidence.”

“You were a backseat driver, more like.”

“Stop it,” Tiger muttered.

Dick's fingers were tingling a little, which was not a good sign. He concentrated extra hard on speaking, because he was not about to let this fucking migraine muddle his words while he still had a choice.

“Tiger,” he said, “you didn't want us to lie for you.”

Bruce raised an eyebrow. “And yet he allowed it.”

Dick put his left hand on the bed, leaning into it to keep his balance. Even sitting was starting to get a little fraught. Fuck's sake.

“Bruce,” he said, “stop it. You've directed exactly none of this pissiness at me even though I was actively involved in the lie.” He had to take a second to get his mouth around his next sentence, holding up his right arm, which obeyed him enough, so they wouldn't talk over him. “That's why we lied. Jason and I knew you would be harder on him than anyone else.”

“Same shit, different day,” Jason said. “He was like this when he kicked Tiger out and he hasn't learned a damn thing.” Jason's voice was a touch louder than Dick's head liked right now.

“Bruce has a point,” Tiger said quietly.

“He's selectively applying that point,” Jason replied. “How about it, boss? If you're gonna be shitty to Tiger, then you should be just as shitty to me.”

“You are not dating my son,” Bruce said.

“I'm a grown-ass man, Bruce,” Dick said.

“And I happen to be your son,” Jason added. “Legally, anyway.”

“You're an adult in control of your own actions,” Bruce said. “You have made it clear that I cannot control you.”

“Uh, hello?” Dick waved his fingers, which didn't really want to cooperate. “I'm the eldest, and you're acting like I'm a teenager with a bad influence for a boyfriend.”

“Difference is,” Jason said, “he actually cares about you.”

Bruce looked like he'd been slapped. “That's not—”

Jason grinned, but it looked more like a grimace. “Am I wrong?”

Bruce was not often a man lost for words. He sometimes preferred to let his actions speak for him, but it was rare that he truly had no idea what to say or do. Witnessing it now was unsettling.

Any other time, Dick might've let Bruce work through it on his own. Things with Jason were complicated, and sometimes interfering made matters worse.

But he was really having trouble sitting up and there was a distinct numbness on the right side of his face, and down his arm. And there was a pounding building up in his head.

In the silence, Dick caught Tiger's eye. The man's features hardened, and he put himself between Bruce and Jason. Probably not the safest idea, but Dick couldn't think of another way. Damn brain fog.

“Enough,” he said. “This is not a productive conversation.”

“You do not get to tell me when I am finished,” Bruce replied.

Jason glanced in Dick's direction. “Yeah? Well, I'm done.” He made a good show of storming out in a fit of temper, rather than giving his brother some space to lie down and die for a while.

“Jason...” Then Bruce followed him.

Well, that was one way to clear a room.

Tiger fetched Dick a glass of water. Apparently a pack of straws lived in Dick's nightstand now. He wasn't sure when exactly they appeared, but they made drinking a little easier with only half a face.

“Anything else you need?” Tiger asked softly.

Dick got him to help him into the bathroom. He wasn't sure how much he'd be moving in a few minutes. He also may have thrown up in the sink a little bit while he was in there.

Then Tiger helped him lie down. “There is a pager here,” he said, lifting the little thing from the nightstand. “Do you want me with you? If not, the pager will put you in touch with Alfred if you need anything.”

Dick waved him away with his good hand. He didn't want to put Tiger through this if he didn't have to. Besides, when he was at his worst last time, he couldn't even stand the sound of Alfred breathing.

Tiger helped him put a sleeping mask on and placed a bucket on the floor. Then he kissed Dick's hand, leaving him to his misery.

#Dick Rare Pair Challenge #dicktiger #dick grayson #tiger king of kandahar #fanfiction #my fics #homecoming dicktiger fic

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lightdusk96 · 5 years

Text

The Kids Are Alright

(Hello, everyone! It’s my birthday today, so I made this little thing here to celebrate! This is a tribute to all my friends, especially my writing buddies Ava @fireflyxrebel and @nightglider124 ! Credit goes to @loubuggins for letting me use her lovely BBRae kid OC’s Mark and Maria Logan!)

The Kids Are Alright

«How longer until we get there, Dick?»

Richard Grayson glanced at his beloved wife, as his attention was on the veichle ahead of them. «Not too long, I think. I remember Bruce said the place is just beyond this clearing.»

Kory only hummed in response before looking back to see the kids. Jake was sleeping peacefully, his short black hair messy and unkempt, while Mar’i was bouncing with excitement, her long dark hair fluttering up and down as she did. She always had an urge to explore and see new places, so this idea of going to this new summer resort for a few days was right up her alley.

Kory couldn’t help but smile, her daughter’s happiness being irresistably infectious. It was going to be a very fun couple of days.

It wasn’t even a few moments before her train of thought was halted by the car slowing down to a halt.

«Woah… I think this is it.»

Dick’s exclamation was one that Kory soon shared as soon as she laid eyes on the place. It was a beautiful cabin made entirely out of wood, with a painstakingly-crafted stone pathway that lead to a small beach, a seemingly uncountable variety of flowers growing on both sides of said path, big windows and lanters completing the a look that was luxirous, yet simple.

Kory gave her gobsmacked husband a knowing look. «We get this beautiful home AND a beach?! I believe you said you wanted something small…»

He smirked at her teasing comment. «Well, OK, not TOO small…»

Kory just shook her head at that. «The house, I get. But a beach?»

Dick’s smirk grew into a full out grin, wrapping a strand of Kory’s firery red hair around his finger. «You mean you don’t want to see me in nothing but a swimsuit?»

Kory’s round cheeks had a soft shade of pink in them as soon as he finished that sentence. «While you make a good point, I don’t think we should talk like that in front of the kids…»

«Right, sorry. I’ll just go and get our things.»

Kory turned to their daughter as Dick got out of the car and started unloading the trunk. «So, what do you think, Starshine?»

Mar’i smile was so bright that it lit the entire interior of the car. «It’s soooo pretty! I LOVE IT!»

Her outburst of excitement woke up Jake, who after shaking off some sleep-induced sluggishness, took one look at their home and stared at it with an open mouth.

«Wooooooow… it’s biiiiig!»

Kory giggled at his blunt, yet apt description as she got out of her seat and out of the car, her children following her. The kids got their backpacks while Mommy and Daddy got the heavy suitcases. Mommy carried the bulk of them for the obvious reason that she was stronger than Daddy.

As they unloaded the trunk, the green Smart that followed behind them stopped a short distance away from them. The Logan family emerged from the car in very good spirits, despite the long trip. Raven showed a rare smile as she held the hand of her son Mark in her own and Garfield was laughing alongside his daughter Maria as they raced each other to the house in front of them. As for their luggage, Raven just levitated it to the cabin. It was times like this that she honestly considered her powers an actual blessing.

Raven turned to Richard as he carried two suitcases down the stone pathway. «Just a small resort, eh?»

«Ah, it’s eight of us, we’ll need the space. Especially with our kids having superpowers and all.»

Raven simply hummed in response as she guided Mark towards the cabin, Kory floating beside her carrying several big suitcases. And her two children, who were letting out excited squeals over how fun of a ride their mommy can be.

The unpacking did not take very long, thanks to the fact that most of the residents had superpowers that made it much easier. As soon as the adults were finished, Maria took the liberty of asking what the rest of the kids behind her were thinking.

«Mommy, can we go out and play now?»

Raven gently stroked her green hair, a warm smile on her face. «Go ahead, sweetie. But be careful and be back by lunchtime, okay?»

Maria rapidly nodded her head. «Yes, mommy!»

Mar’i was jumping up and down in joy, as Mark and Jake gave each other a mischievous look. «Alright, play time!»

Jake and Mark took off before Mar’i could even finish her sentence. «LAST ONE THERE IS A ROTTEN EGG!»

The girls were shocked in place for a brief moment before giving chase. «Hey, good boys are supposed to let ladies go first!»

Mark had this to say as he looked back at the girls running behind them. «You’re not a lady, you’re just a sister!»

Gar laughed at their antics as was lounging on the sofa after he set up his and Rae’s room, very satisfied with how the place looked. «It’s a real nice place you got here, Dick. It reminds me of a place I know of, but that’s inside a forest by a lake, not near a beach.»

Dick riased an eyebrow from his seat on the other side of the sofa, his lovely wife snuggling against his shoulder. «Really? It sounds like a pretty cool place. Maybe we should should go there next time we take a few days off with the kids.»

«It’d be cool with me! I know the kids would love it!»

Kory raised her haed slightly at this. «Speaking of the kids, how are the twins fairing, Gar? How are they handling their powers so far?»

Gar shifted his lounging position to and upright one. «Well, Maria is handling hers pretty well. She’s already got a good handle on teleporting and can move some small things with her telekinesis. Mark’s getting the hand of it too, although it can get pretty hard sometimes. So far he’s displayed animal senses and empathy, and these can be very difficult to tone down. Said that his head hurt from feeling to many conflicting emotions all at once at schools, while his animals senses can make it hard to sleep. But that was just at first. He’s been seeing both of us and he’s learned to surpress them to the point where it’s not nearly as much of an issue anymore. It’s worth noting that he adapted to his empathy extremely quickly, even Rae was impressed by how swiftly he controlled it. In fact, these helped him make fast bonds with pets and other animals around him.» Gar’s eyes lit up in happiness as he remembered the Mark’s look of pure wonder on his cute little face when he made his first animal friend, a tiger in a zoo that they visited 2 years ago.

Kory let out a huge smile of admiration for how well Gar had conducted himself. «It all sounds glorious, Gar! I am very happy for you and your family! I always knew you would make a wonderful father!»

Gar couldn’t help but puff his chest out in pride at this. Despite his caring for the kids being entirely out of love for them, it did feel nice to be appreciated.

«Thanks, Kory. So, how about Mar’i and Jake? They doing well, or is Dick being a Dick again?»

Dick rolled his eyes out at this. «Wow, that was almost an hour without a joke about my name! I’m impressed!»

Gar’s signature toothy grin was very quickly formed around his face. «Well,I would make more, but I don’t have much time for dicking around these days, y’know?»

Dick couldn’t hold his chuckle in time. «Mar’i and Jake are doing fine. Mar’i has got a pretty comfortable hold on her powers, while Jake is getting there steadily. He can’t fly like his sister, but he does have super-strength and starbolts, which he used to launch a bully on the other side of an alley 3 months ago. He didn’t get hurt, thankfully. Mar’i has been really helpful to him as he adjusted to his powers. They’re a pretty tight-knit duo.»

Raven came out from the kitchen, with a tray of teacups and a teapot that softly let out steam.«A new Dynamic Duo, eh? Sounds good.»

As the four adults drank from their cups, they couldn’t but think just how far they’ve come in their lives, to the point where they’ve become capable parents when it felt like it was just yesterday that they were teenagers barely able to handle their own well-beings, much less their own. That feeling of accomplishmenmt and pride combined with the warm tea trickling down their stomachs felt them with a feeling of warmth that could be sensed throughout the entire room as their children played outside in the sand, shouting at each other over not being able to use their powers for hide and seek.

#teen titans #robstar #starfire #robin #dc #beast boy #raven #bbrae #dickkory #fanfic #dick grayson #koriand'r #rachel roth #garfield logan #birthday fic!#for all my friends!#check out ava and night's fics #they're the queens of robstar and bbrae

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thedcdunce · 5 years

Text

Bronze Tiger

“I shall not be moved.” - Bronze Tiger

Real Name: Benjamin Turner

Aliases:

Robin

Alvin Draper

Batman

Mister Sarcastic

Gender: Male

Height: 6′ 3″

Weight: 240 lbs (109 kg)

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Black

Abilities:

Martial Arts

Universe:

Earth-One

New Earth

Citizenship: American

Marital Status: Single

Occupation:

Assassin

Government Agent

First Appearance: Richard Dragon, Kung-Fu Fighter #1 (May, 1975)

Last Appearance: The Flash Vol 3 #7 (January, 2011)

Abilities

Martial Arts

Aikido

Karate

Kung Fu

Dragon Style Kung Fu

Hapkido

Jeet Kune Do

Jiu-Jitsu

Judo

Savate

History

Ben Turner is Bronze Tiger, one of the world's greatest martial artists. He studied with Richard Dragon under the O-Sensei, and was later brainwashed by the League of Assassins. This made him one of the world's deadliest killers. He would later resist their programming, and become a full-fledged superhero.

Origins

Ben Turner grew up in an upper middle class black neighborhood in Central City. At the age of 10 he killed for the first time when he woke up and found a burglar assaulting his parents. Ben grabbed a carving knife and stabbed the man repeatedly until he died, shocked by how good it felt. He turned to martial arts at the age of 13, beginning with Tae Kwon Do, as a means of teaching himself discipline. This was not enough to control his anger problems, and he soon turned to crime. Knowing that this path would lead him to jail, Ben began traveling the world to find guidance. The master Kirigi took him in as a student, but Kirigi was cruel and tried to exploit Ben's violent nature. Ben left hoping he could find someone to help him achieve inner peace.

Richard Dragon

Turner became a student of the O-Sensei, a legendary martial arts instructor in Japan. O-Sensei took a second student named Richard Dragon, and Ben became close friends with Richard. Their lessons included combat, history, philosophy, and science. When their training was finished, O-Sensei sent them to find their destiny. They were immediately recruited by Barney Ling, an agent of G.O.O.D., who used them to break up a slave ring in Sudan. Dragon and Turner decided to start their new lives in New York City, traveling with the O-Sensei's god-daughter Carolyn Woosan. They are attacked when they get there, and Carolyn is kidnapped by a spy called the Swiss. Turner is shot in the leg so he cannot help Dragon. He recovers on crutches while Dragon goes after Carolyn. The Swiss sends goons to finish Turner, and he nearly dies, but Dragon intervenes and saves him. Following this battle, Dragon and Turner set up their own martial arts school in Manhattan. Their school was attacked several times while Ben was crippled. Dragon used Lady Shiva as his partner instead of Ben while fighting Doctor Moon, Guano Cravat, and Slash.

Turner is targeted by mysterious assassins. Barney Ling promises to give Richard Dragon intel if he will go on another mission for G.O.O.D.. Dragon takes Shiva and Turner to the Caribbean, where they defeat Preying Mantis. Ling reveals that Ben's sister was murdered, and Ben inherited a logging company. Dragon and Shiva help him take down the culprit, a logger named Hatchett. Ben takes custody of his nephew Benjamin, Jr. He is attacked by another assassin, the Silent Samurai. Ling sends the trio on an undercover mission to deal with the Samurai in China. Shiva and Turner are captured by Madame Sun until Dragon releases them. Ben is poisoned in an attack by the League of Assassins. Dragon and Shiva trace the poison to a killer named Viper in Mongolia, but Viper dies before they can get an antidote.

League of Assassins

Richard Dragon discovered that Turner has been brainwashed into becoming the Bronze Tiger by Prof. Ojo, then used by Barney Ling. Dragon and Turner prove to be equals in the fight, which only ends when Ling is accidentally knocked out a window.

Later, Turner and Dragon are hired by King Faraday to work for the CBI. Assigned to take down the League of Assassins, Dragon and Turner are discovered by the League, who kill Turner's fianceé, Myoshi, and proceeded to brainwash Turner. Turner was rid of his demons by channeling them into the identity of the Bronze Tiger, a masked assassin working for the League.

During this time, he also trains the assassin David Cain's daughter, Cassandra, together with other members of the League. As the Bronze Tiger, Turner developed a fearsome reputation in the world, his identity remaining a secret to everyone but the League.

As the Bronze Tiger, Ben was feared around the world, and the Sensei was smart enough to ensure that Ben hardly ever took off the mask, sending him on a new mission as soon as he finished another. For a time, his identity was secret and he became one of the most wanted criminals, the Bronze Tiger being a professional assassin, killing on three continents. Bronze Tiger was at one point sent to murder Kathy Kane, the Batwoman. Shortly after he fought Batman, another assassin killed Kane. When Turner's memory started to return, the League of Assassins turned against him and after a fight, he was soon taken to a hospital. While recovering, the League tried to murder him, but he was saved by Batman, who interrogated him about the murder of Kane, but Turner's memory had not fully recovered.

Learning of Bronze Tiger's true identity, King Faraday set up a rescue squad of Rick Flag and Nightshade. They retrieved the Tiger, and he was deprogrammed by Amanda Waller, who would later run the Suicide Squad.

Legends

Amanda Waller and Rick Flag put together a new Suicide Squad, and Bronze Tiger is their first recruit. Flag trusts Bronze Tiger, and uses him as security when they recruit Deadshot. They are sent to destroy Brimstone at Mount Rushmore, and Bronze Tiger knocks out Enchantress when her evil persona has finished its work. He stays with the team for personal reasons when the prisoners are released. Waller sends them to rescue or kill Captain Boomerang when Boomerang threatens to expose the Squad. Bronze Tiger is sent to take down G. Gordon Godfrey, but Godfrey uses his persuasive powers to make the Tiger a mind-controlled slave.

Suicide Squad

Bronze Tiger becomes a permanent member of the Suicide Squad living in Belle Reve, because Amanda Waller promises to help him regain his memories. He is second-in-command under Rick Flag, and helps keep the inmates in line. Their next mission is destroying the terrorist group Jihad in Qurac, and Bronze Tiger is selected to deal with Thuggee assassin Ravan. Bronze Tiger breaks Ravan's back, and Ravan demands an honorable death, but Bronze Tiger insists that he does not kill anymore. When Belle Reve is attacked by the Female Furies of Apokolips, Bronze Tiger tries to fight Stompa and is defeated. He goes undercover as the supervillain Wipeout when they take down the racist vigilante William Hell. Ben poses as a butler in Russia's American embassy when the team goes undercover in Moscow. This leads to a battle with the People's Heroes, and Bronze Tiger defeats the speedster Bolshoi. Waller relieves Flag of his command after this mission and puts Bronze Tiger in charge. Bronze Tiger takes Enchantress to Madame Xanadu for help controlling her powers, and Xanadu tells him that Enchantress is a ticking time bomb. He is given a ring to control her. Warden Economos sends the Suicide Squad to destroy Manhunters during Millennium. They do not receive public credit for this mission. Bronze Tiger is about his ability to take command, and the androids break his leg during a fight. Waller relieves Tiger and puts Flag back in charge, when Flag proves himself against Batman.

Turner develops a relationship with Vixen, while Flo Crawley, a part of the Squad's support crew, nurses a crush for him. Meeting Ravan again later, Turner convinces him to join the Squad, and the two become an effective fighting duo. The almost corrupting nature of the Squad eventually leads to Rick Flag's departure from the Squad and seeming death in a nuclear explosion. Turner becomes the leader of the team, in which he excels, often disobeying direct orders to save the lives of his men. The Squad member Duchess, in reality the Apokilptian soldier Lashina, betrays the team and takes many, including Flo, home to Apokolips. Flo does not survive the kidnapping.

Later Turner is confronted for his actions by his superiors, and in the ensuing meeting, Turner's mind snaps. He flees, traveling back to the East, where he spends some time as a janissary. Shortly afterwards, the Suicide Squad is disbanded and Amanda Waller is sent to jail.

Eventually, after a year, Amanda Waller reforms the Squad and again recruits Turner. In the missing year, Turner had become a deeply troubled man, who distances himself from Vixen and was constantly egging on Ravan to confront him. In one mission shortly after the team had reformed, Vixen is hurt, and this unlocks Turner's feelings for her once more. He mostly returns to his old state of mind. Vixen later leaves the team, and she and Turner part on good terms.

In the team's last mission, the Squad struggles to free a small island nation from the tyranny of its seemingly immortal ruler. The team must pass through a forest known for causing hallucinations. While the others experience their own mind-trips, Bronze Tiger faces himself. Defeating himself, and thereby exorcising his demons, Turner once again becomes a complete person. The tyrant is later defeated by Waller.

Justice League Task Force

Shortly after leaving the Squad, Turner was summoned to be part of the short lived Justice League Task Force and assist Bruce Wayne locate Shondra Kinsolving and Jack Drake. Turner traveled to the island of Santa Prisca and teamed-up with Green Arrow and Gypsy. Despite their failure to rescue the kidnapped people, the adventure brought him and Gypsy together, after which their relationship would develop further. He later becomes her mentor in martial arts.

Cassandra Cain begins a search for her birth mother, who she believes is Lady Shiva. She tracks down Turner in Detroit, where he has opened the "Tiger Dojo". Both are able to come to terms with Turner's involvement in Cassandra's training, and he expresses his pride at her becoming a hero.

During World War III, Bronze Tiger was shown to have retired, but was coaxed back into action by Amanda Waller.

One Year Later

Bronze Tiger rescues Rick Flag from a secret Quraci prison, where Flag had been imprisoned for four years. Notably he is seen wearing a variant on the costume he wore while with the League of Assassins, complete with a tiger head mask. Afterwards, Amanda Waller appears at the Tiger Dojo, revealing to Ben that she leaked the information about Flag's whereabouts. She then enlists their aid in tracking down a supposedly rogue Suicide Squad team, a team which in reality was being run by Flag and Turner at Waller's behest.

Bronze Tiger was among the Suicide Squad members trying to bring in Pied Piper and The Trickster during Countdown.

#bronze tiger #benjamin turner #League of Assassins #justice league #g.o.o.d.#good #g.o.o.d #Suicide Squad #dc #DC comics #thedcdunce

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bannerswife · 6 years

Text

Chocolates & Sickness - Bruce Banner x Reader

Title: Chocolates & Sickness

Pairing: Bruce Banner x reader (female)

Word count: 1437

Warnings: fluff

Summary: The reader is sick and bruce just wants to help, both of them not realising that the other person also had feelings for them. (damn i suck at summaries sorry lmao)

Authors note: ah okay first bruce banner fic im sooo sorry if he seems out of character, as well as Tony. anyway enjoyyy

"Bruce it's fine, you don't have to do that. I'm fine to stay here on my own for the day," you coughed harshly into the crook of your arm, as you sat on your couch in your pyjamas.

It's not that you didn't want bruce here with you, of course you did, you just didn't want him to waste his time on your useless self.

"I can look after myself, you know? I’m a grown woman," You crossed your arms, rubbing them trying to create some sort of heat as the room had grown chilly.

Suddenly a warm wooly blanket was softly placed over your body and Bruce stood above you, a concerning look spilled over his face.

"I'm happy to stay with you all day if i have to just to make sure you're alright, y/n. i don't think i could get any work done knowing that you were sick anyway." he said, his voice was so soothing you could just simply fall asleep to it.

You were an assistant of Doctor Banner's, SHIELD recruiting you to be his helping hand, along with Tony. And you being there also helped keep Bruce's nerves at bay whenever Tony wanted to vex him.

Feelings for the adorable dorky scientist started the day you walked into his lab, he was everything you could expect but more. You knew that he could turn into a green monster (though you never considered him to be a monster anyway) but that didn't stop anything. you loved both sides of him, inside out.

Tony of course knew you had feelings for his science bro, occasionally teasing you whenever bruce was out and threatening to tell him if you wouldn't. But those conversations always ended with him flying out of the lab before you knocked him flat on his ass.

You never built up the courage to tell him anyway, too afraid of him rejecting you.

"Shouldn't you be making sure Tony isn't doing something he shouldn't be in the lab? You can never be too careful leaving him on his own." You suggested, snuggling into the warmth of the blanket, softly humming. Bruce smiled as he watched you, before answering.

"i made sure Nat would look after him. I'm here for you and only you. Please just let me help, do you want anything? Tea, coffee, chocolate?" He suggested, trying to be of some use to help you as he rubbed at his wrists.

Your ears piped at the sound of chocolate and a small smile spread across your lips. You tucked half of your head under the blanket so only your eyes could be seen and nodded, Bruce chuckling at how cute you were in this moment.

"Can i have some chocolate please, Bruce, pleaseeee?" you softly said, before coughing once again.

"Of course, i'll be back in a few. don't you move," again you nodded and rolled onto your side, closing your eyes for a little nap.

God you were adorable, Bruce could hardly contain the feelings he had for you as he watched you before leaving your room for the shops.

"Hey, Bruce!" Bruce heard the voice of the billionaire come from down the hallway, as he came towards the elevator.

"Hey Tony," He replied, as he held open the elevator for his friend.

"Where you off too, shouldn't you be with your sick girlfriend?" Tony said, while pressing the floor he desired to go to.

"She isn't my girlfriend, but I'm getting y/n some chocolate it's the least i can do." He crossed his arms, looking everywhere but at Tony. Trying to keep the conversation short and sweet.

"Honestly bruce what's the problem with asking her out? You better quickly jump at the chance before i do, she's one-"

Before Tony could continue Bruce hit him square in the jaw.

Tony looked up holding onto his now bruising jaw to see Bruce's brown eyes change into a bright green.

"Don't worry green bean i'll give you another week." Tony stood up straight, patting him on the shoulder.

Thankfully the elevator door dinged signalling that it was Tony's floor.

"I suggest you keep away from me for today Tony," Bruce's eyes slowly faded back to it's normal colour as he tried to even out his breathes again.

"Not possible bud, i'll see you later," With a simple wave he walked out before spinning to face Bruce again.

"Go get her tiger," Tony clicked his fingers at him a wide grin across his face, before the elevator came to a close.

Bruce only shook his head, holding onto the railing calming himself back down.

After 15 minutes the scientist made his way back into your room. The bag containing the desired chocolates hanging from his wrists.

"I'm back. i- uh didn't know which chocolate you wanted so i grabbed a whole hea-" He stopped himself as he saw you softly snoring fast asleep on the couch, snuggled peacefully in your blanket.

He chuckled, slowly and softly sitting at the other end of the couch.

Of course the moment his weight sunk into the couch you woke up with a start, kicking your legs about hitting him straight in the nose.

"Ow!" he startled, falling backwards at the force of your kick.

"Oh my god, Bruce! i'm so sorry, oh my god," You jumped up despite how sick you felt, you went up to his side.

"I'm so sorry, I'm the worst when I'm awoken, oh my god did i hurt you?" You quickly said all in a heap, while you brought your hands to your mouth.

Bruce continued to rub at his reddening nose, waving his arm at you.

"no, no, don't worry y/n it's nothing I- I'm fine. I should've been mindful of you, I'm sorry for waking you." Bruce tried reassuring you, though you still didn't feel any better about your actions.

"I feel terrible, I'm so sor-"

"stop y/n, it's fine. here, i got a whole heap of chocolate, i'm sure it'll make you feel a little better and well-" He took his hand away from his face, blood now trickling from his nose that now covered his hand, you gasped feeling even more bad.

"-and hopefully my nose bleed." he laughed, though you sure weren't.

"Oh my god, i'll go get you a tissue." you got up quickly running to the bathroom to get a heap of toilet paper.

You ran back to bruce’s aid who was pinching his nose and held the toilet paper to it for him.

Bruce looked into your worried filled eyes as they searched his face. His cheeks flushed a light pink colour, he hadn't been this close to a woman in years, he prayed to god that you didn't notice it. Though while he was worrying about his cheeks flushing, you were too.

Your eyes then connected to his deep brown chocolate eyes, a long silence filled the air. though it wasn't awkward, it was... nice.

"Here i can do it," Bruce took the paper from you, your hands briefly touching. You felt like a quick shock suddenly flew through your hand, goose bumps forming slightly on your skin from the contact.

"Bruce, i- uh, how do i put this without instantly regretting my decisions?" You begun, taking your eyes away from his. You could hear your heart thumping through your ear drums.

"What is it?" He tenderly said, placing a hand on your thigh, again that shock that made your heart rate jump even more than it already was.

"I- uh, I've liked you for a while now, and i don't want to make things weird around us or anything but i just needed to tell you before i-" not that Bruce didn't love your ramblings or the sound of your beautiful voice, but he just had to kiss you right there and then.

The kiss was sweet and simple, that the both of you had been craving since day one. Your lips parted and you took a sharp breath in.

"Wow," You breathed out, touching your lips. Where Bruce's lips only touched moments before.

"i- i like you too, y/n," he confessed, grabbing a hold of your hand, looking into your deep beautiful e/c eyes.

"Bruce! Now you're going to get sick 'cause you kissed me!" you softly shoved at his chest, crossing your arms. again feeling even more terrible.

He only laughed sinking to the floor, off the couch, to look back at your face.

"I'm sure a little cold won't hurt me sweetheart, and trust me anything is worth it for you," And with that he placed another kiss on your pouted lips.

#the avengers #avengers #bruce banner #bruce banner x reader #the hulk #hulk #avengers x reader #mark ruffalo #mark ruffalo x reader #chris evans #robert downey jr #rdj #jeremy renner #chris hemsworth #tony stark #x reader #female reader #fluff #reader

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backpackfullofplums · 7 years

Text

The Hangover

Summary: After a wild night of partying in the tower, you and the team wake to discover that not only did you marry Bucky Barnes, but Bruce Banner has gone missing! Loosely based on the film “The Hangover”

Bucky x reader, FLUFF/GENERAL HILARITY, Word count: 2,805

TW: Discussion of roofies (they are not actually used though), and spiking drinks

This is a silly one but I had a lot of fun writing it. Enjoy!!!

“Y/N? Y/N? Wake up, doll.”

You opened your eyes to see Bucky laying on the floor next to you. His hair was a mess, his face covered in light stubble, and he was rubbing his eyes as if he had the world’s second-worst headache. Your headache was definitely the worst.

“Stop yelling!” you whispered as you draped your arm over your eyes, trying to block out the light.

“I’m not yelling. C’mon. Everyone else is already up. We have a...situation,” said Bucky. You could hear the apprehension in his voice.

With a groan, you sat up and looked around the room. You were in the lounge of the tower, and it looked like a tornado had passed through the room. Furniture was knocked over, the floor was littered with red solo cups and empty liquor bottles, and a very confused and hung-over group of superheroes was scattered throughout the room.

“Good God, what the hell happened last night?! The last thing I remember was walking in here and having ONE drink—I’ve never blacked out so bad after a night of partying,” you explained.

“Nobody remembers what we did after about 9:30. I think we were roofied,” said Tony.

“Umm, I may have an alternative explanation,” said Thor with some hesitation. “My brother stopped by briefly. I don’t think he gave us roofies—I think we were slipped some strong Asgardian mead. It must’ve been a lot, because even my memory is fuzzy, and I’m no mortal man like all of you.”

“Don’t forget us mortal women,” mumbled Natasha.

“HOLY SHIT!” yelled Sam, pointing at Steve, who had just removed his sweater.

“Is that…is that a tattoo?” you asked as you got up to examine the markings on Steve’s bicep. Upon closer inspection, you found the word “Peggy” had been tattooed on his arm.

“HOW DO I NOT REMEMBER GETTING A TATTOO?!” yelled Steve, wincing as you poked it. When Steve swatted your hand away, something hit his palm.

“Ow! Your ring stabbed me!” said Steve.

“What ring? You know I never wear rings. Oh my…” you trailed off as you looked down to see a wedding ring glistening on your hand.

“Damn, Y/N! Who’d you marry?” asked Sam through a fit of laughter.

“I don’t know!” you exclaimed.

“Umm, I think I do,” said Bucky as he stood and held out his left hand. The gold band shined bright on the vibranium. A silence fell over the room as everyone took it in.

“Okay, so maybe Bucky and I got married and Steve got a tattoo. Who else did stupid shit while they were wasted last night?” you asked. At that moment, the elevator dinged and Scott stumbled out.

“What the fuck did we do last night? Either I’m high on something or I’m missing a tooth,” said Scott. He smiled and everyone tensed up.

“Sorry Scott, but it appears as though you’re missing an incisor. In other news, Steve got a tattoo, Y/N and Bucky got married, and nobody’s noticed because I’ve been sitting under a blanket but my pants are missing. Anything I missed?” asked Tony. Wanda then walked out of the bathroom, followed by Clint.

“Umm, what were you two doing in there?” asked Natasha.

“I woke up in the tub,” said Clint.

“I’ve been in there throwing up. Also, don’t go into the bathroom upstairs,” she advised.

“Why not?” asked Steve.

“There’s a tiger in there. Don’t ask me how it got there—I can’t remember anything that happened last night.”

“Oh my God!” shouted Natasha.

“Nat, do you remember something about the tiger?” asked Steve.

“No—I don’t remember anything about last night, but I think I’m wearing Stark’s pants under my dress.” Sam started laughing until he looked down to see his brand new Rolex watch was no longer on his wrist.

“Okay everyone! Cell phones out! One of us had to take some pictures last night—maybe they can help us remember. And Thor—please remind me to slap your brother next time he comes to Midgard, okay?” At your instruction, everyone pulled out their phones and started checking their photo galleries.

“I’ve got pictures of Steve getting his tattoo. That place looks super shady. Good thing you’re a super soldier or you’d probably have Hep C,” said Bucky.

“I’ve got pictures of Sam trading his watch for the tiger. I don’t recognize the guy he’s trading with though,” you said. Sam came over to look at the pictures.

“I don’t know the guy either, but I’d like my watch back and I sure as hell don’t want a cat that can eat me. I don’t have pictures of anything.”

“I don’t carry a phone. I prefer sending ravens,” said Thor.

“I have the wedding pictures. Cute little drive-by chapel. No honeymoon pictures though,” said Nat, teasingly.

“Umm, I think I have the honeymoon pictures. Bucky and I must have accidentally switched phones at some point. Our cases are almost identical,” said Steve as he handed you the phone.

“Damn, Bucky—no wonder why it hurt for me to sit down. Thank God I’m on the pill. Anyway, I’m deleting these.”

“Wait! I wanna see them first! You got to see pics of me, so it’s only fair,” pleaded Bucky. You handed him the phone and he scrolled through to the pictures of you.

“Nice! Are you sure you don’t wanna save this one? You look amazing. I really wish I could remember that,” said Bucky handing you back the phone. You sent him the picture he was referring to with the message “show this to anyone and I kill you in your sleep” and winked at him before deleting the pictures from Steve’s phone.

“Okay, I’ve heard enough about Mr. and Mrs. Barnes’ sex lives. Anyone else have pictures that could help shed a little light on what we did last night?” asked Clint. Everyone shook their head no except Wanda.

“It looks like Bruce was here last night, too. I have photos of him drinking with Tony.”

“Oh no, you don’t think he went code green, do you?” asked Natasha.

“FRIDAY, search the news for Hulk sightings in the last 24 hours,” said Tony.

“Nothing, sir. It appears as though Dr. Banner was here last night, but after everyone left he did not return with the group. He isn’t in his apartment in the tower, either,” answered FRIDAY.

“I’ll try calling him,” said Steve, pulling out his phone. As soon as Steve hit “dial” everyone could hear Bruce’s phone buzzing under the couch cushion.

“Well, if he’s not in the tower, who knows where he could be? I think we’d better retrace our steps. Misplacing Bruce isn’t just a shitty thing to do to your friend, but it’s also like misplacing a 50 megaton nuke. We’ve gotta find him or he could go green,” said Tony.

“I think our best bet is to retrace our steps as best as we can. Based on the pictures, it looks like Steve got his tattoo at a place called ‘Syd’s Tattoo and Piercing,’ so let’s go there and see if it brings back any memories,” suggested Bucky, and everyone agreed. The lot of you filed out of the tower and rode together to the tattoo parlor in one of Tony’s limos, since it was the only car that would fit everyone. When you arrived at the shop, everyone rushed in to find a man tattooing a dolphin on a young woman’s leg.

“Are you Syd?” asked Steve?

“Well if it isn’t Captain America himself—and you brought your buddies with you again! So what it is? You liked your tattoo so much you want another, or is one of your friends so jealous they want one of their own?” said the artist as he finished the dolphin tattoo and began covering it in plastic. When he was done, he walked over and shook Steve’s hand.

“Actually, none of the above. Look, umm, we’re all having kind of a hard time remembering what happened to us last night and were hoping you could tell us if you knew anything that could jog our memories,” said Steve.

“Partied a little too hard, eh? Been there, man. Well, the whole time you were here you were talking about that Peggy chick while your friends were laughing about those two tying the knot,” said Syd as he motioned to you and Bucky.

“Were we already married when we got here or were we going there next?” you asked.

“Sounded like the wedding chapel was your next stop,” said Syd.

“Do you know where we were before we came here?” asked Sam.

“No idea.”

“Don’t supposed we had a little nerdy-looking guy with us, did we? Like a real-life Professor Plum type?” asked Clint.

“Nope. No nerdy guy.”

“Okay, thanks for the help,” said Tony. You all filed back into the limo, and decided to go to the wedding chapel next. Per the sign in the photos on Natasha’s phone, it was a little place in Manhattan. It was short drive, and when you arrived you were greeted by a short red-headed woman, who spoke with a thick New York accent.

“We don’t do divorces here, honey. Ya gotta go to the courthouse fa’ that.” The woman was shuffling through a pile of papers when she looked over and saw Scott. “Oh! You! Here. I think this belongs to you.” She handed him a small plastic baggie.

“Umm…thanks. Could you maybe tell me how I lost it?” said Scott as he pulled his tooth out of the bag.

“Oh God that’s so gross…” muttered Tony as he took a step back.

“Oh, you don’t remember? When Mistah Handsome Pants ovah there,” she gestured towards Steve, eliciting a blush from him, “went to hand the groom the ring he dropped it, and then both of ya tried to pick it up at the same time and ya took an elbow to the kissah. Didn’t find the tooth until a couple hours ago.”

“Thank you, ma’am. I don’t suppose you’d happen to know where we were headed after this, do you?” asked Sam.

“Well, based on how these two were hanging all ovah each otha’ I woulda guessed a hotel room, but I think one of ya said somethin’ about the zoo.”

“The tiger!” shouted Wanda.

You turned to Bucky in full panic mode. “What if the tiger ate Bruce?!” you whispered. Bucky cracked a quick smile, until he realized that you weren’t joking.

“Wouldn’t he go green before a tiger could maul him to death?” he whispered back. His logic seemed sound, and you calmed back down.

You turned to the lady, who had gone back to shuffling through papers. “I don’t suppose you happen to know which zoo?”

“Bronx I think.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” you said as you all left the chapel.

When you reached the zoo, the entrance was closed. A nervous-looking employee was walking through the parking lot, and Steve flagged him down. “Excuse me, sir. Why is the zoo closed?”

“Oh, umm, well, I’m not really supposed to talk about it, but uh, I don’t think I can lie to Captain America. That’s probably against some sort of law or something,” he paused, eyes wide as he stared at Steve. “Anyway, umm, one of the animals kinda, umm, escaped last night,” he whispered.

“It wouldn’t happen to be a tiger, would it?” asked Steve.

“How did you know? Did it leak to the news?”

“Well, son, I think we may have found it for you.”

“Oh my gosh! The Avengers found our missing tiger! Do you think I could maybe, umm, er…” he trailed off, staring at the ground.

“Tell your boss that you got The Avengers to look for the tiger for you, because you go like, way back with Tony Stark? Or something along those lines?” suggested Tony.

“Well, yeah. And also maybe a picture with all of you?”

“Of course!” you said, pushing everyone close together so you’d all fit in frame. Bucky snapped a quick group selfie (he had the longest arms so he had to hold the phone) and everyone spread back out.

“Tell your boss that we found the tiger wandering the streets and it’s currently being kept in Avengers Tower until someone can come pick it up. I’ll let the desk clerk know you’re coming and they’ll take you up to get the tiger,” explained Tony.

“Will do! Thank you!”

“One more thing,” said Sam, a tad bit apprehensively. “Do you have security cameras here?”

“Uh, no man. Well, I mean, we do, but they’ve been broken for a few days now, so not really.”

“Okay, well be careful picking up your tiger. We were happy to help,” said Clint, and you all decided to break for a late lunch, unsure where else to go.

“Look Tony, I never said that I didn’t like shawarma—I just said that I hadn’t ever tried it, okay?” said Bucky as you all entered the small restaurant. You crowded around a circular table and had to squeeze in close to each other so everyone could fit.

“Okay guys, what’s the plan? Bruce has to be somewhere,” said Clint.

“I’ve got FRIDAY running facial sweeps on pretty much every camera I could get access too, which is A LOT of them. I don’t know what else to do. If he’s not in his apartment or his lab in the tower, I’m stumped,” said Tony.

“Maybe we’re approaching this entire thing wrong,” you suggested.

“Continue,” said Steve.

“Well, we keep acting like we lost Bruce or left him somewhere like he’s some little kid that we forgot on the subway platform. Maybe he’s just out and about. Bruce isn’t really one for parties—he may have left before Loki even stopped by,” you explained.

“Y/N’s right. Banner could be happily strolling through Central Park as we speak,” said Bucky as he wrapped his arm around your shoulders. You noticed he was still wearing the ring, and realized that you were still wearing yours as well. Everyone’s attention was briefly diverted when the food came.

“Well, I don’t see us having any other options at this point. Seems like everyone is out of ideas. I vote that after we’re done here, we head back to the tower for a few beers,” said Clint.

“Hair of the dog—I like how you think, Barton,” said Sam. Tony paid the bill and everyone piled in the limo to go back to the tower. When you arrived, Wanda suggested that everyone should head up to the roof to lounge in the fresh summer air while sipping their beers. When you all got out on the roof, you were shocked to see Bruce asleep in a lounge chair.

“Oh my God, Bruce! We’ve been looking for you all day! We were all slipped some Asgardian mead by Loki at the party so none of us remembered what happened. I’m so sorry!” you exclaimed as you went to hug him.

“Asgardian mead in the punch bowl, eh? I’m so glad I stuck with beer. I remember everything from last night! Steve—how’s the tattoo healing? Mr. and Mrs. Barnes—I see you two are still wearing your wedding rings. I ducked out on the party when there was talk of a tiger. I came up here for some fresh air and locked myself out…” Everyone stared in awe as Bruce stood with a smug grin plastered across his face. All was quickly forgiven, and as everyone sat around Bruce, listening to his story of everything that had happened the previous night, you and Bucky snuck back inside to talk.

“So here’s the thing, Y/N. Although I remember neither, I’ve apparently married you and slept with you, but I’ve never dated you. I’d like that to change,” said Bucky.

“Okay, so what are you proposing we do here?”

“Well, I was thinking that instead of rushing to get a divorce or annulment, maybe we just hold off and see where a few dates take us. I’m pretty sure you already know this because Steve can’t keep his big mouth shut, but I’ve had my eye on you for quite awhile. Would I be way off-base assuming you feel the same way about me that I do about you?”

“I think we’re on the same page here, Bucky. I’d love to date you. I have one question though.”

“Yes?”

“Are we going to keep wearing the rings?” The two of you laughed as Bucky gently grabbed your left hand. He slowly slipped off the ring, and put it on your right ring finger instead. He then repeated the action with his own ring.

“How about we keep them, but call them promise rings?”

“It’s a deal.”

If you’d like to read more of my fics, you can find my masterlist here

To make a request, check out request rules

I do not have a tag list and don’t tag people unless it’s a fic they requested.

#bucky x reader #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes fanfiction #avengers fanfiction #marvel fanfiction #bucky barnes oneshot #nichole writes fics

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larissaloki · 7 years

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lost 2

Steve looked around the crash site, the fires have burnt themselves out and with Tony’s help they stopped the more dangerous ones to prevent anything from blowing up further, anything salvageable they gathered with the help of Thor and pulled it all away to where the other three are, building a campfire and using the usable plane parts to make shelter from the elements while Natasha keeps look out for Bruce. More often than not the female alpha is pacing as she tries to use the partial bond to try and entice Hulk back or use it to help guide Bruce. “Where the hell do you think we are?” Frowning Bucky asks Clint as he looks at his arm that feels dislodged and a compartment is partially opened and a few faint scratches can be seen. He recalls faintly a figure leaning above him fiddling with his arm and at first when he woke up he had dismissed it as a hallucination. However the longer he sits there he is sure that he can feel them being watched. Glancing around at the trees not to far from them he narrows his eyes using his sniper skills to survey the trees. Tense he shuffles closer to Natasha and looks at her to see her glancing back at him, he can tell that she feels what he’s feeling. Glad that she’s alert to the outsider he moves back to Clint who’s looking around lost. Trying to get his baring’s. “The hell do I know assuming we stayed on course somewhere in the North Atlantic...if so we should be found quickly...hopefully...” “We need the transponder from the plane it would be in the cockpit with the flight captains..” Natasha spoke up quietly while still facing the jungle. “My bet is thats what Tony is looking for, assuming the cockpit is amongst all of this. There isn’t nearly enough wreckage here for it to be the whole plane” Bucky looked back at the mangled plane and had to agree with her. There should of been more. Even the flight attendant’s that would have been sat near the cockpit are missing. Finally after going through as much as they can take for now the other three drag the last off the findings; namely some chairs that are still intact, back to the makeshift shelter. The worried look on Tony’s face clues Bucky in that the transponder wasn’t found. “Everyone ok?” Steve looked at each of them concern on his face as he carries a first aid box, a bit banged up but still in one piece. “Here Clint found this for your leg, Nat can you help Tony with his eye please?” Immediately everyone responds to his commands as lead alpha and move to do as asked. “I’m fine capsicle just a small cut! Save the stuff for Clint or Bruce! He may need some!” Tony protested trying to evade Natasha’s hands huffing. “Tony...let her clean it at least? This is not up for debate.” Letting some of his alpha voice seep out a bit he orders Tony making him comply though that doesn’t stop him from complaining loudly the whole time. Bucky moves to the opposite side of Clint from Steve and murmurs softly as he helps to keep Clint’s leg still. “We’re being watched. Nat felt it to we should stay alert and get what weapons we can.” Looking up he can see Steve’s mouth flattened out into a grim line as he works and gives Bucky a small nods to show that he heard. “Tony found parts of his suit and my shield and some still working widow bites but the rest could be lost to sea. Use any of the scrap metal to make defences...” Nodding Bucky mutters a affirmative. He can tell from the way Thor stands more alert that he had overheard their conversation. Freaky alien hearing, though his and Steve’s is just as good.

The next few hours are tense as they wait, each glancing at the jungle in a mix of looking for Bruce and partly looking for the owner of what’s watching them. The Amazonian omega women watches from high in the canopy. Her dark skin the colour of smooth chocolate, marred only by a few scars here and there. She is tall nearly 8ft tall. Her body is mostly bare with only a fur pelt covering her waist, the rest of her body is covered in yellow paint that are in a pattern similar to tiger stripes apart from two small ish handprints that cover where her small breasts are. On her shaved head is the dead head and fur of a tiger its body pelt is used as a cloak to keep her warm and protected. Attached to her upper thigh is a pouch filled with seeds and medicine. Curling her lip into a small snarl she turns away after watching the group settle. She can see how tense they are from all the way up from her perch. Scoffing to herself she heads along the treeline that runs along the beach, looking for a small omega that she’s been sent out to find upon their chief seeing the crash. Sighing she moves across the branches silently and with the grace of a feline, using natural occurring vines to get across. Soon she spots a small 6ft 4 omega thats on the beach humming as she looks in the rock pools. The smaller omega has olive tanned skin, her body is covered in a dyed cloth around her waist tied to the side causing a split to form on her left leg revealing the toned muscle with every step. Her larger chest is covered by a strip of leather that binds the breasts in place and pushes them together and is decorated with flowers. Slung over one shoulder is a leaf weaved bag that is holding many and many pretty shells and gems that she found. Her long red hair is left flowing freely as she giggles holding a pretty starfish. Dropping down the taller omega makes her way over her face set in a scowl. “Isla! What you doing out here! Hunter said to stay close to the huts!” growling she stops in front of the smaller girl who jumps startled at seeing her who immediately looks down guiltily. “I wanted to see what had fallen onto the beach... one of the alphas had a pretty arm!” Glaring Daynesha pulls the smaller one to her feet and starts to drag her back to the trees. “they could be dangerous, Hunter’s going to punish you again for running off! Why is it so hard for you to stay put?” looking back she can see Isla bite her lip her face flushed in shame. “I wanted to get some shells...” Sighing Daynesha stops and turns to face her cupping her face gently to make her look up. “we were all worried for you...please..while the alphas are here please stay close to the settlement...?” Isla nods reluctantly she hates being confined to the settlement. Being the bottom of the group she can’t really defy to much. She plays absently with her green patterns on her body that are shaped to be swirls, much like the ones seen on shells. “Now come we must go back now and tell Hunter about the alphas...”

#marvel #steve rogers #tony stark #bruce banner #clint barton #plane crash #omegaverse #lost au

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iatethepomegranate · 6 years

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(Belated) DickTiger Week Day 7: Picnic

This is so late I’m sorry. Happy birthday @iontorch

Masterlist (including AO3 links)

Title: We Should Do This Every Day

Rating: Explicit

Length: 4k

Summary: Dick and Tiger can't go very far for their honeymoon, but Dick has some ideas on how to make the most of it.

Notes: The park is VERY LOOSELY based on Colt State Park in Bristol, Rhode Island. I got some ideas on what to do from there and then went off and did my own thing.

The last scene is unabashed smut. I have also forgotten how to write smut.

We Should Do This Every Day

So maybe just hopping a few states over for a honeymoon wasn't what he'd had in mind, but Dick's siblings tended to get antsy when he was too far away for too long... as if he was about to fake his death again. Besides, he married Tiger because he liked the guy, not just because he loved him. If they couldn't enjoy each other's company anywhere, why get married at all?

Tiger was also hilarious during long drives... mainly because he became increasingly exasperated with Dick's attempts to entertain himself.

“I swear,” Tiger said from the passenger seat, “if you sing that damn song one more time...”

“Oh, come on. It's Batman's theme song.”

“You probably invented it,” Tiger grumbled, bumping the back of his head against the headrest.

“Not this one, no.” Dick shot him a grin before focusing back on the road. They'd been driving for a few hours and didn't have much longer left. Somehow, they hadn't killed each other, which boded well for their marriage. “We rescued a moderately famous band when I was Robin, so they wrote a song for us. It charted for a few weeks, actually. The local radio station still plays it sometimes.”

“I pity everyone who lives in Gotham City.”

“Just for the music?”

“Yes. Gotham City is a perfectly safe place otherwise.”

Dick snorted. “Can you believe I used to think you had no sense of humour?”

“My sense of humour is simply more refined than yours,” Tiger replied.

“That's just a fancy way of saying you don't find as many things funny.”

“Yes.”

Light was fading by the time they drove into town and reached the hotel. Dick and Tiger had alternated driving, so both were tired and strung-out and ready to sleep. It took a herculean effort to strip off their clothes before falling into bed. The mattress was hard, but that would just mean more leverage... when they weren't exhausted.

“At least we already knew we could get through a trip like that without killing each other,” Dick said, staring at the darkened ceiling. “Going on the run from Spyral is still paying off a year later.”

Tiger grunted into his pillow. Dick flopped across his back. They'd spent their wedding night in Gotham so they wouldn't keel over from exhaustion. Just as well, because they both fell asleep like this.

Of course, Tiger always rose early to pray, so Dick woke to find himself rolling gently across the bed, a whispered apology in his ear. It was Dick's own fault, really.

When Dick woke properly some time later, thin cracks of light lined the edges of the curtains and birdsong drifted in from outside the window. Tiger snored against his back, their legs tangled together under the warm covers.

Dick wanted to wake up like this for the rest of his life. Hell, if he had anything to say about it, he would... or as often as possible. Tiger still had his duties as Patron calling him away at times. This week, though? It was just for them.

Tiger shifted awake, rubbing his beard against Dick's bare shoulder. Dick rolled onto his back. Tiger settled against his chest, letting out a sigh as Dick stroked his hair.

“Morning, sunshine,” Dick said, his consonants still loose and lazy from sleep.

Tiger huffed. “Sunshine.”

“Shh. Let me call you things.”

“Hmph.” But he wasn't complaining.

Dick rubbed a hand over his face, yawning. “We should have breakfast.” They'd gone to bed early the previous night, and he was waking up faster than usual. That was nice. More time to spend hanging out with his BFF-slash-husband.

Tiger rolled out of bed, hunting for clothes. “Wash up. I will find you something to wear.”

“Should I be worried?”

“Yes. Fear me.”

Dick stripped off and stepped into the shower. Tiger had washed up earlier, so he wasn’t surprised when he didn’t join him. The alone time gave Dick a moment to think. He’d been in touch with the hotel beforehand and had gotten some advice for what to do in the area. They’d also agreed to help him source a few items to help things along. He’d spent a few minutes on the phone at a rest stop the previous day confirming that everything would be ready.

But first: a light breakfast.

Fortunately, the clothing Tiger had picked out for Dick was inoffensive. Probably less awful than what Dick would’ve chosen for himself. They’d mostly packed light, given the weather forecast, with a coat or two just in case. Dick tied his sweater around his neck like an asshole, mostly because Tiger hated it.

They had breakfast out on the patio, feet nudging together under the table. Tiger had taken his suggestion to eat lightly to heart, and he hadn’t questioned why.

“Aren’t you a little bit curious?” Dick asked him, spoonful of cereal forgotten in his half-raised hand. Tiger had that effect on him.

“I am,” Tiger admitted, reaching over to guide the spoon into Dick’s mouth. “Now eat, you child.”

Dick swallowed his mouthful. “Come on, man. You normally complain a lot more than this.”

“I am biding my time.” Tiger gave him a sharp, toothy smile. “You enjoy my complaints too much.”

“True. You’re cute when you’re grumpy.”

Tiger’s cheeks coloured a little, and he seized on the sudden chattering of birds in flight above them to look somewhere else. Dick rested his cheek in his hand, watching him. He could stare at Tiger for hours and not get bored. For a spy, he was rather emotive once you knew what to look for, mostly in the eyes and eyebrows. A single raised eyebrow could tell stories that Dick needed hundreds of words to tell.

Tiger caught him staring. “What?”

“Oh, nothing.” That all-too-familiar feeling of affection rose in Dick’s chest so quickly he had to let it out. “I just love you.”

Tiger’s eyes darted downwards for a moment, but then he reached out and slotted his fingers between Dick’s hand and his cheek. “I love you, too.”

They could’ve happily gone back to the hotel room and spent the whole day in there, but Dick had put a lot of planning into today and he was going to use it. The hotel had come through and sent what he requested to the nearby state park, where they’d pick it up from the ranger station. Dick wanted to keep Tiger in the dark until the last minute.

They borrowed a pair of bikes and set out. The roads were quiet today, and they were on a bike track in no time. There was just enough room to ride side-by-side, with good visibility in case someone needed to get past.

“Do you intend to tell me where we are going?” Tiger asked. There was something funny about seeing him on an ordinary bicycle after seeing him on motorcycles and tanks. It did great things for his thighs, though.

“Soon,” Dick promised. “I wanted to surprise you.”

The trail turned out back to the road soon enough, and they had to ride single file the rest of the way. They left the bikes chained up outside the park and walked inside, hands linked together. Tiger was observing the rolling green lawns around them with a little frown. Dick wanted to kiss the crease between his eyebrows.

They reached the ranger station and Dick finally grabbed the important piece of today’s outing: a picnic basket full of goodies from the local shops around town. Tiger watched him silently, a peculiar look on his face.

Dick opened the basket to check that everything was in order. “Everything okay, T?”

“I…” Tiger cleared his throat. “Yes.”

Dick grabbed his hand, leading him along the winding paths towards a spot the hotel staff had promised they would love. “Come on. What’s going on?”

Tiger kept his eyes on the greenery around them. “I do not know how to… no one has ever…”

“This your first picnic?”

“Yes.”

“Nervous?”

“I suppose.” The fact Tiger could admit something it spoke volumes of how far their relationship had come since those first days of trading barbs and trying not to kill each other out of frustration.

“You don’t have to be super cool and knowledgeable about everything, you know.” Dick looped his arm around Tiger’s, leaning against his shoulder as they walked. “It’s okay to feel out of your depth sometimes.”

“I always feel out of my depth with you.”

“That’s love, T.”

Tiger made a soft, possibly amused, possibly rueful, noise. “You know I am not used to people… doing things for me.”

“I’ll give you plenty of practice.”

His frown eased off the tiniest bit, which was the equivalent of a relieved sigh in Tiger-language. Dick nuzzled his shoulder and caught the corner of Tiger’s mouth lifting a little.

They finally reached the spot and Dick laid out the blanket. There was an open-air chapel nearby that was apparently popular for small weddings. It was just an archway and some white benches, but it still made Dick feel emotional as he laid out their spread for lunch. Dick and Tiger had married in Alfred’s rose garden. Bruce had enlisted the batkids’ help to build an archway and decorate it with the roses Alfred was willing to pluck from the garden. The park’s setup here was much simpler, but it still had Dick a little choked up.

Two men in suits were under the archway, with a small handful of people looking on. The men were wrapped up in each other, as if nobody around them existed. Dick knew that feeling well.

Tiger fed Dick a ribbon sandwich, capturing his attention once again. Eating from Tiger’s hands always went one of two ways: either the food tasted infinitely better, or he’d get so distracted that he no longer tasted the food at all. Tiger’s fingers caressing his cheek put him into that second camp.

They fed each other sandwiches, keeping an eye on the ceremony nearby. The men were crying, their foreheads pressed together.

“Do not start,” Tiger warned Dick. “Please.”

“As if you’re not getting a little misty-eyed over there,” Dick teased. They’d already finished the sandwiches without really tasting them. Then came bread and cheeses and grapes and figs.

The couple under the arch kissed. Dick leaned back against Tiger. He could almost smell the sweetness of those roses again. Their first kiss as a married couple had been tender. Tiger had cradled the back of his head like glass and dipped him like a princess. Dick didn’t mind feeling like a princess sometimes, especially when it came to the romantic stuff.

Tiger wrapped his arms around Dick’s shoulders, kissing the top of his head. “They look happy.”

“Yeah.” Dick still felt teary; he’d always had an overabundance of empathy. Couple that with memories of one of the happiest days of his life, and he had no chance. “I’m happy, too.”

“As am I.” Tiger rested his cheek where he’d kissed. He wasn’t normally this affectionate in public.

“Would you kill me if I took a selfie right now?”

“No,” Tiger said warmly. Dick got the impression he wanted to remember this moment, too.

Dick wrestled out his phone and snapped a picture of them cuddled up like this against a backdrop of green grass and distant sea. The sky was bright blue and clear. It looked exactly how Dick felt. He texted a copy of the photo to Alfred and then put his phone away. Tiger held his attention far more easily than anything else in the world.

Dick rested the platter on his lap and fed Tiger grapes over his head. Tiger would sometimes grab one and shove it into Dick’s mouth instead. Lying here, being lazy and shoving food in each other’s faces was such a stark contrast to their usual panicked running-around-trying-to-save-the-world-from-burning-down lifestyle that Dick realised this had been the right decision. Anything more elaborate than this would’ve been exhausting. They needed to relax for once.

And maybe cry over other people’s weddings.

Soft music floated over from someone’s phone at the ceremony and the two men were slow-dancing in a circle. Tiger gave Dick a squeeze. They’d felt too awkward to dance in front of the handful of people that had been at their wedding, which had been Dick’s family plus Helena, but they’d swayed together in their room afterwards.

Dick rested his head against Tiger’s chest, closing his eyes. He could feel the rise and fall of his husband’s breaths. It was one of the most comforting things he’d ever experienced. Sometimes he just liked to lie on top of him with his ear pressed against Tiger’s chest, listening to the beat of his heart and the gentle rushing of air.

The wedding party was gone when he opened his eyes; he must’ve fallen asleep. Tiger’s lovely green eyes watched him with amusement as he sat up and stretched. Dick threw a grape at him.

They quietly packed up the remnants of the picnic, nibbling on leftover bits and pieces as they went. Tiger shook the blanket and folded it away. There was still plenty of time in the day, though, and Dick didn’t want to leave yet.

He rested the basket on one of the chapel benches and led Tiger to the arch. It was a pretty lattice design, pure white. The grass had been worn down to dirt beneath it, and there was something beautiful in that, in the fact so many people had stood there with the one they loved and said the words to tie their souls together. So many hearts poured out in this one spot.

“We are already married, Dick,” Tiger reminded him, but he was smiling a little.

Dick gently swung their joined hands side-to-side. “I want to live in that moment a while longer.”

“It is a good moment,” Tiger agreed, tugging Dick towards him. He slid an arm around Dick’s waist, keeping the other hand firmly clasped in his. “Our first dance was an afterthought. We should do another.”

Dick let Tiger lead their swaying. It was less awkward doing this in front of random people walking by than a small group of people he knew well. The birdsong was their music, their hearts the rhythm.

Tiger rested his forehead against Dick’s and they both closed their eyes. Tiger freed his hand from Dick’s and slid it into his hair. They kissed slowly. Dick could almost smell the roses again. Wherever they ended up in the future, he’d have to plant some.

Dick lost track of time. He laid his head on Tiger’s shoulder and their swaying turned to gentle rocking on the spot, their arms wrapped around each other.

“I love this,” Dick whispered. “We should do this every day.” He felt Tiger smile against the side of his face.

“We should.” Tiger didn’t bring up the fact he would likely be absent for weeks, if not months, at a time. They’d deal with that later. This week was for them. No worrying allowed.

It was almost dark by the time they returned to the hotel. Tiger headed upstairs to pray while Dick spoke to the hotel staff to thank them for their help organising the picnic.

Tiger was sitting cross-legged in the of the bed when Dick returned. His fingers reverently traced the edges of his Quran as he gently closed it.

“I enjoyed our picnic,” he said quietly. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, babe.” Dick climbed onto the bed beside him. “Did you want to read for a bit longer?”

Tiger shook his head. “One moment.” He slid off the bed to put the book away, and then lay down in the middle of the bed. Dick couldn’t help but trace the bridge of his nose with the tip of his finger. Tiger just smiled up at him. He smiled so freely with Dick these days. Dick loved that smile, so he kissed him.

Tiger slid his fingers down Dick’s neck and shoulders, coaxing him closer. Dick lay on top of him, and Tiger pressed his hands his back, fingers digging in. He pressed his thigh against Dick’s hip and Dick held him there.

They shed their clothes clumsily, unwilling to spend more than a few moments with their lips apart from each other.

“What do you want, babe?” Dick said, nipping Tiger’s ear.

Tiger snorted at the nickname, his legs wrapping around Dick’s waist. Dick got the message and reached for the lube he’d thrown on the nightstand at some point.

Tiger sighed when Dick slipped a finger inside him. “Finally.”

Dick kissed his stomach, grinning as his muscles shuddered. They were more than capable of going days without sex if necessary, but they didn’t like it… especially now. If they hadn’t been dead tired last night, they probably would’ve been up all night.

Dick pressed his tongue to the tip of Tiger’s cock. Tiger swore under his breath, grabbing fistfuls of bedcovers. So Dick licked him from base to tip, wrapping his lips around him and sliding back down. Tiger grabbed his hair, biting down on the pillow.

Dick pulled off, replacing his mouth with his free hand. “Sensitive tonight?”

“Do not stop. Please.”

“Well, since you asked so nicely…” Dick busied his mouth with things other than talking. Tiger grabbed the headboard, groaning. He didn’t take long to come into Dick’s mouth. Then he silently beckoned Dick towards him. Dick straddled his torso and Tiger grabbed his cock, twisting his wrist just so, enough that Dick had to put his hands down on the bed before he lost his balance.

“Fuck me,” Tiger said, his voice already rough.

“Won’t you be too sensitive?”

“You are a clever man, Dick. Find a solution.”

Tiger got so bossy when he bottomed. Well, he was bossy during sex in general, but he took that to impressive heights at times like this. Dick didn’t waste any time, grabbing the condom from the nightstand.

He settled between Tiger’s legs and gently pressed inside. Tiger let out a long breath and relaxed around him. His cock twitched, but it wasn’t quite ready to get hard again. Dick was going to have a hard time keeping himself together for long enough, but he’d always relished a challenge. At least Tiger had a short refractory period compared to some other (non-metahuman) guys Dick had slept with in the past. He could usually be coaxed into getting hard again with a few minutes, at least the first time.

Until then, though, Dick had to be gentle. Every movement brought out a reaction in Tiger, such a stark difference from the man he’d thought Tiger was when they first met.

Tiger caressed Dick’s cheek. “You can go faster.”

“You’ll tell me if it hurts, right?”

Tiger rolled his eyes. “Yes, Dick. We have established this.”

“My blood really isn’t in my brain right now, T. Cut me some slack.”

Tiger chuckled, which reverberated through his whole body, including his ass. Both of them had to take a breath.

“That was interesting,” said Dick.

“Mm.” Tiger nudged Dick with his thigh. “That was not an invitation to stop.”

“Yes, sir.”

Tiger grumbled about that, but Dick’s slow thrusts didn’t let him stay coherent for long. He was getting hard again, so Dick moved faster. Tiger jerked himself, breaths coming in pants, until he threw his hand away, grabbing more blankets in his fist instead.

Dick brushed his hand across Tiger’s nipples and down his chest. He trailed his fingers across his hips, barely touching the hair around his cock. Tiger grabbed Dick’s ass, pushing him in deeper. Dick was not going to last much longer. He changed his angle, and Tiger moaned, arching off the bed.

“Dick. I need… ngh… more. Roll over.”

If there was anything hotter than Tiger splayed out beneath Dick, panting for his cock, it absolutely was Tiger on top, riding his cock until they both saw stars.

Dick’s back hit the mattress and Tiger sank down on top of him. He set a punishing pace that Dick absolutely needed right now, his cock rubbing against Dick’s stomach. Dick grabbed Tiger’s hips and thrusted upwards to meet him.

Tiger leaned down and kissed him, all tongue and teeth. They had to break apart every few seconds to breathe, but fuck it was hot. Dick dug his fingers into Tiger’s hips. Their rhythm stuttered, breaths tearing out of their throats. Tiger grabbed the headboard for leverage, eyes squeezed shut, face screwed up as he moaned.

“Fuck, Tiger. I’m gonna… ahh.” Dick couldn’t take it anymore. He came inside Tiger.

Tiger grabbed his cock and fucked into his hand, spilling over onto Dick’s stomach. He was beyond sound, breaths coming out in short puffs. Dick caressed his thighs until he collapsed on top of him.

They lay there for a while, listening to each other’s breathing. Tiger shoved his face into the pillow for a moment, until he could find the energy to slide off and curl up against Dick’s side. His eyes were already closed.

Dick cupped his chin. “Tired?”

“Mm-hm.”

He kissed the man’s forehead. “Good day, huh?”

“Mm.” Tiger opened his eyes. “Thank you for everything. And fuck you.”

“Wow, man. I just made you come twice and that’s the thanks I get?”

“Now I have to take you on a date just as good as this one,” Tiger replied.

Dick snorted. “Well, if it makes you feel better, we’re married now. You can do that whenever you want. Hell, bring me donuts on patrol and blow me in an alley to the dulcet tones of a police siren and I’ll call it even.”

Tiger barked out a laugh, shoving a hand over his mouth as if hadn’t realised how loud it was. “I will do it, Dick.”

“Looking forward to it.” It was nowhere near the weirdest sex thing either of them had done, together or with others. “So, you definitely liked it?”

“Dick. I loved it.” Tiger ran a light finger down Dick’s throat. Dick wouldn’t normally let anyone touch him there—did anyone?—but it was somehow sweet when Tiger did.

“Okay. Good.”

“You know I loved it.” Tiger cuddled closer, planting a kiss on Dick’s lips.

“Maybe I wanted to hear you say it again.” Dick tangled his legs with Tiger’s. “I love you lots.”

“I love you too.” Tiger touched his forehead to Dick’s and they both closed their eyes.

Dick was going to make sure they had more days like this. The look Tiger had given him when he learned they were having a picnic was hard to forget. He wanted Tiger to experience more amazing new things he’d never had the chance to try before. He was going to spoil him rotten, just like Tiger loved to spoil him.

They’d had to fight to get here at all. Dick was not about to take that for granted. Every day with Tiger was full of laughter and wonder and so much love Dick felt like he was going to burst from it sometimes.

Tiger relaxed into sleep and Dick watched him. His breaths were slow and calm, his beard lightly scratching Dick’s shoulder. Dick wanted more of this, too, and he knew he was going to get it.

They were married now. The thought still made Dick want to do somersaults, but right now he was content to grab the blankets and cosy up to his wonderful husband. He was going to kiss him senseless in the morning.

Whatever happened in the future, however much Tiger had to travel as Patron, they would always have this. They would always come back together.

They would always be Tiger and Dick: partners, lovers…

Husbands.

#dicktiger #dicktigerweek2018 #dicktigerweek #my dicktiger week posts #my fics

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