#arsenal x chesire | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

secondgenerationnerd · 7 months

Note

Roy harper headcannons pls

If you have time of course

Of course!!!

For those that don’t know, in New Earth, Roy was adopted by the shaman of the Tachini Navajo tribe, Brave Bow, and is an active member of that community. While he’s definitely slipped on some of the traditions he was raised with, there’s some that he continues to do, like Lian’s first Laugh cermony or the House blessing ritual. He and Jade also use the Navajo language to communicate about their daughter as needed.

He does really and truly love Jade. Like they’ll joke about their elopement in Vegas with an Elvis impersonator, but he really does love her.

This man has 0 fucks to give at all times, except when it comes to a child’s safety. Doesn’t have to be his child, any child.

He recognizes that Sin is technically his younger adopted sister….but that hurts his head too much

Every year on his sobriety date, he gets a cupcake and candles. Lian helps him blow them out.

He has a, uh, private investigation buisness that helps keep food on the table (definitely hasn’t beaten up any sleezy clients)

Plays the guitar when he’s stressed

He doesn’t view smoking pot as a relapse (and has strict rules for both himself and his daughter when it comes to it)

This man is where Lian’s temper comes from.

When he, Wally, and Dick are in a room together, they are no longer grown men/fathers/husbands. They are boys and will find every way they can to rag on each other.

On off thing with Jason, which works for them.

Goes to Queen Manor once a month with Lian for family dinner.

#roy harper #lian harper #jade x roy #jade nguyen #arsenal #red arrow #chesire #dc headcannons #jason todd #wally west #sin lance #dick grayson

50 notes · View notes

secondgenerationnerd · 1 year

Text

Only Love Can Hurt Like This

I’d say I’m sorry…but that’d be a lie

——————

When the Justice League has a party, they party. The younger heroes had convinced them to do an early Valentine's party, with live music. They agreed, letting it be more of an open mike...until Lian talked them into giving her band, KML, a longer slot. Swore up and down it would be worth it.

Lian might bullshit many things, but her music is not one of them. The moment she steps onto a stage, her personality shifts. She commands the audience with each chord. Her raspy voice drops low before she belts out jaw-dropping notes. Her bandmates, Mags and Kat, feed off the energy of their singer and crowd. Kat's fingers fly over the keyboard, harmonizing with Lian, curls bouncing around her. The lights make her dark skin glow, piercings flashing as she dances in place. In comparison, her girlfriend, Mags, is the rock of their group. The makeshift stage shakes with each beat of her drumming. Her silver hair glows like Kat's piercings. Together, the three girls are unstoppable.

"Damn," Roy looks at Dick with a grin, "I've got a cool kid."

"Remember when she was scared to sing in front of us?" The former boy wonder asks, snorting into his cup.

"Now look at her. My little badass."

“For our last song of the night, we’re doing something a little different.” Lian’s dark eyes take in the crowd, “With Valentine’s day right around the corner, we thought the world needed a reminder of what love is. I could recite a poem about patience and kindness, but that's only half of love."

A chorus of murmurs fills the room.

"Love hurts. When you have it, when you don't, when it leaves. It's messy and complicated and, honestly, it fucking sucks sometimes." She searches the crowd, looking for someone. But she doesn't stop when she sees her father. "Love makes good people do bad things, bad people do good. I should know better than anyone."

Her voice wavers, but she continues on, "I have so many people who love me and who I love. Like the best fucking dad here. Sorry, not sorry everyone, I have the mircophone so I'm right."

That gets a laugh. Roy smiles to himself. He's done pretty well with her if he does say so. With a subtle nod to her bandmates, Lian takes a deep breath, "This is for the people we love who can't be here...this is for my mom."

Absolute silence falls over the room. It's not like everyone here doesn't know who her mother is...but it's definitely the first Lian's said something like, well, like that.

As the first notes of the song begin, Mags and Kat harmonizing the vocals, Lian takes a deep breath. Another. A third, then--

I tell myself you don't mean a thing

And what we got, got no hold on me

But when you're not there, I just crumble

I tell myself I don't care that much

But I feel like I die 'til I feel your touch

A young Lian flashes through Roy's head. Shrieks of joy, padded feet running to the door, a go bag dropped. MOMMY'S HOME! Jade hugging her so tightly, Roy thought it would leave bruises.

Only love, only love can hurt like this

Only love can hurt like this

Must've been a deadly kiss

Only love can hurt like this

Say I wouldn't care if you walked away

But every time you're there, I'm beggin' you to stay

Her voice breaks, just for a second, but it's gone the next second. A lump forms in Roy's throat. He swears he can hear her sobs, young voice asking why Mommy keeps leaving. Did she do something to make Mommy go?

And when you come close (when you come close), I just tremble

And every time, every time you go

It's like a knife that cuts right to my soul

How old was she when the tears became anger? When did the shrieks of joy become skeptisim?

Only love, only love can hurt like this

Only love can hurt like this

Must've been a deadly kiss

Only love can hurt like this

Your kisses burn into my skin

Jade always put Lian to bed when she was home. Roy would find them curled up together, Lian fast asleep, Jade taking their daughter in.

Only love can hurt like this

But it's the sweetest pain

Burnin' hot through my veins

Love is torture, makes me more sure

The pause is deafening. Lian's eyes had closed, losing herself in the music like she so often does.

Only love can hurt like this

Each time the words leave her lips, the more they sound like a battle cry. Lian loves her mother, Roy knows she does...but she loves like her too. A deep, consuming love that was hard to earn.

Must've been a deadly kiss

Only love can hurt like this

Your kisses burn into my skin

Only love can hurt like this

(Only love can hurt like this)

Only love can hurt like this

(Only love can hurt) save me, save me

Tears blur Roy's eyes. Remembering Jade's screams, her tears, her collapsing to the ground, when he had to tell her...when they had to... His breath shakes. A familiar hand slides into his.

Only love, only love

'Cause only love can hurt like this

And it must've been a deadly kiss

The lights cut out as the final notes fade. Just in time too. The second she’s off stage, Lian’s legs give out. The tightness in her chest too much. But Mags and Kat are right there. They catch her and hug her. Hot tears roll down her face.

“You did it, chica.” Kat murmurs, squeezing her tighter. "We knew you could."

"Never doubted you for a second," Mags agrees with her girlfriend. "You good, Red?"

Swallowing hard, Lian nods, "Just...just wiped. You two were fire."

Kat squeezes her shoulders, "Helps when you whip the crowd up."

"She's always had that ability." Roy's soft voice relaxes Lian. Her dad will make things better, he always does. When she turns to face him, her whole body freezes. She knows the tall woman standing with her father. Knows those dark eyes, exactly like her own, and the dark curls beneath that ratty baseball cap. So you match me and Daddy when you're gone.

"Mom?"

Holding a lotus in her hand, Jade offers her daughter a soft smile, "Hi, Baby Doll...I was going to call, but wanted to surprise--"

The assassin doesn't get to finish. In a fast, Lian's arms are around her mother. Face buried in her neck as she cries. Jade hugs her back just as tight, lowering them to the ground.

"I know, Baby Doll, I know." Rough hands smooth Lian's hair. "I love you too."

Lian feels her father's arms wrap around them, squishing her between her parents. Maybe she's emotionally drained after the show. Maybe the last song was too much. Maybe she's still that little girl who missed her mom so much, it hurt to breathe. Lian's not sure. She doesn't really care.

She just lets her parents hold her. Who knows how long it will last?

#lian harper #jade nguyen #roy harper #chesire #arsenal #jade x roy

10 notes · View notes