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miraculous-trinity-leo · 3 years

Text

Whacky Gotham, Goofy New York, and Chaotic Paris.

(Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4) (Part 5) (Part 6) (Part 7)

Chapter 5: Then Let The Games Begin

•—–—–·†·–—–—•

Soooo, the Batfam is panicking, Gotham's confused as to why Iron Man is flying over Gotham like a madman, and Maria is with two of Gotham's Sirens (but only Ivy and Harley know this) having a wonderful time playing with Bud and Lou.

Let's start with the Sirens.

Harley is watching over Maria and Tikki as they sleep with Bud and Lou, Ivy walkes over to sit next to Harley, handing her a cup of tea.

"So, what's the diagnosis?" - Ivy

"She has some sort of trauma, has class issues... and handles more than she should, but still does everythin', on top of bein' a hero. She's been through some sh-t Pam." Yeah Harley may have found out Maria's a hero (if the tiny god and magic were anything to go by).

"Is she alone?" - Ivy

"No, thankfully, she has supportive parents, and friends that aren't little sh-ts. I think they're also heroes, she also has a lot, and I a mean A LOT of pent up emotions, she doesn't show anythin' negative, only positive things. She seems to shrink in on herself if she thinks she does somethin' wrong. Pam, we both know there's a limit to how much crap a person can take before they snap, and she's such a sweet kid. There has to be somethin' we can do to help her Ives." Ok she found out alot, but in Marias' defense, they have trustworthy souls, and they were the only other people (besides her friends) that she talked to about it, yes she had her Maman and Uncle to talk about hero stuff, but for the stuff her class does, she only ever vented (without being negative) to her friends.

"Her class is visiting the Botanical Gardens in three days, and it's a 2 part tour, so we can see just what's going on. If it's bad then we scare them a bit, if it's bad bad... they can handle a few slightly poisonous plants right?" - Ivy

"God I love the way ya think Ives, do ya think she can stay with us? I mean look at how cute she is with Bud and Lou... Oh my god, she's cuddlin' dem, and ya gave her a flower crown, how'd I miss that?! Where's the camera?"

Harley took a picture to remind her of this wonderful moment. As Ivy and Harley looked at the picture, they both promised to keep Maria safe, and maybe become sorta kinda-ish parents to her while she's in Gotham.

•—–·Now back to the Bat-Chaos Bat-Cave·–—•

Tim took over the chair and was now searching the possible locations with Jarvis, Damian was sitting on a different chair, trying to act cool, but he wouldn't stop looking over at Tim, to see his progress. Bruce was talking over the comms with Tony. Dick and Jason, weren't helping (they kept feeding each other worse and worse ideas of what could have happened to Maria). Then they heard Jarvis speak.

"I have found the most likely area Ms. Dupain-Cheng would be in. Her phone died about 56 blocks away from her hotel, if we don't count kidnapping, or murder, she would have thought about asking for directions, but may have decided not to considering the city she is in. So that leaves us with a possible 15-25 mile radius from her last known location. I think it best to divide into groups of two, have Oracle stay and update you if anything on security, and or traffic cameras happens. Bruce will be with Tony, Dick will go with Tim, and Jason will go with Damain to search within the area. Stephanie and Cassandra will search around a 5 mile radius near Wayne hotel." as Jarvis continued to explain the other details, the Batfam began to suit up, Batman met up with Iron Man, and they took the North area, Nightwing and Red Robin took the East area, while Red Hood and Robin searched the South. Steph and Cass were on foot in civilian clothes, searching the West area they were assigned.

They searched for the whole day, and came up with nothing. Until Oracle saw a video from a traffic cam around 9pm, 15 blocks away from where her phone died. She called it in and everyone went back to the cave. Once everyone was at the Bat-Computer, Oracle pressed play, the cameras didn't have sound, and it wasn't close enough to see if she was ok.

They watched as she went to an overgrown parking lot and sat down. She was looking down at the ground, and that's when they spotted two figures round the corner and spot her. They watched as the two figures approach Maria, and saw the startled reaction she had. They realized it was Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy that were talking to her, then they saw Maria collapse. They watched as Harley made sure she was ok, looking over to Ivy before looking back to Maria and picking her up. The last thing they saw, was Maria being carried away by two of Gothams' most dangerous rouges, but now they knew where to look next.

•—–· Back to Ivy and Harley ·–—•

Harley continued to take adorable pictures of the children.

"God, they're so f-ckin' cute!" - Harley for the 20th time

As Ivy continued to watch while caring for her plants, Catwoman walked in.

"Hey girls, got the stuff for movie night, so what are we- Holy mother of cats! He adopted another f-cking child didn't he! Where the hell does he keep finding them?! 7 was ment to be the god DAMN LIMIT!!!" - Catwoman

Maria jumped at the sudden shouting and may have accidentally summoned a yo-yo (one made useing creation magic and protection magic) before saying.

"Tikki where's the akuma?! How long was I out?! Forget it Tikki spot-" she then realized she wasn't in Paris, and seeing a new face, she also realized she just spilled her secret to another person within the same day... kinda

"Fffffffffffudge sunday that fell on the pavement!" - Maria shouted in baker profanities

"That's not how ya curse sweetheart. It should go more like-" Harley was cut off by a vine Ivy had summoned.

"Harley, cursing makes the plants sad, you know this." - Ivy said removing the vine

Harley just walked over to Maria and whipsered it in her ear.

"You're supposed to say it more like this, ' ..... .... ... .. ....... .. ... .....' ok?" - Harley ended with a big smile

"... I will never see this world in the same frickin' light ever again." - Maria

"ehh close enough." - Harley

"Can someone please tell me, WTH is going on here, on our special girls day off?!" - Catwoman

"She is a new member of the Sirens as of today, and as a member, she's unda our protection, so effective immediately." - Harley

"Cool." - Maria

"Harley." - Ivy

"Wut... first things first, if she is going to join, she needs to be very flexible, know how to fight, and be incredibly intelligent." - Catwoman

"She beat Ed's @ss with a gun pointed at her, and solved every riddle with ease, so I'm positive she'll be an amazin' addition to the team." - Harley

'God she sounds like a new mother now' "But we don't know how good her flexibility is." - Catwoman

"I know, hey Maria, ya wanna do some tricks with me, of course we need to stretch first, but do ya wanna give it a go?" - Harley

"Sure." - Maria

Ivy and Catwoman sat down on a couch a few feet away from where Maria and Harley stood in the empty part of the building. They started out with stretches, and to Catwoman's surprise (and Harley's delight) Maria copied Harleys streches perfectly.

"Ok, now that that's done, we'll start with some cartwheels, then move on to flips, then handsprings and so on." - Harley

Maria gave Harley a nod... and they were off... literally, Harley did a cartwheel into a handspring, and a few backflips, Maria executed it flawlessly. Harley did some more complicated gymnastics tricks, and Maria did it, Harley did triple backflips going into a cartwheel, into a summersault, and Maria did that perfectly as well. This went on until both Harley and Maria were slightly out of breath, both having massive smiles on their faces.

"Ives, please let her join, she's like a mini me." - Harley then hugged Maria and they somehow both tripled in cuteness as they both did puppy (or Puss In Boots style) eyes at Catwoman and Ivy.

"Sure Harley." - Ivy said walking over to give Harley a small kiss on the cheek.

"Okay... but she doesn't have a costume yet, and she still has to think of a name for herself." - Catwoman

"Is a mouse good, like a mouse themed costume, that or a Turtle themed one. What do you think Harley?" - Maria

"Mmmm, I like that with the mouse you can always toy with Cat, ya know, cat an' mouse stuff, turtle seems... weird even fawh Gotham, so personally I would pick mouse, just because of the cheesy jokes you could do." - Harley

"Very funny, ok then, give me a moment." Maria then reached out her hand, her eyes then started to glow an icy blue, and a small portal opened in front of her, she reached in and pulled out a small pendant necklace. After she put it on a small mouce appeared and greated itself, Marias' eyes going back to normal after closing the portal.

"Hello I'm Mullo, nice to meet you all."

"Omg omg omg, It's soooo f-ckin' CUTE!" - Harley

"Best to assume all of them are extremely cute Harls." - Ivy

"What the Hell did I miss in the week I was gone?!" - Catwoman

"Ehh, not much, oh but Iron Man did fly aroun' Gotham a few times earlier this mornin' like a madman." - Harley

"Oh sh-t." - Maria

"Maria are ya ok? That was ya first official proper curse in my presence." Harley said looking over to the girl.

"He's gonna kill me." - Maria

"Wait, what do you mean Marigold?" - Ivy

"... He's my Uncle, and I never got to text him I was ok, since my phone died before I met you." - Maria

"Hey, I'm sure he'll understand, now what are we watchin'?" - Harley

"I think we have more important matters other than movies at the moment!" - Catwoman

"Ok, Me Myself and Irene it is." - Harley

"No! You basically kidnapped Iron Mans' NIECE!!!" - Catwoman

"Technically, she fainted and us bein' the good Gothamites we are, decided to take her with us, to make sure she was a-okay." - Harley

"I'm ganna need more than just a six pack of soda to get me through this... Just put the movie on already." - Catwoman

Catwoman sat at the far left end of the couch, next to her sat Ivy, then Maria, and then Harley, Bud and Lou by their feet. All of them sharing one big blanket (Becuase if Iron Man did show up, or any of the birds, then Maria was in a protective burrito and they may not see her right away) and they started the movie.

•—–·–—•

"Oh god, the poor cow." - Maria

.........

"Hahahaha, he stuck a whole f-ckin' chicken head in that guys @ss" - Harley

"The poor chicken." - Maria

"Maria you don't want to see this part." - Ivy then lightly covered her eyes for the ehem, chicken extraction.

.........

"Anyone up for another movie?" - Harley

"That depends." - Ivy

"Any suggestions Cat?" - Harley looked across to the other end of the couch to see Catwoman already sleeping.

"She took her cat-nap already? Seriously?" - Harley

"... What about Pirates of The Caribbean?" - Maria

"I'm good with that." - Ivy

And they started the next movie, Maria was happy, it felt like when her maman and papa would sleep with her when she made a pillow fort. It was a loving atmosphere, it felt safe, and nothing could ruin it. Marias' eyes became heavy, and she leaned her head on Harleys' shoulder, falling asleep after a few minutes.

Ivy paused the move looking over to see both Harley and Maria sleeping, soon Ivy also fell asleep in the comfortable silence.

…………………………

Around an hour later Maria woke up in a panic, she had a nightmare, and kept looking around frantically for someone with tears running down her face.

"What's the matter hun?" - Harley said looking around to see if someone had gotten in. When she looked back at Maria she saw that she was crying.

"What happened?" Harley asked in a kind voice that was filled with motherly love.

"I, just *hic* had a bad dream that's *hic* all, I'm fine." - Maira said trying to wipe the tears away.

"You're ok, I promise nothin's goin' to happen to ya as long as Ivy and I are here, ok hun?" - Harley hugged Maria, and she could feel the girl let out a few more sobs, and quick breathes.

"Thanks Maman." Maria didn't even realize what she had said, it just felt natural for her to say it.

"You're welcome hun." 'Omg I'm gonna cry, she called me maman!' Harley rubbed small circles over Marias' back, and began humming until she fell asleep, she continued to hug Maria until she also fell asleep.

•—–· Back to the Chaos Bat-Cave ·–—•

"What do you mean she's with two of Gotham City's Sirens?!" - Tony

"Tony, calm down, I'll call Selina, she can talk to them and get this all sorted out." - Bruce

"Your fiancee is a Gotham Siren too?! Why didn't you tell me?!" - Tony

"Why isn't she picking up? And unlike some people, this family doesn't like outing our secret identities... on live TV." - Bruce

"Oh well excuse me for not keeping my secret identity a SECRET!" - Tony

"I'll try calling her one more time." - Bruce

"Bruce, it's 3am. Who in their right mind ever stays up this late.... aside from this family." - Tim with a giant coffee mug in hand.

"... I'll just call her one more time." Bruce then connected it to the Bat-Computer so everyone could hear.

•—–· Back to the Sirens ·–—•

Catwoman's phone is ringing like crazy, waking everyone up, including a tired, annoyed, and confused Selina.

"Wth does he want at 3 in the morning?!" - Selina

"Just answer it so we can keep sleepin'." - Harley still hugging Maria

"I'm putting it on speaker, so you lot can testify against his @ss in court, for disturbing the peace."

•—–· Over to Batsy ·–—•

"Selina I need to ask-"

"WHAT THE F-CKING HELL DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND ABOUT A GOOD NIGHTS REST!" - Selina

"Oooooh, she sounds pissed Bruce." - Jason

"I'm sorry to call you at this hour, but we need to find a girl that looks just like every single one of my other kids." - Bruce

"Bruce... I thought we agreed that 7 kids was. the. f-cking. limit." - Selina

•—–· Back to the Sirens ·–—•

Selina looked over to Maria before muting the speaker.

"Do you want them to know you're here Kitten?" - Selina

"... I'm tired, I haven't had coffee, I have no filter, so f-ck it, act like you never saw me today, and let them drown in chaos. " - Maria

"I think I like filter less Maria." - Harley

"Okay." Selina shrugged her shoulders and then un-muted her phone, putting it back on speaker mode.

"Where was she last seen?" - Selina

"She was last seen with Harley and Poison Ivy, I want you to see if she's still with them." - Bruce

Selina looked over to Maria and Harley, both of them shook their heads with mischievous grins.

"I've been with them all day, and I haven't once seen a girl that looks like your kids. Now can I go back to sleep, and forget this ever happened?" - Selina

"WHERE IS MY NIECE!!!" - Tony

"Oh, hey Tony, didn't know you were there, don't know who, or where your niece is, but good luck trying to find her. Oh and Bruce, I'm shutting my phone off so you don't keep calling till the butt crack of dawn. And congrats it's now 4am. you owe me a lunch date, uh-ba-bye." Selina then hung up her phone and turned it off.

"That went pretty well if you ask me, now I'm going back to sleep." - Selina

•—–· Back to Batsy ·–—•

The room was silent for a few minutes before Jason spoke up.

"Does that mean that Pixiepop ran away and is even more lost now?!" - Jason

"Oh god, what do we do, what if she got hurt?!" - Dick

"What if she got kidnapped?!" - Jason

"What if she's with a big time Gotham Villain?!" - Dick

"... What if she got more coffee?" - Tim

"Oh Hell No" - Jason/Dick

"... Lets all go to sleep, and when we wake up, we'll head over to their base and double check. She could've just said that because I called her at 3am." - Bruce

"But my niece is still out there!" - Tony

"You're going to sleep Tony." - Pepper then dragged Tony to his room.

•—–· Back to Maria ·–—•

Selina went to a different part of the building, where Maria assumed the bedrooms were. Ivy had gone to the greenhouse to be with the plants, and now it was just her and Harley left on the couch, and she couldn't sleep.

"... Harley?" - Maria

"Yeah hun?" - Harley

"I can't sleep." - Maria

"Well, watcha wanna do till ya get tired?" Harley asked sitting up a little straighter to get a better look at Maria.

Maria gave a sly smile, and looked Harley in the eyes "Want to go free-running on the rooftops?"

"... Alright, but lets get some coffee, and a snack in us first." - Harley gave her a side hug, before getting up to go make the coffee, and grab some snacks.

After they had their coffee, they climbed to the roof of the base. Harley was in her outfit, bat in hand and ready to do some bonding.

"So, how does ya outfit work?" - Harley

"Like so, ready Mullo?" - Maria

"Yes Maria" - Mullo

"Ok, Mullo, Get Squeaky!" A bright light flashes, and when Harley could see again, Maria was in a dark gray suit, wearing black knee high boots, with a strip of pink at the knee, and black elbow length gloves with the same pink strip at her elbow. Her mask was a slightly lighter gray on the top part, and pink on the bottom. Her hair was pulled into two buns with pink ribbons that faded to gray, and to black at the very tip. Her jump rope around her waist forming a tail going just below the back of her knees.

"Just when I think ya can't get any more adorable. So what should I call ya?" - Harley

"You can call me Multimouse." - Maria

Soon they were racing and doing tricks off different roofs, they were really enjoying themselves. From one of the roofs they heard a commotion in one of the alleys, when they looked down they saw a man holding a woman at gunpoint.

"Not good, seems like he's got issues, probably lost his lover, most likely has additions to drugs and alcohol, and seems to be a little tipsy." - Harley

"I've got a plan." - Multimouse

…………

Multimouse droped a little way behind the guy, grabbing his attention while Harley got the lady to safety.

"You know there's a help center two blocks from here that would be more than willing to help you." - Multimouse

The crook just raised his gun to her trying to keep it steady as he spoke.

"Give me all your money little girl, or else I'll hurt you."

"1. That's not how you hold a gun. 2. That is no way to treat any girl. and 3. Instead of money, I'll give you my jump rope." - Multimouse

"Why the hell would I want your jump rope, that thing looks worthless." the crook lowered his guard enough as Multimouse pretended to hand over her jump rope, only to use it in a quick motion to dismarm the man, as Harley promptly knocked him out with one swing.

"Lets neva have ya at gunpoint again, okay hun? I'm afraid my heart can't take it." - Harley said while tying the crook to a lamppost.

"Sorry, but it was the best idea I could come up with at the moment, besides, any guy with a gun would feel like they have the upper hand if they're facing a random little girl with a jump rope, rather than Gothams' Harley Quinn with a bat." - Multimouse

"Sadly I'm just too popular with the kiddos on the street." - Harley

…………

They continued to stop a few more muggers on the way back to the base, and when they got back they peaked around the corner to see the whole Batfam plus Iron Man talking with Ivy and Selina.

"How much you want to bet we can get back out before they see us?" - Whispering Multimouse

"... Lets try hidin' in the kitchen." - Whispering Harley

As they tried to sneak by (still in their costumes) Selina just walks over and draggs them to the group.

"Here, now let me sleep!" - Selina

"Dang it Selina we wanted tah see just how long we could hide out in the kitchen!" - Harley

Selina did a double take now realizing they both went out.

"... You didn't." - Selina

"We wanted tah go free-runnin'! So what?" - Harley

"She could've gotten hurt Harls." - Ivy

"My suits magic, I am invulnerable to bullets, normal magic, swords, knifes, anything staby staby, and I can withstand any temperature in it." Multimouse said with a slight pout.

"Hold up, is she a magical girl?" - Red Hood in the background

When Selina let go both Harley and Multimouse went behind Ivy for protection.

"We can still make a run for it." - Harley whispered to Multimouse

"... Ok, I'll meet you on the roof." - Whispering Multimouse

Harley gave a nod as she slowly inched her wasy closer to the door that lead to the roof, as she saw Iron Man approach Multimouse.

"Please get out of your suit, we need to talk about why you're here-" - Iron Man

"Multitute!" - Multimouse

Harley then saw Multimouse shrink into dozens of tiny little versions of herself as her clones spread out in all directions, one of which was heading right for her.

"Wth, you never told us she could use magic!" - Red Robin

Harley picked her up, and slipped through the door without anyone noticing.

"That was great, but how do ya get back tuh normal size?" - Harley

"Simple, I just merge back with my clones." As she said this, all her clones came back, and she merged with herself, becoming normal sized again.

"Where to?" - Multimouse

………… So now The Batfam is trying to find many long gone Mini-Multimouses, and Harley seems to have disappeared with her. Harley and Multimouse are now running over the roofs, heading for Wayne Manor.

"So why are we going to Wayne Manor?" - Multimouse

"Because, Batsy will neva think of lookin' for us at his own home, at least not fawh a little while." - Harley

When they arrived at the Manor, Multimouse de-transformed as Harley knocked on the door.

"Ms. Quinn, Ms. Maria, pleasure to see you here, please come in." - Alfred

"Are any of the bat-birds here?" - Harley

"Ms. Barbara, Ms. Stephanie, and Ms. Cassandra are the only ones here at the moment." - Alfred

"Do ya think you can keep us bein' here a secret from Batsy?" - Harley

"Harley? What are you doing here with Maria?" - Barbara

"It seems that Ms. Harley and Ms. Maria are now playing hide and seek with the rest of the family." - Alfred

"Did someone say hide and seek?" - Steph

"Yes, so could we maybe try and keep this a secret from everyone else, please?" - Maria

"Sure, it was starting to get boring around here. We can all hide in the living room no one ever use. Barbara you show them the way, I'll get the food/drinks and boardgames." - Steph

"Is this alright with you Alfred?" Maria

"It's all right Ms. Maria, you can hide out in the old living room." - Alfred

"Thanks Alfie, ya the best." - Harley

"Thank you Alfred." - Maria

"Ok then, follow me." - Barbara

…………

In the old living room, Harley, Maria, Barbara, Steph, and Cass began to formulate a plan.

"Ok, so the best way for them to never find you is to have your phone off, stay away from any and all cameras, and show your face to no one." - Steph

"So, do you have anything in mind that you might want to do?" - Barbara

"Can we put them on a wild goose chase?" - Maria

Cass nodded to Marias' suggestion approvingly.

"I can hack a few traffic cams to help with that." - Barbara

"We can also throw in some useless hints, to throw dem even further off our scent." - Harley

"Good idea Harley." - Barbara

"Thanks, but how long do ya think we should make it last?" - Harley

"As long as Maria wants it to." - Barbara

"Then let the games begin." - Maria.

•—–—–·†·–—–—•

Chapter 5 complete. Hope everyone is stayin' safe, Rockin' those Positive Vibes, and havin' an absolutely wonderful day. BUG-OUT 🐞💮🐞

〜(꒪꒳꒪)〜Tag List〜(꒪꒳꒪)〜

1st Place★: @animegirlweeb ☕ , 2nd Place★: @jumpingjoy82, 3rd Place★: @zalladane, 4th Place★: @jayjayspixiepop, 5th Place★: @arty-shadow-morningstar, 6th Place★: @smol-book-nerd, 7th Place★: @irontimetravelflower, 8th Place★: @fandom-trapped-03, 9th Place★: @meme991001, 10th Place★: @buginetye, 11th Place★: @blackroserelina, 12th Place★: @jessigurl-design, 13th Place★: @adrestar, 14th Place★: @moon5608, 15th Place★: @little-bluestar, 17th Place★: @myazael, 18th Place★: @our-preciousss, 19th Place★: @wolf2118, 20th Place★: @nyx-in-line, 21st Place★: @kking13, 22nd Place★: @lunerlover2024, 23rd Place★: @moonlightstar64, 24th Place★: @corporeal-terrestrial, 25th Place★: @kashlyn, 26th Place★: @tbehartoo, 27th Place★: @heart-charming, 28th Place★: @solangelo252, 29th Place★: @t1dwarrior-of-earth, 30th Place★: @lady-phoenix-of-tardis, @lupagrimm

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brucewhite · 3 years

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Everybody's waitin' for you to break down Everybody's watchin' to see the fallout Even when you're sleeping, sleeping Keep your eyes open [x]

Name: Bruce White Age: 25 District: 4 Magic?: Merman (deep sea) Occupation: Fisherman Opinion on the Games: Pro, but has his doubts

Biography:

TW: References to murder/merm cruelty, kidnapping

When the Magick Rebellion happened, Bruce’s pod retreated deep into the ocean. Once, they had migrated all over the world and even engaged in trade, but they feared the Capitol’s power and decided to run rather than stay and fight. Their prediction came true, and for the next century or so, the pod remained hidden, and people on land forgot that they existed.

In recent years, however, things have begun to change. Rebel merpeople living on land have ventured into the ocean and sought the help of the merpeople, drawing them closer to the surface and to Swynem. Bruce’s pod knew better than to get involved in the Legion, but their strict sea-dwelling ways began to change. One summer, when he was just fifteen, Bruce ventured too far, and found himself tangled in the net of a fisherman by the name of White in District Four.

The fisherman couldn’t believe his luck. He could kill the merman and sell the valuable skin of his tail, lifting him out of poverty once and for all. But his wife had a better idea. Take the child in, teach him to fight, and train him for the Games. Magicks weren’t supposed to have powers in the games, but the Whites believed they could keep it a secret, that they could outsmart the Gamemakers. And if he won, the White family would have endless riches and fame.

So that was what they did. The Whites gave Bruce a new, human name and told him his family was dead, that they would adopt him out of the kindness of their hearts. And they told him about the Hunger Games. Bruce had only heard whispers of the Games before, so he took his new family’s word for it: it was a chance at glory. He worked on the family fishing operation by day, but at night, he trained.

But soon after, the truth came out, because it always does in Swynem and nobody can outsmart the Gamemakers. Bruce was a merman. Which meant not only would he lose his powers in the arena, he would also be entered extra times. No special advantages. The Whites’ investment had failed. And the Whites weren’t heartless. They had just grown too attached to the child to leave him to the poachers.

Bruce was attached, too. These people had saved his life, he believed, and had given him a family when he had none. So he promised them he would win, anyway, and bring money and glory to the family. Every year, he trained to make up for the powers he knew he would lose, and he entered for extra tesserae as the fish brought in by the Whites’ nets dwindled. The combination of Magick entries and tesserae entries made it surprising that Bruce’s name wasn’t called until this year. He considered volunteering, but every year, he got cold feet.

This year, though, his name was finally called. And now, Bruce is terrified. But he can’t let down the people who saved his life, can he?

Besides, he doesn’t like the violence, but... a meal is a meal.

Strengths: Hunting, combat

Weaknesses: Weapons (specifically anything ranged that he would have to aim-- slingshot, bow/arrow, firearms (if they have those?)), Naive (too trusting)

Specialty: (tw: some references to murder)

Bruce had been practicing this for years. It was almost like a dance, really. He set up a few targets throughout the room, then ran over to one side and picked up a spear. Even if he wouldn’t have any of the natural speed and strength that came with being a merman, he would have his training. And the memories of hunting with his pod, growing up, taking down sharks and whales and giant squids. That was more than magick or instinct. That was a part of who he was.

He weaved in and out of the targets, stabbing the spear into one after the other, ducking from an invisible attack, rolling away and springing to his feet again. He got so lost in the performance of it that he forgot what this was really for, that one day it would be not paper targets, but other people he would have to drive the spear through.

When he had completed the performance, Bruce straightened up again and smiled, looking between the judges hopefully. He needed a good score. His family was supporting him, but he wasn’t sure how many others would. He was a merman without his magic. People probably assumed he wouldn’t stand a chance. And if it was some kind of desert environment, Bruce would need the help more than ever.

“Thank you,” Bruce said softly, giving a small bow, and walked out.

#not me making the quote of this a taylor swift song #dont worry about it #bhg #bhgbio

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gossipgodofficial · 4 years

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004. PRIDE!

WHEW. Pride done wiped all of us out after we all drank rainbow shots and have y’all tried them moonshine boozesicles? LAWWWD, my liver ain’t hate me so damn much, but chile. We are here to spill the ultimate tea for the guys, gals, non-binary pals, and most importantly: THE GAYS.

I do it for the girls and the gays, THAT’S IT!

LAWWD HAVE LAMBORGHINI MERCY. The gays came out to play last night y’all, but we’ve all been for the spotlighted Gav and Micks who were of course all cozied up together on the dance floor. We stan our gay kings, BUT, make no mistake, the Good Lawd done saw Miss Mellie gettin’ her tongue tied with none other than Bex. That was the highlight that had EVERYONE’S heads turnin’, chile! They’re officially on our ship radar! (Y’all can see all the latest ships comin up to the surface.)

The Nutty Professors

If y’all were surprised to see Hades there, I was too. Seems like our southern sweetheart Lottie was nowhere to be found, but hey, he got to have a good time with his homeboy, Milo, who was keke-ing up a storm. We gotta love that man. Wasn’t that the sweetest? Although it looked like Jane was in the throws of people as well--and got curved several times (including her boo). Read the room, honey chile, we partyin. Grab a drink and dance!

#TwerkTeam

I know y’all saw what I saw last night. Mickey, Daisy, Mellie, ALL THEM BACKIN IT UP. This is the spirit of pride, shakin our asses til our asses can’t feel it no mo’! I hope y’all got pictures, videos, whatever y’all had to let them know how they got down last night. Let’s make that go viral on that TikTok app y’all been ravin’ ‘bout!

The Return of the Australian Stallion

If y’all live under a rock, The Australian Stallion himself, Bruce, has returned to Santa Monica (and lawd we hope it’s for good) and the man was clearly enjoyin’ himself but where did Baxter go? Oh noooooo, oh noooooo, he was givin’ some sweet eyes and advice to our sweet Benji. CHILEEEE, when I say my heart melted. I mean, the mans got game. The mans. got. game. We can only hope it’s up from here (if y’all know what I mean).

Shout Outs To...

Daisy and Levi: Our latest, cutest hetero-ship, but CHILEEEE last night we were all watchin’ them get on down on the dance floor. Daisy talkin’ ‘bout Miss Mona??? Can she come out to play next time?

Kim Possible: Bless that girl for lookin out for her squad. I hope she had a great time. She definitely had some moves last night.

Naveen: We been knew you talented, but last night’s music even had ol’ GG shakin’ that thang.

Gemma: Everyone’s hype woman. She is the girl y’all be needin’ to have a good time with. SASHAY YOU STAY.

Madelyn and Apollo: CHILEEEEEEE. The lawd wanted to cry hearin’ ‘bout weddin’ vows and past times together. Can’t wait for y’alls weddin’!

Marie: Double fistin’ Long Islands and givin sibling advice to ya brother is the most wholesome. She is a wholesome individual and y’all best protect her!

Benji: #ProtectBenji2K20

O’Malley: WE MISSED Y’ALL LAST NIGHT. WE WOULD’VE LOVED TO SEE HOEMALLEY SHAKIN THAT THANG.

Y’ALL STAY BLESSED, STAY PRESSED AND KEEP ON’ WITH Y’ALL DRAMA.

AND THAT’S THE GOSPEL TRUTH!

#scandals #the gospel truth #it's been nearly a year since i've done a gospel truth whew i gotta get back on it #archives

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lovemesomerafael · 4 years

Text

Destroying The Planet To Save It Chapter 6: It wasn’t bleedin’ Mother Nature

Chapters 1-5 Read it on AO3

Sam’s phone rang as he and Anita stood facing one another, stilled in the midst of their dance. He gave her a pointed look. “We’re not done talkin’ about this.”

He reluctantly let go of her and pulled his phone from his pocket, seeing that Tony Stark was calling, checking in now that he and Steve had landed in Atlanta. Sam told him about Anita’s call from Arias, and they adjusted the team’s plans.

“Be careful, man,” Tony said. “Seriously, watch your back around that guy.”

“Believe me, I don’t trust this guy as far as I can spit him. Agent Herrera and I will be there together, and we’ll be watchin’ each other’s backs. We’ll be careful.”

“I reserve the right to give you shit about you and her at some point in the future. But right now, Rogers is pulling my arm out of the socket trying to get me off this plane so he can get to Barnes. I barely restrained him from jumping out of the jet without a parachute when we were over the crash site.”

“Yeah, he does that.”

Tony and Sam ended their call, and Sam turned back to Anita. Since he’d put the call on speaker, there was no need to tell her anything.

“So, now, let’s get back to the part where you wanted me to notice you? And where you think I didn’t?” Sam raised an eyebrow.

Anita’s flirtatious smile, coupled with the fact that she stepped back to him to resume their dance, did marvelous – but dangerous – things to him. “Well, you never talked to me before the other night.”

“Doesn’t mean I didn’t notice you,” Sam assured her, taking her hand with one of his, and placing the other on her hip again. He began a sexy salsa step he suspected she’d know.

He was right.

Anita was more than graceful. She followed Sam step for step, and somehow also found a way to shift within his arms, moving against him in exactly the way the dance was intended for. They smiled at each other, neither worried about the fact that there was no music. For them, suddenly, there was.

“Tell me,” he murmured into her ear.

“C’mon, Sam. You really want to talk right now?”

“I wouldn’t mind hearin’ about you wantin’ me to notice you.”

“That’s a little conceited, you know,” Anita purred, moving closer.

“So sue me,” Sam whispered, tightening his arm and leaning in to meet her lips with his.

Sam had thought Anita was good at following his dance moves. When he kissed her, he learned a whole new meaning to the phrase “following his moves”.

*****

Steve had no desire to go to the crash site once he learned that Bucky was at the hospital. Bucky had refused to check in, or even to be examined, just insisted on being at Joss’s side in the helicopter and then in the ER. She was taken directly into a treatment room. The paramedics and several hospital personnel tried to keep him from following her into the room, and were quickly silenced by the mere look on Bucky’s face.

That is, until a very young-looking Asian nurse who could not have been five feet tall, with a name badge that identified her as Li, RN, placed herself in front of Bucky, right in the doorway, and smiled sweetly up at him.[1] “I apologize, Sir, but I can’t let you in.”

Bucky growled menacingly.

Li nodded with understanding, completely unimpressed. She only smiled with added warmth and empathy. “I know. I understand how you feel. But the first thing we’re going to do is cut off all her clothes and examine her. It’s not very dignified. No matter how close you two are, if it was me, I wouldn’t want you to see me like that. You’re not really going to do that to her, are you?”

It wasn’t a question. Besides which, Bucky had a very long lifetime of reading his opponents that told him he was overmatched here.

So he was in the waiting room, intimidating everyone and pacing angrily, when Steve burst through the sliding doors, followed at a more reasonable pace by Tony and Sharon. Seeing Steve approaching at approximately Mach 2, Bucky could do nothing but brace himself for the impact of two hundred-plus pounds of overwrought muscle. It actually hurt. Bucky was ashamed of the little squeak he emitted as Steve crushed the air from his lungs.

“Steve, shit! Got some cracked ribs, there, pal. Not helping.”

“Shut up,” Steve snapped, not letting up. “You gotta quit fuckin’ dyin’, Buck, I can’t take it,” he muttered into Bucky’s shoulder.

“Yeah, same, Steve. Same. Now let go of me. Seriously. Or you’re just gonna kill me again.”

Steve loosened his hold, but didn’t let go. Bucky could tell that was, in part, because he was too emotional at the moment, so he just put his right arm around Steve’s back and patted him until he quieted. “OK, buddy. I know. I’m fine.”

At long last, Steve relaxed his hold on Bucky and took a step back. Tony and Sharon stepped up. Sharon gave Bucky a quick, one-armed hug, while Tony went to Bucky’s left and took his arm in his hands.

“Arm’s not working?”

“It’s busted up. Worked for a while after the crash, but it’s dead now. You bring your tools?”

“Always.” Tony lifted the leather case he carried in his hand, which looked like a briefcase, but was obviously very heavy. “Got more on the jet, if we need ‘em. There a place we can take a look?”

“I’ll get us a place,” Sharon said, already on the way to the nurses’ station.

Steve watched as Tony began examining Bucky’s metal arm. “Coulson says Lattimore and two of the Secret Service agents died in the crash.”

Bucky grunted affirmatively. “Singer’s already in surgery; he’s hurt pretty bad. Joss, though, she’s in there,” he indicated the double doors from the waiting room to the treatment area.

“Joss, huh?” Steve asked, with only the slightest hint of amusement in his voice.

“Yeah. Joss. You gotta meet this girl, Steve, she’s something.”

“She hurt bad?”

“Looks like it. They wouldn’t let me stay with her.”

At Bucky’s words, and the deep concern in his voice, Steve and Tony glanced at one another over Bucky’s shoulder.

Sharon returned quickly with a man wearing scrubs. “There’s a room we can use. Julio’s going to take us there. Had to promise you’d let them treat your injuries, though,” she said, looking at Bucky. He simply nodded once.

As they followed Julio into the treatment area, Sharon said, “They’re taking Joss to surgery, Bucky. She’s bleeding internally. They’ll keep us updated.”

Bucky nodded again, face grim.

Steve nudged Sharon with his arm as they walked. “How do you know that about Agent Emerson? Aren’t there rules against telling non-family members anything about how a patient’s doing?”

“You’d be surprised what S.H.I.E.L.D. credentials and a certain attitude can get you.”

“Huh. You’re a little scary, you know that?”

“Damn right. Keep it in mind.”

*****

By one A.M., Bruce and Catherine had about exhausted the limits of caffeine’s ability to help them concentrate. Both were rubbing sore eyes, and had switched contacts for glasses. Bruce took his off and wiped a hand down his face, sighing heavily.

“I think I gotta take a break. Did we eat dinner?”

Catherine made a negative sound, moving something on her display that changed the shape of a curved line on the graph she was studying.

“You find something?”

“I’ve pretty much got these atmospheric disturbances sorted. And the wildfire? That was lightning, from the same sort of storm we saw in Atlanta.” She looked through the display at Bruce. “These storms are not natural. They’re too uniform. Not only individually – the storms have a shape and pattern that is entirely too perfect to be natural – but collectively. They’re shockingly similar in many ways. Buggered if I know what’s causing them, but I know it’s something other than bleedin’ Mother Nature. The earthquake, you’re on your own.”

“How about you? You doing OK?”

“I’m knackered, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Anyone ever tell you, you get more English when you’re tired?”

Catherine started to grin, but appeared to think better of it, choosing instead not to respond.

Seeing that, Bruce flinched slightly and stammered, “I’m, um… I gotta get a sandwich. Maybe a nap. You hungry?”

“A little, yeah.”

“Let’s go raid the kitchen. I could find you a place to crash, too, if you like.”

“Let’s see how I feel after we eat something.”

In the common kitchen on the residential floor, Bruce found plenty of materials to make a late-night meal. He also found some very good wine, and thought a glass would be nice right then, but didn’t suggest it. Catherine already seemed edgy. Maybe even edgier than he was.

She was sitting at the table, head in hands, resting her eyes when he set a plate and a bottle of sparkling water in front of her, startling her a bit. “Ooh. Guess I’m a little more tired than I thought.”

“You’re entitled. We’ve been at this for a while.”

“What’ve you found?”

“That earthquake in Zambia. It wasn’t on a fault. Way too shallow, too. To quote a friend, ‘it wasn’t bleedin’ Mother Nature’ that caused it.”

Catherine grinned tiredly. “We’re friends now?”

“Yeah, Cathy,” Bruce sighed. “Always. At least, I’m your friend.”

“I’m sorry, Bruce. I shouldn’t have said that. Forget it. I’m just tired.” Catherine took a long drink and didn’t look at him, muttering afterward, “I’d kill for a bevvy.”

Raising an eyebrow and pushing back his chair, Bruce said, “At least there, I can help you. No murder necessary.”

When he showed her the bottle, Catherine’s face lit up. “You open that, we’re definitely friends.”

Bruce searched for a corkscrew, wanting desperately to continue the conversation. All day, as they’d worked side by side, he’d been reminded of their time together at Oxford, the only time their careers and lives had actually allowed them to live together for a while. He’d ached all day to tell Catherine how much he still cared about her, and ask her whether she hated him for what he’d had to do. To beg her not to. But he knew how selfish that would be, and of all things he did not want to be to her, selfish was at the top of the list. Not number one – number one would always be ‘dangerous’ – but definitely in the top five. So he let the opening go, and changed the subject.

“I need to call Coulson,” he said as he pulled the wrapping from the neck of the bottle. “We need some core samples from Zambia.”

“You have a theory?”

“Several, and I’d like to see whether any of them are possible.”

They batted around Bruce’s theories as he opened the wine and found glasses. Sitting back down across from Catherine, he poured generous portions for them both and they held their glasses up briefly to one another before taking their first sips.

“Oh, yeah,” Catherine sighed, “That’s nice.”

“No kidding. This kind of stuff is the reason I hang out with Tony Stark.”

“Not his sparkling wit and impish charm?”

“That, too. And, you know, the fact that he’s one of the few people I know who ever knows what the hell I’m talking about.”

Catherine grinned.

“Present company excepted, of course.”

“Of course.”

Bruce hadn’t intended for them to finish the bottle. He’d never have dared hope that would happen. But they’d always had a lot to talk about, and they’d always enjoyed each other’s company. Tonight there might have been a minefield of topics they had to avoid, but there was also a fascinating scientific mystery to solve that more than made up for the things they couldn’t say to one another. Which meant they spent almost two hours talking seriously about scientific theories and possibilities, tests and simulations they could run, interspersed with laughter and occasional short tangents about what they’d been doing since they’d seen one another last.

Catherine’s short hair reminded him of the style she’d worn when they’d met, although it was shorter now. He lost track of what she was saying as he studied the always-stunning combination of her jet black hair with her emerald green eyes and pale, English complexion. It was the first thing he’d noticed when he’d first seen her at the Technical University of Munich eight years before. Bruce and Catherine had been panelists at a weeklong seminar on modeling interactions between the natural and technical environment for an audience of masters degree students in the Environmental Engineering program and, never particularly smooth with women, he’d been struck nearly speechless as she’d walked into the vast lecture hall to take her place near him at the long table in the front of the room.

The semi-circle of raked seats rose thirty rows above them, making the area at the base of the hall seem strangely intimate. Even so, Bruce would probably never have found the courage to make more than polite conversation with her except that the students had turned out to be a tough crowd. It wasn’t until later that he and Catherine learned that their mutual friend Andris, a Greek smartass and tenured professor at TUM tasked with organizing the seminar, had required the students to challenge the panel to the best of their ability. Their grades would depend, in part, on how well they performed that task.

On the third day of the seminar, one kid had actually managed to get Dr. Banner and Dr. Mulready to disagree on the artificial neural network model developed at the University Brunei Darussalam for testing the effects of weather on solar radiation reaching Earth’s surface. They’d politely agreed on some of its results: solar radiation is directly proportional to the atmospheric temperature while it is inversely proportional to the relative humidity, and wind speed has little influence on solar radiation. But they’d vigorously debated the functional relationships between solar radiation, atmospheric temperature, and relative humidity.

They’d still been arguing about it at the panelists’ dinner that night. Andris, thoroughly amused and smugly proud of himself, kept raising the topic every time they tried to move on. In the end, they realized he was baiting them and dropped it for good, instead joining forces to good-naturedly provoke him in retaliation. But by then, the damage was done. They were sitting next to one another at a long table in Andris’s apartment, halfway through dinner and thoroughly smitten with one another.

Bruce knew when they agreed to share a cab back to their hotel that he was playing with fire. If the disastrous demise of his relationship with Betty Ross had taught him anything, it was that he could never again try to have a relationship. And he didn’t kid himself about Catherine Mulready. Even then Bruce knew that he could fall hard for a woman like that. If he was being honest with himself, he was already well on his way. When they’d met three days before, he’d been a goggling teenager. After that, he’d listened to her and become fascinated with her research and the way her mind worked, becoming even more tongue-tied around her, the more impressed and intrigued he became. Then, today, when that little German twit had proposed his asinine theory and Catherine had agreed with him, he’d suddenly forgotten all that as they launched into a full-blown professional difference of opinion followed by a smooth transition to partners in crime when they realized they’d been had.

He’d hoped maybe she would bid him a professional good night, right up until the point when he’d walked her to her door and, before she could get her key into the slot, watched himself reach a hand out to stroke her hair. She’d leaned into his hand and turned her face to him, and before he’d known what he was doing, he had her crushed to him and her warm, soft lips under his. Bruce didn’t remember now how they’d gotten into her room, all he could remember was the way he’d pressed her up against the back of the door once it closed behind them.

It wasn’t like in the movies. They didn’t tear each other’s clothes off right then and there. They’d taken their time. They’d flirted and kissed, teased and gotten distracted, so that by the time they were standing next to her bed, they still had most of their clothes left to take off of one another. They only got as far as footwear and jackets before they were lying side by side, which meant that, when they began to unbutton and unfasten, they could go very, very slowly.

Which, as it turned out, was Bruce’s specialty. One of the side effects of all the time he’d spent working on calming and focusing was that he could be an excruciatingly patient lover. Each button on Catherine’s blouse meant long minutes of kissing while his fingers made their incremental, lazy way from her neck to the next button. Nothing she could say or do would speed him up, which was as intoxicating as it was deliciously frustrating. She got all the exquisite thrill of suspense, while he got to listen to her whine and beg while she moved against him, trying to encourage him.

By the time he finally bared her breasts, she’d had his shirt off for over half an hour, and she complained that the worst part was that she couldn’t even be mad, because the way he used his mouth made it oh, so entirely worth the wait. It took even longer to get her skirt off, and another eternity before he slid her panties from her. All of that anticipation meant that when he was finally, blessedly inside her, it took him all of five seconds to give her the first climax. Best of all, Bruce’s implacable patience meant that, by the time the sun rose, she’d lost count.

In the end, the German kid got a great grade for the seminar, and Bruce and Catherine ended up spending the rest of their nights in Munich together. And every possible night thereafter.

It wasn’t until Catherine yawned that Bruce realized he was staring at her in his reverie, and how late it was. The wine had been gone for a while by then, and he was a little buzzed. Not too much, the world just had a nice glow and the idea of somebody being able to dial up disasters on command didn’t seem quite so cataclysmic right now. He stood, trying not to yawn himself.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have kept you awake. I can show you to a guest room where you can get some sleep.”

Catherine smiled tiredly as she pushed her chair from the table. “That would be good.”

Bruce led her to the floor above, where his apartment was. There was a vacant apartment next to it, which he knew Tony kept ready for situations like this. Opening the door for her, he stood just inside, meaning to step aside for Catherine, but when she took a step, he found himself unable to move. In the soft nighttime light from the hallway, with only a table lamp inside casting a glow on her face, she looked beautiful. It reminded him of Munich, and of all the times they’d met in hotels and apartments all over the world, wherever they could arrange to be together before their obligations would force them apart again. Of the sweet anticipation of stealing a night, or a few nights, together, when they’d been so in love and so passionate every time they were together because they were apart so much. Before she’d learned his terrible secret. Before London.

“Cathy…” he breathed.

She stopped just in front of him, looking up with sudden concern. “What is it?”

“I just, um, thought that you might maybe want to, aah… Maybe stay with me. I’m just next door, and I… we…”

For a moment, they stood face to face, inches apart, in the shadowy entrance of the vacant apartment. Her eyes shone, and he could see that her pupils were slightly dilated, either with the dim light or with want, he couldn’t know. He reached for her, touching her soft cheek with two fingers and sliding them down to trail along her jaw, then taking a shallow breath in as he slowly, tentatively leaned toward her.

“Don’t, Bruce.” She whispered.

He froze where he was, but didn’t take his fingers from her face or move away.

“Please don’t play with me.”

“No, Cathy -“

“Don’t kiss me unless you plan to stay this time. Because I was gutted when you left. You know that. I can’t do that again.”

“Cathy…” he said again, putting a hand on either of her shoulders and laying his forehead to hers. “I can’t. You know I can’t.”

“Then let’s just have a kip and we’ll see each other in the morning, yeah?”

It seemed a long time before Bruce was able to pull himself away from her. “Yeah. Yeah, OK,” he sighed. “Sleep well.”

“You, too.”

*****

Santiago Cárdenas wasn’t supposed to be out of Site B, but he ran out of smokes, and he sure wasn’t gonna spend the next ten hours down in that hellhole without garros. Besides, the boss was having his big party down in the Keys, and Santi’s ass was stuck up here in D.C. while a bunch of the paisas got to go down there and do security. It sucked, and he was pissed. So he was heading to the bodega, and fuck Arias if he didn’t like it.

The redhead crying on the curb outside the little store was a surprise. The first thing he noticed - after the crying, of course – was that she was fine. Like, really fine. So, being a gentleman, Santi slowed and then made a command decision.

“Hey, lil’ mama, what’s wrong?”

She looked up at him, and the pain in her eyes actually touched him. She gave a weak little smile and shrugged. “I’m OK,” she said.

Well, that was obviously bullshit, and her very short skirt gave him a look at some really nice legs. So he stepped a little closer. “Nah, man, you ain’t OK. You need some help, something?”

That apparently made her cry a little more. She wiped her eyes, but the next smile was a little bigger. “I just… I got dumped. I know, it’s pathetic, right? Sitting here on the street crying?”

“Nah, Mami, it ain’t pathetic. What’s pathetic is some asshole dumping a woman as fine as you.” Santi went over and actually sat next to her which, a little to his surprise, she allowed.

“He cheated.”

“See? Pathetic asshole. I told you.”

She laughed a little through her tears. “You’re nice.”

“Nicer than that piece of shit, anyway. Listen, can I do anything? You, um… I was just gonna get me some smokes. You maybe want a smoke?”

“That would be great. Shit, I don’t even have my purse or anything. I just ran out of the apartment.”

“I got you, Mami. Be right back.”

When Santi came back out of the bodega, she’d dried her eyes and was standing up. Oh, yeah, this one was a real looker. That tight T-shirt under her jacket, and the short skirt… Santi was in love. He made a big show of lighting her garro for her.

“So, I’m Santiago. Friends call me Santi. You?”

“Natasha.”

“Beautiful name.”

“Thanks.”

They smoked in silence for a few moments. “So, Natasha, you live with this guy?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean, yeah, we live together, but I don’t know if I’m going back. I just… I need some time to think. To get my head on straight, you know?”

“Sure. ‘Course I know. So, listen, I gotta go, I gotta get back to work.” Santi looked down and ran a hand across the back of his neck. “I’m not even supposed to be out of the building right now, I just ran out of smokes and had to get some.”

Natasha’s face clouded with what Santi thought looked like fear.

“Oh,” she said. “Oh, yeah… I guess. Yeah.”

“Hey, listen, Mami, you gonna be OK? He isn’t gonna, like, hit you or nothin’, right?”

“Oh, no. Nothing like that.”

This Natasha was a terrible liar. “He does. He hits you, don’t he?”

“No. I’ll be fine. Thanks for the smoke, Santi.”

Reluctantly, Santi began to turn from her, then turned back. “Hey, you wanna, uh… You wanna trade numbers? So you could let me know you’re OK?”

“Really?” Natasha said, her face lighting up as she pulled her phone from her pocket.

So they put each other’s numbers into their phones. Santi then pushed his phone back into the pocket of his jeans and got ready to shuffle back to work. Waving at her in a way he immediately realized was idiotic, he turned around and made his way back down the block, looking back at her as she settled back down on the curb.

The last time he looked before turning the corner, he saw that a dude was standing behind her on the sidewalk, talking loudly to her. She seemed to know him, and not to be happy about him being there. Santi couldn’t make out what they were saying, but he could tell from their voices it wasn’t pleasant. The boyfriend. Had to be.

The guy looked like he had some serious muscle on him. Just the way he stood, the way he moved. Still, she’d said he cheated on her, and she was really nice looking. He liked her low, silky voice, too. This could be his chance to score some big points with her. She’d given him her number, right? She was into him. So Santi decided to take a chance.

Sauntering back toward the bodega, putting a little extra roll in his hips as he did, Santi waited until the dude noticed him before calling out, “Hey, Natasha, this guy botherin’ you? You need me to get rid of him?”

Natasha looked a little scared. She shook her head without looking at Santi and looked down at the street. The dude stood a little straighter, waiting for Santi to approach him before he said, “Look, this is between me and my girlfriend, amigo. Why don’t you just go back the way you came, huh?”

“Nah, I don’t think so. If you’re Natasha’s boyfriend, that means you’re the one cheated on her. How about you just leave her alone.”

The dude took a step toward Santi, trying to look taller as he did. He wasn’t very tall, a couple inches shorter than Santi was, with light-ish blue eyes and short, almost military-short, dark hair. Santi was a little unsure about this, because the guy did look fit. But he didn’t seem all that confident, not really. He was putting on a bravado Santi was pretty sure he was faking. That, and the way Natasha was looking at him like he was her hero, made Santi’s decision for him.

“I’m not gonna ask again. Get to gettin’. I mean it. Natasha wants to see you, she’ll come to you.”

“Who the hell do you think you are, talkin’ to me about my woman?”

“Whether she’s your woman, that’s her decision. Which she’s makin’ right now. You want her to see me wipe the street with your ass when she’s tryna decide whether to take your cheatin’ ass back?”

The dude stepped closer, so Santi stepped closer. They were practically chest to chest, and Santi was glad, because it accentuated the fact that he was taller.

“You better shut your mouth, Junior.”

Santiago grinned in what he hoped was an evil way. “Make me. Grandpa.”

The guy telegraphed his swing like Santi couldn’t believe. Which made it easy to raise his forearm and block it, although it hurt a little. At the same time, Santi made a solid connection with the dude’s chin, and the guy turned around, leaning down, hurt. Santi felt ten feet tall. His hand hurt for sure, but he wasn’t gonna let Natasha, or this dude, see that.

The scuffle that followed was short, but brutal. Both of them were bleeding when it was over, but Santi was thrilled to find that he got the better of it. Holding the guy’s arm behind his back in a way he hoped hurt, Santi told him in no uncertain terms to go home and leave Natasha alone. The guy cussed him out like Santi hadn’t heard in a while, but he left.

As he did, Santi went over to Natasha, who had stood up and was cowering near a car parked on the side of the street.

“He gonna give you any trouble about that?” Santi asked.

“He… He might,” she answered weakly. “I probably shouldn’t go back to the apartment tonight.”

“You got somewhere else to go?”

“Um… Not really,” she said, looking down at her feet.

“Well, you can… If you want, I mean, I’m not supposed to or nothin’, but… If you want, you could come to where I work. You could hang out until my shift is done, then see what you wanna do.”

Natasha hesitated. “I don’t know…”

“C’mon, Mami. It’s late and this is D.C. You shouldn’t be out here by yourself, especially if that maricón comes back.”

“Well… Is it far?”

“No. A couple blocks. Come on.”

Natasha made sure to brush against Santiago’s arm several times as they walked toward their destination.

[1] Li means ‘plums’ in Chinese. I’m not even sorry.

#The Avengers #Captain America #The Winter Soldier #Steve Rogers #Bucky Barnes #Sharon Carter #Tony Stark #Sam WIlson #Clint Barton #Natasha Romanoff

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scaryscarecrows · 5 years

Text

Interview

AN: Exploration of what Jason could have been up to during the events of ‘The Cult’; those who haven’t read it, you SHOULD, but all you really need to know is that Batman spends a good chunk of it being brainwashed by, well, a cult and that Robin!Jason pimp-slaps him back to reality at one point. For this one-shot-thingy, Batman is missing, Jason is trying to track him down; he thinks it’s Scarecrow, due to the homeless population acting off.

* * *

To look at her, Kitty Richardson isn’t a threat. She’s no bigger’n he is, with big eyes that scream, ram a pen through that guy’s eyeball? Me? Whatever do you mean?

Jason knows better, knows to be grateful for the glass between them. In here, the innocence is gone and it’s like bein’ at the zoo with the lion watchin’ your every move. He’s still got a scar, red ‘n angry, on his lower ribs. She’d gone at him with a sickle and to be honest, she might have disemboweled him if he’d been that much slower.

The orderly hovered a bit at first, but he’s gone now (well, out of sight, anyway, he’s sure he’s in the other room), leaving him feeling Batman’s absence more than ever. Bruce has never left him-intentionally-alone with them. He has instructions not to engage.

But Bruce isn’t here and he doesn’t have a choice.

They both know it.

“Past your bedtime, isn’t it, sweetie?”

He’s not sure which would be worse-getting to see Crane (bastard’s in solitary for riling an orderly, the guy had been found slamming his head into a bloody pulp against a wall), or being stuck with Richardson. He thinks they’re both awful, in the end. At least they’re not both here…

“Hilarious.”

“It’s an honest question!” She grins at him and tips the chair back, head tilted to the side. “What can I do for you, little bird?” The grin widens. “This isn’t about the old boy being missing, is it?”

“You’re just not worth his time,” he says, lifting his chin and willing his voice not to shake. She raises an eyebrow.

“News travels quick, don’t you know that?”

“He’s not missing--”

“Stop lying!”

The sudden scream scares him, he’ll admit, and it’s an effort to stay where he is. She can’t get to him. He could take her if she could. She just startled him. That’s all.

The chair drops back and Richardson stands up. She’s little, the uniform hanging off her and rolled so she doesn’t trip. That doesn’t stop him from thinking about the last time she was here, about the security footage of her lunging over a doctor’s desk and clawing his tongue out in bloody chunks with a spork.

Apparently the guy talked too much.

“You’re here alone, with me. He’s missing. We both know it.”

They both look at the holes at the top of the glass. Richardson can’t get up there-like it matters anyway-but Jason still wishes they weren’t there. Joker doesn’t have them-he managed to smuggle a gas grenade in once, got it through-and Jason…he’s not sure Richardson won’t do something similar.

But she can’t reach. He’s very grateful.

“Want to find out if I can jump that high?”

“No.” He straightens up. “A man was found wandering around Crime Alley with the same symptoms your boyfriend’s toxin causes.”

“There’s a lot of those. There’s always someone who slips through the cracks of a mass…experiment. I’ll be sure to tell him you found one, though. We’ll come do a follow-up.”

“The police have him.”

“Spoilsport.”

“And it’s not one of those. Nothing’s coming up in the screening, which means it’s a new batch.” She shrugs. “He mentioned Batman.”

“Nobody shuts up about Batman, dear.”

“When did you get out.”

She laughs at him and saunters over to the glass.

“It’s flu season, sweetie. We’ll be here-barring Christmas with my parents, maybe, we’ll see-for a few months yet.”

“There’s ways out of here if you get bored.”

“Mm-hm.”

“What did you do to Batman.”

“And this is why you’re the sidekick,” she purrs, pressing one hand to the glass in front of his face. “We didn’t do anything. I’ll prove it for you. Take a skin scraping from your friend. If it’s one of Jonathan’s, there’ll be a green ring; real light, like that useless yellow-green Crayola crayon. If it’s not, you’re pulling on the wrong worm.”

“You’re lying.”

“When have you known him not to take credit for his work?” Fair. Literally everyone in here has an ego the size of Canada. “Really, Robin, I thought you knew better than that…” Her fingers trace the glass in front of his cheek. “But maybe that’s the other one I’m thinking of.”

Bullshit--

WHAM!

The glass shudders and he flinches. She laughs again, eyes shining, and turns away with a lazy, “Every time…Michael, I think I’ve talked to this young man all I want to.”

He’s not surprised to see the orderly step in two seconds later.

“Hands on your head, you know the routine.”

“You should be nicer to me,” she complains. “Remember the last one?”

The guard snorts and brushes by Jason to head for the door.

“Yeah, and lucky me, Crane’s in solitary. Think I’m good.”

Richardson cocks her head, eyes wide, and chirps, “Hullo, Jonathan.”

They both twist-Jason, at least, narrowly avoiding a cricked neck-to see nothing. Richardson promptly starts to giggle, even when the guard pulls her hands behind her back.

“One of these days you’re not going to look, and he’s going to be right behind you.”

“I always look. Let’s go.”

“That’s what the last one said…have fun, Robin! Good luck.”

#Jason Todd #Kitty Richardson #Jason is Robin #he is in Arkham BUT OF HIS OWN VIOLATION!#HAHA!#Batman the Cult #Jason was a good Robin don't let DC lie to you #Kitty lives to fuck with Robin #any of them she's not picky #it's her goal to get one (1) jump out of them every time they meet #or #y'know #kill one #but I'm not gonna let her do that don't worry

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business-as-usual-bats · 5 years

Text

Tim's First Christmas as Robin

Tim walked through the hallways of his school with a smile because he officially had the best life ever.

Why? Because Tim Drake was Robin. He helped people. He saved lives. He worked with literal superheroes. It was hard work, exhausting in every way, it took up all his time, and he still had a lot to learn, but at the end of the day he made a difference in the world.

Batman had begun to warm up to him, too, trusting him more with patrolling certain areas alone and handling common thieves and muggers. Batman even complimented him yesterday!! After Tim solved a mystery about Penguin's disappearing shipments in Gotham Harbor, Bruce said, "Good job" and kinda gave a smile!! According to Dick, that's, like, practically the equivalent of a hug!

And since Dick is coming back to Wayne Manor for the holidays, Batman said Tim doesn't have to go patrolling on Christmas, so he can be with his family.

Tim's parents! That's the best part! His parents were finally coming home after being gone half the year. They were supposed to be home months ago... for the first day of the school year... Halloween... Thanksgiving... but they kept getting held up at their jobs. But this time they promised they'd be there on Christmas Eve! Tim went ahead and put up Christmas lights and a tree in preparation. He had it all planned out. He even got ingredients to make gingerbread cookies. Never before had Tim felt so... festive. A few times he caught himself humming along to the overplayed Christmas jingles on the radio.

So, now was the last day of school before winter break. His last class was Algebra and he took his usual seat by the windows. Everyone was goofing off, the teacher didn't even bother to try to actually teach anything by this point. The class comedian of his peers was talking to everyone,

"Nah, I'm just sayin' it's true! Whenever you're watching a movie and sex scene comes up then -BAM- your parents are right there outta nowhere."

Everyone is laughing, including Tim. God, that'd be embarrassing. Does this really happen that often to other people?

"Yeah, your mom be ignoring you all damn day and then she's suddenly all about your life when people start making out. Like how does she know? It's gotta be like the same magic Santa uses to sense who's naughty or who's nice."

"Shit, man. My dad could be gone for 8 years but as soon as that scene comes up he's right there behind me sayin, 'Hey, son. Watcha watchin'?'"

The jokes are silly and dumb and it makes time pass by quickly. Thr bell signaling the end of the day rings and Tim sets off for Wayne Manor.

Patrol goes well, too. It was all business as normal until the Dynamic Duo got back to the cave and who should be there but

"Dick!" Tim yelled, getting swept up in a classic Grayson hug. "Put me down!"

"Merry Christmas, Tiny Tim!"

"It's not Christmas yet."

"It's Christmas every day if you carry love in your heart." Dick grinned and plopped him on the floor. "I got you the coolest and totally-not-a-robin-motorcycle gift ever!"

"A what?" Tim squeaked. "Motorcycle?? But I don't have anything nearly as cool to give you-"

"Now, now, I specifically said it wasn't a motorcycle. But if it were, then I'd tell you it's fine and not to worry about it! It's Christmas!"

"Dick-"

"I'm gonna hug you again-"

"Don't you dare!"

"Pfft. Fine. But hey, I heard your parents are coming home?"

"YEAH!" And Tim didn't mean to shout but the words starting pouring, "They're gonna be home in time for Christmas and I put up the stockings I made, and I have a list of all of dad's favorite Christmas songs, and I'm gonna make gingerbread cookies cuz I found this awesome recipe online, and I got them the perfect gifts because you see last year my mom was complaining on how she didn't have any earrings that matched my dad's favorite tie that he wears all the time which I think was her way of telling him to get rid of the tie but instead I got him a new tie that's the same color and got matching earrings and-"

"Woah! But you'll still stop by the Manor to say hi, right?"

"Duh! I'm not about to miss out on Alfred's homemade Christmas cookies you guys brag about all the time."

"Good! How was patrol?" And they chatted away until Tim decided it was late and he should go home.

The days dragged on until finally finally it was the morning of December 24th. His parents would be home any second! He waited, looking out the window now and again, watching the clock tick by...

And he waited

And waited

They were late.

He called his mom twice, and she answered the second time.

"Yes? Tim, honey?"

"Mom? Um... are you guys almost here or...?"

"What? Oh no, I thought we told you. We aren't going to make it in time for Christmas. You see-" and she explained how an artifact they'd found was accused of being a fake and how much of a legal mess they were in... and... more excuses... "I'm sorry, honey. You know if we could we'd much rather spend Christmas with you. We sent your present in the mail."

"I... I know, Mom." Tim sighed, "I'm not mad. I understand."

"You're such a kind boy, Timothy. We love you so much. We never stop thinking of you."

"I love you, too." And she hung up.

Tim stared ahead blankly, the phone still in his hand. He wasn't sure how long he just stood there, but suddenly his phone rang again

"Hello?" Tim answered. His voice sounded distant to him, like he wasn't even the one talking.

"Tim!" It was Dick, "Hey, so I know we should probably know this but, um, are you allergic to any nuts or spices? Like, even just a small allergy to something?"

"No."

"Sweet! Thanks! Hey... are you alright?"

"Yeah."

"You seem... off."

"I'm fine. I'm just... distracted with my family. They... aren't as excited as I am to be home."

"Oh, that sucks. But they made it home, right? They're there with you now?"

"Yeah, no. They made it here okay." Tim didn't know why he was lying... Was he ashamed? And at who? His parents? Himself? "I should go."

"Well, alright. See you later!"

"Yeah." Tim sighed and threw the phone away from him in disgust.

His eyes stung, he quickly wiped away the beginnings of tears. This was stupid to cry about. Not worth it. Why cry? Just because his parents broke another promise? Because they say they love him but they keep leaving? Why don't they stay? Did he do something wrong? Is he that horrible that they don't want to be around him? Why isn't he good enough for them? Why don't they like him? What can he do better?

Tim started crying and immediately hated himself for it, but he couldn't stop. It all seemed so unfair. It hurt. And the hurt made him want to be comforted, and he wanted his mom here to comfort him. But she's not. She can't be. And somehow, Tim knew it was his fault.

He looked at the Christmas tree blurred through his tears and thought briefly about pushing it down. But that wouldn't fix anything, would it? No. It wouldn't bring his parents home. There was nothing to do about it.

He curled up on the couch facing the Christmas tree and let the tears fall until he could sleep.

The next day was Christmas. Yay.

Tim didn't feel like celebrating. Or moving in general. He managed to slink over to the living room and turn on the TV. Maybe he could watch something to distract him from Christmas.

Or every channel could be focused on the importance of family during Christmas time. Literally. Every. Channel. Christmas and love. Christmas and love. Fuck Christmas. It's was just a stupid commercialized waste of time! Why's he even doing this Christmas shit? He's pretty sure his mom is Jewish anyway! Ugh!

But then he clicked the channel and woah- that's more skin showing than he expected. Suddenly, he remembered:

"Whenever you're watching a movie and a sex scene comes up then -BAM- your parents are right there!"

What if...

He changed to one of the more "mature" channels debuting their Christmas specials. It was sappy romance stuff, which isn't the worst, but he was more of a scifi kind of guy.

It was a typical plotline. A lady is scheduled to marry a prince but she's in love with a commoner guy. Lazy writing. It's been done before. But maybe...

Is it too childish to hope for a miracle on Christmas?

He sat with rapt attention through the whole ordeal. At one point the lady runs away to meet her forbidden true love (even though it's totally going to get her caught and in trouble and might even get the lover killed). They start kissing and taking off their clothes, but Tim isn't paying much attention now because this is the moment! He listened for the doorbell, for a knock, for a car, for a voice... But no parents came running. No one was there at the door. Why did he even hope...

Tim glared angrily at the two naked people on screen, "Is it too much to wish for my family to be here on Christmas??"

Then a *ding dong* came from the front of the house. Tim paused the TV. Wait. Could it be?

One second he was in the living room, the next he was swinging the front door open without any hesitation,

"Mom?? Dad??" Tim called excitedly before realizing who was there, "Oh... Hey, Dick. Uh, come on in." He tried not to look disappointed.

"I thought you were going to visit the Manor?" Dick pouted, walking in. Only then did Tim notice Alfred was following him.

"I lost track of time." Tim said honestly, "I'm sorry." Oh God, what if Bruce was upset with him? What if Bruce hates him now?? What if he ends up leaving Tim for months at a time and lies about being home for Christmas??

"Where are your parents?" Dick asked, but it was more rhetorical than anything. He could no doubt see the puffy eyes of someone who spent the night crying. Tim answered anyway.

"Africa."

"Still, on Christmas?" Alfred raised both his eyebrows in disapproval.

"It's not their fault! It's... work stuff. They don't... they said they'd rather be here with me but... It's not a big deal."

"Well, as that may be, Master Timothy, I insist you join us today and tonight at Wayne Manor."

"Yeah!" Dick chirped. "Alfred made a ton of food, like, all of your favorites! Didn't you, Al?"

"Indeed, I did, sir."

"But, Bruce-"

"Is the one that asked us to come and make sure you're okay." Dick smiled, "He's waiting for us. Actually, I think he really missed you on patrol last night."

"Really?"

"If I may," Alfred whispered, "Master Bruce also specifically requested I hang up a stocking with your name on it."

No way. But... Alfred wouldn't lie about that would he... Bruce really... Wow

"...Right. I'll visit him as scheduled and then leave." By the glint in Dick's eye though, Tim had a feeling he'd be staying in the Manor longer than planned. And honestly? That sounded a lot better than staying in this house alone.

"Great! I'll get your coat." Dick walked around the corner to the living room. "It's this way, right? Oh. Huh. I remember this movie."

Oh.

"TURN IT OFF IT'S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE-"

The end.

#tim drake #batfam #batfam headcanons #batman #bruce wayne #dick grayson #alfred pennyworth #one shot #fanfic #my writing #long post

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minnie-marvel · 6 years

Text

Minnie Marvel’s Disney Weeks!!

soooooo later on in the month I’ll be on vacation which means I won’t be posting, but because i like writing I decided to take on a little project for the weeks before to sort of make up for it?? (nothing really to make up for except for myself to make me feel better bc I’ll want to post LOL)

Anyway I guess this will also be sort of like a challenge for me!!! Pick any marvel character you like and mix&match with a disney movie, disney song or disney movie quote and I’ll try my best to come up with a little oneshot!!

Now in order to keep myself from being overwhelmed I’m probably only going to be taking on five of these, so please keep that in mind when putting in a request!! After you’ve read everything that needs to be read in this post send in an ask with your request form and comment what your fave Disney character is so I know you’ve read the rules!!

Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Thor, Bruce Banner, Natasha Romanoff, Loki, Peter Parker, T’challa, Bucky Barnes, Stephen Strange, Peter Quill, Wanda Maximoff, Pietro Maximoff, Vision

Here’s all the characters I’m willing to write for! Characters in bold are ones that I’ve written for previously (i’m not counting name blurbs because those are super short)!

Below are the combinations:

Disney Movies

1.Beauty and the Beast

2.Aladdin

3.Pirates of the Caribbean

4. Cinderella

5.Hercules

6.Alice in Wonderland

7.Tangled

Disney Songs *note if you pick a song I’ll probably use the movie with it unless you ask for me not to!*

1. Kiss the Girl

2.Once Upon a Dream

3. A Whole New World

4.Heaven’s Light

5.I Won’t Say I’m in Love

6.Sally’s Song

7.So Close

8.What Do You Know About Love

9.That’s How You Know

10. Can You Feel The Love Tonight

11. Evermore

Disney Quotes

1.“the flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all...”

“Sir?”

“You don’t meet a girl like that every dynasty,”

2. “The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it.”

3. “I’m a damsel, I’m in distress, I can handle this. Have a nice day.”

4. “You don’t have to be timid, you must be bold and daring!”

5. “Even miracles take a little time.”

6.”If watchin is all you’re gonna do, you’re gonna watch your whole life go by without ya.”

7.”I’d rather die tomorrow then live 100 years without knowing you,”

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Whoooo now there’s a lot of options!! I won’t lie some of these quotes have specific people in mind, (i mean you all know what movies I match up with which marvel characters bwahahaha) but I’ll be happy to get anything in!!!

Now just a few more things before we go requestin!

A.) these might not all be taken!! The fics *SHOULD* be finished by the next two weeks before I leave on vacation. If they’re not done after I’ve come back then that means I decided not to take them. I’m sorry!!

B.) If a lot of requests come in then I’ll be putting crownfell on hold until the day before I leave so I have time to focus on requests!!

C.) You’ve got three choices of Disney prompts up there!! Use em!! You don’t have to use them all you can totally omit certain prompts (for example song fic+movie fic, quote+songfic, etc.) or keep it simple and just use one prompt!!

D.) Please please PLEASE one request per person!! If you send in more than one I’ll ignore all requests made. Also, I’d ask that you be following me before requesting!

E.) If i have a million requests for one character (say like my whole inbox is full of Peter Parker) I’ll DM you and ask if its okay to change your character!!

F.) Have fun requesting!!! Have a Disney song/quote/movie that’s heavy on your heart? Send it in!! Want something inspired off a disney RIDE??? Send it in!! Headcanons?? SEND EM!!!

Along with Crownfell, I’ll also be finishing the second part to the Destination Disney Roadtrip Headcanons!! It’s gonna be long and fun-filled so look forward to that (I bet y’all thought I forgot LOL)

Anyways!! Hope to see you in my inbox!!

Stay Frosty~

#requests #disney takeover #oh boy #i know this is gonna be a lot #but i love love love disney!!#so i should have fun doing this!!#minnie mumbles

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jinkies-its-a-writer · 6 years

Text

Dirt and Roses || Bruce Wayne

Pairing: Pre-Batman!Bruce Wayne x Reader

Word Count: 1,533

Warnings: Secondhand Embarrassment - like a lot :)

Prompt: Based on this - (Eventually)

Listen While You Read: All You Never Say

Notes: Part 2 - Mud and Daisies

“Alfred, who’s that?” Bruce gazed out the spotless window onto the grounds below, the glaring summer sun causing his brow to furrow in response.

“That would be the most recent addition to the gardening staff, Master Bruce.” The butler replied curiously, clasping his hands behind his back.

“Most recent?” He questioned halfheartedly, his attention divided between the conversation and the mystery figure a couple of stories below.

A gleam appeared in the older man’s eyes. “Yes, Ms. Crawford retired and personally recommended Ms. (y/l/n).”

“Hm” The young man, lost in thought mumbled something inaudible under his breath, the gears in his mind turning a little too quickly for him to keep up with.

“Pardon?”

The younger turned slowly, lulling his body back into reality. “Nothing, Alfred. Have the car pulled around, I’m heading out.”

“As you wish, Master Bruce.”

A week after the (unbeknownst to you) conversation, you knelt before an intricate garden of roses, pulling out weeds as you had been for the past two hours. Being thorough was exceedingly important, but it tended to also be quite excruciating. Your uniform, although lightweight, was damp with a layer of sweat, and your hands were getting sore from the same repetitive motions. It was a beautiful day, but not a single cloud had passed in front of the sun for at least thirty minutes and constant exposure to the heat was making your head feel numb.

“That boy was watchin’ you again. You’d think a lad like him would’ve been taught some proper manners, but it’s plain as day he’s got the hots for you.” The older woman working a few feet away from you glanced in your direction, raising her eyebrows in anticipation of a response.

Your cheeks were hot, but you didn’t know if it was from embarrassment or sunburn. “I’m sure he’s just keeping an eye on our work ethic, Mrs. Evans.”

She let out a slightly irritated huff. “I’ve been working here a lot longer than you lass, and he ain’t never watched my work ethic this closely before.”

“Well, I am new… I mean if I were him I’d want to make sure a new hire like myself was doing their job right.” You grabbed a handful of weeds and stuffed them into the barrel beside you.

“I’ve never been wrong before, and I say this guy is definitely feeling something for you, girlie.” She winked at you before refocusing her attention back on the intruding plants.

You sat up rolling your eyes and wiped the waterfall of sweat on your forehead away with the back of your glove. “Well that’s all fine and dandy I guess, but I highly doubt anyone with as many options as him would find anything of worth in me.” You gestured behind you towards the front of the mansion, emphasizing your point. “I mean rich people just don’t go and fall for the people working for them… especially not me. I’m not extraordinarily beautiful. Or just plain beautiful. Or even pretty. I’m just average. Average, and sitting here all sweaty and worn out and gross and making sure his flowers look pretty. What sort of appeal would someone with my status have to a billionaire? And let’s use our extremely over exaggerative imaginations and say he did like me. It’s not like he’s going to accomplish anything by sitting up there in the air conditioning with a nice cold glass of lemonade, and just watching me.” You grabbed your water bottle to take a quick swig now that you had finished your impromptu speech.

“No, he’s not.”

You choked on the cool liquid as it hit the back of your throat, making a highly unladylike sound in the process. The voice didn’t belong to your coworker, and it seemed to be emanating from behind you. Whipping around you provided your employer with a sheepish smile.

“Mr. Wayne!” Your words seemed to pull the corners of his lips downwards in disappointment.

You were having an internal meltdown and had no clue how to handle this situation. It would have been bad enough if he was just a normal guy, but this was a billionaire. A billionaire who employed you, and had just caught you talking about him behind his back.

A few anxiety-filled seconds later he cleared his throat. “I did not mean to eavesdrop, Miss. (y/l/n), but I was wondering if you would care to share a pitcher of lemonade with me.”

The corners of his mouth seemed to twitch in response to the awestricken look that must have been present on your features.

“Uhm…” In the corner of your eye, you caught the older lady nodding and giving you a thumbs up. “I… I’m on the clock…?” Well, apparently the rational side of your brain was working just fine.

Surprise flashed over his features and was replaced just as quickly with a smirk. “Is that so? I guess I’ll have to see what I can do about that.” He paused, pulling back his sleeve, eyes scanning his watch before returning his attention to you. “It looks like it’s time for your break then.”

“I’ve already taken my lunch break for today.“

“Do you want some lemonade?”

“Well… yeah- I mean yes!” You couldn’t seem to keep your mind and your mouth moving at the same pace, and your words were escaping in a jumbled mess.

“Well then…” He gestured to the path leading towards the front of the mansion.

“Yeah, okay. Let me just-“ You turned around to pack up your items, but a small weight landed on our shoulder.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Uh… okay.” You turned back around, catching his crystal blue eyes in an intense gaze. He seemed to be studying you intensely while you made a fool out of yourself. He reached his hand out towards you gently, the curious glint in his eyes shining in the bright afternoon light. “Shall we?”

“Sure… I mean yes? … I mean… I’m sorry Mr. Wayne, I don’t know what’s happening… I guess I’m just a little confused…” You were positive that the heat on your cheeks was now a blush. You guessed that your whole face was probably as bright red as a rose.

“Okay, first of all, no more of this Mr. Wayne business. Call me Bruce.”

“Okay… Bruce.” The name sounds much less foreign on your tongue than what you had previously referred to him by. “I’m (y/n)… I mean you already knew that, but… you broke eye contact with him, looking down at the ground. Seriously. You are the biggest dork EVER (y/n).

“Secondly... (y/n),” he said your name slowly as if testing its structural integrity. You tried again to meet his cool blue orbs with your own. “I recently heard someone say that I’m not going to accomplish much by just sitting in the air conditioning with a nice cold glass of lemonade. So here I am to bring you to come join me.” You finally met his eyes and hoped yours didn’t convey just how overwhelmingly nervous you were to be having a conversation of this manner with your boss.

“So… you heard all of that...” You rubbed the toe of your shoe into the stone path below your feet.

“Enough, yes.” He had a cheeky grin that you wouldn’t expect someone of his … stature… to portray often.

You cleared your throat. “I believe you said something about lemonade?”

“Ah, yes. Let’s try this again, shall we?” He extended his hand once more, his palm smoother than you could ever dream of yours being.

You grasped his hand before realizing that something was a little off. Looking down you realized you had never taken off your filthy gardening gloves. “Ah!” You pulled your hand back, apologizing profusely. “I’m so sorry, I completely forgot to take off my gloves…” You pulled them off quickly and stuffed them with the rest of your supplies. Glancing at his palm, now covered with a layer of soil.

“Here, use my apron. It should get the dirt off… mostly.” You lifted the bottom of it towards him.

“Thanks, but I think I’ll be fine.” Then to your complete and utter surprise, he took the hand covered in dirt and wiped it across his forehead.

You were shocked into silence.

“Now we match.” His grin was bursting with pride.

“What do you-“ Your fingers brushed against your forehead where earlier you must have smeared dirt across it, and apparently it stayed the entire time you had been speaking with him.

“Well I would say this has been the most embarrassing conversation of my life, but I think that would be the understatement of the year.”

“Maybe, but you know what?”

You couldn’t help but smile back at him with the thought of how ridiculous the two of you must have looked. Hands and faces smudged with dirt, you fumbling over your words like you had never spoken English before. “What?”

“For some reason, I want to have lemonade with you even more now.”

As if on cue Alfred appeared, along with some ice cold lemonade, and he couldn’t remember the last time he had seen Bruce smile so brightly.

#bruce wayne #bruce wayne x reader #alfred pennyworth #dirt and roses #jinkies-its-a-writer #batman #batman x reader #batman fanfiction #bruce wayne fanfiction #alfred #bruce #fanfiction #dc #dc fanfiction #bruce wayne reader insert #batman reader insert #bruce reader insert #dc reader insert #dc x reader

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bluboothalassophile · 7 years

Note

Hii blu! i'm glad you have a job and I hope it gets better with time. ^^ and since you said that the fics are fun, i'd like to request one where in the batcave, the batfamily watch raex / redrae interactions as if they were a movie, haha with popcorn and all haha. but of course if you want to write this one and when you have free time =), i hope you like it and have a lot of fun. have a nice day!

Hello,

I’m sorry this took so long to reply to. And my job is sort of knocking me on my ass lately because it’s just such a weird shift, but that’s alright. A job is a job. As to your request, I hope you enjoy, it was fun to write! =)

Popcorn!

Alright, so Tim had gone low in the war against Jason he wascurrently trying to win and had called in the heavy artillery to come andfinish Jason’s stubborn ass off before his big brother got himself killed.

Yes, Tim had bypassed Alfred; and Bruce, and the entirefamily, and called in Jason’s girlfriend.

Yup, that’s right, Tim had called in Raven.

Now this might seem hasty of Tim, however, after everything he’dlearned about what little he’d seen of their relationship in the past sixmonths. (He actually didn’t know much about them as a couple, they honestly appearedto be best friends rather than lovers. Then again, they had caught Jason andRaven with Jason’s hands up Raven’s shirt.) But that was beside the point, thepoint was Jason was seriously hurt, and he wasn’t staying still and he wasliable to hurt himself; again. And neither Alfred nor Bruce, nor he, could getthat through Jason’s thick head.

Which was why Tim had gone around Jason and called themysterious girlfriend.

First of all, while Raven was a dear friend to him and hisbrothers, Raven was still an unknown in the Wayne family. Sure, they all knewshe was dating Jason, and yeah, they all knew that Jason and Raven livedtogether in New York City in an actually nice apartment. But beyond what Jason andRaven had shown them they honestly didn’t know much about the pair. Which waswhy Tim had taken a gamble and called Raven.

And now, he was sitting in the library, with popcorn (he washungry, and it was about the only thing in Alfred’s kitchen he was allowed tomake) watching the security footage of Jason arguing with Dick and Damian thathe was fine. He was not fine, not fine at all, Jason had five bullet holes inhim, and had lost a lot of blood.

Suddenly on the security footage Raven walked in from theshadows, Tim flicked a piece of popcorn in the air as he tried to catch it.

“Wha’cha watchin’ Tim?” Stephanie asked as she appearedbeside him.

“Just the security footage.”

“Oooo! Jayrae!” she was in the seat, in his lap and he justblinked at her.

“Steph?”

“Shush! This is when we can see them in their naturalstated!” she smiled.

He blinked, then a smile twisted his lips up maliciously ashe looked at the screen. This was true, they had never seen anyone aside from Dickand Babs argue, and that had shattered back at the doomed wedding when Barbarahad bolted.

Now there was Jason and Raven; who had been proving to be astrong, steady pair. But it was in the fights that people saw the true strengthof a relationship. Tim was going to enjoy this; it was a test for Jason andRaven! If they passed then it would be better for them, if not, Tim would enlisthis siblings help in corrupting the relationship beyond salvation. They didn’tneed a hurt Jason. That would be counterproductive and bad.

Dick and Damian stalked up apparently furious at not winningtheir argument with Jason.

“He’s an idiot!” Dick announced.

“Shut up! We’re trying to watch!” Stephanie ordered. Cassappeared on his shoulder and swiped some of the popcorn.

Jason started shouting, they knew it from how he was holdinghimself. Raven stood perfectly still, and not a single twitch was revealed forher perfect monotoned façade. It was like a storm raging and Raven was a calm.

The argument continued, Raven clearly was the quieter of thetwo but she held her ground, stood firm. And Clearly she wasn’t pushed over by Jason,and Jason didn’t bend to her will.

Jason started pacing, the arm waving and clear agitation hehad about something appeared then as he stalked around the room and pausedbefore her. Raven said something, Jason scowled, Tim took another bite ofpopcorn.

What happened next floored them all.

And he was pretty sure that it made the demon spawn jealous,for Damian looked like he had swallowed a sour lemon.

Raven had said something, Jason had stilled, they had spokensome more; about what it was difficult to tell because of the shadows and theangle of Raven was wrong to lip read her.

But Jason hadn’t spoken a word, no.

They had all gaped when Jason grabbed Raven’s waist and hekissed her hard and passionately. There was a thud, and Tim only registered hisjaw was slack as he gaped at the monitor.

“What the hell?” Dick sputtered.

“He clearly knows what he’s doing,” Stephanie observed.

“They were… and now they’re… this can’t be normal!? Why isn’tRaven slapping him? Come on, Raven would slap any guy who did that to her!”Dick stated.

“Apparently not, and we caught Jason with his hands up hershirt!” Tim snapped.

“What are all of you watching?” Bruce appeared causing allof them to jump. Raven and Jason were no longer on the fighting part of theirconversation. Nor were they on a make out binge. But Raven and Jason were sittingside by side on the gurney and Raven was examining Jason’s latest collection ofholes and they seemed to be discussing something that was clearly private.

“Nothing!” Tim squeaked as he and Stephanie closed out thesecurity footage. Whatever was between Jason and Raven it was clearly private,and they were intruding.

Still, that argument was entertaining to watch, Jason’s clearmatch of wits and stubborn. Raven apparently was a match for him if she could matchhim in stubborn will power. Come to think of it, Tim supposed that was somethingthey’d both have in common, and an abundance of. Jason was stubborn as hell,but Raven was also stubborn as hell. Perhaps it was a really good match.

“Jason and Raven apparently are a real couple,” Stephanie announced.

“Calm and storm,” Cass stated as if this were now law andfact. “Good match.”

#bluboothalassophile #fanfic #one shot #calm in the storm #jason todd #raven #redrae #raex #tim drake

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