#didn't expect gotham war to give me that

[daydreamerwonderkid]

Ngl, I do love me a feral/enraged Dick Grayson <3

Credit to @honeysgalaxy for providing photos of the new panels

#gotham war #gotham war spoilers #batman 138 #batman #bruce wayne #dick grayson #nightwing #i make memes to help me cope #batman shitpost #batman shit post #yes just to clarify i do still like bruce #i just do NOT like this version of him #i also just think dick should be allowed to be pissed #and go fucking nuts #whenever he feels like it #didn't expect gotham war to give me that #a real monkey's paw of a situation

[justrandomfanfictionskh]

MDC Commissions: The Ghost King

(A series of one shots where Marinette has some extremely unusual clients. What could possible go wrong? ao3)

When Marinette moved to Gotham after retiring as Ladybug, she had expected craziness and chaos. And living with her biological father and his family, had made her believe that she had seen everything. For example, when she sat down to breakfast that morning she had been fully prepared to see Damian and Jason engaged in a rubber band war over the head of a slumped Tim, who couldn't decide if he was awake or asleep. She didn't flinch to see Dick balancing six trays of breakfast food, while Alfred followed him with barely concealed panic. She didn't even raise an eyebrow when Bruce came in with bag under his eyes, and switched Tim's coffee with his own empty mug. Barbara rolling in arguing about the probability of aliens owning all of the bowling alleys with Duke was a completely casual conversation. And Steph filming everything while she cackled was just the cherry on top. 

She sat down next to Cass (the only other kid who was quiet), as Dick precariously started setting down the trays, and Bruce called for his other two sons to sit down. They were getting a little violent, and he wasn't having much luck. It was only once the last tray was on the table, that everyone finally settled down to eat, but Marinette had a feeling that it was only a matter of time before Jason and Damian decided to start chucking food at each other. At which point, Dick would yell "Food Fight" and they'd all be required by sibling law to join in. However, Marinette was not prepared for what happened literally two seconds after everyone was seated.

Alfred had just set down the coffee pot, causing Tim to jerk awake, when a bright flash of light in the middle of the table had everyone leaping into a fighting stance. They stood silent as they watched the glowing ball of light drift lazily around the table and settle in front of her. She squinted as it flashed blindingly before dropping something on her plate with an audible "Thunk." Marinette blinked the stars out of her eyes and stared down at a thick, glowing green scroll. It was very official looking with a glowing green wax seal and a golden center. 

Marinette stared at it in wonder, and took a long sip of her coffee. It was far to early for this. 

"Uh Mari," Dick was the first to speak as they all stared at the scroll. "What's that?"

She looked up at him blank faced, "It's a scroll Dick."

"I know that but---" Dick scoffed but Steph interrupted him with an eager, 

"What's it say?"

"I wouldn't open it Mars," Duke said hesitantly, "That green light around it is...well it's some powerful other worldly shit, I'll say that much."

"Hmm," Marinette hummed.

"Still," Barbara said, "We can't ignore it. What if it's Guardian business?"

"Has the Order ever contacted you this way before?" Bruce asked eyeing the thing like it was a bomb full of joker gass.

"Nope," Marinette said still not moving. 

"We should destroy it," Damian said simply reaching for the sword he had stashed under the table. 

"Bad idea," Cass said softly, "Important."

"But it could be a trap," Tim said lifting his mug and staring in confusion when he found it empty. "I can run some tests on it maybe."

"I'm with Demon," Jason said gruffly, "That thing is giving me the heebie jeebies."

"Did you just say heebie jeebies?" Stephanie said in confusion. 

"Whatever it is I don't think you should touch it Mari," Bruce said.

"Seriously Jay?" Steph said, "Heebie Jeebies?" 

"I agree with father," Damian said tensely, "This thing reeks of magic. Perhaps we should call a magic user." 

"I can call Zatanna," Dick offered. 

"Heebie jeebies?" 

"Let it go Steph, this is serious!"

 "But...heebie jeebies?"

The dinning room descended into utter chaos literally not even five minutes into their meal. Marinette sighed and took another sip of her coffee as her family yelled around her. She had been up all night helping Barbara with Oracle stuff and finishing up some designs for her company. And listening to her siblings fight over how to deal with ominous glowing scrolls that appeared during their breakfast was not how she wanted to start the morning. She opened her purse and Tikki flew out to look at the scroll, as Jason knocked over his chair about to launch at Steph. Tikki nodded as Dick moved to stop Jason from attacking Steph. This time Cass had taken over recording the insanity. 

Everyone froze as Marinette picked up the scroll. But nothing happened. She didn't suddenly combust or summon hellfire upon them all, so she took that as a good sign and broke the seal. Immediately, her entire family began to panic and some even lunged to snatch the scroll away from her. Marinette leaped back keeping the scroll as far away from them as she could. She sent them a confused, disapproving look as if to say, "Back off it's my magic scroll get your own!" But she read the words out loud just the same.

"To the right honorable, MDC, from the court of his Majesty the Ruler of the Infinite Realms, The Ghost King, Guardian of the Eternal Souls, Protector of the Living World, The Sleepless One, The Halfa, Keeper of the Abyss, etc. Greetings.

His majesty humbly requests your services in the designing of his coronation attire for his ascension to the throne of the Deathless King. Should you accept this most honorable, and glorious commission, simply preform the included spell before the end of five days. Preferably between 4 and 5 o'clock central. Money is no object unless you wish some other form of Eternal payment. In which case, terms will have to be agreed upon in person. You will also be invited, along with a guest of your choosing, to witness this most monumental event within the Infinite Realms.

Kindest Regards,

The King's Advisor, Physician, and Head Scientist, and Leader of the Far Frozen

Frostbite. "

Marinette looked up at her family who were staring at her in awe. None of them quiet new how to take this, so for a moment there was complete silence. In her head Marinette began counting down, "Three...two...one." And the entire dinning room erupted into chaos. Marinette just sighed as she returned her attention to the commission. "What even is my life?" she muttered.

Marinette summoned the Ghost King in the private studio at her fashion house. She reserved this studio for her VIP commissions like Jagged, Clara, Diana, and her family. At that moment it was just her, Jason, and the kwamis, which was already causing chaos as half of the little gods flew around in an attempt to help without actually helping. Jason was making no attempt to corral them like he had promised to do, and instead decided to just stand and scowl as Marinette prepared the summoning circle exactly as it was depicted on the scroll. Marinette had just wanted it to be her and the kwamis, but her family all resolutely refused. Apparently, summoning an unknown, mythical, entity of unquestionable power by herself was not something they were comfortable with. So they compromised and decided that Jason was best suited to over see the meeting. After all, one of the titles was "the Ghost King" and Jason was a zombie...technically. 

Still Marinette wasn't sure how well he would do in a fight. If it came to that, then the kwamis would be her best shot at protecting them. She wasn't sure how Jason's guns would do against something called, "The Keeper of the Abyss." Still she was glad he was here, in a way. "Alright!" she said standing, "It's ready!"

"Hmph," Jason grunted, "I don't like this, Pixie."

"Oh come on," Marinette said with a smile as she tried to hide her own terror, "Don't tell me you're not a little bit curious."

Jason shook his head and muttered something about not wanting to die again, which Marinette elected to ignore. Instead she began the chant and called upon the Ghost King, the Ruler of the Infinite Realms, The Bringer of the Frost, Guardian of the Eternal Souls, Protector of the Living World, The Sleepless One, The Halfa, Keeper of the Abyss, etc. " Man this guy has a lot of titles," she thought. The runes began to glow as the light began to melt upward into a swirling portal of ink and stars. The edges of the portal were wrapped in a shifting green cloud that reminded Marinette of the Lazarus Pit. "That's...probably...not a good sign," she thought but it was too late. Because a white hand emerged from the blackness and Marinette felt the magic in the room surge with the sudden pressure of power. She gasped, and her breath came our in a cloud as the hand was followed by a foot. The kwami gathered around her ready to fight, and Jason's hand flew to his gun. They all held their breath as the Ruler of the Infinite Realms emerged, in all of his power and glory.

"All I'm saying, Jazz, is that I don't see the point! I mean it's not like I'm going to be dressing like this while I'm king!" A teenage boy cried as he stepped casually from the portal. 

"It's not about you, Danny!" said the tall, red haired woman who followed him into the studio, "It's about your subjects. They need to see that you're taking this seriously, so they know to take you seriously. By presenting yourself as a king before them, they will be more likely to trust you as their king."

"She's right Danny," said a goth goth girl, "You're entering the world of high ghostly society. In those circles image is everything whether your alive or dead. Ha, you're gonna love it!"

The boy, Danny, groaned into his hands, and then turned to face Marinette and Jason who were staring in quiet shock and confusion. "Hi!" He said stepping forward holding out his hand to shake, "I'm Danny Phantom, future King of the Infinite Realms, nice to meet ya!" 

Marinette blue screened for a moment as she took in her client. This...was not what she was expecting. She had been fully prepared to meet some sort of strange eldritch animal/human/void type hybrid. Instead she got a teenage, human boy who couldn't have been older than 16. The only thing unusual about was his snow white hair, and glowing green eyes. She could work with this. So, Marinette smiled and shook his hand, "Marinette Dupain-Cheng-Wayne, MDC, the pleasure is all mine. And this is my brother, Jason Todd, he's going to be assisting us today!"

Danny looked over at Jason and gaped, "Dude!" he exclaimed, "You core is messed up! What happened to you?!"

"Danny!" the red head, Jazz exclaimed, "Be nice! I'm sorry," she said addressing Jason, "My brother might be one of the most powerful beings in the multiverse, but he's still a teenager and often forgets his manners. I'm Jazz by the way!" She held out her hand, and Jason numbly shook it as his eyes expressed that he was still trying to mentally process what was happening. 

"And I'm Sam," the goth girl said stepping forward as the portal closed behind her, "I'm a big fan of your work, Miss. MDC. Your eco friendly punk spring collection was truly inspired!" 

"Thank you," Marinette said with a smile, "And I see you're wearing some of it! I have to say, the way you've dressed up the vest is amazing, I never would have thought to match it with that color skirt!" 

Sam blushed as she straighten the faux dark green leather vest. Jason then took the opportunity to speak up saying, "I hate to interrupt but...what's the story here?"

"Oh," Danny said as they all moved toward the couches that surrounded the circular stage, where the finished products would be touched up and fitted. "Well you see our parents," he gestured between himself and his sister, "are scientists who for some reason decided to study ghosts."

"We thought they were crazy!" Jazz exclaimed with a desperate laugh.

"They are crazy," Sam said, "Just turns our they were also right."

"They built a portal to what they called the Ghost Zone," Danny explained, "It's kind of like the afterlife in between afterlives. A realm between realms...sort of...it's complicated. And that's not really the point, the point is, they thought it didn't work. Until, Sam, Tucker and I were goofing off in the lab and there was an...'accident.'"

"And you died?!" Marinette asked in concerned.

"Yes, no, sorta kinda," Danny said casually, "I half died. I'm half dead. I'm half ghost."

"The technical term is Halfa," Jazz explained.

"Danny is alive," Sam said, "But at the same time, he's dead."

"Schrodinger's kid," Jason muttered, and Danny beamed. 

"Yeah, you see! This guy gets it!" He exclaimed. "So anyway, now that the portal was open someone had to make sure that the ghosts didn't overwhelm the land of the living, and vise versa. And since I am both living and dead, I was the only one who could do it."

Marinette twisted one of her earrings with a glance at Tikki, who was shuffling the other kwamis out of sight since there was clearly no danger, "I get that."

She and Danny exchanged an understanding look, before he continued, "Yeah, well, one of those ghosts turned out to be the actual Ghost King who had gone all tyrant, and tried to disrupt the balance between life and death thus destroying both realms. I might have beaten him in single combat thus accidently becoming the next Ghost King." 

"How do you accidently become the Ghost King?" Jason said incredulously. 

"By beating the former monarch in single combat, I thought we just established that?" Danny said.

"Any way," Jazz said purposefully, "Danny was still in high school at the time, so he couldn't exactly claim the throne. And besides there was a lot about inter-death politics that he had to learn. So we had to hold off on the coronation until he was ready." 

"And now here you are!" Marinette said brightly. 

"Here we are!" Danny said in return. "Got to say though, randomly becoming the guardian of one of the cornerstones of all existence before all before my 18th birthday, not how I expected my life to turn out. But like you said 'here we are!'"

Marinette glanced at the kwami again and said softly, "Yeah, I get that to."

Danny cocked his head at her, as his glowing green eyes met her piercing blue one. He nodded and said, "Alright then, let's get started shall we. I'm trusting you, Blue eyes!"

Jason scowled at the nickname, but Marinette chuckled and retrieved her tape measure, but stopped as she took in his outfit. It looked like a black and white, rubber hazmat suit that was custom made to fit him. It wasn't the worst thing she had ever seen, and the flaming D, she guessed was a nice touch, but it the girls were right. It didn't scream "King of the Infinite Realms." But it raised a pressing question for her. 

"So how do your clothes work?"

"Uh...well...let's see," Danny said as he looked down at his outfit. "Well I suppose I should explain how ghosts work. You see all of this," he gestured to his face and limbs with exaggerated motions, "Is basically all ectoplasm, energy, and magic shaped by the self image of my psyche. So I can shift it to change based on my self image, and that includes my clothes, if I focus. The thing holding it all together is my core." He tapped is chest where his heart should have been. "Basically it's like a...vessel? Yeah, a vessel for my psyche, or spirit, or soul, whatever word you want to use." 

"So do you want me to just draw you an outfit, and then you can shift your clothes into that. It might be easier."

"Nuh-uh," Sam said, "That wont work. He can shapeshift, but it's not his specialty. He always shifts back within thirty minutes or sometimes less."

Jazz nodded, "The best thing would be to make him an outfit for his human form, and then he can shift to match that. We can even infuse the fabrics with some of his ectoplasm, so it will be easier for his psyche to recognize it as a part of him."

Marinette froze at the phrasing, and suddenly why Danny was so hesitant to change his ghostly look. His clothes were a part of his self image. This was how his spirit perceived his existence. Marinette began studying hit clothes a lot more closely. Any thing she did could alter his self image for all of eternity, if she wasn't careful. Marinette took a deep breath. This was probably going to end up being the most important piece of her career. "Ok," she said allowing her voice to communicate to Danny just how serious she was taking this commission. "I think I understand. In that case, I'm going to need measurements of both your human form, and your ghost form. If there are any discrepancies, I'm going to need to know now."

Danny smiled softly at her. "Ok." And there was no more arguing or complaining, as he stood patiently while she took his measurements, first in his ghost form, and then in his human form. Jason was writing down the numbers diligently. Almost too diligently, but Marinette understood his silence when he said, 

"So this core thing...you said I had one but there was something wrong with it."

"Hmm," Danny said, "Oh yeah. Did you die and get resurrected or something?" Jason nodded silently, completely engrossed in the notepad. "Well, whoever did it did an awful job!"

"Danny!" Jazz exclaimed.

"What? It's true!"

"But that's not how you say it. I am so sorry Jason, my brother can be a little insensitive."

"No it's ok," Jason said, "I'd rather have it blunt and honest, than sugar coated. So what's wrong with me?"

"Nothing's wrong with you per se," Danny mused after a moment of studying Jason. "So obviously you died. And the circumstances were just right so that instead of going to one of the 'afterlives' you went to the space between, the Infinite Realms. Which is probably why you don't remember what happened in between your two lives. Am I right?"

"You'd know better than me," Jason laughed dryly. 'Like you said I don't remember."

 "Probably for the best. But anyway," Danny continued, "When you were resurrected, it was done very badly, because you're core is warped. Don't worry it's still intact, so your spirit's safe. But the warped core combined with the corrupted ectoplasm running through your veins! Yeesh! Frankly I'm surprised you're not frothing at the mouth, homicidal maniac right now. Cause that amount of contamination is not good for you mental stability." 

The siblings froze and exchanged desperate, almost hopeful looks. "The pit madness," Marinette whispered. 

"I get...angry sometimes," Jason explained. "I see green, and then red, and then I...I hurt people."

The girls looked at him with pity, but Danny just nodded with understanding. "Makes sense," was all he said, but Marinette could instantly see the relief of those words wash over Jason's whole being. She knew how much he fought, how much he struggled with his sanity. They tried to help, but pit madness wasn't like normal mental illnesses. It was steeped in ancient magic and the forces of nature them selves. In the end the only advice any of the could logistically give Jason was to fight it. Therapy could give him tools, but when push came to shove none of them understood what it was like. 

And to have someone, anyone, say that it made sense. That his reactions to the corruption inside him were not strange, abnormal or grotesque. To have his actions fit inside the bounds of an expected response, a symptom of something that could be categorized...Marinette could not imagine the relief Jason must have been feeling. But it whatever his emotions were they all seemed to be summed up in his next chocked out words, “Is…is there a cure.”

“Yeah, of course there is!” Danny said with his cheerful casualness, that broke all of Jason’s carefully crafted walls. “I can schedule an appointment for you with Frostbite. He’s done some incredible research into the development of Ghost cores. Once, he filters that ectoplasm in your blood stream, it shouldn’t be too difficult to get your core back to it’s proper shape. You’ll have to spend a few days in the Ghost Zone, a week at most. But then your core will start filtering and shaping the ectoplasm on it’s own…think of it as a liver transplant, but with magic and shit.”

“Wow,” Jason breathed. “I…uh…ha…I.t…thank you!”

Danny smiled, “Eh, what are kings for. I mean you are technically one of my subjects.”

“I’m sorry,” Jason said still smiling.

Danny grinned. “When you die, again, you’ll go to the Ghost Zone. My zone. You’re stuck with me buddy!”

Jason threw back his head with a clear bright laugh that was all too rare in Marinette’s opinion. And hearing it now as it rang with hope and joy, only made Marinette’s smile brighter and fuller. They continued to talk about what it would take to get Jason to the Ghost Zone for his “core transplant” as Danny was now calling it. And Marinette was slowly getting a clearer picture of what she was going to make for the young king. 

When she finished her measurements and pulled out her note book to start some rough sketches, she turned back to Danny and said, “Ok so we can talk about what you don’t want once I have some ideas mapped out. But first I want to know if there is anything that you do want. A favorite color, a piece of jewelry, a type of belt, anything like that?”

“Your symbol,” Sam said immediately. “You need to have your symbol.”

“I think you should keep your usual color scheme,” Jazz said calmly, “It’s like your signature.”

“Danny?” Marinette asked pointedly. 

He thought for a moment and the grinned saying, “Can I get a cape?”

The girls rolled their eyes, and Jason put his head in his hand. But Marinette just beamed and said, “I’ll see what I can do.”

(Who should Marinette design for next?! Comment your requests)

#maribat #marinette dupen chang #mdc au #mlb x dc #dc x mlb #dp x dc #dp x dc x mlb #fanfiction #miraculous ladybug #batfam #jason todd #danny phantom #ghost king danny #oneshot #bio dad bruce wayne

[riddle-me-ri]

How our Riddleboys react to their asses getting slapped? Not like in a sex way. Just reader casually walks past and gives them a good ol’ smack on the ass to flirt in a silly way.

A/N: hehe…hehehe…sorry this request gave me the giggles for the longest time lmao. If this isn’t some shit I’d do hehe

How The Riddlers React to Having Their Asses Slapped

Arkhamverse Riddler: 

- Poor boy flinched at the contact.

- He can't tell if he's angry, annoyed, or confused..or turned on. He's a blushing mess you know that much. 

- Like why? Why did you do that?

- There's more efficient and proper ways to get his attention 

- You'll have to explain to him that you were just messing around, flirting even. 

- He'll blink a couple times. Trying to compute this information.

- He's not sure how to feel about it. But any action to show your attraction to him is appreciated. 

- Just…just it's gonna take a minute for him to get used to it. 

Reevesverse/Dano Riddler:

- So I have no doubt that they probably spanked kids in the orphanage as a sign of discipline. 

- So it's best to bear that in mind if you're gonna pull this on this Ed.

- Even if it's just a silly and flirty way, you'll have to let him know that's why you do it. 

- It's not a sign of discipline or he's being reprimanded. You're just being affectionate. 

- When you do, playfully slap his butt when he does the dishes. It takes him a second to register it properly. 

- He's a blushing mess but still unsure how he feels about it.

Gotham Riddler: 

- Oh, hello~~

- While surprised at first, he's absolutely pleased.

- He's quite the tease himself.

- So to see you try and tease him as well is amusing. 

- He'll tease you back for the rest of the day.

- Pinching your butt, squeezing your shoulders, pinching your love handles.

- He enjoys seeing your flustered reaction just as much as you enjoyed his surprised reaction when you slapped his ass.

- He'll be more than pleased for you to continue this line of teasing. 

- He's happy to see you being playful and open with him. 

BTAS Riddler: 

- Oh, oh…this..this is new.

- He's taken aback. He's surprised, his skin flushed warm and red.

- However, he can't help but feel amused.

- Two can play at that game. 

- After you think the moment is gone. Ed will come up behind you and plant sweet kisses along your neck and cheek.

- Just as you lean into it, smiling, and beaming at the affection. 

- He'll lower his hand and quickly smack your butt before booking it to another room.

- You're shocked but also ticked that he got you back.

- This means war (affectionately and teasingly) 

Zero Year/Capullo Riddler: 

- I'd be surprised if this candy ass didn't have his ass slightly poked out just so you can accidentally hit it. 

- Let alone try and invite you to actively slap his ass.

- But, but he is a pain in the ass, so any chance to replicate that pain is necessary (even if he finds it pleasurable)

- He fully relishes in the attention. 

- Expect him to come up to you later and hint at you to spank him again. 

- Also he'll absolutely give you the same treatment. 

- Albeit expect his slaps to be a little harder. 

- He'll also sneak in a pinch or two.

Twojar Riddler: 

- I'm still clearly divided whether or not this Riddler is an ass or tits man. There's evidence of mostly tits but I can see him appreciating a nice ass too.

- So showing your appreciation for his ass is an absolute delight. 

- He will be taken aback by your confidence at first.

- But once he realizes that it wasn't a figment of his imagination.

- It's game on. 

- Don't be surprised if occasionally ass slaps just become part of your normal exchange. 

- And don't be surprised if it leads to sexy times later.

- I don't doubt he's handsy with you and constantly has his hands on your waist and ass anyway. 

- It's all part of his possessive personality that I've pinned on him tehehe

Gotham City Sirens Riddler:

- Oh, well, that's a pleasant surprise. 

- Absolutely eats up the attention.

- He'll let out that warm, hearty, chuckle that makes you melt.

- Teasingly asks in fake shock, "Well, what was that for?"

- Expect him to absolutely return the favor.

- Whether it's his hand or the top of his cane, it's up to him and what you're doing.

- He's also open to pinching your bottom as well, especially when you least expect it.

- He's one of the Riddlers, that while knowing you were just flirting, he'll take the chance to make it into a sexual encounter. 

Telltale Riddler: 

- You're lucky if he even gives you a reaction. 

- He may roll his eyes or scoff at your attempts.

- If you catch him at a decent time, he may give you a smirk. 

- On the rare days he's actually pleased or bemused by you, he may spank you back in return. 

- He's not all that impressed or surprised by much anymore. But your attempts will always be amusing to him.

Young Justice Riddler: 

- This poor boy tenses up.

- Let's out a tiny surprise squeak. 

- Is the one to turn around and look at you in surprise.

- Like really you did that?

- You..you slapped his bottom

- His entire face is red. His heart is doing palpitations. 

- How..how does he respond? He does…appreciate the gesture he guesses.

- Please go over there and tell him it's okay and not to break his brain overthinking about it. 

- Then he'll be able to take it…at least a little better next time. 

Hush (DCAU) Riddler: 

- Whoa, where did that come from?

- His cheeks get dusted a slight pink. 

- Rub the area that you afflicted. As his face is conflicted. 

- He knows this is something couples do, he's seen it but never expected it to happen to him.

- His perplexed expression turns amused when he hears your cute giggles.

- Well aren't you proud of yourself.

- He's unsure if he should return the favor right now….

- Or just toss you over his shoulder and start tickling you.

#ri writes #the riddler x reader #edward nygma x reader #edward nashton x reader #arkhamverse riddler x reader #reevesverse riddler x reader #dano riddler x reader #gotham riddler x reader #btas riddler x reader #zero year riddler x reader #capullo riddler x reader #twojar riddler x reader #the war of jokes and riddles riddler x reader #gotham city sirens riddler x reader #sirens riddler x reader #telltale riddler x reader #yj riddler x reader #young justice riddler x reader #dcau hush riddler x reader

[dotthings]

So this is it. Last episode of Gotham Knights.

Thank you to James Stoteraux and Chad Fiveash for a fantastic finale. And to all the writers and cast and crew who made this beautiful DC series.

Season one gave us a taste of all the places this could go and what this show could be and it was SO GOOD I'm sorry there won't be more of it. There's only a few DC live action TV series that have worked for me over the years, Gotham Knights is among them.

"Batman chose well. Gotham needs its Robin." I LOVE this. Carrie's mom trusting her to look after herself, to stay alive, having seen her daughter in action as Robin, and asking her daughter to go save lives and trusting her to survive in return.

Commissioner Soto!! Knew!!! So...maybe she was the Gordon analogue in this continuity. All this time.

What finally made Harvey give himself over to the Two Face personality, what finally made him fully snap -- HE DID IT TO SAVE HIS DAUGHTER AND THOUSANDS OF LIVES IN GOTHAM. This is a really brilliant re-imagining.

With Turner's parents, I got that there was more to the story. Batman was defending himself from assassins. I didn't expect this version to have Batman actually have killed them, because the Batman doesn't kill idea is so seminal in most continuities including this one--this Batman also had the do not kill code.

He's a precise highly trained fighter, who has a strong code about not killing. So in that fight, something went wrong, he was in deadly peril, or, in defending himself, did something he didn't intend to be a kill, but wound up killing them.

Misha Collins and Olivia Rose-Keegan are hitting it out of the park in all their scenes. Duela with Harvey, Duela with Two Face, two very different dynamics and both riveting.

Misha getting to play Harvey as a regretful father who wants to save his daughter and thousands of lives and make amends and then Misha getting to play completely unhinged scarred, murderous Two Face and Misha floors it in both directions.

GIVE HIM AWARDS I'M NOT KIDDING HE DESERVES NOMINATIONS.

Sadly, because it's the CW network and a superhero show, the critical awards people won't even look at it. But I'm betting industry folks will take note anyway. Bravo, Misha.

I didn't expect Turner to actually be dead, and that tactical team had French accents so I expected Henri Ducard. Still enjoyed that reveal at the end. Guessing they're going with the comics background as inspiration (and would put their own twists on it--and not Nolanverse.) Henri Ducard trained Bruce Wayne. He's not a good guy, but he helped Bruce. I like how this show's plan was to have him train his son too.

And Turner, who wants to live up to his father's legacy, becomes a legacy and inspiration for his friends, to Duela, to keep fighting for Gotham, like Bruce did, like Turner wanted.

I can only guess what the S2 plans were. It's hinting Turner becoming a new kind of Batman eventually, not sure by S2.

The Knights are going to be pissed he didn't tell them he's alive.

The Two Face and Duela stories I'm sure would be riveting.

Steph/Harper and Duela/Turner getting more development and drama. Harper enrolling at Gotham Academy. Cullen would get a boyfriend.

Beyond that, it's a wild card. Two Face likely as a significant villain, but perhaps one who goes after other villains, who ultimately acts to preserve Gotham. Maybe some Owl remnants would be in play?

As it stands, I'm grateful. I got to have this, as a DC fan. I didn't go into this solely as a Misha fan. The bulk of my perspective of this show was as a DC fan, and it was good and I am going to keep saying it was good.

I love the team, I love its beautiful, candle-lit, aged, gothic, old stones and hidden dark corners and dirigibles and pre-war towers Gotham style. It gave, in my opinion, what is the best filmed take on Harvey Dent I've ever seen. The most nuanced and compassionate and unhinged and heartwrenching and frightening and gloriously fun to watch.

And it gave me this amazing and wonderful version of Carrie Kelley's Robin and I think I will miss her most of all.

#Gotham Knights #GK spoilers #GK meta

[blytheblog]

Star Wars Jedi Survivor is a masterpiece. ♥️

!Warning: spoilers ahead!

I finally played this game. I'm happy because I managed to avoid any sort of spoiler before playing this game (since I had exams, I couldn't play it before), so I thoroughly enjoyed it (while for JFO I got spoiled the ending so I couldn't feel very fulfilled with it) .

What can I say about this game? I have no words. I'm speechless.

Let's start with the fact that I loved the first game, I fell in love with Cal, BD1 and the entire Mantis crew. I loved their dynamics, their stories and everything. So I had high hopes for this new game. And they managed to take those expectations and go even beyond them.

To me, it felt more of an interactive movie than a game itself. The graphics were amazing (even if there were few issues with frame rates, although they didn't prevent the overall enjoyment of the game in general).

The story and the characters were so well-written: the final betrayal of Bode, the death of Cere, another appearance of Vader and this time we could fight him (I honestly didn't expect that we would find Vader again), the final battles, the story between Cal and Merrin taken to a new step. I loved it all.

Also all those new skills and stances we could apprehend were amazing; the fact that we started with the abilities already learned from the first game and then developed new ones here was so on point, because it felt like we were growing even more with Cal, discovering new sides of himself and his connection with the Force.

One thing I adored with all my heart was Cal's darkness towards the end of the game, because as we know all Jedi go through a fight within themselves with the dark side. And feeling all those sentiments of hatred and rage with Cal, and embracing the dark side as an actual ability in the game was phenomenal. I low-key wished we could unlock a force choke ability (since towards the end of the game Cal was almost force choking that commander if it wasn't for Merrin). I really hope for the third game we will have something like this, because it would be so freaking cool.

Speaking of third game, the plot points for the next game are very promising. There's this fight within Cal with his dark side, his relationship with Merrin, and then there's the thing with Kata. And there's the Hidden Path too. It'll be interesting to see where they'll go from here, but it all seems very promising and I can't wait for it all.

Exploration was on point as the first game, although the planets to fully explore are just a couple (Koboh and Jedha), with one actually not being that new (Jedha was just another sand planet 🙃). Nonetheless, it was exciting discovering new characters and new boss fights while exploring, it was thrilling.

Also, I loved how in this game they added so many friendly interactions with animals: petting boglings and nekkos has become an obsession of mine 🥲😍

Also, the rumors were nice. It gave you the chance to explore even more places and meet new random characters along the way, and that gives a sort of authenticity to the game in my opinion .

Another things I absolutely loved in this game: the freaking SOUNDTRACK. Guys, seriously, the music had a ton of impact, especially in the final cutscenes: Cere's death with Cal beside her, the final fight with Boss, the trip through the Abyss. Seriously, kudos to the composers, because music is so meaningful to me in a movie, or in this case a game: the right music can do magic, but the wrong music would kill the mood in a second. I have been listening to the soundtrack album a lot, no kidding.

Cameron Monaghan is an incredible actor, that's nothing new (especially if you've watched his roles in Shameless or Gotham, which I LOVED); so I could basically feel what Cal felt, his acting was top tier *chef kiss*.

Having said so, there were more pros than cons while playing this game (the cons being as already said just some small issues with frame rates, nothing really big).

I will definitely be playing this game more and more times, and probably won't ever get tired of it. The new game + with the red lightsaber? YES SIR.

Thanks Respawn for gifting us this beautiful piece of Star Wars story.

#star wars jedi: survivor #star wars #jedi survivor spoilers #cal kestis #cameron monaghan #jedi survivor #bd 1 #nightsister merrin #cere junda #greez dritus #mantis

[dailycass-cain]

Knight Terrors: Nightwing #2 had Cass in it so of course I'm going to give my thoughts on the issue. Is it good? Is it bad? No matter what I'll talk about the Cass in extraordinary detail!

I'll start with the good.

As a series focusing on Nightwing and Scarecrow? It was good. Alright. I mean this isn't the first time we've seen Dick facing his nightmares (nor will it be the last), but the layer of Scarecrow being involved added something to this mini.

Daniele Di Nicuolo's art was amazing. Really made the two issues pop more. More so when it went into the whole "nightmare" vibe.

That's all the positives I can give.

The whole Batgirls section of this issue felt superfluous to the overall story with Dick. It didn't really add anything to the plot, and all the two did was free Barbara-- which is kind of a detriment to the character.

I mean you could've had Nightwing and Scarecrow fix her and she finds out the exit herself. There was "zero" need for the Batgirls in this story sadly. In that area, the whole female section to this mini just felt-- meh to me.

Ironically, once again Nightwing and the three Batgirls just don't mix well. The character overshadowed all three Batgirls back in the infamous Batgirls #7-8 arc.

The ideas are solid with each Batgirl facing their own nightmare. But that's the grand problem with this issue and the story in itself. We just never see it.

I went into the issue and this page above is like, "Okay, we're gonna get some context right? Akin to what's going on over in Action Comics and Superman tie-ins to this event? We're so getting a Cass/Steph story and-- oh that's it no more issue? WHAT WAS THE POINT?!" 😩

Going into the story I kept expecting more and got the rug pulled out from under me. Therein lies the rub. Dick, Jason, and Tim (Damian gets to be in the main story) got FULL exposure to their "Knightmares".

Batgirls? Well, tough luck here's a tiny nugget and um.. WE'RE DONE!

At the very least with Batgirls #7-8 I know the context of the two issues. I can understand why that story is a calamity as it entails everything so very wrong with Dick (he overshadows the actual leads) and Barbara (is squandered in reused bad subplot again for the 4th time).

If it wasn't for Spirit World #4 the week prior, and Birds of Prey #1 next month (September 5th and you should ALL buy it). I'd be more peeved at the waste of space Knight Terrors: Nightwing series gave Cass.

The ideas by Michael Conrad and Becky Cloonan are sound. The problem is-- we get NOTHING more. Just, "hey this happened. We're not even gonna explain why Cass looks way different now and is caked in blood."

Just enjoy this cool moment. That's it.

I don't blame the writers for this. They thought of the idea to put this in here and that's it. I blame DC heads for this. You clearly could've given us a Batgirls tie-in or small story to "fill that gap" from point A to B.

This felt like I was back in 2016-2020 where we'd get a "small bone" and that's it. Well, coming off Batgirls ongoing, Cass being in Spirit World and BoP. I can say I don't mind overlooking it almost.

Almost.

The problem is in regards to Stephanie Brown and Barbara Gordon two female characters who deserve better. Whatever comes from the godawful "Gotham War" event next month something bad just feels will come over Steph and Babs.

It already feels unneeded as Tec, BoP, and Batman & Robin feel like they're just going in this direction:

So if that's the case. Why can't we get one nugget in this damn event for Steph and Babs? Freaking Knight Terrors: Punchline #1-2 gave Babs a better nugget here and that was a goddamn nightmare construct.

I can go on and on. But DC you need to still treat female characters slightly better here. Ironically, yet again when it comes to your Batgirls.

This issue disappointed me. It made me slightly angry, but hey Spirit World is currently out there. Birds of Prey is out next month. As a fan of Cass, I'd be feasting and feasting good.

Do you want a better-written comic by this team? Batgirls #14 and anything after #7. I also LOVED the idea of Cass being scared of what she might become still. I wish we you know-- SAW IT TOO!

DC?

Treat your female characters better than this. This issue feels like a regression. If Stephanie gets "taken off the table" for a bit due to this godawful event beginning next month. This issue will just feel worse.

#cassandra cain #dc comics #my thoughts

[soleminisanction]

Trying to reconfigure the first arc of Steph's Batgirl run into a revisionist fanfic has given me something entirely new to be frustrated about regarding that series.

Scarecrow's goddamn "Thrill" drug, the central plot-point of the first arc, makes no fucking sense. It's supposed to be this addictive, hallucinogenic street drug with fear gas as its base ingredient that pumps up the user's "adrenaline and cortisol" levels, with the implication that users take it when they're expecting to get into a fight. First user we see is a kid who got shot off-panel, and supposedly, Scarecrow keeps his goons addicted to it to keep them loyal to him.

Thing is, nearly every single person we see drugged with this stuff doesn't just get "a little aggressive," they go freaking feral, immediately trying to rip apart anyone they see. The only exception is Jordanna, who first acts drunk, then gets exactly one burst of feral anger in before she passes out.

So, okay, maybe this is something Scarecrow's cooking up to sell to the gangs and other baddies of Gotham, take the turf wars and street rumbles new level. Except then that raises the question of why the fuck would he drug Stephanie with this junk in the climax, seriously, why would he be that stupid?? Bane doesn't try to get Batman hooked on Venom!

Sure is super freaking convenient then that Stephanie is literally the only person in the entire comic who DOESN'T go on a feral rampage, she just gets all weak and dizzy and starts hallucinating people telling her what a bad superhero she is so she can prove them wrong. Like yeah, she took the fear toxin antidote before going in, but how exactly does that turn off the parts of the drug that are endemic to everyone else who takes Thrill (the feral rampage) and NOT the purely Informed Attribute that no one else but Stephanie experiences that is better associated with Fear Gas (the hallucinations)??

Also! What the fuck was the point of spiking the Harvest Festival punch bowl?? The only explanation Scarecrow EVER gives is, "Now no one in their right mind will go into the Devil's Square, which is exactly what Black Mask wanted!" But Gotham University is not in the Devil's Square. And the kid who died in the Devil's Square didn't even die of Thrill, he got shot. You're trying to tell me Scarecrow somehow planned for the kid to get shot, for the paramedics to refuse to enter the dangerous neighborhood to treat him, and for all that to lead to a riot that would result in the neighborhood being functionally abandoned by city services? Really?

No, of course not, that's stupid. It's literally just done as an excuse to get Stephanie involved with a case that she has zero reason to get involved in (especially because Babs doesn't want her there) and it doesn't even do that well.

I just. This comic. Goddamn. Were there no rewrites, or too many rewrites? I genuinely cannot tell.

#batgirl 2009 #batgirl 2009 critical #guess this is one more thing I'm reinventing from the ground up #don't even get me started on how the devil's square makes no sense in regards to gotham's established geography #there is not a 'west side' of the gotham river #west of the gotham river is the mainland. in other words bristol county and (post Nu52) burnside #if you want to cut off a portion of the city it has to be on the EAST side. because they're an EAST COAST city #gah #batgirl repentant #batgirl 2009 rewrite

[masquenoire]

"Roman, have you found someone else to entertain you? Have you grown tired of me?" (Matt)

It had been some time since Matt had last graced Roman's office with his presence. The window had been left unlocked since his last visit, the very same window the vigilante opted to use for his risqué ventures. Matt wasn't known as Daredevil for nothing; sneaking into Gotham's most vicious crime boss's private office was a feat only the bravest - or reckless - would dare attempt, yet Matt had done so not once, not even twice but a handful of times now. Each time the black-clad vigilante swore it would be the last time, that the next time they crossed paths, Matt would drag Roman to the courts himself so the criminal mastermind would at last face justice. Justice he couldn't bribe or threaten his way out of as Matt feared nothing, yet every mortal men had his weakness and the devil knew how to tempt every one of them. Weeks of being cooped up inside had taken their toll on Roman. Organizing drug rings, turf wars and illegal armament deals took time and patience Roman didn't always have, leaving him little to no time to focus on more pleasurable ventures of his own. He'd almost forgotten how shitty the air outside smelled, he'd been cooped up inside for that long. But that was how it went, didn't it? Roman wasn't built in a day and Gotham wasn't taken over in one either. Vices were a bitch to deal with and power, so intoxicating yet surprisingly fragile, needed constant supervision lest years of careful work got flushed down the drain in an instant. The sound of Matt's voice carrying over to his ears was more welcome than Roman had expected. Days of focusing on little else but securing the eastern half of Gotham's drug supplies was wearing on his focus and the vigilante was a devil in his own right in providing some much-needed distraction from his dark work. Had he found somebody else to entertain him? Had he fuck. Only little miss paperwork had his attention all this week and Roman was in sore need of being reminded as to the pleasures only carnal sin could give.

"How could you say such a thing? Ti ho pensato ogni giorno, I thought about you every day, wondering when you might slip through that window again..." The weight of the paper in his hand disgusted him and Roman immediately cast it aside out of sight and out of mind, his every thought now preoccupied by the very physical presence of the vigilante standing in his midst. Matt couldn't be ignored, not here not now and Roman wondered glumly if at last their game had come to an end. He'd waited for the man's return, albeit impatiently to see what his adversary might do now word had gotten around that Roman had been real busy at work securing his foothold on this troubled city. Hands moved, not to grab at Sodom and Gomorrah waiting in their holsters but instead two clean glasses and a bottle of whiskey. Years of heavy drinking taught Roman to pour without needing to watch, dark eyes growing darker with unbidden desire as he fixed Matt with a hungry look mere sustenance couldn't appease. "And to ask if I've grown tired of you, why, you wound my heart. There hasn't been entertainment like you in far too long, not since you last visited. Come, enjoy a drink and tell me how you've been. I'd hate to think that my favourite vigilante hasn't been getting enough action that he's starting to feel neglected. Mea Culpa, I have been a busy man..." It was as they said, the devil made work for idle thumbs and in this case he'd come calling, though as to how tonight's visit might go, Roman rather wanted their little game to continue. It had been far too long since he'd gotten his hands dirty and Matt had stopped by at a most opportune time.

#defectivexfragmented #;; asks #Sorry this was a bit delayed I had to go rushing off to work before I could finish! #Please don't feel obliged to answer since it got a bit long <3 #I hope it's okay I'm still shaking off the dust and rust #But this was very welcome to receive bless you May <3 #Quite the contrary Matt he hasn't found anybody as entertaining as you #And has more work to be done in corrupting you if you know what I mean! #Apologies if this didn't hit quite how you liked I can rewrite if need be #Just didn't want to make it too forwards if you wanted to dial things back a bit but I'm all for it #He's missed you a lot Matt #You and that sinful body of yours

[thegreatwicked]

Shadows of Deception- Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

Drive You Insane by Daniel Di Angelo

Summary: In Gotham City, a world of secrets and danger, Belladonna finds herself embroiled in a web of crime when she becomes a witness to illicit activities at Roman Sions' exclusive club, Masquerade Noir. Instead of eliminating her, Roman sees an opportunity and spares her life, forming an unconventional alliance. They pose as a couple, using each other as alibis to deceive the police. But as they delve deeper into their charade, their connection intensifies, blurring the lines between reality and deception. As desire and danger collide, they discover unexpected love in the midst of a thrilling and forbidden affair.

Rating: Explicit; graphic depictions of sex and violence

Pairing: Roman Sionis/OFC; Belladonna Black, slight Zsasz/OFC if enough interest.

"What does your zodiac say about you?" 

Roman scoffed at the very idea ‘Give me a break’. To him, it was just grown-up fairy tales, a celestial tooth fairy for women to get all starry-eyed about. The alignment of stars and planets predicting one's personality seemed preposterous, an amusement he dismissed with a dismissive roll of his eyes.

"What your favorite drink says about your personality?" 

Attempting to distill the complexities of human character into a mere sip, at least that one had some merit. Bourbon, no nonsense. The older, the better, aged in a barrel with minimal exposure to oxygen. Sometimes these quizzes were amusing, 

"What Greek god do you embody?" 

Roman paused finding that particular magazine article headline kind of interesting, his folklore and mythology were a bit rusty but he gave it a thought since he had one to spare while he waited for the barista to finish up his order. Jesus, it had been years since he’d thought of something as useless as mythology and the only one he was really familiar with was Greek.

In his head, a damn parade of names was competing for the title of "Roman of the Day." Aries took the main stage, especially after the tango with Cobblepot's goons at the docks. Yeah, God of War was the flavor, temper and all. But there were others in the running, especially with Belladonna thrown into the mix for the past couple of months. Starting to think he and Hades might share more than a taste for a dark underworld and a brooding vibe, even if he wasn't exactly kidnapping Belladonna. Coerced, well, that depended on who you asked, didn't it? The plot thickened, and the emotional rollercoaster kept on rolling.

Leaning casually against the coffee shop counter, Roman's eyes locked onto the reflection staring back at him. The sharp lines of his black suit accentuated his powerful frame, every detail meticulously chosen. His hair, perfectly styled, added a touch of rebellion to the sophisticated ensemble. The Armani shades perched on his nose completed the look, casting an air of mystery.

A smirk played on his lips as he soaked in the image. Damn good, he thought. It wasn't arrogance; it was an acknowledgment of the effort he put into presenting himself. His appearance wasn't just a reflection; it was a statement, a silent proclamation of power, control, and, yes, undeniable charm. Why the hell not revel in it?

His meticulous attention to detail was more than just a morning routine, he never left his place looking anything less than immaculate but lately, he’d taken this routine to an obsessive degree. His customary lunchtime visit to Belladonna's workplace was an opportunity to see and be seen, and today he expected a bit more of a spectacle.

He was practically salivating at what today's reception would be like – the coffee delivery to Belladonna and Daisy. The excited whispers and jealous stares, that were sure to follow were like sweet music to his ears, especially with the little surprise he had orchestrated that morning: a delivery of the most extravagant roses money could buy.

In his mind, he painted a vivid picture of the grand entrance; strutting in like he owned the place, a flash of that infamous charm that captivated everyone around. And then there she’d be– Belladonna, hard at work, looking like a vision of effortless beauty, maybe even playing with one of the rare roses he had sent. She always knew when he was staring at her so of course she'd notice him, abandon whatever she was doing, and greet him with that adorable 'Hey baby.' The public display that followed, a couple of nice, lingering kisses – it was all part of the show. 

But it wasn't just the show he was looking forward to. Belladonna's kisses were something else. Nothing like the coy games or aggressive maneuvers some women played. Hers had the perfect mix of teasing and desire, leaving him hungry for more. His mind, always wandering to steamier scenarios, now danced with ideas of clandestine encounters in her office – quick, intense, and hidden away in secluded corners. 

Christ. His damn libido was on the rise, and the thought of breaking his self-imposed celibacy was growing more tempting by the minute. Being around Belladonna was pure agony, especially when she flaunted those curves in those sexy-fitting work outfits. The woman looked spectacular, and sure, he could make a few calls and have a willing girl on his lap in no time, ready to fulfill his every desire. But he didn't want them. Forced abstinence was nothing new; Blackgate had been a temporary home more than once. But this... this was different. He was doing it to himself, willingly enduring the torment, all in the hope that when he finally got her in bed, it would be worth the damn trouble. And from everything he'd seen so far, disappointment wasn't on the horizon. His grin grew wider.

Now that their coupledom had been plastered across social media and tabloids, the public perception of him had taken a rather favorable turn, it was night and day. It was a refreshing change to see himself painted in a mostly positive light, his every action was still scrutinized and analyzed. From the way he followed Belladonna to how he held and touched her throughout the night, even down to his lack of usual engagement with the press – the media was having a field day. 

Could it be that the infamous playboy, Roman Sionis, was finally tamed? 

Of course not, but playing the part was undeniably enjoyable, Jesus, he should have been an actor. The public lapped it up. Sure, there were a few unsavory remarks from notorious paparazzi, insisting that he was just using Belladonna and would toss her aside once the novelty wore off. If he were fair, that had been his pattern in the past. But it wasn’t like it was his fault; most women were just goddamned boring. 

Not Belladonna, though.

Oh, yeah, today was going to be one for the books.

He didn’t let the lack of texts or calls thanking him for the roses get to him. No surprise there. Belladonna did mention drowning in post-fashion week chaos, and he could imagine her buried in whatever it was she did at work. Come to think of it, he wasn't entirely clear on what that was. Photographer, yes, but beyond snapping pictures, the details were fuzzy. Ah well, he'd find out soon enough. He couldn't wait to see how she'd shower him with affection for his sweet gesture. Chicks love roses.

Despite the weekend's radio silence, Roman's confidence sailed high. He was certain his charm would effortlessly iron out any unspoken tensions between them. A twinge of surprise lingered that she hadn't reached out, but oddly enough, he welcomed the change from the typical clingy inquiries he'd grown accustomed to. All weekend his phone remained silent. Not a beep or a buzz. 

'Work'—that had been the pretext he used to keep himself occupied during the weekend. The truth was, it wasn't until Sunday afternoon that it hit him – oh yeah, he had a bit of making up to do. Sure, he mulled over a spontaneous visit that night, but Roman, ever the showman, decided to save the grand entrance for Monday.

~~~

Yet things didn’t quite go how he imagined them, starting from when he strolled into the fashion house. It was bustling with activity, reminiscent of the previous week and while a few heads turned, there were more indifferent glances rather than the usual acknowledgment of his presence. He tried to brush it off as Belladonna had explained to him previously that the week after fashion week was just as busy, if not busier, now that they had to meet demands after new collections had been shown. But still, not a single smile, no acknowledgment of any kind? He might as well have no teven been there. He frowned, these people knew him, right? It wasn't his first time at the fashion house but he was less than amused but still, he was feeling generous, willing to settle for a less-than-glamorous reception. He was sure that would all change when he found Belladonna, she’d give him the welcome he deserved.

He shook off the strange reception, maintaining his charming smile as he made his way to the corner of the third floor where Belladonna usually worked. But to his irritation, it too was empty, devoid of Belladonna's usual charismatic allure. Now, annoyance crept further into his mood. He scanned the area but saw no real signs that anyone had even been there at all, he reached into his pocket to check his phone, expecting a message that might explain the absence– maybe a meeting, a phone call, or an impromptu photoshoot outside the studio. But the screen remained stubbornly blank.

“Maybe you should call her,” Zsasz's voice cut through the quiet, and Roman shot him a look. 

Roman scoffed, muttering more to himself than to Zsasz, "Don't be stupid." The knee-jerk response was clear - why bother? She hadn't bothered to mention she wasn't at work; why assume she'd answer if he called? Yet, an unsettling unease nagged at him, urging him to rcheck his phone again. Not to make a call or send a text, but to check, as if the information might have miraculously changed in the sixty seconds– predictably, still no messages.

Roman shot Zsasz a look that said, *Seriously?* Sometimes, as sharp as Zsasz could be with certain unsavory tasks, his solutions were disappointingly simplistic. His jaw tightened.

"Roman?"

He swiveled at the voice that unmistakably wasn't his elusive angel and there stood Daisy, burdened with papers, a laptop, and files, looking somewhat taken aback by his unexpected presence, as if him being there was the last thing she expected. Always the adept performer, Roman effortlessly flipped his mood, turning a potential snarl into a charming smile as if following a script, erasing any hint of irritation before Daisy could catch wind of it.

"Daisy, sweetheart, let us take some of that." 

Roman quickly placed the coffees on a the desk, playing both the useful and chivalrous cards by snagging a few files about to cascade onto the floor. Zsasz efficiently managed the rest, arranging them neatly on the desk and liberating Daisy's hands. Roman then promptly pivoted, swapping Daisy's now-empty hand for the green tea latte. She appeared both grateful for the well-timed drink and somewhat surprised by it. 

At least someone seemed pleased to see him.

"What are you doing here?" The sincerity in her voice was all the confirmation he needed that Belladonna wasn't in the building. If she were, Daisy wouldn't be so astonished by his appearance.

"Looking for an angel, of course." Roman drawled, his voice a concoction of charm and confidence. Slipping his hands into his pockets, he adopted a casual stance, masking the underlying irritation with an air of nonchalance. Shooting Daisy an inquisitive look, channeling an irresistable lost puppy vibe, that would make any heart melt.

"She's not here." Roman could see for himself that Belladonna was absent, but Daisy might have some insider knowledge.

"I can see that.” The nature of his forced chuckle made him want to bite his tongue till it bled, but he needed to charm Daisy and snapping at her wouldn’t get him the answers he wanted. “Where else would she be?" Roman cringed internally at the banality of the question and the necessity to maintain a charming front.

"Yeah, obviously," Daisy chuckled in return, shaking her head as if acknowledging the simplicity of her response. "I mean, she was here this morning at her usual time but left around nine, said she wasn't feeling well." 

Not feeling well? What happened? Why hadn't his driver informed him? He thought he was clear about his requirements to the driver regarding Belladonna’s whereabouts.

"Is that right?" Roman's curiosity had shifted to genuine concern.

"Yeah, she didn’t look very good; like she hadn’t slept at all. But honestly, it makes sense. Fashion week tends to drain us all; some just bounce back easier than others." Daisy pondered, staring at the ground, lost in thought. "You know, come to think of it, I don't think I saw her eat anything this morning. If that's the case, no wonder she felt like crap," Daisy remarked between sips of her latte.

"What do you mean? What does food have to do with it?"

With a nonchalant attitude, Daisy enlightened him. "Belladonna’s hypoglycemic. She can get pretty sick if she doesn’t eat. She didn't tell you?"

"Must have slipped her mind. Does she do that often? Forget to eat?" Roman inquired, his tone carrying a hint of indifference.

Daisy's eyes rolled, and she scoffed before nodding, clearly no stranger to the issue. "Well, not since you've started making your lunchtime visits, but yeah, when she's stressed, she's bad about it. Last year she passed out and cracked her head on the desk, had to call an ambulance, huge drama. She’s got a scar on her hairline from it; it was pretty nasty, two other people fainted from the blood."

"Hypoglycemic, huh?" Roman echoed, the revelation settling heavily in his mind. Leaning against the desk, he wore a subtle frown that betrayed the deeper concern beneath his exterior. "How’d we miss that?" he mumbled to himself, contemplating the extensive research Zsasz had conducted on Belladonna. If it had been a year ago, it would have been around the time of her attack, he supposed itmioght have been an easy thing to miss.

Daisy, seemingly indifferent to the weight of the information, nodded. "It's one of those things she doesn't talk about much. But it's not a huge deal; she manages it, mostly," she shrugged, hinting at a degree of skepticism. "Belladonna's not the type to play the victim, you know. Not even when she is the victim." Daisy's words lingered, encapsulating a truth that cut deeper than it appeared.

Roman absorbed this new information about Belladonna, a facet of her life he hadn't considered before. "So, what's the deal with hypoglycemia? She passes out if she doesn't eat, is that it?" he inquired, casually folding his arms across his chest. “Is this a ‘she needs insulin’ type thing?”

Daisy, shook her head, "Oh no, not insulin. It's a blood sugar thing. When she doesn't eat regularly, her blood sugar drops too low, and that can lead to all sorts of problems. The passing out is one of the extreme reactions, but it's not the worst." Roman's expression shifted, a mixture of concern and curiosity playing on his features. "If she drinks when her sugar is low, she can have a seizure. It's crazy."

The intricacies of Belladonna's health hadn't been on Roman's radar, and this revelation exposed a vulnerable side he hadn't seen before. 

Daisy, now feeling fine with sharing Belladonna's personal medical history to her boyfriend of all people, continued, "It's why she keeps snacks stashed everywhere – in her desk, her bag, Seriously check her beag one of these days, she’s always got something quick to snack on– when she remembers. French macarons are her favorite. She's got this fear of passing out again, especially in public. Understandable after what happened last time, right?"

Roman nodded, the weight of the situation sinking in. The usually nonchalant demeanor he wore took a back seat, replaced by a more serious tone. "Yeah, I get it. Anything else I should know?”

Daisy hesitated, her eyes assessing how much information she should reveal. "No, she just has to check her sugar periodically throughout the day, with this little thing that pricks her finger.” She shuddered, clearly not a fan of hte prospect f finger pricking multiple times a day. “And stress makes it worse, but only because if she's stressed out, that’s when she forgets to eat. Fashion week is always a nightmare because of the crazy hours and running around from one show to the next. Belladonna is a workaholic and comes in clutch almost all the time but she tends to push herself harder than she should; I’ve literally found her asleep at her desk before, even on the floor."

She looked so... normal. But what did he expect? A neon sign saying hypoglycemic? "I had no idea. Thanks for letting me know." His thoughts shifted to the next mystery, and he couldn't help but address it, "Did my driver pick her up?"

"Oh, that kid that picks her up and drops her off, sweet guy." Yes, that one. "No, She had me call her a cab home, said didn’t want to bother him in the middle of the day,” She misinterpreted Romans irritation for concern and reassuringly touched his arm, “I wouldn’t worry too much about her, I bet she got home and just passed right out. You’ll probably get a phone call or a text anytime now."

"I’m sure I will." He paused, knowing full well that wasn’t the case, but he wore his best fake smile anyway. "Well, you enjoy that tea, and it sounds like I’ll just go and surprise my angel at home."

"Oh, I bet she’ll love that! Tell her I hope she feels better! Make sure she eats something, if she crashes it can take a while before she’s up and running again, she’s always so tired afterwards."

Roman flashed Daisy a charming smile, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of confidence and intrigue. As he and Zsasz prepared to leave the fashion house, Roman halted, turning back with an air of casual authority.

"Oh, Daisy, could I trouble you for one more thing?" he called out, a sly grin playing on his lips.

Daisy turned, responsive and willing. "Sure."

"What was the name of the cab company that picked her up?" Daisy swiftly retrieved her phone, navigating to the recent contacts menu.

"Uh, Lightning Cabs. The driver picked her up around nine fifteen in the lobby."

"Perfect. Oh, and if you hear from her, could you let me know?" Roman extended his phone toward Daisy, a silent request for her contact information. She nodded emphatically, typing her details into his phone as if it were the most ordinary exchange, yet she was providing her number to one of the most prominent men in Gotham. "Let's keep this between us, huh? I want to surprise her and all that." A playful wink punctuated his sentence, and Daisy nodded in agreement.

"Sure, I’ll keep you posted if I hear anything." The subtle dance of charm and secrecy had played out effortlessly, leaving Roman with the information he sought while maintaining the air of pleasant camaraderie with Daisy.

"And if she feels under the weather again, let me know. I don’t want her taking a cab back home; you never know what you’re getting with some of those drivers, you know?" Roman nodded with a calculated show of concern, mirroring Daisy's exaggerated gesture, before she darted back into the bustling studio. "Goodbye, Daisy."

"Bye, Roman. Bye, Zsasz." Daisy’s parting glance lingered on Zsasz, who, Roman noticed, returned the attention with an intensity that wasn't entirely professional as she disappeared into the busy studio.

As soon as Daisy vanished from sight and they found themselves back in the car, Roman's charismatic facade faded, replaced by a scowl.

“I checked the feed at her place; she’s not there, unless she’s the invisible woman.”

“Of course, she’s not. Well, Zsasz, let's go on a scavenger hunt.” Roman initiated the search by dialing the cab company. “Yes, hello? I'm Detective Ramirez with the GCPD, and I need some information about a cab pick-up today in Park Row at 5324 Park Lane, suite 32, around nine fifteen? … Yes, I’ll hold.”

~~~

Roman pondered their destination — a storage unit. In his world, those spaces held a smorgasbord of secrets, ranging from illicit gains, to ill-gotten cash, to cold, lifeless bodies in deep freezers. The possibilities intrigued him as they accelerated towards the storage facility but he had a hunch any storage unit of Belladonna’s was more likely to contain yearbooks and stuffed animals, or whatever women held onto.

The storage facility, though utilitarian, boasted an unexpected level of sophistication. Locks, gates, keypads, and even barbed wire atop the metal gatessurrounding the premises, but what captured Roman's attention were the myriad security cameras. Not a blind spot in sight — a detail that would have impressed him if he weren't preoccupied with the mystery unfolding before him. He’d have to remember to come back and check this place for future reference, a good storage facility was like a plumber or a mechanic; people in his world were always looking for a good one.

"What are you hiding, angel?" Roman's thoughts churned with a blend of irritation and curiosity. Their conversation about transparency echoed in his mind, and the fact that Belladonna seemed to be veering off that course irked him.

The transaction of a wad of cash, a nonchalant greasing of the wheels of discretion, granted him access to the facility's surveillance footage. It was a nice place but looked like it didn’t pay as wella s he did, money talks and everyone listens. 

The surveillance footage unfolded like a noir thriller, revealing Belladonna's covert maneuvers. Her discreet exit from the cab then waiting for it to leave and then vanishing act into a smaller unit escalated into a fascinating revelation as she emerged. Her high fashion work outfit replaced buy dark jeans, a jacket, boots and gloves, cutting quite the mysterious figure astride a high-performance motorcycle. The black machine, crafted for speed, agility, and precision, hinted at a taste for the adrenaline of the open road. It was a revelation that caught both Roman and Zsasz off guard, prompting a rare exchange of surprised glances between them.

"You find any record of a bike in her name?" Roman inquired, keeping his eyes fixed on the monitor. 

Zsasz, never one for lengthy conversations, replied with a succinct, "Nope."

Zsasz was meticulous in his work. The fact that Belladonna had slipped this detail past both of them added an unexpected layer to the enigma she presented.

Roman's lips curved into a sly smirk as his gaze landed on the helmet crowned with two triangular cat ears. "Well, that gives a whole new flavor to the name Kitten, doesn't it?" he chuckled, reveling in the subtle, cute, girlish touch that adorned her all-black riding ensemble.

The growl of the motorcycle reverberated within the storage unit, transforming the sterile space into a symphony of mechanical vigor. As the engine's low purr vibrated through the air, Roman's irritation, initially sparked by the clandestine escapade, brewed further into a sense of fascination.

The sleek and potent wildcard of a motorcycle in Belladonna's arsenal had Roman caught off guard. It unveiled a facet of his angel that transcended the realms of high fashion and artistic allure, presenting her as more than just a mystery shrouded in elegance. As it turned out, she was a speed demon, reveling in the visceral thrill of the ride.

“Seems my angel has wings,”

~~~

Chloe, her first sort of girlfriend, and she used the term girlfriend very loosely; Chloe had been the girl she’d skipped school with to explore sexuality and smoke cigarettes with, who threw her into the world of motorcycles and the wild thrill of racing faster than reason. The graceful dance of tight turns, almost brushing the ground, and the defy-gravity physics that kept the bike upright became an addictive obsession.

In the shadow of those attack scars and the chaos that followed plus the new chaos taht was her current life, riding became more than a thrill for Belladonna. It was a way to outrun all the crap that clung like caked on mascara. The city blurred into streaks of light as she maneuvered the streets, totally absorbed in the dance of speed.

She'd dodged more than she could count of those flashing blue and red lights more times than she could count, a dance where luck and skill wove together to keep her free. The city streets, especially in places like the Bowery where the police didn't interfere much, allowed her to let loose after dark. But with Roman in her life and his rule,s a midnight ride was out of the question, she’d have to burn rubber during the daylight. Despite the restrictions, the ride was her escape, liberating. In the sunlit hustle of the day, her mind was far from the haunting past. Roman, that mystery in her life, faded away, just a fleeting image in the mirrors.

Lost in her thoughts, the unmarked GCPD SUV she zipped past hardly registered until those familiar blue and red lights blazed in her mirrors. Roman's presence, though physically distant, rushed right back into her mind. There was no dodging this cop; space and time didn't allow it.

Why was this guy pullingher over? She didn’t do anything. It wasn't like she was tearing through the streets like a maniac, just pushing it a bit, like everyone else did. But cops, especially with motorcyclists, always seemed to have a bone to pick. Beyond the speeding issue, a deeper worry nagged at her — the realization that she couldn't afford any extra attention from the police. With a reluctant sigh, she pulled over, bracing herself for what looked like the least enjoyable part of her day.

~~~

Cops never appreciated sarcasm. Not on good days, and certainly not on bad ones. This particular officer wouldn't have tolerated her smart mouth even if she'd had a chance to use it; he had real hardass vibes, the type of guy who peaked in high school. The whole exchange played out like a bizarre scene, breaking all the usual protocols she'd come to expect. He didn't bother with the usual spiel, no request for the key to her bike, just a bold move—taking it. Now, that was a definite no-no. No standard procedure: no demand for a driver's license, insurance, or registration. She had this nagging feeling that something wasn't quite right, but it wasn't until she found herself halfway from her bike to the unmarked GCPD vehicle, ordered off her ride, that it hit her like a sucker punch.

She hadn't checked the guy's badge, hadn't asked for any form of ID, and she was about to step into an unmarked police car. Blind obedience. In the grand scheme of things, Roman was going to be pissed. Not a great move on her part, and she'd feel the repercussions soon enough.

First, she'd need to figure out how the hell to explain ditching work without telling anyone where she was, plus she also kinda lied, which she knew Roman wasn’t af an of, but it wasn’t like she lied ot him… Going against Roman's strict orders not to venture out alone and not calling for his driver. Then, there was the bike and storage unit bombshell, which, to be fair, he never bothered asking about, but she’d also never volunteered it, that wasn’t going to do her any favors. And now, as the icing on the cake, getting pulled over by a cop right smack in the middle of a murder investigation, just a day before they were set to give their formal statements at the precinct. 

Yeah, he was gonna be pissed.

He swung the car door open, playing chauffeur like she was some damn VIP, at least sans the cuffs this time. But seriously, what the hell was she getting pulled over for? Not a clue, and of course, that lawyer's card? Yeah, it was probably catching a breeze on its way to becoming litter. Roman might just decide she's due for a one-way cruise to Gotham Bay after this shitshow. Really, how much worse can this whole crapfest get?

"Well, hello, kitten..."

"Shit."

Here was how much worse.

~~~

His annoying smirk made her nervous, like, truly nervous. He just lounged in the seat like it was his throne, all smug and comfortable, like he'd done this police car routine a million times before, which he probably had. With a blink of disbelief, she hesitated before the door slammed shut on her giving her the final push into the vehicle, locking her in a confined space with Roman. The air in this cramped space hung heavy, like waiting for a judgment day or, in the darkest corners of her imagination, an impending execution.

Roman, though, smiled a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. It was that kind that you put on when you're know something everyone else doesn’t know or the kind where you smile because screaming in public isn't an option.

The term 'shit-eating grin' was a perfect fit for the look he was giving. She couldn't quite figure out why he was so damn pleased or how they ended up in this mess, but at least the pressure of confessing her joyride was off her shoulders, hard to hide it when you’re caught red-handed.

A thick silence settled in, intentional discomfort left for her to stew in for his own twisted enjoyment. Just as irritation started to simmer and she was ready to snap, Roman ended the quiet with a tone full of casual amusement.

"You know, kitten, if you're in the market for something powerful between your legs, I’m only ever a phone call away."

Her expression twisted, a mix of annoyance and displeasure. For someone who was so vocal about sex, Roman sure acted like a prude when it came down to it, lots of teasing, ltos of talk but not much else to back it up. Bringing up their last encounter in the back seat of his car would probably just lead to more trouble, and her pride had already taken a hit. Reliving that memory wasn't high on her agenda, so she decided to let it slide.

"Do I even want to know how you found me?"

The smirk disappeared from his face, replaced by a bit of a scowl, not the expression seemed more fitting. "Doesn't matter, angel. I'm the one throwing out the questions here. So, lets start with this one: any clue how my day went?" Irritation played on his features, turning that once-amused smile into a disappearing act. He arched an eyebrow, silently demanding a response.

"Oh, I'm sure it was a hoot."

His grin took a wicked turn, and he beckoned with a finger for her to come closer, the gesture was very snakelike. Confusion washed over her — they were stuck in the back of a squad car, for crying out loud, how much closer wa she supposed to get? But that devious smirk of his persisted, and he pointed to his lap. Oh, goody, It was clear he hadn't forgotten their last rendezvous, and the look in his eye said that he had no plans of settling for a 'no.' 

She shrugged off her riding jacket, giving in to his unspoken request. It was more than just a comfort thing; there was a power play going on, a subtle move to establish control in the cramped space.

This time, it wasn't the playful, sexy dynamic that they’d enjoyed before. Crawling into his lap felt tense, especially with his silence and the intensity of his gaze. He wasn't content with her perched on the edge, as she had initially tried. His disapproving 'tsk, tsk, tsk' and the shake of his head made that clear, and the firm hand on her back, along with a sharp pull, brought her completely against him, hip against hips. It was all about control.

“Angel, angel, angel… ” He paused, his fingers splayed on her lower back, thumb brushing her skin, “Tell me, do you know the significance of the Juliet Rose?” 

What the hell was a Juliet Rose? She looked at him confused, not really understanding his question—significance? What was that supposed to mean? Roses were popular kiss-ass gifts, but she decided to keep that particular personal insight to herself; the ice that was Roman’s patience felt thin, and she didn’t feel like testing it further than she already had.

“Is it a death threat?” To go with the traditional answer of ‘love’ seemed like a stretch, and by this point, it was clear that Roman rarely did things without some depth of deep consideration. He shook his head so leisurely that it was hard to tell there was anything wrong, but she knew Roman was exceptional at donning masks. “Ok, I don’t know, significance?”

"Really, didn’t that fancy private school teach you anything?" Roman let out an exaggerated sigh and gave a small shake of his head. "Every flower has a meaning, angel. The Rose, it was Shakespeare's go-to bloom, you know? Especially in a little known play called Romeo and Juliet, maybe you’ve herd of it?” Everybody in the english speaking language knew that play. “Come on now, you know the line, don’t you?"

Roman's easy charm worked like, well, a charm, and smooth as the aged bourbon he drank and suddenly, any hint of dread in the back of the squad car melted away. It felt as if they were back to last Friday before the whole dock mess. Damn, those lips of his had a certain charm even when they were throwing questions around. Or was it just the effect of those late-night thoughts creeping in? Whatever it was, it worked. Oh, wait, he did ask her something, didn't he?

"Um," Belladonna thought back to her high school English class. Sure, she'd read the play like everyone else, but it wasn't exactly a favorite, she gave up. "Yeah, I don't remember much. I hated Romeo and Juliet."

Roman's expression of surprise appeared almost genuine, and if it wasn't, it was a compelling act. "You don’t like one of the greatest tragic love stories ever?" Belladonna wrinkled her nose at the notion that Romeo and Juliet could be anything more than a dramatic mess. He got the tragic part right.

"Romeo and Juliet is about a hormonal seventeen-year-old and a stupid love-struck thirteen-year-old. And over the span of three days, six people die. That's not a love story, it’s an episode of Jerry Springer. Anyone who's actually read the play would know that."

"You don’t think the notion of star-crossed lovers romantic?"

“No, I don't. It’s a tired and overused trope, horny teenagers use to justify screwing around and making poor decisions, as if it makes them immune to consequences. If two people really want each other that bad, they can get together without involving a murder-suicide.” Belladonna chose not to delve further into the irony of her words, especially concerning her and Romans own history. “Frankly, I'd rather read Twilight.”

“What in the hell is Twilight?”

“You’re better off not knowing.” Roman paused, considering it as if he were debating in his head. She wasn’t sure if he had ever read either play or if he was just going off pop culture.

Luckily, he let that topic slide, saving her from having to dive into the absurdity of Edward Cullen and Bella Swan's twisted, borderline abusive romance. Honestly, the whole murderous love thing was a train wreck. Opting to ignore the eerie parallels between their saga and the fictional nonsense, she steered the conversation back to the question he'd left hanging.

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.” 

Oh, that quote. Sure, she knew it; everyone did, but still didn’t understand where it was going. It sounded a hell of a lot better when he said it. Roman looked away, reaching onto the seat next to him, picking up a rose, specifically a Juliet Rose. When she saw it, confusion and fascination played across her features as he held it out to her. She’d never seen such a peculiar-looking flower before.

Unlike other flowers, its petals flared out at the ends, forming an opulent, cup-shaped bloom with cascading waves. What made it truly captivating were the innermost petals, tightly packed in the center and gradually loosening as they radiated outward. The color transitioned from a bright yellow on the outside to an almost burnt orange at the center. She marveled at its intricacies, then lifted it to her nose, inhaling the sweet floral scent.

“Shakespeare used the rose to convey the painful side of love and the passing of time. In Juliet's lament on love, the rose is a metaphor for the darker aspect of love.” 

Roman sounded like a literary professor or something, talking as if it were common knowledge. Belladonna just blinked, it wasn’t the first time she thought she’d had him all figured out and he’d turned around and shocked her, she did not peg him for a shakespeare fan anymore than she would have thought it possible for him to know the intricacies of the language of flowers or their meanings, she didn't even know that. Yet here they were. 

“It’s one of the most expensive roses in the world and one of the rarest.” The charm instantly fell away and his displeased look returned grinding the breaks on his charm train to a halt. “And had you stuck around work instead of playing hooky, you would have seen the ones I had sent to you this morning.” 

Shit.

His grin made a reappearance—the kind of grin that seemed to conceal something unpleasant, like the expression someone wears just before labeling you an idiot.

“You sent me roses?” she asked, and he confirmed with a nod.

“I sent you fifteen roses.”

Fifteen? What an odd number? Her confused look prompted Roman to dip his hand into the back pocket of her jeans. His touch rested casually on the curve of her ass as he fished out her phone. With a smirk, he handed it back to her, making the situation feel more like a playful game than a mere retrieval.

“Why don’t you Google it?” The fact that he whispered the suggestion didn’t bode well.

She swiped up and typed into Google as he suggested, ‘significance of fifteen roses.’ The result left her stunned:

15 Roses – If you've done something to upset someone and wish for forgiveness, opt for 15 roses.

Her head snapped up to him. Roman Sionis apologizing? Belladonna stood there, mouth agape, struggling to find words. His usually suave expression shifted into seriousness. If Roman Sionis was apologizing, her gut told her to just accept it, as it wasn't a gesture he tossed around lightly, if at all.

“Um, I uh, forgive you.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter if you forgive me now. Now you’re the one who owes me an apology, and fifteen roses aren’t going to cut it.” The idea of being indebted to Roman Sionis wasn't appealing. It was never straightforward with him. Still, she couldn't help but ask:

"What do fifteen Juliet Roses run?"

"More than you can afford." She didn’t like how he said that.

"So," he began, and Belladonna felt a mixture of apprehension and curiosity as Roman didn't delve into details about the expensive roses. "Imagine my confusion when I stroll into your studio with your rose-infused white mocha only to find… nothing. No one says a word to me, and Daisy informs me that not only are you not at work, but you claimed to have gone home..."

His head shook, the tsks sounding almost predatory, and he continued, "But you didn’t go home, did you angel? Not only that, you didn’t call my driver, and you took a cab across town to a storage unit you didn’t tell me about, and you’ve been joyriding all over the city. I’m very disappointed in you, angel." The tone suggested either a deliberate exaggeration or a level of anger that hindered proper articulation.

"I had to impersonate a police officer to the cab company to find where you’d gone, and its a good thing their standards aren’t high because I’m a shit cop. Then I had to bribe the security guard at the unit to see the footage, and it’s a good thing he was cheap because I only had a few hundred on me, there goes my snack money. Finally, I get to see the footage, and surprise, surprise, my angel likes strong things between her legs, and off she goes to parts unknown. That left me leaning on a contact inside the GCPD to trace your bike, which isn’t under your legal name. It’s under your mother's name, and I spent the last four hours scouring this whole damned city looking for you, all the while the police are investigating us for a triple homicide." The sheer dedication to track her down was either annoying or oddly impressive, and she couldn't quite decide which.

"Can you see how that’s problematic?"

Belladonna knew she was in a bit of a bind. It sounded bad because it was bad. His hand, initially gripping her hair, tightened, and she tensed. However, he swiftly softened his grip, running his fingers through her hair to draw her closer.

“Angel, what part of ‘you don’t go anywhere alone anymore’ didn’t you understand?” His stern gaze bore into her, a mix of parental concern and disapproval, like she’d been caught breaking curfew and any moment he was about to tell her ‘she could do better’. He awaited an answer, and she hesitated before attempting to respond.

"Look, Roman, I—" Her words were abruptly swallowed as he yanked her into a kiss. It wasn't gentle or tender; it was hungry, almost demanding. Pleasure danced at the fringes, but the dominant force was control. It wasn't painful, but it carried a weight, a reminder that in his world, his rules were the only ones that mattered. As he eased back, he held her in that space where the air crackled with tension, close enough to feel the heat of a potential kiss but withholding any further touch. His voice dipped into a growl, a low, demanding tone that made it clear – the simmering anger, once concealed, was now seeping out.

"Belladonna, we have the goddamned GCPD on our tails, just itching to poke holes in our story. And we both know it's far from bulletproof because they know a few things: one, I’m not a good man, I’m a damn criminal and I like being a criminal. And two, I’m not a one-woman man. Two days before we met in the back of my club, I had six women in my bed, all begging to suck my cock and milk it dry, begging me to fuck every hole they had, offering to do the most degrading things if it made me happy, and I let them." He tilted his head curiously. 

"Why on earth would a man turn that down for just one woman? I mean, you're gorgeous, and you're entertaining, but... It means a few things. Either you’re somehow the love of my life, and I’d do anything for you, thus making you a weakness to be used against me, or we’re both liars…” The coolness of his gaze was disturbing, and his detached nature, when any other criminal might be radiating unbridled fury, was just something else entirely. “Do you see my point?”

Yeah, she did.

"What happened to no more secrets, angel?" His tone was deceptively softer now.

"Jesus, Roman. Do you want me to lay out every detail of my life? Down the magazines I'm subscribed to?"

"No, I don't need to know about your Cosmo guilty pleasure, or your six-year devotion to Urban Photography Monthly. I don't care about your Motorcyclist Mechanic collection or the notes you scribble inside the margins. But I do need to know about this secret storage unit under the name Maribella Caruso on the other side of town and the fact that you own a twenty-thousand-dollar performance motorcycle for joyrides." He paused, eyeing her. "You don't street race, do you?"

"No, I just like to go fast," she responded defensively. Why did she feel the need to cover her ass all of a sudden? She hadn't done anything wrong—maybe a bit stupid and shortsighted. "And I wasn't hiding it from you. I haven't been on a ride in a few months. I don’t ride much in the rainy season, and I just go when I need to blow off some steam."

"And what were you trying to blow off steam from, angel?"

She exhaled sharply. Well, it wasn't like she could hurt his feelings, so what was the point in beating around the bush? "You."

"Me? What did I do?" His surprise seemed either genuine or a well-played act to make her feel guilty. "Oh, is this about last Friday night?"

"Is that why you sent me the roses?" Belladonna's tone carried a mix of curiosity and challenge, a hint of defiance in her eyes. 

Roman's dissatisfaction surfaced, breaking through his nonchalant demeanor. In response, he seized her hair again, a flicker of irritation in his touch. "Angel, I get it, rejection isn't your usual flavor, but when daddy says no, it means no. When duty calls, you take your hands out of my pants, hop off my lap, and be a good girl and wait for daddy to finish his work."

Her wince betrayed genuine fear and pain, something Roman hadn't seen from her before. "Please let go," she requested, a subtle tremor in her voice. He released his grip instantly, an uncommon emotion stirring within him – regret.

"I thought you liked when I did that," he remarked, uncertainty creeping into his voice. His hand, now soothing the spot on her scalp, felt oddly out of character.

Belladonna wasn't having any of it. "No, I don’t like this," she asserted, frustration evident as she grabbed a firstfull of his hair at the crown of his head, yanking and jerking his head backward, full of fire and aggression. A rage filled snarl escaped him, his lips contorting into a snarl, teeth baring, and a flash of molten anger sparked in his eyes. Her power play took him off guard, like tugging at the scruff of a dog's neck; his hackles were raised in rage, all directed at her unless she took further action.

"I like this," 

As quickly as she’d ensared him, her fingers relaxed their grip, threading through his hair, massaging his scalp while still maintaining her hold. The aggression replaced by control, confidence and sensuality, mussing his meticulously styled hair. 

Leaning down, Belladonna pressed her lips to his, sensing the gradual release of tension in his curled lip. Her tongue delicately licked his lips, an instinctive move to ease the lingering anger. The other hand cupped his jaw, moving down to caress his neck as their mouths slanted together. The dynamics shifted, and his anger seemed to vanish, like soothing a feral dog by scratching behind its ear.

Eagerly, he kissed her back, indulging in the talents of her lips. Unbothered by the slow, lazy pace she set, the power play held no significance; he simply craved more of that mouth, those lips.

Each pass of her lips and stroke of her tongue mingled with the pleasurable pull on his hair, and the rage that simmered between them faded. The car was heating up, with that in mind, she gently started withdrawing from him, before things got too out of control a series of soft, parting kisses leaving him yearning for more of his aggressive angel. When she finally let go of his hair, now in total disarray, her fingers massaged his neck, addressing the kink from looking up at her.

"Okay?" 

His chest rose and fell all traces of agitation were gone, replaced by a wild look in his eye. Yet, through the fog of desire, he seemed to understad, and in a tone as unfamiliar to her asi t was to him, he uttered, "It'll never happen again, angel." Odd as it sounded, she found herself believing him.

"Thanks for the rose," she murmured, her tone seemingly calming any remnants of Roman's anger, more effectively than the kiss had.

"My pleasure, angel. Now, we need to head back. We have some things to talk about regarding tomorrows visit to the precinct."

His ability to maintain control in the heated moment surprised her, and she had anticipated more resistance when she ended the kissing session. "I’ll follow you."

"No, you’re riding with me."

"Roman, I get it, twenty-five thousand dollars might be pocket change for you, but that bike out there is the most expensive thing I own. Until some jerk puts a ring on it, it's my baby. I'm not leaving it here or trusting your goons with it." Leaning in, she kissed him, a strategic move to secure his compliance. "I’ll follow you."

In a rare turn of events, Roman didn’t resist. His chest rumbled with a growl, but he didn’t intervene as she put her jacket back on, pulled on her gloves, and zipped up. He chuckled to himself as she climbed off his lap and hopped out of the car without further arguments. In fact, he found it amusing when she reclaimed her key from the man who had pulled her over.

“Next time you take my key from my bike, you’re gonna eat it.”

He believed her.

~~~

Belladonna's leg bounced uncontrollably in the car from the moment she sat down. It didn't take five minutes into the ride from her loft for Roman to place a firm hand on her knee, attempting to stop the nervous action. Instead, her other knee took over the jittery motion. Roman let out a frustrated breath, slipping his phone into his pocket before turning to face her.

"Angel, if you don’t stop that, I’m going to take you over my knee," he warned, half teasing, half serious. The unexpected response halted her jittery motion in sheer shock instantly. Roman frowned, "Damn, I was hoping you wouldn’t be able to stop. Oh well."

As they drove to the police station, he maintained his usual nonchalance, seemingly unbothered by the impending statements they were about to make. Belladonna, on the other hand, had never felt so on edge.

"How are you so calm?" she blurted out, genuinely surprised at his level of nonresponsiveness.

He casually shrugged, glancing up at her from his phone which he’d retrieved. "Not my first time." Was he playing angry birds?

"When was your first time?"

A sly grin crossed his face, "I was fourteen. What was her name? Alice? Anne? Eh, one of the women who helped around the house. I’m not sure, but hey, gotta pop that cherry sometime, right?"

"That's not what I meant." If he was serious, that explained a lot. 

"I’m well aware of what you meant, angel. I’m not worried because I’ve spent more time in furry handcuffs than real ones. Trust me, in either scenario, the novelty of it all wears off after a while."

She shook her head, pressing further, "What if they want to do a lie detector test?"

"Polygraphs are inadmissible in court," he responded with a dull and measured tone that bordered on boredom. "Even if they did, it wouldn’t prove or disprove anything."

“But–”

“Angel, you could bomb every question they give you, and the polygraph chart could look like a bad sketch of the Rocky Mountains, and it wouldn’t change anything. The science behind them is flimsy, used to intimidate people into confessions, and it's been proven more times than anyone can count, that a polygraph is less reliable than the weatherman. Don’t worry about it. You’ll have your lawyer by your side; Derrick is a smart kid and knows what's what. You’re his top client. Just remember what we talked about last night, and you’ll be fine.”

Ah, last night at Roman's place—a fun trip down memory lane it had been, but in a way it had been helpful. Like making a gameplan, going over how the whole process would work and surprisingly Roman’s council had been helpful but then again, of course the man who had been to prison would know more than his fair share about how these things worked.  

She nodded, “Wish I didn’t feel so nervous.”

“So don’t be nervous; be something else.” Mad, he had told her to be mad. In times like these it paid immensely to feed into stereotypes, like how women were hyper emotional for no reason. She had a reason she was under investigation for accessory to murder, she wasn’t being emotiona for no reasonl, she was scared shitless. But not as scared as she had been at the thought of what might happen if she were to turn on Roman.

“Belladonna, they’re going to try and put a wedge in between us, scare you and rile you up so let me be very clear about this. If you turn on me, I will make sure you live a long life while all the people you love live just as hideously long under the most agonizing circumstances possible. There won’t be a safe place for you to hide from me, and I’ll stop at nothing to see you suffer for it…”

“Like what? I’m not a light switch.” He chuckled darkly, and his hand slowly slid up from her knee to her thigh.

“Oh? Pretty sure I could give you a flick or two, and you’d turn on for me.” She didn’t have a comeback for that one because, well, it was a good one, but ignoring it didn’t change anything, nor did it determ him. “That’s not a no.” He gripped her thigh a little tighter.

The car hummed along the road, the tension palpable as they neared the police station for their statements. Belladonna shifted in her seat, her nerves evident but whether it was from their impending visit or the effect Roman had on her was hard to say.

“It’s not a yes, either.”

Roman grinned, a playful glint in his eye. “Don’t be a buzzkill, Belladonna.”

A skeptical look crossed her face, anticipating his usual antics. “You’ll have to excuse me; I don’t wanna walk into the precinct smelling like sex.”

Roman scoffed. “Who said anything about sex? I wasn’t going to fuck you.” His hand slid up further, and he continued, “No, I was just gonna make you come once or twice. Does wonders for the nerves. Besides, whats wrong with smelling like sex?”

Her eyes searched his face for the punchline, but it never came. His self-assured expression remained, and realization dawned on her that he was dead serious. It wouldnt be the first time he’d coaxed an orgasm out of her, but there was a difference between what they did behind closed doors and what they did in a moving car on their way to the freaking police station. 

“We’re ten minutes from the station; you’re good, Roman, but you’re not that good.”

His smugness transformed into a different expression, a blend of satisfaction and a touch of shock. It was as if he was contemplating a challenge that hadn't been issued. Right? That wasn’t a challenge. 

“People get stuck in traffic every day, angel. It’s a hell of a way to pass the time.” His gaze traveled up from his hand along the length of her legs to her face, relishing the uncertainty he found there. “You know, you do still owe me for those roses.”

“Never gonna let that slide are you?”

He shook his head, “I can’t allow debts to go unchecked, angel, not even from you.Iit’s bad for business. People hear I’ve gone soft then it’ll be nothing but work, work all the time.” He removed his hand and turned to face her in the seat placing a hand to his temple the other on his knee tapping as he thought, “How should I collect…?” It was possible he was teasing but it was also possible he didn’t know how to let something as simple as a bouquet of roses go and he’d outlive god trying to have the last word. “Any ideas, angel?”

“Does it matter what I think?”

“No, but I’m still curious what you think might satisfy me.”

The concept of satisfaction and Roman seemed like they would always be at odds with one another, how could someone like Roman ever truly be satisfied? Was it even possible? 

“I have no idea what even makes you tick, Roman, I’m pretty sure the usual stuff wouldn’t work,”

“And what is ‘the usual stuff’?” The air quotes were unnecessary, but it probably made perfect sense to him as he lived anything but an ordinary life.

“What motivates any man, blowjobs and cash.” She avoided his gaze opting for a glance out the window instead, but she could feel him staring and she swore she could feel the grin on his face.

Roman chuckled at her response, a low sound that reverberated through the car. "Blowjobs and cash, huh? Well, you certainly know how to speak my language, angel." His eyes gleamed with a playful spark as he leaned closer, a conspiratorial air about him.

Belladonna couldn't help but smile despite herself as if that was a language any woman couldn’t figure out, but his playful banter did momentarily distracting her from the nerves about their impending visit to the police station. She sighed, shaking her head. "You're impossible, Roman."

He winked. "And that, my angel, is precisely why you can't resist me."

"But, in any case, you're spot-on about the money part, but as for the blowjobs? Well, you might be onto something there. What man doesn’t love a pretty pair of lips wrapped around his cock?"

She chuckled, "Very funny. You telling me you want fifteen blow jobs?" When he responded with silence, his expression as unyielding as stone, she couldn't help but press further, "Don't tell me you don't have a little black book to take care of that."

"I have several. Organized by city. And they're probably wondering why I haven't called any of them in two months." She froze and looked back to his smug face. What did he say? "But then again, I'm off the market, so it doesn't paint a very good portrait of a boyfriend if I'm out fucking my waythrough a briar patch of daddy issues, does it?"

"Are you saying you haven't been laid since we met?" His unamused expression was all the answer she needed. Her lips started to form the words 'what?' or 'why?' but she couldn't complete the thought. Suddenly, the notion of the car being stuck in traffic wasn't so far-fetched. "You haven’t—"

"Fucked anything but my hand? Why no, kitten, and trust me, I thought those days were long over.” She recoiled slightly from him uncertain what he was about to say, but what was remaining unsaid was giving her pause, she didn’t think he was that kind of man... “Oh, kitten, relax, I don't force anyone into anything, not my style, but I've got an appetite, and we've got a few minutes before the station. It seems my skills are in question," he smoothly removed his jacket and began rolling up his sleeves. The certainty in his movements left no room for doubt—something was about to unfold in the confines of the car. "And while having my dick sucked is lovely, it’s not hte only thing that gets me off." His actions conveyed a sense of inevitability. “You wanna know what gets me off? Control.”

His arm coiled around her waist, pulling her onto his lap, a position she found both thrilling and unnerving. “Fact is, you do owe me something—fifteen somethings, to be exact, His breath, warm on her neck, sent shivers down her spine as his hands rested on her back, drawing her body against his, a familiar position from the previous day in his car.

“Fifteen what?”

"Orgasms. Let's start with one."

~~~

Chapter Twelve

I swear I will be working on my Star Wars stuff next! When you get into a writing groove, you just gotta ride that wave! If you'd like to be tagged in future chapters give me a reblog and a unique tag! Thanks for reading!

#fanfiction is life #i have too many stories #original character #alternate universe #roman sionis smut #roman sionis imagine #roman sionis x original female character #roman sionis fan fiction #roman sions #roman sionis is a tease #roman sionis #belladonna fucking black #belladonna black #shadows of deception #i now have a hair pulling kink

[valeskakingdom]

I'm an artist. I just want to paint the town crazy (part47)

Some weeks passed by and Jerome indeed made sure Scarlet would recover fast. He helped her with stolen medication against the pain, he robbed every store to get enough other medication for her, and he even robbed blood bags since she lost a huge amount of blood since she was too weak to walk. He cared about her more than he did about himself. Experiencing almost losing his doll made him realize how much she meant to him. She was his weak spot, he wouldn't deny it - but how cruel would it be for Jerome's ego if everybody saw how vulnerable he can be? It would be a shame! Nobody would respect him anymore, nobody would see him as a real threat - they would probably dare to call him a loser or even a pussy that couldn't handle his life without his doll. Whether it was true or not, he didn't want anyone to accuse him of wrong shit that would crack on his ego. He had to show them he was smarter, stronger, and even better than what they would eventually think about him - and he did. Not just the medical care he did, oh no, he did a lot more. He did some kind of training with her like how to walk with a straight back, stretching her muscles, and doing some workouts to strengthen her stamina. Day by day Scarlet needed to jog a few miles, run upstairs and downstairs several times, and do sit-ups, push-ups, and other stuff. Of course, he didn't torture or pressure her. He knew she needed some time to recover, but with the right treatment, you always can recover faster than people would expect.

And it worked. Within weeks, Scarlet recovered super fast. It was like she was never injured, she was never shot by Andy, and she never felt unconscious due to her massive blood loss. Scarlet became the old one, luckily. Her power came back, her mastermind, her stamina - everything was the same - and not to mention her bloodthirst and need to kill.

"So, my love," Jerome grinned, rubbing his hands in excitement "Are you ready for today? Remember today's the day we present Gotham as our real comeback! Better be up to the mark"

"You don't need to tell me what to do or how to be, Jerome" Scarlet grabbed some of her guns and hid them in her clothes anywhere ready to hand "I know myself best what and how to do. I'm not a beginner just because I've been dead. I'm the old one as before with my glorious mind and skills"

"Oh, I know, I know, princess," Jerome snickered "Not even the experience of death can change you - turning out to my advantage. I mean, who would not be happy about having a strong intelligent woman in their life with a deranged mind?"

"So you're calling me crazy?" Scarlet frowned at him, giving him one of her death dares. She hated being called crazy. She wasn't crazy, she was different, ordinary, or special. She wasn't any stupid lunatic who had no plan for life and was talking to some of the weird voices they'd hear.

"No, no, my doll," Jerome cupped her face "Quite the contrary, you're quite talented, you're special! How many people in Gotham do you know have equal abilities as you? There's no one out there in this rotten town. You're the diamond beyond all those mineral ores. You're outstanding, your human physical appearance is stunning, your mental structure is prodigious, and let's be honest," Jerome smirked "You're Gotham's number 1. See, the citizens fear you and adore you at the same time! You could take advantage of this and start a riot, a war of good and evil could be created with one finger snip - isn't that glorious?"

"Sure, J" Scarlet smirked, placing her hands on his cheeks softly "I am prepared for the Noble War, but are you too? People can be outrageous when they're starting a riot, you know? They try to replace someone to be better, we saw that on Dwight, remember? And we don't want that to happen again, do we?"

"Surely not," Jerome chuckled "But don't worry doll, I won't let anyone try taking you away from me. This kind of problem will be erased quite easily" He thought of the way he killed Dwight: manipulation, praising, and then killing. He surely knew that when starting a riot he wouldn't have time to tie people up on chairs and tape some dynamite on their bodies - so his plan was doing a blood rush like killing all men that tried to get in her near. He at least was the one who was allowed to be with her and not the others.

"Of course it will," Scarlet chuckled "It's gonna be a real bloodbath since people don't accept your comeback. Many want you dead after you let the cult fall and conceded them to be arrested in jail."

"They didn't match my expectations. How can I count on those people when they're praising an idiot that's trying to be me? They aren't loyal enough to us, they would follow any guy that's trying to implement apparent visions and plans I might have" Jerome muttered "What we need are trustworthy and loyal partners, people that just trust us. And how do we find them best?"

"We scare the shit out of them and make use of their anxiety like with guinea pigs" Scarlet gave him her darkest grin "We pull them out of their comfort zone and form them into our little helpers who do the dirty work for us"

"Oh, doll," Jerome grinned, cupping her face one more time and pressing his lips on hers softly "What would I do without you and your wonderful mind?"

***

Jerome and Scarlet lurked through the streets of Gotham City to find a perfect place to start the show. It had to be a big place, a public place would be the best. The park? Nah, Gotham's park of a little piece of grass that was surrounded by a little puddle. It wasn't very big, you couldn't even use it for festivals or speeches. The park was so unattractive that almost no one visited it in their free time. The park was always empty, even in summer.

The municipal building was no place either. Most of the people in town didn't pay attention to what was happening at the building's front door. Some eventually watched a scene for two minutes but most of the people simply ignore it.

So what was the best place to start a riot? To spread chaos? To start the end of Gotham City?

You're right! It's in front of the GCPD! You wonder why? It's simple! Gotham is full of crimes, it's full of danger. The people feel unsafe! They're scared! Whenever there was a danger they ran to a hidden track and hide - and their favorite hidden track was the GCPD. It was the place with the employees who try to eradicate evil. They knew they could trust these people, they knew they'd do anything to keep people like Jerome and Scarlet away from the citizens.

Good that Scarlet and Jerome weren't alone though. In the meantime, Jerome organized a little team of his and Scarlet's old friends and people who hated Jim Gordon and the whole GCPD. They wanted to see Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock dead. They wanted to see the GCPD burn, they wanted to see the officers being scared and helpless, not knowing what to do anymore - and so Jerome's and Scarlet's followers would stand in front of the GCPD's entrance with all their weapons to hold the officers back from trying to defeat them. They, especially Jim Gordon should see the ultimate danger in Scarlet and Jerome. He should fear them, he should see their appearance as a threat, he should despair because he wouldn't have a clue how to hold them back - he and the whole GCPD should surrender.

"The boys are on their positions, see?" Jerome pointed at the guys, standing around the street and entrance. They all tho looked like street men, nobody would recognize them - same with Scarlet and Jerome. They wore scarves and masks, gloves, and old, dirty clothing to resemble the underclass. They looked like poor people walking around in the hope to get some money or food for the day.

"Yeah," Scarlet nodded, looking behind her right to the GCPD's entrance "The cops don't notice a thing either. They're probably too stuck with paperwork. You think it's time for us to start?"

Jerome said nothing at first, he was analyzing the situation: many people walked around, there were no cops that would recognize a thing, and there was no Jim Gordon who would become suspicious - the time was perfect! There was no austerity, no danger, no paternalism - nothing! Scarlet and Jerome could simply start with anything they wanted to, no one would give a shit.

"Do it! Now or never" And this was the moment when Scarlet grabbed her rapid shot under her clothing and shot in the air to the signal danger is coming.

She wanted to make people scream, she wanted to see them panic and anxious, she wanted to see them trying to run away but they would be held back by her co-workers - and all this happened. When Scarlet started to shoot, people screamed and tried to flee but they were held back by the other so-called street men, who started shooting too. Some shot at the people, and some simply shot in the air to scare them away. It was so glorious to see how they were driven in the middle like some guinea pigs that were running away from a predator, squeaking, whining, and trying to find a possible way out. Some of them even nudged others forward to be saved from the shots.

On the other hand, it was glorious to see how helpless the cops, especially Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock, watched this scenario. Of course, they sprinted to the entrance to help, they already grabbed their guns to eventually, shoot - not possible. Right in front of them, several men blocked the entrance and pointed their guns at them, ready to shoot at any time. So their only option was to watch and see the chaos and mess Jerome and Scarlet would make.

"Oh, hello Jim, hey Harvey" Scarlet chuckled darkly "Now you see the world burn," She started cackling maniacally and walked towards the scared people that were surrounded by her co-workers "Citizens of Gotham, long time no see, right? I'm about to say we kinda missed you a little, but see: we're back! We have so much to tell you! So much to show you! There's much to do with you!" Scarlet chuckled "Like this" Scarlet went up to her upcoming victims and pulled one girl out of the crowd. She was whining, crying, and screaming at every movement Scarlet made at. She was so scared her hands and legs were shaking, she couldn't even formulate a normal sentence!

"Seems like things getting outta control, Jimbo, huh?" Jerome chuckled darkly "Your little men seem impressed to see us. You see, I'm not dead, I'm fully alive, made of flesh and bone! HAHA!" He laughed "Be honest, you missed to the see good old Jerome in his action, eh? You had enough time to prepare"

"What we miss is a quiet minute in Gotham City," Jim muttered "Ever since you vanished into thin air, Scarlet became Gotham's newest problem. She had caused a stir much more than you. She became bigger than you, worse than you"

"When has she even not worse than him?" Harvey questioned irritated. He just remembered her beginnings: the way she killed her parents brutally with no remorse or guilt, the way she blackmailed and punished her dad's coworkers if they didn't behave, her manipulative behavior toward everyone- she was just pure evil.

"My doll? Worse than me?" Jerome couldn't believe that. His doll could never be worse than him, rather equal to him. No one could be worse than him, right? He was the ultimate "No, no, no. That's not possible, she's been the somewhat decent one beyond us. She-..."

"Then watch this" Jim nodded in her direction to let them watch her scene.

"Oh, I know y'all are scared of me and my boy, by ut you don't need to! See, we all are just humans, right? We have different shoots, and needs, wishes, and demands...but all we want is satisfaction, right?" Scarlet embraced her anxious victim, pretending to calm her down "Shhh, I know you're anxious, believe me, I know how it is being driven into a corner, helpless, feeling boxed in..." she then leaned her head on her victim and slowly grabbed her knife out of her pocket "You think there's no way out but there is! Do you See the light at the end of the tunnel? This is your day, this is your way out of all your sorrows, this is your way to salvation" And so Scarlet stabbed her victim right into her neck over and over again. Scarlet loved it, she enjoyed every stroke she did to let her victim's neck. This blood, the whimpering, the body's twitching whenever the peak of the knife hit a nerve in her neck - it was wonderful.

"Wonderful, isn't it?" Scarlet let the bled-out and unconscious girl fall to the ground like some piece of trash "This is no murder, this is salvation! Let's look at this poor girl. She was so young, so anxious about the new, so jumpy about the unknown... And why? Because of her family and all the people that caused her trust issues, fear of commitment, inferiority complex because of her body or her nose, and the feeling of being neglected whenever she was not involved in something. Death through me was the best thing that could have happened to her! There's no more suffering, no sadness, no overthinking, no degrading and reviling! She's free, free like me, free like all of us very soon! You just need to follow us, follow us into our dreams! Let's make our dreams come true! For you! For Gotham!" 

This little speech was what Jerome has impressed again about her. This was the real Scarlet. So manipulative, so creative, so brutal - even though, stabbing someone wasn't something special, the way she did it was amazing though. She was a true cult leader, the things she said were reliable, expressive, so vivid and emotional. This showed her again that she was the one. She was the one he wanted to be with, to make plans with, to kill with - because of this, he knew it was the right decision to talk to her in Arkham back then and to revive her after all. She was his muse, she was his secret weapon, she was his right hand, she was his chosen one.

"Amazing, doll!" Jerome applauded "I couldn't have done it better," he grinned "Y'all don't need to be afraid of us. We want to show you an opportunity without problems and sorrows. We want to show you how it is to be free, how to solve problems without feeling guilty for wrong decisions, we offer you a better way to live! We all know things may be complicated in life, especially with narcissistic parents who implement degrading and brutal measures to form us the way they want us to be. We want to show you how to fight against it!"

"Killing is not the right way! Killing is a crime! Killing is evil! All you want is to turn us into psychos like you to rebel against the GCPD! You don't wanna change Gotham, you want to destroy it!" You heard a younger male voice bravely yell through the anxious crowd. You could see others gave him a shocked look. They couldn't believe what he has dared to yell at Scarlet and Jerome. Has he become crazy? Has he really taken leave of his senses? He dared to insult them! He dared to make head against them!

"Who said that?" was the sentence Scarlet and Jerome equally said with huge devilish grins on their face when they looked over to the crowd. They both thought the same: They were impressed by his brave - he dared to resist even though he knew the consequences, he knew he'd die.

"It was me!" The younger man stepped forward, right in front of Scarlet and Jerome. He really showed no fear. There was no stammering, no shaking hands or knees, he seemed calm after all - he was a real talent, and someone like him would be of good use in their team eventually, that's what Jerome thought if there wasn't the problem of his point of view towards them.

"You're brave, my friend, mouthy but most of all you're silly and dumb. People like you always try to be the hero in every story. They try to rescue the princes from the evil stepmother but end up dead since they underestimate the evil power" Jerome chuckled bitterly.

"You're not even better! You're like every villain in a Disney movie: mouthy, absent of reality, and a megalomaniac! But in the end y'all are failing since good shall triumph!" The young men yelled in the hope to get support by the others. Sadly though, no one supported him with a "yes!" Or a "yeah!" Or any other claim since all the people were way too scared of Scarlet and Jerome. They all knew it was his death desire, they all knew it was a huge mistake to raise his voice against them.

"He reminds me of my brother. Always knew things better, always liked to command, always thought he was right, and always thought he was the better one than me." Scarlet muttered angrily, grabbing her gun and pointing it right at the guy "I hate people like my brother. They're driving me nuts! They make me hear his voice again telling me what to do or how to stop certain things" Then she started even imitating her dead brother "Hands on the table plate Scarlet! Your behavior is so rude, Scarlet! You have no manners, Scarlet!”

Jerome just started grinning, he knew what was coming - Scarlet was becoming insane. She was in psychosis, it was like she was a role in a completely different movie, it was like her personality switched with a finger snip - and this was something Jerome loved about Scarlet. It was her hidden talent, one trigger and she was the most brutal person he knew - he was about to say she became something he would consider a monster in any action movie.

"But I won't listen to my brother anymore! I am my free agent! I can do whatever I want! I'm no minor anymore who needs to be taught what's right or wrong!” And that was the moment when she started shooting at this guy, again and again, and again - up to the moment where she was out of munition. People started screaming, they tried to run away, far away from the corpse, from Scarlet or Jerome - but for sure, they couldn't. One of their sudden moves and the co-workers grabbed their guns and pointed them at the crowd to stand still.

Scarlet was full of hate, she couldn't control it though. She felt such enormous hate towards her brother that every guy who just reminded her a little of him was a red flag. It was a no-go, people like her brother were all the same, she knew that. People like him were bad, they were treating everyone like shit, they were the monsters in the world and not Scarlet! He was the reason why Scarlet became the way she was! He was the one with her parents who drove her insane! She could have lived a normal life as she used to be a normal girl, but no! She was the scapegoat in the family, she was always the guilty one, and she was always the victim! There was no doubt people like them would act the same - she just knew it, and so she had to end their lives.

“And you,” Scarlet looked up at the crowd with the most aggressive and evil death stare she could give them “You should better listen to me: You see, being mouthy and trying to tell me what's right or wrong is not the right way to get put of this situation. You won't anyway! You're stuck with me in here!” She slowly walked to the crowd with her weapon “There's no way out. No fleeing, no fighting, no annoying, no rebelling. If you do, you'll die like your little friend here,” Scarlet chuckled darkly “It would be such a tragedy, wouldn't it? So, I wanna make you a little offer. I don't wanna kill all of you, yet, I wanna make use of you instead. You should be part of our team! You should work with us! You should be free like Jerome and me!” She smiled at the crowd “So who's in?”

#jerome valeska #gotham #dc #dcmultiverse #jerome valeska x reader #dc villains #dc villian #gotham city #gotham fandom #gotham jerome valeska #gotham jerome #gotham series #gotham fanfic #jerome valeska fandom #jerome valeska x you #cameron monaghan x reader #gotham x reader #jerome x reader #dc universe #cameronmonaghan

[thevindicativevordan]

Comics this week?

Steelworks #1 - Solid first issue. Dorn makes some rookie mistakes as expected from a first time comic writer. Lot of talking, not much action, the scenes with Irons and Nat debating the impact of superheroics would have been better served if it had been the two of them verbally sparring with each other while physically beating up some bad guys. Good handle on the voices for Steel, Natasha, and Lana nonetheless, happy to see Pak's establishment of the Steel/Lana romance is finally acknowledged again. Ghost of Amertek coming back to haunt Irons is a good idea, as is Dorn establishing that Irons has his own ideas on what's best for Metropolis that aren't the same as Clark's. Didn't expect Dorn to be the first DC writer to use data pages post-Hickman, but I loved to see them! I can't find much info on if Dorn was a sci-fi fan before he was cast as Worf in Star Trek, but if so his use of data pages would make a lot of sense.

Batman #136 - Least the Multiverse bullshit is over, but now we've gone from rehashing Morrison to rehashing Snyder's Death of the Family. If that scene between Bruce and Selina is any indication, this Gotham War event will be the final nail in the coffin for the romance, at least for a good while. Bummed but unsurprised by that. At this point I'm only reading for the Zur plotline, the Batfamily and Catwoman plots aren't interesting me.

Shazam #2 - Didn't think that when Waid said we'd see the extended family relatively soon that he meant the second issue, but it was nice to see them all the same.

Flash #800 - Picked this up and overall I enjoyed it. Adams and Waid were the best, fun stories that celebrated Wally and Bart. Williamson was pretty good too, Barry finally gets to best the deadbeat dad accusations when it comes to the Tornado Twins. Johns' story was pretty basic, mostly just a recap of who Hunter is, but I liked how he took Williamson's retcon and used it to get Zoom back to being a villain in a way that makes sense. With Zoom back in play I wonder if there are plans to use him in Spurrier's run. Speaking of which, Spurrier's story was the weakest. I don't mind the drama with Linda - Adams made everything drama free and the sales were soft, so by all means introduce some tension there - and I liked the premise of Wally fighting Lovecraftian monsters. But this feels like it would be a better fit for Barry. I'll check out the first issue all the same.

Joker #9 - Hilarious that this book finally starts moving on the Jokers plot, just in time for a two month break for Knight Terrors. I don't know if I'll bother to pick it up again in two months, Rosenberg's decompression has become too much for me. Genuinely funny back-ups and one or two good jokes in the main book can't justify the price tag, or the snail's pace storytelling.

Immortal X-Men #12 - More is done with Colossus' mole status in one issue here than the entire X-Force run.

X-Men #23 - I regret giving Duggan a stay of execution. Why does Stasis keep coming across as a loser? Gets taken out with ease in Sins of Sinister, gets humiliated by Righteous here. Since Hickman left, Orchis has come across as a joke that the X-Men inexplicably can't crush instead of a legit threat. Not a great approach as we're right on the cusp of Orchis making their big move.

Loki #1 - Picked this up solely because Watters was writing, and he did not disappoint. Great story, reminiscent of Gillen and Ewing Loki of course, but also of Watters own Lucifer series.

Fantastic Four #8 - Continues to be great, glad the first two parter stars Sue and Alice.

#weekly reviews

[ursie]

I saw the worst take on The Batman(well that's a lie, there's definitely worse takes, but this one was annoying enough to stick in my mind)

It was specifically a take from a leftist youtuber(yes. It was a white man) and while it was not entirely negative (like he thought the movie was better than other batman movies and was glad to wasn't alt-right leaning propaganda. Overall I think he said he liked it) he WAS of the opinion that it was liberal propaganda

He thought that the movie was saying the current system of government was fine, and that the system isn't broken. That the mayor lady being poc and wanting to better Gotham was saying that the system is fine it just needs good politicians

He was right abt one thing, that the movie somewhat involved power fantasy with Bruce going about getting revenge on low rank villians and eventually discovering that it wasn't random gangs that killed his parents and are at the root of the problem it's widespread corruption and powerful men exploiting faults in the system. That Bruce isn't some unflinching paradigm of violence, that he gets hurt and sometimes is wrong

But specific the part that bugged me is how he represented the new mayor, because by god did he have the most insufferable take

The movie is a first step. That's the point. It's on the path to healing, Bruce just figured out the difference between justice and revenge, he just figured out what the fuck classism is, he just found out that the corruption isn't poor people, it's exploitation. No there wasn't widespread systemic upheaval because that doesn't fucking happen in a week. This is a first step. The mayor being a progressive woman if color isn't justifying the systems in place, the movie outright critiques the systems that allowed the corruption to happen in the first place. The mayor lady does not represent the status quo in a fancy hat, she represents a promise for a better future, she is there to say that this isn't the end, that this city isn't irreparable

Furthermore he said that the movie didn't hold cops accountable, which I admit it could hav focused more on how that system is broken but I do disagree with his overall view on that front. The film's opening lines are of the old mayor arguing for more policing and a war on drugs and he's wrong! The whole must is manufactured and there to give some people prestige while fucking over victims and innocents. The film explicitly states that he is wrong, hell the DA proves that the justice system is injust!

This guy's take just really bothered me because what did he expect? Did he want the movie to be explicitly communist? Come in dude that's probably not gonna happen in a mainstream movie like this(and his insistence on a black woman getting elected justifies the system... It's weird. Like tf did he want her to do? Stage a revolution? The film takes place over a few weeks/month tops, get a grip)

There was even more to his video but I think this is long enough already lol. Like I'm not saying the movie was perfect, but I am saying some of his criticism comes off as bad-faith

No no I totally understand I think people need to understand that while we want a different status quo and want to work towards a better one we still like. Live in the world we’re in and need to fight for short term victories as well. Like I’m not pro Biden but a republican in power is worse to me in the immediate due to the fact they personally want me to die and not have healthcare. So while voting isn’t a great solution it’s better than nothing and you can argue for systematic change and short term change at the same time. So like. Applying that nuance to films (which will never be like. Socialist propaganda I’m sorry it’s just not gonna happen) the film can say hey the system is bad but she’s the first step in making it better and B as a character is going the system failed and I am picking up where it failed and trying to help not because I think the system is gonna change but because I think it’s the only right thing to do. I think people forget what a compassionate character B is. He’s not trying or expecting everything to change because that’s not the world he lives in but because he loves Gotham, and it’s people, because everyone deserves to be saved, he’s going to save them anyway everyday. The point is that Gotham is damned and B is going to push that boulder up the hill everyday nonetheless because there’s nothing else he would rather do-because someone needs to do it-because everyone in Gotham deserves someone fighting for them.

#I kinda went off on a tangent but like in summary the entire point is B is always against a corrupt system like. #of course they didn’t cure corruption in the 1st movie #like. that’s not the world they exist in #asks #anon #long post #ask to tag #tw politics

[redjaybathood]

What people expect batfam or Outlaws do you think Jason would have had an interesting team up?

Ohhh this is a good one.

Tbh I want anyone and everyone in a team-up with Jason. It could be fun to explore how his personality meshes with different type of people. Except maybe Flashes - sorry Flash fans, nothing against Flashfam but it's just hard for me to keep track of basically any storyline with a Flash. I developed an irrational anxiety about them.

But ones interesting for me in particular:

1) Jason and Rose. Canon gave us the lackluster "they're exes" and fuck this. Give me some actual team up.

2) Jason and Rose and Eddie.

I am pretty sure it's shauds' fault I am invested in this. Amazing author, superb ideas, go check out their AO3.

In particular, it's because all three are connected. Jason and Eddie are pen pal buddies (for two issues but still); Jason and Rose are exes (in this case you can not show their relationship starting and crash-and-burning, playing off the unimpressed exes dynamic is good); Rose and Eddie were on NTT both.

Also, it could be an iteration of Outlaws!

3) Jason and Gen O but only if he mentors them for real; I don't think it's going to happen but it's a real shame we don't have Jason actually being a good mentor to kids.

Look, he could be a side character in this but I want him to take care of kids in a way that is more than just getting rid of threats that kids face. I think it could be a good development for him as well. Especially in the context of leaving the Batfam and healing. It is easier to let go of certain grudges and genuine hurt inflicted to you by your parents when you're a parent yourself. Just need to make sure you won't do the same or worse mistakes.

4) Onyx, Orpheus, Spoiler and Batgirl versus, and then &, Red Hood.

Ok, this could be an Elseworld story as Orpheus is dead and Onyx... I am not sure about her... But. Okay, imagine an Elseworld story where Jason gets in Gotham during War Games. Of course he will plug himself right into it. And Orpheus kinda did the similar thing that Red Hood was supposed to do? Maybe Jason can go work for him! Butterfly wings, Orpheus doesn't die, nor Spoiler.

Black Mask does, for sure.

5) Talia, Damian, and Jason

We could have it all, imo, if Jason was involved in bringing down Leviathan - who he was accused of being - with them, who also are invested in it.

They all have ties between each other as well, so it's not a random team up either.

6) Jason and any magical users. He has flaming soul swords and slayed interdimensional monsters and ancient evil. He can get on JL Dark or partner with Raven or - I don't actually know a lot about magic users within DC but hey. If this team up ends up existing, I will find out.

I propose them to go against Trigon. I bet Essence could capture him in a sword - so let's add Essence to the team as well.

7) Jason and Lanterns. Give the man a ring. He can be actually any Lantern you want. Rage? He has it. Love? In abundance. Fear? Hope? Will? Yes, yes, yes.

Also, sending Jason in space would be 👨‍🍳👄

And, after BUL, I want Jason Todd, in his civilian outfit, to meet Hal Jordan, who wears exactly the same stuff. Please. Nobody is talking about it. But the shit! The jacket!!! It's very reminiscent of the classic Hal look as I (not a Hal fan so I didn't read much and watched a movie everybody hates) remember it.

8) Huntress, who also started her career with killing gangsters, Manhunter who is another underrated character who isn't a vegetarian. Maybe add Question here. Focus on detective work, mafia organization, police corruption, nitty-gritty of the Gotham's underbelly. No super-villains, just your regular scum of earth.

9) Suicide Squad. They're doing it with Get Joker. They kinda done it but not really, with RHATO (when Biz orchestrated getting captured by Batwoman and being sold into Waller's hands, if I remember it right).

10) Danny Chase and various other NTT rejects nobody wants and thus, some Dick fans (mostly Dick's) think it would make more sense for Jason to partner with than Dick's friends, or his protege, or his whatever. If it was in any way related to Dick, Jason is not allowed to have it! Like, you know, even the electrified crowbars made a controversy. (I am pretty sure Dick's bankrolling Jason si the weapons is his idea for his money and that's why it's what it is? I may be wrong)

But while I do believe this is a ridiculous reason for a team up (especially with Danny who never said a word about Jason except break the news of his death to Dick while, you know, being a 13 yo shithead about it), you can get them - oh, so Nightwing doesn't want you either, huh? And bond other it. If in the process they end up, like, fuck Nightwing, my self-worth can't be dependent on how do I measure up to him or whether he approves of me... That's even better.

11) ALL of Jason's pre-death friends. The ones I remember are his childhood buddy Chris who he watched kung fu flicks together with, in New52, and almost joined the Red Hoods together; Max Dawkins from Truth and Justice, who was his friend before he met Batman and was forced into Ma Gunn's school, and, later, adopted - retcon his death please (I was really uncomfortable with that, I am sure you could see why); Numbers (from the Ma Gunn's school of doom), of course (it's one of the best one-shots of Jason that I read); Dana Harlowe/Strike, from RHATO #51-52 (she is already a vigilante in her own right, trained by a member of the League of Shadows).

Like, Jason renovated the house on the Hills - he gave it away to Tyler and his mom, but. I think, he was considering staying there. In Gotham, in Hills, maybe. Would have been pretty good seeing him reconnecting with childhood friends and fighting for his community in ways that don't involve vigilantism. Which, with Max getting off the streets and starting a promising career - for some reason, I headcanon him as a lawyer; Dana, a very community-minded activist; Numbers, who left the life of crime behind, maybe wanting to do something good with it; Chris, who was scared straight back in the day so maybe he knows dedicates efforts to keep kids in school instead of them joining gangs, especially Joker-related gangs. All of this in the aftermath of Joker's War. Which, I don't actually know how it ended or what it was about? But I hope Joker's dead, Jason found some peace and started rebuilding his life.

12) Jason and all of Slade Wilson's kids. Rose, Joey, and Grant. Idk, some people ship them, I just want them to be friends. Lots in common re: shitty fathers, doing shitty or (self) harmful things because of shitty fathers, dying and coming back to life (for most of them).

#jason todd #asks #send me an ask or a prompt!

[gothamcityangst]

I love enemies to lovers much as the next guy, but the concept of lovers to enemies Scriddler has crossed my mind.

Like, have been living together for a few years now and know each others ticks and weaknesses and will use that against each other now that they want the other dead kind of shit n its *chefs kiss* 👌

OH SHIT!!!! RELATIONSHIP BREAKDOWN.

TW: Abusive relationship, Toxic relationship, mention of prior child abuse

At first, the relationship was perfect. They'd met in Arkham and the rest was history. The other rogues (And by that I mean Harley) had set them up. They seemed like a perfect couple and they were for a while. In the honeymoon phase nowhere in Gotham was safe from their terror. They'd mixed mechanical engineering and chemical engineering. Jon could add a little spice to Ed's death traps and Ed could make Jon's gas canisters more efficient. They were perfect together.

Then the honeymoon phase ended for them. Because Ed is a clingy bastard he doesn't understand personal space. He wanted to be a part of every single heist Jon does. It wasn't long before Jon's patience wore thin.

This lead to Jon leaving the hideout more. And this is where Ed's paranoia kicked in. When Jon left the first couple of times he didn't question it but after the 5th time, his mind was kicked into overdrive. He tries to reason why Jon wouldn't tell him. After following him for a while he realises he lied and his mind assumes the worst.

(I also want to say Ed's mom cheated on his dad in this situation. This means he is very fucked up thinking that it's happening to him)

For this any time Jon goes away he breaks one of Jon's rare chemicals in retaliation. When Jon comes back and asks Ed why his chemicals are all over the floor his only answer is "They fell".

Jon sees Eddie as a bully. Jon is known to get revenge against his bullies. Jon slowly begins sneaking fear toxin into his drink. The expensiveness of the chemical determines how many millilitres of toxin he sneaks into his coffee.

If the chemical took more than a week to acquire then Ed hallucinates his father for a week.

All of this culminates in the mother of all breaks ups. There's a physical altercation between the two. It's a surprise they don't take half of Gotham with them. Batman defeats them both but a new rivalry is born. The Scriddler War is what Gotham newspaper dubs it.

Look under the read more for their typical argument dialogue.

Ed: You're back late again. No surprise there.

Jon: Edward. I'm surprised you're still up at this hour. I thought at this time you'd be in my lab, trying to break into my supplies.

Ed: Oh please. I'd hardly do anything like that. The fact you still try to insinuate that is ludicrous. If I did I'd have cracked the code in a second.

Jon: Oh yes. Because they magically fell over on their own.

Ed: Perhaps if you spent more time at home you'd be here to stop them. Not with your 'other friends'. And here I thought old Keeney had drilled it into you that adultery was a sin.

Jon: Edward. Do you know the definition of insanity? It's trying something over and over again expecting a different result. You have no basis for this ridiculous cheating theory. It's not my fault you don't believe me.

Ed: You give me no reason to believe you, Jonathan. You stay out late for no good reason and you lie to me about where you're going. What other conclusion am I meant to draw?

Jon: You give me no space to work in peace. What else am I meant to do Edward?

Ed: Your heists have been 10 times more successful because of me. I am your success. Without me, you'll fail. I want to help you but you insist on rejecting it.

Jon: Oh you're very helpful. Helpful in being a worthless little annoyance.

(These words mirror what Ed's dad would call him)

Ed: Goodnight Jon.

#Scarecrow #Jonathan Crane #Edward Nygma #Riddler #G-C-A