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ragingbookdragon · 3 years

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My Brother's Best Friend Is The One For Me

Wally West x Batsis!Reader One-Shot

Word Count: 3.6K Warnings: Explicit Language

Author's Note: Got to rereading my Batsis fics and came across the "What A Flashy Romance" and wanted to do another one with Wally because I love him. Enjoy! -Thorne

Being the middle child and also the only girl in the Batfamily meant two things:

1. She had four brothers that treated her like a porcelain doll, despite the fact that she could throw a punch at 336 PSI.

And

2. She followed an unspoken rule that Dick and Jason’s friends were off limits when it came to dating.

In all, neither of those things were major problems. She’d learned at a young age how to avoid Dick and Jason’s overbearing-protective-brother-modes, and Tim and Damian were younger, so she didn’t have to worry about them. The second one was also avoidable—most of her older brothers’ friends were the same, and she wasn’t around most of them to develop any feelings.

Well, there was Wally, but it was just a crush. A stupid, little school-girl crush—that she’d never really grown out of—that didn’t matter in the slightest. Except whenever Dick brought him over to the house and she had to pretend that sitting next to him didn’t make her heart race like she’d run a mile.

And the most annoying thing about the whole crush is that she couldn’t tell if Wally was ever interested in her or not. Most of Dick’s friends, Garth, Kyle, Roy, they treated her like a little sister—hell, they even said “Love you lil sis!” to her regularly. And yet, Wally didn’t. Now, there was the occasional head pat, but even that was an affectionate gesture that siblings and SO’s did all the time. It was infuriating, and so was Wally—but she was going to sort it all out the next time he came over because the worst thing he could say was “No”, and either she needed to hear that…or “Yes”.

***

Normal Sundays for the Wayne household usually meant Ultimate Waffle Breakfast and sitting on your ass all day until patrol—it was the one day of the week where they could do anything and nothing and didn’t have to stick to schedules. Everyone loved Sundays, especially (Y/N), because it meant that all of her family was home, even Jason (who tried to deny that he enjoyed coming home to hang out, but if that mile long grin was any help, he was lying). And while everyone was home, that usually meant that everybody’s friends were coming over too.

***

She swiped the syrup out of Jason’s hand when he swung it back around, grinning at him when he glared at her.

“I was gonna use that, (Y/N),” he griped, and she shrugged, uncapping the bottle.

She tipped it over and watched the syrup lazily pour out of the container onto her waffles.

“You were taking too long.” Her eyes twinkled with humor. “I guess you were as…slow as molasses.”

While most of the table groaned at her terrible joke, Dick snorted into his milk, causing it to splatter on his plate and across the table.

“Nice one,” he coughed, wiping his face and the dark oak surface.

(Y/N) bowed dramatically. “Well, I did learn from the best.” When Dick’s face lit up, she turned to Alfred and smiled. “Alfie, thank you for teaching me your ways.”

The old butler merely tipped his head, a hidden smile crossing his lips at the way the eldest son’s jaw went slack. She turned her attention to Bruce who was quietly chewing, eyes following along the research paper she’d asked him to check out.

“Dad, what’s on your agenda for today?”

He swallowed and flicked a line out with a red pen, etching his own comment in the margin. “Lucius has a few ideas about some new gadgets he wanted to run by me.” Another line went out. “I’ll call him after breakfast.” Bruce looked at her. “You?”

(Y/N) nodded at the paper in his hands, then slapped Jason’s who was reaching over to take a piece of bacon from her plate. “Waiting for you to finish tearing me a new one so I can redo the paper.” She cut into the waffle with the side of her fork. “Once I salvage what little scientific dignity you’ve left me with, I’ll probably laze around.”

“You mean what you do normally?” Bruce quipped, grinning when she glowered at him; his eyes went back to her paper. “You’re doing well so far.”

She huffed. “Tell that to every red line you’ve marked out in that paragraph.”

He flashed the paper. “I’m writing in the margins how to change it. This isn’t a dissertation, sweetheart. You’re allowed to make mistakes. We all do.”

(Y/N) grumbled as her cheeks warmed and she went back to her plate as the conversation flowed around her.

Most of it was the discussion of what everyone was planning on doing, Damian was going to play video games, Tim was going to join him (which she knew was going to be fun while the moment lasted until the petty sibling rivalry got in the way and their gaming dwindled into a physical fight that she and probably Dick were going to have to break up), Jason was going to use the workbench in the cave to upgrade some gear, and Dick apparently,

“Wally and Garth are gonna come over later and hang out.”

She paused, mid-stab of her fork and looked at up. “Wally’s coming over?”

He nodded. “And Garth. We were gonna go to the mall and get some new clothes.”

Jason snorted, laying an arm over the backs of Tim and (Y/N)’s chairs. “Spending money with daddy’s credit card, Dickie?”

Dick smirked. “Just like you.” Jason merely matched his grin, and while the entire table was cracking up at Bruce’s frown, (Y/N) was silent, heart beating faster at the thought of seeing Wally.

“(Y/N)?” She startled and looked up at Dick.

“Huh?”

“I asked if you were okay. You got quiet all of the sudden.”

She smiled and shook her head. “Yeah, just thought about all of the corrections I’m gonna have to do because somebody CAN’T STOP MARKING OUT MY PARAGRAPHS.” Bruce merely smiled and knocked out another line.

It was a lie. It was the biggest lie she’d told right next to the one she told when Bruce had asked her where she was on prom night her senior year a few years ago—she was totally not saving a different sector of the universe with Kyle Rayner, she was dancing with Sam Reilly all night—she strongly believed her dad knew the truth—Batman knew everything.

Bruce handed the paper back to her and she groaned as she scanned the red lines on every page. It was going to take her hours to go over this.

Jason leaned over and read the title, “Cellular Division and Mutation Under Extreme Elemental Circumstances…a composition by (Y/N) Wayne.” He cocked a dark brow. “Go big or go home, huh, baby girl?”

(Y/N) hummed. “Doctor Halberd wanted us to pick challenging topics for the research paper this term.” A crooked smile crossed her lips. “I’m nothing if not ambitious about proving I’m smarter than everyone else.”

“You need another source,” Bruce murmured, sipping the steaming black coffee. “One-fourteen is good, but I’d go for one-fifteen.”

She groaned and dropped her head. “Are you kidding me? I had enough trouble gathering that many.”

“Why don’t you use Barry?” Tim piped up, mouth full of whip cream and strawberries.

“Master Timothy, we do not talk with our mouth full,” Alfred admonished, and Tim blushed.

(Y/N)’s head shot up and she stared at her brother. “That’s actually a good idea. Speedsters would make for perfect references about cellular division.” An idea popped into her head and she glanced at Dick. “And since Wally is com—”

“Nope,” Dick interrupted, pointing at her. “Wally is coming over to hang out, not to be poked and prodded to finish a paper.”

She let out a whine and turned to Bruce. “Dad, tell Dick to let me at least talk to Wally about it.”

Bruce turned his attention onto Dick. “Let your sister talk to Wally about her paper.”

“Oh, come on,” he complained and (Y/N) stood from her seat, hurrying around the table to stand behind Dick’s seat.

She draped herself over his shoulders, tucking her chin in the crook of his neck. “I promise I won’t be annoying if you let me come with you. I’ll ask two questions every thirty minutes and I’ll go do shopping on my own, so I won’t be in the way.” (Y/N) craned her neck and pulled the most pitiful puppy eyes she could. “Please?”

Dick’s eyes darted to her face and then he looked away. Just one more push.

“Please frate?” she begged and when his eyes went wide from the usage of his native tongue, she knew she’d won him over.

He deflated and let out a sigh. “Fine,” he grumbled. “You can come with us.”

(Y/N) squealed and pressed a kiss to his cheekbone, as she grabbed the paper and hurried towards the door. She halted and spun around, looking at her father.

“What do I need to be most specific about?”

“Division under elemental circumstances.”

She glowered at him. “No shit Sherlock. Specifics.”

“Molecular division under terrestrial gamma-ray flashes.”

“That’ll work,” (Y/N) nodded and exited to room.

Jason looked out the door then back to his brothers. “She’s way to excited about science sometimes.” They merely laughed.

***

She raised the red lace, cold shoulder V-neck shirt to her chest before frowning, and switching it with the full lace blue shirt with mini golden lightning bolt charms hanging off the trim. After a moment, she pulled the blue one down and sighed.

“You know, if you want to impress him, I’d wear the red shirt.”

She jumped and barely managed to suppress the scream that was coming up in her throat as she swiveled around to face her door. Jason stood in the doorway, a knowing look on his face. She could play this one of two ways: she could be truthful, or she could lie—she chose the latter.

“What do you mean?” He snorted and walked into her room, taking a seat at her desk.

“I mean if you’re trying to impress Wally, wear the shirt that’s the color of his suit, (Y/N).” She looked away and into the mirror, but she couldn’t escape the eyes boring into her back.

“Is it that obvious?” she asked quietly, and he laughed.

“That you’re head over heels for Dick’s best friend? Oh yeah. Totally.”

She sighed and sat on her bed, pulling the red top over her torso. “It’s just a crush.”

“Seems like more than a crush to me, baby girl.”

(Y/N) pulled the fabric down and looked at him. “Are you gonna tell Dick?”

Jason scoffed. “Do I look like a narc to you?”

She cocked a brow and deadpanned, “Just the other night you told dad that Damian lifted Two-Face’s wallet when he was being put in a cruiser.”

“Well, that wasn’t something important,” he countered and nodded at her. “This is.” He paused and shrugged. “Nah, I’m not gonna tell Dickhead. Play this out however you see fit, baby girl.”

(Y/N) stared at him for a moment then averted her gaze and let out a sigh; Jason huffed.

“That sounds like a heavy sigh, (Y/N). What’s wrong?”

She shrugged. “I don’t even know if Wally would be interested in me. He’s him and I’m me.”

Jason stood and walked over, kneeling in front of her. “Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?”

(Y/N) met his eyes. “Anytime he’s had a girlfriend she’s always been super strong or really outspoken.”

“And you’re not?” he quipped, causing her to huff.

“You know what I mean, Jay.”

He nodded. “Okay, so you’re not an Amazon or shoving your head up someone’s ass for a story. But you’re you.”

“And that means?”

“You’re the only daughter of the World’s Greatest Detective who’s a wicked smart science major by day and a badass vigilante by night.” He cupped her cheeks. “You are intelligent, warmhearted, talented, and absolutely beautiful.” Jason smushed her cheeks together and grinned as she giggled. “And if Wally doesn’t see any of what I just said, then he’s a damn fool and not worth your time. You hear me, baby girl?”

She nodded. “I hear you.”

Jason gave her a firm nod and let go, standing to his feet. “Now come on let’s go do your makeup.”

(Y/N) blinked. “You can do makeup?”

“Baby girl, I can do a lot of things. Now hurry up. That razor sharp eye liner and golden eyeshadow isn’t going to do itself.”

***

She waited beside Dick with a pleasant smile on her face, and despite the fluttering heartbeat in her chest, Jason’s pep talk kept running through her head and with every passing moment, she felt her confidence rising. He was right, if she told Wally and he didn’t feel the same, then it was his loss and her gain to move on and find someone else.

A black sedan pulled up at the manor and the passenger window rolled down, revealing Wally at the wheel and Garth in the passenger’s seat. Dick waved at them.

“Hey guys,” he greeted. “How was the drive over?”

“Oh, you know, we saw three carjacking’s and one armed robbery,” Garth quipped. “I assume that’s normal for Gotham though.”

“It’s a bit below average actually,” (Y/N) piped up. “Hi Garth. Hi Wally.”

Wally smiled and Garth waved in return as the two siblings started getting in the car.

“You’re coming with us, (Y/N)?” Wally questioned and she nodded.

“Do you want me to lie to you or give you the truth?”

He chuckled. “I’m always open for a good story.”

“I wanted to buy out Victoria’s Secret and piss off any boyfriends who are in hot water with their girlfriends.” The guys laughed and she admitted, “Truth though, I need one last source for a research paper.”

“Gonna find that source shopping?” Garth asked and (Y/N) caught Wally’s eyes in the rear-view mirror.

“Actually, my last source is Wally.”

They fell silent and looked at her, though the speedster’s focus was on the road.

“What are you gonna source Wally on?” The Atlantean inquired.

“My paper is over cellular mutation under distress from elemental conditions.” She smiled at Wally. “Our speedster here, is a walking subject perfect for the paper. I can only hope that he agrees to be a willing participant.”

Wally chuckled. “I’d be willing to part with a few secrets for you. Of course, I’d have to—”

“Remain anonymous.” (Y/N) winked. “I’m sure my professor would be okay with me citing ‘The Flash’ so long as I had a picture with him to back it up.”

“I like pictures,” he murmured, pulling into the parking lot.

“That’s good to know,” she replied and when he put the car in park, she took her purse and added, “So I’ll leave you boys to do your shopping and Wally, I’ll text you any questions I have.”

“You’re not gonna hang around?” Garth asked and she shook her head.

“Nah, I don’t wanna be the annoying little sister who follows her older brother and his friends around.” She smiled at them. “Besides, Dick was kind enough to let me come along. Least I can do is stay out of your way.”

(Y/N) opened the door and waved at them. “Text me when you’re ready to leave and I’ll meet you back here.”

***

Despite the initial joke that she was going to buy out the lingerie store, there was actually some truth in the statement, and she drew her fingers over one of the lace baby dolls as she looked at her phone, grinning like a dope at Wally’s response.

Well, I wouldn’t say I’d grow a second skin from how fast my cells regenerate, but I can make my body heal instantaneously. -W

Can you regenerate limbs or major organs? –(Y/I)

Major organs or useful ones? -W

(Y/N) paused at his response and thought for a moment. It was risky. Sending the text, she was thinking about was risky, but it’d sure get her point across that she was into him. With her heart hammering in her chest, she pushed send and stuck her phone in her pocket.

Whichever ones are useful to you, Wally? ;) –(Y/N)

Her phone didn’t buzz for a good minute, and Wally took less than a second to reply, so he was doing one of two things: A.) Telling Dick that his younger sister sent a flirty text, or B.) Trying to figure out how to let her down easy. (Y/N) didn’t know which one was worse. Her hip buzzed and she inhaled shakily, pulling her phone out of her pocket with one eye cracked open to see how screwed she was.

Do you have a useful one in mind, beautiful? -W

She had to clamp a hand over her mouth to keep from letting out the biggest gasp any human had ever made, and she nervously looked around her to make sure no one else was staring at her. She grinned as she replied to him.

Oh, I could think of one…or two or three…Why? Is there gonna be a pop quiz over this later? I’ll have you know I’m an excellent test taker. –(Y/N)

Is that so? Well, what happens if you were to fail this particular pop quiz, (Y/N)? -W

I guess you’d have to stay the night for a study session and help me make a better grade ;) –(Y/I)

As she waited for another response, someone’s hand touched the small of her back and she reacted, immediately stepping away from the offending touch to spin on them. Her eyes went wide when she saw Wally standing before her, a grin on his face, phone in his hand.

“I think an overnight study session is possible, (Y/N).”

Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly, like a fish until she finally got her brain to work and asked, “I thought you were shopping with Dick and Garth?”

He shrugged. “Told Dick you asked me an advanced question that’d be easier to answer in person than over text.” He wiggled his brows. “You know, advanced equations and scientific gibberish.”

(Y/N) huffed a laugh and turned back around, trying to ignore the heat in her cheeks as she picked up one of the teddies. And when she realized what it looked like, she only felt more flustered. Crimson with baby blue trimming and was practically a shoelace.

“Well, that’sa hint if there ever was one,” Wally quipped, and she pulled the lingerie out of his line of sight.

“It was just the first one I grabbed!” she exclaimed, snapping her mouth shut when people looked over at them. Her cheeks felt like they were wildfires, and she pressed her head against the cool metal of the rack, sighing with what little relief it provided.

“You know, (Y/N),” he started softly. “If you’re not comfortable, this doesn’t have to go anywhere. I can forget this ever happened if you want me to.” (Y/N) opened her eyes and peered at him, at the concern but also the kindness in his gaze.

“I just—” she murmured and trailed off before letting out a sigh. “It’s kinda complicated.”

“Okay,” Wally nodded. “My mouth might work faster than my brain sometimes but lay it on me.”

She cracked a smile and thought back on Jason’s words. If Wally doesn’t see any of what I just said, then he’s a damn fool and not worth your time.

(Y/N) took a deep breath and looked at him, admitting, “Wally, I have…feelings for you.” His eyes widened and though she felt the sting of embarrassment, she pushed out her words. “It’s stupid, like one of those dumb childhood crushes that just sticks with you, you know?”

She averted her gaze and looked at her peep toe heels. “I just don’t wanna screw anything up because even if you don’t feel anything like I do, I don’t wanna lose you as a friend. Because I do value your friendship.” She sighed. “And Dick. I don’t wanna make you uncomfortable about coming over to see him if there’s a chance you’ll have to see me too. I just—”

“Woah, woah, woah,” Wally interrupted gently, a smile growing on his face. “You’re thinking way big here, (Y/N). Bigger than you need to right now.”

She met his eyes. “Right now?” she repeated, and he reached out, taking her hand in his. His fingers felt tingly against her palm and he smiled.

“I like you, (Y/N).”

She blinked at him, practically dumbfounded. “You…you do?”

Wally nodded and confessed, “Have for a couple years, but I didn’t wanna make a move not knowing if you were interested.” His cheeks tinged pink, and he said, “But I’m glad you are. Like super glad.” (Y/N) giggled, suddenly feeling really foolish for all her worry and Wally let out a chuckle too.

She stared at him for a moment, relishing the coolness of his skin before pulling away, toying with the teddy in her other hand.

“So, about tonight…you staying over?”

Wally let out a groan and looked between her and the lingerie. “Probably, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to get away long enough to spend some time alone with you.”

(Y/N) let out a ‘pfft’ and winked. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out, Flash. You are the fastest man alive.”

“You’re into quickies? Good to know,” he grinned.

“Shut up,” she giggled.

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alecmagnuslwb · 3 years

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Giving Home a Heartbeat - @doubleredweek Day 7

Read on AO3

Jason’s pretty sure that somewhere underneath all these boxes is the house they bought, he’s just not quite sure where.

“Jay Jay, Daddy stopped picking up boxes and sat down, so I’m picking up the slack!” Lian shouts over the distinct scraping sound of cardboard. Jason turns and there she is walking backwards her tiny hands pulling a box along that’s practically the same size as her not even breaking a sweat. Sometimes Jason thinks they really need to ask Jade about any superhuman abilities she might be hiding that could have been passed down.

Jason shakes his head and walks over to her lifting the box and sitting it over with the rest of the living room Jenga stack of cardboard boxes that is their life.

“Good work princess,” Jason says ruffling her hair as she sidles up next to him looking at all the boxes with a much more gleeful look on her face than the one he’s sporting.

“I am not slacking,” Roy shouts with a struggling groan. Jason turns back to the door watching as Roy takes a step through with three heavy boxes precariously stacked on top of one another in his arms blockading Roy’s body almost entirely from view. Jason rushes over to his side taking the highest one revealing Roy’s head his messy hair dripping with sweat and poking out wildly from underneath his backwards cap.

“These are the last ones and I just didn’t want to make numerous trips,” he grunts shifting the boxes in his arms. “Dick and Babs are taking the truck back and sweetly said they will not be coming back to help us unpack.” Jason rolls his eyes eight siblings, one younger than them aunt, two pseudo sisters-in-laws, a literal space traveling brother-in-law, three parental figures and one grandfatherly figure between the two of them and not one of them stuck around long enough to put all these boxes through the front door.

“We don’t know exactly how you want everything set up,” Connor had justified as he and Kyle started floating up into the sky and away as soon as the truck was full as if Jason, Roy and especially Lian wouldn’t happily boss them around with instructions of where to place things.

Stephanie, Tim and Damian even had the audacity to eat half the moving day pizza on their own, pick up one box together and then disappear. Teamwork Steph had called it before high fiving Roy and running after her boyfriend. Chaotic bisexuals Roy had sighed as they sped away on her motorcycle Damian already long gone slipping off like a silent shadow in the mid-day.

At least Roy and Jason hadn’t had to pay for the pizza they got one shared slice of, after twenty minutes of arguing about who should pay Oliver and Bruce had settled on splitting. Though knowing Bruce Jason would bet he added on a bigger tip when Ollie’s back was turned just to spite him.

“Do you think the Aqua Family treat each other this way?” Jason says watching as Lian tosses a small box up on the still covered in plastic couch and starts tearing at the tape.

“I bet they swim across the seven seas and happily move their family’s underwater décor without complaint,” Roy says as he slips behind Jason resting his chin on Jason’s shoulder. Together they survey the room with the knowledge that every other room in the house looks much the same, a labyrinth of boxes. It’s gonna take them weeks to unpack all the stuff from the workshop alone.

“I know we don’t know her as well as my dad and Bruce, but do you think if we put in a call to Zatanna she’d just,” Roy says flicking his hands around Jason’s waist in a pale comparison to the intricate patterns Jason’s seen her do in battle. “Ya know, poof and we’re unpacked.”

“I don’t think that’s gonna happen,” Jason sighs. Lian has fully opened the box now pulling out item after item that definitely all belong in the kitchen not on their living room couch.

Roy faux cries burying his face in Jason’s neck sadly. Jason reaches up a hand only slightly condescendingly patting at Roy’s head.

“Alright, we gotta start somewhere. Lian’s room is the priority, you and I have slept on far more uncomfortable things than a plastic wrapped couch,” he says, they’ve already got a start in there anyways thanks to Alfred the only member of their families who’s not an ingrate setting up her pink and green matching bed, bookshelf, desk and wall shelves without even being asked. Jason survey’s the room eyes falling over to the kitchen. “I’d say we shoot for finishing the kitchen tonight too, but we can always just order takeout again.”

“More pizza!” Lian squeals in delight twirling a bundle of measuring cups around and around in one hand.

“No, we’ll get something else,” Roy says and Lian’s face drops just a little. “Something with lots of vegetables, like Thai maybe.” She perks back up at that.

“As long as I don’t have to eat peas,” she grumbles trading the measuring cups out for a ladle she taps delightedly on the boxes flap.

“Fine, no peas,” Jason says slipping away from Roy and grabbing the box Lian has been playing around with as she shouts triumphantly about the lack of peas in her future. He tosses the things she’s taken out of the box back in and slides it onto the kitchen counter to deal with later.

“Go to your room and start unpacking the boxes labeled books first okay,” Roy says lifting her up from the couch her legs sticking to the plastic as he does and settling her feet on the ground. “Put some on the lower shelves, but don’t try to reach the high shelves without Jay or I’s help okay?”

Lian nods furiously skittering off clapping her hands in joy, her light up Scooby Doo shoes going wild with every step.

“Promise, Daddy!” she shouts as she hightails it up the stairs and turns the corner sharply. A light thud earns their attention as soon as she disappears from sight followed by silence.

“Lian?” Jason shouts after her already braced to rush the stairs if she doesn’t respond instantly. Roy does the same.

“I’m okay, I just kicked a box over!” she shouts back and they both breathe a sigh of relief. “And it knocked over two more!” she says with utter delight causing them both to chuckle.

“If we want to get this house done before she’s out of high school, we’re gonna need to send her for an archery range day with grandpa tomorrow,” Roy says walking over to Jason. He hops up onto the kitchen island kicking his feet out back and forth.

“And maybe an ice cream day with aunt Emiko the day after that, just in case,” Jason adds on as he settles himself between Roy’s dangling legs his back to Roy’s front. Roy wraps his arms back around him, placing his chin back where it had been in the living room.

They both gaze out across the rooms, across their home, across what it will be in a few days’ time. Jason never thought he’d call Star City home, hell he never thought he’d get out of the Narrows, but here he is a homeowner with a man he fully intends to keep for the rest of his life and a little girl he considers his daughter.

“It’s gonna look great when it’s all set up,” Roy says nuzzling his face softly to Jason’s temple. “The perfect mix of superhero chic and parents of a five-year-old who only occasionally cleans up after herself.”

“An interior designers dream,” Jason chuckles leaning back further into Roy’s arms.

“Jade’s gonna hate it,” Roy laughs.

“Oh god, I’ll fly Alfred out to help me clean just to be sure it’s spotless when the time comes. When does she get back from South America?”

“The fourteenth, she’s taking Lian for the week, remember?” Roy says pressing a quick kiss to Jason’s jaw. The fourteenth, that’s plenty of time to make it look it’s best to at least cut her sly judgements in half.

They’re quiet for a while comfortably listening to the rustling sound of Lian tearing tape off of boxes above them. She’s probably gonna be wrapped in it by the time they get up here.

“We own a house,” Jason says breaking the comfortable quiet still stunned by the fact they’ve made it here. Six years ago he walked away from Roy, the worst mistake he’s ever made, and somehow impossibly when he came crawling back Roy welcomed him with open arms and now they’re here. It feels almost too good to be true.

Roy nods and Jason can feel his smile against his neck.

“Your stuck with me now Jaybird,” he chuckles and Jason pulls Roy’s arms around him tighter, happily stuck. They bask in each other’s arms a little longer when the sound of tape gets louder and more prominent followed by a giggle and comical ‘oops’ from Lian.

“We better go help her before she mummifies herself in packing tape,” Roy chuckles slipping out from behind Jason and making his way to the stairs taking them two at a time. Jason hangs back for a moment just looking one last time at the space in front of him, looking at their home before following the sounds of tape being unwrapped from clothes and the laughter of the two most important people in his world.

#my fic #jayroy #jayroyweek2021 #jason todd #roy harper #writersmonth2021

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mochegato · 3 years

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Capturing a Dream

Chapter 11 – That Keeps Out the Danger

Chapter 1 Chapter 10

“How are we supposed to eat? We’re going to starve. You’re leaving us to starve. To wither away into nothingness.” Wally collapsed dramatically onto the kitchen island.

“Oh my God, drama queen. You don’t even live here. Go home and eat.” Chimera threw a kitchen towel in his face. He grabbed the towel as it hit him and fell back off of the barstool in an exaggerated drop, crying out as he fell.

“Yeah, Wally. You don’t even go here,” Robin grinned reaching to grab the cupcake left unguarded on his plate. He grumbled when Wally was able to get back up, get onto the barstool, and swipe it back again before he could take a bite. Chimera giggled at the reference until Robin turned his mischievous grin on her. Her giggles quickly quieted and her expression turned apprehensive. “And we don’t want to interrupt Chi’s date.”

Chimera rolled her eyes. Robin and Wally had been teasing her relentlessly since they found out she was going to be out of the Cave for the weekend and wouldn’t give them any details. They made the completely logical leap to claiming it was a date with Roy. She honestly wasn’t sure if it was intended to annoy her or Conner more, or more likely both. She was positive Robin’s ultimate goal in life was to antagonize every member of the Team and the Justice League with one comment, like the annoying, teenage menace he was. Honestly, she liked seeing it; a glimpse of normalcy in his life. But, that didn’t mean she appreciated it when it was turned on her.

“Yeah, you sure you won’t tell us where you two are going?” Wally teased, his words obscured by the bite of cupcake still in his mouth. “Roy won’t tell us anything.”

Chimera gave him a flat look. “Roy’s in India this week.”

“Ah, so that’s where you’re going. Guess portals have their advantages,” Wally snickered, waggling his eyebrows at her.

“Funny how she knew exactly what his plans were for this weekend, don’t you think, Conner,” Robin commented in exaggerated innocence, laying his arm on Conner’s shoulder.

Chimera’s mouth dropped, scandalized by the accusation. “You’re the one that told me.”

“I have no recollection of that conversation…” he answered seriously. He looked at the floor and shook his head, his hand stroking his chin in thought. “Actually, I do.” The grin he shot her was nothing short of terrifying. He leaned across the island to get in her face. “You asked me where Roy was going to be. You were very insistent,” he grinned, pushing into her face.

“I hate you. And if I had to ask you, that means I didn’t ask him, dork,” she pointed out, shoving Robin’s head away.

“Hey!” He cried out. “My hair!” He automatically reached up to fix his hair.

Chimera raised an eyebrow at him, a feral grin spreading across her face. “Oh no. No, no, no. Chi…” he warned, moving off the chair and backing slowly away from her. Once he got to the door, he took off running at full speed. Conner and Wally watched as Robin jumped the railing to drop down to the floor below. Chimera raced after him, jumping the railing with just as much grace as Robin. They could just hear their footsteps as they ran and accidentally collided with different objects.

“Really hope they don’t accidentally destroy anything,” Conner observed casually, swiping his own cupcake and taking a bite, “…again.” He smiled at the sound of Chimera and Robin’s laughter echoing off the walls.

“If they do, it won’t be accidental,” Wally noted as he stuffed his fourth cupcake in his mouth, glaring at Conner for taking one of the cupcakes Chimera had made for everyone. He turned sharply back toward where the two had run off to when they heard a loud yelp and even louder cackle. He shook his head and leaned back, waiting for Robin’s walk of shame back into the kitchen. He never outraced Chimera. She always caught him. He wasn’t sure why Robin even tried instead of just accepting his fate.

It only took a minute for Robin to slope back into the room and slouch back into his chair, pouting the entire way. He tried to subtly fix his now extremely ruffled hair. Chimera was only a few steps behind him, trying incredibly unsuccessfully to hold in her giggles.

“I hope your date sucks,” Robin grumbled into the floor.

“Not a date,” she singsonged and booped him on the nose.

“Hope Roy feels that way too,” Wally smirked, but his eyes were on Conner with an amused gleam at his scowl. Conner took a deep cleansing breath. He knew they were just teasing, but he really didn’t appreciate the joke.

Chimera pulled at Robin’s hoodie pocket, looking in it with a furrowed brow. “What are you doing?” Robin demanded, slapping her hands away.

“I’m looking for the brain call you two share. Someone has to have it,” she shrugged. “I figured it was your turn with it today.”

“I have it today, thank you very much!” Wally objected around the mouthful of his fifth cupcake.

Chimera stared at him blankly for a few seconds. Robin rolled his eyes and slumped against the island. “Idiot.”

Chimera shook her head. “I can’t believe they’re letting you guys go out unchaperoned,” she muttered

Robin scoffed. “I’m from Gotham. And I do this,” he motioned around them. “I can take care of myself.”

“I’m from Gotham,” Chimera mocked him in a poor imitation of his voice. “Being from Gotham doesn’t automatically give you better judgement than people from other places.”

Robin glowered at her, but before he could retort she continued in a softer tone. “I know you can take care of yourself and you’re responsible… on missions. But this isn’t a mission and you’re a kid. You should get to be one, which means making stupid decisions that adults try to talk you out of and they,” she motioned toward Wally and Conner, “don’t count. They’re more childish than you.”

“Hey,” Wally objected again. He narrowed his eyes at her. “Roy’s never going to kiss you if you keep being so mean.”

Chimera rolled her eyes. “I’m meeting my best friends.”

“Wow, already introducing him to the family. You and Roy are really moving quickly,” Robin quipped.

Chimera groaned and looked to the ceiling for patience. “You are such a little dick.”

Robin froze momentarily. Conner looked down to hide his grin, but there was no hiding his chuckles. Wally, however, was laughing so hard he was bent over holding his stomach, his body shaking with laughter so violently, he almost fell off his chair. Chimera gave him a concerned look, but Robin glared at him. After a few minutes of unbroken laughter, he finally tamed his laughter enough to pat Robin on the head and gasp out, “You really are… such a little Dick.” Robin lunged for him but he sped out of his reach before he could make contact.

Conner shook his head and focused back on Chimera. “Can you say where you guys are going? Or will that compromise your identity?”

Chimera cocked her head to the side in thought before quickly shaking her head. “I don’t think so. We’re going to Metropolis. My best friend wants a tour of the Daily Planet… and to try to meet Clark Kent or Lois Lane.”

Wally perked up. “You don’t say.”

Chimera grimaced. “Yeah. She’s a huge fan of them. She desperately wants to meet them.”

The boys started laughing at her. Robin finally spoke up with a devilish grin. “You know, you could make that happen.”

Chimera threw her arms out in defeat. “I know! But not without compromising my identity. And even if I could, how would that even work? Hey Supes, totally unrelated to me or my identity in any way, could you meet with this person I absolutely do not know on a very personal level for many years? Ugh. This is going to be awkward as hell. I’m going to be on his home turf… where he works… his territory. I’m going to have to pretend I don’t know him and didn’t go all Electro on him.”

Conner smiled at her catastrophizing. “He likes you. You remember that, right? And at the time, he was the bad guy so, if anything, you went all Storm on him.” He chuckled at the deadpan look she gave him. “If it makes you feel better, he’s off-world today and tomorrow.”

Chimera perked up with a hopeful grin. “Really?” Conner nodded. She bounced on her toes in excitement.

The action was so adorable on her Conner couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up. “Yes,” he reassured her.

Her smile suddenly turned into a wary look. “Are you sure? How do you know?”

Conner moved closer and rested his hands on her shoulders. “I talked to him. We’re trying to make time to hang out so we can get closer. So incredibly awkward but… anyway. He said he couldn’t do anything this weekend because he’ll be off-world.”

She gave him a sympathetic smile and moved under his arms to give him a hug. She lessened the pressure and rested her head on his chest, keeping her arms around him. He returned the gesture, wrapping his arms around her as well. “I’m glad to hear that. Not the he’s not here part, the he’s trying part… well, actually, both parts. I’m not going to lie. I’m really happy he won’t be there when I am. But I’m sad you guys can’t hang out this weekend.”

Conner smiled into her hair. “It’s okay. There’ll be other weekends. At least I know he isn’t trying to avoid me this time. It just means we get to have a boy’s weekend instead.” His expression turned concerned and he pulled back just enough to try to look her in the eyes. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay though? Last time you hung out with your friends it… you didn’t exactly come home happy.”

She smiled up at him. “Yeah. I’ll be fine. I’m excited. It’s going to be a lot of fun.” She gave him an extra squeeze before starting to pull away. “I won’t be in P… home,” she quickly corrected herself, “this time, so it should be good.”

Conner pulled her back into a tight hug. “Okay, well… if you need us, I’m only one call away… or you know just show up wherever we are,” he whispered.

She craned her neck so she could rest her chin on his chest and look at him with a smile. “Portals have their advantages.”

“You two are disgusting! Get a room,” Wally groaned dramatically. He threw the towel Chimera had thrown at him earlier back at her. Chimera squeaked and jumped away from Conner, while Conner caught it before it could reach her. “You’re going to make Roy jealous if you keep it up.” Conner sent Wally a vicious glare that Wally completely ignored.

“Right. On that note…” She reached down for her bag but rolled her eyes at Robin when she saw he’d already grabbed it. “I’m stronger than you. You know that, right?”

“Yeah, don’t care,” Robin shrugged. “Wouldn’t want to disappoint Agent A with bad manners.”

She snorted and shook her head. “Sounds incredibly sexist, but whatever. Unless you’re planning on doing the same for them,” she motioned to Conner and Wally. Robin furrowed his brow at her, but kept his grip on her bag. “Then it isn’t manners, it’s sexism.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “I’m going to tell A you said that.”

“Go ahead, I’ll own it,” she shrugged. “And he’ll agree with me.” She turned toward Wally and Conner with a small wave. “Okay, you guys have fun. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Conner scoffed. “That doesn’t narrow it down much.” He grinned at her when she let out an offended scoff.

“Don’t worry, we won’t accidentally destroy anything. Can you say the same?” Wally grinned.

“I don’t destroy everything I touch,” she groused, “just almost everything,” she muttered the last bit to the floor with a frown. She quickly recovered and looked back up at him with an exaggerated smile. “But, with the three of you going out unsupervised, I highly doubt something isn’t going to end up destroyed intentionally.” She narrowed her eyes challengingly at Wally. “In fact, I bet my trip is less destructive than yours.”

Wally sat up and grinned back at her. “Oh, you’re on. Two dozen cupcakes every day for a week if I win. My choice of flavors.”

“And no eating any food I make for a week if I win,” she smirked back at him.

“You know, there’s more than just you two in on this bet,” Conner reminded them.

“Oh? And what is it you want from Chimera when we win?” Robin asked with a devious smirk.

Conner glared darkly at him, but his cheeks turned a bright red. “I get to choose what we watch for a week.”

Chimera groaned and dropped her head. “Nooooo.”

“Backing out?” he grinned, raising a challenging eyebrow and moving closer to tower over her.

“Never,” she scoffed. “Just trying to imagine a full week of exclusively Conner-chosen programming.” She pretended to shudder. “The horror.”

He grinned down at her and took a step closer again until he was almost chest to chest with her. “Better not lose then.”

Chimera matched his grin and straightened up. “Oh I don’t intend to. There’s no way you guys will be able to stop yourselves from getting involved in any and every drama you walk in on. By the way, getting into a fight counts, even if you don’t destroy any property.”

The moment was broken when Robin spoke up. “I want chocolate macarons.”

Chimera shook her head and gave a sweet smile to Conner as she made her way to the door. She bumped Robin’s shoulder as she passed him. “Dream on, Bird Boy.”

Wally watched her leave the room with Robin and turned to Conner. “Whatever happens this weekend, we absolutely cannot allow anything to get destroyed because of us. Agreed?”

Conner nodded. “Agreed.”

Robin watched Chimera closely as they walked. She was quieter than usual. Normally she’d still be trash talking with him about the bet. She was extremely competitive and her personality flourished when there was a challenge. But now, she had a carefully crafted neutral expression on her face that he would have absolutely bought if he didn’t know her better. “You sure you’re okay?” he asked.

She smiled at him. A fake smile that he didn’t buy for a second. “Of course. You just heard me tell Conner, it’ll be fine.” She looked back forward quickly.

“Are you upset about us teasing you about Roy?”

She huffed out a laugh. “No. It’s fine. Honestly, less teasing than my friends back home would do. I’m tough. I can take it.”

Robin looked back toward the kitchen. “I don’t know that Conner feels the same way,” he said carefully.

Chimera eyed him suspiciously. “Robin…” She pursed her lips and took a breath. “Then maybe you should stop doing it around him.”

“Maybe you should put him out of his misery, and yours,” Robin snapped back a bit harsher than he meant.

“Robin, you know I can’t,” she shook her head and looked down.

“I just want to… you two just seem so… are you sure?” he tried again.

“Robin…” she repeated, but her voice was considerably sadder this time. She pursed her lips and looked back forlornly toward where Conner and Wally were waiting for Robin. She let out a deep sigh that became a boom sound and expanded her fingers out, miming an explosion. “Yeah, I’m sure.”

“Does it really matter if you’re officially together or not when things like that,” he motioned toward the kitchen, “happen so often? You guys are… you’re perfect for each other. You make each other happy. I can’t believe you’re not meant to be together.”

“Yes, it does,” she answered sharply. “It matters. That’s what I’ve learned. That’s what the universe taught me.”

He took a deep breath to prepare himself for this. He’d been working on what to say for a few weeks. Just the right way to phrase it so it hit right, so she thought it was a matter of helping him, not herself. Because that was her weakness, if you could call it that; protecting the people she loved, whatever the cost to her. “I just… the result of being a hero can’t be to be miserable. I need to believe that you can still be happy, that I can be happy, but between you and Batman...”

“Of course you can be happy,” she jumped in instantly, just as Robin had been hoping she would. “You and Zatanna are happy now. And even if that doesn’t last, you know you still can be. And Batman…” she grimaced unsure how to sell a happy Batman. “Wally! He and Artemis are adorable.”

“Oh come on. Wally’s going to mess that up, you know him,” Robin scoffed.

Chimera rolled her eyes. “And Artemis will knock him back into shape. You know her. No, I think they’re in it for the long haul. ‘Til death do them part.”

Robin shook his head. He needed to focus it back to her and him. “I need to know that someone like you gets to be happy too, or what’s the point? We’re constantly in terrible situations. We constantly see miserable things. That’s a part of our lives… but we can still be happy… right?” He was laying it on thick. He knew he was laying it on thick and he knew that if anyone else was doing this other than him, Chimera would have picked up on it all of two seconds into the conversation. But he needed to get to her, to make her stop and think. And if that meant manipulating her into it, he’d do it… again. But she was like a sister to him. She was family. And when it’s family, it isn’t manipulating, it’s meddling. And meddling is okay. Meddling is the way family show they love each other.

“Being in terrible situations doesn’t mean your personal life has to be too. But, it’s different for me, Robin. Things… things get destroyed when I fall in love; buildings, monuments, countries, moons, planets… The universe made sure I understood my lesson well. But you!” She gave him a bright smile and set her hands on his shoulders. “You have a heart so big. It could....”

Robin gaped at her. “You know he was just teasing right?” he interrupted before she could finish her sentence. “About you destroying stuff everywhere you go. Chi, you… you don’t… Chi, that isn’t anywhere near the truth. Terrible things happened, but that isn’t your fault. That’s the situations you were forced into. It isn’t you!”

Chimera nodded at him and gave him an utterly unconvincing smile. “Yeah. I know.” She gave him a quick hug and pulled away almost as quickly. “You guys have fun, okay? And if you need anything, just give me a call, okay?” She ruffled his hair again before punching her destination into the Zeta tube interface. “I’ll get notified even if I’m not transformed.”

“Chi,” Robin started again, but she was already standing in the Zeta tube platform. There wasn’t enough time to finish that conversation, so instead he answered with, “yeah, okay. I will.” He continued to stare at the Zeta tube for a few seconds before making his way back to the kitchen.

“Did you tell her?” Conner asked as soon as Robin made it back to the kitchen.

Robin shook his head, still looking back toward the Zeta tube. Conner nodded at his response. “That’s probably for the best. She'd freak out if she knew. She’d be looking over her shoulder the entire time.”

“Yeah, what are the odds we'd run into them anyway?” Wally grinned. “Now come on! We need to get going too. We just need to make sure we go to the Metropolis entrance she didn’t use.”

“Right,” Conner nodded and started walking to the Zeta tubes. “You got our bags, right Robin?”

<><><><><>

“And just twenty minutes ago, I was so happy Superman isn’t in town this weekend,” Marinette sighed and banged her head against the wall she was leaning against.

“He’s what!” Alya whisper yelled. Adrien and Nino shushed her while Chloe scoffed at her. “Go ahead and announce our presence, why don’t you?” Nino put his hand on Alya’s shoulder to keep her from pouncing on Chloe.

Marinette tried to tune them out as she assessed the scene in front of her. There were at least three figures on their floor, but there had been at least four more that had taken any people they saw back down to the toy store’s main floor with the rest of the hostages and she spotted a different three coming up as the others were going down. That was ten, but they had no way to know how many were in the store. The marionette looking villains were holding everyone they caught in an area that was out of their line of sight.

“Don’t know if the Bat is covering for him, but he is off-world. We are likely on our own,” Marinette whispered distractedly. “Trixx, can you peek at the main area and see how many captors you see and estimate how many victims there are.” Trixx nodded in understanding and phased through the floor.

“Oh well that’s just brilliant, isn’t it,” Chloe groused. “This was your idea, Agreste. I wanted to go to a spa, but noooo. We had to visit the giant toy store. ‘It’ll be such a fun end to the visit,’” she groused in a poor imitation of his voice. “And now we’re in the middle of yet another attack, without magic protection. And there’s no miracle cure for this. If anything happens, just know, I blame you.”

“You’re welcome to hide, you know,” Adrien pointed out quietly.

“No, I’m going to help. I’m just going to complain the entire time,” Chloe groused again.

“So, no different than usual,” Nino nodded, keeping his eyes on the situation in front of him.

Chloe glared at him, but before she could retort Trixx popped back up. “I counted nine doll-looking guys downstairs, Guardian. And at least twenty-five people being held by them,” Trixx reported quietly.

Marinette nodded, silently processing all the information she had. “Got a plan?” Adrien asked barely above a whisper, keeping his eyes on the main aisle.

Marinette ignored him, running scenarios through her head. “They’re moving strangely. Their movements are stunted. Either they’re not human or someone else is controlling them.”

“Or both,” Adrien added quietly.

“Or both,” Marinette agreed. “What do you think the odds are that they are… like robotic marionettes?”

Nino nodded along with her train of thought. “I’d say high. They all walk too oddly to be human and there’s too many to each be remote controlled, so robot seems most likely.”

Marinette gave a single nod. Her face morphed into a determined look, ready to go into battle. “We can use that against them.”

“Suit up?” Alya asked.

Marinette’s body tensed at the thought. Finally after a few seconds, she took a deep breath and let it out. “Not unless necessary. There’s an awful lot of cameras around here and I don’t have extra miraculous for you guys. We’re going to have to figure out a way to lure some away from the main group without the others noticing anything. Chloe, think you can work something out?” She stared at the stairway as she spoke.

“Can I get someone’s complete attention and manipulate them into doing what I want? Are you seriously asking me that?” she scoffed.

Marinette rolled her eyes. “Well then get on it. It would help if we could find something to fight with.”

Alya cleared her throat lightly. “Anyone feel like channeling Harley Quinn?” she asked with a smirk, twirling a bat in her hands.

“Yes!” Adrien whisper yelled.

“Fine, but I’m not dying my hair though or doing the pigtails,” Chloe grunted.

<><><><><>

Marinette had always had an appreciation for stuffed cats. She’d had one on her bed for years before she became Ladybug and after she did, she had an affinity for Chat Noir themed stuffies. She still had one on her bed in the Cave. But she can honestly say she has never been as thankful for them as she was right now.

She rolled off the large stuffed cat she had landed on when she tackled the marionette doll, causing both of them to fall over the railing. Her smartest move? No. But it was trying to drag an unconscious Chloe away. She had to stop it and maybe she had some anger issues lately resulting from violently repressing any slightly negative emotions for years, a fact which she was not willing to admit to anyone else currently.

“I’m counting that for me as a save,” Adrien whisper yelled down to her.

“It’s pink,” she called back. She raised her hand as she spoke, narrowing her eyes toward Adrien. She grabbed the bat Nino threw to her in one seeming effortless motion without taking her eyes off of Adrien. She used the momentum from the catch to smoothly swing the bat back up, connecting to the marionette robot’s head. She didn’t knock it completely off, but she managed to sever enough wires and connections in the neck to make it collapse on the floor. “… that makes it count as mine,” she finished.

“Bullshit,” Adrien pouted.

Marinette smirked at him quickly before her face turned serious. “How many are left?”

“I think they’re all gone, at least the ones in here,” a voice answered.

Marinette’s head snapped to the familiar voice. “Con… can I assume you took care of a few of them as well?” she winced internally at the extremely awkward transition to cover her gap.

“We got four of them,” Robin confirmed, coming up next to Conner. Conner kept his focus on Marinette. There was something incredibly familiar in her eyes, but he couldn’t place it, but whatever it was, he was having a hard time looking away.

Marinette nodded. “We got six, I think.” She turned up toward the second level. “That sound right?”

Nino nodded. “We each got one and that one makes two for you.”

Marinette nodded in understanding and started reviewing what she knew. “That’s ten. There were at least twelve. Are you sure…”

“That’s only five,” Wally interrupted her looking from her friends to her.

Marinette looked back up to her friends and realized the confusion. “No, we have another friend. She got knocked out.”

“Where?” Adrien asked.

Marinette gave him a confused look. “There?”

“What?” Nino asked, coming up next to him.

“There. It knocked her out right before I tackled it. That’s why I did it. She was right next to where I went over,” Marinette explained slowly.

“She’s not up here, M,” Alya said.

“Son of a…” Adrien growled, taking off to look for her. The rest followed suit, running down different aisles to find Chloe. Marinette ran up the stairs two at a time to help look.

“Who are we looking for?” Wally asked. “I mean what does she look like?”

“Blonde, blue eyes, yellow shirt, pissed off scowl,” Marinette answered over her shoulders, feeling completely confident he would use his powers to search for her. Her suspicion was confirmed when she felt two rushes of air at her side. She strained her ears and was just barely able to hear him tell Robin that he didn’t find anyone like that. She mentally cursed and started trying to figure out a plan before she even reached the top of the stairs.

“I didn’t find her,” Adrien announced, walking back toward them.

“Me either,” Alya and Nino chorused coming from their sections of the store.

“Damn it. Are you sure there aren’t any more of those robot things in here?” Marinette asked the Team.

Wally nodded. “We’re positive.”

Marinette nodded and started moving toward the far wall. “Did any of you see an exit up here?”

“Yeah, over there,” Wally motioned toward a back corner.

“You think she was taken?” Conner asked.

Marinette nodded moving quickly toward the exit. “She got knocked out. Even if she’d woken up, she’d be too weak to leave on her own, especially without notifying one of us. She knows the protocols.”

“You guys have protocols for going after villains?” Robin asked skeptically.

Alya scoffed at him. “You don’t?”

Robin blinked at her a few times. “I’m from Gotham, of course I have protocols for it.”

“You guys should stay and talk to the police. We’ll look for your friend,” Wally promised, giving the other Team members a look of understanding. Conner and Robin nodded in agreement.

“We’ll go with you,” Marinette stated with finality.

“No, we got it,” Conner stated in the same tone.

She cocked an eyebrow at him. “Okay, we’ll go separate.” She shrugged at him. She turned back to Nino and Alya. “Can you listen to the police gossip and do some research, see if you can figure out who might be behind it and let us know along with anything else you find.”

“Will do, L… Dudette,” Nino stuttered. He grimaced internally at the almost slip up. “We’ll talk to the police while you go get our girl.”

With her attention on Nino, she missed the Team slipping out the door, though Adrien watched them with a curious look. Marinette turned to Adrien. “You don’t have to come with us… if you’d rather stay with Alya and Nino.”

Adrien shook his head and gave her a supportive smile. “I’m with you, ‘til the end of the line.”

Marinette gave him a flat look. “You realize the guy that said that almost died, got his mind wiped and turned into a super assassin, killed Tony Stark’s parents, and tried to kill the person he said it to. Maybe not the bar to go for.”

Adrien shrugged and let out a noncommittal grunt. “Worked out in the end. I have complete faith in you. I always have.” He gave her a meaningful look. She gave him a guilty look that he couldn’t allow to continue. “You want to tell me about…” he motioned to the door where the Team had escaped through, changing the focus of the conversation away from their past and onto her present.

Marinette held her finger up for him to wait and typed out a text she didn’t send. ‘I’m not allowed to say.’ His eyes widened and he motioned toward the door with his head. He mouthed ‘really?’ She nodded in confirmation.

“What the hell… Are you sure this is a good idea?” Adrien gave her a dubious look.

She smiled at him. “I’m not sure, but I’m not going to not get Chloe. Can you imagine the fallout from that? Leaving her rescue to someone else?”

Adrien grimaced. “Valid.”

“And I really want to. I mean I’m,” she motioned to herself, “and they’re,” she motioned toward the door they had gone through. “I’ve never gotten to… they’ve never… I don’t know if this will happen again.”

Adrien nodded and gave her an understanding look. “Yeah, I get that. Okay. Let’s do this.”

She gave him a wide excited grin, and started bouncing on her toes. “Yay!” She focused back on her phone and started tapping rapidly.

“You got her?” he asked coming up next to her to look at her screen.

“Just a second.” She tapped her screen a few more times. “Got her,” she said tilting her phone to show Adrien.

Adrien nodded and pulled his phone out. He pulled up his messaging app and followed her example, typing a text he didn’t send. ‘You let Batman know?’

Marinette smiled and nodded as she typed a response. ‘Already sent him her phone’s info and who’s looking for her… as civilians. Wish was a video call. Know he would have smirked.’

They pushed through the exit, almost running into the Team, who were talking in hushed tones. Robin tucked his phone in his back pocket.

“I told you before, we got this,” Conner insisted. “The way you took care of that robot before was impressive, but this is likely to get a lot more dangerous. We can handle it.”

Marinette cocked her head to the side, opening her eyes wide in exaggerated innocence. “Thank you, but… then it’s dangerous for you too, isn’t it?” She looked at Robin and Wally and back to him. “I mean we’re all in the same boat here, right? Experience wise?” She ignored the coughing fit Adrien faked to cover up his laughter.

Robin spoke up, “I’m from Gotham. We’re used to villains kidnapping people. We know how to handle it.”

Adrien raised an eyebrow and shared a look with Marinette. “And we’re from Paris,” he intoned. “It was a lifestyle for a few years there.”

Marinette quirked her lip to the side in an amused smirk at the boys’ confused stares. “Look, it’s our friend who got kidnapped and it’s our drama you’ve walked in on. We’re going. If you guys are so insistent on getting involved with our drama, we won’t stop you.” Robin opened his mouth to say something, but before he could get it out, Marinette continued. “So Gotham, try to keep up, because we’re able to track her,” she held up her phone which showed a map with a dot moving on it. “…so unless you have a bloodhound in that hoodie pocket, we’re leading the way.” She ruffled his hair as she passed him to get to the stairs. Was she being a terrible older sister? No. She was being an amazing older sister, pushing all his buttons. Isn’t that how all families showed love? And the best part was he didn’t know to get her back for it. Free harassment. What kind of sister would she be if she passed that up?

Robin glared at her and Conner didn’t look much happier, likely upset because it meant they wouldn’t get to use their superpowers, but still followed her down the stairs. She was right. They had no way to track their friend without their help. They would just have to hold off on the superpowers until they got closer and hope they could break off to where the two couldn’t see them rescuing their friend. Wally however, was grimacing as he brought up the end of the line behind Adrien on the stairs, thinking about the cupcakes he was about to lose. Maybe if they didn’t cause too much more damage, they could still win.

“This isn’t the first time we’ve had to rescue Chloe from a villain’s hench… thing. I swear if I had a nickel for every time she’s gotten kidnapped… I’d only have like fifteen or twenty nickels but still it’s strange that it’s happened that many times.” Marinette looked back over her shoulder with a smirk, like she was in on a private joke.

Adrien set his mouth and pursed his lips. He refused to laugh at her comment, no matter how badly he wanted to. He looked between the guy behind him and the two ahead of him with an overly bright smile. “Hi, I’m Adrien. If we’re working together, we should probably know each other’s names.”

“Wally,” Wally offered with a chuckle. Unlike Adrien, he had no issue laughing at her comment.

“Robin,” Robin stated diplomatically, still trying to figure out if her comment was correct. He’d been the victim of kidnapping attempts multiple times both as Dick and Robin, but he didn’t know why her friend would have been so often.

Conner continued to stare at Marinette mutely, trying to figure her out better. If he stared long enough, maybe he could place where he’d seen her beautiful eyes before. Marinette gave him a bright, warm smile. “Oh,” Marinette paused and turned to look back at them as they all got onto the ground with a bright, warm smile, “Marinette. My name is Marinette.”

Conner looked away. Marinette thought she saw his cheeks darken slightly when their eyes met, but that could have easily been the taillights from the car that just parked near them. “Conner,” he grumbled.

Marinette nodded at him, giving him a sweet smile. “It is really nice to meet you,” she said earnestly, looking at the other Team members, “all of you.” She took a beat to look at them without a mask and nodded. “Okay, let’s get going then, before Chloe breaks a nail and we have to hear about it for the next six months,”

“Or you know, someone dies,” Conner argued, following her down the road.

Adrien shook his head behind him. “I don’t think we have to worry about that. She won’t kill anyone.”

“Probably… unless they mess with her hair,” Marinette added.

“Most likely,” Adrien agreed with a nod.

Robin gave Wally a confused, questioning look as they followed behind. Wally returned the look. Who the hell were these people?

Chapter 12

Tags:

@mickylikesstuff @mystery-5-5 @roguishredaxion @vroomtaka @laurcad123 @just-an-observer-ignore-me @emimar7 @moonlightstar64 @maribat-writing-and-prompts @aespades @yokomisaki @glastwime859 @mysticknown @glastwime859 @fan-writtenen @stackofrandomstuff @jalaluvsu @ultimatetornshipper @charme-de-malchan @lozzybowe @deathwishy @too0bsessedformyowngood @kokotaru @ichigorose @nathleigh @dorkus-minimus @ira-sairain @jayjayspixiepop

#maribat #Capturing a Dream #connette #connerette #konmari #marikon #conner x marinette #Marinette x Conner

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jasonspetertodds · 2 years

Text

It's That Time of Year

warnings: swearing, christmas

a/n: a holiday special for you all :)

Jason stood slight to the right of the aisle, his hand gently holding a loose leaf bag of citrus tea. While the Wayne family were technically Jewish they acknowledged Christmas. Jason knew it was both in part due to Dick's arrival at the manor, and in part because it was the only holiday they were all guaranteed to have off. Which he was certain why Bruce did it, the sneaky bastard. Jason hummed at the thought, tossing the tea into his basket before reaching up and grabbing some Chamomile tea. It wasn’t that big of a deal, they still had a menorah at the manor, Alfred still made the traditional Jewish foods only made on high holidays and they still played dreidel, but saved the gift giving for Christmas. They would all always run a short patrol in their respective territories on Christmas Eve, full of a feast of Alfred’s Christmas dinner. Then, they would converge back at the manor in the morning for their hot drinks of choice and gift opening. Jason normally slept at his apartment after Christmas Eve patrol, preferring to host and entertain Roy and Kori for the evening and exchanging gifts with them. He continued deeper into the little store, searching for butter for his short bread cookies. His mind switched over to the gifts he still needed to wrap. He had already gotten Alfred his favorite high quality blend of tea. It had cost a small fortune, but that didn't matter to Jason. He would kill for Alfred, a couple grand was nothing. It was hard to wrap, but Alfred would appreciate the sentiment more than any wrapping paper Jason could adorn it with.

He had a few last minute things to pick up, but he was cautiously optimistic about it. It was always hard, especially Bruce. What could he possibly get someone who already had everything? Who could buy himself anything he wanted? He felt a twinge of irritation bury itself like a tick in his chest at that, fucking rich families. But, regardless, Jason felt like he had done a pretty damn good job at gift giving this year. Maybe it would make his time at the manor less miserable.

He tilted his head to the side, studying the unsalted butter, looking for his specific brand. He could use another bag of granulated sugar, Gods knew he was doing a lot of baking. He sighed, shaking thoughts of wrapping out of his head and wondering if he should make pain au chocolats, too. Maybe I should text Alfred, he mused going for his butter. Jason dropped the copious amounts of butter in his little basket and kept moving. He hustled over to the granulated sugar, trying to stave off the inevitable agitation that came with the holidays.

He wound up dropping a bag of confectioner's sugar in his basket along with his granulated sugar. Knowing that Roy and Kori would not end the night without a Belgium waffle covered in powdered sugar and getting all over Jason's couch. He threw in a bag of brown sugar too, what the hell. He might as well. He had about twelve people who all would eat their weight in cookies.

Shit. Did he need eggs?

He turned on his heel and marched back to the refrigerated section, looking for some nice organic cage free brown eggs. He dropped two dozen in and swiftly made his way up to the tiny front counter to checkout. He gave a polite, if a little gruff greeting to the cashier, still distracted by his thoughts.

He opened his wallet a bit to harshly, tugging out one of his credit cards and paying for his meager groceries. He gave a smile and a polite head nod at the cashier before hauling his reusable cloth bag onto his shoulder and making his way back to his apartment before patrol.

He breezed into his chicken, pulling out all the stuff he needed for chimichangas for Roy and Kori. He glanced at his clock on his stove top, humming to himself. He still had a while to get his wrapping done, hopefully before patrol and plenty of time to make all the sweets he wanted to. Jason smiled, feeling some of the tension in his shoulders subside.

Halfway through frying his chimmichangas, he heard the chime on his phone. He tugged it out of his pocket, smiling at the text.

Roytoy: Kori and I are parking rn. Be up in two seconds :)

He typed out a quick response before going to retrieve their presents from his closet, setting them under his tree before going back to fish out the first of the changas from the oil. He could feel his giddiness bubble up in his chest as he waited in anticipation. God, he had missed his friends.

He really couldn't help the smile that tugged on his lips when he heard Roy's footsteps down the hall, turning the stove down, his chest tight with excitement. There was a light knock and Jason tried to maintain a normal pace to the door. He couldn't help it, this was probably going to be the one bright spot he had for the next week. He was allowed to be excited.

He threw open threw open the door, revealing Kori draped around Roy's shoulder's, her heeled feet dangling a couple inches above the carpet. Jason snickered. Roy was absolutely beaming, matching how Jason felt. Kori immediately untangled herself from the redhead, going to wrap Jason in fierce yet gentle hug. Jason relaxed into her hold, vaguely registering that he was floating. Kori twirled, lowering them to the ground so Roy could join the hug.

They hadn't even said anything to each other yet and Jason already felt cocooned in a loving warmth. Roy fit his arms around his shoulders, Kori draped across both of them as Jason snaked his hands around their waists. His nose buried somewhere in the mix of both Kori and Roy's hair. It was so good to see them.

He knew he had the stupidest smile when he pulled away and they finally greeted each other.

"Food's done," He said, nodding his head to the counter in his little kitchenette.

"It smells amazing," Roy exclaimed, swiftly sidestepping Jason and over to pile as many as he could onto his plate, grabbing a few cut vegetables along the way as Kori went to grab the presents under the tree. Jason just smiled, going to grab his own plate.

"It's so good to see you," Roy said through a mouthful of food, dribbling sour cream down his chin. "And this is the fucking best thing I've had to eat in a while." Kori nodded appreciatively, once again going to hug Jason, "I'm glad you are well, Jason."

He smirked, "Thanks."

Roy reached across the table to punch him in the bicep, "Shut up," He said playfully, "You missed us."

Jay's smile broadened before he admitted, "Yeah, sure."

God, was it good to see them. They had been in his apartment for all of ten minutes and his face already hurt from smiling so much. At some point Kori had worked her way over to Jason's side of the table, her hand full of an odd assortment of horned melon (that Jason got especially for her) and vegetables. Her other hand had entangled itself in his hair. He relaxed the tiniest bit at her touch, snickering when she had to bend down considerably in order to manage the action. Kori would never miss an opportunity to tower over a man, her heels just added insult to injury.

"We watching Die Hard tonight?"

Jason scoffed, automatically responding, "Oh, abso-fucking-lutely."

Roy laughed, but Jason sheepishly amended his statement when he saw the disdain in Kori's eyes, "We can do a double feature, we can watch Kori's favorite, too."

Roy groaned, rolling his eyes so hard Jason was concerned the readhead sprained his ocular muscles. Whining, "Jaybird you can not be serious."

Jason shrugged while Kori smiled smugly from above him.

"It's only fair," Kori declared, getting up to get more food, "I have to suffer through your stupid human man movie for your holiday custom, you can watch my favorite."

Jason snickered, knowing Kori's thoughts on Earth action movies. Roy groaned again, grabbing his fifth changa of the night, before grumbling, "It's not fair because Jason likes your holiday soap operas."

Kori threw the redhead a completely unamused look while deadpanning, "Because Jason has taste."

Jason choked around his cucumber slice, his entire boy shaking as he tried to hold back his laughter. Roy had a sheepish smile on his face as he shook his head in disbelief, apparently accepting his fate.

"Ouch."

And with that the entire mood lightened, they all fell into a pile of boisterous laughter. They talked a while longer, laughing over eggnog and the sweets Jason had baked earlier in the afternoon. Kori had about two handfuls of orange zest cookies, paired with his Russian tea cookies. Roy had gone more traditional with chocolate chip walnut cookies. Jason had gone for some of Alfred's cinnamon bread the butler had given him the last time he'd seen him.

"Presents?" Kori said hopefully, perking up considerably from her perch on the couch. Roy nodded in agreement.

Jason dropped their plates in his sink, nodding along. He had about an hour before he was due to go out on patrol. He knew when he came back they would curl up on the couch to watch their movies with warm hot chocolate. He would prefer to wait to open his gifts, but he couldn't quite tamp down his curiosity.

"Yay!" Kori exclaimed, gliding over to give them each their presents. Jason was sure his endearment shined through in his eyes as he saw the Red Hood printed wrapping paper on his gifts. Kori's featured a repeating pattern of his red bat symbol and his red eyed domino mask in horizontal lines. Roy's featured his helmet, white eyes and all, with differing expressions and some of them featuring a red Santa had slouching to the side. He snorted.

He handed them his, Kori smiling while Roy rolled his eyes at the Teen Titan paper Jason had managed to scrounge up in a thrift store. The second he saw it, there wasn't any way in hell he wasn't buying it. Kori's obviously feature her, while Roy's was Speedy. Roy's smile was fond, though.

Kori was absolutely vibrating in excitement next to Jason, nodding for him to go first. He sighed, still fond as he tore open his present from her. He pulled out a soft purple fabric, his eyebrows drawing together as he thumbed the fabric. Kori had a small smile on her face, "It's modified Tamaranean armor-- You could form your own armor if you would like or line your existing uniform. I also sought giving you the most information I could gather on the subject, so you are adequately knowledgeable for its capabilities."

Jason nodded appreciatively, saying in earnest, "Thank you."

It never ceased to amaze him how thoughtful Kori was. He knew, of course, that the she wanted him to be as safe as he could and this was her way of ensuring it. He was touched. She nudged Roy next to her, beaming up at him, "Now you!"

Roy nodded along, complying as he tore open his gift. He had the smuggest smile on his face as he revealed what Jason could only describe as a metric fuckton of Tamaranean arrows. His smile was the widest Jason had ever seen it, "Kori, you shouldn't have."

He winced, thinking about all the destruction that Roy could incur with a single one of those things. He supposed he was doubly grateful that he had the armor. Kori seemed to pick up on his distress, gently placing a hand on his forearm, "Do not worry, Jason. I modified them. I am no fool."

Jason laughed while Roy whined indistinctly aside him, his broad smile dashed and while he pouted. Kori did know better and he shouldn't have doubted that.

"Your turn, Kor."

The princess absolutely lit up, wasting no time as she ripped her wrapping paper to shreds. Her eyes lit up the second she managed to slide the box up. Inside rested a gorgeous necklace, dripping with white diamonds with the biggest teardrop emerald money could buy as the centerpiece. It was flanked by two matching earrings.

She immediately threw the packaging to the side, clutching her jewelry as close to her as she could before wrapping Jason in a hug.

"It is gorgeous. I love it. Thank you!"

"Of course," He replied easily. Kori was a warrior princess after all, with an affinity for green and silver accents. When Jason saw it there was no doubt who it was for. She immediately put it on, touching it tenderly as she picked out the framed pictures Jason had given her. One was an updated picture of their generation of Titans, a picture Jason had pilfered off of Dick's phone and the other one was a picture of the Outlaws. Kori had the softest expression on her face as she glanced down at the pictures, then up at Jason, clearly touched by the thoughtfulness of the gift.

Jason allowed a shy smile to creep onto his face, quickly clearing his throat to dispel the uncomfortably charged atmosphere in the room. Kori gracefully ignored her friend's discomfort and moved right along to Roy's gift. Smirking when she produced a metallic gauntlet, a lavender diamond (that Jason was sure Roy somehow managed to make himself) sat in the center ring, with tendrils of delicate diamonds espousing from it and connecting to a bracelet. Jason felt a deep amusement settle in him at them both getting Kori a small fortune in jewelry. Roy also produced a small, feline Build-a-Bear dressed head to toe in Kori's superhero outfit, M-shaped tiara and all.

Kori hug it to her chest, seeming very much pleased with what her friends had gotten her. Jason felt pride warm his chest. Kori hugged both of them, before asking, "Now you?"

Jay shook his head, "Roy's got one more to open."

Roy heft up his present from Jason, utterly confused as to how heavy it was. Jason had a knowing smirk on his features., watching as his friend read the note attached.

"No fucking way," He exclaimed, looking Jason full in the face in shock before a mischievous smile overtook his features, "You did not get me processed uranium."

"Jason!" Kori admonished, scandalized. It was more from him encouraging Roy and then anything else, he knew. But Kori didn't have a lot of room to talk, especially after giving him arrows from a warlike race. Jason just shrugged her off, watching Roy's entire demeanor change seeing his copy of the photos Jason had given Kori.

He had thrown in a candid of Roy and Lian one afternoon at the park that he had sneakily taken. Lian was perched on her Dad's lap, laughing at something he said, cone of ice cream dangerously close to falling over while Roy wore the picture of pride looking at his daughter. It was one of the sweetest pictures Jason had ever seen. He had also gotten a copy small enough to fit in a wallet, if needed. And oh god he could not stand the look on Roy's face.

The poor bastard was so close to tears and Jason really could not deal.

He gave Roy a second to try and get himself under control before ripping open his last present from Roy. He had also gotten a Build-a-Bear, a black bear equipped with push guns and dressed in his suit.

"The helmet's removable," Roy said proudly and Jason was suddenly struck with a realization that almost made him tear up. The bears had to be from Lian. Christ. He was soft. Soft and gooey. She had to have made one for her Dad and Jason couldn't wait to see the little Arsenal plush she had come up with. He shook his head, forcing himself to focus on the gift Roy had gotten him.

There was a whole cache of bullets rolling around in the box, with a whole host of blueprints at the bottom. Some where to upgrade his bike and fuel efficiency with hydrogen while the others were for biodegradable bullets? In the center of all that though was a giant flamethrower. Jason cackled maniacally at the sight of it, sure it was the same one (granted with a couple of upgrades) that Roy had used on him so long ago.

They exchanged thanks, hugs and merriment once more before they all suited up to head out on patrol. Jason allowed it, mostly because he knew it would piss Bruce off to no end to have a meta and Oliver Queen's sidekick patrol Gotham with him. They decided that when they got back they would, indeed, be having hot chocolate, their movie night and helping Jason decide on a name for his newly acquired kitten.

#this is frankensteined together so sorry if i missed things editing #part two will be up tomorrow #jason todd #red hood #jason todd fanfic #red hood fanfiction #merry crimis eve!#i hope you all enjoy :)#tw swearing #tw christmas #koriand'r #starfire #roy harper #arsenal

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woahajimes · 3 years

Text

He is imprisoned, here, alone. In the deserted empire of his own body. Between his blood and his muscles, his bones and his cartilage. In between his consciousness, that every day grows weaker. He hadn’t known this side of himself, yet he had been fully aware of such. He had known his bones, how they ached, been broken, hurt. He knew the name of every muscle in his body, he admired them in secret, some times more secret than others. But he had never known himself like this. He is trapped, after all, screaming.

He can hear them, feel them. He even remembers their names, but not like he remembers his own name. He’s been repeating such, over and over. Dick Grayson, he knows. How could he ever forget?

He wants to greet them, to calm them. That had always been his job, another responsibility he felt. To wipe away the tears of others, to console them in times like these. He didn’t mind, he had always found it nicer to repress his feelings, making room to make better someone else’s. He wants to ask them to stay, to have just a little more patience. to wait until he wakes up. But he can’t, for he is held captive, here, in the house of horrors that once was his home. Alone.

He wants to open his eyes, to sit up with a start, anything, to show that there still is life in him, to show that he’s awake, he hasn’t died yet. He wants to plead them to not leave him, to please stay with him. As a kid, Bruce had always chastised him on patience. He was too impatient sometimes, just sometimes.

“You must have patience,” he would say.

It was funny now, how this time it was Dick asking Bruce to have patience.

He remembers it well, how to blink. How could he not? He had done it every day of his life, every hour, every minute, second, almost. It’s a simple enough movement. He also remembers how to smile, scrunch up his nose, frown. He knows he can. Yet every time he tries, fatigue and exhaustion wash over him. Exhaustion from what, he asks himself. He screams to himself. They can’t hear him, they never could.

Then, almost immediately, he falls asleep. And when he wakes up, he knows he’s just one more fall-asleep closer to the time they give up on him.

But he’s not always asleep, he’s not. He’s awake too, listening to them. batman had always taught him, trained him, on hearing. They’ve walked in, all of them. He didn’t know how many people would show up, but many did. Donna, Kory, Roy. Bruce, Jason, Babs. Damian, Tim, Garth. Wally. They had brought him flowers and cards, cards they read to him, as they stood by the foot of the bed. Some came at night, while everyone else was sleeping, others came during the day, while every one else was waiting. Some stayed for hours, until the doctors or nurse told them to leave, while others would stay for just a few minutes. Some spoke to him, others to themselves.

Dick had been there, in this exact situation, many times before, yet on the other side of the situation. It was heartbreaking how many flowers he had bought, all for the wrong occasions. How many hands he’s held, for the reassurance of the worst ways.

He hears them now, they’re talking to someone else. It’s the doctors, the nurses, their voices drip with pity. They’re telling how they’re doing everything they can, how they’re done everything they could. Dick believed them, too. The doctors and nurses couldn’t help him now. It’s him that hasn’t bothered to cooperate. He’s tried, but it’s not good enough. He’s scared to try now, in fear he might fall asleep. He doesn’t want to fall asleep. Yet he doesn’t understand why either he can’t move his eyelids, his fingers. God, it’s so simple.

Dick hears the door slam open. A number of people walk in, run in. There’s a mix of voices. One is arguing how money isn’t an issue, it won’t be. Another is yelling insults at the doctors, another is doing the same, this time without profanities. Some are crying, weeping, still.

Dick feels someone grab his hand. He recognizes who immediately. He feels the warmth of their hand, this time desperate and tight. As if clinging onto him, or the idea of him. The sparks, he feels, he’s not imagining them. Wally. He’s calling Dick’s name. He’s begging him, ad Dick feels even more useless than he has his whole time here. He’s trying now, trying so hard to open his eyes, to move his fingers, yet he’s failing so horribly.

Now somebody is calling Wally’s name, and Wally’s hand feels as it’s torn from him, despite Dick’s hand being completely limp and useless.

There are people crying. Lots of them. He doesn’t know who. He doesn’t want to know.

The last thing Dick remembers, before involuntarily moving towards the blue tunnel, that so strange and dark, the one that seems so infinite, is that night. Dick had been having fun, he was laughing, falling. He had sworn that it wasn’t a race, it truly wasn’t. Bruce didn’t seem to believe him, but he jumped anyways. Dick was singing, he doesn’t remember what. Then Bruce shot the grappling hook, and Dick met him at the top of the building. He was balancing on the rim of the balcony. He was chuckling softly, he had just breathed in. The gunshot. He remembers it now, clearly. He can practically hear it.

Then, nothing.

<33333 taglist: @bikoncon @catxsnow @hauntingsonofrobin @red-hood-redemption @thesporklecat @thesesickfics-justmakemesick @screennamealreadyused anddd i dont’ have my little list right now i think i forgot someone <3

#dick grayson #nightwing #batfam #bruce wayne #batman #lunatick #Wally west #the flash #birdflash #ish #BUT HAHAHA #robin i #robin #donna troy #teen titans #roy harper #garth #barbara gordon

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red-jaebyrd · 3 years

Text

Somebody That I Used to Know

Here is the long awaited sequel to “My Brother’s Keeper”. Sorry it took so long I was in in the process of moving out of state. Thank you to @brokenhearted-queen for your awesome beta work! I really appreciated it.

This wasn’t part of the plan, but since Jason and his brothers had arrived in Bludhaven nothing had happened according to their plan. They weren’t supposed to make contact with Ric this soon, this fast, but it happened. They had agreed in the beginning to simply sit back, watch him, and make sure he was safe from The Court of Owls.

As far as Jason knew The Court had been trying for years to acquire Dick to their cause to become their Talon. In each encounter they were not successful. Opportunity struck when Dick had been shot in the head. What better opening did an evil organization need to swoop in and take advantage of an asset with amnesia? Jason, Tim and Damian could not allow that to happen, which meant they had to get to Ric first.

The plan eventually was for Jason or Tim to insert themselves into Ric’s life and keep him safe away from the Court. Acquire the intel they needed to further implicate The Court and figure out a way to reverse the damage they had done to Dick and hopefully fix it.

But then Ric’s cab broke down and Jason had a crisis of conscience. He couldn’t in good faith just leave Ric with a busted cab on the side of the road, so Jason helped and then got invited to have a beer. It was only supposed to be one night; one beer and Jason would disappear and “run into” Ric again at a later time.

Except Jason’s curiosity had got the better of him and he had allowed himself to get attached. All those nights talking with Ric, Jason came away learning new things about himself and his long lost brother, or rather, a man that looked a lot like his brother, but wasn’t his brother. Jason found that Ric was very easy to talk to. Not that talking to Dick was difficult, but sometimes conversations with Dick would turn into the older man telling Jason what he should have done, rather than just letting Jason talk.

Jason had discovered that he could truly talk to Ric about everything, especially all the shit that had happened to him lately like losing Roy and the fallout with Bruce. To his surprise there was no judgment from Ric, just empathy; no unsolicited advice, just commiseration. It was unsettling yet welcoming as Jason began to realize that this was the exact brotherly relationship he had always wanted with Dick. How fucked up was it that it had to take a bullet to the brain and amnesia to make this happen for both of them.

Before Jason knew it, he and Ric were becoming fast friends. Ric didn’t suspect a thing and everything was going back to the original plan. Only this time, they had an active eye on Ric instead of solely relying on CCTV footage.

All of it was going great until that fucking Talon had attacked them, Jason and Ric had moved together, fought together in sync like no time between them had passed. Like a bullet to the brain hadn’t changed anything between them. Muscle memory had taken over and Ric was not letting up. It had been just like old times all those years ago out in the field as Robin and Nightwing fighting and kicking ass. The victory had shattered when Ric called him ‘Little Wing’.

All the air had left Jason’s lungs as the familiar nickname reached his ears. Ric saw it too as his smile faltered realizing the strange name that had come out of his mouth.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Ric stared wide eyed at Jason, his breaths coming in ragged as the fight had ended. “What just happened? I don’t know why I called you that. Why did I call you that?”

Jason looked around. They were out in the open standing over an unconscious assassin in plain sight. This was not the place to have that conversation.

“Later, not here. It isn’t safe,” Jason said in clipped tones. He grabbed Ric by the shoulder and steered him toward his car. “I promise I’ll explain everything. Get in the car.”

Ric was quiet the whole ride to Jason’s apartment while Jason told him everything; how Jason knew him; how long they had known each other and their connection to Bruce Wayne. But once they got inside, Ric didn’t hold back and Jason couldn’t blame him.

“All that time pretending to be my friend, was it all an act?” Ric snapped.

“No, I wasn’t pretending,” Jason confessed. “I wouldn’t do that to you.”

“Was I just another case to solve, another problem to fix?” Ric shouted, gesturing wildly at Jason and pacing the small space of the living room. “Or was it all just… just a means to an end…to get what you wanted; to get him back.”

The accusation sucked, but it wasn’t that far from the truth. Jason glanced over and saw Tim eavesdropping near the hallway. Jason motioned for Tim to come into the room. Tim hesitantly inched his way slowly next to Jason waving nervously at Ric. Ric ignored him.

“No, it wasn’t like that, Ric. I swear,” Jason sighed, putting his hands out in a calming gesture. He looked over at Tim for help.

“He didn’t lie about his name, only about who he was to you, or used to be to you, to Dick,” Tim rambled talking with his hands and almost hitting Jason in the face. He quickly shoved them in his pockets. “Not everything was a lie; he just didn’t provide specific details about how he knew you.”

Ric glared at Tim causing the teenager to look away in shame. Tim quickly shuffled way from Ric and Jason and sat on the couch.

“Really not helping, Tim,” Jason sighed, running his hand down his face in exasperation.

Ric looked up and finally noticed Damian who was edging into the room from the hallway. Ric’s jaw clenched in anger. “You’re working for him!” he shouted, pointing accusingly at Damian. “Did he…did Wayne hire you to find me?”

Damian shrunk under the accusation. He looked close to tears even with a scowl on his face. This was getting worse by the minute. The boy stomped off to the kitchen out of sight from Ric.

“Bruce didn’t send us. We’re not doing this for him,” Jason scoffed. “Fuck that. We’re doing this for us, for you. You belong with us, not here on your own.”

Ric crossed his arms in defiance. “I’ve been doing just fine on my own before you guys came along and fucked things up.”

“Bullshit!” Jason argued, leveling a look at Ric. “You’re waking up in strange houses, drinking all the time to numb the pain and dull your memory from all the nightmares. I’ve seen it. I’ve heard it from your own mouth what those nightmares do to you. Your memories are coming back and you're scared shitless.”

“Fuck off!” Ric bellowed, stalking away from Jason toward the dining room table. “You don’t know what you’re talking about!”

Jason had hit a nerve. He glanced at Tim and hoped he saw it too. Tim nodded and headed to the desk grabbing a thick file folder from the top drawer.

“You have to believe us when we tell you that you’ve been played by the Court of Owls this whole time,” Tim interjected, handing Ric a thick file folder. “They took your memories of us with a regimen of drugs and deep hypnosis. They knew that taking away your memories of us would make it easier to groom you into their Talon. So if anyone lied to you, it was them, starting with Dr Haas.”

Ric haphazardly flipped through the documents in the file and then set it down on the table in front of him. He jammed the heels of his hands in his eyes. “I can’t. I can’t do this right now.” He crossed his arms angrily and turned to Jason, eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I thought you were my friend, but you lied to me.”

“I -” Jason started, but shook his head in frustration.

But that was just it; Jason had never lied to him at least not about anything they had talked about at The Prodigal. He may have omitted names in their discussions as well as certain details concerning their shared history, but Jason was truthful about everything else. All of their conversations were based in truth. Jason made sure he had never lied to him, not like Dick had done all those years ago while he was ‘dead’. It still pissed Jason off whenever he had thought about it.

“You know, I didn’t have to say yes to that beer, but I did and let’s just say a part of me was curious to see you.” Jason shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe I wanted to see if you remembered me, but I didn’t need you to remember. In all honesty I didn’t want you to remember so imagine my immense relief when I met you and you didn’t have a clue who I was. I was just a random stranger to you.”

Jason walked over to the table positioning himself next to Ric who was still standing in front of the table staring daggers at the folder. Jason leaned against the table and tilted his head to get Ric to look at him.

“And every time we sat down and had a beer, all the baggage and history of all the horrible shit I had done in the past was not rubbed back in my face by the guy who had my brother’s face,” Jason continued. “The ‘Golden boy’ was gone and in his place was this guy, my friend who never offered a lick of advice to me but instead just listened to my bullshit without judgment. I got to do the same in return for him with no agenda of jogging memories. It was perfect.

“So yeah, I’ll admit that I took advantage of a bad situation. I bent the truth a bit and left out certain details. But, I never lied to you, not like you lied to us all those years ago.”

Ric’s head snapped up at Jason’s last sentence. His brows furrowed in confusion.

“Jason, low blow. Now’s not the time for this discussion!” Tim cut in standing between Jason and Ric.

Jason narrowed his eyes at Tim and crossed his arms. Tim opened his mouth to protest, but decided against it. Instead he shook his head and walked away leaning against the wall. Jason took a deep breath and refocused his attention back onto Ric.

“Once upon time you faked your own death and didn’t even let us in on the secret.” Jason said coldly. “For months we thought you were dead. Don’t remember that do you, Dickie? Well it sucked.”

Ric rubbed his right cheek and returned his focus to the contents on the table.

“You said your lie was to protect us, but it was really to protect you, to protect Bruce, to protect the mission. You put the mission ahead of us, because that was what we had been taught. It’s how he raised us in this life.”

Jason slumped in the chair next to Ric and caught a quick glimpse of him biting his lip. Jason closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he continued.

“And you know what, as much as it sucked, being lied to by you and believing that you were dead, I get it now. I get why you had to lie and carry that secret. So yeah, I kept who I was from you and I put ‘this mission’ ahead of your feelings, but I did it because you’re a Rob-.” Jason stopped to clear his throat. “…because you’re our brother. I did it because that’s exactly what Dick did for us.”

“I’m not him anymore. I-I don’t…” Ric shook his head, gesturing at an old picture of Dick from the file folder. “I –I really don’t know who I am right now.”

Jason closed the file folder and pushed it out from Ric’s reach.

“I know who you are. You’re my friend, Ric and like I told you at the bar, you’re still the same guy I met on the side of the road with a broken down cab,” Jason reaffirmed. “You’re still the same guy I have beers with and play pool. And you’re right. You’re not Dick Grayson, but that’s not gonna stop us from trying to protect you from yourself and every other motherfucker lining up to take advantage of an amnesic former vigilante.”

“How do I know I can trust you guys?” Ric challenged, crossing his arms and leveling a look at Jason.

“You don’t, but just hear us out,” Jason said, getting up and pulling out a chair for Ric. “If you don’t like what you hear you can leave. We won’t stop you.”

Ric furrowed his brow at Jason for a split second but sat in the chair keeping his arms crossed.

“Excuse us for a second,” Tim said as he steered Jason by his sleeve into the kitchen out of earshot from Ric.

“What are you doing?” Tim whispered loudly as he kept his grip on Jason’s sleeve.” We can’t just let him leave.”

“We can’t force him to stay.” Jason retorted, yanking his arm out of Tim’s grip.

“The hell we can’t.” Tim argued. “Damian and I worked too hard on this to give up now.”

“Do you think I want to let him leave? You don’t think I want to tie him to a chair and make him stay? We can’t force him to stay, otherwise he’ll take off and then what?” Jason snapped. “Once he hears everything we have to tell him, he isn’t going anywhere.”

“You better know what you’re doing, Todd.” Damian said, glaring at Jason as he opened the cupboard to retrieve the box of tea bags.

“I do. Stay in the kitchen, understood.” Jason instructed, putting his hand on Damian’s shoulder. “Tim and I will handle this.”

Damian nodded, placing a teabag into the mug and pouring hot water into it.

Jason and Tim made their way back into the living room to talk to Ric. Jason’s palms started to sweat at the thought of getting this all wrong and Ric storming out of the apartment in anger. Jason was already taking a risk by giving Ric permission to leave if he didn’t like what they had to say. But Jason had to remember that they weren’t showing Ric video footage of his shooting, nor were they force-feeding him memories of Dick Grayson and his old life. They were simply explaining their presence in Bludhaven and showing Ric evidence of him being duped by The Court.

Tim kept wringing his hands despite the determined look on his face.

“This is gonna work, Tim,” Jason reassured squeezing Tim’s shoulder. “Like you said, you and Damian worked too damn hard collecting evidence and research. He’ll believe us.”

Tim nodded, swallowing thickly.

He watched as Ric fought to sit still in the chair. Ric uncrossed his arms and leaned forward resting his elbows on his thighs. He ran a hand up and down his neck in exhaustion before massaging his temples. He then straightened up, crossed his arms again, and started bouncing his knee up and down so fast Jason was surprised Ric’s calf wasn’t burning. He looked like a spring ready to snap and hightail it out of the apartment. Finally Ric got up from the chair to pace the space of the living room. Jason knew he wouldn’t last long sitting still.

“We were only going to keep an eye on you and not interact until absolutely necessary,” Jason explained entering the living room from the kitchen.

Ric continued to walk around the apartment. He looked like he was listening, the tension in his shoulders was still present, and Jason could also see the muscles working in Ric’s jaw. Jason glanced at Tim to take over.

“We hadn’t planned on ever really talking to you…” Tim continued clearing his throat. “…not this soon at least. Our main intention was just keeping you safe, because you’re important to us.”

Ric finally stopped pacing and turned around to face Tim.

“I don’t know you,” Ric said flatly. “I barely know Jason.”

Tim’s shoulders sagged in defeat at Ric’s words and Jason could see the muscles in Tim’s jaw clenching. Jason knew the kid was fighting back tears. Jason walked over to Tim blocking his view of Ric and gave him a one armed hug. It wasn’t a Dick Grayson hug, but it would do in a pinch.

“Kid, you alright?” Jason quietly asked crouching at Tim’s level to get him to look at him.

“I will be,” Tim sniffed and took a deep breath. He plastered on a fake smile that did not reach his eyes and returned his attention to Ric.

“I know you don’t know me, but you trust Jason and I know a part of you wants to trust me too,” Tim reasoned, leveling a look at Ric. “Deep down your gut is telling you that we are important to you too, isn’t it?”

Jason watched as Ric’s shoulders slumped and his anger deflating as Tim’s words sunk in.

Ric stalked over to the table toward the file folder and opened it. He thumbed through it slowly and thoroughly. Jason and Tim watched as Ric took in all the evidence Tim and Damian had collected over the last few weeks. Photos, notes, detailed documents of his past medications and prescriptions and their intended effects on the nervous system, particularly his. Ric sunk into the nearest chair as he held aloft a sketch of his neurologist, Dr Haas.

“This is all so fucked up,” Ric turned to give them both his full attention still holding the picture of Dr Haas. “So what you’re saying here, what these documents are saying is that I was drugged and hypnotized with suggestive thoughts to alter my memories so that I could be lured into an old secret society called “The Court of Owls’?”

“Sounds far-fetched but it’s on par with their reputation,” Jason added.

“Yes, you are the key to them continuing their work,” Tim clarified, pointing out certain photos of the Court to Ric. “You are who they refer to as the ‘The Gray Son of Gotham’. Their intention was to raise you into taking over your great-grandfather’s position, to be their Talon, basically their enforcer.

Tim pulled out a chair and sat next to Ric.

“We wanted to get close, but not so close that we would give ourselves away to you.” Tim continued, talking nervously with his hands. “That all backfired when Jason ‘met’ you sooner than we had intended. Still, the meet proved to have been beneficial because now we had an active eye on you.”

“So you were spying on me?” Ric quipped. “Were you also wearing an earpiece?”

“No,” Jason retorted, appalled that Ric would even suggest such a thing.

“Jason wouldn’t wear one,” Tim replied nonchalantly.

“Shut up, Tim.” Jason said through gritted teeth.

Jason turned to Ric. “Everything I ever said to you was never made up or fabricated. Again, I never lied to you. I swear. I just omitted names and certain details. Everything you told me, I never shared outside the bar. I promise.”

“Ric, are your memories coming back?” Tim asked.

Ric cringed at the question, his shoulders inching toward his ears. He swallowed thickly and looked over at Jason. Jason gave him an encouraging nod to answer the question.

“Yes, I think so,” Ric answered, looking down at the file folder and thumbing through the photos. “Mostly in dreams, but tonight was the first time I remembered something while I was awake. I think the muscle memory of fighting that Talon with Jason triggered something.”

“How so?” Tim probed.

“I called Jason ‘Little Wing’. At the time I didn’t know why I said it,” Ric explained. “It just came out as the most natural thing to say to him, but in the car I remembered that I used to call you that when you were younger?”

“When we had fought together as Robin and Nightwing,” Jason finished. “I hated the nickname at first, but I learned to like it later on. You still call me that now even if I’m not so ‘little’ anymore.”

Ric nodded and rested his chin in his hand and slowly scrutinized every piece of paper in the file folder with his free hand. He didn’t say a word the whole time. His brow furrowed in thought as he read page after page of notes. Ric’s silence was starting to unnerve Jason. He was still always so used to Dick being chatty regardless of his emotions. It was what made him annoying and endearing all at the same time. Jason had to remind himself that Ric wasn’t Dick. Maybe silence was how Ric liked to process things.

“I don’t want to go back to Gotham,” Ric said breaking the silence. “I’m not ready to see – I don’t want to see Bruce just yet.”

“Don’t worry, we’re not going back there for a while,” Tim assured. “It really isn’t safe to go there. We’re going to lay low here for the time being. You can stay here until we clear this mess with The Court.”

“It’s just that everyone who says that they know me keeps wanting me to be someone I can’t remember and I can’t handle it right now if he…”

“You don’t need to be anyone other than yourself, Ric. It’s okay. No one here is going to tell you how you should or shouldn’t be living your life.” Jason said the last sentence louder so it carried over to the kitchen. “Right?”

“Correct,” Damian answered from the kitchen.

“We’re still interested in getting to know you. Will you give us a second chance, please?” Tim asked. “We won’t push an old life you can’t remember down your throat.”

Just as Ric was going to answer Tim he stopped and sniffed the air. “What’s that smell? Is the old man here?”

“Alfred? No, it’s just the kid making tea,” Jason replied, his mouth going suddenly dry.

The smell wasn’t just from any ordinary tea. The scent was of home and comfort that brought with it memories of simpler times when a cup of tea fixed everything. The rich aroma of Earl Grey tea filled the living room and flooded Jason with memories of sad times turned to happiness with a simple cup of tea with Alfred. Jason almost couldn’t take it. Tim stared at him with wide eyes. Ric looked lost in a memory triggered by the strong scent of bergamot. It was Alfred’s comfort tea. At least that is what Dick had named it all those years ago when they had tried to coax Jason out of a bad mood. It was the type of tea Alfred had made on bad days that contained just enough caffeine to counteract anything from crying jags to bad moods. It was the tea he’d make in the special Robin’s Egg blue teapot with matching cups. It was Alfred’s way of comforting them the only way he knew how, with a cup of tea and a listening ear.

Jason didn’t even know he had Earl Grey tea in the apartment. Alfred must have stocked his pantry with it the last time he was here and now Damian had found it.

Damian walked into the room handing a steaming mug to Ric. “Drink this. It –.”

“–will make you feel better,” Ric finished. “He – he used to say that to me on bad days while he handed me a cup of Earl Grey tea.”

Damian sat in the empty chair next to Ric, cradling his own cup of tea. “He said it to all of us, Richard.”

Silence filled the apartment as Ric and Damian drank their tea. Tim gathered the scattered contents of the file and placed them back into the folder. Jason made his way into the kitchen to collect himself. He slumped against the kitchen counter and took a deep breath.

The evening’s events replayed themselves in his mind’s eye. Jason shook his head as he thought about what they could have lost tonight. They got lucky that Ric hadn’t bolted out of the apartment and disappeared. Tim had known that playing to Ric’s instincts would pay off. Jason had known that if he stated his case and showed the evidence, the detective buried inside of Ric would wake up and believe them. It had been a gamble, but it paid off. Jason rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. Exhaustion was starting to settle into his bones.

“Hey, you okay, you’ve been in here a while,” Tim asked, poking his head into the kitchen.

“I’m fine. What are they doing now?” Jason asked, changing the subject.

“They finished their tea and now Damian is trying to get Ric to play ‘Cheese Vikings’.”

“Is it working?”

“I think Ric is warming up to him. They’re no longer scowling at each other, so that’s progress.”

Jason nodded.

“What’s wrong, Jason?” Tim asked, squeezing Jason’s shoulder. “You did it. You brought him back to us.”

He knew he should be happy, relieved that all four of them were finally under the same roof. But Jason couldn’t help but feel like he was slowly losing his friend. He didn’t go into this to just get Dick back, even if that is what he had told Tim and Damian at the start. He went into this to also keep Dick safe. But then he met Ric and they had gotten to know each other, which is when everything got complicated. There was always the possibility of Ric getting his memories back, that was a given; and with getting those memories back there was the possibility of Jason losing his friend. Jason just thought he’d have more time, but then that Talon fucker attacked them and Ric had called him ‘Little Wing’, and all bets were off.

Was it even possible at this point to have his brother back and still keep his friend? Jason didn’t know.

Jason grabbed two beers from the fridge. He opened one and took a swig.

“I’m happy he’s safe now. It’s just been a long night.”

Jason wasn’t going to bother explaining his apprehension to Tim. The kid was finally smiling after months of wearing a perpetual scowl to match Damian. There was no doubt Tim was happy that Ric decided to stay with them, and he should be happy. He and Damian worked damn hard collecting and curating all that evidence just to prove to their brother that he had been duped by the very people that were supposed to be helping him.

“You’re lying.”

Jason glared at him. “Just drop it.”

Both of them made it out of the kitchen and into the living room with Ric and Damian. Ric now had a controller and seemed to be doing an okay job navigating the game.

Jason handed the unopened beer to Ric and sat in the armchair next to the couch.

Ric handed the controller back to Damian to open his beer and took a drink.

“You know, I’m still a little mad at you,” Ric groused with no heat in his voice.

Jason smirked. “I know, but you’ll get over it.”

#Jason Todd #Ric Grayson #Tim Drake #Damian Wayne #Batman #batfics #Batbrothers #Dick Grayson #Jason needs a hug #Protective Jason Todd #Batfamily #Ric Grayson needs a hug #Nightwing #Red Hood #Red Robin #Robin #DC #DC fanfic #my fics

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anjuschiffer · 4 years

Text

Another One?

Feel in love with this idea and want to thank @chocolate1721 for letting me write it :D

Hope you enjoy it <3

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P.Taglist: @theatreandcomicfreak @damianette-is-life

Tags: @thestressmademedoit @purplejade24 @dreamykitty25 @mer-mel @maribat-is-lifeblood

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Heads up: Lian makes an appearance :D

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AO3

-----

“I’m being serious Bruce.” Tim said, rubbing his temples. “There’s a five-year old girl in the Batcave, right now, and I need to know where the hell you grabbed her from.”

“Tim,” Bruce softly said, placing his hands onto Tim’s shoulders. “When was the last time you took a break?”

He sure didn’t take another child in. After all, he would’ve remembered signing adoption papers.

With a scoff, Tim pushed Bruce’s hands away from him.

“I’m not hallucinating.”

Tim knew he wasn’t. He literally spent a whole half hour speaking to this child, finding out that she had magically teleported specifically to the Batcave, landing on his lap. He learned that her name was Marinette and that she was from Paris. Pa-ris!

“Sure you weren’t.” Jason said with a roll of his eyes. “So the coffee fairy from last week was totally real, wasn’t it?” Tim groaned, pulling his hands down his face.

“Why don’t you take a nap, Tim.” Dick suggested, guiding Tim to the library. “I’ll take-”

Small heavy footsteps caused the four men to turn towards the direction they heard them, seeing a fuming Damian sport a scowl, something being held away from him in disgust.

“Why is this small child in the Batcave and why is she playing with Batcow?” Damian roared, stomping a bit as he made his way to Bruce, a five year old girl hanging from his hand.

“Damian! That’s no way to hold her!” Dick scolded, taking the small child from Damian, cradling her in his arms, realizing that Tim was right.

There was another child in the manor.

“Father,” Damian snarled, Bruce taking a step back. “Did you take in another lion minion?”

Did he? He never remembered bringing in another child, nonetheless this beautiful tiny child that could easily pass for another one of his- was this becoming a problem?

“Damian, there has to be-”

“What made you believe that you needed another one?” Jabbing a finger to himself, Damian continued. “I am better than all of your other minions combined. I am enough. You. Do. Not. Need. Another.” Damian emphasized, letting out a growl.

“Seems like someone feels threatened.” Jason grinned, watching Damian point his katana towards him.

“Am. Not.”

“Sure you aren’t.”

“Damian, katana down. Now.” Bruce said sternly, waiting for him to put the weapon down.

“Not until he puts that sentence back into his mouth.”

Bruce sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, watching as Jason kept taunting Damian, noticing that Tim was nowhere to be found and Dick was busy talking to the child, watching as her smile caused something to blossom inside of him.

He really hopes he did indeed adopt his ray of sunshine.

Walking past his bickering boys, who now are at each other’s throats, Bruce crouched down to the girl’s level, observing her features. He knew he said it once, but upon seeing her up close, Bruce really felt like he could easily pass this child as his newest addition to his family.

“Mari, this is Bruce. He’s my father, along with the other guys’ as well.” Dick introduced, Bruce noticing that Dick was speaking in French.

“Hello Mari. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Bruce spoke, hoping his French was understandable. “Like my son Richard said, my name is Bruce. Bruce Wayne. What is yours?”

“Hello Monsieur.” Marinette spoke, fidgeting with the ends of her pigtail braids. “I’m Marinette.” Bruce watched as she frowned, lowering her head a bit. “I’m sorry about playing with your cow. I won’t do it again. It’s just that-”

“Don’t worry about it.” Bruce said, patting her head, feeling his mouth curve even more when she giggled. “You can play with her any time.” Bruce assured, ignoring Damian’s protest.

“So when did you adopt another child? Usually I would be the first one to know.” Alfred spoke up, Bruce wondering why everyone thought he actually adopted another child.

“She’s not,” a sigh. “I didn’t bring her. I didn’t know she was even in the manor. Tim had found her -not sure how- but he di-”

A growl interrupted Bruce’s explanation, the three adults turning to see a flushed Marinette.

“Why don’t we get something for Miss Marinette while we discuss how you-”

“I didn’t adopt another child Alfred.”

------

After munching on cookies and happily sipping milk, Marinette looked at everyone with sad eyes, pursing her lips.

“What’s wrong, Nettie?” Dick asked, Bruce thanking him for being the one to ask.

“I need to head home. Monsieur Fu is probably worried about me.”

“If that’s the case, allow me to take you-” Bruce started, stopping when Marinette shook her head.

Did she not want him to drop her off? Did she prefer Dick or Alfred? Did she not like him? What did he do wrong?

“No thank you. I can go by myself.” With a grin and hopping off the kitchen counter, Marinette bowed. “Thank you very much for the cookies Grandpere Alfred.”

“Glad you enjoyed it.”

With that, Marinette walked out the kitchen, a bright light seeping through the cracks of the door before it disappeared, everyone blinking at her disappearance before returning to eating the leftover cookies.

“Wonder if she got home safely.” Dick murmured, wondering how a child of her age got hold of a magical item that allowed her to teleport herself back home.

Bruce could only ponder, knowing that if he tried to search for answers, he wouldn’t rest until he found one. Although, something told him that he shouldn’t, allowing him to push the magical factors of this encounter to the back of his mind.

He only hoped to see the child again…

-----

And they all did, exactly a week later.

The boys were busy teasing Dick as he prepared for his date with Starfire, leaving Bruce and Alfred in the library. Bruce was finishing up his latest paperwork when shrieks and screams came from down the hall.

Forgetting his papers, Bruce marched down to find out what was going on, his eyes widening at the scene before him.

Damian was hiding behind Tim, Tim holding a clothing hanger as a weapon while Jason was fumbling to put his gun away. Meanwhile, Dick was on the floor, his suit wrinkled and his hair was out of its desired style. There, in front of him was Mari, her tongue sticking out as she adjusted Dick’s tie. She placed her hands on her waist once she finished adjusting the tie.

“See? Told you your tie was crooked.” Marinette grinned, finally realizing that Bruce and Alfred were at the doorway. “Grandpere Alfred! M. Bruce!” Marinette made her way to the older men, hugging the two of them.

“Marinette. What are you doing here?” Bruce asked, picking up the child. She was as light as a feather and was thin as one as well… did she not eat properly?

“I came to visit!” Marinette proclaimed, throwing her hands into the air, the Waynes knowing that this was the first to many visits of the tiny fairy.

-----

“Did you have to bring Lian with you?” Jason asked, eyeing the five year old girl who was currently running around the shop, Roy not moving a muscle as he finished up some final touches on the passenger seat he was working on.

“Her nanny needed the day off and I didn’t feel like looking for another one so I brought her with me.” Roy reasoned. “Also, I did promise her that we would go get some ice cream after this.”

Jason shook his head, smiling that Roy would forever have a soft spot for his daughter.

Taking the finished seat, Jason screwed it on, Roy hopping onto the finished bike to test it out.

As Jason put away some of the tools, he heard a crash, turning to see Roy and the bike on its side, Lian standing in front of Roy.

“Roy! We just-”

“Did Richard have a child around the same time I found out about Lian?”

“What? No! No, he didn’t.” Jason provided. “Isn’t that Lian that’s-”

“Lian doesn’t have blue eyes, nor navy hair.”

“Jay-Jay, who’s that?” The child asked, pointing to Roy. Roy looked at the mysterious child and then at Jason.

“Pixie?” Jason ran up to Marinette, kneeling to her level. “What are you doing here?”

“I got bored at home so I came here!” Marinette said with a chirp, her pigtails bouncing in unison with her voice. “Let’s play!”

“Pixie, I can’t right now.” Jason looked at Roy, frowning when he saw him recording him and sporting a grin.

“Why not?” Oh shit. There were the magical eyes and tears that Jason couldn’t afford to say no to.

“I-” Jason watched as Lian came into view, the girl blinked when their eyes locked.. “Why don’t you play with Lian? Lian, come meet Marinette.”

As soon as the two saw each other, smiles blossomed onto the two girls, quickly chasing each other around the workshop before disappearing into the manor, their giggles echoing through the halls.

“So she’s your kid?” Roy asked, laughing when Jason elbowed him.

“She’s my sister, you idiot.”

-----

Tim dragged his hands down his face, tilting his head back before facing forward again.

Just a few more minutes and then it’s off to doing the next thing.

He needed to hurry up and finish this stupid workload before the deadline.

After this, maybe he can do a quick patrol around the city before dawn… or at least hoping before dawn… when was the last time he checked the clock?

Fishing for his phone, Tim struggled to make out the large numbers in front of him. Was it a 3 or was it a 4? He couldn’t tell, nor did he care. It was still early. He can make the deadline and the patrol… right?

Become the new CEO, Bruce said. It’s going to be worth it, he said.

Tim doesn’t even remember the last time he stepped out of WE or the manor that wasn’t work related.

Tim reached out for his mug of coffee, taking a sip. But instead of being welcomed by the aroma of freshly made instant coffee, he was hit by the smell of cinnamon, Tim looking down at his mug, realizing that it wasn’t the one he had a few minutes ago.

A tug was soon felt at the sleeve of his sweater, Tim looking to see if it was Titus, knowing that the dog would come to him for late night pats. However, he was met with doe blue eyes.

“Come.” She spoke, pulling at his sweater.

“I need to finish this.”

“Come.” With a sigh, Tim followed her, trying to grab his things, but she didn’t let him.

She continued to drag him until they got to her room, Tim wondering how long they even had this room in the manor. He didn’t remember them having another sibling, nonetheless a girl.

He was guided into the small bed, having to curl himself a bit to fit. A mistake he would greatly regret.

He was now curled into a comfortable position, still feeling warm from the cinnamon tea and having a heavy blanket on top of him wasn’t helping. He didn’t know how -nor did he want to know how- but he soon drifted into sleep, vaguely remembering seeing the child also climb into bed, making sure Tim went to sleep.

Tim stirred, quickly sitting up when he felt pairs of eyes on him, grabbing a nearby book to throw, only to find everyone in the room, either grinning like madmen or sporting a smile.

“What?”

“You’re finally away Master Tim.”

“Finally?”

“It’s three in the afternoon.” Jason said, patting someone’s head, Tim noticing that it was the small child from last night. “Why are you looking at Pixie like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“You can see her?”

“What?”

Tim looked at everyone before placing a hand at his head.

“I thought she was just a hallucination.” Tim admitted.

“Tim, where have you been for the last two months?”

------

Everyone tried to catch up with each other as they made their way to their seats, Diana and Clark attempting to discuss their latest missions, Barry and Cyborg trying to talk about their latest interest, but everyone knew it was futile.

Rumors spread fast and everyone wanted to know the truth.

Did Batman really adopt another child? Did he have another ward?

Yes, they’ve seen the video that Roy sent everyone, but showing Jason softly speak to a girl that looked identical to Lian wasn’t going to cut it.

They wanted proof. Solid. Evidence.

Everyone went quiet when they saw Batman already seated, awaiting for everyone to join him.

“I thank you all for coming here.” Batman started, getting up from his seat, seeing that Aquaman and even Zatanna were able to make it. “I want to start with asking everyone to- what’s going on?”

Only two minutes into the meeting and he already lost everyone. As subtle as they tried to be, Batman could see various phones peeking over the meeting table.

“Say Batman,” Hal decided to start, using himself as tribute. “Already introducing your new ward to the business?”

Everyone watched as Batman stiffened, watching as he began to slightly panic, looking to his sides until he saw the person everyone else had seen, but him.

There stood Marinette, using his cape to try and hide herself.

He quickly got up and took the child, guiding her to the farthest corner of the room, away from prying ears (all but Clark’s that is).

“Marinette, what are you doing here?” Bruce asked, taking her hands into his, being reminded how small she was.

“I went to the manor, but no one was home, not even Grandpere Alfred so I decided to join you.” Marinette said, rubbing her eyes as she let out a yawn.

“What time is it in Paris?”

“Last time I checked it was 19:00.” Marinette said, another yawn being let out.

“Past your bedtime.” Bruce stated, scooping up the child. “Go ahead and take a nap. I’ll wake you up when it’s time to go.” Marinette modded, resting her head against his shoulder.

Batman continued the meeting without batting an eye, everyone wondering how he wasn’t getting tired from holding the little girl and where he even managed to find her.

They couldn’t focus on the meeting, their eyes on the small child that drooled on Batman, her sudden smiles distracting them.

Where did he even find her?

Then again, this was Batman. If he wanted something, he made it his goal to get it. Even if it meant having a new ward that was the epitome of pureness.

——-

Daiman frowned as he threw another stick for Titus to fetch, trying to push down his anger.

“Marinette this, Marinette that. Pixie Pop did this and Nettie did that!” Damian yelled, grabbing the stick Titus had brought back.

“Why are they so enthralled by that little lion minion?” Damian huffed, watching as Titus happily chased after the stick.

“She can’t do anything but lighten up the manor with her stupid giggles.”

Ever since Dupain-Cheng barged into the manor, everyone has been baby-proofing the manor, Bruce and Jason making sure to tightly secure the locks to the weaponry and vehicles. Alfred always had cookies at the ready (though Damian didn’t mind) while Richard made sure to have more toys and coloring books stocked up whenever Marinette would drop in.

It didn’t help that whenever Damian would join his father to the Watch Tower that people deflated to see him there, hearing the whispers that asked when Marinette was coming back.

Attempting to forget about it all, and focus on Titus, Damian frowned upon seeing his beloved dog holding the one behind his annoyance.

Holding her by the collar of her shirt, Titus had brought his owner Marinette. She was in the garden by herself, so Titus thought he should bring her to Damian.

After all, two humans means more hands that would pet him and shower him for being a ‘good boy.’

“What are you doing here Dupain-Cheng?” Damian asked, telling Titus to drop her.

“I made a flower crown for you.” Marinette said, offering him the object, ignoring Damian’s question which caused him to snarl.

“I don’t want your stupid crown.” Damian said through gritted teeth, throwing the crown to the floor, freezing when he saw tears slip down her face.

“Why don’t you like me?” Marinette asked, looking at Damian with glazed eyes.

Why didn’t he like her?

No, he didn’t like her, but he also didn’t hate her.

He just found her annoying, a pest, just like the rest of his siblings.

Siblings…

Damian looked at the tiny girl, crouching to help her wipe her tears.

“It’s not that I don’t like you.” Damian admitted, grabbing her hand as he rose. “I’m just getting used to having another sibling.”

Another sibling.

That’s why Damian was annoyed.

He was no longer the new addition, she was.

She was the center of attention, just like he was when he had first come to the manor.

Now it was his turn to help her get adjusted to the manor, although it seems like she was already adjusted to their lifestyle. It was him who needed to change,

“So you don’t hate me?” Damian shook his head, watching Mari give him a small smile. “Then… are we friends?”

“No.” He said, quickly regretting it as he saw her smile drop. “We’re family.” Her smile returned, twice as big, a giggle even escaping her.

They were family now, whether he liked it or not. Whether she was directly adopted or not.

She was another Wayne, whether everyone liked it or not.

Damian, for one, didn’t mind.

He had a sister now, someone to teach. Possibly his own student.

“Come now Mari, I think Alfred had made some cookies earlier.”

Another one who he can happily say was his family.

#maribat #maribat batfam #maribat little!marinette dupain-cheng #anju writes #damian acts like a child

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ribcage-rodents · 3 years

Text

How Iris first had an inkling that Wally had a crush on Dick. Ok so like, bc Star and Gotham are absolutely horrifying during Halloween, Barry is like “I’ll patrol then Iris will take the babies trick or teating”

Originally Wally is really upset bc he wants to go patrolling w his uncle but once he finds out that he gets to hang out w the other hero’s he’s psyched.

So Wally is like 12-13 and dresses up as the flash naturally. Roy is like 14-15 and he’s totally too old for Halloween and over it bc he’s super angsty, and dresses up as like Jason form Friday the thirteenth or some shit bc Black Canary forces him to. Robin only ever celebrated Halloween during his circus days when everyone would paint their face scary and flying Graysons would do aerial ballet show w black fabric so it was like spiders but after that it was just horrifying.

Anyway so Barry picked up this tiny Batman costume and Iris was like “Barry hon, isn’t he like 10? Shouldn’t you get him a bigger outfit?” (He two years younger than Wally, and four younger than Roy) And Barry is like “no trust me babe he teeny”.

Batman shows up to their house followed by a tinsity winsty baby tiny Batman bc Barry ran it over b/f patrol. And wow is that cute. Tiny baby Batman is basically glued to Batman’s side, his teeny little head coming up to Batman’s lower thigh, last time Iris checked 10-year olds aren’t supposed to be that tiny but wow is it adorable. (I’m sorry I just love teeny baby Dickie& giant looming built-like-a-tank batdaddy)

Barry told her what Batman had already explained. That Robin is foreign and doesn’t really know a lot of holiday stuff and also has been severely traumatized the past couple of years and doesn’t really like strangers and knows better than to take anything from strangers.

So it’s obvious that Robin would rather be tied up and drugged w fear gas than in a family aquatintence’s home about to go trick or treating. And Iris is a little resentful of the other boys, hard as she try to be understanding, bc Wally looks so disappointed bc he just wants to have friends and these guys don’t want to have fun.

Anyway Roy is kinda warming up to the whole trick or treating thing but sometimes he can be really mean to Wally but maybe Iris is just overprotective of her boy. Iris takes several pictures during the entire night despite both Batmans being adamant about no photos.

Robin refuses to go up to any house but Iris doesn’t comment on it. She doesn’t want to alienate him, so she doesn’t say anything. She goes up and grabs him a peice of candy but he disappears into the night. She panics for a good couple of seconds but calms when tiny Batman shows up next to Wally and Roy.

She doesn’t try again after that. He likes to walk at the back of the group and every time Iris tries to keep an eye on him, bc he may be a trained hero but central isn’t as safe as smallsville and her parental instincts are going off. Every couple of blocks Wally will try to walk next to him and talk and it’ll work for a while then Robin will slow down and fall behind and Wally’s angelic little baby face gets so sad.

As their trip comes to an end Iris can see Robin wrapping the cape around him tightly w his eyes screwed shut and it breaks her heart a little bc this poor boy must be so uncomfortable and scared that he’s trying to imitate the feeling of his mentors hug. It’s a jarring to imagine Batman hugging anything but she supposes that a baby as cute as that must make even the dark knight just wanna squeeze his sweet rosy, chubby cheeks. She reaches out to place a hand on his head, bc he’s too short to comfortably put a hand on his shoulder.

He jerks back immediately and death glares her, his anger showing full force through the white eyelets. She sent him an apologetic smile and he seemed to unbistle a smidgen.

Once they were finally home Iris watched them from behind the kitchen counter. Wally and Roy were digging into the candy while Robin perched on top of the couch. He kept scratching at his arm, Barry said that it was fine as long as it was controlled. Apparently the poor baby had a pretty serious anxiety disorder and tended to scratch to make himself feel better, it was ok as long as he didn’t have an attack.

She tossed him the single candy across the room, he caught it swiftly in his tiny baby hand. (So cute) Wally shot up to his feet. “That’s not one of my candies right?” Iris smiled, her prefect gluttonous boy. “Nope it’s from your uncles,” it was lie but it didn’t harm anyone. “That’s my backup candy!” Wally cried racing towards the door and snatching up handfuls of candy from the trick or treater bowl. Iris pretend to scold him for being stingy.

Robin slowly unwrapped the candy then examined it breaking off a piece and finally eating the snickers. His eyelets widened comically and he chewed slowly staring down at the candy before shoving the entire (not that fun size is really that big) thing in his mouth. It was absolutely adorable! She wished she had take a video and wondered if this was his first ever candy. (Dick usually just ate cotton candy as a kid, he hadn’t discover cereal yet. But since his parents died he hasn’t had real sugar, Alfred has strict hold on anything sweet in the house and Robin was deemed too energetic already.)

Apparently Wally agreed bc his mouth was wide open and his face was a blotchy-red color. His eyes were filled w what Iris could only discribe as adoration.

Wally swallowed then stood up again. His arms filled w sweets. “Here you can have my candy!” Wally all but shouted at the other boy, he paused for a second looking at his arms, “or we could share,” he suggested instead.

That’s what got Iris, even before his flash experiment Wally has never shared food, not even w his uncle. But here he was offering up some to a boy he hardly knows bc he thinks it’s cute when he eats candy. God she might cry.

Robin smiled at Wally. A real smile, the first one she’s seen all night. “You could still have it all if you wanted!” Wally said again his face turning a couple shades darker and thrusting the candy at robin, who artfully avoided his touch.

“We can share, don’t speedsters need extra calories?” Wally nodded and then proceeded to gather up the rest of the candy scattered on the floor. It was then that Iris noticed that Roy and dipped.

She was slightly panicked. Roy could probably fight for himself but he’s still a baby, a baby that Iris was in charge of. She hurriedly pulled out some blankets and turned on the tv for the boys while she dialed Barry who called Ollie. In a strange turn of events Ollie actually apologized to Iris, saying quote, “Roy’s a little jack-ass of course he snuck off. Don’t worry I’ll find him, probably screwed off to get drunk at some highschool party. Thanks for watching him while you could, I honestly expected him to scurry off a lot sooner.”

It didn’t exactly ease the tension in Iris’ chest but watching those two babies sitting on the couch pass candy back forth watching Charlie Brown specials made her feel a lot better. They were on opposite sides of the couch and Iris could see Wally’s little fingers twitching by his legs, he got up to go to the bathroom and came back only to really casually sit right next to Robin, like basically on his lap.

Robin wiggled up onto the arm of the couch.

“Ok so this ones a Milky Way,” Wally said passing the treat up to Robin.

He popped it in his mouth and chewed. “What’s the difference between this one and the snickers?” He asked, Iris was a little surprised by how good Robins accent was, he spoke like a natural English speaker, which he wasn’t. Every once in a while he’d use a word wrong or mispronounce something, a lit of something would catch on what he was saying but his American accent was pretty flawless.

“Snickers have peanuts, milky ways don’t,” Wally supplied in a duh voice. Robin smiled, “golly, you sure know a bunch about candies. You must be really smart!” And isn’t that so cute! Everyone treats the speedsters like idiots just bc they’re dense but here Robin is picking up on the hidden intelligence like a Batman should. Wally puffed his chest out all proud his face was still all red like a patchy strawberry.

A couple hours passed when Batman showed up. Wearing a different not soaked in fear gas costume, both Iris and Wally were sad to see robin go, well Wally was more devastated. The minute Batman stepped through the front door Robin was disappearing underneath his cape, according to Barry Robin doesn’t like to be more than 3cm from Batman at all times.

“Maybe we can hang out more!” Wally called his blush finally fading. A chipper ok sounded from somewhere in Batman’s cape, (Wally’s face turned scarlet in an instant) at the same time Batman gruffed out a no. Wally’s perfect baby face fell, Batman and Robin left. “Hey don’t worry kiddo I’ll talk to him!” Wally gave a half-hearted smile then went back to his candy eating.

Later he was engrossed in a discussion of patrol w his uncle while they both ate most of central’s candy supply.

As Barry and Iris got ready for bed an hour or so later she turned to him w a mischievous smile. “So it’s seems like Wally’s got his first real crush!” She sing-songed. Barry looked at her confused a toothbrush sticking out of his mouth. “Who?” “Robin” she responded. “That’s doesn’t make any sense!” She signed, somethings speedsters really were dense.

#dick grayson #birdflash #wally west #babydickie #roy harper #batdaddy

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gifted-burnout-archive · 4 years

Text

Jim’s Best Friend

Part Two - PB +J

Word Count: 2627

Author’s Note: Part deux! It’s so fun inserting Y/N into show scenarios. I love it! Hope you enjoy this chapter

Warning: Domestic abuse, discussion of death.

June, 2005.

"Why did I start working here?" You repeated the question, sat in the conference room with the tv people. You bit your lip a little, your eyebrows furrowing as you looked away from the camera. "If it's alright, I don't feel too comfortable sharing just now?" You said nervously, but the producer nodded in understanding, and you quickly left you room to go back to work.

Unbeknownst to you, Dwight decided to sit down moments later. "I can tell you why she started working here." He said with a straight face, not even acknowledging that he had been eavesdropping. "Her mom died."

—

You were sat at your desk, mindlessly going through paperwork as the clock ticked away in the corner. While the rest of the office seemed busy, everyone either on the phone or rushing around with copies to be made, accounts to be located, emails to send, you were sat at your desk with nothing to do. The last few days had been the same. No calls, no emails, your workload had died down and you didn't like it. In a job like this, you need to be busy.

You were starting to lose any and all will to live when your phone rang, and you sat up straight, tucking your hair behind your ears and answering.

"Dunder Miffllin, this is Y/N speaking. How can I help you today?" You gave your best pitching voice into the phone, and heard a laugh on the other end that echoed around you.

"Not bad, Y/L/N. Seriously thought you were going to fall asleep there." You recognised the voice as Jim's immediately, who sat to your left with a stupid grin on his face, and you put down the phone.

"Shouldn't you be doing something?" You asked with a teasing tone, and Jim shrugged.

"I mean, if I was doing something, you would be asleep right now." Jim had a point. You and Brian had been fighting again, and after the whole Spain debacle (turns out he was pissed you missed Valentine's Day despite you booking the trip before even meeting him), you were somehow in the wrong again, and hadn't been sleeping much trying to figure out what you had done wrong this time.

"Yeah, sorry... It's been a tough couple of weeks." You admitted with a shrug and a smile, and Jim nodded, understanding. That's what co-workers do, after all. In all the years you had known Jim, he had never once been too busy to listen to your personal drama. And while you didn't like to admit it, your love life was a shambles, and the drama came in bucketloads. In fact, Brian was the longest relationship you had kept since high school.

"At least you're have the basketball game to look forward to this afternoon." Jim offered, trying to cheer you up. You laughed a little and shook your head.

"There is not a chance I am staying around to watch Michael spiral into full blown sports maniac. Do you not remember the Super Bowl party he hosted?" The memory of that night made you both shiver.

"But Pam's cheering for the warehouse team, we need someone rooting for the office." Jim pleaded, and you rolled your eyes.

"Brian is picking me up for lunch anyway. You should ask Angela." You teased, speaking in a low voice so no one could hear it. Jim let out a loud laugh in comparison, drawing a few sets of eyes his way.

"You two can't be plotting without me, it's not fair at all." Pam called over, and you blew a kiss in her direction, which she caught and put in her pocket.

"She's not coming to the basketball game, Pam." Jim called over, and Pam gasped, holding a hand to her heart.

"Wait until Michael-" she started, just as Michael opened his office door.

"Y/N! You aren't coming to the game? But we're going to win!!" He whined, and you couldn't help but laugh.

"Michael I made plans for lunch today and I-"

"If you don't come you're working this weekend." Michael decided, and Jim and Pam turned to look at you.

"That's not really fair, I'm having lunch with my boyfriend Michael it's not like I'm ditching for no reason." You try to explain. You couldn't work this weekend, no chance of it happening.

"Make the choice Y/N. Game starts in an hour and a half." Michael set the options out for you, and you sighed once he disappeared downstairs to torment the warehouse crew, resting your head on the desk.

"I had scheduled you to work anyway Y/N." Dwight tried chiming up from his behind his massive whiteboard, and you weren't sure if it was an attempt at a reassurance or if he was just being a dick.

"Shut it, Schrute." You said softly, not moving.

"Y/N do you want me to-" Jim started.

"No." You replied with a sigh, your head still on the desk. Jim smiled a little, and scooted over in his chair to pat your back as you tried to figure out what to say to Brian.

—

"What do you mean?" You stood outside the office with Brian, who had come to pick you up for lunch. He was dressed quite nicely, and the guilt kept mounting up.

"Baby, I'm really sorry, I am. But my boss said if I don't go to this thing today then I will have to work the weekend and-"

"Then work the weekend." Brian interrupted you, and grabbed your hand. "Let's go before we lose the reservation."

"Brian you know what this weekend is." You said softly, pulling your hand out of his grip. "We can do date lunch any day of the week, why are you so set on getting there?" You asked, and Brian's face turned red.

"I'm sorry, but when did your boyfriend wanting to take you out for food become such a bad thing?!" He raised his voice, and to you flinched at his tone.

"I'm telling you I can't do today, Brian. Now please, let's not fight when my coworkers are upstairs?" You begged, but he grabbed your arm. A bit too hard.

"Stop being a moany little bitch and let's go to lunch." He said through gritted teeth.

"Brian, babe, you're hurting my arm." You said gently, and he laughed.

"This isn't hurting you..." He ignored your pain, squeezing harder.

"Brian... Brian! Ow!" You yelled out, prying his fingers off you. You were breathing heavy, and suddenly you felt a pain in your cheek, as you retracted your arm and held it to your chest. Your face flew to one side, and the hot pain in your cheek was soon explained by Brian's raised hand.

He had hit you. You were used to the feeling, but he had never done it in public before, and never sober.

"Shit babe... I didn't mean it-" he started, the tears welling up in your eyes.

"We can talk later... I have to go to this thing Brian..." You said, trying your best not to let yourself choke up in front of him. Before he could convince you otherwise, you rushed back into the office.

The floor was empty thanks to the basketball game starting downstairs, and you took a few minutes to try and calm yourself down. You grabbed your purse and headed into the bathroom, trying your best to hide the redness of your cheek, flinching as you touched up around the corner of your eye. One of Brian's rings must have caught you, or a nail. That was going to bruise.

You then pulled on the cardigan Pam had left on the back of her chair, covering up your arm, and with a few deep breaths, and a final look in one of the mirrors, you headed downstairs to the warehouse, plastering on as bright a smile as you could.

When you got down there, the game was in full swing, though the quiet wouldn't suggest so. An area of the warehouse had been cleared, basketball hoops on each end, and you watched from the stairs as Jim made a basket, joining in the applause as you walked down. You took a seat beside Pam, who smiled quickly at you and then looked again.

"My cardigan?" She asked, and you nodded.

"Gets a bit too cold down here for me." You responded, and she nodded, watching Jim make his way around the court.

— "Pam and Jim? Oh, they're great together. PB and J." You said to the camera. "Of course, as friends. Pam's got Roy, obviously... They started about the same time, never seen a pair cement together so fast. Glad I got muddled up in that friendship." You laughed, smiling a little brighter. "We all just... It's never awkward." —

After Roy had scored another three pointer, and Michael had lost the ball during some cocky dancing, the boss called in the team.

"You're playing like a bunch of girls! Do you want to work Saturday?!" Michael hissed, before turning round and noticing you.

"Where were you?" He asked, and you looked up, confused.

"I came here for 1.15..." You said, a hand holding your chin up.

"The game started at 1, Y/N... God! If we lose, you're coming in Saturday too."

"Michael I-" you tried to defend yourself, but he ran out onto the court with the guys. Pam put a hand on your shoulder, and you tried your best to hold back tears. You kept your head down as the game started back up again.

Jim was going hard, and now he was tagging Roy, it suddenly became a lot more competitive. The fiancé versus the best friend. Every time Jim scored, he would rain past you and Pam with a cheeky smile on his face, and Pam would always smile back.

That is, until Roy elbowed Jim in the nose, and Jim knocked Roy over... Her smile disappeared then. And quickly, the game became a mess. Michael was yelling and harassing the other team, Dwight was stealing the ball from Ryan...

And one of the warehouse workers accidentally hit Michael in the face.

"What the Hell man?" Michael yelled, stopping the game.

"Oh man, I am so sorry. I didn't see you I-" the warehouse worker, a guy named Ted, started apologising.

"Foul! Foul! You just clocked me right in the face man, what was that for?" Michael held his nose, and as Ted tried to explain, Michael kept telling. "It was a flagrant attack of a personal nature you know what GAME OVER! Game over!" Michael called out, a few sighs and grumbles following.

"This is why I didn't want to come..." You whispered to Pam as Michael went on about the team being a family, about how it was a real shame but whoever was ahead should win.

"That was you..." Daryl responded to Michael's statement. Office had been ahead by five points.

"We were ahead? Oh well I didn't know-" Michael started. "Guess you guys are coming in Saturday." Michael said with a shrug, and you glanced at Pam.

"Michael bet whoever lost worked Saturday..." She filled you in.

"Nah, I'm not working Saturday..." Roy states, and three of the warehouse workers: Roy, Daryl and Lonny, surrounded Michael. Each of them were at least half a foot taller than him.

"Come on guys... I'm the boss." Michael said with a sigh, and Lonny jumped in.

"So we're coming in Monday? Right?" He asked, and Michael gulped. The room was silent, in the way no room of thirty people should be silent. "Monday, right?" Lonny repeated.

"Yeah, course. We're coming in Saturday." Michael said with a laugh, and the room was filled with sighs, muttering and grumbles.

As the office team made their way back upstairs, spectators in tow, the mood was low. Lower than low. Not only had Michael cheated, but he had still lost.

Jim was chatting with Pam and you when Roy came in to pick her up.

"Larry Bird... Larry legend." Roy announced, giving Jim the once over as he swung his arm over Pam's shoulder, the pair starting to leave the office.

"Oh, Y/N. Mind if I get my sweater? The house is freezing." Pam said with a sweet smile, and you nodded, pulling it off and handing it over to her. The moment of silence the four of you shared upon the reveal of your newly bruised arm was too long to bear, but Roy quickly broke it.

"See you guys next week." He said, leading Pam out quickly. Jim looked at the door for a second, then back at you.

"Y/N what-"

"Not now, Jim." You said quickly, turning to tidy your desk. As you shut down your computer, Michael appeared from his office, tissues in his nose.

"What time do we have to come in tomorrow?" Oscar asked, the office going silent as they waited for an answer.

"Ah, ha ha! I uh- hey Y/N, at least you won't be working all on your lonesome, huh?" Michael turned the attention to you.

"Michael, I came to the game, I'm not coming in tomorrow." You stood your ground, pulling on your jacket.

"Don't be like that Y/N. You were late anyway, and it's a team thing! All in it together." Michael tried to laugh it off.

"No, Michael."

"Come on Y/N-"

"Jesus Michael, I said no!" You yelled, and Michael took a step back.

"Am I missing something?" Michael asked. You never shouted at him, he never shouted at you. In the six years you've known each other, it was playful almost always.

"Five years tomorrow." You said gently, wiping away a tear, and the realisation dawned on a few faces, including Michael's. Phyllis came over and gave you a tight hug.

"Y/N I can't believe I forgot I-" Michael tried to apologise, but you shook your head.

"It's fine, it's fine... God, I'm sorry..." You apologised, and after breaking the hug with Phyllis you immediately rushed out the office to your car.

"I'm confused..." Ryan spoke up after a minute, and Dwight turned to look over.

"Her mother passed away a year after she started working here... I don't know why she's making such a big deal of it, if you ask me." He said, and Jim stood up.

"Jesus Dwight, shut up!" Jim snapped, grabbing his own things and following you out the door, hoping to catch you.

Michael and the rest of the office stood quiet for a moment. "Screw it, have tomorrow off. It's not like an extra day's work is going to stop the downsizing." Michael said with a sadness in his voice, walking into his office and shutting the door.

Meanwhile, Jim had managed to catch up to you.

"Y/N?" He tapped on your driver's window, startling you. You took a second, rolling the window down slowly as you wiped your eyes.

"I'm sorry I lost it in there I just-"

"Don't apologise. You have every right to be sad... And, I know I never met your mom, but I bet she was as amazing as you are." Jim tried to cheer you up with a compliment, and you laughed, a few more tears flowing. "Hey, hey... Look, why don't I come with you tomorrow? So you don't have to be alone?" He offered, and you look up at that big smile of his, nodding.

"I would really, really like that..." you said with a small voice, letting out a hiccup as you dried your eyes on your jacket sleeve.

"Then I'll pick you up at 10?" He offered, and you nodded, cementing the plan. Jim smiled, waving goodbye as he headed to his own car. He didn't ask about the bruises, he knew you wouldn't want to share, and you drove that night feeling slightly less terrible.

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kittsfics · 4 years

Text

Last little ficlet for @acidulication‘s shifter batfam au (here), this time in two parts and tentatively called ‘Father, Grandfather’. (Previous ficlets: here & here)

Bruce groans, stretching out on the sofa then sits up with a half suppressed yawn, glancing over at the clock on the mantelpiece. He's got just over half an hour before he needs to start getting suited up for the night and his kids' laughter echoes down the corridor from the kitchen. He almost drifts off again listening to them, it's been a long few days, even though he got through without any major injuries.

Just when he's finally about to get to his feet, there's a sudden loud meow from the doorway and the sounds from the kitchen cut off. Tim pads over with another meow and jumps up into his lap, front paws on his chest, so he can headbutt Bruce's cheek. "Hey you." He runs his knuckles down his spine and presses a kiss between his ears while Tim purrs.

Then his ears twitch and he half turns towards the door before jumping onto the back of the sofa. Bruce twists to follow, frowning, but there's a black blur at the corner of his vision and a heavy impact on his chest knocks him flat on his back. Before he can get his breath back, Dick has flopped and he knows from experience that he's practically immovable at this point.

Bruce closes his eyes, taking as deep a breath as he can with the weight on his chest, slowly resigning himself to his fate. There's a gentle pat to his forehead and he opens his eyes to see Tim now perched on the arm of the sofa, reaching down with a paw and a satisfied expression.

There's a clack of claws on the wooden floor and Jason wanders in with a yawn, snorting at Bruce's beseeching look. He tilts his head, regarding the whole scene with a rough laugh, and jumps up onto Bruce's legs and settles with his head pillowed on Dicks back. His brother just huffs, and Tim picks his way down their bodies until he can curl up in the thick fur between Jason's shoulder blades.

That's how Alfred finds them a few minutes later, all the boys dosing and Bruce unable to move under their combined weight. He stops in the doorway to take a photo before going to the window to close the curtains, ignoring Bruce's whispered calls for help.

"I'm sure between Misses Kate and Barbara, and the Birds of Prey, Gotham can spare Batman for another night. Especially as he has been away for nearly two weeks already, sir."

Bruce couldn't believe he ever thought he was in charge.

After working at his desk for nearly seven hours Bruce had moved to the sofa in the study, laptop balanced on the arm, in order to see if any new perspectives on his funding paperwork would appear. But what appears instead is a tiny spotted cat, a serval kitten he thinks, carefully picking their way along one of the bookshelves with Tim a couple of feet behind. They both meow a greeting and Tim jumps over to the back of the sofa, rubbing his face against Bruce's cheek in greeting.

The kitten shifts uncertainly, eyeing up the jump before more or less just throwing themselves towards them with a surprisingly loud warcry. They slam into the sofa, front claws catching on the top and Tim darts over to grab them by the scruff of their neck to drag them up. Bruce reaches over to help, scooping them up and placing them on his thigh, running his knuckles gently down their shivering spine, making quiet soothing sounds.

Tim drops down to join them, curling up around and starting to groom them while Bruce returns to his work. He types one handed, the other running over soft fur as they both relax, going boneless in his lap and purring like small engines. The kitten falls asleep fairly quickly and Tim carefully disentangles himself so he can look at the laptop, prodding the screen or even slowly typing things when he has to, Bruce occasionally pressing absent kisses to the top of his head.

They work for nearly an hour before Jason pushes the study door open, hair still damp from a shower and plush elephant in one hand. Bruce has an overdue epiphany as Lian shoots out of his lap, throwing herself at Jason and shifting halfway, letting him balance her on his hip, and cuddling the elephant with a yawn.

"She been okay?"

"Barely even noticed she was here, everything okay upstairs?"

Jason nods with a grin, coming close enough for Tim to jump up onto his shoulder, then settle half in the hood of his jacket. "Did you know that komodo dragons can sneeze, because I sure didn't. I mean it could just be Duke I guess? But I put the video in the group chat either way." He looks down at Lian with a soft smile. "Say bye to B, Sweetheat."

"Bye bye, Grandpa." Bruce freezes, heart suddenly melted in his chest as he looks at her, curled up in his son's arms, and waving her plush at him.

"See you little one." His voice comes out a little more choked up than he expected and Jason gives him a knowing look before heading for the door.

"Bye B, I gotta get this one's immunocompromised ass to a safe distance, and stop Roy burning the flat down in the name of cooking." An indignant meow from Tim, and Jason's laughter follow them down the hall and Bruce has to wipe his suddenly damp eyes.

He has to wipe them again a few seconds later when Lian's happy, "Grander-pa!" floats through the manor, followed by Alfred's calm voice as he bids the group goodbye.

#my fics #batfam

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mochegato · 3 years

Text

Hope on Board

Chapter 2 – It’s All Fun and Games Until Someone Ends Up Pregnant

Note: PG version of smut basically this entire chapter, pretty much just kissing. If you don’t like smut you can skip this chapter.

Chapter 1

“You’re falling behind,” she smirked at him, twisting again to finish an elaborate move. She could feel the alcohol surge through her hazing her mind and dulling her inhibitions, in particular the one dictating she remember how uncoordinated she is so she doesn’t try any daring moves outside of her suit and the one that dictates she not attract any attention to herself by showing off her questionably obtained moves. Moves like the ones she was currently putting on full display.

But it wasn’t her fault really. Dick had challenged her to a dance off. He challenged her. Then he turned out to be stupidly skilled. She had to pull out the big guns. She wasn’t about to lose to some stupidly handsome, stupidly sweet, stupidly talented… what was she saying? “I think you must’ve missed my last few moves. At best for you, we’re tied,” Dick called to her with his own smirk, grazing his fingers across the small of her back. Oh yeah, that’s right. She wasn’t going to lose.

She narrowed her eyes at him playfully before bursting into full belly laughs. He picked her up and spun her around, matching her laughter. This felt good. This felt right. This was a cosmic reward for everything it had thrust on her since she was fourteen and she never wanted it to stop. She could feel a blissful sensation radiating out from where Dick’s strong hands were gripping her hips, pulling her closer to him.

She raised her arms crossing them behind her head as she moved to the beat and turned to shoot Dick a teasing look. The bright blue of her shirt brought out her eyes and made them shine even brighter. She looked up at him with a brilliant smile and eyes shining bright. Dick froze to take in the sight, unable in his liquor induced haze to really process how he was feeling.

It made Dick feel like electricity was surging through him. Those eyes seemed to have to power to heal wounds he didn’t even know he had. He wanted to see that look every day. He wanted to be the reason for that look. He suddenly stopped dancing and cupped her face, an intense look in his eyes. He leaned down and captured her lips in a passionate, hungry kiss. Marinette froze for a moment in shock from his sudden seriousness before pulling him closer by his shirt and returning the kiss with every bit the same amount of passion.

He pulled away still looking in her eyes and holding her close. They swayed together in the middle of the crowd, bodies glued together. Clear, bright blue meeting intense, adoring blue. Lost in their own world just for them. They were knocked out of their stupor, quite literally, by the dancers around them bumping into them. They broke eye contact and looked around sheepishly just now remembering the crowd around them. She looked back at him with a wide smile and started dancing to the music again, keeping him close, trying to keep physical contact with him in some way the entire time, which he reciprocated, refusing not to have his hands touching her body somewhere.

She gave him a coquettish smirk and spun away from him, still holding his hand as she spun. Unfortunately, at the same time a dancer next to her stepped back for a dance move of their own. Her foot tangled with his and they both fell. Dick caught her easily, his previously flirty eyes now filled with concern. He pulled her close to him, cradling her to his body. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, an embarrassed flush appearing on her cheeks. She looked over to the other dancer. “Hey, you okay?”

“Eh. It happens,” he smiled and went right back to dancing.

She giggled and turned to Dick with a shrug. Dick looked unconvinced. “Maybe we can sit for a minute. Get you some water and talk?” he offered instead, his eyes conveying the worry he felt. He carried her to a table along the dancefloor to make sure she was okay.

His concern filled Marinette with an overwhelming feeling of warmth. He wasn’t just chasing a physical high, he was worried about her. She looked in his eyes and gave him an adoring smile. She cupped his face and pulled him closer to place a slow, sweet kiss on his lips. He watched her with a dazed look as she pulled away. “I’m fine,” she assured him. “Honestly, I’m a bit of a klutz to begin with and I’m drunk. I’m surprised worse hasn’t happened. This was barely anything. Accidents happen. I’m okay.” She gave him a smirk. “Come on, I want to get back to winning.”

He watched her for a few extra seconds to make sure she meant it then nodded with a smirk. “I don’t think I lose either way.”

She stood up, her chest brushing against his as she stood. “Me either,” she whispered in his ear before leading him out to the dancefloor.

He spun her around and wrapped his arms around her as they swayed to the music, pulling her tight against his body; her back pushing against his chest, her hips rubbing against his hips as they swayed to the beat. He groaned involuntarily at the sensation. She felt so right in his arms. She made his whole body vibrate in anticipation. She reached up behind her to run her hands up his neck and into his hair, scraping her nails along his scalp and pulling slightly on his hair.

He groaned and clenched his hands around her hips. She bit her lower lip and turned her head to watch him through her lashes. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her mind was racing, but no matter how much it raced, it always returned to the exhilaration she felt when his hands or his arms or his mouth touched her. She wanted to get lost in the sensation, the pleasant, soothing, tantalizing sensation that washed over her body emanating from wherever any part of Dick’s body was touching her.

The way she was looking at him stole his breath and his mind empty. He needed to be closer. He needed her against him. He needed to keep her looking at him like that. He ran his fingers along her jaw and down her neck. He buried his head in her neck, placing hot, wet kisses up her neck until his lips were brushing the shell of her ear. “Want to get out of here? Somewhere we can actually… talk?”

He felt her shudder at the sensation of his breath against her ear. She turned around to wind her arms around his neck again. She pulled him down, pressing a heated, hungry kiss to his lips. He pressed his lips harder against hers, pressing out any air between their bodies. She pulled away after a few minutes and pressed her forehead to his chest as she gasped for breath. Dick ran his hands up and down her sides, feeling every curve and plane and firm muscle. “Is that a yes?” he whispered into her hair.

She nodded into his chest and looked back up at him with sultry eyes. “I have to tell my friend where I’m going and make sure he has a plan to get home.”

He grinned, running his fingers across the small of her back. “I’ll meet you at the front door?” She nodded, not trusting her voice, and pulled him down for another searing kiss. She walked away with an tantalizing smile over her shoulder. He watched her until he couldn’t make her out in the crowd anymore and went to wait for her at the front door.

Thankfully, he didn’t have to wait long for her to meet him. She worked her way to him, the same alluring smile still on her lips, after only a few minutes. He returned her smile with an inviting one of his own. When she reached him, he brushed her hair out of her face and wrapped an arm around her waist, giving her a squeeze before resting his hand on her hip and making their way out of the club.

Jason stared incredulously as Dick walked out of the club trailing close behind a beautiful woman. He snorted and turned to Roy, raising his voice to imitate Dick’s, “This isn’t about getting laid. It’s about hanging out together and having fun. Boy’s night.”

Roy rested his elbow on Jason’s shoulder and shook his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe he’s going to get laid… and in that shirt.”

Tim came up between them, knocking Roy’s elbow down and patting both of them on the shoulder. “And before either of you.” Roy’s face went slack with realization and Jason cursed.

A cab ride later during which time they were mostly well behaved with only a modicum of wandering hands, Marinette and Dick were cuddled up on Dick’s couch popping M&M’s into their mouths, the only food he had in his apartment, between sips of their drinks. Marinette giggled and focused her attention on tossing an M&M up in the air in Dick’s direction. She cheered loudly as he caught it in his mouth with a grin. “Good toss,” he commended her, squeezing her closer and pressing his nose against the side of her face.

“Thanks.” She cuddled closer with a proud smile. “I have really good hand coordination… no wait… hand eye coordination! Clearly not that drunk despite how I sound. I’m blaming that on English. I’d be fine in English… French!” She pulled away slightly to give him an adoring look, running her hands back and forth over his stomach. “Good catching.”

He chuckled and took another drink. “Thank you.”

She sighed and leaned her head against the back of the couch as he ran his fingers over her hip. She looked around the apartment, hazy eyes flitting from thing to thing without really registering any of them. Her eyes finally settled on a shirt that was thrown on the couch right behind Dick. She reached awkwardly over him, falling into him accidentally as she grabbed the shirt. She giggled when he pulled her onto his lap with a laugh. She held out the shirt to see what it was. She gave the shirt a double take. She recognized the design. She had created the design. He owned a shirt with her design on it. She started giggling uncontrollably.

He gave her a confused look. “What?”

She held it up for him to see. “Yours?”

“Yeah, I was wearing that before we left. What? Not a fan?” he asked with a pout, uncertainty in his voice.

“No, no. I love his music,” she assured him with that same secretive smile and booping him on the nose. “I take it you’re a fan of Jagged as well?”

“I am, in fact.” He gave an exaggerated nod. “I have all his albums. Every one.” He made an exaggerated sweeping motion toward his CD’s. “I love him and the artwork, especially this one.” He held the shirt up and shook it as though she might be uncertain of which design he was talking about. “It’s so creative and cool looking. You don’t even have to be a fan of Jagged to like it. I don’t know. I just really like his artist,” he rambled not noticing a dark blush settling on her cheeks.

She surged up and captured his lips in a fervent kiss. He let out a surprised huff, but quickly melted into her lips, wrapping both arms around her and pulling her closer. After a few minutes he pulled away reluctantly, panting for breath. “What was that for?” he asked breathlessly. He cupped her cheek and pressed his forehead to hers.

“Nothing.” She gave him an effervescent smile and pulled away slightly to wave her hands in an uncoordinated motion trying to dismiss his interest. She held up the shirt again with a nostalgic smile. “This is one of my favorite designs too. And, I’ve been a huge fan of his since I was a kid.”

“Right, he started in France didn’t he?” His voice was excited again. She nodded. He grinned at her and settled further into the couch, wrapping his arms around her waist and giving her a squeeze. “I like this. Tell me more about yourself. I want to know more.”

She smiled broadly at how excited he sounded. “I like this too. We’ll take turns. I want to hear more about you. Not just me. Don’t be selfish.” She gave him a mock stern look, pointing a finger in his face.

His smile beamed at her comment and gave her a curt, serious nod. “I would never. Okay. You first.” He took the shirt out of her hands and threw it over his shoulder.

She giggled at him, her eyes following the arc of the shirt as she thought about what she wanted to say. She took another gulp of her drink. “Let’s see. From France.” He nodded in confirmation and encouraged her to continue. “Paris, that’s in France. Went to university in New York, that’s in America. Really like whatever this is.” She held up her glass before finishing the rest of it. “Signed a deal with a company in Gotham and decided to move here and open a store. I’m a clothing designer.”

He nodded along as she talked, attempting to catalog each piece of information for later despite the information already melding together into nonsensical data points in his head. He looked down at her clothes. “You look amazing. Did you do it yourself?”

She gave him a radiant smile and wiggled in his lap in excitement at the compliment. “Thank you. I did. It's Nightwing themed.”

Dick choked on the drink he had just taken. He gave her a faux innocent smile. “Fan of his?”

Marinette watched him with concerned eyes for a few seconds to make sure he was okay before she answered. “Yeah. I think he’s a good… I mean…” she took a second to collect herself and look serious as she spoke as though this were an important conversation. “He has a really imprint… a really impressive leadership style. Strong… and dynamic… and compassionate.” She counted off the attributes on her fingers to accentuate her point. “The way he connects with victims… I mean they all have their own way of connecting with people,” she quickly added not wanting to insult them as though they could just know she was talking about them, like their bat senses might be tingling. She looked down and furrowed her brow. “I guess his way just resonates with me more?” She looked up at Dick to see if he was following. He was watching her with something close to awe so she took that as a sign to continue.

“And his fighting technique! The things he can do? I’ve only ever seen one other person able to move like that and she had magic to help.” She made some wild, vague motions in the air to indicate flips. “But he’s just… like that. Completely human… at least so they say… I don’t know. Do you?” She looked to him with an inquisitive stare. She continued on without letting him answer, “and can do that. I mean… wow.” She continued talking completely oblivious to the way Dick’s cheeks were flushing and his eyes darkening. “Not to mention sexy. I mean damn…” she suddenly realized she was gushing about someone else while cuddled up in Dick’s lap. She looked at the now empty glass accusatorily. “Maybe I am that drunk. I really should stop talk…”

Dick obliged her wish, stopping her with a kiss before she could finish her sentence. He cupped her face and pulled her closer, pressing into her with a bruising volley of kisses. Her kisses tasted like the liquor and chocolate they had been consuming in an enticing combination of flavor that was just her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her, hungrily returning his kisses. He reached up into her hair and pulled out the band holding it up, releasing her hair and allowing his hands to wind into her hair. He gently pulled, prompting her to lean her head back giving him better access to her neck. He trailed wet kisses down her neck.

The moan she let out sent shivers down his spine. He had caused her to make that noise. The sound was like a spell forcing his full attention on her. His mind became consumed with trying to figure out how to get her to make it again and what other sounds she could make. She shifted so she was straddling his hips and rolled her hips slightly. He groaned in response and playfully nipped at her collar bone before ghosting his nose back up her neck as he trailed his nails up and down her back and along her hips. The feeling of his rough, calloused fingers against her skin caused goosebumps to rise across her skin wherever he had touched her showing a history of his contact.

She whimpered into his hair and worked her hands down his chest splaying out her fingers as she moved them against his body. She found his shirt’s hem and reached under it to feel his skin against hers. He gasped at the sensation and reached to pull his shirt off to grant her more access. She hummed in appreciation and ran her fingers along his muscles in his chest before pressing into him to deepen the kiss.

He reached under her shirt running his finger under the band on her bra, causing her to whimper into his mouth. He started pulling off her shirt but paused, pulling away from her just enough to whisper against her lips. “Wait. Do you want to do this?”

Marinette nodded, still staring at his lips before diving in to feel his lips on hers again.

He moaned into the kiss, getting lost in the sensation of her, her lips, her tongue, her taste, her skin, the weight on his hips and chest. He fought to pull himself out of his haze, but distancing away from her slightly. “Marinette.” He hooked his finger under her chin to get her to look at him. Once she had focused on his eyes he asked again. “I want to make sure. Do you want to keep going? If you don’t we can just keep doing this or we can stop.”

Marinette’s eyes turned soft. She traced his jaw slowly and bit her lower lip. “Do you have protection?”

He nodded, “I do,” he assured her.

She smiled and pressed closer to him. “Then yes. I want to keep going. Do you?”

“Definitely, yes,” he whispered huskily, pulling her shirt off and tossing it across the room.

Chapter 3

Tags:

@dickinette-february

#maribat #Dickinette February #dickinette #platonic jasonette #Hope on Board #platonic adrienette #Knocked Up AU #prompt - chocolate

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itzagothamcitysiren · 4 years

Text

Welcome to the Family

So yesterday was Tim’s birthday and I had planned out a fic for it BUT I’ve been working a lot and just hadn’t had the time to sit down and write it out. I had kinda forgotten about it and when yesterday came around I was annoyed BUT I was given this idea after going out for the day with my niece.

We had drove by a Red Robin after eating somewhere else and I was mad salty, cause yesterday would’ve been the perfect time to go. Then for dinner we ordered take out and I kind you not, our delivery driver was named Timothy. Like what the hell? lol, I was dude I need to write something now.

So today after work I sat down and wrote this. It’ll be three parts, taking place after my mother’s day story. I’ll post up part one and two tonight, and once I finish three I’ll post it tomorrow hopefully :)

Tell ‘Em That It’s My Birthday pt. 1

“What day is it?!”

Halley’s voice seemed to shriek through the room, causing her now startled teammate, Kori Anders, to jerk her head up from her laptop. The girl’s off guard silence caused Halley to go bug eyed, repeating herself but more frantically. “The day! What day is it?”

The alien princess stared up at the wide eyed brunette unsure as to why the younger girl was so frantic suddenly. The coffee mug she held paused as it touched her lips and now was being held still. Cocking an eyebrow up, Kori gave her a soft and hesitant response,

“Monday?”

“Yes, I know its Monday. The date, I mean the date!” Halley shouted back, using one hand to run it through her hair as the other reached for her phone that she had tossed across the couch only seconds ago.

It was only minutes ago that the device was being held in her hands. She had been ordering herself and her team dinner from their favorite Thai place via Door Dash, it being her turn as Kori treated them to an array of Sushi the a few nights ago. She had found herself chuckling at the realization of the name of their Dasher. His name was Timothy and she couldn’t help but think back to yesterday when she and Kori were out on one of their many shopping trips. They had drove past a Red Robin and she had joked about how if they hadn’t already eaten lunch that they should’ve gone there and taken a picture outside the sign and send it to her Tim.

Why hadn’t it clicked then, she cursed to herself once her phone was in her hands. She let out the loudest groan she felt like she ever had when the date haunted her vision. It was July 20th; fucking July fucking 20th, she cursed to herself again, furiously rubbing her face with her hands as the phone dropped back down onto the couch. She was literally the worst sister in the entire universe.

She had been so consumed with her own life that she had completely spaced that Tim’s birthday was yesterday. She’d never done so before. She had never forgotten a birthday or any day of importance; she’d always made sure to leave herself reminders and be on top of stuff like that. Of course there were times where she would let certain things sneak up on her but she usually had a pretty solid excuse for days like those. But now that she was officially graduated from college she had no other big obligations to keep her truly and utterly distracted.

Sure, she was offered a job at the Gazette, but she didn’t have to start until the fall when they had a spot for her open. One of their tenor reporters was moving to Metropolis around then and Halley was more than okay with being able to take the summer off until then. Kori had asked for her help with getting the new Tower back up and running so it was ready for their new team of recruits.

The team of Titans she knew were mostly disbanded, having gone off to do their own things or another, a new team, a team Tim was a part of, taking over their Tower. Now Dick was in Bludhaven, Hank and Dawn giving up the hero life, Victor now joining the Justice League and Wally and Roy off somewhere no one really knew. Kori had reached out to Halley, asking her to help train her new recruits; Halley agreed and had been here for the last two and a half months.

But this was Tim. How could she just up and forget his birthday?

“Fuck, fuck, I need to call Tim,” She let her hands drop and grabbed her phone once more.

Going to her favorites, she clicked on the second name, dialing his number within seconds. She tapped her fingers against her thigh nervously waiting for the other line to be picked up. Her heart dropped when it had only been brought to voicemail. She didn’t wait to leave a message, hanging up and calling again. The phone brought her straight to voicemail.

He was ignoring her, she gulped.

She held the bridge of her nose, pinching it as she listened through his voicemail, waiting for the beep before opening her mouth to speak. When the beep rang she found herself unsure of what to say. She couldn’t just wish him happy birthday a day late through a voicemail. Biting the inside of her cheek she quickly composed herself, saying, “Hee-hey Tim. Uh it’s me, Halley er-. Look, can you call me? Please? Okay, love you, bye-,” Stupid, she hissed to herself as she hung up.

“Well that was almost as hard to listen to as Garfield when he flirts.” Kori chuckled, watching the girl hang up the phone and let her head drop into her hands.

“Shut up.” Halley spat but was muffled by her hands. She took her head out of her hands, leaning back into the couch and looking up at the ceiling.

Maybe he wasn’t actually in Gotham. Maybe he was with his own team of Titans. Yeah, maybe he was. And maybe he was on a mission and that’s why he couldn’t answer the phone. No, she frowned. She knew that he was in Gotham. Steph had sent her a snap a few days ago of the two of them out at Bat Burger. Wait, she though, bringing the phone back up to her ear. She dialed the blonde’s number but was met the same fate as with Tim’s.

“Ugh they hate me!” She cried out, finally meeting Kori’s eye. “I forgot about Tim’s birthday, Kori. He’s hates me now.”

“Tim would never hate you.” Kori rolled her eyes, waving the girl off and turning back to her laptop and work. “He looks up to you. He’ll understand that it just slipped your mind.”

“Yea but it shouldn’t have slipped my mind. And he’s clearly mad since he’s ignoring me!” Halley yelled, standing up. “Let Gar or Jaime have my plate; I need to catch a flight to Gotham.”

“Halley, wait a bit for him to call you back, don’t just jump on a plane.” Kori squinted at her, noting how similar to Dick she had gotten over the years. He had done the exact thing to her once, way back when she hadn’t answered her phone.

“No, you don’t get it, Kor, we always remember and I can’t believe I forgot.” She frowned, grabbing her phone and heading out of the common room as quickly as she could.

She was so mad at herself. She knew that Tim wasn’t one to just ignore people and send them right to voicemail. She knew he was mad and she was worried that if she waited for him to call her back it would take a couple of days. Halley wouldn’t wait that long, already trying to think of an apology as she looked up flights on her phone as she power walked to her room.

As her head was buried in her phone she found herself walking into a hard chest, instantly looking up with narrowed eyes. In front of her stood one of the last members to join the Titans before the newest kids and Halley showed up. The firm chest of the Atlantean sidekick stared her straight in the face as she slowly craned her head up to make eye contact with his purple eyes.

“Hey Garth, sorry” she said offhandedly, side stepping and moving to walk around him. She frowned when she felt his hand reach out and grip her upper arm, making her stop. “Come on, I gotta go. I have to go to Gotham; it’s an emergency.”

The Atlantean frowned his playful smirk now showing concern as he let go of his grip. He began to follow her to her room, walking a few steps behind. “Is everything okay? Do you need me to go with you?”

“I don’t think the Batclan will want an Atlantean in Gotham. No offense,” She smirked at him, looking him up and down. She pressed down the hall further, “But no, it’s not that kind of emergency. I’m an asshole and forgot Tim’s birthday.”

“You are an asshole.” He teased, stopping behind her when they reached her door. He laughed, raising his hands up in surrender and protection when she turned around to smack him. “Hey, I’m not the one who eats their boyfriend’s kind.”

“I said I was sorry about that!” Halley snapped, giving him a playful push before opening her door. She didn’t bother to close it, knowing he’d just follow her in anyway. “I told you I would be more mindful; I ordered Thai food tonight, no fish.” She pointed out, laughing at the incident that happened when Kori bought them all home sushi a few nights ago. The Aqualad was less than thrilled about her choice and even less than thrilled when Halley openly dug into roll after roll in front of him. “Also, you aren’t my boyfriend last time I checked.”

He watched her as she moved to her closet, pulling out a Superman backpack and throwing random articles of clothing into it. His face flashed from frisky to almost jealous, her words throwing him off as he had already assumed they were a thing. They’d met years ago when they were teenagers and Garth would be lying if he said he hadn’t gotten a crush on her back then. But he had only been with the Titans for one mission back then and quickly went back to Atlantis. When he was offered a full time spot on their roster he was excited when he found out Halley would be joining them for a few months.

It took some time but the pair hit it off, Halley at first reluctantly agreeing to go on a date with him but eventually growing to like the Atlantean. She had only just started dating a few months prior and it was all so new to her but it was somewhat comfortable with Garth. She wouldn’t say that she was falling in love, she was far from it. But she did feel something towards him unlike other’s she dated; she wasn’t bored. It wasn’t as awkward as it was with civilians who knew nothing about her nightlife and it was nice to talk to someone outside of the family who had shared life experiences. She also found herself not constantly comparing everything about him to Jason or holding him to the unreasonably high standards she had to match him.

“Well I haven’t gotten around to asking you yet.” He shrugged but kept a firm face, wanting to show that he was seriously thinking about asking her.

“Oh,” Halley said, placing the last thing she needed in her bag. She zipped it up, trying to shove away her sudden nervousness. She hadn’t thought about getting that committed to someone yet. But as she bit her lip, she looked up at him unable to stop herself from speaking. Giving him a sly look, she spoke “Well, when I get back maybe you can get around to it if you want.”

“I’ll have to make a note of it,” Garth smirked at her, crossing his arms against his chest. “For now let me at least bring you to the airport,” He offered, his eyes followed her as she walked around him and grabbed her phone charger of the plug in the wall and a book from her nightstand.

“Do mermaids know how to drive?” She teased him before heading out the door.

“Wow, you really are an asshole.” He teased right back as he followed her back into the hallway, leading the way down to the garage.

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hobbitsnapes · 3 years

Text

The Red Hoods Protègè chapter 19

Older Damian Wayne x ofc

(Photo made by my lovely friend @inspeech)

Summary:Red Hood has taken a young vigilante under his wing and subsequently changes Damians life forever.

Tags: @comic-nerd-dc @comic-brew @psychovigilantewrites @psych0crybaby

Her feet padded lightly against the floor, the sound the only noise in the room. Everyone was downstairs, from what she could hear there was an electrical issue with the computers that she totally didn’t tell them about last week when the screen went black by itself.

She came across one of the shelves in the large family room, it held a large binder booklet. It was definitely old, having collected a layer of dust over it. She brushed it off to reveal a sticker on the cover. ‘Family photos’ it wrote. She examined the handwriting, from the looks of it, it was Alfreds. But it also looked a lot like her fathers. Upon further inspection it was alfreds, the writing was finer. She noticed the pen was lightly written onto the paper with more fluid lines and less indentation from the pressure of the pen. Her father had beautiful writing, but his was heavier. The lines were thicker, and you could feel the indentation of the pen whenever he wrote.

She picked up the large book, nearly dropping it due to the heavy weight. It wasn’t so heavy that it was a struggle, but definitely had more weight than she assumed.

She sat down on the couch, placing the book on her lap which she brought up onto the seat.

Opening up the cover, she spotted writing on the side of it. They were names, all in different handwriting.

The first name written was Richard, Jason, Barbara, Tim, steph, and finally Damian. Out of all of them, Damian's writing was the neatest. Almost looking like he typed it out and printed it. But she could feel the small amount of indentation when she ran her fingers over it.

The first photo was of a, family. There were only 3 people in the photo. The mother and father were crouched down on either side of their son. The mother had blonde hair that was pulled into a bun. The father had dark hair that was slightly curly. Both had wide smiles on their face that reached their eyes. In the middle was a boy, he had jet black hair, a small smile, and blue eyes. In front of the boy was a cake, with the number 8 in a large candle in the middle.

She felt a sinking suspicion that she knew who they were, and when she looked above the fireplace, her question was answered. There was a large photo of Tomas and Martha Wayne, with a young Bruce in between them. Her heart pulled slightly when she looked back down. Down at the happy family, with the young boy who had no idea what was to shortly come for him in months time. Her heart pulled further when she looked at the small boy. There was the eyes of an innocent boy who’s eyes shined with light and joy. Now his eyes were tired, empty. Even when she saw him happy, he lacked the pure joy and life that he once had. It was painful to look at, to see how different he had become.

She turned the page to see another boy. He looked an awful lot like Bruce, but it was obvious it wasn’t. He was older than the photo of Bruce, but still a young boy. He had a scowl on his face at the camera, which caused her to chuckle. Her laughter was cut when she noted the dark circles under his eyes. His overall demeanor screamed he was tired. She looked down at the corner of the page to see a small bit of writing. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw it was dick. She had only seen the man with a bright smile. Always looking so full of life, he looked like the sun shined out his ass every morning. It was shocking, seeing how angry he looked then. How she wished she could go back in time to tell the young boy how happy he will be. And how great he is to come.

She flipped the page to the next, letting out a laugh at the photo. She knew exactly who it was without thinking. With the bright strawberry blonde hair and the bright green blue eyes. It was hilarious to see, she was so used to seeing her father as a large, muscular man with scars on his face. He was a small, scrawny little boy with curly blonde hair.

“I see you’ve found the family photo booklet.” Alfred said, making her jump and turn around at the man. He had a small smile on his face, with a cup in his hand.

He walked over to her, sitting beside her and set his tea down onto the table. “That, was your father when he was adopted. He was overjoyed that day. I couldn’t help but take his photo.” He said, a fond smile on his face.

He flipped to the next page to see Tim. He was younger then, around the same age as the last few. His hair was short, almost a military length. It was odd, he didn’t have the dark runner eyes that he does now, and his hair wasn’t long like now. “This was, when master Tim became robin. He had finally convinced master Bruce that he need a robin after,” “I know, Tim told me all about it. It’s fine, if it wasn’t for what happened. I wouldn’t have met my dad, or any of you.” She said, looking over to him with a small smile.

The next page was turned, to a photo of Damian. She stifled a laugh at the photo. He was definitely very young here, no older than 11. But he looked like he had lived through 40 years. He had a tight scowl on his face, hard eyes that bore into the camera. Unlike dicks photo who looked angry and hurt, Damian just looked like an angry cat. But what she couldn’t get by, was his hair. Since she’s known him, he’s always had practically the same hairstyle. His sides are either short, or shaved. The hair at the top of his head was longer, and pulled back. Sometimes the longer hairs would fall into his face and be curly, but nothing like this. His hair was almost spiky. It wasn’t styled that was, it was obviously naturally that way. She couldn’t hold in her laughter anymore, throwing her head back against the couch. Alfred chuckled along with her, trying to stop his chuckles with his hand. “Master Damian, had that hair until he was 16.” Alfred laughed, causing her to laugh even harder.

They kept going through the booklet, laughing at some of the photos. But when they got through about 10 more, the photos stopped. She looked over to him, her head slightly tilted in question. “That’s it?” She asks, noting the book to have probably hundreds of more pages. “I’m afraid so, we stopped taking them a few years ago. We really only took them when the boys were younger, and when master Damian grew older, we just gave up.” He sighed, his head tilted down. She put her hand against his shoulder, causing the elderly man to look up at her. “Then I’m gonna start it up again. Just because they’re all grown up, doesn’t mean we can’t have more memories. I’m gonna fill this booklet up.”

As she walked down the hallway back to her room, she was tackled to the ground. The air was knocked out of her lungs when she hit, letting out a small yell when a heavy force was on top of her. She nearly threw whatever the threat was off of her, until she felt it’s tongue licking her face. She laughed out as Titus slobbered all over her, trying to get his drool away from her mouth. “Hey buddy, ohh I’ve missed you so much!” She cooed, scratching behind the dogs ears. He flopped off of her onto his back, raising his legs in the air. She rolled over on her side and scratched his belly, laughing at his tongue hanging out his mouth. “Oh yeaah you missed the scritches! You just love when I give you the belly scritches!” She cooed, continuing to laugh as she watched him.

She hadn’t seen much of the dog this whole time, with him always beside Damian and her actively avoiding him.

Titus got up and started licking at her again, wrapping his upper legs around her in a hug. She hugged the large dog back and laughed as he slobbered into her hair. She pulled back to look at the dog, watching as he abruptly stopped his kisses. “Wanna go for a walk?” She asked excitedly, laughing when he shop up from her lap and started jumping. He barked happily as she got up, watching as he bolted down the hallway.

She buttoned up her jacket, holding onto the bag of toys in her arm. She opened the door and watched as he ran out into the backyard, nearly running through the flowers.

She ran out after him, laughing as he ran even faster. They played tag for some minutes, nearly falling on her face a few times when he’d make a sharp turn.

She sat down in the grass, noting the small bits of snow on the ground.

She laughed as he pranced over to her, he had a large stick in his mouth that he showed proudly. He dropped it at her feet, looking up at her with big eyes. She picked it up and watched as he chased after it, watching as he cane back with it.

They played ratchet for a while, the large dog seeming to never grow tired with it. That was until she took out a plush toy, watching as he dropped the stick when she squeaked it.

They sat there in the grass as he Chewed up the toy, fluff flying everywhere. She scratched at his belly some more, watching as he nearly starts falling asleep. “Alright boy, let’s get inside.” She cooed, getting up with him and walking back.

Her phone shook in her pocket, startling her slightly. Grabbing for it and looking at the name, a smoky grew on her face. “Hey dad.” She said happily, hearing the slight chuckle at the other end. “Hey bubs,” he chuckled, causing her to slightly laugh. “What’s up? Need anything?” She asked. “No actually, i was just calling to ask how you’re doing.” A smile grew on her face at his question. “Everything’s going alright so far, what about you? Have you abd dick got any clue as to who broke into our apartment?” She asked, she heard his breath catch in his voice. “Uh, nothing yet honey. I’m sorry.” He said, she could hear the hesitation in his tone. She didn’t bother to point it out, knowing he’ll tell her eventually. “Now, why don’t you tell me how your weeks been, I’ve missed talking to you this past week.”

“And as if it couldn’t get worse that night, I nearly shot Roy in the asscrack when I thought he was one of the slippery bastards.” He laughed, causing her to chuckle back. “Well besides your uncle being a dumbass, what’s been going on with you? I know you told me about the party, but I know those idiots must’ve done something.” He asked. “It’s more shocking if they aren’t being idiots here. But besides that, I wouldn’t know.” She says. “Hm?” He asks, causing her to sigh. “I’m not really involved with them when they go out. And, okay there’s no way to transition this. But dad, I think I’m ready to go out.” She admits, hearing him let out a sigh. “I don’t know-“ “i know dad, it’s still scary but you gotta realize, my face has been on every cover of the news lately. They obviously know it’s me. They can obviously put two and two together and realize who everyone is now. And nothings happened. I’m ready dad.”

He sighs, pinching between his eyebrows. “Alright, but I need you to do one thing for me.” He says, his voice calm but stern. “What is it?” She asks. “Let me give you places to go. I don’t want you going out and messing with the big guys. While I don’t doubt how amazing you are, you haven’t done this long. And I know you’re not gonna go out with them. So please, stick to the smaller jobs for now. I’m not gonna be there with you like it’s always been.” He says, his heart panging inside his chest in fear. She sighs, “alright. Where should I go?” “I’ve been watching this group for a while, they’re a bunch of punks who rob small stores. They’ve never robbed any banks or anything bigger than a rite aid. But I was able to tap into one of their lines, and they’re looking to rob the bank that’s a block away from the old library.” “You mean citizens bank?” She asks. “Yes, tonight at 12 they’re looking to break in through the back. Be there by 11:30. No later than 11:40. I’ll hook your coms up to their line so you can listen in on them.” “Anything I gotta be worried about?” “Nothing, they’re 5 guys who call themselves, hear this, the red hoods. Real original.” He chuckles. “Alright, and don’t worry dad, I’ll be safe.” She chuckles. “You better. And remember, I’m always hooked up to your line so if anything happens, tell me and I’ll be there in a heartbeat.” “I know, and thanks dad. I love you.” “I love you to bub.”

The cave was quiet, apart from the waterfall streaming in the background. Everyone suited up quietly as they prepared to leave for the night. That is, apart from someone.

She would usually be down with them, usually by the computers or the training mats. It wasn’t completely out of the ordinary not to have her there. So nobody paid any mind to it.

Damian and Bruce walked over to the tumbler, Tim and dick in tow.

All their heads whipped around when they hear the start of a motorbike. Their hearts accelerating and minds perplexed on who it could be. Then they realized.

She had been hate for close to 2 months, they knew she’d eventually go out. But didn’t Jason say she shouldn’t? She was very well at listening to him, while she was strong willed, she always trusted her father's words. “Let’s not fuss about it. Let’s go.” Bruce says, climbing in with everyone behind him.

The grind was wet under her boots, having rained no more than an hour prior. The street was surprisingly quiet, usually every street was filled with people and cars even at this late of an hour.

She looked down at the watch on her arm, 11:20 it red. She parked her bike in a secluded spot, putting trash cans in front of it.

She walked to the back of the bank, the premis still vacant.

She pulled up jasons contacts on her arm, having had her coms upgraded recently. “Red, I’m here.” She reports. “Good, in the back there’s a locked door with a dial pad. Can you find it?” She looked around the door, spotting the dials almost immediately. “Found it.” “Okay good, the numbers are 11 23 64 88 108 and 47.” She dialed each of the numbers accordingly, watching as the light turned green before the sound of the lock opened. “I’m in.” “Alright, I’m hooking your coms up with theirs as we speak. Call again if anything happens.”

She sat on one of the hanging signs against the wall, making sure not to fall off. She had a clear view of the large room, able to watch and hear when anyone came through.

She looked down to her belt, all equipment ready. She tucked a stray hair behind her ear, snapping a hairpin over it.

Her coms light up and she hears in, the sound muffled by static slightly. “Alright, we go in, grab as much as we can, and run out. No going back for more. We pack as much as we can one round. And keep your guns trained, who knows if we’ll run into one of those freaks.” A man said, his voice was gruff, sounding like a heavy smoker. She heard 4 others agree with him, and the call ended.

She watched as each men walked in slowly, stifling a laugh as she watched them. They looked like your usual robbers, that is apart from the red ski mask and red hoods.

5 of them, the first man who must be the leader, was tall and broad. 3 men behind him, each the same height and relatively sane build. 2 men behind them, the men in the back were small, smaller than the rest. They both shook slightly with their guns in hand. They kept farting around the room, never bothering to look up.

She started climbing down, grabbing onto the sides of the walls to quietly get down.

She stayed behind the wall, eyes trained on the men. She’d wait for them to separate, knowing they’ll be easier without the group.

She watched as the second group went into one room, the others disappearing.

She held her breath as she got to one valt, watching as one tried opening the lock. One man was behind him, watching around the room. The other man was outside the room, eyes trained around the large room around him. Again, never bothering to look in a blind spot where she hid.

She spotted a box of tissues on a table beside her, slowly grabbing for it when he looked the other way.

She threw the box across from her, watching as his head whipped to the noise. He took his gun out and walked towards the noise, right beside her.

She waited until he walked by her, and watched as he bent down to the box.

She got behind him, holding onto him as he struggled. She immediately covered his mouth with chloroform, not even letting him yell out before she applied it. She watched as he slowly dropped to the ground, letting him go as he fell to the ground in a heap.

She dragged his body over to the same blind spot, making sure to secure the cloth around his mouth and nose.

She watched as the first man got inside the vault, waiting for him to get inside.

She pulled up her remote hacking and shut the vault, watching as the first man panicked as the door shut on him.

She ran up to the second man, jabbing her left hand into his lower right rib cage, making sure to hit his liver. He groaned out and clutched his stomach. She swung her leg and striked the side of his jaw, watching as he fell to his knees. She finished it with a large stomp to the top of his spine, hearing a large crack and his screaming, him falling to the ground paralyzed.

She hacked into the vault again, running in and spotting the man. She dodged his poorly aimed shots, running up to him, cocking his gun out of his hand. She jumped up on his thigh, swinging her body around him, crossing her legs around his upper body. She abruptly grabbed a hold of his head, rotating it harshly with her legs and cocking into the back of his neck. She watched as he fell to a heap on the floor, seeing his labored breathing and shaking.

She found the other 2 smaller men, watching as they both stuffed money into their bags hurley. She ran up to the one behind the other, covering his mouth with more chloroform, the other man turning around and yelling out when he spotted her. She ran over to him, punching up into his nose, hearing the crack. He fell back onto the ground, grabbing for his face. She hit him several more times, before hitting into the middle of his throat.

She heard nothing as she left the room, heart spreading up due to the silence.

A shot takes in front of her, nearly missing it. She turned her head to the last man, watching as he ran up to her.

She kicked into the side of his face, jumping up his thighs and swinging her legs around his throat. She pulled him down onto the ground, letting out a yell when he grabbed onto her foot, slamming her into the ground. He got on top of her, closing his fists around her throat.

His hands let go as a gasp left him, looking down and seeing the knife in his gut. She drove the knife in further, throwing him off of her as he choked out blood.

She yanked the knife from him, watching as he struggled to cover the wound.

She waited until she heard nobody else, and started walking out the back, making sure to set off the alarm on her way out.

“I’m back, took a little longer than usual.” “Thank god, I was starting to worry for a bit.” He admitted, hand over his chest. “Yeah sorry about that, last guy was a little messy but I got it done. The police should be there any minute now.” She said, climbing back onto her bike. “Well just get back, you did good tonight bubs.” She let out a chuckle, “thanks dad, I’ll call you tomorrow, I love you.” “Love you too bubs.”

“That, was completely unclad for.” Bruce scolded, walking up to her when she got back. “What was? I didn’t do anything wrong?” She retorted, voice filled with anger. “What was wrong? You paralyzed 3, and killed one!” Damian yelled, walking over to her. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “Yeah and? We have different methods. But it’s totally okay if you give them permanent brain damage. Last I checked, you don’t run this place like you think you do. So both of you shut the fuck up and let me do my thing.” She yelled, walking away from them.

“You insignificant hard headed-“ “id watch what you say Damian. you have no leg to stand on. You’re nothing but an arrogant thick skulled asshole who thinks he runs the world all because he’s got daddy’s money. You think you can talk to people however you want but get angry when we say something back. Well while everyone is to much of a fucking wimp to say anything to tou, I’m not. I don’t care what you say to me. But I’m done with you thinking your shit doesn’t stink and that you can walk all over me and say whatever you want. It’s time you grow the fuck up for once. You act like a spoiled child. Say whatever insult you want to me, I know you’re just mad because you're still attracted to me.” She spat, watching as his face went from anger to disgust. “I don’t want-“ “oh that’s bullshit Damian and you know it. I see the way you still look at me. That night when you ‘accidentally’ went into my room and passed out, I watched as you stared at me. You think I don’t notice but I do. But you’re to much of a fucking hardheaded prick to admit it.” She said, turning around and walked away.

The walls shake as he slams the door shut, the picture on his wall nearly falling off. His heart is pounding in his chest as he paces around the room, pulling at his hair as his breathing hardens. Anger courses through him the longer he thinks about it. ‘I don’t find her attractive anymore? How could I?’ But as quick as he thinks this, memories flash of her. Her skin glistening with water droplets, her hands trying to cover herself but he could still see her-‘stop it’ he tries telling himself. But the harder he tries the more came to him, it’s like he’s purposely trying to touture himself without his control. He can still feel the supple skin of her thigh in his hands as he kissed her. The feel of her body shaking slightly under him as he grinds his hardening-‘STOP’ he screams into his head.

He puts his hand against the wall, his other hand clutched in his hair tightly. His body feels the same warmth as before, only now his heart tremors inside of him the harder he fights.

He clenches his eyes shut as he tries to rid his mind of her. Flashes of training, fighting, anything he can think of to stop the loop of her. But as hard as he tries, the desire to think more about her grows.

The fire deep inside him grows the longer he fights it, it’s as if each time he pushes it down, the stronger it grows.

He lets out a shaky breath as he tries even harder to rid his mind. His hand clutching his hair until a small gasp leaves him.

The feel of her hands pulling at his hair as his lips were on hers play in his mind. The feeling of himself being pulled into her as he moaned in her mouth when she pulled it even harder between her slender fingers. The feeling of her nails scratching his scalp sends shivers down his body.

He slams his hand against the wall, pushing himself off of it and walking to the bathroom.

(Warning: smut)

The screeching of the water falling down the shower drowns out the sound of his breathing. His body shaking slightly as he undressed himself. A faint moan leaving him when he pulls his pants down his body. His length bobbing up to his body almost immediately. He could feel the low grade heartbeat inside of it, his body screaming to relieve the pressure.

A shuddering gasp leave his body when the freezing water makes contact with his warm skin, his body arching away from the freezing temperature. His heart beating rapidly as he tries to steady his breathing. A shudder leaving him as he tries stepping under the stream again.

The fire inside of him won’t die out even now, only growing strong again.

The freezing theme didn’t even work to get rid of his erection, only growing painful due to the blood flow.

He steps out of the stream to the opposite wall, feeling like he’ll puke due to the cold temperature. His body warming up again when the water was no longer on him.

He shakes as he fights off the thoughts of her again. Anger bubbling up inside him. Why can’t he stop? Why is he being so weak, giving into his mind and body was foran to him. Rarely he would let his mind wonder if he chose not to. But even with fighting it, the stronger the desire to keep going intensifies.

His left hand fists against the wall as his right hand clutches together at his side. The want inside of him screaming to just do it.

He hadn’t done it in years, not since he was 16. Even then, it wasn’t even enjoyable. He had no idea why he wanted to do it, no desire for anything but to relieve himself. No images or feeling playing in his mind when he did it, only the feeling was driving him to let go. Nothing close to how he’s feeling now.

His battle breaking the harder he tries not to think of her, his right hand shaking. A shudder leaving him when a water droplet rolls down his neck. The memory of her warm lips wrapped around his neck as her tongue kicks the skin.

A moan leaves him when his hand finally closes around his painfully hard cock, a shudder leaving him as he grips it in his hand. He breath shaking as he thrusts into his hand slowly. “F-fuck.” He moans out, his breath growing as he thrusts harder. The fire inside him growing as he goes faster, his teeth clenching as he starts moving his hand to meet his fastening thrusts.

Moans slip past his lips as he shuts his eyes, the feeling indescribably different from the last time he did this.

Images of her underneath him as he grinds into her-no. Not her. He still tries fighting the urge to think of her as his thrusts grow rapidly, his heart beating faster as his stomach starts clenching. His length growing more pressure as he squeezes even harder around it. “Oh, fuck.” He groans out. The images of her body shaking under him as he slips his tongue inside her mouth won’t stop, even when he tries blinking his mind of anything, just focusing on the feel of his cock slamming into his hand.

His legs nearly giving out as they shake trying to hold himself up. Momentarily stopping as he sits against the wall and resuming. The cold water infighting him further when it hits his legs. His body shaking as he fights off the impending orgasm that’s growing inside him. His moans growing in volume as he spreads up. Anger bubbles inside him the harder he tries fighting the thoughts of her, only getting more difficult the longer he goes.

His thrusts growing sloppy as his orgasm grows closer, a layer of sweat bearing down his face. He can’t keep holding it off as he feels his body tightening up.

He breaks his resolve as images of her moaning out under him as he thrusts inside her core, a loud groan leaving him when the pressure breaks. Groans leave him as the dam breaks as tremors overtake his body as waves of euphoria take over his body.

His heart pounds rapidly in his chest as he breathes heavily, shaking as shocks overtake him. Throwing his head against the wall, a shaking breath leaving him. “Fuck.”

#damian wayne x reader #damian wayne fanfiction #damian wayne imagine #older damian wayne #Batman #batfam x reader #batfamily #damian wayne #red hood #damian wayne smut #Jason todd #dick grayson #Tim drake #dc #dc imagine #dceu

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jinmukangwrites · 3 years

Text

Whumptober Day 28

Mugged

Ao3

Summary: It's a simple get together, and for once everything was fine.

Warnings: GRAPHIC MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH AND GRAPHIC INJURY. DO NOT READ IF THIS KIND OF VIOLENCE BOTHERS YOU, WHETHER ITS DIRECTED TO A CHILD OR AN ADULT. SPOILERS FOR DEATH IS IN TAGS.

-o-o-o-o-

"You have something on your face," Dick teases, smiling and leaning his elbows forward onto the 24 hour diner table. In the booth across from him, Damian scowls and wipes a smidge of strawberry ice cream from his cheek then elbows to his side to hit the laughing Tim straight into his gut.

Jason snorts and takes a spoonful of his own ice cream, which is raspberry flavored with little chocolate chips.

The time outside is very late. So late that when the four of them walked inside the diner after a long, team up for patrol, one of the workers actually glared at them. Which is valid. If Jason worked at one of these places when it was reaching the buttcrack of dawn, then watched as four annoyingly loud and too awake people barged in, he'd probably glare too.

Maybe they should have came inside in their costumes instead of getting dressed first into their normal clothes. One of the waitresses literally has a Nightwing pin on her vest. They could have probably gotten the ice cream and fries for free.

Oh well. The ice cream here is worth a little glaring and a few bucks.

"So I was thinking-" Dick says through a mouthful of ice cream. He's already dipping another fry into his chocolate mint shake, so Jason gets the feeling that whatever Dick says for the next twenty minutes will be through food- "that after this, we can go to a Redbox and pick up a movie."

"What movie?" Tim asks.

Dick hums. "One that Cass hasn't seen yet."

Jason scoffs. "She hasn't seen a lot of movies. You're going to have to be more specific."

"Then what about a movie Duke hasn't seen," Tim asks, scraping the bottom of his shake with his spoon. "That way we can kill two birds with one stone."

"I hate that metaphor," Jason stands up from the booth with his empty shake cup and equally empty bag of fries.

Dick glares at him with a face that says yes Jason, we all know you died.

Jason smirks and throws his trash away.

As they all walk out of the diner, Jason hears one of the workers mumble finally, and he's not even that mad about it. He hopes their shifts end soon and they can go home and watch anime or something. Working night shifts like that in Gotham isn't something to scoff at.

Dick pulls out his phone while Tim runs ahead to take the lead. Jason walks behind the group as Damian falls into step besides Dick and looks over at his phone screen to see what he's typing. "Where's the closest Redbox?" Dick mumbles to himself and Jason rolls his eyes.

He's serious about the Redbox thing? "You do know we can just buy whatever movie we want with B's card. We don't need a Redbox."

"It's for the experience, Jay," Dick argues back, scrolling on his phone through Google. "Everyone goes to Redbox to get random movies they don't actually want to own."

"Alright, alright," Jason huffs, smirking a little.

And okay, he'll admit it. Tonight has actually been… a little fun. Even if Dick had to threaten to go skiing without him next winter if he didn't join them for patrol. And while yes, Jason could just go skiing alone or force Roy to come along… and while yes, Dick would have gone skiing with him regardless of the threat and if Jason went through with it… he still found it enjoyable to just pretend to be a family with these idiots for the night. He almost wishes the others could have joined, but with Duke and Cass being busy on their own sibling bonding mission for the night where no one else were allowed they were forced to be just the four of them tonight.

Dick will have to work with Cass to better schedule sibling get togethers'. Just imagining the shenanigans and trash taking about Bruce they could be doing if it were all six of them has him staunching down a grin.

Even better if Steph joined as well.

Jason follows along as Dick picks up speed to pass Tim—whos balancing on the curb of the street like an actual five year old—and lead them towards the nearest Redbox.

"We should get Princess Bride," Tim suggests as they walk past an alleyway. "I don't think Duke's seen that."

"He has no excuse to have not seen Princess Bride," Damian huffs. "It was one of the first movies Richard showed me."

"And one of the first I showed Cass, too," Dick adds, turning to flash a lopsided grin. "So we need to think of another one."

"What about that new movie?" Tim suggests.

Jason lifts an eyebrow. "What new movie?"

"You know," Tim replies, "the- the new movie. With that guy from Voltron. Where they go on the bridges and fight the monkeys?"

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"It's-" Tim growls, sounding frustrated with himself. Jason finds him amusing. "You know. That one movie."

"Timothy has no idea what he's talking about."

"I'm sorry I don't spend all day watching movies all the time. Oh! Dwayne the Rock Johnson was there!"

"… Are you talking about Jumanji 2?" Dick asks and Tim snaps his fingers.

"Jumanji 2!"

They turn a corner, then immediately all stop when they spot the entire road blocked off by orange coned and giant signs telling you to detour. In the middle of the blocked off road is a giant, dangerous looking hole in the ground leading towards the sewers.

Huh. Jason's almost forgotten one of Two-Face's thugs had thrown a very powerful grenade of some sort last night.

"Damn. Google hasn't updated this?" Dick sighs and begins tapping on his phone.

"Crap like this happens all the time in Gotham," Tim sighs while stuffing his hands in his pockets, "you really think they're gonna catch everything?"

Dick's mouth turns into a frown, then he looks up at the building rooftops around them as if wondering how difficult it would be to climb up and parkour towards the nearest Redbox in civilian attire. He sighs, probably settling on it not being difficult, but potentially compromising of their identities ifanyone saw.

He looks back at the phone. Then turns towards the alleyway they have just passed.

"… We can cut through the alley," he suggests.

Jason immediately scoffs while Tim walks towards them, shaking his head.

"Um no? We shouldn't? Have you forgot what city we're in?"

Dick gives an unimpressed look at Tim before sighing. "We'll have to go all the way around the block to get to the Redbox. That's like, another twenty minutes. Besides, we just finished patrol. Gotham's at its safest around now."

"We're going to get in there and then get shanked by some rando," Tim argues.

Damian watches the two of them argue with narrowed eyes. When Damian opens his mouth, Jason decides it's his turn to step in. He grabs Dick by the back of his jacket and then behind to walk towards the mouth of the alleyway. He has his guns on him still, concealed under the belt of his jeans. If anyone is stupid enough to try and try to assult them in the alleyway, all Jason needs to do is pull out his guns and they'll go running for the hills.

Gotham isn't filled with fighters. Gotham is filled with rats that only prey on those with smaller claws than them.

"I'm not spendin' another hour out here to get a monkey bridge movie," Jason huffs, stopping in front of the mouth of the alleyway. "Now let's go."

"Fine," Tim mumbles, following behind as Dick takes the lead inside the alley. "But if we all get killed don't blame me."

"Dying isn't that bad, actually," Jason says, and Dick turns around and shoots that glare again.

Damian huffs and trails behind Dick, but he watches the shadows like how a kid shouldn't. Thirteen years old and he's already seen the worst the world has to offer. Jason, once again, takes the back, fully aware of the weight hanging off his hip. The alleyway is long, and dark, and definitely not as surveillanced as it should be, but they continue anyways. So far, all there is to see is closed doors here and there that would lead into various shops and such if they weren't boarded up. Trash cans, litter, bags, and boxes of various contents dot the entirety of the alleyway.

Otherwise, it looks pretty empty.

Jason sighs. It should be fine. Gotham is always quiet around these early morning hours after Batman and his army of sidekicks have just combed through its streets. Criminals are back in there nests, shivering and praying they're not found tonight. Hours like these are usually the safest to go out for a after midnight stroll, or a very early morning jog. It's like a limbo. Where Gotham can actually feel like a normal city for once.

Of course, it's right when Jason let's his guard down that something goes wrong.

Because something always goes wrong.

Because some criminals are rats. But there's others who are like moths, too dumb to go back inside and persistent enough to jump at anything shiny enough to catch their attention.

A man, practically rags, skin, and bones jumps our from behind a dumpster, his hands already lifted in front of him with a gun in his grasp. Immediately, everyone pauses in their tracks. Jason goes to grab his own gun like he planned, but the man points his weapon at Jason with shaking, obviously trigger happy hands.

"No one move!" The man shouts, trembling like a nervous mut. Jason holds off grabbing his guns for the moment, knowing that if he makes any sudden or threatening moves the man will fire.

Dick, like the idiot he is, immediately steps in front of Damian. Damian growls, but doesn't make a move to fight that show of protection yet. Dick slowly raises his hands in surrender. "Take whatever you want," he says slowly. Evenly.

Tim shifts behind Dick and glances at Jason, questioning in his eyes.

"Give me your money- all of it," the man demands, and Jason can practically hear the body of his weapon tremble in his shaking hands. "No one will get hurt if ya give me all your money."

"Okay, okay," Dick says gently. Like he's soothing the mugger. Dick carefully lowers his arms to his pockets and uses smooth motions to bring out his wallet, which is probably only filled a debit card he can easily cancel, his driver's license which is definitely expired, and not even four dollars of cash. Jason only knows what's in Dick's wallet because Dick's his main victim for him to practice pickpocketing on. He holds out his Superman patterned wallet but the man keep his gun up and trained.

"All of you," he wheezes. "All of you, give me your fuckin' money."

Tim snaps into movement with shaking hands, pulling out his wallet while Damian makes to do the same. Why the kid has a wallet with actual cash, Jason will never know. Something about Bruce wanting Damian to feel independent… like how he bought a lock for Jason's bedroom door that only Jason had the key for, just to make him feel like he had control while small and scared and barely eleven years old.

The gun moves back to Jason, and Jason realizes he's been focusing too much on the wrong things. He lifts his hands and clears his throat.

"I don't have anything," he says, because it's true. He doesn't carry his wallet while on patrol, nor does he stash personal belongings with his changes of clothes after patrol. Then, there's also the added fact that this guy is definitely one more nerve shot from firing his weapon. Him seeing a glock on Jason's belt might be the thing that pushes him over the edge.

"I don't believe you," the man growls, taking a step forward and aiming directly at Jason now.

And of course this is happening. Of course Jason's being mugged when he doesn't have any change on him.

"Jason…" Tim hissed and Jason throws him a sideways glare.

"I'm telling you, man, I don't have anything."

"Show me," the man snarls, jerking his pistol dangerously. "Show me your pockets."

And shit. This is what Jason was worried about.

"Okay," he says, softening his voice, "alright. Just... I'm carrying okay? But I'm not gonna-"

"YOU HAVE A GUN?!" The man screeches, and Jason winces. Great. He was trying to warn the guy. There's no way Jason can show all of his pockets and his gun go unnoticed. It's grip is hanging out of his jeans waistband, black as night and clear as day.

Jason lifts his hands immediately in surrender, watching the man wearily as his already panicked breaths become more labored. The tendons in his paper thin wrists are twitching.

Jason's record for drawing and shooting a gun with accuracy is a little less than two seconds. Even with his hands up like this.

But this man already has the gun aimed and finger on the trigger.

"Let's calm down," Dick tries, "we have money, just take it and we can all-"

"You have a gun-" the man practically froths.

And that is when Jason knew the sound of gunfire will be heard in this alleyway tonight. Jason can see the resolution in the man's eyes to shoot a moment before it happens. Jason doesn't have time to dodge or pull his own weapons. He will try to anyway.

He goes to dodge, drops his hands to his waistline, and the enemies gun explodes.

There's normally a moment of nothing between the time you've been shot and the time you realize you've been shot. But it doesn't happen this time.

What happens is that Jason suddenly blinks on the grimy floor, his gun having skid across the cement from the force of his fall.

He… he was pushed.

"RICHARD!"

Jason looks up just in time to watch Damian run for the collapsing Dick Grayson… just to be violently knocked to the side by the sound of another bullet launching from the chamber.

Jason doesn't watch or look anymore. He just scrambles to his gun, turns, aims, and fires.

The man chokes on blood as the bullet rips through his chest.

And Jason thinks that this should be the end of it. This should be when he can get to his feet and look his brother's all in the eye one at a time. And- and he doesn't know. Go home? Call Gordon? Plead self defense?

However, when he stands up, he finds only Tim standing, his hands leaving his face from protecting himself moments before.

Dick's on the ground writhing from pooling red in the center of his gut.

Damian… Damian…

Jason thinks he's going to get sick.

The damage a 9mil can do to a head at this close of range…

He doesn't look. He can't look. Not yet. He rushes towards Dick and ignored Damian's b- he-

He ignores Damian. He ignores Damian and slams his hands down onto Dick's stomach.

Guilt twists in his gut like something he's never felt before. Rage. Helplessness. Disbelief. It's all he can do to force his limbs to press down as Dick jolts from agony beneath him. "Stay- stay still-" Jason snarls. His chest hurts so badly. His ears are ringing.

His fault his fault his fault his fault-

"D-" Dick babbles, blood coating his teeth and dripping from the corners of his mouth. "No- n-"

Dick's not paying attention to anything. It's then, Jason realizes he's not struggling because of his own pain.

He's struggling because his kid is laying across from him in a puddle of blood, a hole in his skull.

"No-" Dick twitches. Practically sobs. "M'suh- sorry- D'mi…"

"It's okay, just-" it's not okay, but Jason continues- "just focus on me, kay? Just- Tim, hospital?"

"Working on it."

Jason presses harder onto Dick's stomach. Dick sobs and his eyelashes flutter.

He almost wants to tell Tim to stop.

The ambulance isn't going to make it in time.

He knows this because he can hear Dick's protests begin to die down. He knows because he can see Dick's hand twitching towards Damian's limp one. He knows because he can feel the final shudder through his frame before his normally clear blue eyes cloud over.

Jason… doesn't know what to do now. It's like his entire world just… stops.

And he wants to scream. He wants to throw something. He wants to go back in time and shake Dick by the shoulders until he fixes this.

He can't... he can't go back to a world where Dick and Damian aren't apart of it.

Especially not if it's all. His. Fucking. Fault.

"-we need help- my brother's been shot-"

And Jason clutches his fists in Dick's sopping wet, blood-soaked shirt and turns to find Tim kneeling against Damian, blood painting his fingertips.

He wants to scream that there's no use of an ambulance. There's no point.

But then Tim meets his eyes, tears trailing down in tracks, then looks down at Damian.

It takes a second for Jason to see it. But Damian's chest moves.

Damian's still alive.

He's still alive.

Jason forces himself to leave Dick so he can scramble over to Damian and get a closer, desperate look. Tim rattles off the details of their location the the details of the mugging while Jason just... Hovers. Holding his red stained hands above his- his baby brother.

He doesn't want to touch Damian. He doesn't want to break him more.

So he sits there and counts every breath the kid stubbornly makes even with a bullet in his skull.

He sits there until Tim hangs up the call and sits besides him. He sits there until a loud ambulance accompanied by at least three cop cars pull up and then a shock blanket is wrapped around his shoulders. He stays there until Damian is loaded into a gurney. Until he's left there, kneeling, not even realizing he's holding Tim's hand, until a female cop with sad brown eyes kneels down in front of him and tells him Bruce is on his way with Cass and Duke.

He nods, and stands up, keeping Tim besides him even though he's caused this.

He looks to his side to see Dick already covered by by a tarp. He can see red bleeding out from under it.

Slender arms wrap around his waste, and it takes him a moment to realize Tim is clutching to him.

Jason's... The big brother again. The big brother.

He- he should…

He wraps his arms around Tim and let's his own tears finally fall.

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brokaw22 · 3 years

Text

A Displaced Red Robin Chapter 18

Title: A Displaced Red Robin Author: Brokaw22 Disclaimer: The norms Rating: T Story Synopsis: Tim gets transported to the cartoon Young Justice world, and he's not sure he knows how to deal with it.

AO3

ff.net

The distinct sound of hushed voices registers only a moment before the realization that this room is far brighter than the one that he remembers passing out in. Tim doesn’t understand what that implies at first, but then he recognizes the feeling of soft sheets, the pliant mattress, and plush pillows underneath him. He has no idea why they bothered to move him out of the cave and upstairs, but Tim has certainly awoken in worse places.

He keeps his eyes closed, to avoid straining them with the light, and tries to focus on the murmured voices. Tim can discern Dick’s voice almost immediately, but he’s nearly caught off guard by the realization that Roy is with him. Tim lies still and keeps his breathing even as he listens. “Look, Dick, this isn’t your fault, and Red wouldn’t want you to blame yourself.”

“No, you don’t understand.” Tim can hear Dick pacing, but it takes him a moment to realize that the reason his gait sounds so odd is due to the fact that Dick is walking around on his hands instead of his feet. Tim would smile if he couldn’t practically feel the tension in the air. “This is definitely my fault. I’m the reason that he got stabbed in the first place, and now I’ve exasperated his condition. He should hate me. I know I do.”

Tim’s relieved that he’s propped up on so many pillows. The idea of having to force himself into a sitting position makes his chest burn. He blinks his eyes open, and then instantaneously groans at the sunlight streaming through the large window. “I don’t hate you and you shouldn’t either.” Speaking is a bit more arduous than Tim anticipated, but it’s also a necessary evil if Dick is going to insist on brooding like this.

They both rush over to his bedside, and Tim is extremely grateful that Roy stops Dick from leaping on top of him. Though, Tim does have to admit that he is genuinely stunned when both of them grab a hold of his hand. “How are you feeling?” Dick’s clutching onto him as if he’s some kind of lifeline.

“Do you need anything?” The two of them are speaking over each other and Roy’s voice is dripping with a desperation that Tim, quite frankly, doesn’t understand. His condition shouldn’t have scared them this much. After all, it’s an occupational hazard.

Tim works himself up to respond while he simultaneously attempts to process their fussing. He’s starting to wonder if he wants to ask how long he’s been unconscious or how far his recovery has been pushed back. However, with the expression on both of their faces, he figures that there are more pressing matters to deal with first.

After all, Tim’s certain that he can ask Alfred all of those questions later. Besides, it’s not as though the answers will change anything. He knows that he’s going to be stuck on bed rest for some time, and then monitored for the duration of his recovery as he slowly works up to his normal amount of activity again… no matter how inconvenient it will be.

“I’m okay for right now.” Tim refrains from taking a deep breath, knowing exactly how much pain that will cause him. “Not that I’m ungrateful for the concern, but what is Red Arrow doing here?”

Roy rolls his eyes as he pulls a chair over to sit down. “You can drop the codename. I already know that you know my name, and I think we’ve grown close enough that you can use it, and maybe give me yours.” He gives Tim a hopeful look, which Tim pointedly ignores. Roy doesn’t push it, but Tim honestly wonders how long he can get away with keeping that particular secret. “Anyway,” Roy starts again before Tim can say anything on the matter. “I just wanted to check on you and Dick, so I did what any reasonable vigilante would do and put my skills to work.”

“By which, he means he tried to sneak past our security and I had to talk Bruce into letting him stay.” Dick grins mischievously and gently nudges Tim. He knows that it most likely means that Bruce had every intention of letting Roy stay either way, but that only baffles Tim more. Everything that he’s learned about this Bruce has left him with so many questions about his own in regards to when Dick was younger. However, most of them are questions that he’s not entirely certain that the answers are necessarily something that he wants.

“Well, I’m glad that you’re here, Roy.” It feels weird to say the name out loud after so long, but Tim does have to admit it gives him a sense of normalcy after everything that has happened. “I was hoping we could discuss Superboy’s training some more. I don’t want the team suffering just because I’m grounded, and I really need someone to encourage Superman to actively help out a bit more.”

Roy shakes his head. “I’ve got that handled. Black Canary and I are working with the whole team, so you don’t need to worry about it. Superman has been making real strides toward helping Superboy, and the entire team has been training even harder since your injury. They’ll all be just fine until you get back on your feet, so the only thing that you should be doing is resting and healing.”

Tim wants to argue that he’s not exactly adept at simply resting. After all, there’s still plenty that needs to be done, but he already knows no one in this room is going to listen. He glances over at Dick, who has been suspiciously quiet for the last couple of minutes, and notices that the boy seems abruptly rather sheepish. Tim narrows his eyes as he stares the boy down. He has a feeling that he’s not going to like whatever Dick has been reluctant to share. “What’s up, Dick?”

Dick immediately begins nervously rubbing the back of his head as he shifts from one foot to the other and back again. “So… um… I… uh… I wanted to tell you something. I kinda enlisted Roy’s help with our other project.”

Tim doesn’t know how to react at first. There’s a moment when he just freezes while desperately trying to figure out why Dick would enlist anyone’s help with Jason, especially after Tim explicitly told him not to involve anyone else. “Why?” It’s the only thing that Tim can force out past the mounting rage and dread, even though there are about a thousand other things that he wants to say. However, Tim is well aware that what he’s thinking is rather unhelpful at the moment.

Roy tightens his hold on Tim even more as he all but shoves Dick to the side. “It wasn’t his fault. I wanted to know the full details about what had happened to you, so I tracked Dick down last night while he was in the middle of addressing your little side project. It wasn’t easy, I might add, but… well, I know Dick pretty well. Anyway, after he left, I sorta insisted that he fill me in. I don’t know all of the details, but I’m willing to help.”

Dick stares at him wide-eyed and pleading. It’s an expression Tim usually only sees his own brother utilize when he’s trying to steal Tim’s food. It’s a little jarring to see it now. “Don’t be mad at, Roy. It’s my fault. I should have been more careful.”

Tim breathes a heavy sigh and suppresses the wince from the action. Dick’s right, of course, he should have been more careful. After all, they’re both rather lucky that it was Roy who caught Dick while he was meeting with Jason, especially considering all of the other possibilities. Tim has a feeling that none of Dick’s actual team members would simply just go along with his plan, even if Tim has done nothing but help all of them since he arrived here. Not to mention, the last thing that they need is Batman’s attention.

Still, Tim is rather grateful that Roy is willing to help them. After all, he may just be the perfect person for the task. “I’m… I’m not mad. I was just concerned, given the circumstances. However, I think Roy’s assistance will be instrumental in our ability to move forward. After all, I think having a way to get information to and from the source without either of us being involved may be the best way to operate for the time being, especially given the current circumstances.” Tim gestures widely at himself, before continuing. “That is, of course, if you’re willing, Roy.”

Roy simply shrugs. “I already said that I was, didn’t I?”

Tim smiles a genuine grin for the first time in what feels like forever. Finally, something seems to be going his way. “Okay, so if you can make visits to our mutual friend in my place, it’ll give him even more support and take some of the responsibility off of Dick’s shoulders. Remember staying off the grid is our top priority here, so if you two can get me some hardware I can make us a few communication devices that aren’t connected to certain sources.”

Roy stares at him for a long moment before shaking his head. “That sounds suspiciously like work, and I really don’t think that any kind of work is good for you right now. I believe multiple people have emphasized how much you need to rest. I may not know you exceedingly well yet, but everything I do know has led me to believe that actually resting is not your specialty.”

Tim restrains himself from rolling his eyes. “I assure you, giving me something to do that is constructive is in everyone’s best interest if you actually want me to take it easy.”

Dick and Roy glance at each other before Dick shrugs. “He was raised by a Bruce. Maybe it is for the best.”

Roy rolls his eyes before nodding. “Fine, fine, I’ve seen enough to know that he’ll probably just sneak out and injure himself worse, given that he doesn’t exactly take actual breaks back at HQ.”

Tim wants to argue. He really does, but he also knows that he doesn’t exactly have any supporting evidence that won’t work against him here. “No reason to risk it, honestly.”

They both just kind of stare blankly at him before shaking their heads and Roy raises an eyebrow at him. “Shouldn’t you at least pretend to disagree with us?”

Tim shrugs. “Would either of you believe me?”

Neither of them hesitates before answering. “Absolutely not.”

They break into laughter before Roy declares that now that Tim is awake they’re going to have a movie marathon. Tim doesn’t even get a chance to object before the other two are rushing around getting everything into place and settling themselves down beside him with pillows practically suffocating him on all sides to keep him from jostling his injured chest. It’s warm… nearly too warm, but Tim finds that he doesn’t actually mind for once.

The break from literally everything -- no matter how forced -- is actually rather relieving. Tim feels as if he’s been going nearly nonstop since long before he landed in this world. He’s almost forgotten what it’s like to just sit still and be with the people around him without a thousand plans running through his head or a fight brewing just below the surface.

He breathes calmly without having to force himself to merely appear that way for what feels like the first time in ages. It takes Tim a moment to realize that it’s not just the forced relaxation that has him leaning just a little heavier into the pillows with a small grin on his face, but the fact that for the first time in so long Tim isn’t braced for an attack, another fight, or just desperately trying to fix something that truly has nothing to do with him.

He doesn’t know how to feel about the fact that he hasn’t felt like this since some time before he became Red Robin. Tim wonders if once he returns home if he’ll ever be this relaxed again... that is if he manages to return home. He knows that it’s probably unfair to assume that, even if he does make it home, he most likely won’t ever capture this feeling again, especially given that it’s his fault that he can’t be more relaxed back home.

After all, Dick has made great strides with Damian. Tim is utterly certain that their relationship has only strengthened since Tim’s disappearance. Not to mention, Tim is well aware that his friends would gladly drag him into a movie night and rant fest if he would just let them, but… well, things like this just always seem out of reach at home.

After all, there’s always something to be done. There’s always some mission that specifically Tim can do. It’s true that, while it may not be a task that only Tim can do, it’s usually some undertaking that Tim is more than capable of accomplishing, especially when no one else will do it.

Tim thinks that perhaps he should focus on other less distressing things, especially since the other two are chuckling about something that Tim has completely missed. However, he’s honestly too exhausted to force himself to participate right now. Besides, he’s certain that the other two haven’t even noticed his waning interest.

Still, he’s starting to think that perhaps his lack of contribution may be allowed or even anticipated by now. Especially since his lack of enthusiasm doesn’t seem to be dampening the other two’s enjoyment one bit. Tim’s relieved that for once he seems to be able to keep his less than pleasant machinations from disturbing the people around him. It feels as though he’s finally managed to do something right, even if Tim knows that he’s taking a victory where he doesn’t necessarily deserve one.

Abruptly, Tim’s thoughts derail when there’s a gentle knock on the door. He turns as much as the mountain of pillows around him will allow and spots Bruce slowly pushing the door open while simultaneously carrying a tray laden with various cups and bowls. He honestly was expecting Alfred, given the tenderness of the interruption. It takes every ounce of Tim’s training to suppress his bewilderment.

He contemplates what it says about him -- or perhaps, what it says about his current situation back home -- that Tim’s immediate reaction to seeing Bruce is to ponder what he did wrong. He doesn’t think that he could have possibly done anything to draw Bruce’s attention, and Tim certainly doesn’t believe that he could have done something to make Alfred feel as though he needed Bruce’s attention, so he has no idea why the man is here.

However, since neither Dick nor Roy seem even mildly surprised to see the man; Tim assumes that he’s probably the only one acting peculiar. He supposes Bruce’s presence is completely commonplace for everyone else, or, at least, it seems that way. “Good, you’re awake.” Bruce sounds genuinely happy, which normally would have Tim raising an eyebrow, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Tim’s normal reactions don’t always make sense or even apply in this world. “I brought your medication.”

Tim merely nods as Bruce sets the tray down on a nearby desk. At least, he now knows that he wasn’t unconscious, nor anticipated to be unconscious, for an unreasonable amount of time. At least, that doesn’t seem to be the case if they expect Tim to actually swallow pills.

Bruce hands him a cup with a few very familiar-looking pills in it. Tim stares at it for a long moment before ingesting the medicine. He wonders if Bruce has caught on to the one thing even the team and Black Canary don’t know that he’s been doing at the HQ for the past two months.

“I presume I don’t need to tell you how important it is for you to take all of them, given your lack of a spleen.” Bruce gives Tim a very pointed stare as if he expects Tim to argue. He knows that he hasn’t exactly made the best impression with this Bruce, but Tim would think by now Bruce is aware that he’s not a complete idiot.

Tim nods as Bruce hands him a glass of water. Roy shuts off the movie before Dick turns to him with a wide-eyed expression. “Wait, you don’t have a spleen?”

Tim shakes his head, but before he can respond Roy jumps in with another question. “Aren’t spleens kind of important?”

Tim shrugs the best that he can without jostling everything. “It’s not like I can’t live without it, obviously.”

“True, but you need to take low-dose antibiotics regularly.” Again Bruce is giving him that pointed glare, and Tim suddenly finds himself wanting to insist that he’s not a moron.

“I know and I was.”

Before Tim can say another word, Bruce takes the now empty glass from him and places a warm bowl of soup in his hands, and gestures for him to eat. “I’m aware. Just know that there’s no need to take them from the HQ infirmary, hack the system, and change the automatic refill order, even if it is impressive. I’ll get you anything you need. There’s no need for all of this secrecy.”

Tim wants to laugh, but he knows that none of them would respond well to it, and that includes his own injuries. Still, a Batman -- any Batman – claiming that there is no need for secrecy is hilarious. However, before Tim gets a chance to respond Dick and Roy both have a hold on his hands and are shaking him slightly… not enough to hurt, but enough to be noticed. “You were doing what?” Dick’s voice sounds absolutely exasperated.

Roy shakes his head. “And I thought I was paranoid. You have friends here, dude. Let us help you.”

Tim doesn’t think mentioning that he has friends at home who are likely to say the same thing and get the same results would really help his cause right now, even if it is true. Still, their concern is nearly overwhelming, especially Bruce. “Technically, you were getting the antibiotics for me. It was just the most efficient and direct way.”

Dick raises an eyebrow at him, skeptically. “Let me get this straight, you think that sneaking into the infirmary, hacking into the system, and keeping the fact that you don’t have a spleen to yourself was the most efficient way? Really?”

“Bruce would have just told me to take what I needed from the infirmary, and then changed the amount he was ordering anyway. I just cut out the middle man.” Tim honestly doesn’t understand what is so complicated about all of this.

Bruce stares at him for a long moment. “What would your Bruce say if he discovered you did this back home?”

Tim furrows his brow in confusion. He’s not certain why he’s being asked this question or why it’s even relevant. “He probably wouldn’t say anything, and, if for some reason he did, he would suggest ways I could hack the system faster or compliment how efficiently I did it.”

Bruce hums to himself but doesn’t say anything more on the subject before assuring both Roy and Dick that there are plenty of snacks on the tray that he brought up with him for both of them. They both scramble over to the tray as Bruce grabs a chair, and then places it beside the bed. “What are we watching?”

Tim doesn’t know how to respond. He didn’t expect Bruce to stay. He squirms a little, trying to make it look as though he’s just trying to get comfortable when Dick decides to answer for him through a mouthful of food. “Whatever you or… um… Red wants, I suppose.”

Bruce stares at him with an unreadable expression – one that Tim honestly doesn’t recognize and has absolutely no hope of deciphering. “It’s your choice, Red.”

Tim has a feeling that the man is talking about more than just the movie. Although, he has no idea what Bruce could possibly mean, so instead he merely shrugs and gestures for someone else to pick. “It doesn’t matter to me.”

Bruce places a hand on his shoulder and squeezes gently. “Relax.”

Tim isn’t exactly certain why he feels compelled to actually listen, but he forces his shoulders to loosen up, takes a calming breath, and then sinks a little deeper into the pillows behind him. It doesn’t escape his notice that Bruce never actually takes his hand off of Tim’s shoulder until Dick passes Bruce a steaming cup. Dick flops onto the bed beside Tim and focuses on the movie Roy picked for them, while Tim desperately tries to ignore the lingering warmth on his shoulder.

XYZXYZ

Over the course of the next week, Roy and Dick visit often and are able to smuggle Tim enough hardware for him to build the communication devices. He honestly expects Bruce or Alfred to catch them at some point, especially with how often they both like to check on him. It’s not exactly something that Tim is used to, but he guesses this universe doesn’t keep people as busy as his own.

Still, this Alfred and Bruce don’t have nearly as much experience with Robins refusing to simply sit in bed and do nothing as his own do. However, it feels a little too easy to simply work with the pieces that he’s been given, stow them away when he knows someone is coming, and rest just enough that Alfred doesn’t get suspicious about how his healing is progressing. Besides, even if he thinks it might be a little too effortless, Tim is eternally grateful that for once things seem to be working in his favor.

He’s also extremely relieved that he was able to convince Roy and Dick to help keep him busy. The mere idea of spending a week in bed doing nothing with minimal time walking around has his skin crawling. Not to mention, knowing that his recovery is going to take a full six to eight weeks has him feeling rather antsy. Tim sighs heavily at the very thought of it as he stashes the finished devices and then lies back once more.

He breathes out a breath of relief that he did when moments later Alfred knocks on the door. “I must say, young sir, you have far greater patience than Master Bruce and Master Dick. I honestly expected to find you trying to sneak out of your room at least once during this week.”

Tim merely shrugs and does his best to mask the wince it causes him. “What can I say; I enjoy your company, Alfred. Not to mention, Dick, Roy, and Bruce have all been doing their best to keep me distracted.”

Alfred smiles gently at him. “Be that as it may, young sir, I can assure you that such trivial diversions would not be enough to keep Master Bruce and Master Dick from at least one desperate foray into the cave.”

Tim nods his head and doesn’t mention anything about the fact that, if he thought he could get away with it, that’s exactly where he’d be right now. “I know exactly what you mean. My own Alfred has come up with some rather creative ways to keep us in bed.”

“Perhaps, young sir, you can divulge some of his more visionary ploys over our chess game, but first you need to take these.” Alfred hands him his medicine and gives Tim a rather pointed stare. He doesn’t understand why after a week they’re still all treating him as though he has to be watched while taking his medicine, but Tim knows better than to argue with any Alfred.

Tim takes the medicine and doesn’t even make a show of it, despite how much he may want to. “I don’t know if I feel comfortable sharing information that could potentially be used against me.” Tim means it as a joke, but… well; he knows he has a propensity of getting into trouble.

Alfred coughs indignantly as he raises a single eyebrow. “I certainly hope you aren’t implying that such grievous injuries are going to be a common occurrence while you are here, young sir.”

Tim merely shrugs and is immediately reminded why such movements are problematic right now. “You know how it is, Alfred.”

Alfred furrows his brow and looks as though there’s something he desperately wants to say, but instead he shakes his head and begins helping Tim out of bed. “I believe it would be best to do your exercises now, young sir.”

Alfred helps him out of bed, and Tim does a few stretches that won’t injure him further. Alfred then assists him with walking around the room before leading him down the hall to where their chess game is already set up and waiting. Tim doesn’t feel nearly as winded as the first time that they did this, but he’s truly not looking forward to his slow recovery. Once Alfred has him settled down in a well-cushioned chair, he takes his own seat, and they begin the game in a tranquil silence.

The quiet doesn’t last long, however, before Alfred clears his throat. “If I may, young sir?” Tim gestures for Alfred to continue. “I’m aware that you told Master Bruce that you are 17.”

Tim nods, although he honestly has no idea where Alfred is going with this. “It’s true. I am.”

Alfred moves one of his pieces and gestures for Tim to take his turn. “I’ve been thinking, young sir; perhaps we should enroll you in school with Master Dick, once you’re healthy, of course.”

Tim nearly chokes on air at the mention of school. It’s been so long since he’s even considered school as more than a distant memory. He quickly makes him move, hoping to divert Alfred’s attention slightly. “Oh, um, I’m not in school anymore.”

Alfred looks pleasantly surprised. “You graduated already? I must say that is most impressive.”

Tim coughs and rubs the back of his head sheepishly as he glances away from Alfred’s proud expression. He knows that he doesn’t deserve it. Tim never did actually have a conversation with his own Alfred about dropping out, but he’s always been rather grateful that he never had to see the disappointment on the man’s face.

Tim sighs heavily. It doesn’t matter that this is a different Alfred entirely. He knows this conversation is going to break both of their hearts. “I…um… I didn’t graduate, actually. My senior year didn’t exactly go as planned. There was an important mission that required my full attention, so I dropped out.”

Alfred drops the piece he was about to move and just stares at Tim horrified for a moment. “How could your Master Bruce or my counterpart allow the mission to take precedence over your schooling? What were they thinking?”

Tim clears his throat and does his best not to make eye contact with Alfred. “Well, Bruce was missing and I left to go find him, and then sometime later I became an emancipated minor, so there wasn’t much either one of them could do at that point.”

Alfred looks as if he truly wants to argue, but he simply resumes moving his bishop. “I assume you have your GED, then.”

Tim shakes his head and resists the urge to sink further into his seat. He never thought disappointing another Alfred would hurt this much, but if Tim has learned anything from his time here, it’s that it doesn’t matter who he’s displeasing, it’s always just as agonizing. “There really wasn’t the time or a need. When I returned a new CEO was needed and… long story short, I was available.”

“And Lucius agreed with this?”

Tim shrugs and ignores the pain that it causes him. After all, it’s nothing in comparison to this entire conversation. “Um…well, it was his idea. I mean, it was kind of time-sensitive.”

Alfred hums a noncommittal tone. “I take it from your general attitude that you have no intention of either returning to school or getting your GED when you return home, then?”

Tim glances away once more. He’s fairly certain that he’s not imagining the disapproving tone. “Honestly, assuming I can find a way back home, I’m not sure there’s really a point to wasting my time. I’m fully capable of accomplishing everything I need to without it.”

Alfred raises an eyebrow at him. “And what of the desires that you wish to achieve beyond what you need to accomplish?”

Tim doesn’t know if he necessarily has an answer to that. It’s been so long since he’s even considered his own desires beyond what’s necessary that he’s not entirely certain that he even knows what he wants. He knows that he should focus on returning home. He knows that it’s not fair to simply abandon everyone and everything, but Tim doesn’t know if that’s what he necessarily wishes.

“I’m sure I can accomplish most things without it.” Tim knows that Alfred understands what it means for him to be this evasive, but he hopes Alfred will simply let it go. After all, how can Alfred be certain pursuing this line of questioning will be advantageous when Tim doesn’t even know if he has a response beyond vague retorts?

Tim isn’t sure if he’s relieved that Alfred does leave it there, because the rest of their game is finished in quite tense silence. When Tim returns to the room he’s staying in, he doesn’t need to feign exhaustion as Alfred slowly lowers him down on fresh sheets. A part of him wants to apologize, although he doesn’t know why. After all, this isn’t the Alfred that he needs to be apologizing to.

Still, Tim can’t help it. As he slumps further into the pillows propping him up, Tim mutters out the only thing that he can think at this moment. “I’m sorry for not being more.”

His eyes are heavy, but he sees the way Alfred clutches the covers he’s trying to pull over Tim. There’s the sound of hitched breathing, but whether that’s Alfred’s or Tim’s own breathing from jostling his chest, Tim will never know. He’s asleep before Alfred can say another word.

The End (for now)

#A Displaced Red Robin #Tim Drake #dick grayson #roy harper #bruce wayne #Alfred Pennyworth #fanfic #Young Justice #comics

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