#she could run Leslie’s clinic!!

[bet-on-me-13]

Dr's Assistant Danny

So, Danny has to run away from Amity after deciding to tell his parents about his powers. They acted like they accepted him, but when his back was turned they shot him with one of their Inventions and dragged him into the Lab for Study.

They think he's been taken over by a Ghost and decide to be "Surgeons" by opening him up and removing the Ghost by hand. Throughout all of this, they are just telling Danny that they are qualified doctors and can definitely do this perfectly. But they don't even use Anesthesia, and don't know the first thing about Surgery. But their delusions of being perfect Doctors have taken a hold of them, and they can't even comprehend the idea that they are doing it wrong.

After a week of "Surgeries", they mess up and forget to lock his Cell, and Danny manages to escape, hopping on a Bus headed to New Jersey.

He ends up in Gotham, hiding in an Alley to avoid Civilians and to bandage himself up. Thankfully his parents stitched him up fairly well after the last session, but he is still really hurt. And the cuffs restricting his powers don't help either.

He passes out in the Alley and wakes up in a Doctors Office. He panics, thinking that his parents found him and took him back to the Lab. Thankfully, the resident Dr rushes in to calm him down.

It's Dr Leslie Thompkins, and she really wants her patient to stop struggling thank you very much.

She manages to calm him down, and explains that she found him in the Alley, but that he was seriously injured. He was out for 4 days.

He explains what he can, that he told his parents that he had powers and that they didn't take it well. Not the Ghost thing, but he does explain that his parents could charitably be referred to as "Mad Scientists", and Dr Thompkins figures it out from there.

Since he doesn't have a place to stay, she let's him stay at her place. It's not much, but it's enough for 2 people.

After a few days, he starts helping out in the Clinic as a way to repay her.

After a few weeks, he starts taking on the bigger jobs and starts learning about medical aid

A few months in, and both Danny and Leslie realize that he has basically become her Personal Assistant. So she trains him in the legitimate way, teaching him all she can about being a Doctor and basically everything he would have learned in Medical School, which really helps with his trauma over the whole "constant unethical surgery from people who claimed to be licensed professionals" thing.

He still has those Restraining Cuffs on, they could never figure out how to take them off and they were basically unbreakable, but he was fine on his own.

And a note to add to this is that all of this is taking place in the early Years of Batman, like Years 1 and 2. So it's certainly a shock when Danny walks in for work and sees The Batman lying on a Cot.

Over the many following years, Danny gets used to his life in Gotham. He managed to contact Jazz, and his friends as well, even if they needed to keep it very secret for fear of his parents finding out.

He manages to get on friendly terms with most of the Bat Family from their many, many, many visits to the Clinic.

He never does reveal his past to them, he knows that they would never not poke their noses into it, so he tried to keep it on the down low around them. He even hid his Cuffs all these years. (He doesn't want to attract his parents attention)

But that all changed one day.

He messes up. He accidently calls Jazz outside of their scheduled safe times and his parents just so happen to be visiting her new house at the time. They pick up the call for her, and Danny, not knowing it's not Jazz on the other end, says "Hey Jazz, it's Danny. Just wanted to let you know that I'll he busy with work for a while so I won't be able to call as often".

When he gets no response, he gets concerned and asks "Jazz? You there?"

His parents immediately begin to trace the Call, but before they can get an exact location Danny wises up and hangs up. Buts it's too late, his Parents know he's in Gotham now, even if they don't know exactly where.

Danny doesn't know that they tracked him down though, but he quickly figures it out when Red Hood is rushed into the Clinic a week later after being attacked by "A big guy in an orange jumpsuit with a laser gun", who was joined by "A tiny lady in a blue jumpsuit with a baseball bat"

The Drs Fenton reached Gotham and immediately began tracking any Ecto-Signatures they could find. And Red Hood just so happened to be the closest one.

Now Danny has to find a way to deal with his parents without his powers. Since the Anti-Ecto Laws are still in effect, they aren't technically doing anything Illegal, and their Government Contracts would protect them either way.

He needs to figure out how to get rid of them. Due to the high concentration of Ectoplasm in Gotham, there are many unknowing Liminals in the City. His parents could end up attacking many innocent Civilains in search for him, maybe even subjecting them to the same things he was subjected to.

The only way he can think to do that is to give himself up.

Of course he knows Dr Leslie would disagree, but before she can stop him he sneaks out in the middle of the night, leaving a note thanking her for all that she had done for him over the years. It explains that the people who attacked Red Hood are his infamous Parents, and that they are searching for him. They could end up hurting alot of people if they stay, so he needs to nip this in the bud and is going to turn himself in to them.

She immediately takes the note to Batman.

She still vividly remembers the state she found Danny in. He still has the V-Shaped Scar on his chest from his experiences with his parents, and she'll be damned if she' going to let that happen to him again. (She kind of adopted him as her son a while ago)

She tells them everything. How she found him in the Alley, his injuries, how she nursed him back to health, his story about Meta-Hating Mad Scientist Parents, the unbreakable Cuffs he always hid, all of it.

Now it's a race to find Danny and save him from his Parents again.

#Dp x dc #Danny phantom #Dc #Dcu #Dpxdc #Dc x dp #Dcxdp #Doctors Assistant Danny #Danny as a Doctor #Dr Leslie Thompkins #Batman #Batfamily #Gotham #Danny's parents are the worst #Danny is a good friend #Red Hood is Liminal

[envysparkler]

Big Bad

Damian was not lost.  He wasn’t.  If only the streets of this filthy, putrid city did not look identically degenerate—

He wasn’t lost.  Unfortunately, his grapple gun was no longer working—shoddy workmanship, if it fell apart after being used as a makeshift club twice—and on ground level, all of Gotham looked the same.  His pursuers were catching up—Damian was fast, but no matter how fast he was, he was still eleven years old and his legs weren’t long enough to outrun adults.

There was an alley up ahead and Damian took the turn, searching for the fire escape so he could scramble back up to the rooftops and figure out where he was—but the escape was rusted through and hung three levels off the ground, and the alley was a dead end.

Damian strangled the urge to rant about proper fire code and turned to face his opponents.  There were six of them, fanning out to block his escape, and Damian drew the knife concealed in his suit.

“The little boy thinks he can fight,” one of the men sneered, raising his gun.

“I can certainly fight better than you,” Damian sneered, “Not that it’s difficult to be better than a pack of drunk, washed-up lowlifes.”

There was a hiss of fury threading through the pack.  Good.  Anger would make them sloppy.  Damian shifted in preparation, fingers tightening on his knife.

One of the men stepped forward.  The ringleader, presumably, glaring at Damian and the R on his chest.

“Do you know why they call this place Crime Alley, kid?” the lowlife asked, holding his gun like it was a toy and not a weapon.

“Do you?” a harsh, mechanized voice retorted.

Everyone looked up.

Damian took advantage of the confusion and lashed out, snapping one kneecap with a vicious kick, and disfiguring another thug’s face with a slash of his knife.  The crack of gunshots echoed around him, and when Damian turned away from his downed opponent, the alley was full of groaning bodies.

“I did not require your assistance,” Damian snapped, tilting his head back up to stare at Hood.

The older boy gave a half-shrug, still leaning over the edge of the rooftop, “Who said I was assisting?”

Damian glared and stalked out of the alley.

“Take a left, pass three blocks, and take a right,” Hood called out, “You’ll end up back in the East End.”

Damian ignored him, and took a left.  Five minutes later, he was back on more familiar streets, and he gave into the urge to look up.

There was a glint of red on the opposite rooftop and, as he watched, it turned away.

~#~

Steph had maybe possibly not thought this one through.  The warehouse she’d crawled into was empty, all locked up for the night, but she could still hear footsteps echoing around her and her vision was starting to get fuzzy around the corners.

She kept her arm pressed against the slash in her thigh and tried to breathe through the pain.  She’d been in the Bowery when she’d gotten tagged, and tried to lose her pursuers in the streets, unfortunately ending up very far from backup.

Everyone knew Batman didn’t come to Crime Alley.

Steph inhaled slowly and shifted up—Red Robin was coming from the other end of Gotham, at least ten minutes out.  Leslie’s clinic was a full six blocks away.

Footsteps.  Loud and deliberate.  Too heavy to be Tim, too brazen to be Batman.  Steph grabbed her taser and waited.

She registered the red helmet a split second before she pushed down on the button, and Steph exhaled in a rush, slumping back to the ground.

“Couldn’t announce yourself, asshole?”

~#~

“You must be ten kinds of stupid,” someone said as they moved to ring him, “To run straight into our territory.”

Dick kept his good leg straight and tried not to shift, lancing pains shooting up his broken leg.  “But this isn’t your territory,” he smiled, and tilted his head up until he could catch a glimpse of red at the corner of a rooftop, “It’s his.”

The Red Hood straightened from his position.

~#~

Turned out that body armor was not much help against armor-piercing rounds, and that someone in Crime Alley had finally grown a brain.  Jason limped through the alley, keeping to the shadows, one hand pressing against the wall as he struggled to stay upright.  His stomach was a mass of fire that tugged at him with every step, his breaths growing harsher and harsher.

He didn’t need to check the wound to know that he was losing blood alarmingly fast.

He could maybe make it to the clinic.  It was another two blocks over, and the world was growing hazier at a constant rate—he’d probably be able to knock on Leslie’s door before he passed out.

If it weren’t for the voices behind him.  Two, maybe three—or was that just the ringing in his ears?  Either way, the street was blurry enough that Jason didn’t trust his aim, and if they made it into grappling range, he wasn’t sure if he’d win.

But he could make it to the clinic.  Could stick to the shadows, ignore the splatter of blood he was leaving behind as a trail, suppress the shrieking agony and crawl to safety.

On the next step, a piercing sensation tore through his side, and Jason staggered.

Okay.  He couldn’t make it to the clinic.

#my snippets #five times the batkids ran to the big bad Hood #and one time Jason runs to the biggest bad of them all #(as you can see I didn't finish writing all the characters)

[xxgoblin-dumplingxx]

more night!nurse reader? Just some fluff please. I love your stories

Jason stood in front of your door and knocked. Down the hall he could hear children laughing and a baby crying.

The scent of garlic and savory cooking spices wafted down the hall and reminded him that Alfred too, would be making dinner. And setting an extra place for you, if you decided to come with him.

He knocked again, a little louder and waited. Wondering how many people in the building had brought you fussy babies, cuts, and coughs that needed seen to. Or to see if it was worth going to a doctor.

"I- hi," you say, looking surprised. And confused to see him there.

"Hey, Sunflower," he said, smiling a little. "Got a minute? We need to talk."

"Leslie's expecting me-"

"I'll call her if you're running late," he said, giving you a meaningful look.

And when you nod, swallowing hard as you step back, he realizes that you're afraid of him. And he hates it. So when he shuts your door he steps quickly out of the way. Putting a safe distance between you. Giving you a way out. So you could run. Scream. Have time to make noise and get someone to look. See what was happening. Help you... If you felt threatened enough. He knew he wasn't going to hurt you. But- you might not.

"I haven't said anything," you blurt out, "I don't- I mean I know but. "

"You don't think anyone would believe you, do you?" he asked, smiling a little.

"I mean- Bruce has been Batman for how long? If he never got caught he has to have-"

"He does," Jason said softly. He doesn't want to hear the words 'contingency plan' come out of your mouth. "But no one wants to hurt you," he said quickly. "You're a good nurse. A good person- Leslie... she uh. She knows. She helps us get patched up from time to time- Bruce- he said that if- if you wanted you could help her."

"Wha-"

"He keeps taking in stray kids," Jason snorted. "It's a lot of work for Leslie to keep up on and- well at the very least she'd appreciate the extra hands."

"I'll think about-"

"Leslie told Bruce you want your NP. He said that if you help him, he'd like to pay for it... He likes that you work for the clinic. And I uh- I explained that you help people on the block too."

He watches you wrap your arms around yourself and rock slightly. "I'll think about it," you murmur.

"Please do," he said, wishing he could move closer to you but you've been steadily moving away from him. Subconsciously tucking yourself into a corner. Trying to hide. "Bruce likes paying for school, really. And Leslie said she'd write the letters you needed. Hell. Bruce would write one too if you needed it... I uh. I'm supposed to ask you to come to the manor but- you look like you're about to lose it, Sunflower."

"Just I just-"

"I'll tell them you're gonna keep it to yourself," he said softly, "And then I'll tell them you're working for Leslie tonight and can't. It's okay." He knows you're not working. Your hair isn't pulled up and you're in sweats. But he doesn't blame you for blurting out that someone was waiting for you. You thought you were in danger.

And when you nod slowly, he smiled, "I'll pay off some of my tab tomorrow."

"You don't have-"

"Yeah I do, Beautiful," he said. "And I probably can't ever pay it off."

#Jason Todd #Jason Todd x reader #night nurse!reader #ask answered #minors dni

[evandarya]

How (not) to Get Adopted by Bruce Wayne

An Incomplete Guide

{read on AO3}

Bruce looked up from the paperwork on his desk to his ringing cell phone. His personal cell phone. Precious few people had that number. He checked the caller ID before answering.

"Dr. Thompkins, this is a surprise, is there a problem?" He didn't think so. The last donation to her clinic had cleared days ago, maybe something was wrong with one of his kids.

"Bruce, nothing is wrong, or… well." She paused. He never knew Leslie to be anything other than straightforward, so this was unusual. "You know most of the fosters and group homes in the city use my clinic for the kids, right?"

"Yes." He should, it was because of the Thomas Wayne foundation that they were able to afford medical care for the foster kids in the city.

"Well, I'm worried about one of the kids. He's been in my clinic twice since the start of the month. Apparently, he's been getting into fights."

It was only two weeks into the month, which was concerning, but… "I'm not seeing where I come in." He said, flipping through a financial report.

"He's in a group home, and they have a 'three strike' policy. If he gets into another fight, he's going to be sent to a detention facility."

"Hmm. Sounds like he needs to stop getting into fights."

"That's what I told him the first time, but there he was the next week, nose broken again. He's a smart kid, Bruce, he's in Gotham Academy on an academic scholarship. He doesn't deserve to go to juvy, and you are still an active foster parent."

"Leslie, I'm not looking to take in another child right now. I have my hands full with Damian, and Tim is staying here full time again."

"That's why you're the best choice. He needs a placement, someone with a firm hand, and you have experience raising headstrong children."

"I don't know."

"Could you at least meet him before you decide?"

"Alright." He said with a sigh "I'll meet him."

"Thanks, Bruce, I'll have his social worker contact you."

***

"I don't understand why I had to miss school for this," Danny said, slumping down in the plastic chair. They were supposed to be taking a test in Physics today, and now he was going to have to make it up to meet with a potential foster.

"Sit up straight, Danny. Your potential foster father is a busy man, so we had to work with his schedule." Danny rolled his eyes. A busy foster, great. That usually meant their foster kids took care of the house while they were out 'working'.

"I don't need a foster, Shannon." He'd rather go to juvy than another foster placement.

"Just meet him, please, and keep an open mind." Shannon checked her watch. He wasn't sure if the man was running late, or if she was just nervous. Probably nervous, though, if the incessant clicking of her pen was any indication.

At exactly half past noon the door to the day room opened and a tall, well-built man walked in, being led by a worker. "Shannon, Mr. Wayne is here." Mr. Wayne gave the worker a brilliant smile and thanked her for showing him in before turning that smile onto Shannon. Danny slumped further into the chair, glaring at Mr. Wayne.

He knew who the man was. Of course, he did, how could he not? Everything he had came from the man. The group home he was living in was funded by a Wayne charity, his scholarship, his doctor visits, and even his school lunches were paid for by the Wayne foundation. The man had infinitely deep pockets, and he gave to so many charities, and he was huge. Not just tall, standing a head and a half taller than Shannon and her impractical heels but built like he spends half his time in a gym. The man was bigger than a billionaire had any reason to be.

"You must be Danny." He said, turning that smile onto the teen, ignoring his surly look, and holding out his hand. Danny took it, and couldn't help but notice the calluses on the man's knuckles and palms. Similar to his own, like a fighter. "I'm Bruce Wayne."

"I know who you are." He said, dropping the man's hand and turning back to Shannon. "Can I go back to my room?"

"Danny! You're being rude." Shannon said, dropping her pen in shock. Danny caught it before it hit the ground and handed it back to her.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Wayne, thank you for coming all the way down here to meet me. Sorry, you wasted a trip, though. I'm not looking for a foster at this time." He said, giving his own blinding fake smile.

"That's not really your decision, is it?" Mr. Wayne asked, catching Danny off guard.

"What?" Danny asked, sitting up straight for the first time.

"You're fifteen, sixteen maybe? You don't need to give permission to be moved to a new home."

"You can't do that. He can't do that, Shannon."

"He's right, Danny. You're still underaged, so you have to go where the state tells you to go. If Mr. Wayne agrees to foster you, you'll have to go with him."

Danny glanced incredulously between the two adults, everything in him wanting to whine about how unfair that was, but that wouldn’t get him anything. Instead, he settled for a scowl.

"How about a trial period? We'll do a thirty-day placement, and if you would rather be here after, I'll drop you off myself. Does that sound fair?" Mr. Wayne said as if he were some diplomat trying to find a compromise.

Anger flared in Danny's chest. "Whether or not it sounds fair is irrelevant, isn't it? You've already made it clear where you stand on my permission."

Pink colored Mr. Wayne's cheeks, but his face stayed irritatingly passive. "Why don't you go pack, then."

"You'll take him? That's wonderful, I'll get the paperwork started." Danny held Mr. Wayne's eyes for a few more seconds before the man broke eye contact to speak to Shannon. Only then did Danny stand up, being sure to make as much noise as possible just to be annoying. Thirty days? Does he think he's going to last for thirty days? His longest placement was two weeks. Mr. Wayne would be no different.

The first thing he did when he got to his room, or the room where he stayed with three other boys, was take his knives out of the wall. One good thing about being able to turn intangible is how easy it is to hide things. No one thinks to check inside the walls. He stuck one in his front pocket, one in his back pocket, and one in the hidden pocket he had sewn into the inside of his hoodie. Then he set about packing his things. He didn't have that much stuff, in fact, all of his belongings fit into his backpack along with his school books. The last thing he did was fish his sketchbook out from where he had stashed it under the floorboards under his bed.

Once everything he owned was safely tucked away in the bag on his back he headed back down to the day room. Mr. Wayne was signing paperwork at the table when he stomped back in. He glanced up and his eyes landed on the backpack hanging off his shoulder.

"Do you have everything?" He asked. Danny shrugged, he had everything important. "Alright, I’ll finish this paperwork, then we can get going."

Danny nodded and sat back down in his chair across from Mr. Wayne. The only sound was the steady ticking of the clock on the wall and Mr. Wayne's pen scratching his signature every now and again as he read through the paperwork. Once he had signed everything he needed to sign and handed the paperwork back to Shannon they headed out to the parking lot.

"I'm parked this way." He said, gesturing toward a black Tesla in the parking lot. "Would you like to put your bag in the trunk?"

"I'll keep it with me if it's all the same to you." You only have to make the mistake of getting separated from your belongings once.

"Alright, if that's what you want." Danny could feel his anger rising again. Since when did anyone care what he wanted? Mr. Wayne opened the passenger side door for him, and Danny waited until he stepped away to get in, shutting the door behind him. Mr. Wayne climbed into the driver's side and Danny was struck again by just how big the man was. Was he a bodybuilder, or something? Seriously.

Mr. Wayne waited until they were out on the road before speaking again. "Have you eaten lunch yet, are you hungry?" He asked, drumming on the steering wheel as he waited for a light to change.

"No."

"No, you haven't eaten lunch, or no, you aren't hungry?"

"No to both. I haven't eaten lunch, and I'm not hungry."

"Did you have a big breakfast?"

"I skipped breakfast."

"So you haven't eaten anything all day." Danny could hear the displeasure in the man's voice, but he just shrugged in indifference. Mr. Wayne reached over and Danny tracked his hand warily, but the man only hit a few buttons on his car's display, calling a number labeled "Alfred." The sound of a call ringing out filled the cab before a man with a British accent picked up.

"Pennyworth speaking, how may I help you." Danny wrinkled his nose at the man's formality.

"Alfred, I'm bringing home a guest. Could you fix something substantial for lunch? And prepare a room in the family wing, please."

"Of course, Master Bruce. Are there any requests or restrictions I should be aware of?"

"Danny?" Mr. Wayne asked, obviously waiting for him to answer the question.

"No."

Mr. Wayne's eyebrows furrowed just a bit before smoothing back out. "Danny has a peanut allergy." Danny scowled out the window as Mr. Wayne finished his conversation. Silence fell as they made their way out of the city.

“How’d you know about my allergy?” Danny asked after a while.

“Shannon told me.” Mr. Wayne said.

“So why’d you ask if you already knew the answer?”

“Why did you lie?”

Danny scowled at that and turned back to the window without answering. Mr. Wayne sighed.

"I wanted to give you an opportunity to speak for yourself." He said after a few minutes of silent driving. “And to see what you said.”

"So it was a test?" He asked. Mr. Wayne nodded slightly, not taking his eyes off the road. "Guess I failed, then."

"No, it's not a pass/fail. I just want to know what happened in your past that made you feel the need to lie about something as serious as an allergy."

Danny didn't say anything to that, the man was starting to sound like Jazz. Thankfully he didn't say anything else for the rest of the ride. It wasn't until they were parked in the garage of the (frankly ridiculously sized mansion) that Mr. Wayne said anything.

"I'm going to need you to give me your knives."

Danny blinked. "I don't know what you're talking about." He pulled on the door handle, but it wouldn't budge. Locked. Of course, it was, and stupid expensive cars apparently don’t have lock buttons on the passenger side. He swallowed down his apprehension and turned toward Mr. Wayne.

"I know you have at least three on your person. You will have no need for weapons in my home, so I need you to give them to me."

He's heard that before, but what choice did he have at this point? He was stuck in the car with a man who was twice his size and built like an MMA fighter. Unless he wanted to use his powers there was only one way out. Danny sighed and handed over the knives in his pants pockets.

"And the one in your jacket." He scowled but handed it over too. "And any you may have in your backpack." There was only one in his backpack, and it had saved his life more than once. He really didn't want to give it up.

"I don't have any in my backpack."

"Don't lie to me about this, I don't want to go through your things, but I will if I have to," Danny grumbled, but dug into his bag for the Swiss Army Knife and handed it over to Mr. Wayne. "Is that all?"

"Yes, sir."

"You don't have to call me sir, you can call me Bruce."

“Is that an order?” Danny really didn’t want to get too familiar with a man who was a practical stranger.

“No, of course not."

“Then I’ll call you sir, Mr. Wayne.”

Mr. Wayne sighed but finally unlocked the car door. Danny pushed the door open a little faster than was strictly necessary, stumbling a little in his haste to get out of the enclosed space. Mr. Wayne gave him a funny look but didn't mention it, instead, he led him across the garage, past more fancy cars than a car show, and up into the house. He was led down a short corridor and into a kitchen, where a plate of chicken salad sandwiches was set on the counter.

"Alfred, we're home," Bruce called when he didn't immediately see the man in the kitchen.

"Welcome home, Master Bruce, Master Daniel." The man said, stepping out of what must be a pantry. "I'm afraid we only have plain crisps, I hope that's alright." He said, setting the bag on the counter. It took Danny a second longer than he would have liked to realize that Alfred was asking him.

"Yes, sir. Plain chips are fine."

"You don't have to call me sir." He said, giving Danny a warm smile, which Danny didn't return.

"Alfred, I'll take lunch in my study, if you don't mind." Mr. Wayne said, before turning to Danny. "Alfred will help get you settled in after lunch."

"Right."

Mr. Wayne hesitated, like he wanted to say something, instead he parroted Danny's "right." And headed out of the kitchen.

Once he was gone Danny felt some tension leave his shoulders.

"Are you quite alright, Master Daniel?"

"Danny." He said quietly.

"I'm sorry?"

"It's just Danny, not Daniel."

"I apologize, Master Danny, thank you for telling me. Would you like to have lunch here in the kitchen, or the dining room?"

"Here is fine, sir," Danny said, popping up onto a barstool.

"Just Alfred will do, thank you." The man said, setting a plate with two chicken salad sandwiches, some fruit salad, and a good amount of chips in front of him. "Feel free to tuck in, I'm just going to bring this up to Master Bruce." He said, loading down a tray with an identical meal.

Danny didn't need to be told twice, taking a bite of his sandwich. It was the best sandwich he'd had in a long time, years maybe. Bruce Wayne may be an ass, but if Alfred cooks like this all the time, this placement may not be the worst he'd ever had.

#danny phantom #danny fenton #batman #dc comics #crossover #tim drake #fanfic #damian wayne

[bittersweetarts]

How to Disappear - Chapter 3

Soldier Boy (The Boys) x OC

Word count: 4220 words

Summary: Eden Reid can't help her curiosity, and Soldier Boy can't help but take advantage of that curiosity.

WARNINGS: Cursing, substance abuse, minor violence

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - AO3 Page

Chapter 3: Out of the Woods

What Ben – correction, Soldier Boy – did to Eden, really was a pain in the ass. A real fucking pain in the ass, and Eden will never forgive him for it.

Running away from a woman’s home after having sex with her, before she is even awake, hurts.

But what hurts more is forcing said woman into a situation where she has to lie to some jackass insurance agents about how she was somehow robbed while asleep, and the thieves in question only decided to steal her little old Mazda, which she had bought almost a decade ago, and now consisted of so many spare parts that it might as well be Frankenstein. On top of that, some officers from the local station had to inspect her home to file the report, and no matter how much Eden tried to clean, the smell of dope still lingered, which was humiliating.

It was a small miracle that her claim was actually approved.

Turns out in the case of theft, insurers will only cut a check for the current value of the car, regardless of how comprehensive the insurance is, and how much of a premium Eden paid for it. And unfortunately for Eden, her Mazda was not really worth all that much.

Motherfucker.

In the weeks that passed, Eden found herself cursing Soldier Boy for the mess he’d made for her. But as angry as she was at the ex-hero, she was angrier at herself, for getting herself into such a mess.

She decided to help a Supe and she had only herself to blame, and worst of all, she knew better, for that was the very reason that she dropped out of college and decided not to pursue a career as a Supe herself.

Eden only got angrier when their last moments together came to mind. The feeling of his warm skin against hers, the sweet nothings he spoke into her ears, the way he filled her up whole. Fuck him. Eden now absolutely despised him, for the way he makes her feel, and for inconveniencing her life.

Who the fuck steals nowadays. 

And so, after dipping into her meager savings and taking some PTO (not that she had any other choice, as she literally could not go to her workplace), Eden became the proud owner of yet another Mazda, this time an even older second-hand model in a navy color, and after a week of lots of walking and terrible public transport, Eden was finally able to return to work, where she was greeted by the ire of her co-workers (Matt was not happy by the increased workload on his plate due to her absence), and the bitching of her manager, Leslie, who went on and on about how he had mistakenly thought Eden was more of a team player. Fuck them too.

Work itself continued on as normal.

Eden worked in a private IVF Clinic in East Brunswick, and during her nine-to-five, she pretty much only greets patients and their partners, handles the telephone whilst managing records and accounts. A normal job for a normal person, that’s all Eden was looking for.

Eden also liked that her job was not strenuous or intense, and as the weeks passed, and December neared, Eden slowly started to forget about Soldier Boy. Work and her now tight budget distracted her, and Eden hated to admit it, but the car payments she had to deal with on top of constantly rising fuel prices and bills were starting to get to her, in a way they didn’t before.

Eden never had many good friends, because to Supes, friends are just tools to be used and discarded, and since moving to Jersey, Eden never tried to make any. But now, she wished she had someone to talk to, because the stress of life was getting to her. She woke up feeling exhausted, food made her feel nauseous, and every time she used her new car, a new problem seemed to arise.

The car seemed to use more fuel than her old one, the radiator started leaking, the sensors began to malfunction. Eden now visited the mechanics at least once a week, because her new car was a gift that just kept on giving.

The young brunette was not having a good time. And not that Eden would ever admit it, but the man she provided refuge for woke up something in her that was dormant before, the part of her that craved the affection and company of another.

Maybe that’s why when Felix, one of the younger mechanics from the Royal Auto Service Centre, asked her out on a date, Eden said yes without a second thought.

And maybe that’s why after a couple glasses of wine their dinner at a restaurant by the Raritan River, Eden found herself in his studio apartment in the city, under his sheets with him.

Felix was from Jersey and worked in the Centre with his cousins and guys he grew up with on the block. Unlike Soldier Boy, his hair and eyes were dark, and he spoiled her from the very start. At first, it was discounts for the work done on her car.

“Consider it the friends and family discount.”

“So, I’m your friend.”

“Maybe you can be something a little more.”

And it didn’t stop there. Felix would bring coffee to Eden during her lunch break, never let her pay for anything, and though a little corny, Felix never failed to compliment her.

“You look so beautiful.” “I love your smile.” “Your hair looks great today.”

The compliments were never ending. Eden was never insecure about her appearance, but he did make her feel good. He always looked out for her, and whenever she felt faint or ill, he never failed to take care of her, making them stay in and take it easy after work.

However, Eden did wonder if they were moving too fast. Barely three weeks into their relationship, and Eden was staying more nights in his studio than in her own bed. She had already met his friends and sister, Maria, and saw him practically every day.

And no matter how wonderful he was to her, Eden couldn’t help but compare him to Soldier Boy and even her only ex, Alex, who she tried to forget. Felix was not as well-built and sensual as Soldier Boy, but he cared more about her pleasure in bed, and actually, he reminded her of Alex before they broke up years ago.

Felix was nice, he was good to her, so why couldn’t Eden stop comparing him to the others.

It was near midnight on a Saturday, while Eden was with Felix in a noisy bar downtown, when she received a call from an unknown caller. Eden had cut contact with her family and anyone else she knew before dropping out of college, so getting calls to her personal number was abnormal for Eden.

“Be right back babe.”

Eden excused herself from the table where she and Felix sat, along with his co-workers, Jared and Rafael, and their wives, Lisa and Elena. As she stood up, Eden showed Felix her phone, to show she was going to be answering a call, before kissing Felix’s cheek and leaving traces of her rosy lipstick on his skin. Eden could feel judgmental eyes on her, but tried to ignore it as she stood, pulling down her dress and grabbing the coat on her chair, before heading out of the bar, to the smoking area.

A part of Eden was happy to have an excuse to leave the group and have a moment to herself.

The group have known each other for over a decade, and the couples there were high school sweethearts, and as far as Eden could tell, completely normal. Eden had gone out with them before, but she had never been entirely at ease. She got along with Jared and Rafael well enough, and they worked in the Centre as mechanics with Felix, and had the joy of working on her car (which was only a joy because they got to mock her for it).

Lisa and Elena, on the other hand, were not so friendly with her, often excluding her from conversation, and Eden could not do anything about it. Felix tried to reassure her, telling her that they probably didn’t trust her yet, and to give it some time.

With a small smile, Eden stepped into the freezing cold, which was only bearable because of the red wine in her system. The young brunette was met with the stench of cigarettes and a bunch of smokers, who glanced in her direction before continuing with their own conversations.

At first, Eden let the call pass, having not reached outside before the ringing ended. But the unknown caller called again, and this time, Eden managed picked up the phone.

“Hi sweetheart, it’s me.”

A cocky, self-assured voice that Eden remembered all too well spoke into her ear, and Eden’s smile suddenly dropped. The young brunette was silent for a heartbeat, before she impulsively responded, tone full of spite.

“Fuck you.” Eden heard a deep chuckle on the other side of the line, which only infuriated her even more.

“Don’t break my heart and tell me you forgot already. You already fucked me, doll.”

“And holy fucking Christ, why did I? You are literally a hundred and something year old and still act like a fucking man-child.”

To Eden’s irritation, her insults make Soldier Boy laugh even more.

“That’s not very nice to say. You used to be so sweet to me, doll. What happened?”

Eden’s eyes widened at his shamelessness, and as her voice raised, the spectators around her started to pay attention, reveling in the drama that was unfolding before them. Eden spat practically each and every syllable, but Soldier Boy only found amusement in her reaction.

“I don’t know, maybe I’m annoyed because some fucked-up bastard stole my fucking car. Oh wait, that was you, you fucking prick. You make me sick to my stomach.”

“I sure do.” Soldier Boy responded still laughing, words slightly slurring into one another. “Don’t worry sweetheart, I'm just borrowing. You’ll get a replacement later.”

“Forget it, I don’t need a fucking thing from you. Do me a favor and never contact me again, because trust me, hell will freeze ten times over before I have the remotest desire to hear from you again. As far as I’m concerned, your jackass is dead to me. In fact, we’ve never fucking met.”

Eden heard a clicking sound from the other line, as though Soldier Boy’s amusement had worn off and he was scolding her, like a parent does to a child, clicking their tongue against the roof of their mouth.

“Are you done with your tantrum, doll?”

Eden’s eyes widened in infuriation, and she ended the call without second thought. The young brunette could feel eyes staring at her, and as her phone rang again, she looked up and glared at the first person her eyes met; a blonde girl who barely looked legal, stood with a couple men, who looked twice her age. Eden couldn’t help but snap at them.

“Are you all entertained? Mind your own fucking business.”

Eden’s ringtone still dominated the acoustics of the smoking area, the sound of which made Eden want to smash her phone into the exposed brick wall behind her. Instead, Eden declined the call, swiftly blocked the number, before switching off her phone.

Try fucking calling me now, asshole.

From the corner of the eye, a lit cigarette was offered in her direction, and looking up, Eden saw it was the blonde girl she snapped at mere minutes ago, who had walked up to her, to offer some emotional support. Although Eden wasn’t a smoker, she still enjoyed the occasional cigarette, and it was very much needed now, so she took the cigarette, offering a grateful smile.

“Tough breakup?”

As Eden inhaled the cigarette, she choked, not because she wasn’t a smoker, but at the notion of her and Soldier Boy sharing anything like a relationship. Before answering though, Eden deeply inhaled the cigarette she held again

“A breakup would imply that we were together. Which we weren’t.” The blonde girl charismatically laughed, her blue eyes looking at hers in understanding.

“Been there, done that. You’re better off without him girl.”

“I definitely am.”

Eden responded in agreement, hugging herself to provide some relief from the cold, as she answered. Right on cue, she saw Felix walk up to them, smiling and flushed from his drinking. As he saw the cigarette in her hand, his smile faltered and brows slightly furrowed.

“Everything alright babe?”

“Yeah, all’s good.”

Eden nodded, before dropping the cigarette and stamping on it with her boot. She started to feel lightheaded, but tried to not let it show. Looking back at the young blonde girl, Eden mustered up a smile.

“Thanks for the cig. Have a good night.”

“You too, take care of yourself.”

The girl responded, smiling knowingly as her eyes darted between Eden and Felix, before walking back to her group.

“What took you so long? Who called?” Felix asked inquisitively, as he wrapped an arm around Eden, his warm body providing refuge from the cold as he guided her back into the bar. Eden couldn’t tell him the full truth, but she also didn’t have to completely lie, yet she did so anyway, without remorse.

“Wrong number. Don’t know how, but I ended up chatting with that girl, and lost track of time I guess.”

As Eden finished with her weak lie, in front of the bar, she turned to face Felix and gently tugged at his wrists, pulling him in for a kiss, to which he happily obliged. The kiss was deep, and though the bar was crowded, Eden felt like she was being watched, just as she had been in the smoking area.

Dismissing her paranoia, which was probably spurned by that prick, Eden tugged Felix until there was no space between them, making him laugh at her affection, and Eden laugh in return as well.

Mondays are always rough, but this Monday was particularly cruel to Eden.

In between the freezing cold, feeling weak and nauseous and dealing with a shitty work environment, Eden was clearly having a wonderful workday. And to make the day even better, Dr Andrews called in sick right at opening time, so Eden had the pleasure of dealing with cancellations, rescheduling, and angry clients who were tired of waiting for their delayed appointments with a now different doctor. Oh, and her only co-worker, Matt, decided to skip work that day as well.

“My appointment was at one, but it’s already half past two.”

“This is ridiculous, we have known Dr Patel for years, just let him know Nina and Christopher here.”

“I have waited for over an hour, this is unacceptable, and you’re not helping. Where is your manager?”

The complaints kept going, the phones just kept ringing, and Eden was struggling to handle it all. She even missed her lunch hour, as the clinic did not close for the hour, and Eden was running on no fuel, as she felt too nauseous to eat breakfast in the morning.

Eden was strong though, that is literally her ability, so she willed herself to persevere. Some days are more challenging than others, but they’re not impossible, or that’s what Eden tried to remind herself.

But it was during emergency broadcast being played on the TV in the lobby, Eden lost it.

It was the late afternoon, the lobby was finally emptying out, and Eden was busy dealing with the final clients of the day, exhausted, when an emergency broadcast by the Vought News Network captured the attention of everyone in the lobby.

“Good evening, thank you for joining us. Breaking news out of the capital today, only hours ago. Deadly blast outside of Ford's Theatre, killing at least 14, injuring at least 29. Police are still investigating the incident, but the leading theory is that it is an unfortunate pipeline accident. We turn now to Vought News Network’s Chief Domestic Correspondent, Bradley Hunter – Bradley.”

“Liam, it was during the afternoon performance of A Christmas Carol, when during the closing act, a huge explosion went off. Officials are still investigating the source of the explosion, but it is assumed that due to the building being old, it was an unfortunate gas pipe accident, but this will take time to investigate as the site has been severely impacted.”

The reporter stopped speaking for a moment, and Eden, who’s eyes were glued onto the TV along with the handful of people in the lobby, were met with screenshots of a well-built man in blurry video, and the figure was a very familiar one to Eden.

Eden’s heart dropped and stomach churned as a high-definition image of a well-built brown-haired man, dressed in his famous Supe costume, appeared on the screen.

“There have been videos circulating across the Internet of what appears to be a now-not deceased Soldier Boy, who we know in the past had gained the ability to self-explode due to dangerous Soviet experimentation, but we at the Vought News Network need to clarify that this is fake news. Our tech and video verification analysts have been able to confirm that the video involves AI-generated content, so Soldier Boy…”

As the supposedly fake video of Soldier Boy leaving the burned down theatre started playing on the TV screen, Eden’s head started uncontrollably spinning, and quickly, the TV and lobby noises started fading away.

Bright lights blinded Eden, and as she forced open her eyes, she was met with the concerned look of a blonde man in scrubs in front of her, who then proceeded to smile.

“Ah, finally you’re awake. You had us worried. Miss Reid, can you please open your mouth for a moment.”

Disorientated, Eden did as she was asked, and a quick checkup of her state was done by the man. “My name is Dr Williams, and I’ll try to be quick.”

Eden, sat in a bed, realized she was in the emergency room, as fluorescent lighting shone on her, and a makeshift curtain-walls surrounded her, and the man in front of her, Dr Smith, read his clipboard as he spoke.

“About twenty-five minutes ago, you were brought here from your workplace, from a fainting spell. You had lost consciousness, and it was unclear whether you had hit your head on anything. Upon the examination by the EMTs and myself, we have determined it unlikely, as we do not see any point of impact, and your cognition appears to be in normal condition.”

The blonde doctor pauses for a moment and meets her eyes.

“Have you had any fainting symptoms earlier today or this week? This could include any dizziness, light-headedness, nausea, and/or heightened stress levels.”

“Well, for the past three-to-four weeks, I, uh.” Eden pauses for a moment, feeling unfamiliar nerves kick in. “I’ve been feeling weak, light-headed, and uh, nauseous. But I assumed that I caught a bug or something.”

“It says here on your file that you are Super-abled, and that you have increased strength which reflects onto your immunity. When was the last time you were ill?” Eden furrowed her brows at this.

“I’m not sure, it’s been a long time.” Eden genuinely could not remember and was starting to feel worried. To this, Dr Williams hummed before responding with another question.

“Forgive me, I do not mean to be intrusive. When was the last time you had your period?” Eden quickly realized where this was going, and started to feel worried.

“More than a month ago – but I have an IUD, and my menstrual cycle hasn’t been regular in years. And my partner always wears protection.” Dr Williams hummed again, before finally responding.

“Well, it doesn’t hurt to check. We will get some blood sample analysis completed, and conduct a standard pregnancy test just to make sure, as there is still the possibility of pregnancy even with an IUD. Do you have someone you can call, maybe your partner?”

“Are you sure you want to be alone tonight, babe?”

Eden was sat in Felix’s pickup truck, parked in front of her cabin. The moment her boyfriend had heard that she was in the ER, he had practically sprinted their himself, and did everything to make her feel better. According to him, he felt guilty for not noticing that she was unwell to begin with, and he had even gotten Rafael and Jared to bring her Mazda to her cabin while she was at the hospital.

It was dark, past nine PM, and Eden felt depleted. After waiting for the test results, and having one final consultation with Dr Williams, Eden felt like she was living outside of her body, and even the extortionate hospital bills haven’t affected her, because in her bag, she had pamphlets which made her want to faint all over again.

Shaking her head and leaning over to the driver’s seat, Eden kissed Felix, before responding, while putting on her coat.

“It’s okay, I don’t want to burden you. Lab results say it’s just iron deficiency, but to be safe, I’ll take a day or two off to recover. The doctor prescribed bed rest, but with you around, I won’t be able to get any of that.”

This made Felix grin and shake his head, before pulling Eden into another passionate kiss, with a grip so strong that Eden had to use a little bit of her Supe-strength to pull away, surprising him.

“I’ll be fine on my own, you don’t have to worry about me.” Eden said, before quickly opening the door and leaving the car, not giving her partner the time to respond. And as she stood on her front porch, waving goodbye at him, it took everything in her not to throw up.

This time though, Eden knew that she needed to throw up not because of nerves, but because somehow, she managed to be the less than one percent of people with an IUD, who had managed to get pregnant.

And in her bag, there were countless pamphlets, about every fucking topic possible with regards to pregnancies. Prenatal nutrition, exercise during pregnancy, managing pregnancy discomforts, preparing for labor and deliver, abortion clinics in the area.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.

The thoughts run rampant in Eden’s head, so much so that as she entered the cabin and switched on the lights in her home, heading straight to the kitchen, she failed to notice a large, bearded man sitting on her living room sofa.

“Ahem.”

Eden’s heart practically jumped out of her throat as she dropped her bag, its contents spilling out, and when she quickly turned to face the source of the sound, she was met with a man who literally scared the living shits out of her. She screamed almost immediately.

“Jesus, get out!”

Eden immediately grabbed the kitchen knife that was in its holder on the counter, and watched as the man stood there, not affected whatsoever by her screaming and threatening gesture. Instead, he started to speak theatrically, in an over-the-top Australian accent which made Eden even more disorientated.

“Now calm down, love. We are civilized folk after all. I just want to have a little conversation you, and then I can be off on my merry-way.”

As he spoke, the man slowly stepped closer to Eden, almost cornering her, which made her feel more frantic and fearful. Eden said nothing, and stepped back towards the hallway as he approached, still waving the knife in her hands in the air.

“Who the fuck are you! Why the fuck are you in my house?”

Eden’s focus was entirely on the man before her, who now started smiling at her.

“Who I am is not important, but I do need to ask. How does a nice girl living in the woods and working as a receptionist get tied up with a grizzled cunt like Soldier Boy?”

At the mention of Soldier Boy, Eden immediately lunges at her intruder, knife in hand, but he quickly knocks it out of her hand, and the knife skids to the other end of the living room. Eden didn’t let it affect her, as she immediately punched the man in his stomach, and immediately he falls to the ground groaning.

Eden wasn’t an idiot and told no one about Soldier Boy. She knew it was not a good thing that the man before her came to ask her about him. And he seemed crazy, especially at that very moment, when he started talking loudly, as though to someone else.

“Alright then, I fucking tried. Now can we wrap this up before she breaks my fucking ribs.”

In the blink of an eye, Eden felt herself tackled to the ground by someone much stronger than she was, and a rag was violently pressed against her face, and no matter how hard she thrashed and tried to push herself off, she was unable to.

As she faded out of consciousness, the intruder and another man stood above her, moving their lips, but Eden couldn’t hear or understand anything.

Author's Note: I wrote this chapter in a day and my brain is now frazzled - Hope you enjoy! As usual, feedback and comments are appreciated <3

– Chapter 4

#soldier boy #fanfiction #jensen ackles #soldier boy ben #soldier boy x oc #soldier boy x original character #the boys #the boys amazon #the boys tv #hotd #butcher #billy butcher #soldier boy fanfiction #soldier boy x reader #soldier boy x you #gen v 1x06 #fanfic

[arkhamsrevenge]

Batman The Adventures Continue Under the Red Hood pt 1

If you haven't read the comic, PLEASE READ IT!  There are spoilers in this. (Duh) 

“Jason Todd? But how?” Alfred exclaimed as he looked at the results the Bat computer gave. Bruce sat in shock.  

“It’s him. It would explain the mysterious stalker, how he’s always one step ahead and why he knows our moves before we do.” They both sat in silence until Alfred jumped up.  

“My god Y/N L/N. They were close! He might...” Bruce understood what his old friend was saying and headed to Dr. Thompkins knowing she was the only one who could get into contact with Y/N 

At Dr. Leslie Thompkins's clinic.  

“Why are you here?” Dr. Thompkins didn’t even turn around, she knew who was behind her.  

“Jason’s alive physically, emotionally he’s angrier than ever. I thought he’d go to see an old patient of yours, Y/N.” Batman explained bluntly. He didn’t have time for small talk or a discussion about their falling out that was sue to what happened to Jason. “The child who had the-” 

“Croaked leg, yes, I know.” Y/N L/N became a patient to Dr. Thompkins when the child hurt her leg badly in an explosion if fear gas set off by Scarecrow. The fear gases tore through the citizens of Gotham. One of which had been welding a knife and 16-year-old Y/N didn’t out run them fast enough before this individual started stabbing her left leg repeatedly. When the gas cleared and the citizen came to, he screamed at the top of his lungs at what he had done. The 16-year old’s leg had been mutilated and she had passed out from pain and blood loss. Luckily, Robin had heard the scream and raced to see what had happened, that’s when he first saw Y/N. He wanted to give the man a beating but knew the girl laying there would die if she didn’t get help. Once the paramedics got her secured, Robin followed them all the way to the hospital just to make sure they got there safely. Fortunately, the leg was saved but Y/N would have to walk with a cane for the rest of her life. Dr. Leslie Thompkins took over from there, helping her with pain management, psychological trauma and physical therapy. Though Y/N’s leg was still croaked, she could move around with it better than before. Both her therapy and physical therapy sessions were almost always interrupted by the boy wonder. He would see how she was, or he’d have to get patched up. Often it was the ladder. Jason, as Robin grew very fond of Y/N, and when Y/N was going back to school, Bruce Wayne, a friend of Dr. Thompkins, offered his son, Jason Todd to help her readjust. Unfortunately, the chronic pain in her leg varied from week to week, but Jason was more than happy to bring her work and help her catch up on assignments. Ever so slightly, there seemed to be a change in Jason, he was getting gentler, softer. But Y/N was a daredevil, headstrong and reckless as Jason soon found out. She hated being cooped up in her little apartment, so she snuck out the window one night to get a milkshake. As Y/N was crossing the street one way, Jason was crossing the other and stopped in his tracks as the h/ced girl basically zoomed past him. That night Jason and Y/N had their first official unofficial first date. Upon remembering the young boy’s affection towards Y/N, Dr. Thompkins’s anger began to fill her. 

“This is your fault! He was wild and you let him run wild! He wasn’t just another kid who disappeared into the night he was our responsibility!” Tears started to well up in her eyes  

“What do you mean by gone? Why didn’t anyone go after him?” Y/N asked Dr. Thompkins looked at her leg. Y/N had asked where Robin was for some time and through pure exhaustion Dr. Thompkins let it slip that "Robin” had gone rouge.  

“Batman is doing everything he can to look for him.” She had said trying to comfort the young girl.  

“But Dr. T, I saw him a couple days ago. He visited me at my house, he never indicated that something was wrong.” Y/N said sadly. Dr. Thompkins didn’t have the heart to tell the poor girl that Jason was dead. Or so she thought.   

“I can give her a call with you here if that will give you peace of mind.” Dr. Thompkins said, picking up her phone. The line rang and rang but only the answering machine picked up. “She didn’t pick up! You don’t think...?” Dr. Thompkins turned to Batman only to see he was gone. No doubt going to find Y/N, if Jason didn’t find her first.  

POV Y/N 

I can’t believe my stupidity. Staying late at the Iceberg lounge was NOT a smart idea. Especially with this fucking limp. So here I am in the dead of night hobbling my way through Gotham, trying to get back at my apartment. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being watched however. It’s been going on for weeks and even though I feel a little uneasy, I haven’t felt safer. This stalking stranger had warned me a few nights ago, when I was working at the lounge behind the bar. Some guy had asked for a drink and as I made it, he asked for anther one. I did as he asked, only to have him say the drink was for me. Being polite I thanked him, telling him I’ll drink it right after I get the other orders out. When I came back the guy was gone and a note was left.  

The drink was spiked. Stay safe. 

I never knew who this mystery person was who saved me but since then I’ve been seeing glimpses of someone hiding in the shadows or on rooftops, watching me. Tonight, I hope they are watching me trying to get home. I could see my building in sight, and started to make my up the stairs. Me leg ached by the time I got to the top when a gruff voice startled me.  

“Excuse me Y/N. That drunk you live with owes us money.” I turned to see a couple of Black Mask’s gang members.  

“Then ask him for it.” I quietly said, unlocking my door.  

“He skipped town, left your boss a letter and now he is collecting what was promised to him.” The gang members surrounded me. One grabbed my arms, putting them behind my back. I kicked at them only for one to kick my bad leg. Making me scream in pain and crumble to the ground. “Boss said we had to bring you back to him, but we haven't been this close to a lady in a long time.” The pain in my leg kept pulsating, I was in too much pain to fight back. Closing my eyes, I waited for all this to be over, until the weight holding me down was ripped off. I sprung up, pulling myself up with my discarded cane. All three men were dead, blood pooling around my feet.  

“Damn bastards.” A deep voice said from the shadows. I swallowed.   “Please tell me you aren't here to kill me too.” The shadowed figure chuckled.  

“No.” I let out a breath. “You’re not safe here though.” The stranger said.  

“I’ve never been safe in Gotham. I’ll manage.” I said, hobbling back to my door ready to go inside when something poked my arm. I looked to see a dart, taking it out my world started to get blurry. Shit.  

“Sorry Y/N. But I’m not willing to take the chance.” My legs buckled but I was soon scooped up. I couldn’t even ask how they knew my name until everything went dark.  

#jason todd x you #jason todd imagine #jason todd x reader #red hood imagine #red hood x y/n

[dc-sideblog]

Ideal reverse robins au starts with Duke as the Signal, the literal light to Batman’s darkness, his perfect opposite and parallel and partner. He was taken in by Bruce after the Joker’s attack on his parents and for a while he is motivated purely by vengeance, but then Signal becomes something more. Duke does not outgrow the Signal mantle and gets to keep it forever

Next is Damian and he goes by the highly regrettable name of Batboy. You know this would happen. As tradition holds, Robin II gets a horrific death, but instead of the Joker, it’s Ra’s al Ghul. Keeps the family betrayal element. Damian thought maybe things could be different now, they could be a real family; instead his mind is removed and his body becomes the next vessel for Ra’s. Bruce and Duke think he was just straight up murdered for years and their next encounter with Ra’s is a gut-punch reveal

Steph, a Gotham native and street kid, does not like the way things have changed in her neighborhood and decides to do something about it. She tells Batman that he needs a partner and she is Batboy now whether he likes it or not

At this point Damian somehow regains control of his body, ousts Ra’s, and heads straight to Gotham for vengeance. But he is not prepared for Stephanie Brown, who ruthlessly sasses him every second that she is conscious. Within three months, “the Demon” (Damian is going through some stuff, okay?) is back in the family. He continues to be an edgy antihero though

Next up is Tim, who’s house is almost as bad as the British museum, and who is also so so mad at his parents. He is going by Reverse and sometimes works together with Anarky. Then Stephanie’s dad (still the villain Cluemaster) finds out she’s Batboy, flips the fuck out, grounds her, and Tim steps in to claim the Batboy mantle. Then Steph’s dad goes to jail forever and dies and Bruce temporarily fosters her until her mom gets out of rehab. At which point Stephanie graduates to Batgirl.

Naturally as the first Batgirl she gets shot in the spine. Steph goes to medical school and becomes Leslie Thompkins successor. She’s now the Bats’ secret back alley doctor and runs the free clinic. Cass appears and is given the Batgirl mantle

Jason is second last so he gets to be Bruce’s bio kid here. He seeks Bruce out after his mom dies with the intent of robbing him blind and then running. He does successfully steal and pawn some stuff but he’s stuck with having a family now. Can’t run away and live independently on the streets like he wanted. He’s very grumbly about this and wary of all these rich people. Tim willingly passes on Batboy to him and goes back to operating as Reverse

Barbara enters the scene and Cass changes her code name to Black Bat in order to give her Batgirl. So there’s currently Batman, the Signal, Demon, Batboy, Batgirl, Black Bat, and Reverse. All of Gotham is so sick of their shit. Of course Gotham’s vigilantes are all goth and overdramatic

Finally, Dick. His parents are still killed in the circus over mob extortion but he decides to deal with this by dressing up as Batboy and just sorta hoping Batman doesn’t notice. This does not work, for so many reasons. It does get him adopted though. He declares that he has no interest in being called Batboy and instead goes by Robin, like his mom called him

#dc #batfam #duke thomas #damian wayne #stephanie brown #tim drake #cassandra wayne #jason todd #barbara gordon #dick grayson #reverse robins

[ailelie]

I'm supposed to be packing, but as I was double-checking that I could toss an old notebook, I found this snippet. So I figured I'd type it up so that I could toss the rest.

---

At age 10 Tim was stalking Batman and Robin during a Scarecrow attack. Batman kept sending the affected to Leslie's clinic. When Robin questioned whether they should send people elsewhere, Batman said Leslie could handle it. In one universe, Tim trusted Batman to be right. In this one, Tim did not. Instead, Tim darted to the clinic and offered up his help.

Leslie tried to turn him away, but they did need hands and Tim pointed out that it was more dangerous for him to leave. So Leslie tasked him with getting everyone's names. Then with running supplies. He was still there long past his self-imposed curfew when Batman dropped by. He hide before Leslie could introduce him. He didn't need Bruce wondering what he was doing there so far from home.

Luckily he caught the last bus home, more exhausted than usual. The next day while trying to hone his detective skills, he thought about the chaos of the clinic and how Leslie had remained a center of calm the entire time. He wondered if she knew the secret.

That night, while following after the Dynamic Duo with his camera, Tim watched Batman bind a bullet graze on Robin's arm. It wasn't anything he'd never done before, but this time the simple action reminded Tim of a gaping hole in his own education: first aid. Deciding to kill two birds with one stone, he quietly withdrew and found his way to the clinic.

It was busy, but not packed. Tim grabbed a chair, took out his phone, and settled in to wait.

After an hour or so, Leslie was standing over him. "You're back. Do your parents know you're out this late?"

"No," Tim answered truthfully. His parents were in Argentina.

"Are you hurt?" Her gaze moved over him searching for an injury as he shook his head.

"I want to talk with you."

Leslie's gaze hardened. Then she nodded. "My office." Tim followed her back. "So what do you want?"

"To learn first aid."

"Take a class."

"I need more." Tim glanced around the office looking for a clue, an idea for how he should proceed. Then he saw a photo of a younger Leslie with a child Bruce Wayne smiling at the camera. "Batman trusts you."

"What makes you think that?"

Tim pointed to the photo, his heart pounding. If he was wrong, if he screwed this up--Leslie followed his pointing hand and her brows flew to her hairline.

"So?" she asked, her tone careful.

"Just think that's cool, s'all," Tim said, refusing to give more than he already had.

Leslie sighed. "Come back tomorrow. Daylight hours. Maybe our benefactors will be more inclined to hand over funding if you're with me. I mean, what kind of monster says 'no' to a kid?"

Tim smiled, relieved. "Will do."

"I'll call you a cab and walk you out."

"I usually--"

"Cab," Leslie interrupted, firmly. Tim set back, protests dying.

About 10 minutes later, they were standing together in front of the clinic. As the cab pulled up, Leslie asked, "How long?"

"About a year," Tim answered, realizing immediately what she was asking.

She swore and bundled him into the cab.

During school the next day, Tim could barely concentrate. Leslie would make him tell Bruce. He should have anticipated that. As soon as school ended, Tim was out of the door and darting to the clinic.

The attendant waved him back to Leslie's office. She joined him not long after. She glanced at his uniform, but didn't say anything. "C'mon," she said instead. "We're going for a drive."

To his surprise they didn't drive to either Wayne Enterprises or Bristol.

"So you've known for a year."

"Yeah."

"Why?"

Tim blinked. He hadn't expected that question. "I didn't try to find out, but once I knew, I knew."

"And it took you a year to find me?"

"No. I've been taking pictures of them. At night."

Leslie laughed. "I'm half-tempted now to tell him just to see his face when he learns you've been following him."

"You're not going to tell him?"

"Tell me about yourself."

"Me?" Again, Tim was surprised by the turn in conversation. "I'm just Tim."

"I'll be the judge of that. Why don't we start with a surname?"

Leslie was patient in her questioning and jumped topics without warning, leading Tim to explain more than he might have otherwise. She followed a question about his favorite school subjects with, "How do you sneak out?"

"Through the front door usually. My parents are rarely around to notice."

Leslie frowned, but instead of pushing, she asked where he'd gotten his camera.

And then apparently I have a different version of the above even more not!ficcish. I must have written this one first.

"I can be useful," the child insisted. His gaze as fierce and set as another's--a child she had failed. Leslie had hoped Bruce's certain failure would end his folly. Now he stalked the city like a nightmare.

Maybe she should keep Tim close.

"How?" she asked, stepping back and letting him in. She led him to her living room and turned off her television.

"You're short-staffed."

"A volunteer application form is on our website."

Tim was a proto-Bruce, but he was still a child and she wasn't going to do anything with partial information. And when he tried to bluster another excuse, she told him as such. He wasn't a bad liar, but Leslie bet he did most of it at a distance.

She'd known a girl like that in college. Girl could spin and inhabit an alibi like no one, but catch her face-to-face and point blank her tells bled through.

"If you don't want to tell me, I'd rather you say that than lie. If I push after that I'll explain why."

Tim still stalks the Bats, but he does so to keep Leslie prepared for what's coming. When Bruce asks, she's tempted to say 'a little Birdie told me' but instead she fixes him with a look. "People talk. I've gotten better at listening." It was a better response because it carried a guilt trip. Bruce listened to no one except Alfred sometimes.

#snippets #not!fic #drafts #tim drake #au #fic

[abyssal-ali]

And yet forgives the butcher's knife/the bat that flits at close of eve

Okay, yall answered! Here's a snippet from my jaysteph fic: (Canon complicit, up to a point)

Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4

Jason followed the sounds of fear and fighting to a group of mostly young men around a group of kids and a couple young women. One dropped like a sack of bricks from the blonde's left hook, making Jason grin as he jumped into the fray. The mediocre gang was soon taken down and Jason turned to comforting and reassuring the captives. Thankfully, they'd just been kidnapped and were moving to a secondary location when the blonde and her friend jumped in to help the kids. Once everyone was safely in their homes Jason came back to the young women. The blonde accepted his offer of a ride home since her friend had already gotten home safely and it was almost midnight. Jason took a chance and asked, "Do you speak Dutch or English?"

"English. You could tell my Swahili was pretty bad, huh?" She asked with a small self-depracating smile.

"No, it was pretty good," he told her sincerely. "You live here long? And where do I drop you off?"

"Leslie Thompkins' clinic, please. I've been here a little over a year. Are you not a native, either?"

"No, I'm just passing through to pick up a couple things. Leslie Thompkins? She the doc from Gotham?"

"Yeah, she moved here to protect me, actually. I'm her assistant, learning nursing, I guess. I finished school online and by correspondence a few months ago..."

"Why'd you need protection? Running from Batman or something?" He joked, only half-kidding.

"Kinda. He didn't like me much. How do you know about Gotham?"

"Doll, Gotham is kinda famous worldwide for its crime and craziness."

"Fair. Oh, we never introduced ourselves-- I'm Stephanie Brown, or Steph."

"Nice to meet you, Steph. I'm trying to go incognito and I don't have a name settled on yet, so just call me J."

#Jaysteph #romantic jaysteph #jason todd #Steph brown #Stephanie brown #Original work #Ayftbk #And yet forgives the butchers knife #ali writes #Fic

[redjaybathood]

Jaysteph Soulmate AU

"Beg me," Joker grins down at him, poking Jason with the crowbar. "Beg me, and maybe I will leave you alive for your daddy to find."

"I'm begging you," Jason spits some blood on his pointy shoes. "To shut the fuck up. Your voice is killing me. How are you not ashamed to speak in public?"

"Not going to be my voice what kills you," Joker hits him again.

'It sure as hell isn't going to be you,' Jason thinks. 'Not my time yet.'

He has a mark on his chest, a robin. It's not Dick - Dick's is a shooting star, at the same time as Starfire has a yellow-blue bird. So Jason haven't met them, yet. Whoever his robin is.

And the ones who die without meeting their soulmates? They don't have a mark at all. Jason has one, ergo. Not dying in Kosovo.

Joker leaves when, he claims, his wrist started to hurt from being overworked. He activates the timer on a bomb, sure. But that's three whole minutes. Jason gets out of the handcuffs by dislocating his thumb. He has already some bones broken, so that's not a big deal. He's gonna make it, the most important thing is.

He's crawling on the floor to where the door is. Just a little bit, and again, and it hurts, but what can you do. He's getting out, so doesn't matter. Pain just reminds him he's alive.

And then he reaches the door. It's locked.

And then the timer reaches zero.

***

Soulmarks are symbolic, usually. Nobody goes around with first name, last name somewhere on the body. No, that would be too easy.

In any case, her own parents are a match, and it didn't help them any. Maybe Cluemaster interpreted the clues incorrectly. Maybe a red cross meant a doctor who patched him up when Riddler almost got his hands on him, and mom's question mark meant, well, Question. Maybe her mom just god pregnant with Steph and they looked at the ultrasound, and then at each other, and decided it was good enough.

Point is, Steph knows not to put much stock into marks. And yet, when she meets Robin, something clicks for her: Robin! Just like on her shoulder, a robin.

She thinks that so long that seeing Tim kissing a girl who's definitely not Steph, well. Maybe Tim is her robin, maybe he isn't. She decides she doesn't care anymore.

Then, after she herself becomes Robin for a hot minute, she thinks: it probably isn't Tim.

Then, as Black Mask pulls a gun on her - and there's no new Robins in sight to choose from - she thinks it probably is.

Only, when the shot rings out, it's not her who's dead on the floor.

"I got you," a male voice is saying behind her. "You're safe, now."

She doesn't think so, doesn't feel so, but she lost too much blood already, and it's not like she can fight him off when he hoists her up.

"I am bringing you to Leslie's clinic. You know Leslie, right? Do you want to call someone on the way, so they could keep you company on the way?"

Once upon a time, she would have said yes. Now, with her decidingly not dead while Black Mask is, she rethinks her assessment again.

It's not Tim. Thank god.

***

When Jason came to awareness, things were confusing. Much more so when he got news from Gotham. Joker, alive. Robin, also alive and not Jason.

If that's Jason's soulmate, he decides he would rather crawl back into the ground. The insult of it.

Still. He skips out on the whole Hush plot, just so he wouldn't need to be in Gotham. He doesn't want to know if that's the guy. The new Robin.

Because maybe if he were, then Bruce replacing him was just fate. If he weren't, then Jason was replaced because he wasn't good enough.

Then replacement gets replaced, and Jason is not going to lie. He feels schadenfreude. He thinks he's allowed. It's a girl this time, and she's good for her age and level of training. She knows how to handle herself on the streets and how to blend in if necessary. She's kind to the ones who deserved and mean to ones that don't. The risks she pulls sometimes - like with the Tiger Butterfly or whoever the fuck - are too much even for Jason her age. He could have run into the stray of bullets, but he wouldn't necessarily jump off the roof without a grapple. Bullets are familiar and easy; he survived a bullet to his stomach once, even if Leslie apparently was unconvinced about the outcome, soulmark or not.

But gravity? He pretty sure gravity beats fate, on the scale of cosmic laws.

Still, she pulls it off, and Jason, who's reading a report, finds himself grinning.

"Still want to teach your father a lesson about sidekicks?" Talia smiles knowingly.

"Only if he throws another one to his own devices again," Jason grumbles. "Did I ever tell you how he switched from Dick to me? Dick hated my guts for that, and now I kind of get how he felt. Though I think his ire, and mine, would have done better if saved for the boss man himself."

"No, you didn't, and I am surely don't care. I am glad you came to terms with it."

"I didn't. Would you? If Ra's produced another child out of nowhere and, I don't know, proclaimed them his new heir and right hand. But..."

"My father might very well do it, one of these days. He still didn't quite forgive me for bringing you to... Health. This is why I am not planning on staying with him for long."

"Well, what are you waiting for?"

"You. As soon as you are back in Gotham, you will be unreachable for my father and the League."

"If you put it like that..."

Jason guesses he's got a homecoming.

Talia keeps her word. She and her son leave for Metropolis as soon as Jason on the ship to Gotham.

Jason never met the kid, Damian, but he heard stories and Talia always carried around a picture. Once, Jason asked if she ever going to tell Bruce. She touched a mark on her side. It's a cat, of all things.

"No," she shook her head. "He would try to make this work, and I don't think any of us is interested anymore. But when Damian wants, he will meet him."

That was as good a strategy as any.

***

The ship Jason was on, was smuggling the guns. They had been going to New Jersey, not Gotham specifically, but close enough that catching a ride made sense. He considered it his graduation exam. Will security clock that they have a stove-away?

They didn't. But then again, never they noticed that they were boarded by Kobra operatives before the latter slit their throats, or maybe not even then. On account of death.

Jason thinks long and hard, for about two minutes it takes him to place the charges in the ship's engine room, while pirates of modern age are preparing to transfer the goods.

Kobra Cult isn't usually so brazen. They're terrorists, and going against Five Families when they can just buy the guns? Not their style.

Unless there's a problem with the funding chain (but that's what Gotham banks are for - robbery). Or prices on the guns and ammo are going to skyrocket.

Or Kobra is going to war with Italian mafia, but that's unlikely.

Anyway. Jason blows up the ship and everyone on board. Gets away on a small boat. Blows up Kobra s decoy marine vehicle that's still broadcasting the distress signal. Gets to the shore.

Gets boots deep in a shoot-out between Odessa and Latinx United, has to use his wound sealant on a five-year old kid, and

For the first time since swimming in the Infinity Pool, he sees red.

And he knows what you're thinking. Lately, his style was... Aggressive and definite. But where's difference between going one against a bunch of goons plus Joker, without a solid plan and on a very strict timetable (he didn't want Talia in the League longer than necessary, and since it kinda depended on him, he made it a point to wrap up fast). You just can't do anything more than go in guns blazing and let your training carry you through it.

Besides, any if stray bullets hit someone, it would be still a target worth taken out.

It's not the case with the Gotham gang war. As much as he wants everyone responsible off the streets, forever, adding to that chaos is just going to make things worse.

So. He doesn't know what to do - and so he's doing recon.

It's a war as Jason never seen before. Something made them not only to turn on each other, but go after families, wives, kids, non-combatants. And it's just counter to everything Jason knows.

You don't go after families unless you don't have that leverage on you. Whoever convinced gangs to step it up, that's Jason's target. Take them out, replace them, tell everyone to stand out.

That's his plan.

So, unlike Batman and the others, he has to ignore the screams and the fires all around him. It's going to be better in the long run, he says to himself, trying to sound convincing. Unlike with Eugene ("you kill people, you put a mad dog down"), it doesn't quite work.

But he has no choice. It has to be stopped sooner.

So he focuses on the case at hand. He gets the information he needs from torturing an Odesa woman who ordered a shooting at schools and kindergartens. It's miles easier than making himself not go there and kill everyone in sight who would raise a firearm against a child.

He orders Svitlana to call off her dogs, which she does. She says it won't help, because Scarface is in it, too, and Italians will retaliate for sure.

"Should have thought earlier about it," he says. "But no matter. You work for me now, or the chip I inserted in your stomach will blow up. If you try to get it out, it will blow up. If any information you provided me is faulty, it will blow up. If I hear that your people are still killing children, well."

"It will blow up, I get it," she shows him her teeth.

Jason, being a gentleman, doesn't knock them out. He twists the knife in her hand.

"Now, about that Black Mask fellow... Where you said I can find him, again?"

He finds the Black Mask's lair. It takes some doing, even with the information supplied by his new minion.

But the rest is easy. No people security. Not even Black Mask anywhere. Except...

Yes, the basement. Sounds like a fight.

He finds Black Mask on the floor and a teenage girl screaming at him, gun going up and down in her hand. Even if she has it in her to pull the trigger, the shot will probably go wild, won't hit vitals.

Still, he's ready to give her a chance, after he listens in and realizes it's the fourth Robin, the one and only Spoiler.

But then the dynamics change and Jason has his gun out and a bullet between Mask's eyebrows in no time at all.

He catches the falling girl. He takes her to Leslie. On the way, he prays that she won't recognize him - he still needs to wrap this up, and going against Batman and gathering intel on who to kill, so it would make the maximum impact with minimal effort, it's just easier if nobody knows he's him.

But he hopes she recognizes the girl and take care of her as she would have of him. Whether the girl makes it, he can't place a bet, but he kinda wants to think that even if she doesn't, she would have someone with her.

Jason can't get in by the window, not with the body in his hands, so he strolls right through the main entrance.

The girl is taken from him to the surgery immediately. Leslie pauses, catching his hand.

"Did you do it?"

"Yes, if by it you mean if I saved her. Though let me tell you, she did the most if it herself. I just gave her a hand somewhat. And a ride here."

She nods at him and leaves for the operation room.

Jason leaves to kill some lieutenants and present their heads to the gangs who are still fighting.

Resistance is futile.

They get it.

There's a lot of bad blood between Jason's newest new minions. But he decides to give everyone a fair shot at revenge without it spilling on the streets. He calls it Arena. You can duel with anyone without risking it hurting business, he explains to the masses. Not everyone is in line with the plan, but most of them don't want anymore funerals either.

Batman doesn't agree with the plan, so Arena migrates through Gotham before he can find it again. Jason would rather kill everyone at once, but this, one at a time, works for him too.

Gotham streets quiet down eventually.

Then Nightwing finds him. Wants to make a deal. Asks for Tarantula, who recently became a nominal member of his organization, she and her kids.

"You do realize I'm not actually a boss of her," Jason-as-Red Hood says. "And that the kids aren't even a real gang anymore. They just found safety in numbers, and clout in the "under Red Hood" name. But Tarantula is using me, she doesn't listen to me."

"You could make her listen, though. I need her in jail, for what she did in Bludhaven."

"What's that? Helped you to take care of a city-wide problem? You do realize who you're talking to? There's no sanctity of life for me."

"It's more than that. She... I need her in prison. Please."

"Want to tell me why?"

"No. It won't convince you. What do you want for making it happen?"

Jason makes a show of rubbing helmet's chin.

"Someone needs to take over her kids. Know anyone?"

"I have connections," Nightwing says. "I don't know if you heard about Jason Todd memorial fund..."

"Oh?" Jason leaves it at that, but what the fuck?

"Yes, well, they're mostly sponsoring kids whose home life makes it difficult to go to school. But. It can be expanded. I guarantee it will. That way, they will get resources, counseling, housing, whatever they need."

"Make it Gotham-wide, not only Las Narrangas, and you sold me on this plan."

He trades with Dick happily. He doesn't really care about Tarantula, and whatever she did to Dick that made him look like that, and go ask for a crime lord's favor - crime lord that is top priority for Batman and GCPD now, with Mask dead and Hood being top dog...

It must have been bad. Really bad.

Nightwing pulls through on his side. Dick Grayson resigns from Bludhaven police force, moves back to Gotham, starts working for Jason Todd's Foundation. It cites the urgent need to invest in safety and education of all Gotham kids, so that all Gotham kids, present and future, get a chance to grow up. So what happened just last month, would never repeat.

It's a good sentiment.

Robin#3 is flying over Gotham rooftops again, though. So, Jason guesses, not all-all Gotham kids deserve safety, in Dick's opinion.

Not his problem.

But he notices that Robin #4 isn't out yet, or even Spoiler. Is her recovery taking so long? He decides to check with Leslie. Maybe he can do something, medical bills-wise, with the money he inherited from Mask. Would be only fair.

***

Leslie, he finds out, closed the shop and left. Was run out of town by Batman, after she failed to keep Spoiler/Robin alive.

With another probable robin candidate off his list, and another Robin dead, Jason doesn't know what to think. He said to Talia he will let it go.

But making the only free clinic in the Crime Alley close up is a whole 'nother issue. He thinks he's allowed to give Batman grief for this one.

But, the grip he has on the other gangs goes only as far as he keeps the business running. Making a conflict with Bats would be detrimental to that.

He seeks out Nightwing to send a message.

"I have some information to trade," he says. "I know you have an in with Wayne, and I have something I need from him, and I can get him something that would make it worth his while."

"What's that?" Nightwing arches his eyebrows at him. "You decided to betray your own organization?"

"After the effort I put into salvaging it? Making sure everyone following the rules?"

"Your rules. No capes, no kids, no civilians. Not everyone agrees with them. I would expect some backstabbing in the near future."

"It's fine as long as something like last month shit storm doesn't hit us again."

"Okay, I will bite. What is it?"

"Uh-huh. Wayne's ears only. It's a family matter, after all. About one of his kids."

"Drake? Grayson? Cain?"

"Wayne's ears only," Jason reminds him and jumps onto another roof.

***

Nightwing brings him a date and address.

It's a public place. Daytime.

"Oh, I wasn't at Mario's in ages," Jason says, full of nostalgia. "Mostly because the price tag is biting. Hope Wayne knows he's buying."

"He can afford it," Nightwing says with amusement.

***

Jason puts on disguise. He doesn't try too hard. Obviously fake mustache, a three piece suit, and purple-tinted glasses.

"How do you do," he says, giving Bruce a hand to shake.

"Glad to finally make the acquaintance," Bruce says without missing a beat.

Jason just bets he does. Seeing how he runs into the ground every night trying to catch up with Red Hood. But Jason isn't ready to talk to anyone except Nightwing, when they're in suits. He has some leverage on Nightwing, the whole exchanging favors thing.

The same he about to get from Bruce Wayne. Which is not the same as from Batman, ask anyone.

"So, I was given to understand you're looking at joining our charity efforts?"

"No, I am looking for you picking up your charity efforts."

"Why not do it yourself? It's not like you're a man without the means."

"I am sure a career like mine looks glamorous, with how it sometimes portrayed in media. But I wouldn't say I am rolling in money. Most of what I get, I have to invest back into my community. Otherwise, you know there's going to be a mutiny. And nobody wants that."

"For sure," Bruce readily agrees as though he's not plotting with the leader of the Hills to replace the Hood.

"So as I'm running low on operative costs, I thought to reach out to you. It's a penny for you, really. And Crime Alley needs a clinic. Not for my guys - my guys can pay, and they do. But the rest if them poor sods who have to live there?"

"Well. One might say they would have had an easier time if there was less crime in Crime Alley."

"There's already less - organized crime. And crimes against children and sex workers. But I can't be everywhere at once, and my people won't be anywhere if there's not a little something for them in there."

Bruce tapped a finger on the table.

"You really think you're helping Gotham, do you."

"I wouldn't be doing what I do if I wasn't convinced it's working. If it stops working, I will move on to something else. But so far, it has positive effects overall."

"I am not so sure. You're still a criminal, and a murderer."

"And a whole lot more you don't know about or won't find proof. Honestly, I don't really get what's a big deal. I don't come after you. I make sure my people don't come after yours. I make sure that things like a family gunned down in an alley is becoming a thing of the past. Don't you think you can sound a bit more appreciative?"

"When you say you don't come after me and mine..."

"Oh, yes, Mr. Wayne. That brings us closer to the topic of our exchange. You make sure the free clinic is open and running again? I will return one of your kids to you."

"You just said you're not going after them."

Bruce visibly tenses, and Jason just knows he's going through a mental roster, who Red Hood might have taken while they're sitting here chatting.

"It's nobody you're missing. But I think you might appreciate having anyway. I mean, that's the impression I got from him."

"Him?" Bruce tenses even more. "I guess we have a friend in common. A friend who's currently in Metropolis."

"Ah, so you know about that," guess Damian started to explore the possibility of knowing his father.

Talia must have contacted Bruce to make sure he's not ambushed by the news and won't react badly.

"I wonder why our common friend didn't talk about you at all."

"Not her secret to keep. And vice versa. I am not here about your youngest, Mr. Wayne. I'm here about your second oldest. Third oldest? I am not totally sure about Miss Cassandra's birthday."

Bruce inhales loudly.

"Jason is dead. You won't use him against me."

"Against you? What are you talking about? I just want you to open the clinic again. He would like that, too, I have it on good authority. And besides. As you found out who our common friend is, does the fact that Jason Todd is alive dumbfound you so much? Not saying that's how he came back, though. You know there's even more things current science can't explain. Magic, aliens."

"Do you have any proof he's alive?"

"I can tell you how you two met. Yes, he told me the story. And before you say, he would never... I think you don't know him like I do. Or don't know what I am willing to do to make people talk."

"I've seen."

"You haven't seen anything, yet, Bruce. Comparatively." Jason turns to the approaching waiter. "I will take my order to go. Thank you."

After all, he can't eat with Bruce. Can't leave his DNA where Batman can get his grabby hands on it.

***

"Okay, so. Why exactly you're blackmailing Bruce Wayne with an outlandish story about his son coming back to life and being kidnapped and tortured by you? He used to pay for Leslie's clinic, he would do it again if asked, like a normal person."

"Hi, Nightwing," Jason doesn't look up from his paperwork.

He knew, on an intellectual level that there's going to be paperwork involved in running a criminal empire and trying to force it to go legit. But he didn't, you know, know.

"I didn't kidnap him, he's staying with me willingly. And I didn't torture him. There's all kind of getting intel out of people methods. Ever heard of pillow talk?"

"Okay, ew. If you know about Bruce Wayne what you implied you know, you might get why I don't want to hear "Jason" and "pillow talk" connected in a sentence."

"Too bad, you're going to get used to it. I am his soulmate."

Which is actually an option Jason considered. He's Robin, after all.

"How's that?"

"Well, I assume you saw his mark. And guess where my alias comes from?"

"Joker? Charles Perroh?"

"Robin Hood. Though I am surprised you know who wrote Little Red Riding Hood, usually people guess it were the Grimm brothers."

"Robin Hood. That's a bit underwhelming."

"I'm stealing from rich and giving to the poor. I don't know what else you expected."

"Is that what you're doing? With the hostile takeovers you guys doing lately?"

"Yeah. Problem?"

"No, you're doing amazing. Continue."

"Thank you for your permission, Mr. Nightwing. Now if you don't mind, I am getting back to it."

"Of course, Mr. Robin." Nightwing is almost out of his window but then he does a double take. "Wait. Mr. Nightwing. Mr. Robin!"

Jason sighs and takes off the false mustache.

"You got me."

"How long have you been alive?"

"Technically, I was only dead for half a year, give or take. Ow."

Nightwing punches him.

"I will allow it, because this is a life-shattering revelation." Jason warns.

"You're Jason's soulmate, huh?"

"Well, you said that I don't have a chance in hell with you - even if I didn't ask, thank you. So unless it's the boring one or cheating death in cards is just something that happens to all Robins, I guess I am stuck all by my lonesome. Maybe it's an alternative universe version of me whom I yet to meet. Probably a Jason who did not die and became Batman, or something."

"Just to be clear - is that how you came back to life? Cheated Death in cards?"

"It's called a metaphor," Jason rolls his eyes. "Look it up."

#cleaning up my drafts

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

Perhaps A Change In Environment

by RoosjeM Finally having found indefinite proof that Batman is not dead but lost in time, Tim flees Nanda Parbat in order to beg the Justice League to get Bruce back. He never reaches Gotham– at least, not his Gotham. Or- Tim gets thrown into another universe because why not. --------------- “I’m heading to Leslie’s clinic.”   A lie, but if they could get him to Leslie he would be safe. Leslie was an old friend of the Wayne family and saw over a clinic that took care of people that couldn’t afford hospitals or didn’t want to have police or CPS involved. Leslie knew him, she would help. With a bit of luck he could get there before the League figured out that he somehow got to Gotham. “Then ya running the wrong way kiddo.” The first man said, “Thompkins’ in Crime Alley, that’s North not West. How did ya get that?” The injury on Tim’s side had been bleeding profusely, the bandage that had been around it had loosened and the stitches were ripped, leaving his flesh sore. There was no hiding it. “Fell down the stairs.” Tim could hit himself, but in his defence, his brain was barely functional and he was running on pure instinct. “Sure, kid.” Words: 7252, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Series: Part 2 of Mar writes Batman Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types, Red Robin (Comics), Batman (Comics), Batman (Movies - Nolan), Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010), DCU, DCU (Comics) Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: Gen, Multi Characters: Tim Drake, Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Damian Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth, Leslie Thompkins, Other Character Tags to Be Added, Ra's al Ghul, Talia al Ghul, Ubu (DCU) Relationships: Tim Drake & Dick Grayson, Tim Drake & Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake & Jason Todd, Tim Drake & Damian Wayne, Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne, Jason Todd & Damian Wayne, Dick Grayson & Jason Todd, Dick Grayson & Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson & Damian Wayne, Bruce Wayne & Damian Wayne Additional Tags: Tim Drake-centric, Tim Drake Needs a Hug, Hurt Tim Drake, Tim Drake is Not Okay, Tim Drake Gets a Hug, Tim Drake Angst, Tim Drake Has Issues, Protective Tim Drake, Hurt Damian Wayne, Damian Wayne is Bad at Feelings, Damian Wayne Has a Heart, Baby Damian Wayne, Protective Jason Todd, Good Sibling Jason Todd, Jason Todd Gets A Hug, Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Jason Todd is Red Hood, Dick Grayson Needs a Hug, Good Sibling Dick Grayson, Romani Dick Grayson, Batfamily (DCU) Feels, Domestic Batfamily (DCU), Batfamily Shenanigans (DCU), Caring Batfamily (DCU), Dimension Travel, Not Canon Compliant, Alternate Universe, Gotham City is Terrible, Weird Gotham City, Tim Drake is Red Robin via https://ift.tt/eE12xvS

#IFTTT #bruce wayne #batman #the dark knight #the caped crusader #gotham #dcu #dc #ao3 #ao3feed

[echoestm]

❝His voice means to deceive you. My voice just wants to lead you.❞

Name: Stuart Macher Dr. Art Archem DOB: 07/21/1979 Sign: Cancer Gender Identity: cis man Sexual Orientation: panromantic pansexual Relationship Status: Single Profession: Clinical Psychologist specializing in trauma. Interests: Billy Loomis. Ghostface. Stab films. Horror films. Movie-making. Hunting. His own physical fitness. Family. Legacy. His private practice. The world of true crime. Gale Weathers. Masks. Aestheticism. The life and times of Hugh Hefner and the Playboy Mansion. Rock 'n roll. Tiktok. Vine. The Internet. Religious affiliation: None. he had only one god, once

Come the morning of the anniversary of Maureen Prescott's murder, Woodsboro's just got too many mangled bodies to handle on it's under-resourced hands. Living bodies, bloodied and battered, dead bodies so much worse. The Becker girl and Orth boy hadn't yet had a funeral and Principal Himbry was still taking up space in the morgue. Small town that they were, they just weren't built for a killing spree. It was the kind of thing that happened in fast-paced L.A. not sleepy little retreats for the wealthy like Woodsboro. There's nothing to do but call in neighboring counties for additional everything, cold storage, transport, ambulances.

Had he ended up in a local bus with Woodsboro EMTs maybe it would have been different. As it was, he was just another unconscious John Doe with a surprise pulse, pulled out from the mess of the Macher farmhouse. Stu wakes up in a hospital, sore, sporting a headache the IV drugs don't put a dent in, staring down nurses who want his name. The second he's alone he rips out lines and books it outta there.

Artus T. Archem

Not right away, of course. . . That'd be like asking to get caught. No, it's just a little something doodled on a long list of possibilities. Because he has nothing else to do while convalescing alone. Because idle hands are the devil's playground. Because… there's going to be a sequel some day. Revenge of the Ghostface.

For a long time he's nobody. Tim. Drew. Sean. A different forgettable single syllable in every new place he moves to— in and out while the scars are healing. Just long enough to make enough cash to amble along to the next place. Leslie helps too— after she gets the whole story out him. The Macher Cut. Bad Billy influence. In over his head. Running now from the obvious cover-up that Sid and that Gale Weathers are obviously in on together to better keep all those dirty little Prescott secrets under wraps.

Eventually there's a real name— a new one, to go with school and papers and a Montana driver's license. But he never forgets good old Archem. Sounds like Arkham. Like the town full of horrors Lovecraft wrote about. Like the Asylum that Batman fails to keep the nightmares locked up in. He likes that. Full of bats and ghosts and madness. Hadn't Billy said— we all go a little mad sometimes?

He'd sure felt like it, waking up post-op more bandaged than the Universal Mummy, dodging the question of his name from some tired looking nurse. If they didn't know that. . .

Far as he could figure after, they didn't. Not yet. There'd been too much blood, too much confusion, too many bodies. His among them— first piled with the deceased and then dug out when somebody heard him rasping for breath. John Doe #3 until claiming or confirmation could be found. A luxury he hadn't waited around to give them. Afterwards, the description of him had sounded like Stu Macher, but good old Sid had said it was impossible. She'd killed him. Not that she ever served a day for it.

He becomes a rumored mystery that the Woodsboro PD handwaves away like a stink they can't wait to be free of. The odor of their own incompetence.

Later, so much later, he changes his name one last time— so it's official on his paperwork when he graduates as Dr. Artus T. Archem.

He's learned SO MUCH in all those anatomy and psychology classes.

#* ⠀ / ⠀ 𝙁𝙄𝙇𝙀𝘿 𝙐𝙉𝘿𝙀𝙍 ⠀ ﹕ ⠀ ❪ ⠀ stu macher⠀ ❫ ⠀ * ⠀ the og ghostface.

[a-sketchy-character]

Can I request your Future where Cass and Tim are both Batman with Carrie Kelley Robin, seeing Carrie interact with other Batfam members Like Nightwing and Batgirl/woman steph?

Agdhkdksldjfjslls okay I DEFINITELY want to do more of this in the future with more of the Batfam but all I can see right now is Tim and Cassie coming home with Carrie for the first time and

the family doctor (Steph) and the family Butler (Julia) just...being SO done......

#I’m so sorry I just don’t see Steph as a vigilante in her future ahsjskls #i mean an argument could definitely be made but I feel like she’d just like that brand of helping people better #she could run Leslie’s clinic!! #and I want Julia to be the tough cockney butler we all deserve #she is so very tired #and I love her #tim drake #the detective #cassandra cain #little bat #batman #batmen #carrie kelley #robin #stephanie brown #DOCTOR stephanie brown #julia pennyworth #unwilling mom friend #batfam #batfamily #dc #dc comics #fanart #sketchies #dork knight returns au #ask and ye shall receive

[a-reader-and-a-writer-for-all]

What Are You Doing Here?

Fandom: Batman, Batfam, Jason Todd x Reader

Word Count: 3130

TW: Knife Wound, Stabbing, Blood, Hurt/Comfort, Angst

Note: Can be read as a stand-alone piece or as part of the Questions series of interconnected one-shots

You are walking home down one of the worst sections of Crime Alley. Alone. At night. Oh man, I am not getting out of this in one piece. Subtly reaching into your bag, you pull out the knife you always carry with you and grasp the hilt in your fist. Considering you have lived in Gotham City your entire life, it was a miracle you had never had to use the knife before but it always made you feel better having the weight of the weapon in your hand.

Just as you breathe a sigh of relief at the brighter lights streaming in from the main street in front of you, a deep voice calls out from behind you.

“Hey, what’s a pretty little thing like you doing in a nasty place like this?”

Without even thinking about it, you tighten your hold on your knife and drive it backwards just as the looming figure reaches out for you. You hear a strangled cry as you take off running towards the end of the alley.

“What the hell, babe!”

You skid to a stop and turn around in shock. Squinting as you peer down the dark alley, you call out in astonishment, “Jason?”

Your boyfriend was leaning against the wall, hands grasping his thigh where your knife is still jutting out of the muscle, blood flowing quickly around the wound. You rush back over to him.

“Oh my god! I’m so sorry! I didn’t realize it was you.” You gently touch his leg which earns you a grunt of pain.

“I can’t believe you stabbed me! I mean, couldn’t you at least have waited until I was wearing my Kevlar?”

“Well, what the hell were you doing creeping up on me in the middle of Crime Alley at night!”

“Well, what the hell were you doing in the middle of Crime Alley at night!”

“I got a call from Megan this afternoon. Her boyfriend just broke up with her and she was a wreck. She lives around here, so I came over to try to calm her down but it took longer than I thought. I had just left when a creep came up behind me and scared me, so I protected myself just like my boyfriend taught me.” you say very pointedly. He rolls his eyes but doesn’t fight you on it. “So now that we know why I am here, what are you doing here? Especially dressed like that at this time of night. Shouldn’t your outfit be a little more, I don’t know, red? No wonder I stabbed you.” You motion to his black hoodie and black cargo pants.

“Well, it’s sure red now,” he growls, motioning to the growing bloody stain around the knife.

You flinch at the sight but know there is little you can do to help at the moment. Quickly, you glance around and realize exactly where you are. “Didn’t you tell me Leslie’s clinic is right around here?”

“A few blocks over. But I don’t want to bother her with this and besides, she’s probably not even there this late.”

“It doesn’t hurt to try. And right now, I don’t know if we have any other options. So, come on….” You help lift him up and he takes a hesitant step. His leg holds but you can see the pain shoot through his face. You have to bite your cheek to stop from crying. As many times as you had seen Jason hurt or in pain, you had never thought you could ever be the one to do that to him.

The two of you slowly make your way down the alley towards Leslie’s clinic. Every hundred feet or so, Jason lets out a grunt or yelp of pain but you can see how much he is trying to hide it, so you keep your mouth shut. You just pray that Leslie is still there.

There are still a few lights on when you reach the clinic and the front door is unlocked. After gently easing Jason into one of the waiting room chairs, you ring the bell on the counter to get someone’s attention. After a moment, an older lady in a lab coat comes out from the back room. You smile politely at her. “Dr. Leslie Thompkins?”

“Yes?”

“Hi! It’s nice to finally meet you, I’ve heard so much about you!” You motion to where Jason is slumped in the chair behind you. He sheepishly raises a hand in greeting.

“Ah, yes. I know who you are. Jason’s told me about you as well.” You are startled by her comment. Jason talks about you to people outside his immediate family? A small smile flits across your lips and you feel your cheeks blush. Leslie seems to notice and smiles. “Don’t worry. It was all wonderful things.”

Your blush deepens. “Well, they might not all be after tonight. You see….. I sort of.. stabbed him. In the leg.”

Leslie blinks in surprise as she walks over to examine Jason. “I can see that. But if I know Jason, I’m sure he deserved it.”

Jason scowls. “Hey!”

“Oh, he did. He followed me down a dark alley then came up behind me and scared me.”

“Then he’s lucky this is all he got.” Leslie probes the wound with her finger, carefully avoiding the knife still sticking out of it. Jason hisses but holds still. Finally, Leslie stands up. “You’re lucky. It doesn’t seem to have hit anything too important. I’ll just have to remove the blade then give you a few stitches. Then you’ll be good to go. Though I do recommend refraining from your nightly duties for a few days.” She raised an eyebrow with an expression that says she knows he won’t listen, but she has to say it anyway. She turns to you. “Why don’t you help him into examine room 1 and I will be in shortly with the supplies I need. Just have him sit on the table and if you can, help him take his pants off so I can have better access to the wound.”

“Yes, ma’am.” You help Jason back to his feet and down the hall to the examine room.

Taking his pants off was more difficult than either of you had initially thought it would be. Really, the only issue was how to maneuver them around the knife while it was still stuck in Jason’s leg. But after a lot of stretching of material, clever positioning, and slight tearing, you had managed to get the pants all the way off. However, by the time it was all over, Jason was a pale, sweaty mess. The frequent jostling of the knife had sent waves of pain through his leg and it had taken everything in him to not beg you to stop. But it was over now.

You help him sit on the examination table as carefully as you can. After he is situated, he allows the rest of his body to slump heavily against the wall and he closes his eyes. You run your hand through his damp hair, hoping it soothes him a little. And based on the ghost of a smile that appears on his lips, you would say it was working.

With Jason distracted, it gives you time to examine his wound properly for the first time. While it is nowhere near as bad as some of the ones you had helped him stitch up in the past, you couldn’t help but feel a dreadful ache in the pit of your stomach. Those other times, those other wounds, had been caused by villains, henchmen, and criminals. This…. this was all on you. No matter the circumstances behind it, you were the one who caused this. Years from now, once it was healed and only a scar remained, would you ever be able to look at it without remembering this feeling? Would he ever see it in the mirror without thinking about who caused it? Jason was already very sensitive about his scars, it had taken almost a year after his return for him to finally show you his bare chest. Would he really be able to forgive you for putting one more mark on his skin? For defacing one of the few untouched places that had been undamaged?

“I’m so sorry, Jay. I never thought…. I never wanted….” You stare numbly at your hands which are still stained with his blood.

He opens his eyes, confused. But then he sees your face and he understands. “Yeah, I know that. The whole thing was a big misunderstanding. I’m sure we will look back on this in ten years and laugh.”

“But your leg…. That’s never going to heal completely and I just added….. And it’ll look….” You trail off.

“Is that what you’re worried about?” He takes your hands, his face contemplative as he tries to find the right words to explain himself. “Babe, I don’t care about how the scars make me look. I mean, there are a ton of girls who dig scars and I know how hot I am with or without them.” You shoot him a look, but he continues. “The scars bother me because they remind me of the memories surrounding them. The ones I can remember and the ones I can’t.” He subconsciously rubs his chest, and you know he is thinking about his autopsy scar. “So yeah, most of my scars I am ashamed of or haunted by, but not all.”

He thumbs a small scar on his chin. “Do you know how I got this? One time, just after I had become Robin, Dick was trying to teach me how to use a whip. He had learned when he was in the circus, and I had always wanted to try. We practiced for hours, and just when I started getting the hang of it, I clipped my chin. It hurt like hell and I was bleeding pretty bad. But then Dick ran over and looked at it. He got this huge ass grin on his face and told me that now I was exactly like Indiana Jones. I had no idea who he was at the time, but I could tell Dick liked him, so I was ecstatic. It was one of the first times I bonded with him. And that’s what I think of every time I see that scar. And it makes me smile.

“And do you know what I will think of every time I see this scar on my leg? I will think, damn, how did I get so lucky to have such a badass girlfriend? One who can take care of herself and who I don’t have to worry about. One who did exactly what I always asked her to do and protected herself. How can I ever get mad at you for that?” He curls your hands shut so the blood is no longer showing, and he gently kisses your knuckles. Tears gently fall from your eyes but you smile at him. Even when he is the one who should be seeking comfort, he always manages to say just what you need to hear.

The two of you just stare at each other for a few moments, Jason gently rubbing your hands. But finally, you pull away and go over to the sink, washing his blood from your hands. They are still a little pink when you finish, but it helps. Wiping your face, you quickly change the subject, “So, you still haven’t told me, what were you doing around here out of costume at night?”

Jason sighs. “I had an errand I needed to run. The guy I was meeting works two jobs and this was the only time he had available. I didn’t think he would appreciate me showing up as the Red Hood, so I wore this. I had just planned on heading to one of my nearby safehouses and then going out on patrol once we finished our deal. But then I saw you head down that alleyway and I wanted to make sure you were okay. I should have known better than to doubt you.”

“That’s right. Now you learned for next time.” You wink at him. “But in all seriousness, I do appreciate you keeping an eye on me. I guess, at night, I’m just so used to only seeing you in that armored costume with that ridiculous helmet. I didn’t recognize you without them.”

Jason goes still for a moment, then he mutters, “I thought you liked my helmet.”

He seems genuinely hurt by your comment, so you try backtracking, “It’s nice… I just liked your old one better.”

“What’s wrong with the new one?”

“Jay, did you really have to put a nose and lips on it?”

“I was trying to give it more character, you know, to be more comforting to people when they see it. More like a face, less like just a pair of eyes.”

“You are a vigilante with guns and a kill count. I don’t think the lack of a nose was the problem.”

Jason huffs, annoyed. “Fine, I’ll go back to the old one.”

“I didn’t say that, I just said I preferred the old one. Besides, isn’t intimidation and fear kind of your guys’ thing?”

“No, it’s Bruce’s thing. Since when has the Robin suit ever intimidated anyone?”

“Well, Damien has a sword so…..”

“I said suit, not weapons! And who ever thought green, yellow, and red was a good color scheme? We looked like damn traffic lights. And those shorts-”

“Jay, I do not need to hear your rant about the shorts. Again.”

Luckily just then, Leslie knocks on the door and enters carrying some medical supplies. She seems to sense the weird atmosphere in the room but doesn’t comment on it. She’s probably gotten used to it after all these years tending to the Bats.

You had done your fair share of medical procedures since Jason had come back into your life. But, having no formal training, you had learned everything you knew from YouTube videos and books you checked out of the library. Watching Leslie work up close and personal was a whole new experience for you. She made everything look effortless; from pulling the knife out of Jason’s thigh in a way that caused surprisingly little pain, to her neat, tiny stitches which looked so uniform a machine couldn’t have done better, to the way she administers the shot of pain killers seemingly without Jason even noticing.

Nodding at her finished product, Leslie stands and walks to the door. “Everything looks good. Take it easy for the next few days and you should be back to normal in no time. I do want you to take some antibiotics just to be on the safe side, but I have some in my office I can prescribe.”

You nod. “Thank you, Dr. Thompkins.”

She smiles. “Leslie, please. And it is my pleasure. I’ll be right back.”

As Leslie ducks out, a silence falls across the room. Something has been nagging you for a while now from your earlier conversation, so you decide to broach the subject.

“Jay, I’ve been thinking about something you said earlier….”

“Yeah?”

“You said we would look back on this in ten years and laugh…. Does that mean you still see us together in ten years?”

“Baby, I still see us together in a hundred years. I mean, I don’t see my life without you ever again" You see him pat his side as if he is looking for something in his pocket, just to realize he still isn’t wearing his pants. But then he stills. “…… Or is that not how you see us?”

“No, no! I do!” You hurry to reassure him. “But I just wasn’t sure if you felt that way too.”

“Forever and always.” He pulls you into his lips as he seals his declaration with a kiss.

A throat clearing from across the room causes you to pull apart in a hurry. “Sorry to interrupt, but I have those antibiotics for you.” With just her head sticking through the doorway, Leslie has a playful twinkle in her eye that makes you blush yet again. She hands you the bag. “I’ll be in my office for the next twenty minutes or so but you two can show yourselves out when you’re ready.”

You shut the door as Leslie ducks out, then you turn to face Jason. Slowly, you begin walking over to the table where he sat. “So…. you know… I’ve been a pretty bad girl tonight.” You bite your lip as you stare at Jason from underneath your eyelashes. He just stares back, not understanding what you’re getting at, so you continue. “I mean, it was in self-defense and all, but I did stab someone.”

“Yeah. I know,” he says, gesturing at his leg.

“Well, last time I checked, that was against the law. And justice will have to be served.”

“I think you’re fine, babe. I’m not going to press charges,” Jason chuckles.

Oh dear lord, this boy is dense sometimes. As you reach the other side of the room, you slide your body between his thighs, placing one hand on the table on either side of him. You lean in until your lips are just a few inches away from his, “I don’t know. The police or one of those handsome vigilantes will probably be coming after me tonight. They might need to use their handcuffs.” You arch your eyebrows as you press your lips firmly against his. You can feel the moment he finally catches on as he surges forward into you. He threads his fingers into your hair, pulling you ever closer into him.

After a few moments, you break away and breathlessly chuckle. “I think we should get your pants back on.”

Jason is once again confused. “I was under the impression you wanted them off?”

“Believe me, I do. And the second we get home, they’re coming off again. But I am not going to do this here with Leslie a few doors down from us.”

Jason pales at the implication. “Good point. But then you better help me with these. Quick.”

Without the knife sticking out of his thigh, Jason’s pants went on a lot easier than they came off. Now fully dressed, you place his arm over your shoulder and help him limp out of the room and to the entrance of the clinic.

Just as the two of you are rushing out the door, Jason yells back over his shoulder, “Thanks again, Leslie! Just send the bill to Bruce. And tell him you had to run all kinds of expensive tests, maybe had to buy some fancy new equipment. A lot of it!”

You chuckle as Jason winks at you and the two of you hurry home as quickly as his leg will allow it.

*Just in case you didn’t know which mask they were talking about 🥴

#sfw repost #fic #questions #dc #dc x reader #red hood #red hood x reader #dick grayson #nightwing #batman #batfam #batfamily #angst #hurt & comfort #hurt and comfort #blood tw #knife tw #stabbing tw

[a-reader-and-a-writer]

What Are You Doing Here?

Whumptober 2021: #5: Misunderstanding, #10. Hospital, #18. Doctor's Visit, #19. Stabbing

Fandom: Batman, Batfam, Jason Todd x Reader

Word Count: 3130

Note: Can be read as a stand alone piece or as part of the Questions series of interconnected one-shots

You are walking home down one of the worst sections of Crime Alley. Alone. At night. Oh man, I am not getting out of this in one piece. Subtly reaching into your bag, you pull out the knife you always carry with you and grasp the hilt in your fist. Considering you have lived in Gotham City your entire life, it was a miracle you had never had to use the knife before but it always made you feel better having the weight of the weapon in your hand.

Just as you breathe a sigh of relief at the brighter lights streaming in from the main street in front of you, a deep voice calls out from behind you.

“Hey, what’s a pretty little thing like you doing in a nasty place like this?”

Without even thinking about it, you tighten your hold on your knife and drive it backwards just as the looming figure reaches out for you. You hear a strangled cry as you take off running towards the end of the alley.

“What the hell, babe!”

You skid to a stop and turn around in shock. Squinting as you peer down the dark alley, you call out in astonishment, “Jason?”

Your boyfriend was leaning against the wall, hands grasping his thigh where your knife is still jutting out of the muscle, blood flowing quickly around the wound. You rush back over to him.

“Oh my god! I’m so sorry! I didn’t realize it was you.” You gently touch his leg which earns you a grunt of pain.

“I can’t believe you stabbed me! I mean, couldn’t you at least have waited until I was wearing my Kevlar?”

“Well, what the hell were you doing creeping up on me in the middle of Crime Alley at night!”

“Well, what the hell were you doing in the middle of Crime Alley at night!”

“I got a call from Megan this afternoon. Her boyfriend just broke up with her and she was a wreck. She lives around here, so I came over to try to calm her down but it took longer than I thought. I had just left when a creep came up behind me and scared me, so I protected myself just like my boyfriend taught me.” you say very pointedly. He rolls his eyes but doesn’t fight you on it. “So now that we know why I am here, what are you doing here? Especially dressed like that at this time of night. Shouldn’t your outfit be a little more, I don’t know, red? No wonder I stabbed you.” You motion to his black hoodie and black cargo pants.

“Well, it’s sure red now,” he growls, motioning to the growing bloody stain around the knife.

You flinch at the sight but know there is little you can do to help at the moment. Quickly, you glance around and realize exactly where you are. “Didn’t you tell me Leslie’s clinic is right around here?”

“A few blocks over. But I don’t want to bother her with this and besides, she’s probably not even there this late.”

“It doesn’t hurt to try. And right now, I don’t know if we have any other options. So, come on….” You help lift him up and he takes a hesitant step. His leg holds but you can see the pain shoot through his face. You have to bite your cheek to stop from crying. As many times as you had seen Jason hurt or in pain, you had never thought you could ever be the one to do that to him.

The two of you slowly make your way down the alley towards Leslie’s clinic. Every hundred feet or so, Jason lets out a grunt or yelp of pain but you can see how much he is trying to hide it, so you keep your mouth shut. You just pray that Leslie is still there.

There are still a few lights on when you reach the clinic and the front door is unlocked. After gently easing Jason into one of the waiting room chairs, you ring the bell on the counter to get someone’s attention. After a moment, an older lady in a lab coat comes out from the back room. You smile politely at her. “Dr. Leslie Thompkins?”

“Yes?”

“Hi! It’s nice to finally meet you, I’ve heard so much about you!” You motion to where Jason is slumped in the chair behind you. He sheepishly raises a hand in greeting.

“Ah, yes. I know who you are. Jason’s told me about you as well.” You are startled by her comment. Jason talks about you to people outside his immediate family? A small smile flits across your lips and you feel your cheeks blush. Leslie seems to notice and smiles. “Don’t worry. It was all wonderful things.”

Your blush deepens. “Well, they might not all be after tonight. You see….. I sort of.. stabbed him. In the leg.”

Leslie blinks in surprise as she walks over to examine Jason. “I can see that. But if I know Jason, I’m sure he deserved it.”

Jason scowls. “Hey!”

“Oh, he did. He followed me down a dark alley then came up behind me and scared me.”

“Then he’s lucky this is all he got.” Leslie probes the wound with her finger, carefully avoiding the knife still sticking out of it. Jason hisses but holds still. Finally, Leslie stands up. “You’re lucky. It doesn’t seem to have hit anything too important. I’ll just have to remove the blade then give you a few stitches. Then you’ll be good to go. Though I do recommend refraining from your nightly duties for a few days.” She raised an eyebrow with an expression that says she knows he won’t listen, but she has to say it anyway. She turns to you. “Why don’t you help him into examine room 1 and I will be in shortly with the supplies I need. Just have him sit on the table and if you can, help him take his pants off so I can have better access to the wound.”

“Yes, ma’am.” You help Jason back to his feet and down the hall to the examine room.

Taking his pants off was more difficult than either of you had initially thought it would be. Really, the only issue was how to maneuver them around the knife while it was still stuck in Jason’s leg. But after a lot of stretching of material, clever positioning, and slight tearing, you had managed to get the pants all the way off. However, by the time it was all over, Jason was a pale, sweaty mess. The frequent jostling of the knife had sent waves of pain through his leg and it had taken everything in him to not beg you to stop. But it was over now.

You help him sit on the examination table as carefully as you can. After he is situated, he allows the rest of his body to slump heavily against the wall and he closes his eyes. You run your hand through his damp hair, hoping it soothes him a little. And based on the ghost of a smile that appears on his lips, you would say it was working.

With Jason distracted, it gives you time to examine his wound properly for the first time. While it is nowhere near as bad as some of the ones you had helped him stitch up in the past, you couldn’t help but feel a dreadful ache in the pit of your stomach. Those other times, those other wounds, had been caused by villains, henchmen, and criminals. This…. this was all on you. No matter the circumstances behind it, you were the one who caused this. Years from now, once it was healed and only a scar remained, would you ever be able to look at it without remembering this feeling? Would he ever see it in the mirror without thinking about who caused it? Jason was already very sensitive about his scars, it had taken almost a year after his return for him to finally show you his bare chest. Would he really be able to forgive you for putting one more mark on his skin? For defacing one of the few untouched places that had been undamaged?

“I’m so sorry, Jay. I never thought…. I never wanted….” You stare numbly at your hands which are still stained with his blood.

He opens his eyes, confused. But then he sees your face and he understands. “Yeah, I know that. The whole thing was a big misunderstanding. I’m sure we will look back on this in ten years and laugh.”

“But your leg…. That’s never going to heal completely and I just added….. And it’ll look….” You trail off.

“Is that what you're worried about?” He takes your hands, his face contemplative as he tries to find the right words to explain himself. “Babe, I don’t care about how the scars make me look. I mean, there are a ton of girls who dig scars and I know how hot I am with or without them.” You shoot him a look, but he continues. “The scars bother me because they remind me of the memories surrounding them. The ones I can remember and the ones I can’t.” He subconsciously rubs his chest, and you know he is thinking about his autopsy scar. “So yeah, most of my scars I am ashamed of or haunted by, but not all.”

He thumbs a small scar on his chin. “Do you know how I got this? One time, just after I had become Robin, Dick was trying to teach me how to use a whip. He had learned when he was in the circus, and I had always wanted to try. We practiced for hours, and just when I started getting the hang of it, I clipped my chin. It hurt like hell and I was bleeding pretty bad. But then Dick ran over and looked at it. He got this huge ass grin on his face and told me that now I was exactly like Indiana Jones. I had no idea who he was at the time, but I could tell Dick liked him, so I was ecstatic. It was one of the first times I bonded with him. And that’s what I think of every time I see that scar. And it makes me smile.

“And do you know what I will think of every time I see this scar on my leg? I will think, damn, how did I get so lucky to have such a badass girlfriend? One who can take care of herself and who I don’t have to worry about. One who did exactly what I always asked her to do and protected herself. How can I ever get mad at you for that?” He curls your hands shut so the blood is no longer showing, and he gently kisses your knuckles. Tears gently fall from your eyes but you smile at him. Even when he is the one who should be seeking comfort, he always manages to say just what you need to hear.

The two of you just stare at each other for a few moments, Jason gently rubbing your hands. But finally, you pull away and go over to the sink, washing his blood from your hands. They are still a little pink when you finish, but it helps. Wiping your face, you quickly change the subject, “So, you still haven’t told me, what were you doing around here out of costume at night?”

Jason sighs. “I had an errand I needed to run. The guy I was meeting works two jobs and this was the only time he had available. I didn’t think he would appreciate me showing up as the Red Hood, so I wore this. I had just planned on heading to one of my nearby safehouses and then going out on patrol once we finished our deal. But then I saw you head down that alleyway and I wanted to make sure you were okay. I should have known better than to doubt you.”

“That’s right. Now you learned for next time.” You wink at him. “But in all seriousness, I do appreciate you keeping an eye on me. I guess, at night, I’m just so used to only seeing you in that armored costume with that ridiculous helmet. I didn’t recognize you without them.”

Jason goes still for a moment, then he mutters, “I thought you liked my helmet.”

He seems genuinely hurt by your comment, so you try backtracking, “It’s nice… I just liked your old one better.”

“What’s wrong with the new one?”

“Jay, did you really have to put a nose and lips on it?”

“I was trying to give it more character, you know, to be more comforting to people when they see it. More like a face, less like just a pair of eyes.”

“You are a vigilante with guns and a kill count. I don’t think the lack of a nose was the problem.”

Jason huffs, annoyed. “Fine, I’ll go back to the old one.”

“I didn’t say that, I just said I preferred the old one. Besides, isn’t intimidation and fear kind of your guys' thing?”

“No, it’s Bruce’s thing. Since when has the Robin suit ever intimidated anyone?”

“Well, Damien has a sword so…..”

“I said suit, not weapons! And who ever thought green, yellow, and red was a good color scheme? We looked like damn traffic lights. And those shorts-”

“Jay, I do not need to hear your rant about the shorts. Again.”

Luckily just then, Leslie knocks on the door and enters carrying some medical supplies. She seems to sense the weird atmosphere in the room but doesn’t comment on it. She’s probably gotten used to it after all these years tending to the Bats.

You had done your fair share of medical procedures since Jason had come back into your life. But, having no formal training, you had learned everything you knew from YouTube videos and books you checked out of the library. Watching Leslie work up close and personal was a whole new experience for you. She made everything look effortless; from pulling the knife out of Jason’s thigh in a way that caused surprisingly little pain, to her neat, tiny stitches which looked so uniform a machine couldn’t have done better, to the way she administers the shot of pain killers seemingly without Jason even noticing.

Nodding at her finished product, Leslie stands and walks to the door. “Everything looks good. Take it easy for the next few days and you should be back to normal in no time. I do want you to take some antibiotics just to be on the safe side, but I have some in my office I can prescribe.”

You nod. “Thank you, Dr. Thompkins.”

She smiles. “Leslie, please. And it is my pleasure. I’ll be right back.”

As Leslie ducks out, a silence falls across the room. Something has been nagging you for a while now from your earlier conversation, so you decide to broach the subject.

“Jay, I’ve been thinking about something you said earlier….”

“Yeah?”

“You said we would look back on this in ten years and laugh…. Does that mean you still see us together in ten years?”

“Baby, I still see us together in a hundred years. I mean, I don’t see my life without you ever again" You see him pat his side as if he is looking for something in his pocket, just to realize he still isn't wearing his pants. But then he stills. "…… Or is that not how you see us?”

“No, no! I do!” You hurry to reassure him. “But I just wasn’t sure if you felt that way too.”

“Forever and always.” He pulls you into his lips as he seals his declaration with a kiss.

A throat clearing from across the room causes you to pull apart in a hurry. “Sorry to interrupt, but I have those antibiotics for you.” With just her head sticking through the doorway, Leslie has a playful twinkle in her eye that makes you blush yet again. She hands you the bag. “I’ll be in my office for the next twenty minutes or so but you two can show yourselves out when you’re ready.”

You shut the door as Leslie ducks out, then you turn to face Jason. Slowly, you begin walking over to the table where he sat. “So…. you know… I’ve been a pretty bad girl tonight.” You bite your lip as you stare at Jason from underneath your eyelashes. He just stares back, not understanding what you’re getting at, so you continue. “I mean, it was in self-defense and all, but I did stab someone.”

“Yeah. I know,” he says, gesturing at his leg.

“Well, last time I checked, that was against the law. And justice will have to be served.”

“I think you’re fine, babe. I’m not going to press charges,” Jason chuckles.

Oh dear lord, this boy is dense sometimes. As you reach the other side of the room, you slide your body between his thighs, placing one hand on the table on either side of him. You lean in until your lips are just a few inches away from his, “I don’t know. The police or one of those handsome vigilantes will probably be coming after me tonight. They might need to use their handcuffs.” You arch your eyebrows as you press your lips firmly against his. You can feel the moment he finally catches on as he surges forward into you. He threads his fingers into your hair, pulling you ever closer into him.

After a few moments, you break away and breathlessly chuckle. “I think we should get your pants back on.”

Jason is once again confused. “I was under the impression you wanted them off?”

“Believe me, I do. And the second we get home, they’re coming off again. But I am not going to do this here with Leslie a few doors down from us.”

Jason pales at the implication. “Good point. But then you better help me with these. Quick.”

Without the knife sticking out of his thigh, Jason’s pants went on a lot easier than they came off. Now fully dressed, you place his arm over your shoulder and help him limp out of the room and to the entrance of the clinic.

Just as the two of you are rushing out the door, Jason yells back over his shoulder, “Thanks again, Leslie! Just send the bill to Bruce. And tell him you had to run all kinds of expensive tests, maybe had to buy some fancy new equipment. A lot of it!”

You chuckle as Jason winks at you and the two of you hurry home as quickly as his leg will allow it.

*Just in case you didn't know which mask they were talking about 🥴

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I will be adding to this series in the future. Let me know if you would like to be tagged. Thanks!

#whumptober2021 #no.5 #no.10 #no.18 #no.19 #misunderstanding #hospital #doctor's visit #stabbing #fic #batfam #batman #jason todd #jason todd x reader #red hood #red hood x reader #whumptober 2021 #batfamily #dc #dc x reader

[jerzwriter]

Soonly-Wed Games - The Ex Factors

Learn about all the ones who didn't make the cut....

Ryan was Casey's "puppy love". She didn't want a serious relationship in high school, they were really friends who went on some dates. He is now a teacher in their home town and she occasionally sees him when she visits home. They mostly keep in touch through social media. He is now married with a toddler daughter and a newborn son.

Tomas was her "true love" before Ethan, when she realized he was a true love, but not the true love of her life. Even though he has moved on, he still loves Casey; she suspects this but doesn't know it for a fact. Ethan can just feel it. Tomas had planned on making one more grand attempt to get her back when her residency ended, he was even willing to move back to the East Coast. But when he learned she was with Ethan, he aborted his plans. They are still very good friends and Casey is still close with his younger sister, Ava. He hasn't had any serious relationships since their breakup, but he is currently dating a congresswoman from his home district in California. Casey loves her and is hoping they last.

Jessica and Casey really loved one another, and their relationship easily could have become more, but both were still hurt from their past relationships, and both were very dedicated to their careers. They were clear from the start that it would not be serious/long-term (regardless of feelings). They split when Jessica went on to her residency in her home state of Colorado. They are still friends, though they really had minimal contact until recently. Jessica was recently engaged too and they find themselves chatting much more since they have wedding things to discuss. In fact, they've now made each other's guest lists.

Jeremy was an attending physician at U Penn/Penn Presbyterian hospital and they met when Casey was volunteering at their community clinic. Their relationship was similar to that of her and Jessica's in that they really cared for one another and they could have grown into more if that was their goal. Jeremy would have liked that, but he knew her residency was less than a year away when they met, and he wasn't going to hold her back. He is now a pediatric oncologist at Mt. Sanai in NYC and they tend to meet for lunch/dinner 2/3 times a year. Casey has become very close with his wife, Leslie, who is a surgical nurse at Mt. Sanai.

Bryce and Casey were (are) the best of friends from day one at Edenbrook, and in the beginning, it was a friends with benefits set-up. Bryce would have been interested in becoming more in the future, once their futures were more established. Casey would have considered it, but ... Ramsey happened. They are still the very closest of friends.

Cassidy was in Ethan's comparative literature class when she was a freshman and he was a sophomore at Brown. She knew it wasn't his subject and offered to help him study because she wanted to get to know him better. They dated for ten months, and it was a nice thing, but she started falling hard and Ethan wanted no part of a relationship. One day she slipped and said "I love you" after sex and Ethan ended things shortly thereafter. They don't really keep in touch, but he has run into her twice at alumni events and they were cordial.

Vincenza was the woman from Hopkins that both he and Tobias fell for. Ethan "won" this round and he and Vincenza (Cenza) dated for two years. They were happy and truly loved one another, but Cenza always put Ethan first, but she was always a distant second, at best to him. In time, she began to Ethan was with her solely because of his obsessive, ongoing competition with Tobias and, as a result of these two things, she broke up with him. Ethan was hurt, but his ego wouldn't allow him to show it. About six months later he decided to try to get her back but by that time, she was dating Tobias.

Audrey and Ethan met on her third day on the job as a nurse in Edenbrook. He and Harper had broken up a couple months prior and sparks just flew. Initially it was just a physical relationship, but she was very good to him so he began taking things more seriously... for Ethan Ramsey. It was clear from the start that she felt so much more for him than he did for her and that was their undoing. Ethan and Harper began speaking to each other more and wanted to give it another go. Since Harper's ideas of what she wanted in a relationship were more in line with what Ethan desired, he called things off with Audrey.

Harper was Ethan's longest relationship prior to Casey, though it was off as often as it was on. This was a perfect relationship for Ethan at the time. He did not want a serious, long-term commitment, but he wasn't one for casual hookups and one-night stands at this stage of his life. They were good friends, respected each other, had a strong mutual attraction, it was the perfect arrangement. There was a bit of awkwardness when Harper said "I love you" and he said, "I care very much for you too." She accepted that he just wouldn't say the words, assuming it was just something he could never do. The final break came when she was named chief and they decided to end things for good.

Casey really struggled with the first answer, she said it really would be Bryce and Tomas, but Tomas was the first thing that popped into her head, so she had to go with him.

Casey really had no bad relationships, so neither she nor Ethan dislike any of her exes.

Casey's worst break-up was Tomas because she was absolutely heartbroken. Ethan's was Erin. It was awkward because she had really fallen in love with him and was hurt, Ethan was getting back with Harper and all 3 worked at Edenbrook, so it was a long period of awkwardness. Plus, Ethan did feel bad for hurting her, even if he didn't show it.

Casey said she'd kiss Bryce (he was a good kisser), marry Tomas and there was no one she'd want to kill. Whereas Ethan said he refused to kiss or marry anyone else, leaving Casey feeling pretty bad after she picked Bryce and Tomas.

Casey knows Erin and Harper because both still work at Edenbrook. Erin was not fond of Casey at first, but in time she warmed to her. She has also met Chenza, in this universe, when she came to Boston for a conference and she visited.

Of course, Ethan knows Bryce; he met Tomas a few times when he came to town and he met Jessica when she visited Casey while on a business trip. He actually knew Jeremy before he knew Casey because they consulted on many cases together.

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