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sanguineterrain · 7 months

Note

hiii! can i request reader being a vigilante and also jason’s ex? they’re on the same mission/have to work together and reader gets injured or smn?

thank you so much! I love your writing!

thanks for requesting! this turned into a whole ass one shot 😭 hope you like ❤️

jason todd x gn!reader. tw: fighting, exes, physical violence, reader is captured but they're fine, jason is NOT over you (and he doesn't want to be), making up, fluffy ending. 2k words (lol)

****

The Cave is exactly how you remember. Foolishly, you thought maybe it would've rotted after you broke up with Jason.

That's certainly how you felt.

But no. It's the same, and the other Bats are the same. Dick and Tim are there, probably because you're the most familiar with them... after your ex, of course... and Barbara already pushed the envelope by contacting you.

Still, Gotham is your city too. And if the Bats need an extra set of hands to protect the city, then so be it.

"Hey, glad you could make it," Dick says warmly.

At times, you envy how easygoing he can be. Even though he can have a temper, Dick Grayson, for the most part, shakes hands like a politician. He doesn't burn bridges. He doesn't hold grudges, at least not publicly.

You, on the other hand, are perhaps too much like his younger brother: you absolutely hold grudges, and you don't let go easily.

"Hi, guys," you say, trying to be civil. "What's up?"

"So—"

The roar of a motorcycle pulling into the Cave cuts Tim off. Quick anger soars through you as Red Hood dismounts the bike. He takes off his helmet.

You haven't seen Jason in a year. Judging by his physique, the breakup did not take a toll on him. If anything, he seems bigger than you remember. Asshole.

You can pinpoint the moment that he finally sees you, and he stops in his tracks.

"Oh, boy," you hear Tim mumble.

Jason is silent. You cross your arms, keeping your face neutral.

"I didn't know you worked with the Bats, Hood. Thought you flew solo."

Jason is quiet for another moment. Then he speaks.

"Things change."

"Clearly."

"Anyway!" Dick says, clapping his hands. "Pretty straightforward mission. Drugs, warehouse, bad guys, et cetera. We have to clear out these shipments tomorrow night, or they'll hit the streets, and we'll be too late. Robin and I will take Gotham Heights. Signal, Black Bat, and Red Robin will take downtown. And, um, you two can clear out the Bowery."

"Hood can handle the Bowery himself," you say. "Gimme another section."

Jason scoffs. You glance at him.

"Something funny?" you ask, teeth grit.

"Once again, you're biting off more than you can chew," he says, hands on his waist. "It's stupid and you're gonna get yourself into trouble. Just clear out the Bowery with me. Plenty of room for both of us."

"I don't know if you know this, but I actually do pretty okay on my own. Just because you're one of Batman's special little prodigies doesn't mean the rest of us can't get by."

You glance at the others. "No offense."

"None taken," Tim says. "You're far better adjusted than us, no contest."

Jason rolls his eyes. "C'mon. You don't have anything to prove to us. We know you're capable, but these guys are rough. We team up for safety."

"Oh, now you care about being a part of a team?" you snap. "You didn't give a shit when it was me asking—no, begging you and Roy to help me with the League mission in Sydney."

Jason's jaw tenses. "That was different."

"Guys, I think we should—"

"Why? Because you only get your hands dirty locally?" you ask, shaking with anger.

"Because if I had gotten involved, it would've put a target on your back," Jason says icily. "You would've been killed. You were nowhere near ready to take on the League. I wouldn't have been able to protect you and fight them."

"You know, right there, you sounded just like Bruce. Did you take tips from him?"

Silence. Jason's boiling with anger, you can tell.

"Bruce wouldn't have had the sense to stop you from going," he finally says, tone even. "He's not too good at that."

"Bruce would've cared enough to back me up. And he wouldn't have driven a wedge between me and my team."

It's just words; there's no way to know whether Batman would've actually backed you up. Probably not, considering his history. But it hurts Jason, and you take the moment to whirl around to look at Dick and Tim, who are wildly uncomfortable. Dick looks sad.

"It's better to team up," Dick says gently.

You bristle. "Whatever. I'll see you tomorrow."

You stalk out of the Cave.

Stupid fucking exes. Stupid fucking vigilantes.

****

"Okay, just to make things clear..."

"In and out. Report at the Cave," you say, tightening your equipment. "I got it, Nightwing. Over and out."

You silence your comm before he can respond. You're tired of their voices.

Thankfully, Jason has taken the hint and is on the opposite end of the Bowery. Which means you can slip away in peace.

You did this as a favor for Barbara, but now you're seriously rethinking getting reinvolved with the Bats. It never ends well.

The warehouses on the East End of Old Gotham are no problem. You clear out five within an hour. You check the comm briefly. It's pretty much silent, so you turn it off and keep going.

The West End, however, is a little harder.

Because you're only one person, someone figures out your pattern. You're clobbered over the head before you can drop in through the roof.

This is the last time you do a favor for anybody in Gotham.

****

You wake up tied to a chair. Your head pounds, and your lip is bloody. Not good.

"—way the Bat will show. They're a nobody vigilante."

"Tony, you're a fuckin' idiot if you think Batman doesn't know exactly what the fuck goes on in this city. Swear to God, I shoulda left you with Mom in Boise. Nothing but cotton in your head."

"Oh, fuck off, Al, you'd still be droolin' on your couch crying over Marie if I hadn't come back to Jersey."

"You little—"

"Very sorry to interrupt this family spat," you say. "But I'm on a tight schedule here, so if you could just speed things up..."

"Smartass, huh?" Al asks, waving a gun. "I wouldn't be so bold tied to a chair, toots."

"Toots? Are you a hundred years old?"

Tony snickers. Al glares at him and stalks over to you. He doesn't hesitate before whacking you upside the head with his gun. Your ears ring, and you hunch forward.

"Watch your mouth," he growls, and you're in too much pain to come up with a response to that.

Presently, you realize that your earbud is out of your ear. Probably destroyed. You have no other way of sending a distress signal. By the time you miss the report at the Cave, it'll be too late.

You were a failure then, and you're a failure now. Even your ex-boyfriend took pity on you.

Jason. God, look at how you'd left things. How his face had fallen when you'd called him Bruce. He used to love Bruce, and you know exactly what happened that changed that. And you used it against him.

Now you're facing the consequences. This is your own damn fault.

"Load everything into the truck," Al says into a walkie. "Then move out. Tell the others the same."

There's a crackled reply. Then shouting. Then silence.

You look up in surprise. Al curses and points at you.

"Stay here and watch them," he orders Tony.

"But Al, what if Batman comes here?"

"That's what guns are for, you freakin' idiot!"

You snort. As if guns could stop any of them, much less Batman.

But whatever. These guys probably didn't go into selling drugs because of their big IQs.

Tony and five other men stay to guard you. You work on trying to slip out of the handcuffs and rope.

Bang!

The first gunshot hits one goon in the leg. A second gets hit in the shoulder. Hip. Foot. Opposite leg.

Red Hood steps out of the shadows, then. Tony immediately looks sick.

"H-Hood? This ain't your territory, what're you—"

"You've got something of mine, Lewis," Jason says, voice smooth and dangerous.

Tony decides that, fuck his brother, he's getting out of here alive, and runs. Jason doesn't pay him any mind, instead walking to you.

He cuts the ropes first, then picks the handcuffs. Jason roughly rubs your wrists and ankles, pushing blood back into your extremities.

"What're you doing?" you ask. "Go get him. He's meeting his brother downtown."

You can't see Jason's expression through the helmet, but if looks could kill...

"Hood—"

"What. The hell. Is wrong with you."

You scowl. "I didn't come here for a fucking lecture."

"Well, you're gonna get one. This wasn't the plan. And you turned off your comm? Are you trying to get yourself killed? You have a death wish or something?"

"It didn't make sense to put both of us in the Bowery—"

"You could've died tonight!" Jason yells.

"And wouldn't you have liked that!" you snap back. "Proves the fact that I'm a failure quite nicely."

Jason tears off his helmet. His eyes are wide with anger and... guilt. Helplessness.

He's afraid.

"Don't you fucking say that," he says lowly. "I'd rather die again than find your body."

"What the fuck do you care?" you snarl. "I'm not your responsibility, remember? What does it matter if I dropped off the face of the earth?"

"Because I still love you!"

All of your anger drains.

Your body buzzes like it wants to feel him again. Traitor.

"That would kill me," Jason finishes quietly. "And I wouldn't come back from that death."

Your mouth feels like you swallowed chalk. And bees.

"You love me?" you whisper.

"You're hard to get over," he says. "Still haven't managed it."

"But... you said our breakup was for the best."

Jason sighs. His anger fades. "It was. I was a jackass. I let my shit with Bruce and the Pit and everything get in the way of what was important. Which is you."

"You were good to me, Jay," you say. "And we were okay. Till... till Sydney."

Jason winces. "I should've handled it better. And I should've treated you better."

"You're a good man, Jason. I don't regret my relationship with you. I regret it ending."

He looks at you. His face is twisted in pain.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you," he says. "And you're not a failure. Not even close."

You scoff, your eyes wet. "Aren't I? Couldn't even handle a simple drug bust."

"No, you're not. Nothing about what we do is simple, even if we're gaslit into thinking so. In this life, you need someone to watch your back. Even B doesn't work alone."

You try to stand, suddenly feeling like a raw nerve. You stand up too fast, though, and blood rushes to your head. You might also be mildly concussed.

Jason immediately slips an arm around your waist as you teeter forward and puts you upright.

"Easy, sweetheart," he says, and doesn't let go until you're steady.

You raise a brow. Jason grimaces.

"Sorry. Force a' habit."

You scoff, suddenly shy. "Habit, huh? Still think of me as your sweetheart?"

"Never stopped."

You roll your eyes, but it's fond now. "Anybody ever tell you you don't know how to move on?"

"Mm. I've heard it once or twice."

Your lips tingle. You've missed kissing him.

"I'm sorry I compared you to Bruce," you say. "You're nothing like him."

Jason shrugs. "Some of me is exactly like him. The fact that I didn't put a bullet in anybody's brain even though they kidnapped you isn't me at all. But I forgive you. And I'm sorry I hurt you. I didn't know the Sydney mission had festered so much."

"It's okay, Jay. You're right, I wasn't ready to take down the League or kill anybody. I'm grateful you stopped me."

Jason takes a careful step forward, eyes darting to your lips. You smirk.

"Hot for communication, are we?" you ask.

"Oh," he says, suddenly reticent. "Sorry. Too forward. Shit. I've... I've just missed you so much. I thought maybe you—that there was a vibe—but if there isn't, then—"

You take the last step and kiss him, and your lips buzz in satisfaction. Jason kisses back just as eagerly, hands flying to your waist and squeezing. But his hands roam, holding and cupping like he's been starved for the last year.

"I missed you too, Jaybird," you say between kisses.

#jason todd x reader #jason todd x you #jason todd x y/n #jason todd imagine #red hood x reader #red hood x you #red hood x y/n #red hood fanfiction #jason todd fanfiction #batman fanfiction #dc fanfiction #one shot #inbox #blurb

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makethatelevenrings · 2 years

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Streaks // J. Todd x gn!reader

Requested? Yes!

WARNINGS: extremely vague reference to torture

Synopsis: You were aware of what the streak in your hair meant. The Red Hood was not.

A/N: I have like 3 Jason photos ok be gentle with me lol HAPPY BIRTHDAY JASON!

“H.” You mouthed the letter to yourself as you walked on the gray speckled carpet to your target. The comforting musk of old books enveloped you, easing the tension that lined your shoulders. You were on a mission. Every two weeks, you came to the library and picked out a few books to read. It was routine and comforting and the best part of your day. Your therapist was glad that you had books to sink your mind into when the thoughts became too much.

“H.” You brushed your fingers over the spines as you looked for the last book on your list. The canvas tote bag that hung on your shoulder was already filled with a few picks, but you were determined to get this last one.

Just as your hand landed on the book in question, a much larger, much more calloused hand stopped right next to yours. You withdrew your hand and let out a nervous chuckle.

“Sorry,” the smooth, rough voice said. You flashed him a quick smile and did a double take. He was handsome. Ethereally handsome. Tall with a chiseled jaw and dark hair and blue-green eyes and full lips. Oh hell, he was hot.

“No harm, no foul,” you replied. “Exit West? That’s a good book.”

“So is Signs Preceding the End of the World. You have good taste.”

You turned to face him fully and he froze, his eyes fixated on the strip of white in your hair. You blanched and spun around, grabbing the book off the shelf. Of course, he noticed that.

“Have a good day,” you murmured as you hurried towards the self checkout.

Two weeks later, you were back searching for more books and when you turned the corner for the non-fiction section, he was standing there. You wanted to let out a groan of frustration, but this was a library and you had decorum. Stepping around him, you made your way towards the book you needed when his quiet voice stopped you.

“You were right. It was a good book.”

You stilled, your fingers curling around the strap of your bag. Raising your chin to meet his gaze, you only found sincerity in his gaze. You tore your gaze away and focused on the books behind him.

“Usually am,” you quipped, but the fire in your voice fell flat, as if cool water had been tossed over the coals of your anger and the last of the steam curled into the air and disappeared. You had lost a lot of that fire since the incident. That’s what your therapist and you called it.

The incident.

“I never caught your name. I’m Jason.”

“Y/N.” You blinked in surprise but shook his proffered hand. Jason offered you a small smile and you couldn’t help but return it. Pulling your hand back, you clasped your arms around the book you had cradled to your chest and then rocked back on your heels.

“Well, if you ever need any recommendations, you know where to find me.” You gestured around at the library and his crooked grin grew.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

That night, Jason found himself seated on one of the rooftops of the Bowery. His helmet was tuned into the comms, but his focus was on the people below. This was his territory and he was their protector. That meant he needed to keep his head and watch out for potential signs of danger. The Bowery and Park Row might be the most notorious spots for violence in Gotham, but Red Hood refused to let kids and families get trapped in the middle of gang violence.

His interest piqued at the sight of a familiar figure. You walked out of an apartment complex and he tensed, searching for any signs of threats nearby. He relaxed only a tiny bit when he saw that there were none of the usual players out, but he kept his focus locked on you.

You held something in your hand and he watched as you paused near an alley and then crouched down. A few cats came running out of the alleyway when you shook whatever was in your hand and then you poured food into a few bowls and set them out. They wound around your feet and rubbed their cheeks against your legs in appreciation as you pet them gently.

A shout sounded from the east and he whipped his head around to look, but it was just some kids playing soccer under the streetlights. You gave the cats one last pat and then headed over to the kids. They cheered when you joined them in their game and Jason just couldn’t believe it.

That streak in your hair. The mallen streak. It was nearly identical to the one that marred his own black hair. But seeing you now with laughter in your lungs and a wide smile on your face…it only made his chest ache. He knew how he got his streak. He hated to think that someone as gentle as you received yours in a similar manner.

After a few rounds of pickup soccer, you sent the kids home to sleep and then started heading back to your apartment again. Jason considered his options for a moment and then grappeled down to land next to you. You flinched back, your whole body shuddering as you raised your arms to cover your face.

“Shit, sorry,” he exclaimed.

“Oh.” You lowered your hands. “Hood. Do you need something?”

When he took over the Bowery, Jason established that Red Hood was only to be feared by the people who wanted to hurt the innocent. He deposited formula and diapers on the doorsteps of single moms, intimidated dickhead landlords who refused to fix heaters during winter, and yes, putting a bullet between the eyes of anyone who tried to deal to kids. Folks thought they could make cash or get food from him in exchange for information, but the truth was that he would give them the stuff regardless. But it established a relationship between him and the neighborhood. The Bowery was his and he was the Bowery.

“It’s not safe to walk alone at night,” he answered coolly.

“Who said I needed protection? I’ve got a taser and a mean right hook,” you shot back. His lips twitched under his mask and he fell in step with you.

“I was talking about me needing protection. Good to know I picked a good person to walk with.” You rolled your eyes at his comment, but you didn’t stop the smile that grew on your lips. Stopping at the mouth of the alley again, you bent down to collect the empty food dishes from the cats. You walked in companionable silence up to the door that led to your apartment complex.

“Thanks for walking with me,” you mumbled out. “And thanks for protecting the neighborhood. Back when…back when he was in control, the kids weren’t safe to play outside.”

When Black Mask was in control, he noted. The predecessor to the Hood before he was put down by one of Jason’s bullets.

“You’ve lived here a long time?”

“My whole life.” You puffed your cheeks out and then let out a long stream of air. “Debated on moving when it got bad but after you killed him, things got better.”

He watched as you reached up, your fingers subconsciously brushing against the white streak in your hair and all of the pieces fell into place. Jason forced himself to unclench his fist as he recalled the terror in your eyes when he had appeared beside you. How you raised your hands to defend yourself from a blow to the face.

“Did he hurt you?”

You ducked your head and dragged your shoe along the gravel below your feet, scuffing the edge of your sneakers in the dirt. “My roommate had a debt that she didn’t pay on time. When they came to intimidate her, they grabbed the wrong person. Didn’t realize their mistake until three days later but it was enough.”

Rage burned through his veins, but he tamped it down and instead, brushed his gloved hand against your jaw and lifted your gaze to meet the white lenses of his helmet. Tenderly, he touched the edge of your hairline where the streak started and then slid his fingers down to cup your cheek.

“I should have killed him sooner,” he whispered.

tag list: @annalayton19 @khaetiin @mcrmarvelloki @gone-batty-fics @someoneimsure @perpetual-fangirl900

#jason todd x reader #jason todd imagine #jason todd #red hood #red hood imagine #red hood x reader

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delusionalmultifandomwriter · 4 months

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Please do a fic where adult jason todd gets comforted under/hidden in Batman’s cape!! the softer the better

your wish is my command (i missed the topic a little but it is super soft so i hope you like it anyways)

requested?: yes (i am so excited about this, ahh!)

words: 1848

Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne, Joker, Orphan

Oneshot, angst, hurt/comfort

TW: throwing up, violence, implicite self-harm urges (this got a lot darker than i planned it to be)

credits: the dialogue parts of the italic are from Batman: A Death in the Family

Have fun, thank you so much for requesting!

Ressurection is not exactly healthy. Which is not too surprising but still. The Lazarus Pit healed Jason's body, the scars were still there but very pale and barely visible anymore.

But the inner scars stayed, even after Jason and Bruce figured themselves out and came to terms with eachother again. Jason suffered from PTSD, who wouldn't after getting beaten up with a crowbar? The nightterrors and the coldness that randomly appeared every now and then were the worst.

This week started off with a night terror. Nothing uncommon, it happened all the time to almost all off them. Jason was at his own place where he was alone. Maybe he woke up his neighbours but at least not his family. He didn't like them worrying about him.

"What hurts more? A? Or B? Forehand? Or backhand? The crazy laugh echoed through the hall. Robin helplessly tried to craw away, his hands restrained behind his back. His breath whistled as he spit out some blood and mumbled a curse. The Joker chuckled evil and leaned down. A little louder, lamb chop. I think you may have a collapsed lung. That always impedes the oratory. Robin leaned up and spit the Joker into his face. The clown smashed Robin's head into the floor, his senses got flooded with the distant metallic feeling of a concussion. Nausea instantly hit him.

Jason shrieked awake. Nausea instantly hit him. He jumped up and nearly got tangled into his blanket. He stumbled into his bathroom and fell to his knees in front of the toilet.

Jason hated throwing up. Especially after a night terror when his mind was already full of thoughts. He leaned against the shower glass still sitting next to the toilet and waiting for the nausea to pass. After a few minutes he slowly got up and scooped some water from the washbasin into his mouth. Jason winced, his throat was raw and still shut tight.

He shivered, the bathroom floor was cold. Jason stumbled back into his bedroom. He grabbed the blanket from the floor and slowly made his way into the living room. He sat down against the heater with the blanket wrapped around his shoulders. He fell asleep exhausted on his carpet floor.

He was drowning. Breath. He needed air. Needed his lungs fill with oxygen. Cloth. There was cloth over his face. His mouth was dry. The sweet smell of death. He ripped the cloth from his face and threw up green, stale water. Flight! Where was he? He turned around and ran off. People. He took them out. The moves where in his muscles. He pressed his thumbs into the eyes of one of them. A tunnel. A cave. Darkness. Away.

The Joker escaping Arkham was nothing new to Gotham. Nothing new to the Batfam and nothing new to Jason. It happened a million times before but it still put Jason on edge ever since that night in Sarajevo.

He thought he was better. He thought he could conquer the Joker and arrest him again. It was a simple mission. A simple task. Then he met him in a warehouse in the Bowery. The green hair was brushed back, the purple suit dirty with some blood stains on it. The clown turned around and laughed at Red Hood hysterically.

And, hey, please tell the big man I said… "hello".

Jason saw red. He lunged at him and slammed the Joker into the wall, punched him in the face, once, twice. He could break him. He was not Robin anymore. He was taller than the clown now. Stronger. He could give back all the pain. He would give back all the pain. He slammed his knee into the Joker's ribs, a sharp crack echoed through the warehouse.

"Wow, that looked like it really hurt." Jason growled deeply as he lifted the Joker up a little and pinned him against the wall. He pulled him away and smashed him against the wall, the Joker's head lulled foreward a little as he coughed.

"Whoa, now, hang on. That looked like it hurt a lot more." Jason shouted angrily as he threw the Joker on the floor. "Now let's try and find out what hurts more?"

"A?" He kicked the Joker into the stomach. "Or B?" He striked out again.

"Red Hood!" Batman. Jason's head snapped around. "Orphan, stay here until the GCPD arrives." Batman ordered, Orphan appeared from the shadows behind the older man.

Jason finally snapped out of his murderous frenzy. His eyes went wide as he saw what he did. The Joker layed in a puddle of blood, his nose was broken pretty obviously and he was coughing and whincing weakly. Jason backed down when the clown started to laugh madly. Red Hood turned around, pushed past Batman and flea from the area.

The thoughts were flooding over Jason as he ran over the roofs. He was out of breath but he kept running and running until he fell to his knees. He leaned against a brick wall and ripped his mask off of his head. His face was wet with hot tears, smeared over his cheeks and neck. He wrapped his arms around his knees and tried to calm his breath.

He needed to get air into his lungs but his whole body blocked against taking a deep breath. Jason panicked. What had he done?! He disappointed Batman, he promised to be better than the Joker. He wanted to be better. His family would abandom him, what else should they do? He was supposed to be a hero. He sobbed violently, black spots started to dance over his vision. He couldn't breath. Jason felt like he would die here, alone on some roof, alone in this world.

Jason felt someone shake his body. "Jason." A deep but very calm voice called out to him. Jason panted desperatly as his lungs filled with air. Not enough to live but enough to survive.

He was lifted up a little and after that leaned against a soft wall. Soft wall. There are no soft walls, at least none that Jason was aware off but he was too close to fainting to truly bother about the existence of soft walls. Jason started sobbing again.

"Jay, come on. Breath." The voice said desperate. A strong hand was harshly rubbing his back. Jason inhaled the air shaky, his body was trembling.

"There you go chum, okay." Bruce. It was Bruce. Noone ever called Jason chum before. Jason was suddenly embarassed and violently tried to dry his tears up, rubbing on his skin roughly with his gloved hands. Bruce gently took his hands in his and Jason's head slupped against Bruce's chest.

Then Jason started babbling. "I'm sorry, i didn't mean to... he... i, i couldn't." He sobbed again. "The memories, they come back... the Joker... i can't stop it." Jason needed to hurt, he needed to feel something. He tried to pull his hands from Bruce' grip but he held them tightly.

"Jason, look at me." Bruce growled deeply. Jason looked up and as their eyes met, he couldn't find any angryness, not even disappointment. He looked back into his lap and sobbed quietly but his breath, although shaky, evened out a little.

"There you go. You are fine, Jay." Bruce said. "You can breath, you are okay." Bruce always was repetitive with his comforting but it didn't really matter to Jason because he was there, he held Jason in his arms and he was not angry. Jason could stay with his family, he could come back.

"You called me chum." Jason mumbled weakly, his voice was still filled with silent crying. Bruce chuckled deeply. "I guess that is true." Jason felt the hand on his back, he shivered a little as the cold hit his body. "Cold?" Bruce asked. Jason nodded softly.

Bruce leaned up a little and deattached his cape from his shoulders. He wrapped the thick, black fabric around Jason and bundeled him up tightly. Jason exhaled shaky. The bone aching cold disappeared from his body and the shivering slowly but surely passed. His muscles were burning, feeling weak like he could not move anything. Jason blinked drowsily. His sobs died down and just like that, his eyes closed.

Gotham City was no place for a kid. Not even a well-trained and resilient kid like Jason Todd. It was raining tonight, the wind whistled through the city. Robin sat under Batman's cape like an owl baby, as they observed the Iceberg Lounge. They had been sitting there for hours but Robin wasn't cold. He was warm. Wet from the rain but warm. He would totally catch a cold but not tonight. Not right now. Right now he was warm, close to Batman and sucking up his body heat. Nothing bad has happened to him yet.

When Jason jolted awake, he was no longer on the roof. He inhaled sharply, as he felt a hand on his back. "Hey, you are safe. It was just a nightmare." Jason turned around to see Bruce, leaning against the head of the bed with his laptop on the nightstand. The older man gave him a worried look. Jason looked around confused. This wasn't his bedroom. It was Bruce'. The kingsize bed spoke for itself.

Jason looked down at himself, he was wearing a black t-shirt and red and black sweatpants not in his Red Hood suit. "I'm fine?" He mumbled. Bruce smiled at him, it was weird to see him so relaxed. "Yes, you are." Jason nodded slowly. Bruce leaned down to the floor and put something heavy on his lap.

"Here, Tim got you this. You looked like you liked the cape a lot." Jason lifted the heavy thing up, it was a weighted blanket. He wrapped it around his shoulders. "Did i fall asleep?" He asked confused. "Right after i wrapped the cape around you. Dr. Thompkins said you where hypothermic and severly sleep deprived. What the hell happened?" Bruce asked concerned

Jason shrugged and layed back down on his stomach with the heavy blanket around him. He was still tired, his body was grounded now and he wanted to sleep. Bruce sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Sleep, we can later talk about you not reaching out for help" He finally said. Jason rolled his eyes. "As if you are better." He grumbled.

Bruce nudged Jason playfully. He gently rubbed the younger boys back. Jason sighed as he moved a little closer. Bruce pulled the other blanket over him a little and Jason was finally warm. "You scared the living hell out of me." Bruce said while he layed down next to Jason. The younger boy moved a little closer and Bruce continued to gently rub his back.

"M sorry." Jason mumbled sleepily. "Didn't mean to." He looked at Bruce with half open eyes. He buried his head into one of the pillows and Bruce smiled as he watched how relaxed and content Jason looked. He leaned over to kiss Jason's hair.

"It's okay. Don't worry about it. Sleep tight, chum."

-----

Same shit on Ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/55397161

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eastvillagetripster · 3 months

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Saintly Face

Mural by Swed Oner https://www.street-artwork.com/en/artist-profile/432/swed-oner, Bowery Mission, Bowery near Rivington, Lower East Side, New York City.

#street art #graffiti #Swed Oner #artist #faces #bowery #lower east side #new york city

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nenyabusiness · 11 months

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SE VIS PACEM, PARA BELLUM CHAPTER 15: MAIRON MAIA

Fandom: Rings of Power Pairing: Haladriel/Saurondriel Rating: M Words: 3.6k (62k) Summary: John Wick AU. For four years, Galadriel has lived a life in freedom. After executing a mission that was supposed to be impossible, losing two of her brothers in the process, she and Finrod got out of the family business. She left the criminal underworld behind her, fully convinced that she would never return—but then her brother’s dead body is found in New York, branded with the Crest of Angband. After Morgoth’s death, Sauron was left with the daunting task of keeping the Angband family from falling apart. For four years, he’s successfully kept the organization together—but then he finds out that one of his underlings has killed Finrod Noldor. The infamous Daughter of the Golden House of Finarfin has been brought back to life, and she’ll be coming for them. To save his organization, he disguises himself as Halbrand; an exiled member of the Angbands’ inner circle. He knows he can’t defeat Galadriel in a fair fight, but he has no intention of playing fair. As Halbrand and Galadriel team up to take down Sauron, they soon realize that there are more forces at play than either of them thought. The Angbands are not the only ones who want to see Galadriel dead, and Galadriel is not the only one who’s after Sauron. (Mind the tags.)

Chapter 15:

“Who was that?” she asked once they’d put enough distance between them and Ilmarë to give them some privacy.

“We used to call her the Queen’s handmaiden,” he said. “Let’s just say that we’ve been officially summoned to an audience.”

Halbrand is forced to face his past when he and Galadriel visit the Bowery Queen.

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#saurondriel #haladriel #rings of power #trop #fanfic #se vis pacem para bellum #my writing #yup we're getting a silmarillion detour

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thewhumpcaretaker · 3 months

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The Broken Veil: Summary of Unfinished Remaining Chapters

As I mentioned in the author's notes, I've had a mental health crisis related to maladaptive dreaming/limerence/mania/I-don't-exactly-know while writing this story. I'm going to stop and focus on the real people who care about me. So, here's the spoiler-filled outline of what the rest would have looked like to prevent myself from returning to the project. If you want to know what would have happened, here it is!

With that, this blog is going dark.

With love for all whumpees, real and fictional,

TheWhumpCaretaker

Helen and John talk with The Bowery King. They explain why Helen is invulnerable and propose revolution. “How many assassins are there in New York alone? And how many of them chose this life? Don’t you think something is out of balance?” He agrees to back them. However, he is interested in using her powers to his own advantage.

The Director hears what’s been happening and puts out the call for information about Helen. Helen’s grave is exhumed. There is no body, only her clothes. The Director is afraid of hell. “It’s hard to tell who’s dead and who’s alive these days. Gianna D’Arentino’s dead and then she’s missing and then she’s back…and now this mysterious woman claiming to be Helen Wick.”

They go to confront Santino. Helen talks John down from killing Ares and they leave her with a knife in her aorta, incapacitated but with the option to survive if she doesn’t pursue them.

Helen shoots Santino. Winston: “Your wife is excommunicado.” Helen: “Can’t kick me out of a club I’ve never joined.” Unfortunately, John is responsible for Helen’s behavior while on Continental Grounds, so he may still be excommunicated too.

Conversation with Winston (and Ares?). “How do you know that that…thing is your wife? How do you know it’s not some bride of the devil?” “Because I am the devil, and she is my bride.”

Helen meets John’s new dog. Pure fluff.

The High Table holds a trail to decide whether John is liable for Helen killing Santino, his marker holder. Meanwhile, they are assembling a team, first contacting Gianna and Cassian. Cassian is immediately onboard, Gianna is not. Helen makes her realize how much she loves Cassian through some means and she joins them.

Others who join include Caine, Sophia, and Ares. Winston is reluctant to join, not wanting to let go of the world as he knows it and his position of power. John fears for his life in the coming war.

They discover that Helen is pregnant. “What if this is why you were sent back? What if we only have nine months together?”

John proposes to Helen for a vow renewal, because they said “till death do us part,” and now he knows that death will not part them.

At some point, mission to kill the head of the high table.

At some point, John is stranded in the rain with severe injuries until Helen can find him, followed by a sicfic chapter.

At some point, existential crisis chapter. Winston is wounded or dead. John asks, “Why are there beings at all? If we’re all headed for nonbeing…why can’t we just shorten the trip?” “Because of the becoming. Out there, nothing changes. Don’t you want things to change, John? We aren’t finished yet.”

At some point, the movement begins burning the money and leverage held by all heads of crime throughout the world.

At some point, they call for the end of all markers. “No debts, no markers.”

At some point, John and Helen’s vow renewal takes place.

At some point, shortly before the birth, they hold a revelation. An announcement broadcast to the entire world about the nature of death and the afterlife, with Helen as living proof. A new era of different turmoil begins, including religious conflicts and attempts to reach loved ones. The meaning of assassination is altered forever. Mediums are established.

Helen gives birth. I have yet to choose between three endings:

Happy ending: Apparently, she is still needed at John’s side, because she remains with him.

Bittersweet ending: Helen vanishes back into the afterlife and John spends his remaining days passing on all of his wisdom and fighting skills to his daughter, who is born between life and death and carries supernatural powers, including the ability to help them communicate at times.

Weird ending: There is a battle going on at the time. John dies to save the baby, but claws his way back from the dead just as Helen did. They reign together over a new world as immortals.

#john wick #john x helen #helen wick #fanfic ending

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ficrecslist · 1 year

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Fic Rec Sunday #3

This week's collection includes Boku no Hero Academia, Batman, Young Justice, Marvel and Naruto fics. Please make sure to look through each fanfic's respective tags before reading.

Batman

Into the Brighter Night by shoalsea (162k, G)

When an unknown enemy threatens Robin, Gotham's vigilantes come together to keep him safe.

Unfortunately, they're protecting the wrong Robin.

Or: Tim Drake plans his own rescue. Things get complicated.

something just broke by BeatriceEagle (10k, M) cw: referenced sexual assault

With teams run by a small handful of big names, recruitment based almost entirely on who you know, and unchecked interteam dating, the superhero community is practically designed to encourage interpersonal abuse. When a former sidekick comes forward to say that she was abused by her mentor, the entire community has to reckon with the part they may have played—and with the abuses that may still be going unnoticed.

(A story of systems, told through chats, texts, and transcripts.)

hand in unlovable hand (a chokehold) by britishparty (54k, M)

Tim Drake is eleven years old when he’s grabbed off the streets of Bristol while he’s on his way home. It will be okay, he tells himself: they’ll call his parents, and they’ll pay the ransom, and he’ll get to go home.

There are pictures of Batman and Robin on the camera he was carrying. A lot of pictures.

They don’t call his parents. They call Black Mask.

or: the one where Black Mask kidnaps Tim and tries to groom him into a ruthless heir, and Tim tries to figure out how to destroy him from the inside out.

General warnings tagged, anything not covered by those is in end-of-chapter notes to avoid spoilers.

Deadfall by vellaphoria (125k, WIP, M)

Bruce’s death fractured Gotham's vigilantes, even as it brought some of them together. Despite Dick’s progress with Jason and Damian, Tim is still in the wind, somewhere overseas getting involved with who knows what in a desperate attempt to prove Bruce is alive. An attempt that goes horribly, catastrophically wrong, destroying most of the League of Assassins’ global infrastructure and taking Tim with it.

But something feels off. Dick knows Tim’s apparent death can’t be as simple as a botched mission.

When Ra’s al Ghul gets involved, it never is.

yours for the weekend by fanfictiongreenirises (19k, T) cw: referenced sexual assault

"Been meaning to ask," Jason said. "You and Kory… are you guys still… y’know. Going strong?”

Dick almost choked on his mouthful right then and there. No, he wanted to tell him. We broke up months after you died.

But a million memories swept through his head. Jason being utterly starstruck by Kory the first time he had met her, the million and one questions Jason had to ask Kory, taking photos of the two of them as Kory gave Jay a piggyback ride… the way that Jason, at one point, had rather memorably said, man, you guys are so perfect together. If you ever break up, that’ll be it, I’ll just stop believing in true love.

“Yeah, no, we’re going good,” Dick said, lying through his teeth. “Long distance, y’know?”

Charmed, I'm Sure by M00n_Slippers (29k, WIP, T)

Jason thought he was done with magic when he left the All-Caste, but it turns out magic wasn't done with him. Walking into a back-alley dive, the Red Hood expects stale beer and an old fashioned bar brawl to lift his spirits, not a shortcut to The Oblivion Bar.

But a bar is a bar, beer is beer and a fight is a fight, whether it's in the Bowery or in a pocket dimension to the left of reality.

Young Justice

Reflexive Carphology by Briarwitched (24k)

Lex is not a sentimental man. Despite whatever his stupid sister thinks, his motives for kidnapping Superboy are purely practical: if Kon-El isn't growing on the Light's schedule, he will be useless to their long term plans-- and the Light doesn't tolerate things that aren't useful. Just a quick snatch and grab, one hastily improvised mind control device, and a few tests in the lab should be all that's required to get this all sorted out so Lex can go back to reclaiming his UN Secretary General position. The entire operation is far too essential to have anything to do with feelings.

It's simple. Practical. There's no way this could go wrong, in any way, ever.

Shut up, Lena.

Filial Pedantics by Briarwitched (61k, T)

After failing to swallow kryptonite in an attempt to beat his terminal illness to the punchline, Conner is confronted by the least super of his two genetic donors as he wanders the desert states solo. Meanwhile, Lex is suffering from both a relapse of kryptonite cancer and the delusion that he's Conner's father-- a condition that leads him to insist that he take over Conner's end of life care while he attempts to cure him himself.

It's not exactly like Conner had better plans. Now they can both be dying assholes... together.

Yay.

one day this will all be yours by suzukiblu (32k, T)

“You know, I used to think if I had different parents my life would be different,” Artemis says neutrally as she lines up a shot, and Superboy looks away from the punching bag, a little surprised to hear her speak.

Boku no Hero Academia

song on a policeman's radio by ohwickedsoul (6k, M)

TOKYO, JAPAN: The outside of the courthouse is packed with protestors, onlookers, and community safety officers who are attempting to keep the peace before what is shaping out to be the trial of the century. Former pro-hero Ground Zero, real name Bakugo Katsuki, is currently facing charges of 1st degree murder, aggravated assault, assault on officers, and several other charges. Among the hundreds who have turned out to the courthouse to view the public trial are many members of Yuuei Academy’s infamous class 1A, including several former professors. Back in the early years of the decade, the class, taught by retired pro-hero Eraserhead, was subject to many attacks by the so-called League of Villains…

Silhouette by Frostglitch (43k, WIP, G)

Midoriya Izuku remembers a life that is not his own.

Yoichi Shigaraki: The Sociopathic Hero by Gfan97 (3k, G)

"When he was eight, Yoichi started to suspect he wasn’t a good person."

Basically, what if All for One wasn't the only sociopath in the family. What if Yoichi was also a sociopath, but unlike his brother wanted to be good?

imprint by wonhaebunny (4k, T)

Katsuki handles Eri with far more ease than an only child has any business possessing. Shouta observes.

Or: Bakugou Katsuki may not have grown up with any younger siblings, but he did grow up with a Deku. It amounts to about the same.

A Walk Remembered by SimplyKaren (10k, G)

Since Jakku, Izuku's been feeling... off. Nothing he could put his finger on, but things reach a tipping point one day while he's in Heroics class. Things go downhill rapidly from there, and none of the doctors can figure out what's wrong.

Meanwhile, in Tartarus, All for One is feeling antsy as he watches from afar with Search. Izuku's symptoms are hauntingly familiar and not in a good way...

Bakugou Bewitched by Feltcutemightdeletelater (155k)

On a random day when Bakugou was a child, a helpful woman gave him a gift that would change his life forever.

“Little Katsuki,” the woman chided, leaning in close. “Behave.”

Marvel

Pound the Table by An_October_Daye (152k, WIP, M)

[A 90's Era X-Men Self-Insert]

"There is an old adage among lawyers that says: If you have the facts on your side, pound the facts. If you have the law on your side, pound the law. If you have neither the facts nor the law, pound the table." – Martin A. Davis, Jr.

Mutant law is an emergent field, more or less the wild west of the legal profession, and on a good day, you're lucky if the law and facts aren't all dead-set against you. And when your list of recurring clients includes the Wielder of Cerebro and the Master of Magnetism?

Well... suffice to say, there is plenty of pounding the table to be done.

Naruto

Waiting on a Wire by mirrorless (15k, T)

Shisui, both of the young shinobi's wide dark eyes still thankfully residing in their proper places, stares at him in shocked-silent awe, as though Kagami's sudden appearance is the divinely bestowed answer to fervent prayer.

The weight of that gaze is far too heavy for comfort.

I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead by Xarybde (4k, T)

Dying is easy. Sasuke knows this better than anyone else.

#fic rec sunday #bnha fic recs #marvel fic recs #naruto fic recs #dc fic recs #batfam fic recs #yja fic recs

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still-single · 9 months

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new HEATHEN DISCO (show no. 348, 13 August 2023)

Do you know I've been DJing for 30 years? This is what that sounds like (I guess):

HOUR 1

Bowery Electric – Slow Thrills

Godflesh – Veins

Adulkt Life – Future Cops

Pleasure Forever – Neolith Nonce

Drop Nineteens – Scapa Flow

Gaadge – Nanty Glo

Lifeguard – Tell Me When

Jim O’Rourke – Here Is Where I Seem to Be / The Good Lord Doesn’t Need Paperwork

Lewsberg – A Different View

Rodriguez – Sugar Man

Gordon Jackson – Song for Freedom

Tim Rose – Morning Dew

Sopwith Camel – Fazon

Space Project – Mission to Lyra

Spiral Dub – Orgy of Swans

HOUR 2

Happy Mondays – Tart Tart

The Fall – Spoilt Victorian Child

Your Old Droog – Help

Lotti Golden – Who Are Your Friends

Cath Carroll – Jimmy’s Candy

Dippers – Comment’s Grip

A.R. Kane – The Sun Falls Into the Sea

V/Z – Caffe Giallo

Ellen Allien – Fensterbrettmusik

Pole – Tanzboden

Galcher Lustwerk – Proof

Steve Hillage – Earthrise

Ben Chasny & Rick Tomlinson – Waking of Insects

Daniel Villareal – Rug Motif

HOUR 3

Spirogyra – The Duke of Beaufoot

Horn – 72

Non Plus Temps – Hide Away

Mark Imperial and Dennis Ramirez – Rock This House (House Nation Club Mix)

Intersperse – Haunting Winds

The Osmonds – I, I, I

Resavoir – Inside Minds

Damon Locks and Rob Mazurek – Flitting Splits Reverb Adage

Blue Dolphin – Ida

Johnny Moped – Incendiary Device

Embrace - Past

The Wipers – So Young

Current Affairs – Her Own Private Multiverse

The Clientele – Lady Grey

#mosurock #heathendisco #chirpradio #chicago

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newyorkthegoldenage · 6 months

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One of the homeless men who hung out around the Bowery looked bemused as he read from a hymnal given to him at the Beacon Mission, 1937. The organization also provided a free Thanksgiving dinner to all the men.

Photo: John Lindsay for the AP

#vintage New York #1930s #John Lindsay #Thanksgiving #vintage Thanksgiving #homeless #prayer service #charity #Beacon Mission #Bowery #free meal #free dinner

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nycreligion · 2 years

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150th Anniversary of The Bowery Mission

Light at the end of the tunnel. Wednesday, November 7th, is the anniversary of The Chapel at The Bowery Mission. We prepared a celebratory coffee table booklet for supporters of The Bowery Mission and thought that you would like an exclusive peek. (See below!) The Bowery Mission traces its legacy to the 1st American rescue mission founded by Jerry and Maria McAuley. On October 8, 1872, the…

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#150th Avviversary #Bowery Mission #Compassion #Homeless #JC Penney #Lower East Side #Tony Carnes

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marvelinorder · 2 years

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Fantastic Four (1961) #4 recap

"The Coming of ... Sub-Mariner!" by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby

This issue starts out with the remaining 3 members of FF (if you'll remember, in our last issue Johnny quit the band) discussing going to find Johnny. Ben thinks they should just leave him to rot, but he's easily outvoted.

The gang take the Fantasticar, leaving Johnny's section behind, and then split up to search the city. Sue decides to search while invisible and continues to menace the public with no remorse. (Also just a note but I think this is the first issue where she's referred to as Sue and not Susan.)

She's not the only one to earn the title of public menace in my book, though. Reed is out here grabbing people right off their motorcycles. Does he lack the foresight to know that without a driver that motorcycle is going to wreck or does he just not care?

It turns out Johnny is with some friends working on their sports car engines, which the Thing guesses correctly. He then threatens Johnny by reminding him there's gasoline all over the garage so if his flames get out of control he'll wind up blowing up his friends. Ben actually gets a bit out of control himself, picking up one of the cars and hurling it at Johnny, reportedly in retaliation for calling him ugly before.

In the midst of it all, Ben turns back into a human, which gives Johnny a chance to escape. Tragically, his transformation doesn't last long.

Johnny flees to a "men's hotel" in the Bowery, which seems to be a somewhat seedy location. He picks up an old comic from the 1940s that has the Sub-Mariner on it, and then men there insist that an old guy who's been there a while is just as strong. They provoke him and a fight breaks out, but Johnny stops them. It turns out the guy has amnesia and can't remember who he is, so Johnny helps him out...by giving him a shave with his flames!

Meanwhile, in the name of continuing his search Reed holds a helicopter hostage. Completely normal behavior.

Sue walks right past Johnny and Namor and narrowly misses Johnny picking up Namor and throwing him into the sea to jog his memory.

When Namor returns to his undersea kingdom, however, he finds that it's been destroyed due to nuclear tests and vows revenge on the human race. Learning of this, Johnny sends up a flare and the other members of the FF rush to his aid.

Back in the ocean, Namor grabs a trumpet-horn from his ancestors and awakens a giant fish-monster called Giganto! (This guy is basically a giant whale with legs.) He leads it to the surface, where it attacks New York City and puts Johnny's flame out with his blowhole lmao. Not to worry, though, because the Thing comes up with a plan to blow the monster to smithereens by entering its mouth with a nuclear bomb strapped to his back...

Ben's mission succeeds and Giganto is blown up. Namor still has the horn, though, which means he can continue to call sea monsters. Sue tries to grab it from him, but he captures her, which leads to this interesting situation:

Namor offers to leave mankind alone if only she'll marry him. She almost agrees to sacrifice herself for the rest of humanity, but Johnny saves the day by flying upward in a spiral and creating a tornado with which he moves Namor and the sea monster's carcass back over to the deepest part of the ocean. Namor ends up dropping the horn in the ocean so he now needs to figure out a different plan for revenge, but he swears not to give up.

The End!

#fantastic four (1961)#fantastic four #comics #ben grimm #johnny storm #reed richards #susan storm #comics recap #comics liveblog #marvel #namor the sub-mariner

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enupnion · 1 year

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#Reflections • #Icons #HappyHolidays #EnjoyTheMoment #SpreadLove & #BeSafe⚡️ #ADITL #Photography 📸 #Architecture #ESB #EmpireStateBuilding #FreedomTower #WTC #Landmark #Culture #Cityscape #Holidays #Skyscraper #NewYorkCity #ILoveNYC ❤️ #Wanderlust #Travel #Manhattan #MySecretNYC #NewYork #NewYorkCity #NY #NYC 🗽 #USA 🇺🇸 Since it’s the heart of the holiday season, I hope everyone has amazing moments & experiences this year (Lord knows we ALL deserve some blessings & respite) I hope it’s also a season of reflection, compassion & most importantly Love… As those who know me, you know I have a heart for service. Particularly, those going without food or shelter. Living on the streets is challenging & degrading in the best of times. During the holidays, especially where the weather can be harsh & unforgiving, it can be an overwhelming & hopeless… Which brings me to the highlight(s) My 2 favorite local organizations, The Hoboken Shelter: @hoboken_shelter #HobokenShelter The Bowery Mission: @bowerymission #BoweryMission If you’re curious & want a good resource for donating check out CharityNavigator.com . It’s an excellent way to vet where your efforts will be invested & which impactful organizations do that well. 🙏🏾 ⚡️ (at Manhattan, New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/CmdISv6IaRq/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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gaeilgeoirgay · 1 year

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Whumptober 2022

Day 12! Took me like two weeks to start crossposting again, which I think is a personal record. Go me!

TW for blood

at all costs

Damian probably should have informed someone that he was following a lead. But he has a tracker in his suit and he is fully capable of defending himself. Richard and Father will probably chastise him when he returns, but for now, it is only a small mission, one he could perform half asleep.

Damian has taken the photographs he needed and met the informant who gave him the lead in the first place, so he supposes he can’t put off the inevitable dressing down. He knows Richard won’t treat him like an idiot, an incapable child, but Father is a different story.

He might be banned from patrol for this. If he is, he will simply use the time to solve some more cases through vigorous detective work. Perhaps he will focus on the drug smugglers Todd brought to their attention.

Damian’s mind works through what he knows of the case as he returns home, taking familiar paths across Gotham’s rooftops. Sometimes, thought he’d never tell Father, Damian misses the days when it was just him, Richard and Brown, defeating criminals and going on outings. They still occasionally do activities and Damian goes along with them, although he will never say karaoke is his favourite event.

(it is his favourite. they have a standard booking at the same place every two weeks)

Hm. He will have to look around the eastern docks. The western docks are Sionis territory, so these new smugglers must be operating out of there, he decides.

Damian debates surveilling the docks now, but he remembers in time that Cain and Drake are coordinating a sting there. He’d have to work with Drake if he went now, and the two of them have it well in hand.

Homeward bound it is. At least, that is Damian’s plan before a group of League assassins melt out of the shadows around him. They’re good, he didn’t even notice them following him. He also recognises them- his grandfather’s handpicked assassins, his inner circle, loyal to him above all others. Even if Mother attempted to sway them from attacking Damian, she would be unsuccessful.

One assassin, Amir, if Damian recalls correctly, steps forward. Grandfather’s favoured lieutenant.

“Ibn al Xu’ffasch. The Demon’s Head recalls you.” Amir states formally and Damian scowls. If his grandfather thinks he is coming back to him, he must be going senile in his old age.

“We have been instructed to bring you in at all costs.” Amir adds. At all costs…. Grandfather would use the Lazarus Pit to resurrect Damian if one of his assassins killed him. “All costs” include Damian’s life.

He really should have informed someone where he was going. Damian subtly presses a button on his gauntlet that will send a Mayday signal to Richard, and readies himself for a fight.

Amir sees the moment Damian prepares to fight and reacts as quickly as expected. Damian barely gets his sword up in time, realising that he is woefully outmatched. Amir was always a challenge to fight back home, and now there are twelve other assassins supporting him.

Damian blocks another blow from Amir and ducks under a slash from behind. Rania, he thinks, and then chides himself for getting distracted during a fight.

He manages to stay uninjured for four minutes, before someone finally draws blood. It’s a bad hit too, a long, deep cut down Damian’s forearm. Worse still, it’s his dominant hand, and although he’s been trained to fight ambidextrously, it’s still a hinderance.

He knows Richard will be making his way here as fast as possible but a fight can go wrong in a split second and he’s not sure he has the time to wait.

He manages to knock one assassin unconscious and get another out of the fight via their Achilles tendon meeting his sword. That still leaves ten and Amir, and they’ve only been fighting for six minutes. Richard is patrolling the Bowery tonight, at least ten minutes from Damian’s location.

He fights on.

Damian receives another blow, a jagged slice across his abdomen. It makes it difficult to bend and move, vital components of his fighting style. His arm is still bleeding, making the hilt of his sword slip in his hands.

He finds himself on the ground a few moments later, stars sparking in his vision. Amir looms over him, about to knock him out, when a black and blue shadow kicks him in the side of the head. Richard has perfect timing, as usual.

Amir falls and Richard lands in front of Damian, guarding him from the other assassins. A gun fires somewhere to Damian’s left and he realises Todd has come too.

It’s a thing of beauty to watch Richard fight, Damian thinks. He disarms Rania first, as she attempts to split him open. A short crackle of electricity and she slumps to the ground beside Amir.

Todd is fighting deeper in the alley way, while Richard stands over Damian’s prone self. His vision is blurry now, and he’s shivering, signs of blood loss.

Two assassins swarm Richard and a graceful flip gives him the room to lash out with his escrima. One catches the man on the side of the head and a low whine sounds as the stick discharges. The woman is wielding twin daggers, and Richard easily catches the daggers with his escrima.

A quick twist and she is disarmed. She uses a nearby bin to gain height, trying to get her legs around Richard’s neck to drag him to the ground. He bends backward, leaning into the throw, and shrugs her off. She hits the ground and he’s instantly on her, sure hands finding her pressure points and sending her to sleep.

Todd’s guns have stopped now and Richard is facing the last assassin. Damian should be embarrassed that his brothers have defeated his enemies in ten minutes, while it took him six to disarm two of them, but he’s not. He’s grateful they are there, and strangely proud of their skills.

Todd is League trained too, and Richard has League influences from Father’s fighting style, but they both have flair of their own. It’s evident to see as Richard executes a flawless spinning kick, dealing with the last assassin easily.

“All good, Red?” He asks and Todd calls back an affirmative. Richard kneels down beside Damian and carefully inspects his wounds, pulling some bandages from his belt to stem the bleeding.

“The assassins?” Damian asks weakly, needing to know.

Dick smiles tightly at him as he presses down on the bandages.

“Hood’s dealing with them.” He says quietly and Damian nods, leaning back against the brick. Richard is much more flexible than Father, although he doesn’t kill. But his Grandfather’s assassins would’ve have kept coming until they dragged Damian back to Nanda Parbat. Todd’s solution is. Permanent.

“You’re in for it when you’re healed, Baby Bat. You could’ve mentioned where you were going!” Richard scolds gently and Damian sniffs.

“My mission was perfectly successful. I was merely interrrupted.” He responds and Richard laughs.

“Hear that, Hood? He was interrupted.” He says and Todd barks out a laugh, coming into the light beside Richard. There’s blood spattered across both of their uniforms, and perhaps Damian should be repulsed. But they are his brothers, and he’s certainly been covered in more blood than this.

He’s not repulsed. He feels safe. It’s probably strange, but Damian doesn’t care. His brothers keep him safe. That’s all he needs to know.

#whumptober 2022 #damian wayne #dick grayson #jason todd #dc fanfiction #blood #hurt damian wayne #day twelve #mayday

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