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#mad duke
late-to-the-fandom · 2 years
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In which Renathal solves a mystery involving the Maw Walker and the Mad Duke. Rated G for no smut, just brief romantic tension and dubious morality. Read here on Ao3 for triggers and tags
Takes place before the first Ember Court.
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It took Renathal an embarrassingly long time to discover the Maw Walker’s deception, and in the end it was only by accident. He had resolved to keep a close eye on her during the Ember Court rehearsal, and was therefore paying more attention to her interactions than usual. After all, it was one thing to be a respectable court guest, quite another to excel as a host, and Renathal was not sure how the Maw Walker - with her inscrutable face and inexpressive nature - would fare at Venthyr diplomacy.
But his worries, on that score at least, were unfounded. The Maw Walker turned out to be as skilled in hospitality as in arcane magic. She strolled purposefully between the denizens of Sinfall who were acting as court guests, picking up threads of conversation with ease. She distributed drinks and tidied debris, never dropping her pleasant demeanor.
Except once.
The Maw Walker's lavender face flickered in brief, pained annoyance as Duke Theotar - the 'Mad' Duke, as all but the prince now affectionately referred to him -  whisked away her cold, half-drunk tea and pressed a second, generously filled cup into her hands. The expression was there and gone so quickly, Renathal, sipping his own drink, almost did not catch it. He replaced his cup in its saucer, and scrutinised the Nightborne closely, but her serene mask was fixed firmly back in place and she was thanking Theotar with a small, gracious smile.
She asked a question about the specifics of the blend and let the Duke warm to his beloved topic. He recited the ingredients, where they had been sourced, and how each contributed to the overall flavour, while the Maw Walker listened attentively, nodding or shaking her head where appropriate. As the Duke waxed on lovingly, her white-blue eyes sparkled and her carefully upturned lips softened - a rare display of open affection of which Renathal refused to feel jealous.
As polite as she was with everyone, the Maw Walker was hardly ever sentimental, which made the way she doted on the Duke even more exceptional by comparison. She was a willing participant in all Theotar's anima experiments, and she afforded his tea parties the same priority as any of her assigned missions throughout Revendreth. Renathal preferred to assume this was because she too enjoyed a brew and used the Duke's private get-togethers as a way to relax.
But now, it was only at Theotar's insistence that the Maw Walker lifted the cup to her lips, and the moment his back was turned she lowered it. Renathal, watching closely, was certain she did not swallow. Shortly thereafter, she excused herself from the shaded corner of Sinfall the Duke had claimed. Renathal studied her as she crossed the courtyard, Theotar sauntering over to stand beside him.
"Our Maw Walker has quite the refined palate, does she not?" Theotar mused. "But, I have not yet discovered her favourite blend. Has she mentioned a preference to you, my Prince?"
"I am afraid not," said Renathal, still following the Maw Walker's purple glow as it approached the refreshments area. She was quickly hailed by Stefan, and stopped to attend his many comments - or complaints, more likely - resting her still-full cup on the nearest table. "She seems to appreciate all things equally."
Theotar gave a small tsk of disagreement and turned back to his tray of assorted teas. Tubbins, underneath it, struggled to keep his balance as the Duke began shuffling jars.
"Oh, everyone has a favourite, your Highness. And I must discover it!"
Renathal watched the Maw Walker excuse herself from Stefan and wander away to greet another small cluster of mock-guests.
"If she mentions enjoying a particular brew, you will tell me, won't you?" asked Theotar.
Renathal eyed the Maw Walker's abandoned teacup with growing suspicion. 
"I will make it my top priority," he replied.
It was not exactly a deception on the level of Denathrius, but the principle remained the same. If the Maw Walker could maintain this lie so easily, what else might she be hiding? The thought gnawed at Renathal as he attempted to settle back into the routine of court. His curiousity and his sense of virtue together forged a compulsion he could not deny. He had many unanswered questions about the Maw Walker, but this mystery he was determined to solve before the rehearsal was through. 
There was ample opportunity. Theotar was using the occasion to experiment with new blends. He brewed pot after pot of strong, fragrant tea, pressing a steady stream of cups into the hands of the mock-guests. And of course, he insisted the would-be host try some of each.
The Maw Walker took evasive action. She flitted swiftly between stations of Sinfall at random, disappearing when she heard the Duke's approach and reappearing behind him before scampering away. But Theotar and his tea tray were harder to escape than the Maw. And whenever Renathal caught up with her, she was holding another steaming cup.
Of course, that in itself was not solid proof of anything, and as the end of the rehearsal approached, Renathal feared his mission would fail. Until he caught a flash of purple disappearing around a corner behind the farthest refreshment table. There was no court entertainment so close to the cliff's edge, no reason for the Maw Walker to be there. Renathal excused himself from his conversation with Temel and followed as quickly as propriety allowed.
Between his soundless glide and the splash of liquid against stone, the Maw Walker did not hear Renathal's approach, and he arrived in time to see her shaking the last dregs of tea out of her cup onto the ground. Renathal's own nearly empty cup felt suddenly heavy in his hand. Instead of vindication his theory had proved out, Renathal felt foreboding crawl across his skin like a spider. He had trusted the Maw Walker almost from the moment he met her. Never questioned whether his faith in her was unfounded. And now...
"Is that particular brew not to your liking?" he asked archly.
The sight of the Maw Walker's startled pirouette was highly entertaining, but Renathal's agitation kept him from fully enjoying it. His face remained icy as she fumbled with her cup and an explanation.
"Of course! I mean - of course not. Your Highness. It's just - I mean, I just..."
Her tongue tripped over every word, and Renathal restrained his smirk only with difficulty. He had never seen the Maw Walker so flustered. Possibly something of his dark amusement showed on his face because she stopped mid-stutter.  She glanced around Renathal as if checking for witnesses, then dropped her attempt at pleasant denial all at once.
"Alright, I admit. I do not love tea. Any tea. It's nothing personal to the Duke, it's just... not my drink."
"What is your drink?" asked Renathal, curiousity speaking before his better sense could stop it.
“Well, I prefer an aged arcwine but… this realm is very dry.”
The Maw Walker sighed, and Renathal made a mental note to contact Tremen Winefang in Darkhaven and inquire if he had any 'arcwine' on hand. He grimaced, then exerted a conscious effort to reign in the inapposite thoughts distracting him from the issue at hand.
“I assume you have a very good reason for keeping this information from Theotar?"
“Well, because, it would crush him," said the Maw Walker, as though this were patently obvious. “And, really, I don't mind. I can usually endure one cup, it's just been ... rather much today."
She cast another long look over Renathal's shoulder, and this time he turned to see what had her attention. Theotar was perambulating through the refreshments area, Gubbins holding a black parasol over the Duke's head while Tubbins wobbled under the weight of his tray. They were passing around cups of yet another tea, and the Maw Walker, in spite of her confessed distaste for the beverage, was watching them with a fond smile. It was so much realer and warmer than her usual carefully crafted expression, and Renathal's jaw tightened watching her aim it at someone else.
“You... care for him, don’t you?” he asked, managing to keep his question politely interested. It would not do to betray the envy churning his stomach. It was shameful for a harvester to feel anything so base in the first place.
Renathal knew there was no rational reason to be jealous of the Maw Walker's friendship with the Duke. She might make it a point to attend Theotar's tea parties as often as she could, but she was equally diligent in reporting to Renathal each evening. True, their meetings were more business than pleasure, but lately their conversations had begun to meander. The Maw Walker seemed genuinely to enjoy hearing stories of Revendreth, quite as much as Renathal enjoyed telling them, and she always appeared reluctant to take her leave of him.
But now... now he knew she was not above feigning enjoyment to spare someone's feelings. He wondered restlessly how much their companionship really meant to her.
“He’s very ... dear," the Maw Walker finally answered, and it took Renathal a moment to remember his question. "He reminds me of someone I used to know. Or... several someones."
Renathal waited, wondering if she would deign to explain - the occasional allusions she made to her life before the Shadowlands were usually followed by an abrupt exit. To his great surprise, she continued:
"What has happened to Theotar is very similar to what happened to many of my... my friends. Those who were banished from Suramar City and lost access to the Nightwell. Without its power they grew... weaker - both in body and mind. We called it ... withering." The Maw Walker spoke with extreme caution, as if each word were a beast that might bite. "We were able to help some return to health and sanity, but... nearly all were left with certain... eccentricities." She watched Theotar saunter between the refreshment tables, his wide, jovial smile so at odds with his tortured frame, and her face was full of that same tender affection. "But it makes them no less deserving of respect. Or dignity."
The Maw Walker shook back her hair, re-assuming her usual blank visage and her earlier purposeful energy. Empty cup in hand, she strolled to the nearest table and began gathering up used dishes. Renathal followed, his own half-forgotten cup hanging at his side. Her explanation made sense, and it put a familial label on her relationship with Theotar that comforted him - he could not pretend he did not know the reason why. But that was a problem for another time. For now, there was the matter of her deception to deal with.
"If you wish to treat the Duke with respect," Renathal said, his voice low to stop his words carrying to the table where Theotar stood, "then you ought to do him the courtesy of telling him the truth."
"Why?" the Maw Walker asked as she stacked plates. "Who would that benefit? I've already said, it's no bother to me. And it would only hurt him, if he could bear to hear it at all."
"So, you would lie to him instead?"
The heart of Renathal's concern bled through his words like anima from an open wound; raw enough to make the Maw Walker fumble the plate she was holding. She set it down carefully, and met Renathal's burning amber gaze.
"I would spare him a painful, unimportant truth."
Silence stretched while each studied the other. There was nothing remotely like apology in the Maw Walker's words or aspect, and, if Renathal was being rational about it, he knew she had a point. Theotar bore the moniker of 'Mad' Duke for a reason. If presented with the idea that his new, dear friend did not enjoy tea, most likely he would refuse to acknowledge the fact at all. 
"I see," said Renathal. It was as close to a concession as he could manage. He set his cup down on the table and spent a moment adjusting his cuffs, listening to the clunk of heavy porcelain as the Maw Walker continued to clean, before asking, "And what painful truths would you spare me from?"
"Do you really want to know?"
Renathal looked up sharply. The Maw Walker was regarding him with intense, narrowed eyes, as if he were a riddle she was attempting to solve. He was not at all sure he really wanted to know whatever she was keeping from him, but he knew his curiousity would never rest until he did.
"Yes."
The Maw Walker took a deep breath, and lifted her hand.
"You have something in your teeth. Just there."
At least she had the grace to keep her laughter quiet as Renathal's hand flew to his mouth where her outstretched finger indicated. It was not a cruel or mocking laugh, but a softer version of the deep, warm sound he so enjoyed. It worked like a balm on his tensely wound nerves, shielding him from the greater part of embarrassment. 
"Next time, you might alert me before court is nearly over," Renathal said from behind his hand.
He ducked his head to hide the intricacies of his extraction and the Maw Walker covered her own mouth to stifle her continued laughter. 
"I don't think it's been there long," she said between repressed giggles. "It was not there earlier, I'm sure."
Renathal righted himself with excessive dignity. He flashed his fangs at the Maw Walker for inspection, setting off another fit of laughter that did wonders for his ego. Whatever other close friendships she might have, Renathal knew no one who could make the implacable Maw Walker laugh like he did.
"Now?" he asked.
"You're perfect," she assured him, and something about the way she pronounced the word made Renathal shiver. 
The Maw Walker returned to her self-appointed cleaning duty, the ghost of a smile still lingering on her face. Renathal watched her stack the dishes into a manageable pile. No one had asked her to; she had simply seen what needed to be done and took the task upon herself, in spite of the fact that she was the host and there were dredgers for this sort of chore. But the Maw Walker always considered herself more servant than leader, and Renathal felt a twinge of guilt for ever comparing her white lie to Theotar with Denathrius' betrayal of the realm. 
"I apologise for accosting you," Renathal said, recapturing his earlier topic and tone. "I understand the reason for your little deception. However... I do hope that you consider us good enough friends to always tell me such hard truths."
The Maw Walker, a neat tower of dishes in her hands, approached the head of the table where Renathal stood, knocking chairs back into place with her hip along the way.
"You are not Theotar, your Highness," she assured him. "I consider us a ... different sort of friends."
She deposited her fragile burden on the table with a heavy thunk and made to straighten the single chair at its end. But Renathal beat her to it. Pushing in the high-backed chair, he stepped into the place it had occupied, and suddenly nothing remained between them but a few inches of empty space.
Their bodies had been this close before - closer even - so Renathal could not say exactly why his anima was pounding so wildly in his chest. Perhaps the sound of the Maw Walker’s breath catching, the way her gaze darted to the dishes as if considering whether to create more distance between them. Before she could decide, Renathal reached for her chin and held it gently in his long fingers. 
"Then I must insist you dispense with formalities," he said softly. "Unless you would prefer to be referred to as The Maw Walker all the time?"
She laughed again; a delicate, trembling sound that shook Renathal's hand on her face, though not enough to let her go. Patches of violet spread across the Maw Walker's cheeks, and he was sure she was purposefully avoiding his eyes.
Of course, that in itself was proof of nothing, but it was enough to make Renathal wonder ... wonder if the Maw Walker harboured any of his same half-repressed desire ... wonder if he might be able to solve another mystery today...
"My Prince! My dear friend! You must try this one!"
Theotar inserted himself seamlessly between the two figures, Gubbins and Tubbins trotting behind him. The Duke beamed at the Prince and the Maw Walker in turn, and if he sensed any of the electric tension, he had the good manners to ignore it. He turned and busied himself momentarily with Tubbins’ ill-balanced tea tray, before thrusting cups into both their hands.
"The aroma of this brew is most distinctive. Spicy, just like our Maw Walker. I believe it is the clear winner for our first Ember Court, but, as always, I relish your opinion."
The Maw Walker fixed an appreciative smile on her face.
"It does smell delightful, your Grace. But ... still a bit hot. I think I'll just -"
"Nonsense!" Theotar interrupted, rebuffing her excuse with a dramatic wave of his hand. "It is the perfect temperature, you must drink it before it cools!" 
To her credit, the Maw Walker's mask did not crack, but Renathal noted the brittle edges to her smile as she brought the cup slowly to her lips. Theotar bounced excitedly on the balls of his feet, nearly knocking into Tubbins hovering just behind, and Renathal was struck with inspiration.
A quick glance to be sure the tray contained none of Theotar's finest glassware, then he reached ostensibly for the sugar bowl and instead jostled Tubbins' arm. Not hard; just enough to upend the tray and send the heavy contents rolling with a series of alarming thunks. 
"Careful!" 
The Duke whipped around at the ominous sounds and lunged to save his teaset from meeting a rocky demise. In the same moment, Renathal plucked the Maw Walker's cup from her hand, drained its contents in two long gulps, and replaced it smoothly. He met her stunned gaze with the smallest of winks, as Theotar straightened and rejoined them, patting his hair decorously. The dregs of annoyance left in his face cleared as he noticed the Maw Walker's empty cup. 
"Ah ha, I knew it!" He punctuated his exclamation with a little clap. "An exquisitely soothing flavour, I was sure you would enjoy. It is the clear choice, is it not?"
"Oh, this is certainly my favourite so far." The glow from the Maw Walker's smile was almost blinding, but it was not the Duke at whom she aimed it. "Wouldn't you agree, Renathal?"
"Absolutely," Renathal said, and he meant every syllable; the Ember Court would be infinitely more enjoyable for the way the taste of the tea reminded him of the Maw Walker's lips lingering over his name.
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Read Part 10: Eternity | Visit the Masterpost
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swugflower · 8 months
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Brucie Wayne gets interviewed and the question who, expect Batman, is his favorite Gotham hero.
After some awkward moments of silence, he blurts out that it’s Spoiler. Since she is the only one from the main active team that isn’t his kid and this way he avoids picking a favorite.
Meanwhile, the group chats explodes into chaos instantly.
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“The what?”
Danny and Duke had been having a pretty okay day. Duke got a ridiculous packet to complete from his professor, and Danny tripped down the stairs in the library, causing a ruckus that got everyone’s attention.
So yea, everything was going well until they decided to push their luck and go to a new coffee shop a bit further away. It wasn’t the coffee shop itself, but the goons that came out of nowhere to kidnap Tim Drake-Wayne who was getting an order to go, which turned into a gang fight in the middle of the street.
Danny and Duke, along with Tim, ended up sheltered behind a car and missed the opportunity to bunker down inside the shop.
“Well, this isn’t what I planned today,” Tim comments.
“Same,” Danny agrees.
“Maybe we can wait it out?” Duke suggests.
The other two give a look that says that it was not going to happen.
“Rock, Paper, Scissors for peeking,” Danny says, already holding out his fist.
“Bet.”
They look at Duke.
Peer Pressure works and he groans with clear discomfort at the situation.
Duke loses. A bullet whizzes past his head.
“Nope! Nope. Not doing that again.”
Tim rolls his eyes at the dramatics, but with Danny still there he bit his tongue.
“What’d you see?”
Duke looks at Tim like he’s crazy.
“Lots of people with guns,” he answers hysterically.
“Need a hand?”
Red Hood had swung down from the nearest rooftop, hand gun in both hands. He pops off three shots before having to duck behind the car with them.
“Hood, what are you doing here? This isn’t Crime Alley,” Tim asks like they bumped into each other at the supermarket.
Hood shrugs, “Close enough.”
“Oh sweet, can I borrow that?” Danny randomly asks.
Before anyone can question what he was talking about he was already reaching out to take the handgun off of Hood’s thigh.
“Whoa-“
Danny turns to look over the car’s hood and pulls the trigger. Nothing happens.
The others pull him back quickly. He winces at the hard fall to his tailbone.
“Holy crap! Danny!”
“Dude, are you trying to get yourself killed?”
“What is wrong with you?”
“Hey!” Danny interrupts their freak out. “It’s not my fault his gun is broke.”
“The safety is still on, idiot,” Hood tilts his head.
“The what?” Danny asks in genuine confusion.
The three brothers all pause and look at him.
“The safety? On the gun? So there isn’t a misfire?” Tim explains. He was stuck between shocked and judgmental.
“This is why people who don’t know how to shoot shouldn’t touch guns,” Hood says in frustration while reaching to take it away.
Danny pulls it back out of reach.
“I know how to shoot, thanks. My parent’s weapons just don’t have safety things. I’m not used to it,” he grumbles.
“What do you-“
But Danny was already finding the safety and flicking it off before trying again. This time he hits two goons, one in the shoulder and another in the leg.
The batboys glance at each other.
“So,” Hood tries to be casual, “what do your parents do?”
“They’re scientists,” Danny answers, mainly focused on shooting another person dressed in a mask, “but they make their own weapons.”
“Are they by any chance mad scientists? Or borderline rogues?” Duke asks as half a joke.
“Of course not,” Danny answers. Then he pauses to actually think about it. “I don’t think so.”
“Cool. That’s fine.”
**
After that Danny had a few more ‘meet and greet’s with the local vigilantes and saw some lingering shadows around their apartment. They had the weirdest questions about his family.
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luxaofhesperides · 2 months
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Final hour Ghostlights request! Soulmate AU where when your soul mate dies your soul mark expands. Duke was really heartbroken at first but now his soul mark makes it really difficult to keep his secret identity hidden because he is covered in a map of the cosmos. He has to use his shadow powers almost constantly to keep all the stars hidden! And and maybe they light up like actual stars when he uses his light powers.
He meets Danny at orientation or something at GU and they brush against each other and he just lights up like a supernova, all his stars literally blazing and he's just like "YOU!" Both excited and also OH MY GOD YOU ASSHOLE.
....I rambled a bit here I'm so sorry.
The thing about soulmates is that you don’t really know who they are until they die. And even then, most people never know who their soulmate was, only that they outlived them.
Duke became one of those people when he was thirteen. 
He didn’t even notice until he went to change and saw the watercolor swirl of nebula spill out from over his heart. 
One moment, he was tired and angry, ready to sneak out of his latest foster home to search for his parents and do all the things adults have failed to do. The next, he’s collapsed on his knees, shaking, unable to breathe as he tries to rip his soulmark off of his skin. He couldn’t think past the shock and horror of realizing that his soulmate is dead and Duke didn’t even know until that moment. 
They’ll never get to meet. 
Duke had never felt so alone before. 
He spent the next few days in shock, his mind a mess of static, unable to focus. He hid away in his room, buried under the covers, and his foster parents were understanding when he whispered my soulmate’s dead. They called him out of school and brought him food and water throughout the day, gentle encouraging him to eat something every few hours. 
But disaster waits for no one, and Batman was gone, so Duke pulled himself out of his misery and hit the streets again. 
So his soulmate’s dead. So his parents are gone. So Gotham’s falling apart.
No one’s doing anything about it, so it’s up to Duke to start fixing things. It’s not like he had much to lose.
Soulmates become a bit of a taboo topic to him, after that. He speaks of them to no one, avoids all conversation about them, refuses to stay when people talk about soulmarks. He tries not to look at his soulmark at all.
And then he takes a hit to the chest and patches himself up with shaking hands. For the first time in months he looks at his soulmark again and…
Did it… grow? 
Duke prods it gently, letting out a hiss when his bruised ribs protest at the movement. He remembers the mark being right over his heart. 
But looking at it now, it branches out, swirls of galaxy and constellations reaching out along his ribcage. 
Panicked, Duke grabs for his computer and looks up soulmark growth and webmd soulmark abnormalities.
Neither give him any answers, though WebMD helpfully suggests skin cancer. 
“I’m gonna ignore this,” Duke decides, and pulls on a shirt and goes to sleep. The less he thinks about his dead soulmate, the better. 
Time passes and Duke goes from being a Robin to being the Signal, a legitimate vigilante working with Batman. It’s nice to see Gotham start to settle, things falling into place. For once, nothing is awful; Duke’s found his parents and doctors are looking for a cure for long-term exposure to Joker Gas, Batman’s taking care of Gotham with a number of other Bats, Duke is getting used to his powers and slowly making a good name for himself out on the streets. 
He keeps his focus on protecting people and getting stronger, helping solve cases with the other Bats. No one mentions soulmates, so he keeps his ever expanding soulmark a secret. 
The only problem is that it keeps growing and Duke is concerned that it’ll move to a place he can’t easily hide under his clothes. 
And he does need to hide them. The more his soulmark has grown, the more obvious it is, especially when he uses his powers and the stars on his skin light up like the Fourth of July. He knows it’s abnormal, but it’s also his soulmark and he doesn’t want anyone, least of all Bruce, poking around trying to study it. 
The grief still lingers when he looks at it, but Duke has long since grown used to it. If anything, these days he’s quietly annoyed by how far the galaxies on his skin spread out, forcing him to take tank tops and shorts out of his wardrobe. 
There’s also the tentative hope that maybe his soulmate is immortal and keeps coming back to life after they die. And they must also have terrible luck, because they just keep on dying.
Case in point: his soulmark flares and spills out onto his shoulder and wraps around his bicep. It’s not the first time he’s seen it move, but it still startles him.
“Are you serious,” Duke mutters to himself, pulling at his sleeve to adjust it and hopefully hide his soulmark. The starts are bright against his skin, and while sometimes he likes to trace them with his finger, now is not one of those times.
As pretty as it is, his soulmark is also very obvious and will cause people to realize his identity if they ever catch a glimpse of it while he’s out as Signal. 
He sighs. There’s no choice but to live out the rest of his life in hoodies and sweatshirts. 
As if to spite him, his soulmark grows once more. 
Did his soulmate just die twice in the span of five minutes? That’s concerning. 
He wishes he could meet them just so he can shake some sense into them. Maybe tell them to stop dying since it’s stressing him out so much. Maybe stick by their side to make sure they never have to die again. He’s honestly not sure what he’d do if he ever meets his soulmate, but he has to do something. This has gotten out of hand.
At least seeing his soulmark grow doesn’t hurt as much as it did a few years ago. 
Lazily, he pulls at the light around him to hide the new portions of the soulmark on his arm from sight. It takes some focus, but he can hold it up long enough for him to grab a snack from the kitchen and retreat up to his room without being questioned by anyone. He could probably even keep this shirt on for the college orientation he needs to attend later in the day if the light works well enough to keep his secrets hidden. 
He’s expecting Alfred in the kitchen when he arrives, but is greeted by Dick clapping a hand on his shoulder, right where his soulmark has claimed space. Duke falters and works to keep the light from fracturing as he returns Dick’s grin. 
“Hey man,” he says, “What are you doing here? I thought you were out until Friday.”
“And miss a chance to hang out with you? No way. Besides, I wanted to give you a ride to your orientation.”
“You don’t have to,” Duke starts, only for Dick to cut him off.
“I’m going to,” he says, as if it’s a threat. “It’s been too long since we get to spend time together without a mask on. Are you really going to deprive me of this?”
Duke shakes off Dick’s hand from his shoulder, walking towards the pantry to find a small snack. “I guess not. It’s going to be pretty boring for you, though. I’m just going to listen to people talk about what college is like for a few hours.”
“We could always just walk around campus afterwards. I haven’t seen it since it was rebuilt after the last time Freeze attacked it.”
“Sure, that sounds fun. Thanks for offering to drive me.” Duke pulls out a box of Poptarts hidden behind stacks of pasta boxes and pulls out a pack for himself. He opens it and isn’t at all surprised when Dick steals one right out of his hands. 
“Meet me out front in an hour then.” 
And with that, Dick leaves, his stolen Poptart in hand, and Duke is left to shake his head and shove the Poptart box back into its hiding place. He heads off to eat his own snack, making sure no one is in the hallway as he lets go of his hold on the light. Already he can feel a migraine building with the immense focus he had to use to make sure nothing looked out of place.
At least Dick didn’t notice anything was off. If he can fool Dick, he can fool anyone.
Still, just to be safe, Duke changes into something with longer sleeves before he leaves and hops into the car with Dick. 
The drive goes quickly to the tunes of ABBA, both of them singing along as they head for the GCU campus. Parking is a bit tricky, but they manage to find a spot a street away and walk towards the student union, where tables are laid out for incoming freshmen to sign in and grab a folder filled with papers meant to help them. 
He waves to Dick and heads in once he gets his folder, and grabs a seat in the auditorium that’s close to a fire exit. 
It takes another twenty minutes for the presentations to start. The lights dim and Duke panics for a brief moment before drawing the shadows over himself lightly to hide the soft glow of the star etched onto his skin. 
They start with introductions, bringing in advisors, professors, and student ambassadors. Most of it is basic information that Duke already knows, so he zones out and plays with some shadows at his feet, where no one can see the way he twists shadows together like some dark magic form of finger knitting.
For the next hour, Duke halfheartedly listens to people talk about preparing for classes and keeping on top of schoolwork and learning how to ask for help. He’s saved enough college students that he knows the gist of things, and the orientation really doesn’t give him anything helpful. 
He probably could have skipped, but he wanted a normal college experience. 
He should have known that normal means boring as hell.
As soon as the presentation ends, an advisor encourages everyone to follow the schedule tucked into their folder to give them a half day modeled after a typical student’s schedule. Of course, all the classes are nonsense just to fill up their time, made to help freshmen coming into the college by covering topics such as how to write an email and an introduction to majors and minors.
Duke already declared himself as a Human Services major, his first step into becoming a social worker like his mom was. 
Also he totally knows how to write an email, what are these advisors on about? Do they really think people his age can’t write emails? 
Yeah, he’s ditching. The main presentation is really the only part that matters in the orientation. He’s not walking out on anything he needs.
Duke files out after the rest of the crowd, carefully letting the shadows slip off of him once he’s outside again. Instead of finding the first ‘class’ he’s supposed to go to in the Modern Languages building, he wanders off to find a quiet place he can sit down and wait until Dick finds him. 
Tucked away towards the back half of the campus is a small nook full of trees, bushes, and benches. Judging by the amount of cigarette butts left in the single trash can there, it’s a popular smoking spot. 
No one’s there, so the air is clean and free of smoke, so Duke heads in, hoping to sit down.
Someone else apparently has the same idea. He hops down from one of the concrete planters that’s keeping a bush contained and nearly falls on Duke.
They both shout in surprise, then Duke is moving without thinking, reaching out to steady the startled looking guy who accidentally jumped down in front of him. 
Duke only has time to take note of how blue his eyes are before his hands wrap around the guy’s wrist and Duke feels his soulmark flare with warmth.
In the shade of the trees, the glow of each star on his skin is obvious. It’s visible even through the fabric of his shirt. His soulmark, at this point in his life, stretches across his chest, his ribs, his back, and now his shoulders and upper arms. All the stars in that watercolor galaxy are shining brightly as if the night sky has been draped across his body.
Soulmarks only react like that for one reason.
“You!” Duke shouts at his soulmate, both elated to see that he’s alive and annoyed that he made Duke’s soulmark so large. “Stop dying! Do you have any idea how much stress you’ve caused me?!”
“Oh my god,” the guy says faintly, eyes fixed on Duke’s chest where his soulmark originally rested, shining brighter and bigger than any other star, as if he’s tucked a sun into his heart. “Oh my god,” he says again, with more feeling.
“I’m so happy you’re alive, but please stop dying. It’s bad for my health.”
“I think I need to sit down?”
He does look very pale and faint. Duke tightens his grip on his soulmate’s arms and guides him to a bench, gently sitting him down.
“You’re not about to die, right?” Duke asks. “I don’t think my heart could take it if meeting me killed you somehow.”
“No, no,” his soulmate manages to say, “I’m not going to die. Um. Wow. I didn’t know my soulmark would do that? Sorry.”
“Well, it’s not like you had any way of knowing. It’s all good, man. Just please stop dying.”
His soulmate winces. “Yeah, that’s not gonna be possible. Sorry. Again.”
What does that mean, though? What does it all mean?
“Can I maybe get an explanation as to why you have to die again.”
“Mmmmm no. We just met and it’s kinda personal so. No.”
“Dude.”
Duke’s soulmate shrugs helplessly. “It really is personal! I know your my soulmate and all, so I’ll probably tell you one day, but right now I don’t even know your name.”
Oh shit. He’s right. Introductions completely slipped his mind, too busy reeling over the fact that his soulmate is here and alive. Which, honestly, would be enough to throw anyone off balance.
“Shoot,” Duke says. “Sorry. You just really caught me off guard. Hi, I’m Duke, I promise I’m more put together than that.”
“Hi Duke, I’m Danny, and I’ve apparently been traumatizing you for the past few years by making you think I keep dying.”
“Well. At least we’re thrown head first into the crazy. Best way to know if we’re be a good match.”
“You sure you can handle this? You seemed pretty frazzled a second ago.”
Duke flusters and lightly whacks Danny’s shoulder. “That’s normal! Anyone would do the same when meeting their soulmate for the first time!”
“Fair enough,” Danny laughs. “This is a totally weird request and you can absolutely say no, but… can I see?” He presses a hand against one of the glowing stars beneath this collar bone, looking up at Duke with wide, hopeful blue eyes, and Duke finds it so cute that he’s willing to do anything Danny wants. 
“Here,” he says as an answer, pulling the collar of his shirt down a bit to reveal the nebula spilling onto his shoulder. 
“Oh,” Danny breathes, tracing a light finger against it. “It’s beautiful.”
“I’m guessing you like space?”
“Love it. I wanted to be an astronaut, but uh…. It’s never going to happen. Health problems, you know?”
“Well, I know it’s not the same, but I hope the stars you put on my body will be a good enough replacement.”
Danny cheeks turn red and he turns away, flustered. “Don’t smooth talk me right now, I’m not ready for it,” he mutters, bringing up a hand to try to hide his expression. 
“Sorry, sorry,” Duke laughs, “I’ll try to keep the flirting down to a minimum. It’s just really great to finally meet you. And I’ve been wondering, what’s your soulmark look like?”
“Oh, well…” Danny fiddles with the long sleeve of his shirt. “I had a pretty bad accident years ago that kinda affected how my soulmark looks. So if it looks weird, that’s why, okay?” He takes a deep breath, then pushes up his sleeve, holding his wrist out to Duke. 
The first thing Duke notices is the soft yellow glow, Signal yellow to be precise, running down his arm as if sunlight fills his veins. Then he sees Danny’s soulmark, a sun with rays that wrap around his wrist. And running through his soulmark are Lichtenberg scars, glowing yellow as if stealing the color from his soulmark. 
“Guess we both got super obvious soulmarks, huh? At least we kinda match, that way.”
“That’s one way to look at it,” Danny agrees. 
“Man, what a day.” 
Danny looks more relaxed with him now. It’s much better than the startled, tense version of him that first sat down on the bench. Duke hopes he chooses to stay with him; he doesn’t admit this often, willingly, or to other people, but he’s a romantic at heart and has always wanted to live a happy life with his soulmate. It’s still far off in the future, but he hopes Danny feels the same way.
“So, are you ditching the orientation classes to?” Danny asks.
“Yeah, there’s no way I’m going. I mean, a class on how to send emails? They can’t be serious.”
“I know, right?! I saw that and thought I was being pranked. I mean, we’re going into college. We better know how to send an email by now.”
“Since we’re both free for now, wanna grab lunch with me? It can be our first date, if you want.”
“I’d love to! And you can show me around Gotham a bit. I’m coming here for college, but I haven’t really seen the city yet. It’d be nice to explore it with someone who knows where things are.”
“Are you free for the rest of the day? ‘Cause I wouldn’t mind showing you around, if you want.”
Danny smiles, radiant. “I am. I’m in your hands for the rest of the day.”
“Cool,” Duke says, trying not to think too much on that wording. It’s very suggestive, very flirtatious, and he’s looking forward to getting to know Danny more so he can start properly flirting. “Lemme just let my brother know to not wait up for me.”
He pulls out his phone and sends Dick a text that just reads: met my soulmate. going on a date now. i’ll see u back at the manor!
Then he puts his phone on silent and tucks it back into his pocket. He’ll tell Dick all about this later; for now, all his attention is on Danny. 
Soulmates get priority, even stressful ones that give him the largest soulmark he’s ever seen. 
And right now, he’s on a mission to find the best lunch spot to take his soulmate to for their first date. Everything else can come later; for now, he’s going to enjoy the time he gets to spend with Danny.
He hopes they’ve got a future together as bright as the stars in his soulmark. 
Despite it all, Duke is sure they’re going to be alright.
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arguablysomaya · 1 year
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Tim: Alright, don’t panic, but an experiment of mine is loose in the Batcave.
Dick: What?! What did you release this time?
Damian: And why is Thomas hiding behind the couch?
Tim: Yeah, Duke, don’t be ridiculous.
Duke: You mean that the creature that escaped isn't harmful?
Tim: *Laughs* No. It’s just that hiding isn’t going to protect you. It will find you.
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anonymousqualities · 22 days
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Jason: cookie monster
Dick: kermit
Tim: elmo
Damian or Duke: recording the madness
Credit: @coolguyz.online on instagram
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incorrectbatfam · 1 year
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Batman sometimes asked the rogues to keep their villainy at a minimum when his at the time Robin had a big test the coming week.
They don't. Instead, they bombard them with study trivia while fighting.
Two-Face: What's the derivative of y = (√2x - 3)/6?
Duke: √2/6. *punches Two-Face*
Ivy: What's the proper name of a temperate grassland biome?
Damian: Savannahs in Africa, steppes in Eurasia, pampas in South America, and prairies in the North. *slices through her plants* Give me a real challenge.
Killer Croc: Define a vestigial organ and name three examples.
Dick: They're rudimentary anatomical structures that are retained in a species despite having lost their primary ancestral function. *flips behind him* Like the appendix, wisdom teeth, and tonsils.
Harley: I hate this guy as much as any self-respecting psychologist, but who was the founder of psychoanalysis?
Steph: Ugh, Freud. Can we get back to the car chase?
Riddler: Riddle me this. I'm thinking of a failed military operation in 1961 aimed to overthrow Fidel Castro's government.
Tim: What is the Bay of Pigs? *throws a batarang* And why did I answer that like a Jeopardy question?
Mad Hatter: What point about humanity was William Golding making in Lord of the Flies?
Jason: Trick question. It's a satire written in response to popular works of the time depicting young privileged boys as successful in their adventures and aimed to showcase the more accurate behavior of that particular demographic when faced with isolation and uncertainty.
*explosions*
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wriochilde · 5 months
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this is what i wished for, a night of insanity
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nelkcats · 1 year
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Build a bear
Danny went to build his own teddy bear with his parents out of town, Jazz suggested that he could make them say they loved him and record it for life, which would help him when he went to college or finally decides to reveal himself to them, that idea reassured him more than it seemed.
His sister probably wanted him to have a "support bear" like her own, Bearbert, and honestly his old teddy bear was good enough, but maybe a new one with a love reminder would help.
Amity was a small town, so the build a bear shops weren't really there, at least he had found one near Jersey, it was a long drive but he was willing to convince his parents to go.
When they finally arrived at the location, using the excuse of a ghost infestation to lure them; he tried to make a recording of his parents love words but all he ends up recording is "Let's destroy that ectoplasmic scum, he's a threat" with a lot of little lengthy things about Phantom and what they would like to do to him, wich only made him sad.
The last thing that could be heard on the recording was "I just wanted them to tell me they loved me, to remember it when they tie me to that laboratory table" in frustration.
Danny decides to give up and puts the teddy back on the shelf, the manager looks at him sadly and he just pays for it, he did not wanted to cause the employee more trouble; at the end he went back to the GAV, empty-handed and trying to remind himself that his parents love him, even if their priorities are weird and misplaced.
Days later, the Waynes drag Damian into the same store, Damian grumbling the entire way that he didn't need kid's stuff.
While the demon boy complains about the uselessness of everything, Jason notices a green teddy bear, with a jumpsuit full of stars and a sign that says "Boo", it was obviously made to remind a ghost, and he was amused by the "dead" bear so he asked the manager the price, she denies and comments that it was already paid for, but the boy never took it.
More surprised than curious, Jason holds the bear in his arms, squeezing it, it was fluffy; that caused the last thing that was recorded to be played. His blood ran cold hearing what sound like a couple of crazy doctors preparing a vivisection, this in itself was terrible, but the worst part is that the boy's voice at the end, although a little damaged, implied that he was the experiment.
Reluctantly he decided to take the bear to his brothers, this is a mystery in the form of a teddy bear and they are not going to let it go. Even if it's not directly a cry for help, he recognizes incompetent parents and a dangerous situation when he sees one.
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qcomicsy · 9 months
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"Damian can get away with everything he says because he's the youngest" "Damian can weaponize his youngest power to get what he wants and say what he wants" Buddy that's Duke.
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Duke have said some shit to this family that if any other person said they would end up with a broken nose.
Even when he does get beat up, it's really fucking clear they're all going easy on him.
Now Damian????
If Damian said or pulled half of the shit Thomas does he would get sucked punch.
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pixiatn · 1 year
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Another random sleep deprived 3am Duke and Danny prompt
Duke summons the Ghost King as a desperate last attempt to heal/help his parents. He receives not only help but also a new husband (Danny said "oh yeah I'll help you with ur parents but in return I get ur hand in marriage" as a joke, Duke immediately agreed on the count of desperately wanting his parents to get better. Danny tries to explain "IT WAS A JOKE, IT WAS A JOKE" but whoops too late ghostly deal has now been sealed, the wedding invitations have already been sent out🫠)
2 days later John Constantine burst into the watchtower during a meeting, slams a wedding invite in the table, points at batman and says "why the FUCK is YOUR SON MARRYING THE GHOST KING"
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rubydubydoo122 · 2 months
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Bruce loves all of his Kids but god is he a horrible father. He’s a good person, but a bad parent and the only way he could get to maybe possibly being a good parent is going to a therapist. One that he actually talks about the Batman thing with too.
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batkidsaremadkids · 11 months
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Dick: I'm not saying work with him. I'm saying work around him.
Jason: It's cleaner and smarter to make him disappear.
Duke: Bonk him on the head, have O wipe his ID and credit rating, and dump him in Venezuela?
Jason: I'm so proud of you right know.
*fistbump*
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manquesit0 · 8 months
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HELLO AGAIN EVILLIOUS CHRONICLES FANDOM
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shirecorn · 1 year
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*raises hand*
does nightmare moon ouccur in this fancy lore version of mlp? if so, how?
Yes, and there is an area of equestria with craters from stomping hooves and a massive valley where one of the goddesses was thrown to the earth. It's a fertile river valley now with a huge blooming city (idk which city. pick one for me)
I havent decided if the battle is going to be a painting or a fic, but I made a playlist that will inspire me when I do get to it.
These songs are picked on vibe rather than lyrics.
Please picture you are a pony watching the sky catch fire and burn, darkened by choking, star-filled smoke, split with sunbeams that char the ground on which they hit. None of it is aimed at you. None of it is aimed at the village where your father lives. None of it is meant to destroy the land or leave chasms where there were once people.
The gods aren't angry with you. But there is a hole where there used to be a town. You know no one survived.
As they cast beams of magic into the sky that rip the atmosphere to shreds, you wonder if the next earthquake will land closer or further from the place where you stand.
You close your eyes and pray it takes you next.
It includes at least one song from an MLP au that I don't know anything about except that the music SLAPS. And that's Infinite Eclipse songs by JC Rowss
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lyranix1201 · 5 days
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[Spoiler warning for nevermore if you haven't read it, i highly recommended it :) ]
One thing that I don't see people talk about enough, is the fact that Annabelle lee started chaos in nevermore academy for no fucking reason. ( I know why she did it, I have read nevermore more then 10 times, don't worry🙂.)
Like this girl started chaos because she could. she did it for the TEA, she did for the DRAMA, she did it for the PLOT, SHE DID IT FOR THE ENTER-TAIN-MENT. She did it because she could, not because she should. Let me repeat myself, SHE DID BECAUSE SHE COULD, NOT BECAUSE SHE SHOULD. This girl just wanted to be entertained, nothing hits better then to lie to everyone and say that your fiancé/wife is your number enemy. Like No wonder Annabelle lee is Merry and mourn favourite, they both like a little antertainment in there life and watching people fall for their evil scams ( yes scams, I know what I said)
Annabelle Lee probably: "if I'm going to die again, atleast let me be entertained."
And the way she set up Ada in the most cruel ass way too. 😂 ( it is something that never fails to make me laugh.). Putting lenore Best man in to a wall, make morella choose between her and lenore, switch out pluto for morella (that was just fucking wrong, for her to do), almost letting monty die.(she should have left his ass on the Goddamn stairs, later on it will bite her in the ass, i promis you. No..... because monty needs to thank Ada and Will for stopping Annabelle lee, because she was about to leave his ass to rot.). Making poor Prospero have Monty as his roommate (all of my sympathy goes out to prospero, i know that this motherfuck monty doesn't take showers, i know that this man smells nasty. like imagine being monty roomate, like hellllll nooooo. Prospero is god strongest soldiers and Duke is too).
No because she could have just told people she didn't know lenore and that she met her outside. She could have just said that lenore was really nice to her and that she even saved her from a demon outside (it is not a complete lie, no one would know better and they could have just acted like they were friends). But nooooo she wanted to spice up some shit, and now look at this shit, now your wife is mad at you.
If it isn't the consequences of my own actions.
(I still love my beautiful wife Annabelle lee🥰. like the frase some people like to say, good for her.)
( I know why she did it, I have read nevermore more then 10 times, don't worry🙂.)
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