No hate! No bullying! All disabilities, LGBTQ+, and those of any background are welcome!
Bucky Barnes
In Your Eyes- a Bucky x fem! reader multichapter
Summary: After being stuck as an asset on par with the Winter Soldier in HYDRA for years, you're found by a man named Bucky in a lab after being left to die. Now you're fighting secrets, programming, and feelings
CW: Blood, lots of angst, abuse in HYDRA, themes of grief
Code Coffee- Hurt/ Comfort Angst Panic Attack - No smut
Summary: You're an ex HYDRA asset trying to adjust to your new life at the Avengers Tower when you get some help from your new companion Bucky
Unspoken - Fluff Hurt/ Comfort Angst - No smut
Summary: After being rescued from a lab in HYDRA, you refuse to speak to anyone until Bucky decides it's time to break the silence
Reflection - Angst Hurt/Comfort Warning for blood - No smut
Summary: While on a mission, Bucky finds you, a HYDRA experiment left to die in a lab where he finds a broken reflection of his own past
No More Tears - Unresolved Romantic Tension - flirting- panic attack - No smut
Summary: After being rescued from HYDRA, Bucky finds you letting out your anger in the training room, until you begin letting out a few other feelings as things heat up while sparring
A Sweet Mess - Hurt/Comfort - Domestic Fluff - No smut
Your plans to bake cookies for your boyfriend, Bucky Barnes, go up in flames (literally). Can this get any messier? Well, in the middle of a panic attack, you accidentally call him your husband-
The Little Things - Confessions - Flirting - No smut
After surviving so much living under HYDRA's cruel conditions for so many years, feelings, especially the ones you're feeling around the person who understands your pain the most, are complicated. How do you deal with them? By leaving a trail of gifts behind which leads right back to you
Clark Kent
Frenemies - Multi-chapter enemies to lovers - Part 1 Part 2
What happens when your friend is also your enemy?
During the day, you work beside your newfound friend Clark as a journalist at the Daily Planet. At night, you're Metropolis's newest villain and Superman's latest enemy, known as The Shadow - a lost experiment of Lex Luthor who ran away. Hatred and heart often go hand in hand- the only question is which one is stronger?
Secret Santa - Holiday Special
Once again, you find yourself as your co-worker, Clark's, Secret Santa, but that's not the only secret you're hiding this year. Which one is bigger? That you have the biggest crush on your secret Santa, or that you know he's Superman?
Drabbles
Period Comfort
First Kiss
You're sick and Clark is clingy
Loki -
"When the World Ends" - Childhood friends/ slight angst
Summary: Loki and you are childhood friends in Asgard. Everything seems perfect until a prophecy could either rip you apart or bring you together at the end of the world.
Arcane-
"Dearest Gentle Reader" Bridgerton AU - currently on hiatus!
CaitVi/Timebomb/ Historical drama
(links to each on my Ao3)
Mistletoe Madness - Christmas Special
Original Works - Love Bites- Monster Romance
A series of monster OCs x reader oneshots featuring vampires, orcs, cryptids, monsters, and more!
Takes you directly to my Wattpad page!
K-pop Demon Hunters
My Girl- Bobby x fem! Reader
Summary: Now a failed idol, you find yourself in a dream job as a management intern for the Huntrixx, working alongside the manager of the biggest K-pop group in the world. Strange patterns are appearing on your arms, a boy band causes chaos, and you may be getting feelings for the sweet manager
Find your harmony - Bobby x fem! Reader
While hosting the Huntrixx Winter Gala, you run into their manager - literally
Note: I will take requests for other KPDH characters, I just got a lot of Bobby requests
Batfam
Guidelines to making Batfam requests here
Safe and Sound - BatDad! x Batsis! reader
Note: Obviously platonic we do not support batfam shipping on this blog
While on patrol one night, you get injured, and Bruce is reminded of why he protects in the first place. Just when things take a turn for the worst, family comes together when it matters most
City of Ghosts - Batfamily x Batsis! Reader - Multi-chapter
Summary: After being experimented on for years in a lab dedicated to metahumans, the batfamily shows up and your life is changed forever
Soon, family secrets, mystery, and a shocking truth come together
Recent discourse reminds me of that cult indoctrination trick that's often used to weed out more difficult marks early on, where they tell you all that you aren't allowed to eat rice on Tuesdays and then if you protest they go "wow SOMEBODY likes rice a little much huh" as if you're the fucking weirdo who cares too much about how much rice is consumed between Monday and Wednesday instead of them.
And this forces you to decide whether your autonomy matters to you more than the approval of the group - while they'll still act like you're on thin ice either way, if you give in at this point they know you're theirs forever, because now they've established a foothold, you've shown a moral weakness, which they will brand you with so it can be used against you in the future ("hey RICE-addict here doesn't want help break into the city records office") to force you to double-down and isolate you further.
And if instead you do decide to push back further, after your abrupt departure from the group ("You're seriously leaving us over RICE?!? Seriously?") and subsequent ostracism, you can then be used as a demonstration to the others who were more pliable, of how the outgroup is full of people like you who are obsessed with violating the No-Tuesday-Rice rule to the point where they'll abandon all their friends, who cared so much for them, so it clearly isn't an arbitrary restriction, you're the kind of monster these rules are intended to protect them from, thus all the other wise and esoteric precepts of the charismatic leader are implied to be equally justified.
This isn't just for cults either! Shitty partners, bosses, friends - they all do variants of this where if you kick back the first time they make an unreasonable request, it proves you weren't ever committed since you'd let such a small thing ruin everything. And of course, if it's the third or the tenth unreasonable thing they ask of you, it's SUCH A SMALL THING to be a deal-breaker at this late point in your relationship!
I want to point out this can be used in religious settings as well as a form of abuse. Growing up in church, I would openly disagree with their beliefs on women. First it started with making fun of my clothes ("Wow, that jacket isn't appropriate for church! What? You won't give up such a little thing for God?) and escalated into deliberately telling me that I had to be submissive in all ways because I was a woman. From the start, I didn't give up my jacket, and I refuse to give up my autonomy as a woman either. Lost a childhood friend because her parents convinced her I was the "enemy" because of this
While not all churches are like this, there is an increasing number lately that twist beliefs to abuse, and churches can become cults.
you are correct cringe culture is dead and I’m here for it. So…top five faves? I’d say mine are Peter Parker (Tasm obviously), Jayce Talis (Arcane), Maverick (Top Gun 1986), Michael Afton (FNAF movie), and a more recent one!! Sherlock Holmes (Enola Holmes)…I fear I am stuck forever on brunettes 😔😔
omg that's so funny because we have some of the same and opposite tastes. Viktor is more my type from Arcane, and Jayce is not ꒰꧞ ˃ 𛱊 ˂
On the other hand, I could never get the Henry Cavill hype until I saw him as Sherlock. Guess you just got to put a guy in a waistcoat for me to fall for him
As for my top five, it would be hard to narrrow down. For now, in no particular order I would say Loki (Marvel), Howl, (Howl's Moving Castle), Viktor (Arcane duh), Astarion (BG3 - I've never even played the game before but the playthroughs I've watched got to me), and one that's been growing on me lately is Jason Todd. Gotta love a socially aware classic lit loving man!
Anyway, take that list as you will and try to ignore my obvious issue with red flags in fictional characters ദ്ദി ˙ᗜ˙ )
(Not irl ofc)
Btw what specifically do you like about each of your top fives???
let’s start with Peter then lol. Obviously Andrew Garfield cause duh, but also like…he’s so kind?? And nerdy?? Like good lord I need a kind nerdy man that also has good biceps 🔥🔥
Jayce is also the same lol, like he’s kind and nerdy, and…oh god he has biceps too. I’m noticing a pattern. But mostly cause that man CARESSS. Also Viktor is so valid he’s a close second fr.
Maverick is more of the cocky side of things cause I love me a cocky man in the fictional sense, most of the time it’s a red flag irl lol. But yeah…biceps too. And he cares too. Uh oh.
Michael Afton is literally cause he’s such a freak lmao. Like a creepy lil goober I stg, plus Freddy Carter is also a super nice person in general so that’s a plus. But I honestly love his movie adaptation even tho a lot of people hate on him.
Sherlock…a mix of all of the above except for Michael lol. Kinda cocky, kind, biceps, a bit nerdy cause cmon you gotta be a nerd to solve crime fr. But I 110% agree with the waistcoat thing. (Kaz Brekker honorable mention hello)
ALSO HELLOOOO HOWL CHRISTIAN BALE MY BELOVED. All of those are so valid, and I love Todd even though I barely know his lore. See above for the reasons HAHAH
oh my god fr. I first saw him in Newsies hahah, and I’ve been meaning to watch Howl’s Moving Castle but I haven’t found it anywhere 😔. But I bet I’ll be going ham over Howl from what I’ve heard of himmm
you are correct cringe culture is dead and I’m here for it. So…top five faves? I’d say mine are Peter Parker (Tasm obviously), Jayce Talis (Arcane), Maverick (Top Gun 1986), Michael Afton (FNAF movie), and a more recent one!! Sherlock Holmes (Enola Holmes)…I fear I am stuck forever on brunettes 😔😔
omg that's so funny because we have some of the same and opposite tastes. Viktor is more my type from Arcane, and Jayce is not ꒰꧞ ˃ 𛱊 ˂
On the other hand, I could never get the Henry Cavill hype until I saw him as Sherlock. Guess you just got to put a guy in a waistcoat for me to fall for him
As for my top five, it would be hard to narrrow down. For now, in no particular order I would say Loki (Marvel), Howl, (Howl's Moving Castle), Viktor (Arcane duh), Astarion (BG3 - I've never even played the game before but the playthroughs I've watched got to me), and one that's been growing on me lately is Jason Todd. Gotta love a socially aware classic lit loving man!
Anyway, take that list as you will and try to ignore my obvious issue with red flags in fictional characters ദ്ദി ˙ᗜ˙ )
(Not irl ofc)
Btw what specifically do you like about each of your top fives???
let’s start with Peter then lol. Obviously Andrew Garfield cause duh, but also like…he’s so kind?? And nerdy?? Like good lord I need a kind nerdy man that also has good biceps 🔥🔥
Jayce is also the same lol, like he’s kind and nerdy, and…oh god he has biceps too. I’m noticing a pattern. But mostly cause that man CARESSS. Also Viktor is so valid he’s a close second fr.
Maverick is more of the cocky side of things cause I love me a cocky man in the fictional sense, most of the time it’s a red flag irl lol. But yeah…biceps too. And he cares too. Uh oh.
Michael Afton is literally cause he’s such a freak lmao. Like a creepy lil goober I stg, plus Freddy Carter is also a super nice person in general so that’s a plus. But I honestly love his movie adaptation even tho a lot of people hate on him.
Sherlock…a mix of all of the above except for Michael lol. Kinda cocky, kind, biceps, a bit nerdy cause cmon you gotta be a nerd to solve crime fr. But I 110% agree with the waistcoat thing. (Kaz Brekker honorable mention hello)
ALSO HELLOOOO HOWL CHRISTIAN BALE MY BELOVED. All of those are so valid, and I love Todd even though I barely know his lore. See above for the reasons HAHAH
oh my god fr. I first saw him in Newsies hahah, and I’ve been meaning to watch Howl’s Moving Castle but I haven’t found it anywhere 😔. But I bet I’ll be going ham over Howl from what I’ve heard of himmm
I NEVER THOUGHT HE WAS HOT UNTIL THE SWEATER AND GLASSES OMG!! Also I read the book and I’ve only seen clips from the movie but like…damn.
(psssst also if you’re doing reqs still then id like one where the reader is another astronaut with him thats a photographer and she wants to take pics of him for the documenting process and he’s super shy and she ends up complimenting him and stuff…hehehe)
I NEVER THOUGHT HE WAS HOT UNTIL THE SWEATER AND GLASSES OMG!! Also I read the book and I’ve only seen clips from the movie but like…damn.
(psssst also if you’re doing reqs still then id like one where the reader is another astronaut with him thats a photographer and she wants to take pics of him for the documenting process and he’s super shy and she ends up complimenting him and stuff…hehehe)
you are correct cringe culture is dead and I’m here for it. So…top five faves? I’d say mine are Peter Parker (Tasm obviously), Jayce Talis (Arcane), Maverick (Top Gun 1986), Michael Afton (FNAF movie), and a more recent one!! Sherlock Holmes (Enola Holmes)…I fear I am stuck forever on brunettes 😔😔
omg that's so funny because we have some of the same and opposite tastes. Viktor is more my type from Arcane, and Jayce is not ꒰꧞ ˃ 𛱊 ˂
On the other hand, I could never get the Henry Cavill hype until I saw him as Sherlock. Guess you just got to put a guy in a waistcoat for me to fall for him
As for my top five, it would be hard to narrrow down. For now, in no particular order I would say Loki (Marvel), Howl, (Howl's Moving Castle), Viktor (Arcane duh), Astarion (BG3 - I've never even played the game before but the playthroughs I've watched got to me), and one that's been growing on me lately is Jason Todd. Gotta love a socially aware classic lit loving man!
Anyway, take that list as you will and try to ignore my obvious issue with red flags in fictional characters ദ്ദി ˙ᗜ˙ )
(Not irl ofc)
Btw what specifically do you like about each of your top fives???
let’s start with Peter then lol. Obviously Andrew Garfield cause duh, but also like…he’s so kind?? And nerdy?? Like good lord I need a kind nerdy man that also has good biceps 🔥🔥
Jayce is also the same lol, like he’s kind and nerdy, and…oh god he has biceps too. I’m noticing a pattern. But mostly cause that man CARESSS. Also Viktor is so valid he’s a close second fr.
Maverick is more of the cocky side of things cause I love me a cocky man in the fictional sense, most of the time it’s a red flag irl lol. But yeah…biceps too. And he cares too. Uh oh.
Michael Afton is literally cause he’s such a freak lmao. Like a creepy lil goober I stg, plus Freddy Carter is also a super nice person in general so that’s a plus. But I honestly love his movie adaptation even tho a lot of people hate on him.
Sherlock…a mix of all of the above except for Michael lol. Kinda cocky, kind, biceps, a bit nerdy cause cmon you gotta be a nerd to solve crime fr. But I 110% agree with the waistcoat thing. (Kaz Brekker honorable mention hello)
ALSO HELLOOOO HOWL CHRISTIAN BALE MY BELOVED. All of those are so valid, and I love Todd even though I barely know his lore. See above for the reasons HAHAH
you are correct cringe culture is dead and I’m here for it. So…top five faves? I’d say mine are Peter Parker (Tasm obviously), Jayce Talis (Arcane), Maverick (Top Gun 1986), Michael Afton (FNAF movie), and a more recent one!! Sherlock Holmes (Enola Holmes)…I fear I am stuck forever on brunettes 😔😔
omg that's so funny because we have some of the same and opposite tastes. Viktor is more my type from Arcane, and Jayce is not ꒰꧞ ˃ 𛱊 ˂
On the other hand, I could never get the Henry Cavill hype until I saw him as Sherlock. Guess you just got to put a guy in a waistcoat for me to fall for him
As for my top five, it would be hard to narrrow down. For now, in no particular order I would say Loki (Marvel), Howl, (Howl's Moving Castle), Viktor (Arcane duh), Astarion (BG3 - I've never even played the game before but the playthroughs I've watched got to me), and one that's been growing on me lately is Jason Todd. Gotta love a socially aware classic lit loving man!
Anyway, take that list as you will and try to ignore my obvious issue with red flags in fictional characters ദ്ദി ˙ᗜ˙ )
(Not irl ofc)
Btw what specifically do you like about each of your top fives???
I'm forever a supporter of having fictional crushes because cringe is dead, so if anyone ever wants to drop anything in my inbox to yap about their own fav characters or ask me about some of my own, feel free!!! I love to fangirl (or fan-whatever gender you are) with others about them!
Hear me out on this Jason x reader idea. Basically, Jason gets super critically injured one night on patrol and thinks he's close to death again. When out of nowhere, reader who is a metahuman with wings, shows up and saves his life. Now Jason is 100% convinced he's dying again and woke up in Heaven as reader spends the next week trying to keep him alive. After recovering, she disappears, but a certain winged vigilante keeps showing up and helping him out. Now Jason is convinced he has his own personal guardian angel.
Summary: A few weeks have passed since you were brought back from the dead by your so-called husband, Ezra, and you're adjusting. Meanwhile, old memories begin to resurface, only bringing more questions.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Thunder roared outside the lab, gray clouds casting a shadow over the already bleak landscape. Raindrops fell onto the glass, sliding against the cool surface like tears. You pressed a stitched hand to the window, the other holding onto a warm cup of tea Ezra had made for you, a blanket over your shoulders as you sat on the cushioned bay window. While your new body had made more adjustments, your internal body temperature was still learning to act as if it belonged to a normal living body.
Ezra had never told you specifically where you lived, but from the window of the now bedroom he had moved you into, you could see a dark forest stretching far out beyond the lab. Rather, the old manor he had converted into a lab. Apparently, he had found the place cheap for sale and falling apart. The perfect place to hide in secret, considering how unethical the other scientists had found his experiments.
What had he done wrong? If it was truly out of love for you, then was that so awful, even if he was playing with the very laws of nature? If you had been a stranger, of course, it would be wrong, but you were his wife, right? A familiar doubt crept up on you in your gut, leaving you second-guessing.
At least for the past few weeks, you have been able to pass the time in the lab. Since your motor functions had improved, he gave you your own side of it to experiment with, however you wished. It was odd; you could remember exactly how to use the equipment, equations, and more, like some sort of muscle memory of when you had been a scientist. Yet, you couldn't remember a single thing about your past except for small flashes, like lightning.
A paper in your hand, an ad for a lab partner.
Ezra's bright smile in the crowd, eyes on you as you won an award.
"I told you not to leave on the burner! You never listen! We have to leave...we need to get out of here- Ah!"
Fire. So much fire. Smoke in your lungs, choking you out.
Wait? What memory was that?! Closing your eyes, you tried to hold onto it, only for it to slip away again.
"Oh darlinggggg!" Ezra's voice echoed down the halls, his footsteps getting closer. "I have a surprise for you!" The sound of his voice made your head snap to the door, a small thrill of excitement in you. Ezra must be someone you had loved once, right? Or else your heart wouldn't pound so much when you knew he was near.
Ezra stood at the door, in regular clothes rather than a lab coat for once, hiding something behind his back, eyes wide at the sight of you. It was as if even seeing you made him grow happier, that strange mad glint in his eye. Madly in love, you supposed.
Curiously, you tilted your head. "You got me a gift?" you asked skeptically. "What's the occasion?"
"Oh, I just wanted to buy you something!" he smiled, presenting a bouquet of flowers with a small wrapped box. Lilies? Had those been your favorites once? The gesture still made your lips try to upturn into a smile. Shakily, you reached out, wrapping your hands around the flowers, fingers tracing the petals as you stared. While grand gestures were no rarity when it came to him, this was the first romantic one.
"Do you like them?" he asked tentatively, as if the universe hinged on your answer.
"I love them," you answered honestly, still staring at them in awe. It was technically the first gift you remembered ever receiving. A soft laugh of delight bubbled up from his throat as he explained excitedly, "Lilies are your favorites! When I saw these today, they reminded me of you...so pretty, just like my beautiful creation! Oh! How could I forget?" Ezra shoved the box towards you, topped with a silky ribbon.
"Go on! Open it!"
Trembling, you struggled with the paper and ribbon, your new hands once again not wanting to function. Frustrated, you tore some of the paper off with a large rip.
Ezra's face flooded with guilt, tone apologetic. "Darling, I'm so sorry! What was I thinking? I shouldn't have wrapped it. I can be so stupid sometimes."
"I thought you were some sort of genius," you scoffed.
"Not always," he responded, a smile playing on his lips. "I've missed your spunk, you know. Before all this, you were the type to never back down, and you called someone out when it was needed, even me. It's one of the things I loved most about you."
Reaching out, he nearly touched your face before pulling away. Your eyes landed on the wedding band around his finger, which you hadn't noticed before, considering he usually had gloves on. Had he worn it this whole time? Ezra glanced away, running a hand through his messy hair nervously. "Sorry, I don't want to push you. We may still be married, but I understand that with your amnesia, I'm basically still a stranger," he mumbled. "I'll wait until you're ready."
Quietly, he handed over what had been wrapped in paper, setting a book titled A Guide to the Stars in your hands. The words seemed to stare back at you as you traced over them, a hint of joy you hadn't felt in a while filling you.
"You were a biochemist and tech expert, but your heart was with astronomy," he explained. "I thought you might like this."
Instinctively, you hugged the book to your chest, as you often had in the past. The scent of ink and paper felt right, as if a part of yourself had returned. "Thanks," you whispered.
Now would be the perfect time to ask about your past. Any information at all could be valuable to figuring out the truth. "You said I was a biochemist?" you asked. Ezra froze only a moment, fingers tightening on the chair he was sitting on before going back to his usual self. It was only a second, but it was something. Enough proof that that he could be hiding something.
"Yes, you were a biochemist. One of the best, actually," he explained, a hint of pride in his voice. "You were one of the youngest graduates on our team, only 24 when you arrived in the lab. I was only a year older, so you took my spot as the gifted one. All you wanted to do was change the world, and if anyone could, it was you." He glanced over at you.
"What specifically did I study?" you questioned, pressing for more. "Why did Vincent want me dead?"
A shadow seemed to pass over Ezra, anger filling his features. "Vincent was selfish, and he couldn't stand seeing you take his place," he said in a low tone. "The man would do anything to stay at the top, so when you were on the verge of discovering a possible chemical compound that could create better energy sources, all he saw was money." He curled a fist, hands shaking. "You actually had a heart. You insisted that the idea be used for free energy. To help the environment, but he didn't care. I think he must have stolen the formulas during the fire."
Fire? So there had been a fire. "Fire?" you asked. "What fire?"
"Can we not talk about this right now?" Ezra asked, on the verge of tears again. "You deserve answers, but I can't-can't do this again. Can't remember-" The man seemed to be breaking apart, tears slipping past his glasses.
As much as you wanted to push him, you doubted any answers you got right now would be clear. Whatever he had done to revive you had obviously worn down his sanity a bit, and you needed him to keep a straight mind if you ever wanted to know the truth.
"We can talk about it another day," you sighed, shivering a bit from the cold room. Wiping away tears, he muttered, "A-Are you cold? I can get you another blanket if you want. More tea? Body heat helps; I could get under the covers with you." The mere idea made him blush furiously.
Immediately, he tried to backtrack, nervously stumbling over his words. "I only meant to help! Nothing more! I wouldn't do that- unless you wanted to, of course, but that's not what I meant!"
Now that you thought about it, that odd ache in your chest returned. The one that made you want to get closer to him, to hold tight and ease the pain in your muscles. All you wanted was to feel anything right now after being stuck in this lab for so long. To feel like anything but a freak.
"I could use the warmth," you admitted. "We could read the book together."
Ezra's eyes lit up, already buzzing with excitement at the thought of being near you, let alone holding you again in his arms. "Are you sure?" he questioned. You nodded, only making his face grow more red as he slid in next to you by the window. Gently, he reached up, tracing the stitches along your face reverently. "Oh, how I've missed you," he muttered under his breath. "Missed being able to hold you close." Heat once again crept up your cheeks at the gesture. Odd feelings flooded you with a rush of emotions that were too confusing, too much. Instead, you curled up closer, letting yourself close your eyes.
Another shiver went down your spine, but it wasn't from the cold.
A pair of arms wrapped around you as he pressed himself against you, with no space between. A sigh of relief escaped you as you moved closer, resting your head on his shoulder. Looks like you were getting more clingy by the day. The formula must be working.
Wasn't he so sweet to make it just for you to be happier? At least, that's how he saw it.
"Sorry, I think I'm tired," you yawned, growing oddly sleepy.
"Shhh..." he whispered against your ear, running fingers on the top of your head. "Just relax. It's okay, you need to rest now. I'll hold you until you're awake, so nobody can take you away again." Leaning in, he let his lips hover above your forehead. "May I?"
A part of your heart swelled at the sweet gesture, feeling human again for a moment. You chased that feeling, quickly nodding. Ezra pressed a kiss there, barely letting his lips brush your forehead. Then he did it again, letting it linger a moment.
"Can you tell me about our wedding?" you asked, unsure where the question even came from. Ezra's eyes misted over a bit, only saying, "You were the most beautiful bride..." It was the only words he could get out.
You had been beautiful in your wedding gown. Too bad it was the last thing he had seen you in before you died.
Made this one a bit longer to make up for the lost time!
Btw everyone, I have the Rose's Thorn on my Ao3 account as well if you prefer that format or want to give it some kudos! The link is here A Rose's Thorn - Chapter 1 - daily_delulu - Multifandom [Archive of Our Own]
Okay guys, so I have some upcoming prep for university and need to shorten some of my batfam fics a bit. For a while, I'm going to focus on oneshots and mini-series/ requests before I get back to City of Ghosts. After I'm done with A Rose's Thorn, what would you want to see next???
All of these are batsis! fics btw
Next Batfam Fic???
First Gala Drama
Joker kidnaps batsis (Joker Jr. inspired)
Scarecrow Fear Toxin Angst
Batsis's first date - The fam freaks out
Fam discovers batsis has a celebrity crush on a JLA member (Crackfic/ comedy)
Pairing: Platonic batfam x batsis! reader -5k words
Summary: After Poison Ivy escapes, you face cuddle pollen for the first time, faking immunity until your family discovers a harsh truth
tw: typical sibling fights, batsis is metahuman, she used to be in a lab, experimentation, cuddle pollen, touch-starvation/ touch-aversion, complicated father-daughter relationships, trauma, PTSD, and ai data centers mentioned, heavy angst
Note: So this ended up being longer than expected, so I'm splitting it in half!
They say every rose has its thorns, but some are sharper than others. In your family, you were definitely the rose in the garden. While many roses bloom brightly, others are tangled, sharp, and unable to be plucked. You were of the thornier variety.
Everyone knew you had one of the biggest hearts of anyone, even rivaling your older brother
Dick's reputation, but that heart was buried beneath many layers of attitude, stubbornness, and a sharp tongue. Even if you didn't have as much training as the others, you were the dread of every criminal in Gotham. Essentially, nobody wanted to cross Sparrow in a dark alley at night. Even so, a rose is a rose, and your family loved you, thorns and all, even when those thorns pushed them away.
“You know, I had some math homework due tonight,” you grumbled to your older brother, Dick, as you walked down the dark halls of the abandoned factory. Tonight, Poison Ivy kidnapped the CEO of a large tech startup to stop his plans to build a data center on a field with an endangered species of flowers, threatening to kill him if he didn’t cancel the plans by midnight. The captive was hidden somewhere in an old building in Gotham, as far as Oracle could tell from the ransom footage, but the exact one hadn’t been pinpointed yet, which meant all of you had to head out in teams to find him. Bruce was meeting with Ivy at a rendezvous point to negotiate.
Why did rogues always pick when you were practically drawing in assignments? Honestly, you couldn’t exactly blame Ivy for what she was doing. Not completely, at least, even if you disagreed with the whole threatening part. The problem with Ivy was that she always had a point. After all, the elite’s control grew more and more each day, their greed rooted in everything until it ruined others' lives. Despite the fact that the CEO’s project would force people who lived near the fields to move, nobody would care because he was well-loved and respected among the rich. Usually, the worst people are. People like him were weeds needing to be plucked. While this may seem hypocritical of you to think as the daughter of a billionaire, who else would know how corrupt they were?
Dick shrugged, his voice breaking you from your thoughts. “Come on, stop trying to be so perfect all the time. Don’t you already make straight As? That’s better than I did in college.”
“Maybe, but my professors are not exactly huge fans of me,” you went on. “Especially since I’ve already missed twelve classes this semester because I was up all night saving the city. Don’t even get me started on this one. I disagreed with him on one thing, and now he’s got it out for me-”
“Professors can be know-it-alls,” he said. “But I be-leaf in you.”
“Seriously? I don’t have time for your plant puns right now!” you sighed, nudging him in his side. “Could you lock in?”
Dick held out an arm, shushing you, “Wait, I think I heard something.” Quickly, you grabbed the batarang at your side, glancing around the room for anything.
“I think I hear a perfectionist who needs a serious visit from Mr. Freeze,” he teased, but there was a hint of frustration in his tone. “Because you need to learn to chill.”
Rolling your eyes, you scoffed, “Sorry for caring about my future! At least I’m a self-aware perfectionist.”
Dick stopped in his tracks, turning to face you with a mix of scolding and concern. “You put all of yourself into everything you do, okay? Patrol. Charity work. Grades. Nobody’s putting that sort of pressure on you. At this rate, you’re going to get burned out quickly. Stubbornness will only take you so far.”
Pressure? Irritation rose up in you at the very notion. Of course, you were pressured! Batman was your father! Despite how little you cared for following his orders during patrols, every correction, piece of feedback, and harsh word was carved into your memory, even when he took them back. Words could be forgiven, but never forgotten.
Okay, okay…so logically, you knew Dick had a point. Bruce told you to keep good grades, not perfect ones. After you started attending Gotham University, he assured you that you could take time off from vigilante work unless there was a major emergency. Even offered to hire someone to handle the details of the charity foundation you created until you graduated to make things easier. Yet you insisted on keeping things as they were, maybe to avoid focusing too long on memories you’d rather forget.
“Just promise me you’ll take care of yourself,” he added. Stupid older sibling powers! They always had a way of noticing how you were feeling, no matter how much you tried to hide it. “I know my limits,” you insisted.
With a long sigh, he quietly went to check a few more parts of the factory for the hostage. There was no use in arguing. After all, you were the most stubborn of Waynes.
Footsteps echoed off the walls as you made your way to the other side of the room, looking for anything out of the ordinary. There was something eerie about this place. In the back of your mind, there was a nagging feeling of wrongness. Probably the sleep deprivation. Although why would Ivy pick here? Usually, she would choose a greenhouse or the botanical gardens, so she would have plenty of access to plants if needed to defend herself.
Oracle’s voice came over the comms, “Nightwing and Sparrow, I’ve managed to track the CEO's phone, and he should be at your location. As far as I can tell, he should be somewhere on the second floor.
“Got it,” you nodded. “Anything else?”
“Be careful. This is almost too easy for Ivy,” she warned. “Keep a sharp eye.”
“I’ve already considered that, but we brought our rebreathers if she has any pollen traps set,” you assured. “We’ll be in and out quick.”
Turning your line off, you signaled for Dick to follow you up the stairs. The two of you made your way towards the second floor, going carefully. Each step felt heavier than the last, a sense of dread in the air you couldn’t quite place.
“Are you sure we can’t just overlook this one?” you asked as you made your way up. “It’s not like the world needs ANOTHER data center! Nobody is going to miss that guy.”
“I don’t blame you, but remember it’s our job to protect everyone in this city, even the jerks,” he reminded, although a bit reluctantly.
“Can we at least let Ivy scare him a bit?” you suggested, with a hint of eagerness. “At least until he changes his mind.”
Internally, Dick groaned. Not because of the idea, but because it felt like he was dealing with Jason all over again.
“As much as I would enjoy that, we need to stop Ivy as soon as possible. Heard she’s formulated a strand of a stronger pollen,” Dick warned. “I’m guessing it’s cuddle pollen.”
“Wait,” you stopped in your tracks, staring at him as if he were insane. “Cuddle Pollen isn’t a joke? I thought you guys made that up to mess with me.”
“No, it’s real,” he said in a tone serious enough that he wasn’t lying. “Trust me, it’s not as cute as it sounds. Without physical human contact, it can be really painful. The first time I was exposed was as Robin, and B could barely drive back to the manor without me clinging to his arm.”
“Is that really any different than how you usually are, Golden Boy?” you teased. Despite Bruce not picking favorites, the nickname stuck.
“Shut up.”
“If I had known I had to save some rich guy building a data center, I wouldn’t have come,” you complained under your breath.
On the last flight, something caught your eye. An old ad on the wall for rose perfume.
“Nighwing, what sort of factory did this used to be?” you asked.
“I don’t know. I think it was makeup, or perfume, or something,” he shrugged. “Why?”
Perfume. If they formulated the products here, then that meant actual flower petals would have been used to make the scent. Even if the plants here were long dead, even a dried leaf was enough for Ivy’s abilities to work.
Worry crept into his tone, “I know that look. What are you thinking?”
Before you could answer, Bruce’s voice came over the comm line: “Ivy never showed up for our meeting, but the hostage is here.”
“It’s a trap!” you whisper-yelled, glancing around. Ivy must have left the phone here, knowing Oracle would track it to this location. “We have to leave!”
“Get out of there now,” Bruce ordered. “Oracle, notify the others to leave and meet with me.”
Too late. There was a small tug at your ankle, tightening a bit. A vine had wrapped around it, snaking its way up your leg.
Panic spiked in you, the pit in your gut forming a thorny knot. Quickly, you grabbed a knife from your belt and sliced through the root. The scent of flowers hit your nose before you heard her.
“That’s not very nice,” a voice scolded, echoing off the walls.
More vines slithered across the floor from the shadows and climbed up the walls. From the shadows emerged Poison Ivy, red lips upturned in a smirk. Vines curled around her, lined with pink buds full of whatever pollen, no doubt. The thought sent a shiver down your spine. One thing you hated the most was feeling out of control, and her pheromones could make people do all sorts of things. Looks like you were going to have to wing it for now until you could get out. Hopefully, talking would work this time. Ivy tended to be one of the more reasonable of Gotham’s rogues you’d encountered.
The stairs were blocked by her vines, and you were both too far up to jump without breaking anything. Dick seemed to notice as well, tensing for a fight.
“I’m surprised the two of you really thought it was this easy,” she taunted. “The Bat must be getting soft with age, thinking I’d negotiate so easily. Thought you were more clever than that.” For the last words, her eyes were on you. A vine shot out towards you, touching your hair almost teasingly before retreating back.
Another vine shot towards Dick, aiming for his arm. In a blur of metal, you threw a batarang at it, pinning it to the wall before it withered.
“Careful,” she taunted. “Wouldn’t want to see anyone getting hurt, now would we?”
“I don’t miss,” you answered bluntly. The words seemed to tick her off more. If you couldn’t risk a right, then at least you could piss her off with your words. Your words tended to have that effect.
“Can we just talk this out? I don’t understand! You’ve been out of Arkham for over a year now! Things were going well!”
“Understand? I think it’s perfectly easy to understand,” she said in a harsh tone. The vines waved angrily. “The company was going to build an AI data center over an endangered plant! What else could I do?”
“There’s a life at stake here!” Dick pleaded. “We’ve been at this since I was Robin. Can we let this go?”
“Let it go?” she seethed. “It was them or the environment!”
“Seriously? It’s an AI data center?” you asked. “That’s even worse! Honestly, I say screw AI.”
“Don’t tell me you’re taking her side here!” Dick exclaimed, giving you an exasperated stare.
“I mean, it is AI we’re talking about,” you shot back.
Dick sighed, “Look, I get it, but we can’t ignore the hostages!”
“I knew there was a reason you were my favorite of Bat’s birds,” she said, smirking as she leaned on a vine, nodding towards you.
Turning back to face her, you went on, “I’ll speak with my father about this and see if Wayne Enterprises can stop him, or outbuy the project! I swear!
“Do you really think it’s that easy?” she scoffed. “They’ll only build it somewhere else. Money is all they listen to.”
“There has to be a law, or something,” you tried, realizing how pointless it was. In the end, she was unfortunately right. Things could change if enough people worked together, but the companies would still do damage.
“Let me just speak with Wayne Enterprises. They’ll see the wrong in all this and stop the plans. Ivy, all of this is wrong, and I want to end this as much as you do. We could work together to fix it in some way that keeps you out of Arkham!”
She paused a moment, as if considering it before the familiar anger returned to her eyes.
“Sorry, but I can’t take that risk,” she answered in a low tone, with a hint of sympathy, as if she truly appreciated the offer. Then her smile turned more mischievous. Flowers began blooming. Oh no, you know that look.
“Watch out!” Dick warned, but everything happened too fast. Before you both could put your rebreathers on, clouds of yellow pollen filled the air. Dick tried to block you, but was caught by a vine. Immediately, you held out a palm, but only a few sparks flickered at your fingertips.
Shoot! Your powers must be too weak right now, after all the lack of sleep. Guess you were gonna have to do it the old-fashioned way. To your right, Dick was struggling against the vine's grip, and Ivy only smiled as if it were nothing but entertaining. A shiver seemed to go through him before he went rigid and sank into the vine’s hold.
“Hey!” you shouted, aiming a batarang at her. “Let go or else.”
Ivy’s eyes snapped to you as a vine shot towards you. Dodging, you slid beneath its reach before driving the blade through it. Although she acted unfazed. Another followed, and you deflected, using your hand to shift its weight away like an incoming fist, landing in a crouch. More followed, as unrelenting as the next, yet you refused to stop even as an ache began to bloom in your chest. Ivy watched from the sidelines, still more playful than anything as she had no real intention of harming you. If was as if she were buying time, waiting for a reaction.
When you stood up, you found yourself face to face with her. Without hesitation, you threw a punch towards her face as a vine caught your wrist midair.
“I told you, let him go or else,” you threatened. Soreness spread down your arm as the plant curled more tightly around your wrist, pulling it further away.
“Else what?” she mocked. “You’ll call the Bat?”
“Or else this,” you kicked out, hooking your leg into her own, throwing her off balance onto her back. She practically snarled, jumping back to her feet.
Flowers began sprouting around you, petals waiting to open at her command. Suddenly, you felt very trapped, like a bird with its wing tangled in a briar flapping relentlessly.
“I thought we were on the same side here?” Ivy questioned, tone almost disappointed.
“I am! Do whatever you want with the CEO; I couldn't care less about him,” you said, pulling against the tight hold. “Things changed when you mess with my family! What did you give him?”
“Oh, he’ll be fine. The pollen can’t do any real damage,” she explained. “As annoying as Batman and his little brats can be, I’ve known most of you since you were kids. You’ve grown on me enough that I can’t bring myself to seriously harm you.”
With a wave of her hand, she unraveled the vine, gently setting him on the floor. For a moment, you thought things could be talked out until a loud siren rang outside. Blue and red lights washed over the factory as someone shouted from below, “This is the Gotham City Police! Come down with your hands up!”
Great timing, Gordon!
Ivy sighed, “Sorry, but you know what I have to do.”
“Tell Harley I said hi,” you said, slumping your shoulders. The flowers burst, sending the room into a fog of gold. Sputtering, you blinked but couldn’t see a thing.
Everything else happened in a blur.
The glint of a batarang. A shout. Way too many vines.
Pain filled your side before you realized you had been flung to the floor. A million thoughts filled your head as you tried to focus, adrenaline rushing through you.
Factory. Exits blocked. Too many vines. Get out. Get everyone out safely. Get out.
In the golden, pollen-filled fog, you saw a shadow of a figure on the ground. Great! You had to get to him. Stabbing pain filled your side, but you forced yourself to get up and keep pushing. If your family needed help, you could ignore it for now.
A deep cold settled over you, digging into your bones. It nearly knocked you off your feet, making you stop in your tracks. Everything was cold. The entire world seemed cold, making existence feel like ice, followed by a deep ache in your core. A hollowness that made you want to reach out for warmth.
Wow, Dick had been gone in Bludhaven for a while now, hadn’t he? Maybe you missed him more than you thought. Stephanie gave some of the best hugs. Actually, you hadn’t hugged your little brother Damian in a while. Did Cass need you right now? Bruce’s arms around you. No, your father’s arms around you. The idea felt so, so warm. Warmth, you needed warmth.
Shoot! This was cuddle pollen, wasn’t it? Easily, you brushed the feeling off, letting it slide away as if nothing had happened. No different than usual. Time to focus.
“Nightwing! You alright?” you shouted, rushing over to check for any injuries. None, but his pupils were blown wide. Tears had filled his eyes as he stared up at you, sobbing. “I’m sorry, I should’ve been there for you earlier, saved you from everything. I should have saved my little brother! I should have-”
The words made your stomach twist more. Looks like there was an emotional component as well. Things only kept getting worse, didn’t they?
“Hey, it’s okay,” you said in a softer tone, unsure what to do. “None of that’s your fault.”
Comforting people wasn’t your strong suit at times, since you never knew what to say, but seeing your brother like this was too heartbreaking. How long had he been carrying this around? You had to do something. Awkwardly, you took his hand, giving a small squeeze. “We really need to go.”
Taking your hand, he got to his feet, then immediately latched with a hug. You were NOT a hugger.
“Dick, come on!” you complained as he threw dead weight on you, feeling like a sack of flour. “Ease up a bit, you weigh over 200 pounds!”
“Fine,” he mumbled, adjusting a bit to stand on his own and loosening his tight grip. Getting down the stairs with a clingy Nightwing was not easy; you had to practically drag him. Somehow, you made it, finding Bruce and Tim waiting with worried expressions.
“Cuddle Pollen. Poison Ivy got away. No injuries,” you huffed, trying to catch your breath. “Now could someone please take him!”
Dick glanced up and immediately ran into Bruce’s arms, giving a sigh of relief as he hugged him. Bruce returned the gesture, with a rare hint of softness said, “You’ll be fine, chum. We’ll be home soon.”
He glanced up at you, tone returning to its usual sternness, “Poison Ivy set traps at the other locations. The hostage is secure right now with the GCPD, but everyone except Red Robin and me here has been exposed. They’re waiting in the Batmobile.”
“Robin is not happy about it,” Tim noted. “Always gets grumpy about cuddle pollen, but he’s with Signal right now trying to wear off the effects.”
“The stuff’s a lot worse than I thought,” you agreed.
Tim stared at you curiously for a moment. “Wait, are you not exposed?”
“No, I’m covered in the stuff,” you said, tugging at the fabric of your suit, which was covered in yellow dust. Alfred would have to show you how to wash it out.
“And you’re not feeling anything at all?” Bruce questioned.
“No, I don’t feel any different than normal,” you answered honestly. “My metahuman abilities must make me immune.”
Tim seemed doubtful. “Immunity isn’t impossible, I suppose. Duke reacts to it, and so does Clark, so alien DNA doesn’t make a difference either. Maybe the alterations the lab made caused some sort of accidental immunity.”
“We’ll discuss this later,” Bruce decided, leading Dick in the direction of the car. “For now, we need to get everyone back and strategize about how to deal with Ivy.”
On the way back, Tim still felt that something was wrong, even though you were acting like your normal self. Especially when you flipped off the CEO, who was curled up under a blanket and clearly faking shock. Yeah, that was definitely all you.
“Teach your Robin some respect,” the man shouted at Bruce, who pretended to look in the other direction.
“I didn’t see a thing.” he shrugged, feigning innocence. “And her name is Sparrow. Get it right before you accuse her of anything.” The man began complaining to Gordon about teenage vigilantes, who simply walked off.
“Are you sure you’re fine?” Tim asked, still unconvinced, pausing a moment to put a hand on your shoulder, concern etched into his features.
The touch burned through the fabric for a split second. Odd.
Forcing a smile, you said, “I’m okay. Don’t worry. Washing all this pollen out of my hair is gonna suck.”
The cave was rarely ever quiet, despite being a cave. No, it was usually full of noises of laughter or your siblings arguing. Tonight, however, everyone was either asleep, taking a shower, or sticking close until the pollen’s effects wore off.
Damian and Dick were still huddled in the corner, your little brother asleep in his arms. Stephanie had practically glued herself to Cassandra, and Duke had crashed in a pile of blankets.
Since the others were recovering, you were sitting at the Batcomputer, filling out reports and sorting tonight's blood tests, trying to keep a straight face. So far, nobody had noticed anything out of the ordinary, even if it felt like your blood had turned to ice. Over the years, you had come to master the ‘I feel fine even if I’m dying on the inside’ look when you were hiding being sick or in pain. Pushing yourself was practically second nature.
Those years at the lab had taught you how to shove down any unnecessary feelings. To push things aside or deal with the consequences. Anything besides compliance ended in punishment. There, they had tested your metahuman abilities to their limits, forging you into a weapon until Bruce showed up one night and took you away. It had been nearly five years since you first met your family, yet it still felt like yesterday, so real you could still feel the agony of the experiments. Other times, it felt like an eternity had passed since then, as if it had only been a nightmare. At least it had made you stronger, giving you an unshakable spirit.
Worrying the rest of your family with your small problems wasn’t worth it when they already had so much weight resting on their shoulders.
A shadow caught in the corner of your eye. “We need to discuss what happened tonight,” Bruce said in that tone that meant some sort of lecture was coming. Had he noticed you were faking? Talking about how you felt was the last thing on your mind, especially with Bruce. Expressing emotions was famously his weakness.
“How did this even happen? Why didn’t you have your rebreathers?”
Oh, good, he just wanted to do one of his usual after-patrol reports.
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe wearing the rebreathers wouldn’t give an ‘we trust you not to pollen us’ vibe while I was negotiating,” you said sarcastically, not sparing a glance.
“It was reckless,” he insisted. “You’re reckless. How many times do I have to have this conversation with you?” And Dick thought you were the grumpy one tonight?
“Well, you’re the one who is always telling us anyone can change,” you retorted, turning to face him. “Talking it out was the best way to avoid anyone getting hurt.”
“Some still got hurt, and Poison Ivy is still out there,” he stated, crossing his arms.
“I’m well aware,” you answered bluntly, giving him one of your usual stares. The look on his face showed he clearly wasn’t happy about your tone, but he said nothing. Instead, he tried to take a deep breath. Everyone was tired, including him, and lashing out wouldn’t help any.
“Is this what Alfred had to put up with me every day?” he thought to himself. “Now I’m starting to understand why everyone says there’s a family resemblance.”
“I had Barbara check into Ivy’s records. Turns out she hasn’t been going to any of her court-ordered therapy sessions,” he explained, changing the subject instead. Right now, he couldn’t face this conversation. “Bribed her therapist not to say anything.”
She hadn’t? So that explained why you thought the entire stunt tonight was off. Ivy had been doing better, a lot better, and the whole thing honestly worried you about her. Harley and Ivy had run into you on one or more occasions during patrol, even helping you out of a few sticky situations. A few times, Harley had even let you open up about your feelings, making you feel seen for the first time in a while.
“Speaking of which,” you began, turning to face him. “Do you think you could speak with the tech department of Wayne Enterprises this week? I may or may not have agreed to have the company find a way to stop the data center.”
With a long sigh, he promised, “I’ll see what I can do. Now get some sleep. We’ve all had a long night.”
“I still need to finish the reports,” you argued, trying to keep a straight face. Just a few more minutes wouldn’t be too bad. “Sleep can wait. I’ve gone to classes on only three hours of it before.”
Oh no, this was what Alfred dealt with every day! Mentally, he noted to give him a raise on his next paycheck.
“Let me handle it. You already covered everyone else’s,” he said.
He hesitated, reaching out a hand before pulling it back. Cuddle pollen’s effects were strong, so it wasn’t as if anyone could simply ignore them, meaning immunity was likely. If you needed help, he would know.
Not to mention you weren’t one for outward shows of affection. Ever since he’d met you, you seemed to avoid it at all costs, so he’d respect it even if he was worried.
“Are you okay?” he asked. The question almost surprised you.
“I already told you, I’m fine,” you lied through your teeth. Obviously, feeling like you were freezing wasn’t fine. Despite the pain, the idea of touch was somehow worse. During your time in the lab, you had been touched all the time, hands poking and prodding- it only brought pain. “I feel normal.”
“Then, go get some rest. Today was a long day.”
Carefully, you got up, ignoring the urge to shiver as you left the cave. It was like holding all these broken parts together, strung together by sheer stubbornness. Each step felt like walking through mud, taking all your strength to get up the grand staircase. With each, the pain dug further, growing more intense by the second, along with the hollow feeling inside. By far, cuddle pollen had to be the cruelest of Ivy’s ideas.
Keep it together. Just a few more steps, and you’ll be in your room.
When the door shut behind you, everything came crashing down. Practically collapsing into bed, you dug around until you found the heating pad you used during periods. All you wanted was to grab as many blankets and heating packs as possible, but you settled for one. Too many would cause heat exhaustion. The shivering wouldn’t stop.
You grabbed a pillow, hugging it close with a sigh of relief, pretending it was a person instead. Darkness drenched the bedroom, and not even the distant lights of Gotham reached the window. No point in crying when the quiet was the only one there to respond. Things had been the same way in the lab. Tears never fixed anything anyway, right?
Burying your face in the softness, you let the comforting weight settle over you until you finally drifted off.
Yeah, no different than any other night.
Somewhere between midnight and afternoon, the sound of knocking woke you in a haze. Sunlight poured in from the window, spreading out over the large bed. Light stung your eyes as you blinked, the memories from the night before rushing back.
“Miss? Are you alright in there? You skipped breakfast this morning,” Alfred called out.
“I’m okay,” you mumbled against the pillow. “Just leave it there.”
“It’s past lunchtime,” he said dryly. Glancing up, you looked at the clock. Shoot! Was it already 3 in the afternoon? You’d missed two lectures already! Now you’d have to email again with some excuse about being sick or your dog having to go to the vet. With a pained groan, you flopped face-first into the pillow.
“If you don’t open that door in a few minutes, I’m coming in,” the butler threatened. “Did you even wash your suit last night?
“I’m fine,” you insisted. “Tired is all.” Tired was putting it mildly. If you were honest with yourself, it felt as if you were wilting and had been for a while, petals slowly falling one by one.
Softly, the door opened, and Alfred stepped inside. “I can tell when someone is lying, you know. I’ve raised too many not to tell by now.” His eyes landed on the heating pad and the yellow dust on the bed, quickly putting together a picture of what had happened. Exposed to Ivy’s cuddle pollen and had to manage the pain alone.
“Cuddle pollen?” he inquired, saying it as if it were as dull a topic as paint drying. The butler had that gift, no matter how absurd life got around here at the manor.
“Don’t tell anyone,” you asked. “I handled it on my own.”
Alfred tugged at a glove, adjusting it. “I don’t make any promises, but for now I can ignore the topic unless Master Wayne directly addresses me about it. Although, may I inquire why you decided it was a good idea to take care of this yourself?”
“Everyone else was already tired, so I didn’t want to bother anyone with my problems.”
The butler scoffed, “You’re insulting my intelligence. While you may be selfless, I can tell there’s more to it, so go on and tell me.” Leave it up to Alfred to notice you when nobody else did. You rolled over, observing the hint of softness behind the stoic demeanor. Often, you found it easier to open up to him.
“When I was in the lab, the scientists were cruel,” you admitted. “They would leave me alone in a cell for days. It would go on and on, and…when I saw someone again, it meant more tests. Stupid tests. I guess now when I think of touch, my brain goes back there, and I expect pain.”
The confession even caught you off guard, surprised at how truthful the words were. Words that had been stuck on your tongue for years, never quite able to say them out loud because maybe you didn’t want to hear them. Pretending things were normal was easier than facing the fact that you had survived horrors nobody should.
“Probably a stupid reason,” you forced a laugh.
“Oh, Miss,” Alfred whispered, placing a gentle hand on your shoulder. The feeling was a relief after the lonely night. “I assure you it’s not a foolish reason at all.”
“Do you ever think I’ll be normal again?” you asked tentatively.
Alfred laughed a bit. “Normal? At my age, I’ve learned there is no such thing as normal. Life is a very strange thing, and there’s no one version of normal, especially in this family. One of your brothers is undead, another can turn invisible, and Master Bruce dresses as a Bat in his spare time.”
Okay, so he did have a point.
“I wish I could forget,” you said in a frustrated tone.
“Unfortunately, you’ll always carry this around with you, but with time the burdens get lighter,” he said quietly. “I’ve seen many people carry heavy burdens in this family, and I can honestly say you are by far the strongest person I have ever met.” Alfred squeezed your shoulder lightly, then got up, gathered the tray of food, and returned to routine as normal, then froze at the feeling of arms tightly holding his form. Usually, you were the most stubborn of all the children he had helped raise, refusing to let anyone near. While it was unexpected, it warmed his heart a bit to know you trusted him so well.
“Can you stay? Until I go back to sleep?” you asked quietly, hugging him more. “If you’re not too busy.”
“You know I always stay ahead of schedule,” he replied, turning to return the hug, not daring to move until your hold began to loosen.
“You’re the goat, Alfred,” you muttered, rolling over and already going back to sleep.
“How absurd,” he scolded, a smile nearly forming on his lips as he placed a blanket over your freezing form. “I’m not a goat, Miss.”
Sleepiness begins to take over again as your eyes flutter closed, and you sink into the plush sheets. Alfred carefully laid a blanket over you, noting how peaceful you looked. Typically, he’d fuss over sleeping in so much, as he had often with your brothers, except he couldn’t bring himself to wake you. Sleeping was the only time he saw you at peace, as if it were the only time you didn’t look as if you were carrying a weight on your shoulders. When the moment presented itself, he was going to have a very stern talk with Bruce.
Roses may wilt in the snow, but they bloom again each spring. While it may have felt like you were wilting, you would blossom again. Unfortunately for Gotham, you could never be held down for long.
You woke to someone tapping you on your shoulder. “W-what time is it?” you yawned.
“Time for your next class,” the professor scolded, glaring down from behind his glasses, arms folded against his chest. “Although, why don’t you enlighten us on today’s topic. Can you tell me the difference between a chloroplast and a leucoplast?”
Great! Just what you needed! Of all the classes to fall asleep in, it had to be the one where the professor already seemed to have it out for you. Poison Ivy had released her pollen at least half a dozen times over the past month, and still was evading the police. Each time, you kept up your act of immunity until you could crash in your room.
“A chloroplast is an organelle found within the plant cell that contains chlorophyll to be used later during photosynthesis. It absorbs the light energy and turns it into carbon dioxide. Leucoplasts are not non-photosynthetic and store important nutrients instead,” you answered without missing a beat. The man’s eyes widened, clearly not expecting that answer and unsure what to say. Proving people wrong never got old. After all, you were used to being underestimated. Big mistake.
A grin spread across your face as you told him, “I read ahead.” Everyone began filing out now that the period was over, pushing to get to the door. You stayed behind, hoping to avoid any hallway talk. Right now, you couldn’t afford distractions, so friends were out of the question. Anyone you found even considered for a moment may be attractive was definitely off the board. Romance was the same - nothing more than an obstacle in the way of your goals. A thorn in your side.
If you were ever going to make a name for yourself as a vigilante, as well as create one outside of the Wayne shadow, it would take putting every bit of yourself into creating a future. You never planned to stay just Sparrow, no more than any other Robin in the eyes of the city, nor did you want to continue being the least favorite Wayne to the press.
Not to mention you were still working on the details of shutting down the data center. Over the past week, you had dug up a lot of information on the CEO. Turns out, the field wasn’t the only thing at stake. Several communities nearby would be forced to move, just as others had when the company bought them out for projects.
Just when you thought people couldn’t disappoint you more, they never failed to surprise you.
As you packed up your notes, your phone rang.
The screen read: Dad 🦇
Why would he be calling now? All you needed was the news that there had been a mass Arkham outbreak right about now!
“Hey, what’s up?” you asked.
Bruce’s voice was a bit grim. “I’m so sorry.”
You froze. If he was apologizing, it couldn’t be good.
“B, what’s going on?” you asked in a more urgent tone.
“The executives spoke with the company about the data center. We offered everything we could, but every major tech company in the world is in support of this. It’s even got LuthorCorp as an investor now,” he explained. “Wayne Enterprises is powerful, but they wouldn’t listen. They’ll break ground on the build site before we can shut down the operations.”
“What?! No!” you croaked out. “How is this possible?! Why are they doing this? I don’t understand. Can’t those idiots see the harm this will cause?”
“Trust me, I called them the same thing and a few other words,” he gritted his teeth. “I promise, we’ll fix this. It’s just going to take more time than we thought.”
“I know you tried,” you replied, hiding the shake in your voice. Anger with a hint of hurt, not understanding the injustice of it all. “Thanks.” You hung up.
Poison Ivy did have a point. If the companies didn’t do anything about it, then someone else had to.
Time to take things into your own hands.
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<3 Dream!
If you wanna know more about batsis's origins, check out my fic City of Ghosts here !
