It was the first crackle of thunder that woke her. Like a switch, her eyes opened and all drowsiness drained from her body. The droplets of rain, once gently caressing her windows, now became a torrential downpour, splashing onto the glass violently.
Lily pulled her duvet off her body, shivering slightly as her naked skin came in contact with the cool air. Although her apartment was heated, it was still so cold, or perhaps it was just her heart. She didn’t bother to turn on her lamp and instead moved towards the large, stainless windows. She drew the curtains away fully, and there, unfolded before her, was the city of Gotham; still so alive, still so vibrant, and still so busy.
Yet even when in one of the largest and busiest cities in the world, Lily still felt so alone, maybe even more alone than ever. The people that surrounded her were just white noises, filling the space around her but never filling the space in her chest, a space that grew larger and larger every hour.
And she wanted to give up. She wanted to scream, and cry, and she wanted someone to help. It was so simple. Just a word, and everything would spill out.
Yet Lily couldn’t find it in herself to utter a single word. She couldn’t even lift a finger for herself. Somehow, all that distress was bottled up inside of her, with no way of coming out.
A white flash filled the sky, illuminating the city for a blink of an eye and drowning the city in its brilliance. A second later; thunder. It was even louder than the one that woke her up. And just like that, the scene fell back into place. After one brief moment of change, the world was the in order again.
No one even batted an eye.
“It’s almost peaceful,” said a familiar voice beside her, “all the way up here, away from the chaos of the world.”
Lily didn’t need to turn and look to see who it was.
“Yes,” she whispered, “it is.” The presence comforted her. It was still cold, but she could pretend that things weren’t the way they were, even just for a little moment.
“Is this what death is like?” she asked quietly, in a voice that matched the vulnerability of a child, “to be here while the world destroys itself.”
“I can’t tell you that. It’ll ruin it for you when you… well, die.”
Lily found it in herself to laugh a little. The sound was a stark contrast to the silence she always found herself in, the silence that met her most of the day, the silence that she was painfully used to.
“Then I’ll assume it’s just like this,” Lily stated, “it’s much better than life.”
Yes, it was much better than life. She would be in this oasis, away from the pandemonium below. She wouldn’t have to worry about meeting expectations, keeping up an image for herself, or disappointing people. She would have no one to answer to. In death, there would be freedom.
But was it still as lonely?
“Is it warm?” Lily inquired once more, “is death warm?”
There was silence for a minute, and Lily was afraid that she was alone again. The cold was seeping into her chest now—or was it seeping out? These days, she couldn’t tell anymore. She wanted to reach out and hold a hand, or feel a warm body underneath her skin to reassure her that she wasn’t on her own anymore.
But she was.
“Anything is warmer than life,” came the whispered answer.
“What is the point of my life?” Lily asked, her voice simply tired and defeated, “I’m not special. No one needs me. I play no role in anything. I don’t belong anywhere. I doubt I would be missed if I was gone, so why?” Lily finally gathered enough strength to turn, and her eyes stung with unshed tears.
“Why am I still here, mum?”
Lily’s mother gave her child a melancholy smile. She was still as beautiful as Lily recalled. She felt lucky to look so much like her gorgeous mother. She hoped that she could only be just as kind and strong.
“My child,” her mother cooed, “when the time comes, you’ll know.” Her smile widened slightly and there was that shine in her chocolate-coloured eyes that Lily adored so much.
She reached out to caress Lily’s cheeks, and Lily leaned into her hand. Yet even when the hand came into contact with Lily, it was still so cold. It wasn’t warm like a human touch, like her mother’s touch. It was as bitter as the rest of the room and the rest of her body.
Lily shut her eyes tightly. She desperately reached out to feel something, anything, but all that greeted her was this terrifying void of absolutely nothing. No sensation, no emotions, nothing.
“I miss you,” she uttered, “I miss you so much mum.”
“I know petal,” her mother responded in that same gentle voice she always used, “I know.”
Lily reopened her eyes and stared at her mother, attempting to memorize every single detail she could of the wonderful woman. That kind smile, those encouraging eyes, the way her nose scrunched up when she laughed; anything and everything. She didn’t have any photos of her mother, so all she had to rely on were memories.. and even that was slowly fading away.
Lily placed her hand over her mother’s, even when she knew she was simply holding air. Her vision was blurry.
“I’m sorry,” she managed to say, her voice cracking on the second word, “I’m sorry mummy. I-I’m so-so sorry—“ she tried to blink her tears away but her vision was failing her like her voice, “I-I’m sorry I disappointed you—“
“Shh,” her mother hushed her, “it’s okay…” she lifted her hand to caress Lily’s hair, “it’s going to be okay.”
Another flash of lightning enveloped the city, this time with thunder following directly behind. Once again, for a fraction of a second, the world changed. When the light disappeared, the world fell back into place.
A single, lone tear escaped Lily’s eye and cascaded down her cheek.
The wedding playlist for Guns n’ Lilies’ wedding~ Okay, so I haven’t written anything about it yet, but I have indeed planned it!
They will be having three ‘weddings’.
The first is a simple one, not really a wedding ceremony I would say. It’s a spontaneous one, just the two of them, with Wonder Woman to officiate it.
The second one is the Western wedding, which takes place in a chateau in the French countryside. The theme will be gold and white (of course), with flowers being the central piece of decoration.
The third wedding is the Khmer wedding, which takes place on top of a mountain in Cambodia. The theme for this wedding is celestial; the moon, the stars, the night sky~
A/N: I literally wrote this A YEAR AGO and have never posted it... WELP. This was in the early days of Lily’s development and so her story and stuff have changed since then but this is still a angsty nice piece so I thought I’d post it.
Summary: When Jason is trapped in his own nightmare thanks to the fear toxin, the Waynes, desperate to save him, have no choice but to call Lily... Jason’s ex.
Type: Angst
Warnings: Blood, depictions of violence
Word Count: 5060
Annabella Wayne belongs to @the-shadow-of-atlantis
Jason couldn't look away. His body betrayed him and his eyes were glued to the crowbar as it was lowered repeatedly, making contact with the small body that curled into a ball on the cold concrete of the warehouse.
“S-Stop!” he cried, desperately, breathlessly. The air in his lungs had left and he was shaking in fear now but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the gruesome scene no matter how sick it made him feel.
“J-Jason…” his sister’s voice was small and feeble, and very weak. It sent jolts of fear into his rapidly beating heart.
“Hang in there Annie! Hang in there!” he screamed, trying to make himself do something, to help her, to save her from the fate he had suffered.
But his body didn’t respond. It was as still as a statue and no amount of effort could move it.
“Stop! Stop hurting her!” Jason yelled at the Joker as he swung the crowbar at her body, causing something to crack. The menacing villain only laughed maniacally and shook his head while revealing a sick, twisted smile.
“Now why would I do that?” he questioned, twirling the blood-coated weapon around mindlessly. His grin was wild and sadistic. He enjoyed inflicting pain upon others--that sick bastard.
Jason could only listen and watch helplessly as the monster broke every single bone in his sister’s body.
And her cries tore him apart.
“He’s not waking up!” Annabella cried, frustration getting the better of her. She ran her fingers through her hair as tears welled up in her eyes. She was upset, angry and frustrated; upset that she had to watch her favourite brother suffer, angry at the villain who did this to him and frustrated that she had no power to help him.
Dick gritted his teeth and shook his head. “It’s no use! He’s got a large dose of it in his system.”
“Then do something!” Annabella exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air, “anything!”
Bruce was by Jason’s side, his posture calm but his eyes telling a different story. The rapid beeps from the heart monitor told him that whatever cruel nightmare Jason was trapped in, it was bad. In fact, you could see it on Jason’s pained face and how he was struggling on the cot he was on.
They had tried everything to get Jason to snap out of it but it seemed he had incredibly deep fears. When his demons latched onto that fear, it was difficult to bring him back. In fact, it was near impossible and if this continued, it could prove fatal for him.
Annabella was still freaking out as Dick and Tim frantically raced back and forth. Cass and Damian were watching anxiously, often moving to check up on their brother and fidgeting. Alfred was on the Batcomputer pulling all the data on the Toxin in Jason’s body. Everyone was tense and some were panicking but nobody was making progress which elevated the utter frustration of each person in the cave.
Suddenly, the heart monitor ceased to beep and instead made one continuous noise as the dreaded straight, horizontal line appeared. Annabella gasped and gripped Jason tightly.
“Jason?!” She started to do CPR, pumping his chest repeatedly. “Come on… come on Jas, don't give up on me now.” Her tears were falling and her hands trembled but she refused to give up.
After a minute of absolute horror, they heard a beep, followed by several more that told them his heart was beating again. They all sighed in relief, some even falling to their knees as they released the breath they didn't know they had been holding.
“What are we going to do?” Tim asked helplessly.
Bruce glanced at Jason, before furrowing his brows together as he thought of some possibilities. However, only one plan seemed helpful enough for this situation.
“Lily,” he said firmly, “we need to call Lily.”
The mere mention of the woman made Annabella turn cold. “Why do we need her? Do you want to make Jason’s condition worse?” It was obvious the female Wayne wasn't a fan of Lily, not right now.
“We have no choice. She helped Faith last time, remember?” Bruce reasoned. “She has the power to reach out to Jason in ways none of us can. She’s his best chance.”
“Do you think Jason would want to see her after she broke up with him?” Annabella scoffed, crossing her arms stubbornly. She and Lily used to be great friends, but that all changed after Lily left Jason, breaking the poor man’s heart. Seeing how broken Jason was, Annabella developed a dislike for Lily for being so heartless.
“Little bat... I think Bruce is right.” Dick said slowly. “Lily can help. She knows how to bring people back to reality.” Seeing that she wasn't responding, he added, “this is for Jason as well. Think about it.”
After much consideration and a long silence, Annabella sighed in defeat and nodded numbly. “Call her.”
The echoing sound of her phone caused Lily to glance up from the words on the pages in front of her.
She frowned when she saw it was Dick calling her. He hadn't been in contact with her lately. In fact, it felt as if no one had. She was rather lonely, but it was understandable considering the situation.
“Hello?” she asked after picking up.
“Lily, we need your help,” was the first thing he said. She was glad to hear his voice again, but she couldn't swallow the bitterness she felt as he only reached out to her when he needed her for something.
“Sure,” she sighed, knowing she couldn't disagree, “what is it?”
“It’s Jason.”
The very name sent shivers up her spine and her heart skipped a beat, but Lily remained calm and kept her composure. Inside though, she was terrified, not just about Jason, but for Jason. If they had to call her, it must be bad. “What? What’s wrong?”
“It’s the Fear Toxin again, and Jason isn't waking up,” Dick explained quickly in a panicked voice, “please Lily, you have to come, you have to help him.”
“I-I don't know if anyone wants me there.” Lily admitted shamefully, even when every cell in her body screamed at her to help.
“Lily, his heart already stopped once,” Dick revealed, causing Lily’s own heart to stop. Her eyes widened and she almost dropped her phone.
Even when she had told herself she didn't care, the thought of losing Jason, forever, was too much to bear.
In the Batcave, Dick grew increasingly worried about the silence he received. “Lily?” he called out, hoping she didn't abandon them.
“Where is he?” Lily’s voice reached his ears, but not through the phone, but rather from behind him. Dick ended the call and spun around to meet Lily’s determined but concerned gaze.
How did she get there so quickly?
Dick pushed his questions to the back of his mind and led Lily to Jason. Annabella moved out of the way immediately, keeping her distance.
Lily stared at Jason with sad eyes. He was in immense pain, she could see and sense it. He was writhing on the cot and crying out, mumbling incoherent words. His body was covered in a layer of sweat and he panted heavily. She approached him slowly, putting a hand on his chest to feel his heart. The rush of emotions that went through her--indescribable fear, unmatched terror, the intense feeling of helplessness and pain--pure, agonizing pain--was enough to overwhelm her. The amount of dread she felt was out of this world. It made her gasp for breath as she struggled to comprehend the pain he was going through. No wonder they couldn't wake him; he was too deep inside his own head and no one could reach him there.
Lily began to second-guess herself. If his beloved sister couldn't help him, how could she? How could the woman who broke his heart help him? She was nothing less than a monster to him, she didn't deserve him. She wasn’t there for him and they were, so if the people who cherished him most wasn’t able to succeed what made them think she will?
She closed her eyes and listened to his heartbeat. She allowed his soul to envelop her heart and drowned herself in his mind. He was in pain. He was in so much pain and it made her heart break. She knew that even if she may be the wrong person, she had to try to save him from this nightmare that he found himself in. Jason and everyone else was relying on her and she had no room for doubts or fears. Whatever was coming would be dealt with when it came.
Lily stood in front of Jason’s head and placed her hands on each side of his head, hovering just beside his ears. She focused, pushing reality out and letting her mindscape to form itself. When she reopened her eyes, she saw nothing but white.
In the distance, she saw a patch of black; Jason’s mind. She rushed towards it and reached out for it but a rush of defying force pushed her back, almost sweeping her off her feet. It was all the darkness he held, all that suffering he had endured and was enduring, all the heartbreak and the anger through his life. She was petrified for him but she also knew she couldn’t give up, not when she hadn’t even begun. She had to connect with him, somehow.
The feeling she thought of was love, for there were few emotions stronger than love and to establish the connection she needed a feeling that was powerful. But it had to be mutual and to think her ex felt the same way was a little pathetic. Still, she tried, she conveyed all her emotions, all her love for him into him and to her surprise, it was returned with equal ferocity. Their minds slowly merged and she felt herself plunging down through the sky before landing on the floor of a warehouse.
Lily surveyed her surroundings and caught sight of Jason, staring at what Lily could say was one of the most horrifying sight she had ever seen.
No wonder Jason couldn't wake up.
“Jason!” she cried, rushing to him. She reached out to grab his shoulder, but her hand simply went through him. He didn't respond to her at all.
“What the…?” Lily frowned and then realized she needed more. She needed more of a connection, more concentration.
And even when she was stretching to the limits of her powers, she pushed forward.
“What is happening?” Annabella demanded, pacing back the forth.
“We have to be patient,” Dick said softly, but also watching them anxiously. He stared at the odd peace on Lily’s face and for a moment, he wondered if she was even doing anything. It was only for a second, but he doubted her, and afterwards, he felt horrible. This was Lily they were talking about, she wasn't that kind of person.
He knew she loved Jason even after leaving him. They had a special bond that only existed in fairy tales so he knew that even after all this time, even after all this supposed ‘hate’ towards each other he knew that they loved each other more than words could explain. She would never abandon him.
Then Dick saw a reaction, a change in Lily’s face. It twisted in struggle and she leaned forward, her head tilted down. Crimson liquid began falling from her eyes, falling down her cheek and dropping onto the floor. It left in its wake a trail of redness. His heart missed a beat as he realized it was blood.
“Lily?”
Jason didn't know how much more he could take. This was much worse than actually being beaten with a crowbar, it was worse than dying. All he could hear were Annabella’s pained groans and cries, her bones cracking and the Joker’s diabolical laughter.
“Jason!” He felt someone pull his body to the side, shifting his gaze somewhere else. “Jason.”
Jason came face to face with a pair of warm, chocolate-brown eyes he couldn't forget even if he wanted to. No matter how long it’s been, he had it engraved in his memory. “L-Lils?” he uttered, his voice small and fragile.
“It’s okay, I’m here,” she smiled at him, a warm, comforting sight that contrasted the darkness he had been in. She cupped his face and he felt a strange calm wash over him. “It’s going to be alright.”
“H-How?” he asked breathlessly, “how are you here? How are you real?” He placed his hands over hers as if to make sure she wasn’t some hallucination and sure enough, he felt her skin under his.
“Doesn't matter. What matters is that we need to go.” Lily took hold of his hand and pulled him up. He wanted to follow her, to have her guide him out of this nightmare like she always did but then everything came back; the arguments, the hateful words thrown at each other, then her disappearance. He recalled the endless nights on a cold, empty bed alone, the dreaded letter, the countless unanswered calls and messages, the despair and frustration and how lost he was.
She left him.
Why would she bother returning to save him?
As realization dawned upon him, he stopped, causing her to turn to him with a questioning look.
“Jason? What’s wrong?” Now Jason could barely register the sound of Annabella’s cries. It seemed to have disappeared altogether. Instead he was focused on the woman in front of him.
“You're not real, are you?”
Dick stared at Lily in fear as blood continually fell from her eyes. She whimpered and began to shake, but her eyes remained closed, as if she was in some sort of trance. Blood began falling from her nose, staining her gritted teeth. It was a gruesome sight that he thought he would never see.
“Something’s wrong,” Bruce declared, “this didn't happen last time.” The concern and panic in his voice was evident. He was worried about Lily as well. Even when he claimed Lily was wrong for pushing Jason away and a coward for running she was still like a daughter to him. He had known this girl since she was a child from the streets, confused and frightened of the world around her.
He loved her as he would a daughter and to see her in potential danger made him fear for her life.
“We need to snap her out of it, and we need to do it quick,” he ordered, looking at the others sternly in order to tell them that he was having none of it. They may be cold towards Lily but he wouldn’t allow them to sit around watching her hurt herself like this.
However, it seemed his distress over Lily was mutual because everyone was ready to set aside all the horrible things they had said and thought about her over the past year as their fondness of the woman that was kept deep inside their heart burst out once more.
Lily stared at Jason in disbelief. “No, you can't be. You’ll never help me,” he continued, shaking his head, “you’re not really here.”
“Jason, I am real,” she insisted desperately, “you're scared, it’s reasonable--”
“The real Lily left me long ago,” Jason shook his head, laughing pitifully to himself, “it’s a trick, it has to be.”
His words made her heart sink. She knew she had scarred him and she wanted nothing more than to break down and cry over it but she must remain strong and control her emotions. If she was in an emotional turmoil it could break their connection and threaten not only his life but hers as well.
“Jason, believe me, I’m real.” She took his hand and placed it over her heart, doing her best to heighten all the emotions she had for him. “Feel this… does this feel like a trick to you?” her heart beat rapidly in her chest, “does this feel like an illusion?”
Jason remained silent and Lily saw it as a signal to continue. “I know that this terrifies you, being with me, facing me. It terrifies me to face you too but my feelings for you…” she smiled, “they’re not made up. You and I both know no amount of magic or toxin can imitate the love we have for each other.”
Jason stared at her as if seeing her for the first time. He was trying to detect a lie from her but she knew that she radiates nothing but truth. She was certain of her feelings--she loved him.
She opened her mouth to speak again but suddenly cut herself off with a gasp. Her eyes went wide and her hands went to her throat. She fell to her knees, struggling to catch her breath.
“Lily? Lily what’s wrong?” she heard Jason question. He was by her side in a blink of an eye, seemingly throwing all previous caution away.
“I-I d-d-don’t--” She couldn't get anymore words out.
“Lily! Snap out of it!” Tim yelled, shaking Lily furiously. He and Damian had been trying to wake Lily up for a while now, their methods growing more and more violent after each unsuccessful attempt. They had tried shaking her, moving her away, even slapping her but she was as still as a statue. She refused to be moved.
They didn't want to hurt her but it seemed that knocking her out may be the only way to get her to stop hurting herself. They may want Jason back, but if it may cost another life, it wasn't worth it. They were scared of the results, no doubt about it. It was written on all their faces, even Annabella’s.
“This isn't doing anything!” Annabella exclaimed from her position beside Dick.
“What’s happening?” she said breathlessly, tears welling up in her eyes as her face grew red from the lack of oxygen.
“Lily…” Jason began, his voice full of dread, “I can't… feel you.” She watched as he tried to touch her arm but instead of feeling his touch, his hand went right through her as if she was merely an illusion.
Then everything clicked.
She was losing the connection.
Lily shut her eyes tightly and focused on regaining control. It must be from the outside, in the physical world. They must be trying to wake her up.
But she refused to go, not when she was so close.
She fought against it, fought against their efforts and pushed them with all her power and might. There was no way she was giving up now, Jason was right in front of her!
If she failed now… she would never forgive herself. She couldn't live with herself if she let him slip away.
No, she’s not going anywhere.
Dick approached Lily with the intent on knocking some sense into her, but just as his hand was about to make contact with her, she cried out, causing him to freeze. A second later, an invisible force sent him flying back. He hit a shelf and landed onto the steel floor with a loud thud that echoed through the cave.
“Fuck!” He groaned from his spot on the floor.
“What happened?” Annabella asked, staring at Lily in shock.
Bruce stepped forward but he was met with a barrier he couldn’t see, a barrier that surrounded Lily and Jason. He placed his hand against it, confused. He didn't have an answer to that question and that made him even more frustrated. Both his children were hurting and now there’s something blocking them?!
Then he realized what the barrier meant.
“It’s Lily,” he said in a grave voice, “she’s rejecting us.”
Lily took a deep breath when she felt that she could breathe again. She coughed and sucked in massive amounts of air at a time. She felt Jason’s hand on her, his fingers warm against her strangely cold skin. It felt strangely pleasant to feel his touch again.
“What just happened?” he questioned her.
“Your family,” she laughed slightly, “they’re trying to bring me back… but I’m not going,” she looked at him, her eyes filled with both love and determination, “not without you.”
Jason’s eyes widened slightly before sighing and sitting down next to her. “Why do you care? You didn’t seem to care after you left.” He didn’t sound angry, he didn’t sound like he was accusing her or anything, he simply sound defeated, as if he was sick or all these mind games and losing everything and everyone. “You never returned my calls, my texts, and when you got back… you still ignore me like whatever was between us never existed.”
She stared at him, thinking hard about what to say. What could she say? He was right after all; she made no efforts to communicate or contact him. After she left, she had cut him from her life completely, and that was her mistake. She was weak that way; she couldn’t deal with her problems so she ignored them altogether until it blew up in her face. It happened with her past, it happened with her powers and now it was happening with Jason.
The truth was, she left because she was frightened. Her emotions were both her strength and weakness. It controlled her, it dictated her life. Leaving Jason had broken her heart and in her misery, horrible things would’ve happened, things that she would’ve regretted. It wasn’t an ‘if’ scenario, she knew it as a fact. So she left, even when she shouldn’t, even when she should’ve talked to him.
She ran away, just like she always did.
“I was horrible, wasn’t I?” Lily chuckled humorlessly, leaning back slightly, “but the truth is, Jason, I never stopped caring. Even when I was a total bitch to you, I still cared.”
“Did I just hear you call yourself a bitch?” Jason laughed for the first time, and even though it was a small and quiet laugh, the sound was music to her ears. He was smiling again and nothing made her happier.
Suddenly, the world seem to shatter and they found themselves sitting in a world that was nothing but white. Lily blinked in surprise and glanced around, Jason sharing her surprise.
“What the--”
“The fear toxin…” Lily whispered, smiling in relief when she realized what had happened, “you’re free of it. You can wake up.”
Jason looked at her in shock and his mind seemed to be working as he stared at her. After a while, he shook his head. “No, I want to talk to you first.”
“What? Jas--”
“Talk to me Lils,” Jason urged, placing a hand on her cheek, “because when we go back out there I know you’re going to run again, so I ain’t leaving until we talk this through. Tell me, why did you run? Why are you still running?”
Lily tried to turn away, but Jason held her in place. He kept gazing into her eyes, his own hard and firm but also begging her to speak. It told her she couldn’t walk away from this, not this time. She had to face the truth and the consequences of her actions.
“Fine,” she gave in, glancing down, “I love you, okay? I still love you. Every time I see you, I get this weird feeling in my chest, the same feeling as when we first met. And I miss seeing you every day, waking up next to you and--and even fixing you up when you come back. I love you, Jason.” She had tears in her eyes by the end of it.
Jason swallowed and held back his own tears. He felt overjoyed to hear she still felt the same way about him but one question still burned in his mind. “Then… why….”
“Because I was scared,” she muttered, “I was scared that I’ll get hurt again and this time I would end up hurting you too.” She buried her face in her hands. “I can't bear that. My flaw is that when I care, I care too much. It’s so easy to let my emotions take over and let it control me.” She looked away. “Then there’s that stupid voice in my head telling me that you don't love me anymore. Weak, emotional, clueless Lily… who would want someone like that? So when you walked out, it’s like my worst fears had came true--you abandoning me because I wasn't good enough.” Her voice did little to disguise all the emotions she had hidden inside her--she was hurting as much as he was.
Jason opened his mouth to speak, to protest and say that she was a fool to think that but she cut him off. “You have had lovers in the past, and there are… there are so many that adore you… meanwhile, I’m weak, fragile… a burden. People always have to protect me,” there were tears streaming down her face now, “what makes me the special one?” She raised her arms up in defeat. “I’m no one.” Those three words were so vulnerable and weak. They were more fragile than glass.
“You’re stupid,” Jason mumbled, shaking his head. He couldn't believe she had thought that way about herself all this time. In a way he was also deeply disappointed in himself for hurting her this way, for not seeing it sooner. He had been her boyfriend, he should have seen it from the start. Instead he didn't and was tricked by her smile. He let his anger get the best of him and used her greatest fear against her. He had failed her, his love.
But now, this was a chance to make things right. Jason knew he had to convince her now or else she’d slip away again, so he began to speak. “You really can’t see what’s so special about you?” Lily shook her head. “It’s your emotions that make you special. Your empathy, your compassion. It is your belief that these things are more important than superpowers and the skills to kick ass.”
“My emotions?” Lily almost scoffed, not believing a single word that was coming out of Jason’s mouth.
“Yes.” Jason confirmed with a small smile. “Your powers are only strong because your emotions are strong. You take the most human part of… well, humanity, and you make it your power. You make everything bad about this world and turn it into a damn piece of art, Lils. You’re too good for me, you’re too good for this world. That is what makes you special.”
“I’m not--”
“And don’t even get me started on why I love you,” he continued, cutting her off, “from the moment I met you, you were special. I mean, fuck, who takes in a bleeding vigilante that broke into her bedroom and fix him up?” Lily laughed at that, recalling the memory all too well, making Jason smile even wider. “You don’t have to have any superpowers to be amazing, Lily. Your kindness is amazing, your selfless nature--although annoying at times--is amazing, your ability to forgive even a scum like me is fucking amazing.” He placed his hands out her cheeks, “so don’t doubt yourself. I should be the one doubting myself.”
“... thank you, Jason.” Lily murmured, that smile on her face ceasing to disappear. Though she still had her doubts, she felt foolish for running. She made everything so complicated, so difficult, when all she had to do was talk. Due to her inability to handle situations when things went bad, she made this situation worse than it really was. She stared at the man in front of her--a bit broken, imperfect, yet still the man she loved with every fibre of her body. She stared at him and made her decision.
“Will you… will you still love me, then… even after everything I’ve done?” she inquired hesitantly, “w-well… what I’m really asking is, are you willing to take me back?”
Jason leaned his forehead against hers and for the first time in a very long time, the both of them felt at peace. There were no rapid heartbeats, no anxiety, no doubts, just peace.
“On one condition,” he whispered, “don't run. Stop running and instead talk to me. I know I’m not an expert on talking about shit, but we have to try.”
“I-I’ll try. I promise,” she swore, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” She kept muttering apologies as several tears fell from her eyes.
“Hey… hey, it's okay, it's fine,” Jason reassured. “I should be the one apologizing for being too overbearing. I was the one who pushed you to run. I should’ve known better than to hold you down, so please don't cry,” he begged, “you're fine.” He slowly captured her lips with his, stopping her tears in an instant.
It felt so good to kiss her again, after all this time. It wasn't desperate or fueled with need, it was slow, almost hesitant, just like their first kiss all over again. But God did it feel right.
They separated but stayed close to each other, Lily with her hand on his chest and Jason with his hand behind her head. Both smiled at each other and no one needed special powers to see the love and happiness in their eyes.
Softly, Jason said, “now… let’s go home.” And with those words, Lily led him back, never letting go of his hand the entire way.
When Lily opened her eyes, the first thing she felt was the stickiness on her face. Then the fatigue hit her. She heard distant yells and felt movement beside her hands. Stumbling back, bodies ran past her.
When her vision cleared, she saw Jason stirring from his nightmare and his family surrounding him, smiling, some even shedding tears. They were all relieved, and somehow Lily found the strength to smile. He was safe. He was alright. She saved him.
The thought filled her with remarkable joy that she hadn't felt in a very long time. Yet she felt… strangely faint. The world danced in circles, playing games with her mind. Her knees began to wobble. Then, before she knew what was happening, she fell to the floor and her vision faded to black.
Summary: In an alternate universe, the world is ruled by VOID, a crime syndicate with three leaders. The Justice League are rebels fighting against their regime, and they just caught one of the leading figures of VOID.
Type: Evil AU
Warnings: None
Word Count: 2101
Emma Teague / Black Sapphire belongs to @call-me-emma / @chi-townbatgirl
Avery Yu / Phantom belongs to @audreyandherocs / @audreythetealovingcat
MASTERLIST
The world was scared.
The world feared their great rulers, the ones that oppressed and dominated with an iron fist. They were merciless, they were tyrannical and they would never hesitate to kill. In fact, they take pleasure in doing so.
Stories of their diabolical ways were whispered from one ear to another in an attempt to stop any rebellion, to stop anyone from even thinking against them. To the citizens of the universe they weren’t merely leaders, they were gods and should be treated as a higher being. They were fearless, they were untouchable and most of all, they were unstoppable.
Yes, the world was terrified of them, as they should be.
“My lady,” a messenger scurried over to the foot of the grand throne where a masked figure was seated and kneeled to the floor, “the rebels have captured one of the bases on the east coast,” he informed in one shaky breath, “they have… captured our troops.”
The woman stirred on her throne, her movements slow yet minimal. No one in the room dared to take a breath for they did not know if she was angered or not. The haunting mask concealed all expression and not one part of her face was visible except for the sides of her head.
“Is that so?” she finally spoke, her voice even, “pity.” The lack of empathy in her voice caused the messenger’s eyes to widened.
“A-Are we not going to do anything about it, Lady Phantom?” he inquired hesitantly, “they are our troops, valuable ones and we should… launch a counterattack, s-show them our power!” He tried to reason with her. The guards in the room collectively sighed.
“No, we are not,” Avery responded, “we have the entire universe under our control. A show of power is not necessary, wouldn’t you agree?” Her tone was mocking as she stated the rhetorical question.
The messenger shook his head but the stubborn fool wouldn’t let it go. “B-But My Lady, the base is vital for control of the region.”
“Say something we don’t already know will you?” said another voice. Footsteps were heard and everyone caught the flash of black and blue. They tensed at the arrival of one of their generals.
Emerging from the shadows was Emma, her mahogany hair tied neatly back and her hand on her sword. She approached the messenger and stopped right in front of him. “Enlighten us,” she ordered.
He stared at her with wide eyes, at a loss of what to say. He had never been in the presence of two generals before and he didn’t know whether to be honored or horribly frightened. With a gulp, he found his voice, “the base contains information on our other bases, secret traveling routes, power grid, plans, everything. I-If they get access to those files--”
“Do you take us for fools?!” Emma exclaimed, causing the messenger to flinch back, “we know. We already have our best technicians on the case.”
“But what if the Justice League--”
“Justice League?” Avery laughed, “is that what those traitors are calling themselves now? Oh they do amuse me.”
The messenger was in shock. It was all just some game to them, he couldn’t believe it. Lives were at stake here yet they were… laughing.
“O-Our troops,” he finally mumbled, “our troops are still there. T-They will be killed.”
Emma rolled her eyes at his concerns. “Those cowards will never possess the power to end a life. Besides…” her eyes grew dark, “troops are disposable,” with a strike of her sword that no one saw coming, blood spurted out of the messenger’s mouth and he fell head first to the floor, “like you.”
She sheathed her sword after getting rid of the blood of her latest victim. Behind her, Avery released a tired sigh. “You will stain our floor.”
Emma turned to her friend with a slight look of annoyance. “Then put our workers to use,” she said with no remorse of the poor soul she took the life of.
As the guards were put to use in removing the body and cleaning the blood, Avery asked, “that simple minded creature knows nothing, does he?”
Emma shrugged. “Even if he knew Lillian was in that base, would he have cared? He seemed more concerned about the troops… and remind me to punish them for their worthless set of skills once we recapture the base.”
Avery’s sinister smile made an appearance. “Who would I be if I didn't?”
“Why do we need to bother with such an elaborate plan when we can simply annihilate the rebels?” Emma sighed, leaning against the pillars, “it is not as if they are an actual threat.”
“No, they're not,” Avery agreed, “but we must get as much information out of them as we can. Besides, you know how much Lillian enjoys playing with her meals.”
A smirk made its way to Emma’s face. “She ought to eat it soon, or else I may take it from her.”
“Careful now, we don't want her upset,” Avery warned, “she’ll have her way with them. She’s better than any of us at getting it out of them. All we have to do… is wait.”
“My favorite pastime,” Emma commented, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Meanwhile, on the east coast of what used to be the symbol of freedom, the rebels who called themselves the Justice League were discussing their next plan of action. Seemingly, they had the upper hand now, at least in the area. They took the most vital base of operations, gained access to all files and the database, held in custody the troops and workers and most importantly of all, they had one of the three generals behind bars.
The General known as Nightshadow didn’t show her face often on the battlefield, therefore much of her powers remained a mystery. Their intel suggested that she was their chief strategist and it made sense for she reacted to the attack like a diplomat, not a fighter. They caught her before she made her escape and her shocked face gave them a sense of pride. She didn’t expect to be outsmarted.
Now, she was locked in a holding facility underneath the base and while many celebrated this victory, others questioned it.
“It’s too easy,” Batman muttered, “they’re smarter than this. They wouldn’t let us take it so easily.”
“They’re also prideful, and arrogant,” Superman stated, “maybe they were too overconfident, let their guard down?”
“I find that highly unlikely.”
“Boys, focus on the task here,” Wonder Woman scolded, “we’re not here to debate on the credibility of our success, we’re here to talk about Nightshadow. Batman?”
Batman nodded and pulled up all the information he had on the general, which was not much, “her real name is Keo Lillian--Keo being her family name--born in Paris, France and lived on the streets most her life. Her mother was murdered when she was four. At one point, joined the French mafia and rose to power… became their leader and was recruited.”
“That’s not much,” Martian Manhunter commented, displeased.
Batman shrugged. “That’s all we have,” he turned to the alien, “think you can get more?”
“I can certainly try,” Martian Manhunter responded. He made his way down the facility into the restricted area, where they kept their prisoners.
The most secure cell held the general.
Once he was in front of the cell, Martian Manhunter took time to observe her. She didn’t seem of her nationality but she was absolutely breathtaking. It was easy to fall in love with her.
“General Nightshadow,” he began, “what an honor.” She acknowledged his presence but in no way did she made any response. “You do understand you are in a tight position here. You’re captured, lock in a holding cell and your facility has been compromised,” as he explained her position, he tried to pry into her mind, “why not you help us, and we’ll help you?”
She tilted her head to the side, her eyes seemingly staring into his soul. “You don’t believe that, do you? Why would you help me, your enemy?” a small laugh left her red lips, “no, you wouldn’t help me.”
“VOID wouldn’t help their enemy,” he continued, mentioning the name of the crime syndicate that seized the world, “but we will. We stand for peace, for hope, for--”
“Justice?” she finished, a tiny smirk dancing on her lips, “quite the name you have come up with. Whose idea was it?”
Martian Manhunter winced slightly as he finally entered her mind, seemingly crashing into it like he would a plane into the sea. However, she didn’t seem to notice the intrusion so he played it off. “It was a collective vote.”
“The fact that you all agreed to something so…” she struggled to find the word, “dull-witted irks me more than anything else to date. Perhaps you can come up with a better name? One that doesn’t sound like you were barfed out of some comical children’s book.”
The insult didn’t faze the alien as he was more focused on her mind. She had an excessive amount of information and it was overwhelming, perhaps too overwhelming. Everything came to him at once--something that never happened before… and why wasn’t she fazed by this? Why was it only him?
The blaring of the alarms brought him out of her mind and back into reality. His eyes widened as he heard explosions and gunfire.
“You should join your friends up there,” the general suggested in an eerily calm voice, “they’ll need your help.”
Martian Manhunter gritted his teeth and quickly left the underground prison, but he stopped in his tracks when he heard her ask, “did you enjoy prying through my mind?”
When he glanced at her, she was smiling. It wasn’t a kind smile, it was one that promised death upon them all.
No one saw VOID coming.
One minute, not even a leaf rustled in the wind. The next, chaos rained upon them. They appeared out of thin air and showed no mercy to whoever stood in their way. Leading them were their brilliant generals.
They were a force to be reckoned with, the two generals who were much more well known. General Black Sapphire could never be seen in battle. She was a whirlwind of blades that brought death to anyone near her. She spared no one, even those who begged for their life. Phantom wasn’t any more merciful. If faced against her, she would tear anyone and anything apart within a blink of an eye.
To think that the rebels had a chance was idiotic. They never stood a chance.
Superman clicked his tongue and went to strike Emma but with one swift hand, she intercepted his attack and sent him flying across the compound. Green Lantern made his constructs to counter Avery but it was no use. She destroyed them all and in a moment of pure malevolence, she ripped his arm right off, deeming that simply taking the Lantern ring wasn’t enough to teach him a lesson.
It had only been ten minutes, but in that ten minutes the two generals had single-handedly destroyed the rebellion’s greatest warriors. Loyal VOID troops, raised personally by their generals, took care of the rest of the rebels.
“How--how are they so strong?” the Flash demanded, wiping blood off his forehead. Even his speed was no match for Emma.
Black Canary and Green Arrow were about to answer but Phantom silenced them quickly, shocking everyone by her unexpected attack, literally. The Justice League knew it was hopeless, but they were not one to back down or give up. They had a plan, they always did.
And if they didn't, they weren't going down without a fight.
Suddenly, everyone stopped. The VOID troops finished off the last of the lowly rebels, leaving only their strongest.
“This is when the fun begins,” Emma said delightfully. She grinned as she began to circle the fallen League.
“Wait,” stated Avery, looking at the facility, “Nightshadow?”
“I got everything we need,” said Lillian, walking towards the League as if she had never been captured. That's when they realized she wanted to be captured.
Once she reached her friends, the League saw all three together and realized the sheer terror that they were about to witness. Never had the three generals of VOID assembled together in a battle. They were always assessed individually, but no one knew what kind of power they had as a team.
“Now,” said Emma with a spin of her sword, “shall we teach them what happens to enemies of VOID?”
Summary: Damian Wayne is about to meet with Silver Angel, one of the lesser known members of the Justice League. He thought he was prepared, but he thought wrong.
Type: Hero AU (Where Lily is an active hero part of the Justice League)
Warnings: None
Word Count: 1183
MASTERLIST
Damian Wayne stood by his father’s side on the roof patiently, though inside he was bouncing with curiosity. He was going to meet one of the members of the Justice League, a member who had been part of the League since she was little and had been trained by Bruce himself. Bruce refused to give more information about her, but from what Damian dug up from the Batcomputer, Silver Angel’s reputation did her no justice.
As one of the older Justice League members, membership-wise, Silver Angel didn't have such a big reputation compared to that of Wonder Woman’s, Green Lantern’s, the Flash’s or those well-known heroes. She was a silent hero, only working behind the scenes but her abilities shouldn't be underestimated. Her fighting capabilities rivaled those of her mentor’s and her intelligence was unparalleled. Her powers, however, remained a mystery to everyone to this day. Not even Bruce knew exactly what her powers were or to what extent they reach.
Damian was intrigued by the mystery that surrounded her and he wanted to solve that mystery. Her shrouded background and powers were a potential threat were she to turn against them, after all. Damian was sure his father knew that as well, which was why a powerful bond was essential when bringing her into the League.
“My apologies for making you wait, Batman.”
Damian didn't even hear her arrive until she spoke up. While he spun around with wide eyes and a defensive hand, Bruce wasn't fazed by the appearance. In fact, he seemed to know this was going to happen.
“It's fine,” he said in his usual monotonous voice, “you were in Nepal so your timing is understandable.”
Silver Angel lowered her head in respect and her eyes landed on Damian. Suddenly, he felt exposed. Something about her eyes hypnotized him, and he felt as if she was seeing all his secrets. He swallowed, not knowing if this was a good or bad feeling.
“What do you need?” she inquired to Bruce, her eyes leaving Damian, “you never call me unless there is an emergency.”
“I know, and it is,” Bruce began to explain their situation, something about all the criminals teaming up to cause havoc on the city. Damian couldn't see why he needed Silver Angel, but Bruce wanted to avoid as much bloodshed and destruction as possible. How Bruce thought she was going to do that, Damian didn't know.
Silver Angel listened carefully but her face remained passive, neutral. Damian couldn't read her expression. “I see… and you want me to talk to them.” It wasn't a question, it was a statement.
“Yes.”
“What?” Damian exclaimed, the first words he uttered since she arrived, “talk? You can't be serious. Criminals like them don't negotiate.”
Silver Angel seemed to smile under her mask. “They will with me. They always do.” Something about the way she said it unnerved him. In fact, everything about her put him on his guard.
“I’ll leave it to you Silver Angel,” said Bruce. Silver Angel lowered her head once more and after a farewell, she disappeared in a blink of an eye… literally.
“Where did she go?” Damian demanded, glancing around.
“Don't worry, that's normal,” Bruce stated, “what’s your impression of her?”
It was silent as Damian thought of was word to describe her. It was difficult, but he finally found it.
“Uncanny.”
There was a slight smirk on Bruce’s face. “Something you can't quite place, right?” Damian nodded. “It's one of the qualities that makes her dangerous. She’s doing it on purpose, you know? It intimidates her enemies, making them easier for her to manipulate.”
“Manipulate?” Damian repeated, confused.
“One of her greatest abilities is her ability to negotiate, or rather, manipulate people to do whatever she pleases,” Bruce explained, “that's why she’ll succeed in stopping the attack.”
Damian was highly doubtful but his father seemed so incredibly convinced that he couldn't help but question his own judgment. She had a mysterious, unsettling aura but he didn't think she was someone who could talk the greatest criminals of Gotham City out of an elaborate attack they most likely took months to plan. Take them on, maybe. But talk to them?
That was impossible. Completely and utterly impossible… right?
“So how did you do it?”
Damian watched as the masked vigilante crossed her legs and leaned back against the chair, contemplating how she would answer this--to be completely honest--simple question. He waited anxiously for her response for he desperately wanted to know how she did it as well.
How did she, this one woman, convince an army of criminals to stand down?
“Isn’t it obvious?” said Dick, “all she had to do was tell them not to do it.” He gave her a cautious smile.
Tim’s brows furrowed. “And they listened to her? Just like that? No questions asked whatsoever?”
As the boys continued to argue about this, Silver Angel simply sat and watched the whole thing unfold. It made Damian slightly irritated--she knew what was happening yet she wasn’t doing anything to stop it. If only she could explain herself properly, then--
“It is just as Nightwing says,” she spoke up, her voice leveled, “I told them not to do it and they listened. By the time I was finished with them, the cops showed up and arrested the majority of them.” Damian opened his mouth but she cut him off, “and yes, they let themselves get arrested, because I told them to.”
“So that’s your power? People listen to you?” Damian summarized, somewhat unimpressed. It wasn’t like he was unimpressed by her power, he just expected something more… spectacular. The power to be convincing to a borderline supernatural level was impressive, but it had the subtlety that Damian didn’t expect from someone as feared as her.
“You can say that,” she acknowledged.
“It’s more than that,” Bruce interjected, walking in with Jason--what a sight that was, “people don’t just listen to her, she doesn’t even have to speak. They just do whatever she wants.”
Damian shook his head in disbelief. “That’s impossible.”
“Is it, Robin?” Silver Angel challenged, “tell me your name.”
“Damian Wayne,” he answered without thought. Before he could stop himself, he added, “son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul.” His hand flew to his mouth and he glared at her.
“Seems it may not be as impossible after all,” she said as she uncrossed her legs and stood up, “you have a strong mind Damian, but not strong enough. Maybe next time.”
“Stop provoking him Angel, that one bites,” Jason warned playfully.
Her eyes seemed to twinkle with amusement as she said, “he won’t bite me, will you, Damian?”
“No.” The words were practically dragged out of his mouth.
“Good,” she chimed in a light tone. “Now, my work is done here. I’ll be taking my leave.” As always, she lowered her head in respect.
“Lily,” Bruce called the unfamiliar name and Silver Angel looked at him, “thank you.”
Damian could imagine the smile that appeared on her face as she said, “you’re welcome.” And with that, she disappeared.
Hey! No need to apologize (I’ve seen your insta, live your life gurl!). And nothing much XD I mean, I changed my blog name! And the theme! So now I’m slowly expanding to other ocs from other fandoms as well. Also, got my first job! Other than that… eh. What about you? X3
Oda Fuyuki (DC Universe): Fuyuki is a revamp of Camilla Yuki, and she’s basically an immortal demigod. She’s blind, but she uses her other powers to get by. She mainly uses magic as a form of combat, but she also makes potions and whatnot.
Caelestia Lucis Caelum (Final Fantasy XV): Caelestia is basically the younger sister of the main character of Final Fantasy XV, and so she has the same magical powers as him. She is more responsible than him though, and since he doesn’t like his royal duties, she is the one to pick up the slack.
Evelyn (Merlin): I can’t reveal her full name since SPOILERS but Evelyn is an apprentice who is strangely good with a sword. She also has a good relationship with the prince. When Merlin appears, her past begins to unravel and it seems she is more interesting than she lets off.
Akechi Yuna (Persona 5): AHAHAHA so based on the last name, Yuna is the sister (see the trend now?) of a character in Persona 5. She can be spotted by her red hair, but since she’s teased for it she would cover it with a hoodie most of the time. She goes to the same school as the MC of the game and sits directly behind him. They become closer when they both discover that he is actually staying at her go-to coffee shop. After that, their fate crosses more often.
Cynthia Arctus (Teen Wolf): Cynthia is Beacon Hill’s resident forensic scientist, who also has knowledge of the supernatural as she is an old friend of Derek Hale. After more than several encounters, she ends up helping the gang regularly.
Amy Stepanova (Hemlock Grove): Amy is relatively new, but she is Roman Godfrey’s best friend and one of the few people who can deal with his shit. Hemlock Grove is not exactly a normal town, so of course Amy is not normal. In fact, she was adopted into a family of Upirs (vampires basically). However, she is very much human.
yeah so that’s a list. Idk if any of it makes sense but XD
turnnoffyourmind
romaincrisis
prguitarman
kianamaiart
