* SPOILER | ALERT !

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chaxticgood·:

“You don’t have to be a hero to be here, you know. Plenty of the kids here don’t want to do that.” Miri wasn’t one of them, she definitely wanted to use her powers to be a hero, but she knew there were more than a few. “And I’m glad you’re here.” She smiles, hoping that doesn’t blow up in her face. “Um, retaking a few subjects from last semester, actually. And then a couple teaching ones.”

     ❝ very true. i think i just MAINLY feel like a loser because i didn’t grow up around all this stuff like everyone else. my parents ── erm, i guess i mean my adoptive parents, they were normal as fuck. ❞ she feels her self starting to frown; though miri’s comment leaves her smiling a shyly. ❝ well thank you. meeting you has definitely made all of this a lot more BEARABLE. ❞ she can feel herself starting to blush; so she looks down at her hands. ❝ that’s pretty rad. what classes are you teaching? ❞

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chaxticgood·:

Miriam smiles, pleased to see Frankie. “Fine?” she says, somehow not believing it. “It’s.. a lot, isn’t it?” Miri had the advantage of growing up with the chaos that was superheroes as family, but Frankie hadn’t. If she was used to it already, that’d be a miracle. “Not much. Getting ready for classes.”

     ❝ you could definitely say that. ❞ she lets out a SOFT chuckle, gaze turning from her schedule to the other girl. ❝ i’m still wondering if coming here was a good idea. i don’t really have much to offer in the whole hero department. ❞ shit, she’s venting. feeling a bit embarrassed, frankie tries to change the subject.  ❝ what all are you taking? ❞

[ofpalmers]

( @spoilervlert ) They decided to meet for coffee (Cass, not a fan of caffeinated drinks, would end up getting just a blueberry muffin). Cass wanted to invite her to the apartment, but was afraid that it might make the girl uncomfortable. She had met Frankie briefly the other day, but it really had been quick. And this was Steph’s daughter. “-have you signed up for your classes yet?”

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     cassandra had DEFINITELY seemed cool ── based on the brief encounter the two had shared the previous day. regardless, it was still surreal meeting people from her birth mom's life. ❝ yeah. i think i might change my schedule around a bit. i'm not really sure WHAT classes to take. ❞ she anxiously plays with the straw of her drink; hesitant to make eye contact. 

[brittanacedes]

[skins-uk-lover-blog]

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「 STEPHANIE ! 」 

stephanie was strong enough not to cry, the tears just welling up in her eyes. but the smile that came after hearing that francine wanted to see her, broke the invisible barrier around her eyes that let the few tears drop. it made her feel like despite doing the hardest thing she had ever done, it wasn’t done for nothing. that despite all those years of begging to be a mother again only to help raise everyone’s else child but her own - was just preparing her for this. She gave her daughters hand a quick squeeze in return hoping what she told next didn’t upset the nice moment they were currently having now.

“um, i think he was upset but he didn’t know how to voice it or want to voice it. we were young and at an age that pregnancy wasn’t a gift it was a burden. we were already….fracturing at that point in our relationship. he did offer to do the whole thing, drop out, get a job, work for us. but i wasn’t capable of making him start a life he didn’t want.” she hadn’t really thought about him in a long time. her mind more focused on finding her daughter, her family, and work. “he wasn’t there during the delivery, i mean no one was there, but i’m sure if he saw you he would have fell in love with you right away.” steph still clung to the baby picture the nurses took for her, currently in a protective case in a box with other small things she got to keep. “he wasn’t a horrible person you know, as much as i would love to tell you that he was, that he is. even after we broke up he checked back in, made sure i was okay. he sent me flowers when i came to paragon to teach. if you ever wanted to, i would help you look for him.”

    frankie honestly isn't sure WHAT she expected. part of her had convinced herself that she was just coming here to get an education and some answers. if anything, she thought she'd be too upset to even really talk to stephanie. yet alone get to KNOW her. with everything that been going on before all of this, she hadn't been sure how much more she could take. her adoptive dad had passed away about six years ago; her mom following suit a little over a year ago. she had felt so ALONE in the world. and then, low and behold, who should come back into her life but stephanie. the whole situation was just almost too surreal for words.

   she wasn’t really sure how to feel about her birth dad. they had been so YOUNG. it made perfect sense that the two of them had reacted the way they did. she, herself, was twenty and that thought of being a parent now HORRIFIED her. there was no way she could support a baby as a mere millennial. ❞ well, that was really sweet of him. ❞ she’s concerned her tone might have seemed a bit sarcastic; though she genuinely meant it. part of her was relieved they had given her up.  ❝ i’m really GLAD that you guys, um  ── that you got to live out pretty normal lives. i know i was probably a major bummer. ❞ she laughed softly, though there’s a sad glimmer in her eyes.  ❝ maybe someday. i don’t know if i could HANDLE meeting him too. i-i’m sorry, if that sounds mean. ❞  

[jjunebugs-blog]

❛ look, all i’m saying is there should be less shame in ordering pumpkin spice lattes. its a good drink. you can’t change my mind !! ❜ was fallon intentionally starting rants about pointless things to avoid homework? absolutely. 

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     ❝ i’d say no OFFENSE ──  but you know that’s the most basic thing you can order, right? ❞

[chaxticgood]

@spoilervlert

“Hey Frankie. How are you settling in?” Miri grins when she sees her new friend, sliding in to sit down next to her. “Everything alright?”

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     the other girl's voice CATCHES her by surprise; though she quickly tries to play it cool. ❝ well, hello there, stranger. ❞ she won’t admit it, but frankie is still extremely overwhelmed by everything.  ❝ i’m doing... fine. what’ve YOU been up to? ❞

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「 STEPHANIE ! 」

stephanie’s chuckle mimicked that of her daughters. frankie would soon see how, plain everyone was at this school. powers or not, they acted like every else on the street did. but it was still nice to see her bewildered by everything, not having letting the cynicism of the world get to her just yet.

steph nodded over her mug, taking a long sip as frankie asked her first question. “i did, a few years after giving you up i was in a completely different place. i had a support system, i had a stable partnership with someone i loved, and i thought that i could get you back, i thought i could still be a mother, your mother. but it would have meant giving up something that i realized wasn’t just a hobby for me. but something that was fixing me, stitching back the parts of me that were so torn. and i didn’t want to bring you back into a situation where i would have to take time away from caring for you - because i had to care for myself.” she explained, her eyes tearing up a bit. “i knew where you were was better than where i was, and it sucked, but it was what was best for you. and i missed you every day. there is not a day that goes by that i didn’t think about you, that i don’t think about you.”

     frankie stayed quite for a MOMENT. her gaze locked on her mother intently; as if trying to solve a puzzle. the professor’s answer didn't bring the girl much comfort. however, it did alleviate some of the anger and resentment that she had been harboring. steph had simply wanted to give her a good life. and, even though it hurt KNOWING she had been given up, it had been for the best. francine had been very fortunate. she was adopted into a very loving household and had a pretty happy upbringing (despite living in gotham). it wouldn't have been fair to make stephanie struggle with a child── especially at such a young age. 

     without really thinking, she REACHED across the table to grab the older woman's hand. seeing her tear up, no matter what awkwardness was still between them, made her heart ache. she would always be her mother. ❝ i thought about you all the time too. i love... loved my mom. but i always wondered what happened to you and if, well, if you still LOVED me. when i was little, i always hoped i’d run into you one day. ❞she cleared her throat. trying not to get worked up herself. ❝ what about my dad? did he, um, was he upset about it at all? ❞

[adorejesssula-deactivated202008]

[onetreehil]

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「 STEPHANIE ! 」

steph gave her a small smile, she could only imagine the nerves running through her daughter. “ i didn’t know she did that, its sweet.” she responded before taking a sip of her tea. “i find that plain people are the best.” she wrinkled her nose a little. it was true, most of her family were plain people who did the best with what they had. “but the school will bore you after some time i’m sure. it looks all nice and fancy and then the first wave of tests hit and the novelty wears off and the kid who says he can control ice really can only make a single ice cube.”

her hands fiddled around the cup, the warmness seeping into her skin like a warm hug. “i imagine you may have some questions, you don’t have to ask them now if you don’t want. but i want you to know that i’m always willing to answer them. i’m always willing to be here if you need me.” her voice was soft, and a little weak. she was hiding her emotions behind a kind face. “i’m sure this is all a lot to process, and a lot to take in. so please let me know if you ever feel uncomfortable and i’ll try to do what i can to help.”

     frankie took a long sip of her tea. the warmth of it CERTAINLY helped her feel a bit more relaxed. the fact that she was so tense probably wasn't helping soothe her nerves. thankfully, stephanie was able to get a small chuckle out of her. it wouldn’t always feel like this, she reassured herself. they would eventually get more COMFORTABLE around each other time. ❝ i mean, i don't know. i would still be pretty impressed by an ice cube. he'd still have me beat. ❞ knowing that she was now attending the same school as people with powers was even more overwhelming. growing up in gotham, she was certainly used to villains plaguing the city. but she'd NEVER encountered anything like that up close and personal.

    mulling over stephanie’s STATEMENT, she took another sip of tea. her thoughts traveling to the millions of questions she had stored away throughout the years. the only real issue was that she wasn’t sure what was exactly appropriate to ask. ❝ i actually have a ton of questions. ❞ she shyly looked down at her feet; clearing her throat before attempting to speak. but, instead of coming across as ELOQUENTLY as she hoped, the words spilled out in a jumbled mess. it was honestly what had been bugging her he most.  ❝ i guess, firstly, did you ── um, did you ever look for me? or want to reach out to me?  or even really,  like, miss me? ❞

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「 STEPHANIE ! 」

steph immediately went to work firing up the electric kettle and filling it up with enough to fill two mugs. it was a nice, brief, distraction to the scenario she currently found herself in. she knew she could speed dial bruce within a second, having installed a bat signal app on her phone for emergencies. but she was certain she didn’t need her own surrogate father here to help her. she could do this on her own. or at least that’s what she kept repeating to herself as a mantra in her head.

“stephanie, steph, miss brown, whatever you feel comfortable with.” she said her sigh and smile becoming mixed together, “to be honest, i’ll probably answer to just about anything.” it was true, the amount of names and nicknames she had over the years were a testament to that. “so, have you settled in okay? i was going to send one of the kids over, but i didn’t want to overwhelm you.” the kids she referred to of course weren’t her own, but they sure felt like they were, thanks to how close her and cassie were. “i’m so happy that you’re here, i know that this is probably more difficult than i can possibly imagine. but i wanted to say thank you, for at least coming. at least allowing me to see you.” she cursed the faltering in her voice, the slight waver. she was supposed to be strong, a strong mother figure and instead she sounded like a tween fresh from a one direction concert. when the tea was ready she poured it into fresh mugs, pulling a little cart around so frankie could put in her own fixings.

     anxiously, frankie started to tap her fingers against the fabric of her jeans. this was so much weirder than she thought it would be. part of her wanted to be angry at stephanie. for giving her up; for not even attempting her to know her before this. she could have at least given the girl’s adoptive parents a keepsake. something that would have let her know her birth mother in some regard. but the other part of her felt almost joyful. this was her MOTHER. the woman who had brought her into this world. her heart tightened in her chest, clearly torn between the mixture of emotions. it was so surreal looking at another person and seeing herself reflected in them. 

     ❝ stephanie. ❞ she said the name once more. it seemed to have a much different meaning now. ❝ funny. my middle name is stephanie. my mom always said it was her way of thanking my birth mom──  i guess that’s you, huh?. it’s kind of weird actually meeting you and calling you stephanie and, wow, i’m rambling, aren’t i? ❞ her cheeks started to BURN profusely. in an attempt regain her composure, she turned her attention to the tea. how strange the universe was. not even a year ago she had lost her adoptive mother. the woman who raised her into the woman she was. and now, here she was as an adult, meeting her other mother.  ❝ i’m doing alright. when you said you taught at a school i wasn’t expecting somewhere so cool. i didn’t know it was, like, some sort of super school. ❞ she gestured to herself. ❝ sadly i’m awfully plain. ❞

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shiftinganger·:

“Pretty sure there’s an office directory somewhere.” Helena said, tone a harsher than she intended. The last few weeks had been a lot for her, and something separate from the mess that became her life was nice, even if the nerves carried over. Her stress was ever mounting, especially as she had more time to think about what Ramona Darkholme being her biological mother meant and how big her family suddenly was.  She cleared her throat. After a moment, she continued, “Other than that I have no clue. Not even sure what she teaches.” 

    the girl’s tone initially catches her off guard. her brows knit together in frustration. growing up from gotham, she was used to people having a similar demeanor.  call her crazy for thinking the people at a school like this might be a bit warmer than the usual grumpy commuter. ❝ thank you, truly, for your wisdom. i just got here from gotham about half an hour ago and the directory wasn’t really clicking with the sleep deprivation. ❞ despite the fact she’s overwhelmed with nerves, her inner-gothamite is on the defensive. ❝ i’m here to meet my birth mom. she teaches here. some kind of analysis? ❞

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sif-goddessofwar·:

Halting in her stride, Sif glanced over her shoulder to see who had spoken before turning properly to face them. “The name sounds familiar,” she started, lips twisting for a moment as she tried to place it. “I don’t think I’ve met her, though. I’m not sure where she might be. Do you know what she teaches?” At least then Sif could hopefully point the other in the right direction. 

    frankie finds herself a bit taken aback at first. the woman standing in front of her looked like some sort of goddess; this place certainly had an interesting crowd running about. ❝ i think she teaches leadership? or something about some sort of analysis. they definitely didn’t offer those courses at my old community college. ❞

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gxbbykxnnxy·:

“No clue, I have no idea who it is you’re talking about. You could try the main offices, they should know where the person you are looking for is. I can tell you where the cafeteria is though and maybe they’ll be there.”

    ❝ the cafeteria definitely sounds tempting. i haven’t eaten all day. could you point me in the right direction? i’m apparently hopeless at navigating around this place. ❞

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wellesme·:

“I do actually. She might be her class or office maybe. We do start school soon and as a professor you would mostly likely find her there. Are you new?” Esme didn’t think much about why she would want to know about the teacher but figured maybe she was her ta or something.

     letting out a sigh of relief, frankie could feel herself relaxing a bit more. at least she wouldn't be wandering around looking lost the rest of the afternoon. ❝ awesome, thank you. can you point me in that direction? ❞ she gave esme a grateful smile. ❝ yeah. i'm SUPER new. i literally just rolled in from gotham this morning. ❞