#galkyrie writes

[galkyrie]

Just a quick sneak peak for my entry into the Code Red: A Jaytim Fanzine benefiting Doctor's Without Borders! Check it out here:

Code Red: A JayTim Fanzine

Code Red: Jaytim Zine will be a digital only charity fanzine solely focused on the relationship...

[galkyrie]

Chapter 24 of The Fates' Design is up now!

[galkyrie]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapter 7 of A Pearl is up! Here is a quick preview:

"Tim still hadn't surfaced, the water undisturbed but for the rippling out from the falls. Jason could feel eyes on him anyway and had to fight down a shudder, carefully lowering himself into the dark pool.

This feeling– the notable sense that he was prey in the lair of a particularly interested predator– always made his heart pound, the mere brush of a fin against his calf enough to send gooseflesh rippling across his skin.

Tim was making him wait tonight, nothing but the sense of being watched to accompany him as he swam out to the center of the pool. He tread water lazily, drinking in the afternoon sun while he awaited his love.

The first touch was a careful one, the narrowest part of Tim's tail delicately wrapping around his ankle. It sent a shudder through him, sent his eyes scanning for the breach in the water's surface.

He didn't have to wait much longer until Tim was there, emerging right in front of him with a small smile. Hands circled his waist and he paused his treading, trusting the man to hold him up."

[galkyrie]

7. “This is not what I had in mind. Like. At all.”

This sounds like a very Tim thing to say👀

Tim couldn't help but feel like he was interrupting, that he'd gotten the day wrong. He had let himself into Jay's apartment like he usually did- whenever Jason would perfect his latest recipe, he'd invite Tim over to take pictures of the final result for his recipe journal- and had been expecting the usual smell of toasting sugar or warm chocolate or browned butter to be filling the space. He had expected to be able to set up the ligting and fuss with his camera until it was just right, and let Jason review the pictures while he snuck tastes from the various mixing bowls in the space.

He hadn't expected candles. Or the table to be set for two, or the smell of fresh baked bread and cooking herbs to fill his nostrils, making his mouth water.

He certainly hadn't expected the realization that he'd likely interrupted Jason preparing for a date to make him so-

He breathed out, pushing away the prickly feeling in his chest at the idea, and spoke when he was sure he could go for lighthearted without it seeming feigned.

"I thought you were baking today?" He fidgeted with the shoulder strap of his bag instead of looking over to where the man was leaning over the stove, stirring something that smelled amazing. It probably would've been better to slip back out of the apartment as quietly as possible and double check the dates on his burner phone used exclusively for keeping in contact with Jason, but-

That little pit of disappointment that this wasn't for him was making him reckless. Selfish in his urge to prod and possibly see if Jason had just forgotten about their thing in favor of some romantic gesture-

That he...wanted to be for him. Okay. That was- that was new. When he'd started hanging out with him- or really, when he'd shouldered his way into making Jason let him help with his hobby- that wasn't what he had in mind. Like, at all.

He definitely should've slipped out the front the moment he'd seen candles and gone home to lick his wounds, because this was not the time or the place to be dealing with that particular revelation.

"I baked yesterday." Jason was gruff when he answered, interrupting Tim's panic over his newly-realized and thoroughly unwelcome feelings in favor of confirmation that yes, he had messed up his days.

Instead of kicking him out, Jason kept talking. Tim couldn't quite believe it. He'd gotten the day wrong and stumbled upon him pulling together an amazing smelling candlelit dinner that was almost done and instead of shooing him out of the apartment, he just shot him one of his easy grins. "Yeah, been bakin' all week. Had to get a new recipe together fast."

"Why the rush?" Tim tried to sound casual, setting his bag down on the counter and focusing entirely too much on retrieving his camera.

"Well I had to get something together after I found out I missed your birthday, Tim." He shot him a meaningful look. probably broadcasting disappointment in him. "Why didn'tcha let me know last week that it was your birthday? I had to read it in the society pages of the Gazette."

"Um," Tim set his camera down, finally meeting Jason's gaze head on. "It was?"

"You forgot?" Jason sounded flabbergasted, turning away from the stove to look at him fully. "Seriously?"

"I was on a mission! Time was weird there," Tim defended, "I'm still adjusting to what month it is, and it's not a big deal anyways-"

"-Big deal or not," Jason pointed at him with a spoon, "Your friend who bakes would've liked some forewarning before having to cobble together an actually edible version of your favorite cake."

"First of all, Snoballs are actually great," Tim jumped to tread over familiar ground, because-

Jason spent days baking a, probably much better, replica of his favorite snack cake and Tim showed up the day they were supposed to meet to the man preparing a candlelit dinner. He cast a furtive glance to he table, at the warm glow of the setting, and bit the inside of his cheek to suppress the sappy smile wanting to take over his face.

Maybe he was right where he was supposed to be, after all.

[galkyrie]

Inspired by this post and its notes (and by that I mean it refused to leave me alone until I wrote these scenes)

Jason tried not to make going to the ‘Cave a habit. No, he much preferred to conduct any Bat-related business in as close to neutral turf as possible, but- 

Tim. Tim was in the ‘Cave, had been manning the comms for the group all night as he nursed a couple bruised ribs. Oracle was away on Birds’ business, so the responsibility of playing coordinator had fallen onto his lap while he recovered. 

It made him easy to find, luckily. Jason wanted to have a chat with the little bird.

“Hey Babybird,” he tried to keep the thrilled, self-satisfied smugness out of his tone as he climbed off his bike and tugged off his helmet, but- 

This was just too good.

The numbers- courtesy of the magic user and dimension-jumper they’d had to coordinate taking down last week- had appeared just as they’d managed to shove him back into the universe he’d come from. A parting gift in the form of a spell. 

May you all see what you truly are. 

It’d been ominous, but anytime a magic used opened their mouths was a pretty ominous fuckin’ moment in his book. And nothing had come of it, not really. Just these- numbers, hanging over their heads silently. Only seen by one another, and seemingly nonsensical. 

Until tonight. 

“Jason, what are you-” Tim turned in the leather computer chair in front of the set of monitors, mug of coffee in hand as he moved to greet him. He stopped, looked above his head with a furrowed brow. “Your number went up.” Jason couldn’t help the smirk that spread across his face as he ambled over to the platform, neither pausing nor bothering to give Timmy his space as he responded. 

“Yeah, funny thing. I ran into someone I’ve been lookin’ for while goin’ about my business tonight- real scum of the earth type, yeah? He’d just gotten off on another rape charge on a technicality- it went about as well as you can guess.” He spun the helmet in his hands lazily before setting it to his side, leaning against the desk and grinning down at a stone-faced Red Robin. “Imagine my surprise when I got back from that little meetin’ to find my number’d gone up.” 

If the cause was surprising news, Tim didn’t let on. “I see.” His tone is level, even. It meant nothing- gave nothing away, about how Drake was feeling. 

“And it got me wonderin’, Prettybird,” Jason added, lips twitching in amusement as the nickname did not draw out the usual faint scowl on Tim’s lips. It was as good a tell as any that the neutrality in his features was an act. “Why your number is hovering around triple what I’ve got hanging over my head.” 

He leaned over, taking full advantage of their comparative sizes and Tim’s seated position to loom, a taunting grin spread across his lips. “How’d’ya think Daddy Bats is gonna take to his perfect little soldier bein’ no better than his biggest failure?” He reached down, taking an errant lock of hair between his gloved fingers before adding, “bein’ three times worse?” 

Tim looked up at him, glacial blue eyes taking in the triumphant grin on his face and finally emoted. 

He laughed.

“I guess we’ll find out, won’t we Jay?” He took the moment of surprise- fully fuckin’ earned, because the little shit just laughed at him holding destroying his life over his head- to push back in the seat, rolling away enough to get standing. “When you tell him, that is. I’m assuming you are going to tell him, yes? That’s why you’re dangling this in my face first?” 

Tim looked his way, head tilted in that studying-a-bug way of his that always made him feel both small and about to be skewered. Jason blinked his way, sure he was broadcasting just how off-kilter he currently was-

“I thought one of you would figure it out eventually, but- honestly my money was on Dick before you.” Tim gave him a grin, small and conspiratorial, seeming utterly amused by the truth coming out. 

Jason was at a fuckin’ loss. “What’d you do, to get that number?” 

“Oh no, that’s not how this is going to go.” Tim laughed again, shaking his head. “We’re not going to share stories, Jay. You didn’t come here to do that. And it wasn’t to warn me, tell me you were so sorry but you had no choice but to tell the others. You’re gloating. You came here,” and Tim stepped closer, that grin and gaze sharpening enough to cut, “to make me squirm.” 

Tim stopped in front of him, just barely within reach as he regarded him. He wasn’t in the Red Robin uniform- opting instead for a loose hoodie hanging over the sleek black athletic wear used by most of them when running training exercises. He looked underprepared to fight him and unconcerned by the prospect, the combination of which managed to turn his looming back around on him. 

“I’m afraid this isn’t going to get me there, Jason.” The cool condescension in his tone killed any quip he might’ve come up with for the innuendo in their tracks, making him sneer. “But go ahead,” Tim waved his hand, turning to gesture towards his helmet, “I’m sure everyone would love to hear it.” 

“You’re bluffing.” He didn’t even sound positive to his own ears. He’d- this was not what he’d been expecting. He’d been thinking he might get denial, a fight, maybe. Not cold, calculated acceptance of the revelation and this...heel-turn. 

Tim huffed another laugh, meeting his eyes again. “Feel free to call it, then. Do you think Bruce will even remember my number when he finds out what the one hanging over him means?” 

“Do you really think he’ll believe you, when his whole idea of himself is at stake?” Fuck, Tim was right and that grin on his face did little to hide that he knew it. “Your word’s worth more than it used to be, Jay- but nobody’s is worth that much.” 

Fuck. He’d have to prove it. “This isn’t over.” He promised, narrowing his eyes at the little bird. 

“I wouldn’t dare assume otherwise.” Tim eyed him coolly, watching as he straightened and yanked his helmet off the desk. 

“You know- I might be a fuckin’ asshole, Tim. But you’re ice cold.” And his judgement was probably less than meaningless to the man, considering he’d come here fully expecting to rub this in his face, but-

“So I’ve been told.” Tim shot back, sounding bored, “now do you mind plotting elsewhere? Some people didn’t abandon their patrols to play mind games and I have a job to get back to.” He gestured back to the computer, easing into the chair and returning to the monitors. 

Jason stormed out, trying not to let the curveball that was this entire interaction get to him. Tim- seemingly adept at finding new ways to be infuriating when given any opportunity- was right about one thing. Bruce wasn’t going to believe him if he just told him. 

He’d have to show him.

...

Tim made it until the roaring of Jason’s bike faded into the distance before his head was between his knees, forcing himself out of the instinctual hyperventilation he’d been trying to avoid since the moment Jason had told him why his number had gone up. 

So- it was over. Tim’d killed people- a lot of people. He hadn’t- god he hoped his bluff had bought him some time, that he hadn’t just goaded Jason into finding Bruce in person and telling him. 

Hope wasn’t enough and he didn’t have time to lose it now. He stood- probably too fast, since he was lurching to the side of the platform just to empty the contents of his stomach over the side. God, he’d- he’d killed people. 

He wiped his mouth on his sleeve, grimaced at the acid clinging to his tongue before forcing himself to get it together. 

The first thing he did was get onto the ‘Cave recording and delete any record of his conversation with Jay- the Hood’s would be a problem, probably having picked up the entirety of his act from its spot on the desk. 

Jason could just go show that to Bruce. That brought down his possible time-table considerably.

Tim moved quickly after that, grabbing every bit of gear he thought he’d need to get out of Gotham and quickly divesting his motorcycle of every piece of tech that could be tracked. 

It came out easily, considering he’d designed it with something like this in mind, someday. 

And- sure, his idea hadn’t exactly been ‘turns out you’ve murdered a few hundred people’ that would be the final nail in the coffin, but- 

Bruce had been vocally disappointed at him considering where to draw his own line with Boomerang, no killing required. Enough so that he’d planned a few exits, should the need arise. 

Yeah, seemed like the need was there. He had to go, like, yesterday. 

He kept his own readout tracking the rest of the Bats’ movements- Jason was sure to act if his control of the comms seemed amiss. Luckily he tended to keep things quiet on the group comm anyways, unless something big was going down. 

Thank god it was a slow night. Outside of Jason, apparently, committing a murder. 

Not that he could judge. 

He got to one of his safehouses tucked away from anybody’s current route, logging into the Nest’s system from the pared down system inside. He set a countdown and activated subroutines that would be necessary for the rest of them to go on without him- and not find him, hopefully. 

After that he bought bus, plane, and train tickets in every direction under every alias he could afford to burn. 

He used none of them, abandoned his bike at the border of Chinatown and backtracked to execute the rest of his plan. He didn’t break down, not when he successfully crept through the marina to the small, solar-powered yacht he’d carefully kept off the books and got aboard. He didn’t fall apart, when he’d carefully slipped below deck and into the dimly lit space that was to serve as his home until he’d managed to put as much distance between himself and Gotham- and seven or eight of its residents in particular- as possible. 

A buzzy, distant kind of calm washed over him as he carefully, purposefully changed once more into clothes more suited for sailing, and tested just how silent the electric motor was as he undocked and left Gotham’s tainted waters in the rearview. 

[galkyrie]

*bats eyes* trick or treaaat

I dont even know whats going on im just a copy cat, i guess is tumblr halloween. Anyway candy candy candy

Hello Kriz! Here's a scene for unnamed future fic:

"You're just some kid," the green-haired man sneered, rictus smile doing little to mask the rage in his eyes. "You think you're going to kill me? I'm the Clown Prince of Crime!"

"I understand," Tim replied coolly, his nerves well masked as he feigned inspecting his nails, "you think you're better than this." Tim waved his hand airily, gesturing around the windowless room. "After everything you've done, all the people you've hurt- you'd at least earned going out with a bang, right?"

Tim smiled, a grim little thing. The Clown glared harder at him from his spot in the chair. He watched as the man shifted slightly, attempting to loosen his bonds-

It wouldn't work. Tim was nothing if not incredibly, terribly thorough. It wasn't arrogance to say he had the Clown exactly where he wanted him- it was a result of preparation.

Joker seemed to pick up on his predicament, the longer he went on letting him struggle. Eventually he spoke up again, usually shrill voice heightened in panic.

"Batsy's gonna swoop in and stop you, you little pest! He'd never let me-"

"-Batman is on an off-world mission for the next two days." Tim interrupted, stepping further into the room. "That gives us plenty of time."

[galkyrie]

First Kiss

Jason had thought about kissing Tim before. Early in the morning, when the pre-dawn sky was signaling their time in the shadows was up for the night, he thought about it. Sometimes, Tim'd look at him a little too long or his lips would quirk into a little too lopsided of a grin- the real one, the one reserved for his friends- and he'd think about it.

Moments like now, when the only clear way out of the unbelievably shitty situation they were in was certain death. Sacrifice, for the greater good.

Watching Tim fight against unbeatable odds, the downturn of his lips broadcasting he'd come to a similar conclusion about the way out of this? He wanted to throw his helmet off and kiss him for the first time. For the last time.

Jason loved this city. So fervently that it once felt like there was no room for anything else. He could do good here, still- had been doing good. Making his second lease on life really count.

He lived for this city.

But-

He'd die for Tim. If it was gonna be one of them- and nobody else was even close enough to the breach to be a factor, too busy trying not to be overrun- it should be him. It seemed fitting to have to do this in an old cathedral.

"Babybird," the endearment sounded off coming out of the helmet, far too monotone for the affection it carried when it left his lips. "I'm trustin' you to take care of my turf-" he kept himself calm as he spoke, ducking when Tim signaled and launched himself into the air from his shoulders, tossing disks in a rapid-fire spin.

"Shouldn't be too hard for ya- seein' as you live there already-" Bruce was fighting his way up to their position by the breach, Jason noted- probably having done the same math they had regarding their odds. He wasn't going to make it down the pews to the chancel in time to take either of their places, not at this rate.

"Hood, you don't-" Tim started to argue, landing in a roll before stabbing at one of the invading creature's joints with his bo and twisting until he heard a crack. Jason'd usually compliment the fancy footwork, but there wasn't time. Wasn't time to argue, either.

"You don't see any better option-"

"It doesn't have to be you-"

"It can't be you." His tone left zero room to argue. He- for all the good he did- Tim was better. Balancing the work in the light of day and in the dark- knew himself well enough to be able to walk up to his own line and work with people who crossed it without losing himself. He was Bruce if the man could truly wrestle the darkness and win. He wasn't an echo screaming out in that dark.

"Tim," the man's fighting was taking on a frantic edge- this argument was going to be meaningless if Tim got sloppy and got himself killed. "Take care of them for me, promise?"

"I," Tim spun again, driving his staff through a mechanical lens and activating the stun function with all that built up momentum, "I will." It was almost too quiet to hear. "I'll take care of them all." He promised, flicking his wrist and setting the ring of planted disks around them to ignite.

It bought them a moment in the onslaught- apparently all that Tim needed, because he was pressed up close and flying through the steps to unlock his hood before Jason could process the explosions around them.

Lips pressed to his, slightly chapped from the frigid winter air. It was everything he could've asked for in that moment, months of working cases together, sharing late-night meals, trading lingering glances clicked into focus.

He didn't dwell on how many of those moments- how many idle daydreams would've been able to come true, if only he'd done this when they'd had time-

Tim had done everything he could to buy them this much. It wouldn't do to use it to despair.

He kissed him back, guns dropping in favor of gripping his waist to savor the moment.

"I love you," Tim declared, resolute when he broke the kiss. "Remember that," he added, and Jason felt the blade slice through his hand.

Tim didn't hold back, using every bit of force to drive the knife through his hand and into the altar behind them.

Jason screamed, the pain spiking along his nerves a pale imitation of the wrenching feeling as he watched Tim bolt for the breach and leap into it. The tear in the universe shuddered, and Jason got a grip on the bloody hilt of his own blade and yanked hard. He wrenched himself free, heedless of the pain in his desperation to get to the breach before it-

Energy burst through the breach, hurling him back with the force of it. Bruce raced forward, catching his body as it was thrown back before he could make impact with the cold stone wall. Jason couldn't hear anything, eyes glued to where the tear folded in on itself, the only indication that he was still yelling the burn in his throat as the breach vanished, taking Tim with it.

[galkyrie]

Literally! Sharing! A sweater! (or feeling each others pulse, for the angst potential :3c)

(Agh this took me a LONG time to figure out a fun way to do this but aaaah I like this, ridiculous idiots the both of them)

After three years together, Jason had thought he'd seen all stages of sleep-deprived Tim.

This one was new.

"What're you doin', Babybird?" Jason looked up from his book to eye the man standing- swaying, if he was going to be totally accurate- in front of him.

They'd been in a quiet standoff for the past six hours, when Tim had steadfastly refused to take a nap and Jason had stubbornly resolved not to go to sleep either until he did. Tim had been agitatedly performing lab work while Jason pretended to read and waxed poetic about how comfortable the cot he'd dragged from the medbay since then. Every time Tim insisted he was 'fine' Jason had acted like the thread count on the blankets he'd wrangled had doubled.

"Two hours and forty minutes." Tim muttered, making a move to join him on the cot he'd appropriated for his standoff. He grumbled but shifted to allow the man to join him. Tim blinked blearily down at him, pouting.

"What's in two hours and forty minutes?" Jason asked.

"The chromatography for the new Venom strain'll be ready. I think I got the compounds isolated and ready for identification, but-" Tim explained, miraculously managing not to slur his words.

"-It's gonna take two hours and forty minutes, I'm guessing?" The man tucked himself under the blanket Jason had been using and wriggled in close. Apparently sleep deprivation made him less concerned about being under surveillance and more inclined to be all over him, because he made a disgruntled noise when his hands met the soft knit of his sweater instead of skin.

"This ain't the Nest, Babybird." Jason tried to remind the exhausted man, who was now sliding his hands down his chest like it didn't matter if they were in the privacy of his home or in the middle of a fuckin' gala.

"No kidding- it's not this fucking cold in the Nest. And my mass spec is better." Tim grumbled, and Jason tried not to jump as his cold hands met the warm skin when he got under the hem of his sweater. Tim made a triumphant noise before apparently deciding he might as well be a total weirdo and shimmying down the length of his torso until his face was level with said hemline.

"Tim-" Jason's face flared with heat, hands preparing to push him back if Tim's sleep deprivation meant he'd totally disregarded the notion that anyone could walk in on them and see how fun he could make the wait-

"You're warm," Tim sighed, nuzzling the soft skin of his abdomen where the sweater had rucked up. Jason stared at the cave ceiling for a moment, fighting back and urge he had to let his cuddly boyfriend have his probably-delirious way with him.

"And you need to sleep-" Jason tried to scold, fighting down the shudder as hands slid up his torso.

"I'm gonna." Tim actually whined, having the nerve to sound defensive. Jason opened his mouth to argue, point out that running the icicles he called fingers over his ribs while he pressed his face into his stomach was not sleeping. "I'm getting comfy."

Jason didn't have anything to say to that. Not because there wasn't anything to say about the ridiculous display. No, he didn't say anything because Tim took that moment to burrow under his sweater along with him, sliding up his torso until he was in the same spot Jason usually pulled him to when they actually got a moment to stop and nap.

Jason usually had him on the outside of his shirt, however.

Tim let out another sigh, making the weird lump stretching out his sweater sound utterly content. Jason could feel, but not see the cheek pressed to his chest, arms looping around his shoulders from under the fabric as well.

"You're such a little lunatic," Jason griped as Tim tucked his face into the crook of his neck, making a pleased noise when Jason's arms circled his frame despite his complaining.

"And you're perfect," okay, Tim was definitely starting to slur now. "P'rfect an' warm an' s'ft-"

"I'm gonna use you as a bookstand," Jason ignored the heat flaring in his face with a huff, grabbing the paperback he'd set aside when Tim had stomped over.

"Mmkay," Tim nuzzled his neck again. It was the last thing he said before he crashed, breaths falling into an even rhythm.

Jason tried to continue reading, but the warm weight of his boyfriend holding him close- even if he had been a weird little weasel about it- had him drifting off. It wasn't long before he was setting the book aside and curling around the ridiculous man in his arms, resolving to crow about his victory in their battle of wills when Tim was coherent enough to be grumpy about it.