#original character(s)

[yourlocalsimpsonsandsanriofan]

2021-2024 art improvement comparison :)

[ohgraveyard]

Cigarettes & Seagulls

Words: 568

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Warnings Apply

Category: General

Characters: Rico Ortiz, Aiden El Sadek

AO3 Post: X

Summary: Aiden, a new member at the Blackthorn Society, goes looking for one of her field partners, Rico. When she finds him, he confides something in her she wasn't expecting.

Notes: Rico is genderqueer; he uses he/him and describes himself as butch. Aiden is a butch woman. Rico/Aiden is a sapphic relationship despite both characters having masculine names.

Aiden has been looking for Rico for the past ten minutes. Their handler wants everyone gathered for the next assignment briefing. Of course, he has to wander off to God knows where in this maze of a building. She pushes her way through a heavy door into an alley between two wings. The walls manage to hide the cramped space between them away from the beating sun.

In the shadow, Rico leans back with his boot against the wall and a cigarette between his lips. Smoke coils up and collects into a cloud above him.

“Are you even allowed to smoke out here?” Aiden asks impatiently.

“’Haven’t gotten any complaints yet.”

She’s about to tell him to pack it up and come inside when her eyes catch on a silver glint in his hand. It’s a pocket ashtray. She’s seen him use it before, usually out on jobs, probably to avoid leaving a trail of discarded cigarette butts for someone to follow. But there’s no mercenaries or other treasure hunters following them here. Inside, it’s just a bunch of uppity pencil pushers blabbing about “provenance” and “acquisitions.”

Aiden nods her head, gesturing with her chin towards the ashtray, “you know no one’s lurking in the darkness out here but you, right?”

She expects him to say something about its practicality or about how years in the field make certain habits hard to let go. She expects him to look at her like he’s amused she’d even notice. But that’s not what happens.

He’s looking away from her, like he’s holding onto something he doesn’t quite want to give away yet.

He lets out a long-suffering sigh, “That’s not why I use it.”

“Don’t tell me you’re an environmentalist,” he genuinely doesn’t strike her as the blue-bin-at-the-curb type.

“Well-” he pauses, uncertain, “I was smoking outside a little diner – this was years ago now. Food scraps and trash were all over the place. Then, a seagull dropped down in front of me and instead of picking up a fry or something, it swallowed a cigarette butt.”

“One of yours?” There is a hint of concern in her voice, but she wouldn’t admit to it if pressed.

“No, I’d only had the one I wasn’t done with yet. ‘Tried to chase the bird down to get it out of its mouth, but the damn thing flew off before I could reach it.”

His voice trails off, but there is enough evidence for Aiden to piece together the rest. She could let him off easy, let him keep a modicum of his dignity, but that was never truly an option. “A stupid bird ate some garbage, and that upset you so much you can’t bring yourself to ever toss another cigarette on the ground?”

“Yes.”

Several emotions fight their way across her face as she envisions him scrambling around a dingy parking lot chasing after a bird. It’s almost cartoonish, “So, the big, scary, killer cat-man is worried about a little birdie getting sick?”

“Aiden, please.”

Aiden has this look like Rico will never know what peace is ever again, “Oh my god. I have to tell Jamila.” She grabs his wrist and drags him back inside.

He could resist. He could plant his boots on the ground, and no amount of pulling would be enough for Aiden to move him, but he goes with her – to his own doom – anyway.

[rhonohr]

Dazai is pregnant when he leaves the mafia

He and Oda were together, Dazai gets knocked up but doesn’t know, and then Oda dies. (which makes it so much sadder because he left to go get revenge for his orphans but then he leaves the man he loves, for whom Oda is the only good thing in his life, with a child who will never know their father.) Dazai finds out sometime later, decides to keep the baby because it’s all he has left of Oda, and is forced to reconcile with Mori for the sake of that kid. This doesn’t change all that much until the events of the series start, at which point the Port Mafia and Agency start getting along much better, to everyone’s confusion. Anyway the girl is named Oda Sakuni (which means compassion and assistance from what I could find) and she is a carbon copy of Oda. If it’s a boy or twins or Sakuni is trans than the boy is called Oda Sakusuke (which I believe means to write and to save) and he is also a dead ringer for Oda. Their names align with what Oda would have wanted, and also he can call them Odasaku so the nickname doesn’t die with Oda. His heart hurts every time he looks at them, but he loves them more than he ever thought possible and he’d do anything to keep them safe and happy. Mori is a decent grandparent but neither are actually good with kids despite both wanting and having them, so they struggle a bit at first u til they get the hang of it. Just so y’all know if ever Odazai have a kid in my fics Sakuni is first on the roster and then Sakusuke might show up who knows.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Anterograde

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam

Summary: Shortly after Jason Todd arrives at boarding school, his roommate disappears, leaving behind a diary in the vent. Jason uses this information to realize the school is not quite what it seems, so he begins to keep a diary of his own.

Chapters: 1/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne, Original Character(s)

Additional Tags: Angst, Teen Jason Todd, Boarding School AU, Whump, Descent Into Madness, POV Jason Todd, Jason Todd Mentally Spirals, Jason Todd Has Nightmares

Chapter One: Welcoming Committee

I looked out the window at the moss-covered castle they called a boarding school. Bruce and I had our issues, but I never in a million years thought that he’d actually send me to a boarding school. Herbal smoke and rain-soaked tar scented the air. I hesitated as Bruce led me down the stone-paved pathway. The bluish-grey stones were glossy with rainwater and worn down from foot traffic. I stopped, turning to Bruce with fear in my eyes and an abysmal pit in my stomach. “Jason, let’s go. I told you I was serious,” Bruce stated. He was angry. I knew it was too late to fix things, but I wish I had tried harder to. Maybe if I spoke up and explained myself better. Maybe I could’ve faced the problem head-on. The time for fixing things was over. We entered through the heavy steel double doors and their high window panels. The smell of eucalyptus and lemongrass hit me as soon as the doors opened. It flooded out powerfully, attacking all my senses. The halls were dim and much too clean to be a school for troubled kids. The polished wenge wood floors and pristine floral moulding of the baseboards gave me an eerie feeling that something wasn’t right there. It was too clean. Too quiet. 

Bruce led me to the front office, and I looked at the candle sconces at the entrance. I took a deep breath as I followed him in, and the man at the front desk spoke to him. My ears were ringing from the anxiety of being left behind in such a strange place, and I plopped down on a bench in the corner of the room as I slowly began to accept the hopelessness of my situation. 

Bruce tried to speak to me before he left, but I was in such a state of shock that I couldn’t do anything. I shut down completely. So, he returned with my suitcase, setting it by my feet, and he touched my face. That was his goodbye to me. As soon as Bruce left the building, security took my bag and dragged me to a second room where they made me fill out a questionnaire about my clothing sizes. The room was cold and impersonal, windowless, and dreary with its slate-colored walls. 

I gave one of the security guards the questionnaire, and they took it and left me locked in that room for almost an hour before they returned with a new suitcase with the school’s logo on it and a thick garment bag. They took me out of the office and down the narrow hallway, turned left, and led me out into the now-dark pathway to a building that was nearly half a mile from the office. Then, the man and woman took me on the oldest elevator I’d ever seen in my entire life. I watched the woman use the crank on the elevator, and I turned my attention to the numbers as they changed. We stopped at the fourth floor, and the man led me further into the dark cavernous hallways of the school. Even these were too clean. I watched the hallway thin out around me until all that was left were doors and a large stained glass window that was just color blocks of blue, purple, and green. 

The man knocked on the door labeled four ‘A’ seven. The door opened immediately, and a boy with a black suit and a black and grey striped tie on. He had hazel eyes and two different-sized pupils, chestnut brown hair that was perfectly coiffed in a nineteen-thirties side-parted style, and he was pale. Almost too pale to be a brunet. He wasn’t quick to speak. He just opened the door and moved aside. “Jason Peter Todd. Stephen Scott Bailey. Stephen, the headmaster expects you to get Jason acquainted with the rules before classes resume on Monday. Lights out at midnight tonight,” the man stated before leaving us alone. 

Stephen nodded. “Well, for starters, even on off days, they’re going to want to see you in uniform. There are penalties for every infraction. The bathroom is one door down. Pajamas must always be worn to regulation. We are not permitted to sleep in any form of undress, and any form of indecency will result in severe punishment—” 

“What are the punishments?” I asked. 

“Huh?” Stephen asked as he blinked hard. It was like I threw his mind completely off track. His face got a little color to it. “What’s today?” 

“Friday… The fourth,” I answered. 

He made a little noise of disbelief. “It hasn’t been long. Okay,” Stephen whispered. “What was your name again?” 

“Jason,” I replied. He wriggled under his bed and wrote something down in a diary before coming back out. “Everything okay?” 

“Yeah. I think so… Listen, you’re only gonna remember this first day with me. Write everything down. Everything you do. Everything you eat. Write down the date,” Stephen explained. 

“Is that part of the rules?” I asked. 

He knit his brows together and walked toward the dresser. “This is where you’ll put your pajamas and underclothes. Your uniforms will go in the closet. The P.E. uniforms will be in your locker by Monday morning, so there’s no excuse not to participate. Lights out is at midnight on weekends, and on school nights, it’s ten-thirty. We wake up at six-thirty on school days, and before noon on weekends. Phone calls are a privilege, not a right,” Stephen recited. He spouted off the rules for another half hour before telling me I had to change my clothes, so I unzipped the garment bag and changed into my uniform. 

I tied the tie almost robotically. I’d done it a million times over for Bruce’s galas and press releases. It was kind of weird how, up until recently, I’d never seen being his son as a job. But it was. Certain obligations came with being a Wayne that I never really had a moment to question once I was one. Once I was dressed, Stephen led me to the cafeteria. I could genuinely say that I’ve eaten anywhere and everywhere. From places that should’ve been condemned to places that only Bruce’s crowd could enter, and I had to say that the cafeteria qualified as the latter. 

Save for the plastic silverware, the setup was lavish. There were so many foods to choose from. I don’t think I got this much leeway back at home. I didn’t expect Stephen to sit with me, but he filled his tray and plopped down right beside me. I think it was the first time I saw him loosen up. He took his first bite and came to life. He didn’t say much, but he scarfed down his fill of food. 

As weird as the school made me feel when I got there, I was finally starting to feel okay. All I had to do was make it there until June. I only needed to stay on the straight and narrow for a month and a half to prove I was reformed enough to come home. Then, I’d have a chance to explain everything to Bruce for real this time.

[zelda-cooper]

So, I was supposed to be writing and drawing about Loonatics Unleashed and Darkwing Duck... Or writing a blog about Miraculous as Kamen Rider/Super Sentai... Or writing about how addicted I am to Kamen Rider... But instead... I'm creating my own story... So...

Embers of a Phoenix

Renê Flytter Vilar — Phoenix Flame

Thaddeu Steelier

Zianne "Zia" Mooniegger — Serpent Stone

Richard Flytter

Annabeth Werneck

More information at the Art Fight event I'll be participating in this year. Feel free to theorize!

Art Fight

An art gifting game

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Two-Way Mirror

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam

Summary: This is an AU where Sheila and Willis had twins, and in a mix-up, they both take one twin, whom they both assume is Jason Todd.

Chapters: 6/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Original Character(s), Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Talia al Ghul

Additional Tags: Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Jason Todd has an Identical Twin, Parent Trap-esque AU, Two Jason Todds, Multiple POVs

Chapter Six: Polish Bubble Tea (Willis's Jason; Linus)

We were up all night talking about everything that happened within the past three years, and it’d been pretty interesting on both sides. Cassius told me about the weird year of chronic fatigue that he had around the same time I was comatose. 

We even discussed how we’d break it to people that we were twins, starting with telling Eliza. I made something to eat, and we ate and talked some more about his relationship. Eventually, we fell asleep in his living room, and we woke up around noon to a call from his girlfriend. “Hello, love,” Cassius answered, which got a smirk from me. He sounded so British to me when he was nervous. “If you aren’t busy… I’m a bit uncomfortable, yeah… Well, I can’t say it.” 

I snickered, and he looked at me with wide eyes. I nodded and covered my mouth. “I’m not ashamed or anythin’... Eliza, be reasonable… Alright, fine. I’ll say it. I enjoyed holding you in my arms the other night, and I miss you… I swear I’m not ashamed. It just makes me nervous to think about it. That’s all. Do you want to come over later? I wanted to talk to you… No, you’ve done nothing wrong… Eliza, please listen for a moment.” Cassius took a deep breath. 

“I’ve got something to tell you… I haven’t done a thing like that… I’ve been a bit dishonest, but I’d never do something like that. I love you… Actually, I wanted to talk about that, too. I’d nearly forgotten, but I can’t talk about that publicly, of course… Because I’ve got company. Yes, of course. Alright then, love. See you then,” Cassius stated before hanging up.

“Your accent gets a little cockney when you’re anxious,” I teased. 

“I spent a lot of time in England, Linus,” Cassius replied. 

“Be honest, out of all the boarding schools in Europe—” 

“Poland,” Cassius answered. 

“I liked Poland when I was there. I think Warsaw had some of the best fast food I’ve ever tasted,” I replied. 

“Bubble tea and triple smash at Pasibus,” Cassius smiled. 

I nodded. “I guess we’ve got the same taste buds. What time is Eliza coming?” I asked. 

“She’ll be here in two hours. I have to get dressed. Have you got anything to wear?” Cassius questioned in reply. I nodded. “I’ll be quick.”

** 

Eliza was about ten minutes early, and Cassius made me wait in the bedroom while they talked. Cassius had a nice bedroom. It was a very cozy space with lots of weird little plants hanging from the ceiling, but he didn’t hang posters or anything super personal. I climbed into his bed and took a nap while I waited for him to finish talking. I woke up after maybe ten minutes when he opened the door and shut it behind him. “Are you serious?” Cassius asked. “Linus, please be serious.” 

“I was. I thought you’d be a while. Is it time for me to come out now?” I questioned in reply. He nodded, and I got out of his bed, and we stepped out together. 

“Which one is Cash?” Cassius questioned. She giggled and went up to him for a kiss. “And how are you so sure?” 

“Your eyes are different, and you flinch when I make direct eye contact,” Eliza smiled. “Linus, come get a hug. Are you really moving here?” 

“Mhm. I’m going wherever he goes now. Can’t risk being split up a third time,” I smiled. She hugged me, and I chuckled. “Sorry, I couldn’t say anything. I told him how lucky he is to have you, though. Glad it worked out that I met you.” 

“I’m glad, too. Can we go to El Jannah? I’m starved,” Eliza asked as she wrapped her arms around Cassius. 

“You don’t want Chicken Treat?” Cassius asked. Eliza stood on her tiptoes, and she kissed his cheek. “Cheeseburger spring rolls? Or do you still want charcoal chicken?” 

“Actually, I’d rather eat a burger now that you mention it… And I still can’t believe that you’re the scary news he had for me. I was so worried it was something awful. Linus, you’re gonna love it here,” Eliza smiled. I thought Eliza and I would make good friends. She had a certain warmth about her that made her seem trustworthy to me. She was the kind of person who belonged wherever she went. 

**

After we ate, Cassius put on a movie and began typing. Eliza opened her gigantic bag and started pulling out pipe cleaners. I didn’t have anything to do, but it felt nice to be part of a family again. My brother, his girlfriend, and I. I think she noticed that my hands were the only idle ones in the room, and she asked if I wanted to do arts and crafts with her. I nodded and looked back at Cassius. He hadn’t looked up from his book, but I caught a hint of a little smile. Eliza sat with me for the whole movie, making little pipe cleaner mushroom houses. “That’s really good,” Eliza whispered. She took mine from me and showed it to Cassius. “Cash, look.” 

Cassius looked up from his book, and he grinned. “That’s perfect,” Cassius complimented. 

“Thanks,” I replied. I think it was weird for us. This was the longest time we’d ever spent together. It was like we didn’t know what was next after that night. It was terrifying, exciting, and nauseating. I think we were waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

Eliza went home a few minutes after the movie ended, and we saw her out. Once she was gone, we were sort of left with each other. “Linus?” Cassius asked. “Can I ask you something?” 

“Sure,” I replied. 

Cassius set his book aside and looked at me. “Were you actually going to harm yourself?” Cassius questioned. 

“I didn’t think we were ever going to see each other again,” I answered. “I thought you’d moved on with your life.” 

“I couldn’t. Not completely,” Cassius replied. “Did you ever end up finding out which of us was born first?” 

“Honestly, I think that’s always going to be one of life’s mysteries,” I chuckled. 

“One more question… Do you want to get drunk?” Cassius asked. 

“Yes,” I laughed. 

Cassius went to the kitchen and pulled three bottles out of his cabinet, and then he reached for the overhead cabinets to grab two boxes. “Linus, are you partial to anything? I’ve got beer in the fridge, mezcal, gin, whiskey, some tiny vodkas that someone got me as a present, and hard cider. I don’t drink a lot, but I like to nab a free bottle from parties when I can,” Cassius explained. 

“I’ve had beer, but I’ll see where the night takes us. I wanna try the mezcal,” I replied. 

**

Somehow, we ended up walking to his friend’s job to order food, and he looked at both of us. “Cassius?” he asked me. I nodded. Cassius chuckled and knocked his shoulder against mine. 

“He doesn’t know we’re twins,” Cassius laughed. “Which one am I again?” 

“You’re Cassius. I’m Linus,” I replied. “We’re Cassius, he’s Linus.” I furrowed my brows and laughed. 

“This is my mate, Maverick,” Cassius replied. 

“Maverick,” I repeated before turning to Cassius. “Have I said I love you yet? I love you, Cashie.” 

“I love you, Linus,” Cassius replied before turning to Maverick. “We’d like to have a whole chicken.”

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Two-Way Mirror

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam

Summary: This is an AU where Sheila and Willis had twins, and in a mix-up, they both take one twin, whom they both assume is Jason Todd.

Chapters: 5/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Original Character(s), Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Talia al Ghul

Additional Tags: Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Jason Todd has an Identical Twin, Parent Trap-esque AU, Two Jason Todds, Multiple POVs

Chapter Five: Chicken Trip (Sheila's Jason; Linus)

I went home a little hopeless about finding my brother. Eliza got a lot out of her visit to Arkham, but she was caught up in a lockdown as a result of some sort of brutal attack on a doctor. When I picked her up from the hospital, she was so shaken up that I decided to take her home. She didn’t tell me what happened in there, but I knew it must’ve been awful. All that I knew for sure was that some other inmate escaped and tried to hold the group of doctors she was with hostage. She slept at my apartment the night we got back, and I had to sit in the room with her just to get her calm enough to sleep. I wouldn’t sit on the bed with her, but I sat in the chair by her bedside. “Eliza?” I asked. 

She curled up facing me with her little hand outstretched. “Don’t go,” Eliza peeped. I felt a huge ball of anxiety sitting in my chest, but I knew I couldn’t leave her like that. I had to do something to make her feel safe, so I choked down my fears and walked around to the other side of the bed and climbed in next to her. I put my arm over her, and she held onto my forearm. 

“I’m not leaving you. I’ll be right here,” I whispered. I hoped that she couldn’t feel my heart pounding in my chest as I held her. Eliza was shaking so hard that I had to tighten my grip a little to get her to stop. Eventually, the panic stopped for me, too, and I fell asleep with her in my arms. When I woke up, she was still asleep, so I hurried to the bathroom to take a shower and get dressed. 

She was outside the bathroom when I opened the door, and it startled me a little bit. Her arms wrapped around me, and she pressed her face into my chest. “I can’t believe you did that,” Eliza whispered. I kissed the top of her head. 

“I love you,” I replied matter-of-factly. “Do you want breakfast at home, or do you wanna go somewhere?” 

“Can we get chicken quesadillas?” Eliza asked. I nodded. 

“Whatever you want,” I replied. “Do you feel a little bit better?” Eliza nodded. 

“Yeah, I think it was just a really scary experience, but I feel much better,” Eliza answered. 

**

When we got back to my apartment after breakfast, Eliza started unpacking her bag, and she giggled at something. “What?” I asked. 

“A few days ago, I spent the day with the sweetest guy. We took a picture together,” Eliza replied as she gave me a little Polaroid of her on the subway with my brother. 

“Eliza, did you get his number?” I questioned. She laughed and shook her head. 

“No, but I did hold his hand,” Eliza giggled. She didn’t know how much it meant to me, so I couldn’t be upset with her for not getting more information out of him. “Oh, but I did tell him what school we go to.” I tried to contain my excitement, but I ended up kissing her cheek and asking to keep the photo. 

The next five or six days felt like the night before Christmas. I went to bed every night wondering if I would wake up to him standing in my apartment. It’d been three years, and I just knew he was coming home. Eliza went back to her place at the end of the week to do laundry, and I spent almost four days after that waiting for a sign from my brother. I had almost given up on seeing him altogether when I saw on the Gotham City news that there was a series of explosions in some strange area I don’t think I’d ever been in. I thought that maybe he died out there or something, but there was one night when I couldn’t sleep. I tossed and turned in my bed, flipping my pillows to stay cool. I felt restless and angry that I couldn’t get comfortable until I felt a breeze blow through my apartment. As soon as it was there, it was gone, and I got up to check my windows. I didn’t feel like I was in danger, but I did feel like someone was in my apartment with me. 

“I don’t own anything worth taking,” I announced. “I might have ten dollars.” 

“That’s not the cash I’m looking for,” a voice answered. I didn’t whip around. I tried to copy his words in the same accent to see if he sounded like me, and he did. “Are you gonna turn the lights on?” 

I flipped the switch and turned toward him. He was standing in my living room, smiling. He was a little beat up, but he was alive. I inhaled sharply before running into a hug. He smelled like gunpowder, but I didn’t care. “What took you so long?” I asked. 

“I had some unfinished business in Gotham. What were you doing there?” he asked in reply. 

“Looking for you,” I answered as I tightened my hold on him. I didn’t want him to go anywhere. 

“Also, I didn’t get a cool new name. If you’re not using Linus, can I be him?” he half-joked. 

I started crying. I couldn’t believe he was really there. I couldn’t believe I still had living family. I nodded as I let go and looked at him in the light one more time. “Do you want a beer?” I asked once I could collect myself. Then, he started crying. We embraced one another, and he chuckled awkwardly. 

“Your girlfriend’s a sweet person. I couldn’t tell her who I was. I wasn’t sure you—”

“She said you were nice. She um—” I hugged him again. It felt too good to be true. “I can tell people I have a brother now.” 

“I couldn’t remember you at first when I came back… It wasn’t until something triggered my memory that I knew you were still out there. If I hadn’t run into Eliza, I never would’ve known where to look for you. Do you know how hard you are to find? You should work for the FBI,” Linus replied. 

“I’d never be a fed. Will you stay here? Or are you going somewhere else?” I asked. Linus wiped his face and shrugged. 

“I’ll stay if you’ll have me,” Linus replied. I nodded. 

“I don’t wanna turn my back. I don’t want you to go anywhere,” I laughed. He passed by me to get a beer from the fridge, and I sat on the couch, watching him walk around. “You killed them for me.” 

“Kind of,” Linus replied. “When I couldn’t remember you, it was like I had a mixture of your memories and mine… I thought it happened to me.” 

“I’m sorry about that,” I replied. “I’m sorry I told you about that.” 

“I’m not… Do you like this place? Or would you be more comfortable in a bigger space?” Linus asked. I was a little speechless for a second. 

“I can’t buy until I’m a citizen. I’m just renting,” I explained.

“I don’t think you understand. Tell me what you want, and I can make it happen,” Linus replied. He took a sip of his beer before rifling through my fridge. 

“What do you mean you can make it happen?” I asked. Linus turned and looked at me as he set some of my vegetables on the counter. 

“I’m extremely liquid right now, and you’d be surprised at the things you can make happen with a little bit of cash,” Linus replied. He didn’t really get too deep into it, but I knew he was one-hundred percent serious.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Two-Way Mirror

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam

Summary: This is an AU where Sheila and Willis had twins, and in a mix-up, they both take one twin, whom they both assume is Jason Todd.

Chapters: 6/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Original Character(s), Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Talia al Ghul

Additional Tags: Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Jason Todd has an Identical Twin, Parent Trap-esque AU, Two Jason Todds, Multiple POVs

Chapter Six: Chicken Trip (Sheila's Jason; Cassius)

I went home a little hopeless about finding my brother. Eliza got a lot out of her visit to Arkham, but she was caught up in a lockdown as a result of some sort of brutal attack on a doctor. When I picked her up from the hospital, she was so shaken up that I decided to take her home. She didn’t tell me what happened in there, but I knew it must’ve been awful. All that I knew for sure was that some other inmate escaped and tried to hold the group of doctors she was with hostage. She slept at my apartment the night we got back, and I had to sit in the room with her just to get her calm enough to sleep. I wouldn’t sit on the bed with her, but I sat in the chair by her bedside. “Eliza?” I asked. 

She curled up facing me with her little hand outstretched. “Don’t go,” Eliza peeped. I felt a huge ball of anxiety sitting in my chest, but I knew I couldn’t leave her like that. I had to do something to make her feel safe, so I choked down my fears and walked around to the other side of the bed and climbed in next to her. I put my arm over her, and she held onto my forearm. 

“I’m not leaving you. I’ll be right here,” I whispered. I hoped that she couldn’t feel my heart pounding in my chest as I held her. Eliza was shaking so hard that I had to tighten my grip a little to get her to stop. Eventually, the panic stopped for me, too, and I fell asleep with her in my arms. When I woke up, she was still asleep, so I hurried to the bathroom to take a shower and get dressed. 

She was outside the bathroom when I opened the door, and it startled me a little bit. Her arms wrapped around me, and she pressed her face into my chest. “I can’t believe you did that,” Eliza whispered. I kissed the top of her head. 

“I love you,” I replied matter-of-factly. “Do you want breakfast at home, or do you wanna go somewhere?” 

“Can we get chicken quesadillas?” Eliza asked. I nodded. 

“Whatever you want,” I replied. “Do you feel a little bit better?” Eliza nodded. 

“Yeah, I think it was just a really scary experience, but I feel much better,” Eliza answered. 

**

When we got back to my apartment after breakfast, Eliza started unpacking her bag, and she giggled at something. “What?” I asked. 

“A few days ago, I spent the day with the sweetest guy. We took a picture together,” Eliza replied as she gave me a little Polaroid of her on the subway with my brother. 

“Eliza, did you get his number?” I questioned. She laughed and shook her head. 

“No, but I did hold his hand,” Eliza giggled. She didn’t know how much it meant to me, so I couldn’t be upset with her for not getting more information out of him. “Oh, but I did tell him what school we go to.” I tried to contain my excitement, but I ended up kissing her cheek and asking to keep the photo. 

The next five or six days felt like the night before Christmas. I went to bed every night wondering if I would wake up to him standing in my apartment. It’d been three years, and I just knew he was coming home. Eliza went back to her place at the end of the week to do laundry, and I spent almost four days after that waiting for a sign from my brother. I had almost given up on seeing him altogether when I saw on the Gotham City news that there was a series of explosions in some strange area I don’t think I’d ever been in. I thought that maybe he died out there or something, but there was one night when I couldn’t sleep. I tossed and turned in my bed, flipping my pillows to stay cool. I felt restless and angry that I couldn’t get comfortable until I felt a breeze blow through my apartment. As soon as it was there, it was gone, and I got up to check my windows. I didn’t feel like I was in danger, but I did feel like someone was in my apartment with me. 

“I don’t own anything worth taking,” I announced. “I might have ten dollars.” 

“That’s not the cash I’m looking for,” a voice answered. I didn’t whip around. I tried to copy his words in the same accent to see if he sounded like me, and he did. “Are you gonna turn the lights on?” 

I flipped the switch and turned toward him. He was standing in my living room, smiling. He was a little beat up, but he was alive. I inhaled sharply before running into a hug. He smelled like gunpowder, but I didn’t care. “What took you so long?” I asked. 

“I had some unfinished business in Gotham. What were you doing there?” he asked in reply. 

“Looking for you,” I answered as I tightened my hold on him. I didn’t want him to go anywhere. 

“Also, I didn’t get a cool new name. If you’re not using Linus, can I be him?” he half-joked. 

I started crying. I couldn’t believe he was really there. I couldn’t believe I still had living family. I nodded as I let go and looked at him in the light one more time. “Do you want a beer?” I asked once I could collect myself. Then, he started crying. We embraced one another, and he chuckled awkwardly. 

“Your girlfriend’s a sweet person. I couldn’t tell her who I was. I wasn’t sure you—”

“She said you were nice. She um—” I hugged him again. It felt too good to be true. “I can tell people I have a brother now.” 

“I couldn’t remember you at first when I came back… It wasn’t until something triggered my memory that I knew you were still out there. If I hadn’t run into Eliza, I never would’ve known where to look for you. Do you know how hard you are to find? You should work for the FBI,” Linus replied. 

“I’d never be a fed. Will you stay here? Or are you going somewhere else?” I asked. Linus wiped his face and shrugged. 

“I’ll stay if you’ll have me,” Linus replied. I nodded. 

“I don’t wanna turn my back. I don’t want you to go anywhere,” I laughed. He passed by me to get a beer from the fridge, and I sat on the couch, watching him walk around. “You killed them for me.” 

“Kind of,” Linus replied. “When I couldn’t remember you, it was like I had a mixture of your memories and mine… I thought it happened to me.” 

“I’m sorry about that,” I replied. “I’m sorry I told you about that.” 

“I’m not… Do you like this place? Or would you be more comfortable in a bigger space?” Linus asked. I was a little speechless for a second. 

“I can’t buy until I’m a citizen. I’m just renting,” I explained.

“I don’t think you understand. Tell me what you want, and I can make it happen,” Linus replied. He took a sip of his beer before rifling through my fridge. 

“What do you mean you can make it happen?” I asked. Linus turned and looked at me as he set some of my vegetables on the counter. 

“I’m extremely liquid right now, and you’d be surprised at the things you can make happen with a little bit of cash,” Linus replied. He didn’t really get too deep into it, but I knew he was one-hundred percent serious.