summary: what if neglected character was well-loved in our universe despite being so hated in her own?
(spin-off neglected reader x batfam)
DC readers were eating up the comic run, but it really got a big hit when Batman, on one of his infamous runs, met this homeless family , neglected character's family, and offered to raise the neglected character till they were 18 out of false pity.
So this HC is essentially us , the readers; the 4th wall is essentially reading comics , specifically those about the Batfamily.
So the Batfamily comics are released by this huge company called DC , where a man named Bruce Wayne tragically lost his family one night and, filled with rage and vengeance, became Batman.
The comic's continued run continues on, and we, the readers, read how he met every Robin and learn about their pasts ,growths, etc, from Dick's tragic start to Jason's demise. Tim's rather conflicting start and Damian's controversial add-in.
The company hadn't expected so many readers (us) to like this seemingly normal person. I mean, come on, the neglected character can barely tie her own shoelaces properly and is literally so socially awkward.
This, of course, backfires immensely since a lot of DC readers really like neglected character because of how easily relatable they are to the big audience .
Neglected character was originally added to the family as, like, a punchline and for filler purposes, especially for Damian and Jason to appear more vibrant and more in touch with the audience and since they were running out of ideas and thought batman saving neglected character could be a moment.
There was also a whole separate run for Bruce and Tim with neglected character—they were talking about some complex time travel whatnots to explain a sudden time jump in the comics, and poor neglected reader was just there as a punchline because she was too 'dumb' to understand what they weee talking about .This backfired on them, of course—it turned into a massive meme about how 'shit is so confusing even our goat (neglected character) can't understand this shii.
At this point in the actual comics, things were getting frisky in the family. The Batfam literally starts despising neglected character so much. She's literally a nobody who doesn't even try to do anything like saving gotham like them, and they're so much better than her, so why is she getting all the love ?
Like, seriously, why would anyone want to like some lowlife who can't solve cold cases in two days, do crazy backflips, and knows ancient martial arts techniques and ancient languages? Oh! Did they forget to mention they can do anything? Side note: they can !
DC really tried to push the Batfam propaganda for a while, trying to manipulate us readers into liking them, but it's so hard too when we as the general audience can't even relate to them.
Thus, neglected character's fanbase grew exponentially—literally to the point where DC had to make their own solo because of the high demand .
Neglected character whose whole solo run was just them trying to find themselves and distance themselves from how hateful and harmful the Batfam are—especially Jason and Damian. Literally, their run was just them helping people, like a close friend getting over a bad ex, to helping this one grandma open a bottle of ketchup.
Their run made a big hit—loads of readers loved how normal and relatable the neglected character is! Especially how she grows to love herself for being normal and just living for herself, which touched a lot of readers' hearts.
Due to the neglected character's striking popularity , the company literally had to somehow mention her name or her existence everywhere in every run they make in order for it to be successful .
Oh, Tim Drake is getting a solo run? Let's put the neglected character in the background of the cover so people can pick it up to read. Oh, Damian and Batman are going on a duo adventure? Let's add a scene in the trailer where they mention the character's name once so people can flock to theaters to actually watch their movie.
Jason and Nightwing are getting their own animated series? Let's have a short ten-second clip of them discussing a plan and name-walking in the background so people can actually care about the series .
Literally the entire Batfam's popularity and relevancy are dependent on neglected character because whenever DC tries not to mention or include them, readers and viewers, respectively, don't engage with it, and it turns into a huge flop.
There are literally a hundred videos on YouTube where they all discuss who the strongest/best hero in the Batfam is, and the neglected character always wins , despite not even being a vigilante, because 'the goat (neglected character) just needs a bad day and a reason to crash out, and ain't no one in the Batfam can stop them' , ' Give my Goat (neglected character) a bat and a reason to crashout and she'd no-diff the entire villains cast in Gotham' , ' Personally if neglected reader was there , this situation would of never happened ' ,' TRUST NEGLECTED CHARACTER IS GONNA SHOW UP AND COOK JUST WAIT ' , ' NEGLECTED CHARACTER PLEASE SAVE US FROM WHATEVER THIS IS '.
Like, the Batfam is really starting to despise neglected character even more because, seriously, what does she have that they don't? And the neglected character couldn't give a damn because they are on their 20th comic issue where they are going to Spain with their classmates and they somehow save their airplane from crashing by accidentally falling into the cockpit and somehow hitting a random button that stabilizes the plane.
Safe to say DC readers and neglected reader fans are eating this shit up while Batfam seethes.
DC might have accidentally fucked up by making a run where Batfam gets so jealous they go out of their way to hunt neglected character and kill them, but due to leakers leaking the run and fans literally rioting, boycotting, and slandering the company, the company literally had to discard the whole issue and release an apology statement .
People took to the net by storm, even those who never read the comics in their life were leaving comments such as 'Ain't no way they tried killing my goat (neglected character),' Ayo bro, what is this ??,' 'LEAVE NEGLECTED CHARACTER ALONE,' and 'Tis pmo, man.'
It's safe to say DC indirectly created a literal icon of a character, and they can't kill them off or make any drastic changes to her character, or her fans will cook them alive.
Batfam slowly starts realizing their mistake in hating the neglected character and begins obsessing with her , trying to earn her favor, while the neglected character is just genuinely confused because since when do they check up on her?
ty for reading , pls comment , like and share !!
Taglist : @1abi
Jade West X Tori Vega:
2 days of love.(Angst-Tragedy)[Celine’s own Work]
(Summary: 2 days of love was all she needed)
GHOSTS ( Angst-Tragedy-Revenge) [AO3 LINK][Celine+Simon’s work](Summary: After losing the one she loved, trying to find justice, she took the path of revenge, following a Ghost of the past, trying to find the meaning of her life, but how can she do that if the only one who gave her life meaning was gone?)
Rotating an idea in my head;
Imagine a neglected!Reader who did everything in an attempt to impress their family.
Who got amazing grades and got into high school at age 11.
Who was "a savant beyond their years" and "talented beyond what their age group could be taught".
Skills came easy to them. Give them a year and some encouragement and before you know it they'll have mastered whatever it was.
It wasn't like they could leave the house and hang out with friends. Bruce said that was off the table. It got quiet so often in the manor.
But it wasn't enough
Until someone saw the potential that Batman was just leaving there. Like he wanted someone to just... scoop them up and tutor them.
Their friends and allies and even a few enemies saw the potential. They all agreed to teach them their greatest skill. In a year they've mastered all of them, even surpassing some of them.
Any drug they were developing was improved beyond anything they could've imagined.
Weapons fashioned to fit them far surpassed anything, even the best on the black market.
The Rogue Gallery was beyond impressed.
And Reader was on Cloud Nine with all the attention it was earning them. Head pats, praise, treats. It was more than anything they could've asked for. And even if they didn't have a new invention at the end of the week, so many were willing to just hang out. Without prompting! No "Go bother Alfred" or "I'm busy" or "Another time, chickadee".
Harley had to be reminded that a 12 year old had no business around hyenas, even if Budsie and Louie were on their best behavior. Harley settled for watching old magical girl animes with you.
Luckily, Poison Ivy knew not to bring you around her poisonous plants. Though she did spend a concerning time teaching you exactly what plants were poisonous and how they were poisonous.
Bane taught you everything he knew, from throwing a punch, to how to scare someone off. Granted, a 12 year old, with so much of their baby fat in their cheeks, and wrists as thick as Bane's thumb, looked like a Ragdoll kitten copying a Bengal tiger. He played chess with you too, and he said that given your role in advising, a knight or a bishop would fit you best.
Bane was your favorite. He'd smush your face (gently, you were so tiny he was scared of breaking you), lift you up, even do pushups and pull ups with you on his back.
When Bane told you how he'd saved Alfred once during a collapse of Arkham Asylum, only to be incapacitated once Alfred was "done" with him, it made your blood boil.
As you learned all of their stories, learned the human in all of them, you knew that you were saved from a family with rotten blood. You'd spend your life repaying them, even if they never asked.
--------
Eventually, you decide to follow them into battle. You're kept up and away from the bulk of the battle. This time, it was Joker vs the Batfamily. Tim was unable to track what he'd been trying to do past a few errant clues. It was clear that the Rouge Gallery had a new villain.
You were given direct instructions to watch yourself; Joker wouldn't care enough to tear his eyes off Batman. You already knew that; Harley had spent 3 days trying to convince you to reschedule with someone else, but you told her you wanted Joker, not someone who'd be tempted to glance back and give away your hiding space.
Jason was the one that saw you. You were dressed in a costume that resembled a bishop chess piece with a split full face mask, perched atop a van far from the actual battle. His old scars with Joker made him hesitate, but you looked like a definite person of interest, and everyone else was indisposed.
He ran over, firing rubber bullets as you dodged, eventually tripping and falling off the van. Why were you so small? Jason picked you up, grip just loose enough so you could breathe.
You reached up, pulling your mask off. Jason blanched as he saw your face, soft around the edges and wide eyed.
Bruce told him that he'd stayed away to protect you from the vigilante life. You were the one person who hadn't pushed to join them, so he never told you about missions to avoid any ideas of joining. Jason followed suit, and so did the others. Their lives were busy enough anyways, and you had Alfred when he didn't have something more important to do.
He may have brushed you off more than absolutely necessary, but he wasn't in the right headspace then! You had already grown so much and all he'd wanted by then was vengeance on Batman. You couldn't blame him for keeping his distance at that point. He was protecting you.
But here you were, pinned by the throat by your own brother. Your protector. He released you, taking a step back. He glanced around for an opening, seeing a small alleyway. He gestured over his shoulder for you to follow. "C'mon kid. I'll get you back home and I won't even tell Bruce you snuck out, 'k?"
Suddenly, he felt a prick in his back, shortly followed by a burning itch and ice cold pain. He fell to the ground, trying to reach the spot you pricked.
"Miss Ivy said these were dangerous. Her own home blend. It's a diluted version, so you'll be fine in a few days, Todd" said the much too calm voice above him. He was struggling to breathe around the writhing mass of pain, looking up at you between blinks of tears.
He couldn't scream, he could barely breathe. He could die here and the family wouldn't know until the dust settled.
"It won't kill you, and from the looks of it, they'll be coming to pick you up soon."
"Aren't we family?" He chokes out between gasps. He felt so lost. You were his baby sibling, the tiny thing that'd wander the halls, holding an old chess board as you asked your cool big brother to play with you. The person he kept away from to protect. How could you repay him like this?
Hadn't he done so much for you?
You look at him from the boot of the van. When had you gotten so far away? Your voice is quiet, but it's heard, if barely, over the revving of the engine as Joker's minions prepare to drive away, and the screaming of his name as the rest of the family approaches.
"Were we? I never thought you wanted a baby sibling like me."
-------
The Batfamily took him home and patched him up. The new tech, like all other recent inventions brought in, were so advanced they bordered on state of the art. Even Tim was struggling to decode any of them, with all the kill-switches that seemed to recognize when it wasn't hooked up to the original computer and bricked themselves.
Jason had recovered, like you said, in a few days. Capable of breathing easily in 2 days, regularly needing to be sedated before then, and sitting up without pain by day 5.
The Batfamily had asked him by day 4 about the masked person they had seen next to him. Jason was detached from himself. That face, those eyes. They held no warmth for him, no pity for him while he was writhing in agony at their feet. Like he was less than a stranger.
Like he was less than human in their eyes.
Your name fell off his tongue like lead, slamming against the ground as everyone fell into silence.
"It was them. They gave me that injection. Their face, I-"
"Todd, did the injection give you hallucinations? There was no way that they'd accomplish something like that." Damian raised his brow, checking the chart to make sure the bulk was out of his system.
"I know what I saw. They hadn't even injected me when I saw their face."
"That's impossible, Jay! Look, I'll go to their room and get them right now. They'll probably be pretty cranky since it's, what, 4am?" Dick's footsteps disappeared down the hall.
After a few minutes, Dick came running back, looking at Jason with a mix of shock, horror, and confusion.
Two words.
Two words that finally made them look at you.
Two words that made them realized what they'd missed.
Two words that made them connect the inventions that almost got them killed to the darling child they'd convinced themselves they were protecting with cold shoulders and smothering silence.
Two words that made them refocus their sights on bringing you back.
"They're gone."
ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 1410
ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ʜᴇʀ ꜰɪɢʜᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ꜱʜᴀᴜɴᴀ, ᴊᴀᴄᴋɪᴇ ꜱᴛᴏʀᴍꜱ ᴏᴜᴛ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏʟᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ꜰᴏʟʟᴏᴡ ʜᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ᴏꜰꜰᴇʀ ʜᴇʀ ᴄᴏᴍꜰᴏʀᴛ ᴡʜᴇɴ ꜱʜᴇ ɴᴇᴇᴅꜱ ɪᴛ ᴍᴏꜱᴛ.
ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: ᴊᴀᴄᴋɪᴇ ᴛᴀʏʟᴏʀ x ꜰᴇᴍ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ
ᴀ/ɴ: ᴜᴍᴍᴍ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ᴀɴɢꜱᴛ ᴋɪɴᴅᴀ? ᴍᴏʀᴇ ʜᴜʀᴛ/ᴄᴏᴍꜰᴏʀᴛ-ɪꜱʜ. ᴀᴜ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴊᴀᴄᴋɪᴇ ᴅᴏᴇꜱɴ’ᴛ ᴅɪᴇ, ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴄᴀɴ ᴇᴀᴛ ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴏɴᴇ ᴇʟꜱᴇ (ᴛʀᴀᴠɪꜱ).
You hear the front door slam before you see her go.
Jackie’s footsteps crunch hard against the ground outside, fast and furious like she’s trying to outrun the mess left behind in the cabin. For a second, no one moves. The air inside feels thick, the tension still lingering. Shauna stands there frozen like she didn’t just detonate her oldest friendship in front of the whole team. Finally, Mari exhales, sighing like it hurts.
You shove your arms into your coat pockets and head towards the door, following her.
Nobody stops you. They all know better by now. You’ve made it your job to keep Jackie out of harm's way, even if she acts like she doesn’t need anyone. Especially now. You’ve always been able to tell when she’s just being dramatic and when something actually matters. And that? That was real.
You find her not far from the cabin, breath fogging in the cold, her arms wrapped around herself like they’re all she has left. She’s staring at the meat shed. Not moving. Just looking at it. Like she’s deciding whether it’s worth hiding in or if she should just keep walking and never stop.
When you step beside her, she doesn’t flinch.
She doesn’t look at you. Just mutters, low and even, “I can’t be in there with her.”
You nod, “You don’t have to be.”
Jackie turns toward the shed without another word and walks in like the wind’s pushing her toward it. You follow close behind, grabbing the door so it doesn’t slam shut on you both. It’s dark inside. Freezing. Your fingers are already starting to go numb. But none of that matters right now.
Jackie sinks to the floor near the back wall and pulls her knees up to her chest. Her whole body folds in on itself like she’s trying to disappear. You stand there for a second, unsure if she wants space or if she’s just trying not to break in front of someone. Then she speaks.
“She’s pregnant.”
It sounds like she doesn’t believe it, even though she’s the one who said it. You lower yourself to the ground, sitting a few feet away. Letting her have the silence if she wants it.
“With Jeff’s baby,” Jackie spits. “Of all people. My boyfriend. And she— she just kept it from me and lied. Like I wouldn’t find out. Like I’m some idiot.”
Her voice shakes on the last word.
“She said she didn’t want to tell me because she loved me. Like that makes it okay. Like it’s supposed to help.”
You stay quiet. Let her rant. She needs to say it out loud. Needs to rip it out of herself before it festers and starts eating her alive from the inside.
“I don’t even know who she is anymore,” she says. “I keep thinking about how she looked at me in there. All guilty and soft and pathetic. Like I’m supposed to feel bad for her. Like I did something wrong.”
You look at her. Her eyes are glassy now, but she’s doing that thing, clenching her jaw so tight she might chip a tooth, trying not to let anything fall. Jackie Taylor doesn’t cry in front of people, not unless she wants them to see it. And she doesn’t want you to. She doesn’t want to feel pitied.
But she looks like she’s seconds from breaking.
“I hate her,” she mutters. “But I don’t. And that’s what pisses me off the most. I know I’m gonna forgive her eventually. I always do. And that makes me feel like the stupidest person alive.”
You scoot closer. Not too fast. Just enough that your knee brushes against hers. “It doesn’t make you stupid.”
She scoffs. “Oh yeah? What does it make me?”
“Human. Kind.”
Jackie laughs, but it’s not her usual light-hearted laugh, the one that makes your heart feel like it’s dropped into your stomach. This one is bitter and dry.
“Right. That’s me. Jackie Taylor, a total sweetheart.”
You let the sarcasm roll off. She’s hurting too much to believe anything good about herself right now. You’re used to that, how mean she gets when she’s scared. How sharp she can be when she feels exposed.
But you’re not scared of her.
And maybe that’s why she lets you in. You don’t ask, you just do it. Wrap your arms around her shoulders, pulling her in with the slow kind of confidence that says ‘I’m not going anywhere’.
She stiffens. For half a second, you think she might shove you off.
But she doesn’t.
She sinks into it, slow and silent, like a tree collapsing onto the forest floor. She leans against your chest, arms still folded tight across her stomach, face turned into your shoulder like she’s ashamed of needing comfort.
You hold her tighter and tuck your chin against the crown of her head. Breathing her in.
“I don’t know who I am without her,” Jackie whispers after a long time. “I spent so much time being half of something. Best friends. Jeff and me. Everything was perfect and now it’s all just… gone.”
“You’re still you,” you murmur. “Even if she’s not next to you.”
Her voice shakes. “What if I don’t like who that is?”
You close your eyes for a second. The air is too cold to be comforting, but somehow you don’t feel it anymore. Not with her pressed against you. Not when you’re so focused on keeping her in one piece.
“I do,” you say quietly.
She doesn’t respond. Just curls in tighter, like she’s trying to make herself small enough to disappear into your jacket. Her breath hitches once, twice. You can feel it in your chest when she finally lets go.
No sobbing. No noise. Just quiet, shuddering breaths as she cries against you, trying not to let the tears fall, even though it’s too late. Her face is hot and wet through the sleeve of your shirt.
You don’t say anything else. Just rock her a little. Keep your arms around her Like you’re her only source of safety and warmth.
After a while, her breathing evens out. Her body stops trembling. But she doesn’t move away.
You shift so that you’re both leaning back against the wall, your coat half draped over her. It’s not warm, not really, but it’s enough to keep you both from freezing. She stays tucked into your side, legs tangled with yours, one arm still looped around your ribs.
It’s quiet in the meat shed. The wind whistling faintly outside. Somewhere far off, you think you hear a branch crack.
Neither of you say anything.
Eventually, Jackie falls asleep like that.
You feel the weight of her head get heavier on your chest, and her breathing gradually slows. You don’t move. You don’t sleep either, not really. Just drift with her, warm and still but present, keeping watch.
And maybe it’s stupid, but for the first time in days, your heartbeat doesn’t feel like it’s clawing its way through your chest. You’re still out here. Still stranded in the middle of nowhere, but Jackie’s with you. Jackie’s okay. And somehow, that makes everything feel bearable like you can survive as long as you’re together.
When the sky starts to lighten, you finally open your eyes.
The meat shed door is still shut tight, but the light filters in through the cracks, soft and cold.
You gently shift her off of you, and Jackie stirs, blinking blearily like she forgot where she was. Her face is puffy and tinted pink around her eyes. She yawns, wipes at her cheeks, then glances toward the door.
“Did it snow?” she asks hoarsely.
You stand and crack the door open.
The ground is covered in white.
Thick, fresh snow blankets everything, soft, silent, and untouched. The trees drip with frost.
You glance back at her and nod. “Yeah. A lot.”
She groans softly and slumps against the wall. “Great. Now we’re snowed in the meat shed. Just kill me.”
You smile a little and offer her your hand. “Come on. I’ll help you back.”
She hesitates. Then, slowly, she reaches out and takes it.
Her fingers are cold, chiller bone-deep, but they find yours, threading through on instinct. And when she squeezes, it’s not hard or desperate, just steady. Grateful even. Like she doesn’t know how to say thank you out loud, but hopes this is enough.
(Batfam x neglected hero reader)
a bird longs for freedom, just like me.
WARNINGS: violence, swearing, writing errors (English is not my first language), torture, reader has blue eyes and black hair!, fem reader, spider man reader, everything is fictional!
0 → Prologue
I → ghosts
II –> Poison
III → Spider
IV → Mask [1] and [2]
V → Bats
VI → Thunder [1] and [2]
VII → Rain
[....]
memes
[1] and [2]
Scenarios
sweets~
Christmas special
[Name] design!
Fanfic in progress, new chapters will be added soon!
So this kinda goes with my last request but when reader has top surgery. How would Jackie react when he goes shirtless all day when he's home? I feel like she'd stare and he'd do the "my eyes are up here" thing to tease her.
- 💀
oh, she goes crazy for it. feel like she never even considered the fact that you'd be shirtless so much more now after getting top surgery cause she was just so happy that you were finally able to get it, and once she sees you lounging on the couch, shirt off and your new chest on display, she just melts. you know she's hiding your shirts and playing dumb when you ask where they are cause it feels like half of them went missing.
jackie who buys you muscle tanks after ur surgery just so she can see your arms and glimpses of your chest. jackie who starts drooling when she can see your scars peeking ^^ jackie sneaking her hands underneath said tank while in public, messing with your chest and whatever hair you have there.
feel like she'd have such a huge thing for your scars as well. jackie kissing your top surgery scars the second they're healed, mumbling in her raspy voice how hot she thinks they are. leaving hickeys right under them and spending so much time kissing them that they end up covered in her drool at the end.
she just thinks you look so good!! she cant help but stare :( she's a mess when you tease her for looking too long or when you catch her staring at your chest as she's talking to you. "are you talking to me, or my nipples?" and her face goes all red but she doesn't deny staring...
she'd love to rest her head on your chest too oh my goodness ☹️ it's like her number 1 favorite thing after you got surgery. maybe before you were too dysphoric to let her do it and now she does it constantly. she tells--more like demands tbh--you to lie down so she can rest her head on your chest. it's a must during couch time.
cheerleader captain with THAT football team captain?
miss you jackie :((
jackie who still sticks to soccer when she goes to college.... i could be misreading ur entire anon but im going with what i originally thought im sorry if you meant something different i just assume ur British or something..
having multiple classes with her and only realizing that she's on the soccer team when it's soccer szn and you guys cheer them on during their first home game. it quickly becomes your favorite sport. always making sure to tell her in class how good she was and congratulating her team on their wins :) she tells you that she couldn't do it without your cheering her on which makes you blush. slowly becoming more than classmates and actual friends!!!!
telling her where you work and she shows up to 'buy' things but ends up holding the line up while talking to you about this recent scuffle her teammates have gotten into which is making her brain hurt. you understand completely, as you're the captain of your cheerleading squad. thinking of her mentioning how good you look in normal clothes instead of your cheerleading outfit, but she does miss it. you don't know what she means by it.
cheerleader!r and soccer captain!jackie who sneak off to makeout when they're supposed to be holding meetings for their team after practice. you somehow always forget to send that "sorry! had to cancel today's meeting" text because jackie's pulling your phone out of your hand and pulling you onto her lap. sometimes you convince her to cut it short and you walk her to the soccer field before going to your own meeting, feeling crazyy at her swollen lips as she tries to act normal and pump up the girls.
being a cheerleader for another college and meeting jackie at a rival game.... ur teammates clock it very quickly and make fun of you for having a crush. you're so thankful that your college's soccer team plays them a couple more times throughout the season 😭 trying to befriend her and coming up to her before the game, wishing her good luck and asking for her number which actually works. it sucks that she lives so far away though. jackie who sends you photos of her at other games, saying she wishes you were here to cheer her on </3
cheer captain!r and jackie where you both kind of have a thing for the other in their outfit.... she, of course, loves when you're in that skirt. you, on the other hand, have kind of just been pavloved into liking her soccer uniform because of how often you mess around while she's practicing. she also loves stealing ur varsity jacket and Loves making out in it. has definitely helped you get ready in the morning and purposefully put you in her Taylor varsity jacket too.
doing routines for her!!! asking her if it's good enough or if you should practice more. jackie who comes and watches you practice too!!! she's the MOST supportive gf. when you're cheering for another team and she's able to go, she shows up with flowers and makes a sign to hold up when you guys are on 😭
Batfam Yan! × Neglected Nezuko! Reader
Note:English is not my first language, sorry if there is any translation error
You were normal
You weren't the monster you've become, before everything you were just an ordinary high school student
Everything had happened so fast that you didn't even have time to process it
A few hours ago everything was normal
You woke up as usual adding yourself to go to class, you greeted alfred while you were having breakfast
Breakfast felt as lonely as always your family was never present not even in things as common as having breakfast together as a family
No one ever had time for you, everyone was so busy with their responsibilities and you understood it, you always understood
They were vigilant and you knew they had a lot of responsibilities on their shoulders but sometimes you would like them to look at you or ask you how your day was
If someone in the family turned to look at you or talk to you it was a miracle, the only person you had by your side was alfred
He was a father figure more than your real father could be
Bruce, as you called him because father was too big a name for someone like him, maybe he wasn't even worthy of being called father
You saw his relationship with the rest of your siblings and how he treated them with so much respect and affection
At some point you felt jealous, why was he so good to them? Why couldn't you feel that affection
Why?
Why!?
Nobody took care of you or protected you, since you were little you understood that if you didn't protect yourself nobody would
Everyone had talents and they were amazing
You were just (name), the shadow of the family because the only thing that was important was having the last name Wayne, but then you were nobody
You were never anybody
You stopped thinking so much and picked up your bag and walked out the door of the mansion giving Alfred a last goodbye
_
Classes went by faster than you would like, school was a safe place for you, there you could be yourself with your friends
To your friends you weren't (name) Wayne, the daughter of a billionaire playboy, you were just a (name) L/N a girl full of energy and eager to help others
You lazily got up from your seat grabbing your bag heading to the classroom door
There was Aoi waiting for you as usual, you were grateful to have such a good friend like her
"You look more tired than usual, is something wrong (name)?"
The black-haired girl asks worriedly, walking with you to the exit. You just nodded, giving her a fake smile.
"Yeah, don't worry, I just didn't sleep well today."
That's a lie. You had slept more than well, but since this morning you had felt that something was wrong, as if something bad was about to happen.
You couldn't shake that feeling off after hours. You decided to ignore it, but that feeling still remained.
Aoi just nodded, unsure of your answer. She had been your friend for years and she knew you too well to know when something was bothering you.
"Hey, today me and shinobu are going to a new cafe that opened. Do you want to go?"
You stayed quiet for a few seconds thinking about the proposal, you liked going out with your friends but this time you felt like you shouldn't go
"I'm sorry aoi but... I'm really busy today I have homework to do"
You politely apologized to her
Aoi raised an eyebrow, there was something she didn't like, she knew something was happening to you but she wasn't going to force you to tell her, she didn't want it to seem like she was someone insistent
She simply gave you a nod and then looked ahead, this was where your paths separated as you lived on totally opposite streets
She gave you a big hug as a farewell and then separated from you with a smile on her face
"See you tomorrow (name), take care!"
She said as she shook her hand and her presence disappeared more and more as she walked away
You let out a tired sigh before turning on your heels and taking the path home
You walked with your head down, your thoughts consumed your head that you didn't even notice the imminent danger that was approaching you
You didn't understand why your family seemed to hate you, you were always obedient, good and polite
You were the best in your class and you had great intelligence but you were still invisible to all of them
Sometimes you just wanted to disappear, being someone else didn't matter you just wanted to leave
But you knew that until you turned 18 it would be impossible to get out of that house
You were so distracted in your thoughts that you didn't even have time to react before something too strong pushed you into a dirty alley
You tried to get up and defend yourself but that strange man grabbed you by the neck cutting off your breathing and not being able to get up
As your vision blurred you could see his red eyes and a cynical smile forming on his lips
The last thing you felt was something embedded in your neck causing you to lose consciousness
Everything was black, you couldn't move or feel anything
So you died?
Is this how it all ended? Dying in a dirty alley full of trash and rats?
Maybe this is what you deserved, you were never anything important just trash
And trash should stay with trash, right?
Alfred ran at full speed through the mansion towards Bruce's office, he couldn't believe that this had happened
He slammed open the door to Bruce's office causing Bruce to stop concentrating on the paperwork to look at his butler
It was too strange for Alfred to enter without knocking, and he was also struck by Alfred's worried and disheveled attitude
Only something too important or serious would have to happen to break Alfred's impeccable personality
"Master Bruce...Miss (name)..."
The old man struggled to find air in his lungs, having run all over the mansion had left him exhausted
"What's wrong with her? Don't tell me she got into trouble-"
Alfred interrupted Bruce in the middle of his sentence to speak again
"No...she...she's dead"
Those words hit Bruce hard
Dead?
Your death couldn't be true, it had to be some kind of joke
"What?"
It was the only thing he could say in shock, he knew that Alfred would never lie to him, much less about a subject as serious as death
But his brain simply couldn't process it
_
The entire batfam was at the police station, the news of your death shook the entire family in a bad way
Now they were here to identify your body, they found it in an alley according to the police record a woman who was passing by found your body covered in blood that was supposed to have been yours
According to the police it was a very crude and bloody crime scene
They couldn't believe that someone would be capable of doing that to a being as innocent as you
The simple fact that someone had done all those things to you made everyone's blood boil with rage
Richard felt terrible, remembering all the times you asked him to spend time together and he simply made the excuse that he was busy or that he didn't have time
He was the worst brother, he was supposed to be the oldest one who should have protected you but all he did was push you away and cause your premature death
Jason could barely handle all the emotions he felt at that moment, he felt rage, sadness and regret
He still remembered the times he had insulted you and told you not to interfere in his life
No matter what he had to do, he was going to avenge his little sister and he was going to make the person who had done that to you suffer
In Tim's head he tried to find some possible suspect for your death, maybe the joker had already killed Jason once, it was just a matter of time before he did it again
He could still remember the times he had ignored you, that moment when you made cupcakes was still in his mind and you had the brightest smile of all
You had prepared them especially for your family but all you received was their rejection telling you that they were busy
Remember the rude way in which I refused your food and asked you to leave, right now, anything to be able to be with you and try your desserts
Damian was burning with fury, who was the bastard who dared to kill his sister!?
He, unlike the rest, didn't want to accept his guilt. He firmly believed that the times he had hit you, humiliated you, and insulted you were for your own good.
You should know well that you were too weak for this world, that he was your protector.
Cass could barely process everything. She had lost another important person to her again, and this time it was her fault again.
She leaned against a corner and let her thoughts consume her. She felt the worst. Maybe if she had paid attention to you, you would be alive now.
Barbara felt the same way as Richard. She still remembered the times you begged for her attention, wanting to spend time with her, but she only pushed you away more and more each day.
Steph could only stare at the floor. It was her fault for ignoring you. She thought that at some point you would adapt to the mansion, but it never happened. All she did was make you feel more like a burden and a nuisance.
But the one who felt the worst was Bruce. He was supposed to be your father, he was supposed to be the first to protect you. But he didn't. All he did was ignore you
He was the worst father ever, now because of him you were dead
They took him to a room to identify your body and left him there alone for a few minutes
Right there he collapsed, his serious and unwavering facade broke
His daughter, his baby is now dead because of him, he would do anything to revive you, he would even use the Lazarus pit even knowing the consequences that caused
But suddenly he felt like something lunged at him
And there was you
Alive
You were alive in some way, but he saw that it wasn't you...
Your eyes had that wild look, your teeth were sharp and long nails that you had never had before
He grabbed a metal pipe he found on the floor and tried to fight you by putting it in your mouth so that you wouldn't bite him or disfigure his face with your claws or teeth
Your strength was superhuman, as if you were no longer the (name) that he knew
Now you had become something wilder
But he felt small tears falling on his face, he was crying
It seemed as if a part of you was trying to control your instincts, he noticed your distressed and scared look
Suddenly Richard entered the room with Jason
They had heard a loud noise coming from the room
The men's faces were surprised when they saw you alive
Or rather, you didn't look human and your skin looked paler
Also, your hair had changed, the tips that were completely black before were now orange
The two quickly came out of their trance and helped Bruce get you off of them, you were still struggling and trying to get out of their grip
Then Damian and Tim appeared through the door when they heard all the commotion
Before either of them could speak, Richard interrupted them
"There's no time for explanations, distract the police now!"
He said trying to keep you from getting out of the grip, Tim and Damian just nodded confused as they went with the others to distract the guards
Meanwhile Jason decided that the best idea was to knock you out so he did, but he earned a scolding from Bruce for hitting you so hard
"Stop complaining so much and be thankful we didn't let her kill you"
He said dryly, he saw how you fell surrendered to his arms, for now they should find a way to get you out of here without anyone noticing
_
The days passed quickly in the mansion, they had you with a kind of muzzle on your mouth to prevent any incident
Although after having "revived" you were only aggressive once, to tell the truth this version of you was much calmer and less energetic than the previous one
After Bruce asked Constantine for help he told him that most likely you had been turned into a demon and that if they wanted you to be human again the person that turned you into a demon was supposed to turn you back into a human
For days the batfam spent their time investigating and trying to find information about the person who did that to you but they found almost nothing
But almost nothing was that bad, it seemed you rejected human flesh and blood and you recovered energy by sleeping, you didn't need to eat or drink water just sleep
Most of the day (not to say all day) you spent somewhere in the mansion sleeping
Everyone fought over who would cuddle with you during your morning nap, they agreed on a deal that every day of the week it would be a family member's turn to sleep with you and take care of you
And after everything worked, most of your memories disappeared so they didn't have to worry about you remembering what horrible siblings they were
They also found out that you can't be in the sun unless you want to disintegrate and die
Tim thought it was a good idea to open the windows so you could see the sun after so long
Tim's expression The horror on his face was great when he saw how your skin began to burn and how you screamed in pain
He quickly closed the windows and approached you to see your condition
Luckily your regenerative abilities were very helpful, but Tim still didn't escape Bruce's scolding and you think Damian almost killed Tim that day
You could say that the days in the mansion were good, of course sometimes you would like to go out and see other places but you knew it would be impossible
The batfam preferred to die rather than let you wander alone through the streets of Gotham again, in their eyes you were still that weak little girl even knowing that you could easily kill them all
For now you should get used to this life until they find a cure
But you shouldn't worry, when you are cured they will never let you go again
Never
I finished this quicker than I thought
I hope you like it because I probably won't upload anything for 3 or 4 days
byeee
can you please write about tmasc nat and tfem r having their first time and it's all so sweet and giggly? Thank you!!!
you and nat both smile cheesily at each other as you lie him down, and you lick your lips nervously, staring into his blue-green eyes and getting lost in them.
your face is so red. you can practically feel it burning up. "are you...is this okay?" you ask, your thumb swiping over his naked shoulder to comfort your nerves.
he nods and stifles a giggle that makes you frown. "it's okay. you can touch more than just my shoulder, don't be so scared."
you lean down and nip his cheek, trailing tiny kisses down to his neck as you grumble. "don't act like you're not just as nervous." you lean back up to look at him, his face flushed from your kisses. your face gets serious, and you feel the sudden urge to spill the three words you've been meaning to tell him for weeks now. "i...should i...?"
looking down with a shy smile, you nod to your hard cock, which aches to feel nat's insides. he whispers a small "yes," and you kiss him for a long while, both of you getting lost in the feeling of each other. each time you mean to pull away, you can't. it's like you're being pulled back to his lips, both by his hands and because of the trance you're in.
nat moans when he feels your cock twitch on his stomach, and he's suddenly aware of the warm, wet mess you've made. he moves his hands from your back to his stomach where you're subtly grinding your cock against, and he grabs it. he grins into your lips as you whine, and he leans his head back against the pillow to watch how your face scrunches as he slowly strokes.
"pretty cock." he mumbles to himself, but you catch it and blush. to mess with him, you flick his t-dick and take in his whimper with a grin.
"you have a nice one yourself."
you grab his hand by the wrist and bring it to your mouth, locking eyes with him as you clean your pre-cum from it, eyes fluttering shut as you taste yourself.
after, you kiss him a few more times before moving him around, getting him in place and comfortable before lining up your cock with his hole.
"ready?" you ask, gently stroking yourself and bumping your tip with his enlarged clit.
he bites his lip and lets out a shaky "yes, 'm ready." his hands move to grip the bedsheets in anticipation.
"are you sure?" you ask again, wanting to make sure he's absolutely sure. once he nods and reassures you that, yes, he is ready, you grip your cock and slowly rub your tip around his entrance, eyes locked in on his face for any sign of discomfort.
nat's mouth opens in a silent moan as you sink in, his eyes fluttering shut the more he feels you inside of him. "oh, god, fuck." he lets out, trapping his left leg around your waist. "feels...s'good."
"yeah?" you pant, finding it hard to keep your own cool as nat clenches around you. once you're inside far enough, you set both hands by his head and lean down to give him kisses the more you sink in, letting him get adjusted.
his right leg follows his left and wraps around your waist to push you all the way in, and you let out a pathetic groan as you basically collapse on top of him.
"god, i love you." you babble, whimpering into his neck as you move your hips.
nat's hands claw at your back and he feels his entire body burst into flames at your confession. he tries to open his mouth to say "i love you, too" but the way you snap your hips into his has his brain all mushy.
Jackie Taylor x Male reader/oc
Summary: What happens when a plane crashes in the middle of the Canadian Wilderness full of teenagers? How something as traumatic as that can affect the people and and how they find comfort in each other.
Words: 7.270
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Your POV
I wake up disoriented, feeling the cold invade my body and a great pain going throughout my body as if I had slept on the floor. I grunt in pain, shifting in place and trying to get into a better position.
I move my hand around without opening my eyes, trying to find the blanket and cover myself again, as I feel like I'm freezing.
Not finding the blanket anywhere, I open my eyes with some difficulty due to fatigue and the bright light. So I close my eyes again and curl up into a ball to warm up. Once my body starts to warm up, I feel sleep invade my mind once again and I fall asleep.
When I wake up again, it´s to the feeling of hands caressing my back and moving along my right side.
Jackie: Good morning.- she whispers against my ear lovingly, leaving a kiss on the spot and tracing the healed scars with her fingers.
Y/n: Good morning.- I murmur without opening my eyes and enjoying the caresses on my side, stomach and back.
Jackie: You're freezing.- she murmurs against my shoulder, pressing her body against my back and molding herself to mine completely.
Y/n: Yeah, well, it turns out someone loves to hog the duvet and blankets at night, and then there's no way to cover myself with them in the morning.- I reproach her, amused, feeling her bite my shoulder in response. -Ouch, savage.- I complain, trying to separate myself from her, but she clings to my back like a koala.
Jackie: Now I'm a savage? So when I bite you while we're fucking, then I'm not a savage anymore or what? - she asks me amused with a certain lust in her voice.
Y/n: On both occasions you are a savage.- I assure her, turning around and facing her. -But at no time have I said that I don't like it.- I tell her with a smile, moving my eyebrows suggestively.
Jackie: Idiot.- She laughs, hitting my shoulder and I hug her around the waist to hold her flush against my body.
Y/n: If I'm an idiot, then what are you when you married one? - I ask her amused, hiding my face in her neck and starting to leave small, affectionate kisses.
Jackie: I don't know and I don't want to think about it.- she answers me caressing my back and leaving a kiss on my head. -But we have to get up, you have to make breakfast and I have to wake up the gremlins.- she reminds me starting to caress my hair.
Y/n: Yeah, if you think I'm going to get out of bed and let you go if you keep caressing my head, you have it difficult.- I assure her, snuggling up against the warmth of her neck and closing my eyes.
Jackie: Come on, the kids have to go to school and we have to go to work.- she tells me leaving another kiss on my head and trying to get away from me.
Y/n: Noooo.- I complain, keeping my grip on her waist and pulling her towards me, while she keeps trying to escape from my grip. -5 more minutes.- I beg, fighting with her so she doesn't get up.
Jackie: I let you sleep 5 more minutes earlier.- she says pinching my hand and causing me to let her go. -I did it, i´m free!- she celebrates standing at the foot of the bed with her arms in the air.
I just frown, giving her a dirty look and crossing my arms as I watch her celebrate. The way her whole face lights up with happiness, how her natural waves bounce in her now dark brown hair and how her eyes squint at the smile on her face.
Even at 42, there are times when I look at her and see the same 17-year-old Jax running around the soccer field with a smile on her face.
The accident 25 years ago may have been the worst experience we have ever been through, but that doesn't take away the fact that the experience brought me closer to the person I love most in this world, and with whom I have formed a truly happy family.
A family based on love, affection, honesty, quality time and parental presence. Not like the families we grew up in, where love and the lack of parents was bought with objects, and where criticism filled the whole house constantly.
We have created a family and a home that we both should have had when we were children and in which to grow free. A home where our children live happily and we feel complete by being together.
Jackie: Move and stop looking at me like that.- she tells me throwing a pillow at my face and leaving the room.
I can only smile in response, getting out of bed and walking to my closet to get ready for the day.
Once dressed and shaved, I begin preparing the pancakes with chocolate chips and blueberries, along with the bowl of fruit and orange juice. While the coffee is brewing, I head out of the house to the mailbox and pick up today's mail.
I leave the mail on the kitchen island, grab my cup of coffee from the machine and start preparing my wife's just the way she likes it.
I place the breakfast plates in their usual places on the island and begin checking my email while I wait for the rush of footsteps down the stairs that every morning brings.
I'm looking through the bank letters, advertisements, and an envelope from the high school about the 25th anniversary reunion, when an envelope with no return address catches my eye. I open it while taking a sip of coffee and see that it's a postcard.
The postcard shows a mountain range, with a lake in the middle of a forest and snowy mountains in the background. On the right side, at the bottom, you can clearly see a message: Wish you were here! and when I turn it over, I choke on my coffee at the sight of the symbol.
The damn symbol that was everywhere in the woods, in the cabin, and everywhere you looked closely.
I react quickly when I hear the stampede downstairs, folding the postcard and stuffing it into the pocket of my black suit pants.
Tomas: Good morning dad.- he greets me jumping on me with a smile just like his mother's.
Y/n: Good morning gremlin, how did you sleep? - I asked him leaving a loud kiss on his forehead and sitting him on his stool.
Tomas: Very well, I dreamed that a dragon appeared and burned down the school. - he tells me with excitement and with his eyes wide open with the imagination of an 8-year-old child.
Alice: And his homework is doing sums and coloring.- she growls, sitting on her stool and starting to eat her breakfast.
Jackie: As if you were doing your homework. - she reproaches our 15-year-old teenage daughter with amusement.
Emma: I like school. - the middle child of the family shrugs her shoulders with a big smile.
Y/n: That's my princess.- I support her with a smile and high five her.
Tomas: I like school too, because I can play with my friends and learn cool things.- he tells us happily with his mouth full.
Jackie: You don´t talk with a full mouth, honey.- she corrects him with a smile, wiping his mouth with a napkin and leaving a kiss on the top of his head.
Alice: You'll tell me if you still like going to class when you go to high school.- she says to her 12 year old sister with an amused smile.
Y/n: Don't be mean to your sister and don't try to scare her.- I shake my head at my oldest daughter, drinking my coffee and trying to hide the smile on my face at the faces of the 2 youngest.
Tomas: I´m not going to like high school?- he asks us all, a little scared.
Jackie: Don't pay attention to your sister, it's just that the boy she likes doesn't pay attention to her and that's why she has such a sour mood. - she reassures him with a wink, earning a laugh from him and a complaint from the teenager.
Y/n: What boy? - I ask my daughter, confused and serious, when I have processed my wife's words.
Alice: None.- she growls in response, biting the piece of fruit somewhat aggressively.
Jackie: Don´t deny it, there's a boy in her math class that she likes and he doesn't pay attention to her.- my wife tells me with a huge smile. - His name is Axel? I don't know, but apparently he's in the debate club and he's a basketball player.- she says with a voice full of emotion.
Sometimes I forget how much my wife loves and enjoys other people's gossip. But she especially likes it when it's about our teenage daughter. It's like she goes back to that age again.
Alice: Alex mom and no, I don't like him. - she corrects her mother with a serious gesture.
Y/n: You better, because you're not going to have a boyfriend until you're 30, and that's me being nice.- I shook my head seriously.
Jackie: Aren't you being a little bit exaggerated? - she asks me, standing next to me and hugging my waist with one of her arms.
Y/n: No, my children will not know what a broken heart is until they are emancipated.- I deny seriously, making my teenage daughter and my wife laugh at me. -Now we are all finishing up because you guys have to go to class.- I hurry them a little and start to collect their plates.
Jackie: And remember that today I will pick you all up after school. - she reminds our children when they go up to brush their teeth and get their backpacks.
Within ten minutes, I've kissed Jax goodbye and am driving off with my three kids in it. My first stop is the high school where Alice has class and debate club, and then I have to drop Emma and Tomas off at their school.
Jackie´s POV
I turn off the car once I'm parked in the driveway and can't help but frown at the presence of a woman on my porch. I stare at her for a few seconds, before turning my gaze to the back seats and seeing my two youngest children laughing.
Jackie: Go inside with your siblings and do your homework.- I order my teenage daughter.
Alice: Why? What's wrong? - she asks me confused, taking off her belt and picking up her bag from between her legs.
Jackie: I don't know, but I don't know who that woman and considering that it´s the anniversary of the accident, I don't want to take any risks. - I explain sincerely and she nods in understanding.
Alice: Okay.- she nods and gets out of the car as I do and helps me get her youngest siblings out of the back. -Come on kids, the sooner we finish our homework the sooner we can play in the garden.- she tells them excitedly and they run towards the door.
I walk quickly to the porch, opening the door for my children and closing it once they are inside. I look at the woman who is leaning against the porch railing in total comfort, observing her closely and crossing my arms in defense.
Jackie: Who are you and what are you doing in my house? - I asked the stranger directly and without wanting to prolong the subject.
Jessica: My name is Jessica Roberts, I work as a journalist for the Star-Ledger and I wanted to talk to you and your husband about a juicy deal.- she answers me with a fake smile.
Jackie: How the hell did you get our address? - I asked aggressively, taking a couple of steps towards her and trying to maintain my composure.
Jessica: I have my sources.- she answers, still smiling. -I just want to talk about the proposal I want to offer you.- she repeats, moving away from the railing.
Jackie: What proposal? - I asked wanting to end this conversation as soon as possible and get her out of my property as soon as possible.
Jessica: I'd rather wait for Y/n to talk about the proposal.- she tells me without ever stopping her smile and that makes me want to slap it away.
Jackie: And I'm telling you to tell me now.- I demand, raising an eyebrow. -Because if you don't get off my property in the next 5 minutes, I'll call the police for trespassing and i can assure you that you will spend the night in a cell.- I assure her with an evil smile.
Jessica: Star-Ledger wants to make a deal to publish a book about what happened 25 years ago. - she answers, removing the smile from her face and with a more serious tone.
Jackie: Everyone knows what happened 25 years ago, it came out in the press conference that was held and it is not a secret. - I remember her tensing my jaw and trying to remain calm.
Jessica: Yes, but is that what really happened? - she asks now, crossing her arms. -Because we both know there's more to it than what was said. - she clarifies with a certain knowing tone, as if she knew something about what really happened.
Jackie: What really happened? - I asked sarcastically. -What happened was that one of the happiest moments of our lives turned into a hell in which many people lost their lives. Either because of the accident or because of the bad conditions in which we lived for 19 months. That's what really happened, and I'm going to ask you to get off my property right now.- I say with my arms at my sides and standing up as much as possible to look taller.
Jessica: You could earn more than seven figures just by telling your story, the reality of what happened and not letting other people benefit from your misfortune. - she insists with some desperation.
Jackie: Do you know how much my husband and I make in a year?- I ask her with a smirk. -Your offer is only 15% of our earnings, so if you really are a journalist and you think that is a juicy offer, I think you should do a better job.- I say walking towards the front door. -So get the hell out of my house right now and never come back again.- I end the conversation and enter the house, closing the door behind me.
I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart and get my hands to stop shaking from the adrenaline.
Once I've calmed down, I walk to my office on the first floor and leave my briefcase on the table. I take my cell phone out of my jacket pocket, texting my husband and asking him to come home as soon as possible.
With the message sent, I walk to the living room where my children are doing their homework and sit down among the little ones on the floor.
We didn't spend much time on their homework, as they didn't have much to do and it didn't have much difficulty with the grade they are both in. So once they had their middle of the evening snack, the four of us went out to the back garden and played soccer for a while.
When I hear the garden gate open, I see Y/n still dressed in his black suit pants and a dark green shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
I stare at him in rapture for a few moments, appreciating the way his clothes hug his body in the perfect places and how the colors of the clothes make his skin tone and eyes pop even more.
Jackie: Keep playing, dad and I are going to start preparing dinner.- I say to the three of them, leaving a kiss on the top of Tomas head and walking towards where my husband is.
When I reach where he is, I hug him by the shoulders and stand on my tiptoes to give him a welcome kiss. A kiss that lasts longer than I was planning, as he hugs me by the waist and holds me close to his body so I can't move away.
Y/n: Is everything okay? - he asks me in a low voice when we separate from the kiss and I can see his worried expression.
Jackie: Let's go to the kitchen so we can talk while we prepare dinner.- I ask him, leaving another kiss on his lips and grabbing his hand to pull him along.
Y/n: But is everything okay? Are the kids okay? Are you...- he starts asking non stop and I interrupt him with a look.
Jackie: Wait until we get to the kitchen and then I'll tell you.- I order him without stopping walking and pulling him with me.
Once in the kitchen, I take out the ingredients for the pasta and place them on the counter. I take a couple of deep breaths, trying to gather my thoughts and think of the best way to tell him what happened.
I can feel his curious and somewhat worried gaze on me, making me more nervous than I already am.
Jackie: Stop looking at me, I can't focus.- I beg, a little frustrated at not knowing how to start the conversation.
Y/n: What are you thinking for dinner? - he asks me, leaving a kiss on my head and checking the ingredients.
Jackie: I was thinking of making carbonara and some roasted vegetables to go with it. - I explain to him and he immediately starts taking out the things we needs to cook it.
Y/n: I'll start with the pasta and you with the vegetables? - he asks me and I nod in response.
We both start cooking in complete silence, moving around the kitchen in total synchrony and naturalness. After a few minutes of cooking, I feel more relaxed and while I am chopping the carrots I decide to start the conversation.
Jackie: When I got home with the kids, there was a woman on the porch waiting for me, and it turned out she was a journalist.- I begin to tell him, listening to the sound of the frying pan stop. -She wanted to talk to both of us and offer to write a book.- I explain with a grimace.
Y/n: A book? - he asks confused and I hear the sound of the frying pan again.
Jackie: A book in which we tell what really happened 25 years ago. - I answer, swallowing hard and listening a frustrated sigh behind me.
Y/n: I can't believe it.- he denies with her voice full of annoyance. -Every year it's the same, there's always someone lurking around trying to dig into what happened. Why can't they leave the past behind and let us live in peace.- he complains with anger and I sigh tired with the situation.
Every year some journalist or news article appears questioning the version that was published when we were rescued. Every year it is the same, hundreds of conspiracies and stories about what really happened come to light again. Some of them are very close to the truth that we all, absolutely all of us agree to deny and hide at all costs.
Jackie: I know, but like you said, it's nothing out of the ordinary and as soon as they appear, they disappear. But I had to tell you because this time I didn't feel the same way, she was more insistent and it seemed like she actually knew something. - I tell him with some uncertainty, not knowing very well if the journalist was bluffing or if she really knew something.
Y/n: Maybe this time it will be different.- he comments with a sigh, leaving the kitchen and leaving me confused rooted in my place.
Jackie: Where are you going? - I ask without understanding why he is leaving and where he is going.
I look confused at the hallway where my husband has disappeared, trying to process what just happened and why he left. I try to think of something, but my husband comes back into the kitchen and leaves something in front of me.
I look at what he has placed in front of me, seeing that it is a postcard with a beautiful landscape on it and a simple phrase.
Jackie: What is this? - I asked confused, looking between the postcard and my husband.
Y/n: Turn it around.- he orders me in a soft but somewhat heavy tone.
I do as I'm told and as soon as I see what's on the back, I drop the postcard immediately like it burns. I take a few steps back, hearing my heart racing in my ears and feeling my mouth go dry.
Jackie: Like... I don't... I don't... - I try to say something, but it's like my mind and mouth have lost all communication.
Y/n: It arrived this morning.- I listen to what he says and look at him in astonishment. -I haven't told you anything because I thought it would be a joke and that I shouldn't give it any importance. But the presence of that journalist makes me doubt if it's a coincidence or something premeditated.- he explains to me with some insecurity, pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes for a few seconds.
Jackie: So what... what are we supposed to do? - I asked with a little difficulty, trying to keep my focus on the conversation and not on the symbol on the postcard.
Y/n: I don't know.- he denies, defeated, resting both hands on the kitchen island. -Maybe our best option is to ignore it for the moment and wait to see if something else happens.- he says with a doubtful tone that makes it more of a question than a statement.
Jackie: So we ignore it all? - I ask to make sure.
Y/n: Yes.- he nods, letting out a long sigh. -Unless you think there's something else we can or should do?- he asks me with some curiosity.
Jackie: No.- I deny through my teeth, feeling the tremble in my lower lip and an annoying itch in my eyes.
Y/n: Hey, everything's going to be okay.- he assures me, running towards me and wrapping me in his arms. -Nothing bad is going to happen.- he tries to reassure me, placing my head on his chest and gently stroking my hair.
Jackie: What if something bad happens? - I ask with a broken voice, with my hands on his back and my fists clenched around his shirt.
Y/n: As long as I'm around, nothing bad will happen to you or the kids. I promise.- he whispers with conviction against the top of my head, continuing to comfort me and letting me cry against his chest.
We spend a while wrapped in each other's arms, until I feel like I'm no longer crying and that I feel a little calmer.
Once I move away from his chest a little, he immediately grabs my face and gently wipes away all traces of tears from my cheeks with his thumbs. I just stare into his gorgeous green eyes, which are filled with worry and something more intense.
Y/n: Do you want a glass of wine? - he asks me with a small smile, trying to lighten the mood and cheer me up a little.
Jackie: More like the whole bottle.- I reply with a pout, causing him to laugh, and in the end I join him.
Y/n: A bottle of wine is coming to the most impressive woman in the world!- he exclaims with humor, leaving a kiss on my forehead and walking towards the wine rack. -Red, white, rose, sparkling?- he asks, moving his fingers between the bottles.
Jackie: White.- I respond amused, watching how he moves and feeling more relaxed with his movements.
Once we have a meal in hand and a lighter mood, we go back to preparing dinner. I just hope that Y/n is right and that doing nothing is the most appropriate thing for this situation.
I just hope it's a coincidence and there's nothing premeditated or organized behind this.
I look up from the color palette, when I hear the doorbell ring and I frown looking towards where the front door is. Somewhat doubtful, I sit on the stool and think about who could be knocking on the door.
But I don't have anyone I know in mind or any reason why someone would knock on my door on a Sunday morning.
The doorbell rings again, so with a sigh I get up from the stool and walk calmly to the door. I open the door and the polite smile on my face immediately disappears.
Jackie: What the hell are you doing here? - I ask through clenched teeth, looking behind the people and making sure there's no one else around.
Taissa: We need to talk to you and since you're not answering the phone, we've been forced to come. - she answers, crossing her arms and walking past me to enter my house.
Jackie: No, no, no.- I deny trying to grab Tai and prevent the others from entering the house behind her. -You can't come in.- I growl annoyed.
Natalie: This concerns you too.- she assures me, looking at the photos on the walls. -Where's Y/n?- she asks, turning around and looking at me.
Jackie: Out.- I answer simply, frustrated with the presence of the three women and closing the door.
Taissa: When will he come back? - she asks me a little worried.
Jackie: I don't know.- I answer, passing by the three of them and walking back to the kitchen.
Taissa: And could you call him to ask him to come as soon as possible? - she asks me walking behind me.
Jackie: No.- I answer as if it were obvious.
Natalie: What do you mean no? - she asks with a hint of aggression in her voice. -We have to tell you something important, something related to that and it's urgent.- she assures me, referring to our accident.
Jackie: That's in the past and right now my husband is busy with our present and future. So no, I'm not going to call him and ask him to come over immediately. - I explain with finality, knowing that I'm not going to call him and force him to leave our son's soccer game.
Shauna: You're still just as selfish. - she tells me evilly, speaking for the first time since I've seen her and causing me to clench my jaw in anger.
Jackie: You, you're the one calling me selfish? - I asked in a sarcastic and somewhat poisonous tone. -The one person who, after fucking my ex-boyfriend and getting pregnant by him while she was still with me, made ME look like the bad guy. - I reproached her, still upset and hurt by what she did to me.
Shauna: And yet after all this time everything still revolves around YOU.- she reproaches me with pure venom in her voice.
Jackie: You're in my house, you've entered uninvited and you're demanding things from me when I haven't seen you in over 20 years.- I remind to two of three. -But I'm the selfish one for refusing to do something, when you two haven't even asked me how I am or explained the reason why you've invaded my home.- I comment, pointing at the three of them with obvious frustration.
Shauna: Because you've blocked us from everywhere and this is the only solution we've found. - She gestures around her with both arms. - So don't blame us for being here, when this could have been avoided with a phone call and that's it. - She spits in my face through her teeth.
Jackie: And you're surprised that I blocked you? - I asked her surprised. - You're surprised that after almost freezing to death because of you, I didn't want to know anything about you and I made sure of that? - I asked her with some sarcasm and disbelief at her attitude.
Shauna: It wasn't my fault! - she exclaims in denial. -I didn't force you to leave, I didn't put a knife to your neck to get you to leave the cabin and you know that perfectly well.- she claims pointing at me with her finger.
Jackie: You may not have held a knife to my neck, but at no point did you make me feel welcome or safe to continue being in that cabin that night.- I assure her through gritted teeth. -And the only, the ONLY reason I'm alive today, is because Y/n went outside with me that night, who put me in the meat shed when it started to get too cold and who made sure I didn't freeze to death that night. So yes Shauna, I hold you mostly responsible for my near death.- I remind her with venom and some pain at the memory of that night.
Neither of them says anything for a few seconds, filling the kitchen with a tension that could be cut with a knife, which gives me time to start gathering my things from the island and processing their presence in my house.
Natalie: What is that? - she asks me curiously, approaching the island and looking at the different sketches, colors and textures spread out in it.
Jakcie: A work project.- I reply vaguely, placing everything in a pile and putting it into a big folder.
Natalie: What project are you working on? - she asks again with curiosity, pulling out a stool and sitting on it.
Jackie: In the inside of a two-story and 500 square meter house, decorated with natural colors and metallic objects.- I explain with a small, happy smile at her interest.
The truth is that in all these years since we were rescued, both Y/n and I cut off ties with all the other survivors. The only people we kept in touch with were Nat and Lottie.
After all, Lottie is Y/n's twin sister so it's only natural that we maintained our relationship with her, especially given how overprotective my husband has always been of her. On the other hand, he and Nat have always been very good friends, so we continued to keep in touch with her after being rescued and returning to our daily lives.
It's been a while since we last saw them, but seeing Nat in front of me and giving me a slight smile makes me happy. Since the moment we were rescued, she was one of all of us who had it the worst at adapting and is constantly in rehab.
Taissa: Do you work? - she asks me, surprised by the information I just gave.
Jackie: Why do you seem so surprised? - I ask her, both offended and amused by her reaction.
Taissa: I don't know. - She denies with a grimace. - I always imagined you marrying someone rich and being a rich housewife. - She explains, shrugging her shoulders.
Jackie: Well, you got the first part right, because I married someone rich.- I remind her with an amused smile. -But I went to college for a reason, right? Besides, it's something I love and they pay very, very well depending on the client.- I explain, shrugging my shoulders.
Natalie: And are you going to offer us something to drink or? - she asks, moving her hands in circles.
Jackie: Do you want something to drink? - I asked them politely, offering a fake smile to the dark haired one.
Taissa: A coffee with milk would be nice, thanks.- she thanks me sitting on the other stool.
Natalie: You know what I want.- She gives me an amused look and I shake my head at the ridiculousness of it.
Shauna: Something strong.- she answers sitting on the last stool on the island to Nat's left.
I quickly start making the coffee and while it's pouring into the cup, I grab the bottle of tequila from the cabinet on top of the fridge and place it in front of Nat. I grab three shot glasses and Tai's coffee, placing them on the island.
The brunette opens the bottle and begins to fill the glasses with the yellowish liquor. We each take a glass and drink the contents in one gulp.
Jackie: Okay, what's so urgent? - I ask them once the sting of the tequila in my throat calms down a bit.
Taissa: This.- she answers me taking her phone out of her pocket and sliding it towards me along the island.
Jackie: What the hell is this? - I ask, somewhat disturbed and scared when she saw the message.
Natalie: Blackmail.- she answers me as if it were obvious. -Haven't you received the message?- she asks me confused.
Jackie: No, neither Y/n nor I have received it.- I immediately deny. - Yes, we received a postcard a week ago and a journalist showed up that same day offering a deal to tell what really happened. But apart from that, nothing.- I tell them with all the honesty possible.
Shauna: It wouldn't be a Jessica Roberts, would it? - she asks me with her eyes wide open.
Jackie: Yes.- I nod immediately with my eyes open. -Did she go to your place too?- I ask trying to connect the dots.
Shauna: Yes, she came to me a little over a week ago, offering to write a book and receive a sum of more than seven figures to tell what really happened in that forest. - she confirms, pressing her lips together in a continuous line.
Natalie: None of this makes sense.- she denies, massaging her temple and pouring herself another shot. -The postcard was only received by Misty, Tai, Y/n, you and I. While the blackmail message was received by Taissa and me. So why send the postcard to some and the message to others?- she leaves her doubt hanging in the air and I agree with her.
As Tai was about to say something, we hear the front door open and a couple of quick footsteps.
Y/n: Jax we're home! - I hear him shout from the entrance and I can hear the fun in his voice.
Tomas: Mommy, mommy, mommyyyyy! - he shouts, running through the house and entering the kitchen with his dirty uniform and a huge smile on his face. -We won! - he exclaims completely happy, running towards me and jumping into my arms.
Jackie: Really? - I asked, exaggerating my reaction and smiling at the happiness on her face.
Tomas: Yes.- he nods enthusiastically. -I scored a goal.- he tells me enthusiastically.
Jackie: Wow that amazing.- I say with my eyes wide open and a hugh smile.
Emma: Auntie Nat? - she asks from the kitchen entrance with her eyes wide open.
Natalie: Isn´t that the blonde dwarf. - She smiles, getting up from the stool and opening her arms. - How you've grown. - She growls against my daughter's blonde hair when she hugs her.
Shauna: Auntie Nat? - she asks completely confused, exchanging glances between the black haired adult and the blonde girl in her arms. -Since when do you have children? - she asks, looking at my son in my arms.
Jackie: Since when do I have to give you any explanations? - I answer sharply. - Why don't you go out with your sister to the garden and play for a while? Okay? - I ask my son, giving him a kiss on the forehead and putting him down on the ground.
Tomas: Okay.- He nods happily, holding out his hand to his sister and running with her to the garden, once they both join hands.
Jackie: Plus, I'm surprised my mom didn't tell you about it at one of your lunches.- I commented ironically, crossing my arms.
Shauna: She didn´t.- she shakes her head with a strange expression on her face.
Y/n: Jax, you're not going to believe the funniest moment of the game you missed.- he comments between laughs entering the kitchen. -What's going on here? Nat? When did you get out of rehab?- he asks, wiping his smile away when he sees the three people in our kitchen.
Natalie: It's been almost two weeks.- she answers, shrugging her shoulders without giving it any importance.
Y/n: And didn't you think to let us know or come visit? - he asks her, crossing his arms.
Natalie: Yeah, well, let's just say I haven't had much time between Travis' death, the postcard, Misty being crazy and now the damn blackmail. - she tells us with some frustration and I can only open my eyes in surprise at the information, and I can see that my husband has a similar reaction to mine.
Y/n: Travis is dead? - he asks in shock. - Wait, postcard? Did they send you that damn postcard with the symbol too? - he asks again, approaching the group.
Taissa: They also sent it to Misty and me.- the curly haired girl answers. -But we're not here for the postcard, we're here for a more important reason that affects us all.- she explains seriously, picking up her cell phone from the island and showing him the blackmail message to my husband.
Y/n: What the hell is this? - he asks angrily after reading the message.
Shauna: We're being blackmailed by someone who came back with us or who has been told something from one of us. - she replies, taking another shot.
Y/n: Have you been the only one who received it? - she asks the future senator and returns the phone to her.
Taissa: The two of us.- she answers pointing at the short black haired one and herself.
Y/n: Okay.- he nods with a frown. -But they haven't sent us that message.- he says with some doubt looking at me and I shake my head in confirmation.
Natalie: It seems so.- she nods, agreeing with him.
Y/n: So why are you all here?- he asks confused. -Don't get me wrong, it's good to see you again and all that, at least some of you. But I don't understand why you're here.- he comments seriously, walking towards me and giving me a short kiss.
Taissa: We didn't know that you hadn't received the message. - she explains, letting out a sigh and taking a sip of her coffee.
Jackie: Well, you already know that we didn´t and to be honest, I don't want to get involved in whatever you're doing and have our children be affected in any way. - I deny, adopting a defensive posture.
Natalie: And we understand, but we need your help.- she asks us, biting her lip and letting out a sigh.
Y/n: What do you need? - she asks directly.
Shauna: Money would be nice, if you have it.- she answers with her lips in a straight line.
I immediately throw a dirty look at the one who was my best friend, letting out a mocking sound at her audacity and I feel the words bubbling in my throat.
Y/n: Okay.- nods and disappears through the archway into the main floor hallway.
Taissa: Where is he going? - she asks me, just as confused as I am.
I just shrug my shoulders, not knowing why he left without saying anything and not knowing where he was going. Nat refills the glasses with tequila and I bring mine over to him to refill.
Jackie: And how did it go this time in rehab? - I ask the short haired one with interest.
I rest my elbows on the island, leaning against them and giving my friend my full attention. Since we were rescued, Nat was the one who had the hardest time adjusting back to our life before the accident.
So since we got back, she's been going to rehab and has got herself arrested a couple of times.
Natalie: Fine.- she answers with a grimace. -I haven't taken any drugs yet and I'm not lacking in desire with everything that's going on.- she admits, taking the shot.
Taissa: You better, because I can't pay for your rehab visits anymore. - she comments with a certain humor, taking another sip of her coffee.
Y/n: Here you go.- he says returning to the kitchen and leaving a wad of bills on the island.
Shauna: You have 50,000 grand at home? - she asks surprised seeing the money.
Y/n: I have more than that stored at home.- he admits shrugging his shoulders and I look at him surprised.
Jackie: Why do you have so much money at home? - I asked, stunned by the money and thinking about where he could have that money.
Y/n: For emergencies - he respond simply raising his shoulders downplaying it.
Shauna: Is that really 50 grand?- she asks again and my husband nods. -Well, it's a bit disappointing compared to the standard of heist movies.- she says with a smirk on her lips.
Y/n: It's 50 grand in 100 dollar bills.- he answers as if it were obvious. -How crazy would I be to have that much money in our house in small bills, they would take up a lot more space.- simply explains as if that amount of money wasn't much and placing a hand on my lower back.
Taissa: We already know who will pay for your next rehab.- she says to the short-haired girl somewhat funny.
Natalie: Thank you for your faith in me, Tai.- she reproaches her, rolling her eyes.
Jackie: Do you need anything else? - I ask them with some impatience, wanting this conversation to end so they can leave.
Taissa: No, thanks for this.- she says holding the wad of bills in her hand. -We will let you know if we manage to catch the blackmailer so we can return your money.- she tells us and I nod in agreement with her words.
Natalie: Well, let's go. - She gets up from the stool and takes a few steps back.
Y/n: You're not leaving.- he points at her with his finger. -You're staying for dinner and spending time with your goddaughter.- he says seriously and with an evil smile.
Natalie: Really? - she asks, grumbling like a child.
Y/n: What do you think? - he asks back with his arms crossed and raising an eyebrow.
Shauna: Well, then the two of us are... we're going to go.- she says, pointing towards the archway towards the hallway with her thumb and with a slight tremor in her voice.
Jackie: Can you help them out and while I bathe Tommy?- I ask the only man in the kitchen.
Y/n: Sure.- he nods with a smile, leaving another kiss on my lips and walking with the other two women towards the exit of the house.
Jackie: And you play with your goddaughter for a while, she missed you.- she ordered the brunette with a big smile.
Natalie: Yes, captain.- she mocks with a military salute and walking with me to the garden.
I watch my children for a few seconds, listening to their laughter as they chase each other and feeling a warm feeling all over my body at their happiness.
The unexpected visit and the conversation with the girls made me remember the worst moments of my life. But they also made me realize how lucky I was, because thanks to that accident I found my soulmate and I managed to start a family with him.
A happy family, with its bad times and its good times. With dysfunctional aunts and absent grandparents. But a family like neither of us had growing up with.
We have managed to form a family based on love and the different forms of affection that our parents omitted during our growing up.
In addition, I am now the happiest I have ever been in my entire life, without having to pretend and I feel complete with the presence of my loved ones.
For that very reason, I curse that horrible day when we got on that damm plane, but I bless the moment when I set my gaze on Y/n in the middle of all that madness.
Because thanks to him, I am alive today at this moment and I can be watching our children run around in our home. It was all part of our destiny.
THE END
London, midnight. The city breathed between ancient fogs and modern lights, as if the past and the present intertwined in every corner. In the heart of the city, a private museum opened its doors only for the chosen. Among paintings and sculptures that spoke of the fleeting nature of beauty, one figure stood out that seemed born to be admired.
Her.
The forgotten daughter of Batman, now turned into an icon. She wasn’t a movie star, nor a pop singer, nor even a businesswoman. She was something more intangible: a symbol. Living beauty, unreachable perfection. Like a vision out of a sweet nightmare. Unsettling. Irresistible. Unforgettable.
She wore black, a form-fitting silk dress that flowed like liquid shadow. Her hair, her skin, her eyes... Everything about her seemed created to provoke obsession. And yet, there was an invisible wall around her. No one could touch her. No one could claim her.
And that night, among the attendees, were them.
---
Bruce Wayne arrived with his children. The invitation hadn’t been an accident; one of the organizers was an old ally of the League. It had been Tim’s idea, obsessed with seeing her since he stumbled upon an interview with her in a Japanese art magazine. Damian came for pride. Jason… simply didn’t want to miss out.
Entering the hall was a moment of tension. They were not Batman, Nightwing, or Red Hood. They were Bruce, Tim, Damian, and Jason. Men who, for years, had lived immersed in missions, fights, masks... And had ignored the existence of someone who was now more radiant than all of them put together.
And there she was. Talking with a French designer, smiling barely. The smile didn’t reach her eyes, but it still hypnotized. Her movements were graceful, her voice low, charming. People surrounded her with devotion. None of them had the right to approach her. But that didn’t stop them.
---
It was Tim who took the first step. His heart raced, his fingers trembled. She saw him approach. Her eyes didn’t show surprise or anger. Just... emptiness.
—Hello —he said awkwardly.
She looked at him calmly.
—Are you here to apologize, Tim? Or just to confirm that I’m still alive?
He swallowed. Each word was a blow disguised as courtesy.
—I wanted to see you. Hear you.—You already heard me once —she answered—. When I was thirteen and asked you to teach me how to use a computer. You told me you were busy.
Tim lowered his gaze. There was no excuse. No excuse for such everyday indifference. And now, that indifference had irreversible consequences.
Jason was next. He approached more confidently, more determined. He had rebuilt his life more times than he could count. He didn’t believe in the past. Until that night.
—You look good —he said—. Like nothing could touch you.
—And you look exactly the same as when you pretended I didn’t exist .
Jason scoffed. It wasn’t what he expected. He thought she would give him a chance to redeem himself. But no. She didn’t need redemption.
—I’m not good at this —he admitted.
—No, Jason. The only thing you’re good at is picking fights. But you won’t break me. They tried. It didn’t work.
---
Damian watched her from afar for long minutes before approaching. He, who had always despised weakness, now saw a different kind of strength in her. It didn’t come from training, nor from physical pain. It was a type of power he didn’t understand. Something he couldn’t control.
—I thought you were useless —he said bluntly, as always.
—I know —she replied—. You made it clear with every silence.
Damian clenched his fists.
—But look at you now —he added, as if surprised—. You have no weapons. You don’t fight. And yet... you are feared. Admired.
—And you, with all your training, still don’t understand why.
That hit him. More than a punch. More than any battle wound.
---
Bruce was the last. His imposing figure approached with firm steps, but his gaze… his gaze had cracks. He watched her as if she were a mirage. As if he couldn’t believe she was really there, in front of him, so alive and so distant.
—I didn’t expect you to want to see me —he said.
—I'm not here to see you. This is my world, Bruce. You’re the one who showed up here.
She didn’t call him “dad.” She hadn’t done so in years. And that, for Bruce, hurt more than any word.
—I failed you —he said in a low, dry voice.
She didn’t respond immediately. She simply looked at a nearby sculpture: a faceless woman, carved in marble. A perfect, empty figure.
—I didn’t fail you —she said at last—. You just never saw me. And that... that can’t be fixed with apologies.
He nodded, defeated. It was true. No gadget, plan, or strategy could recover something he had never known how to care for.
—But I look at you now —he whispered—. And I see everything you could have been with us.
—No. —She looked him in the eyes—. What I am now is precisely because I walked away from you.
---
And then, among them, appeared Dick Grayson. The first. The favorite of many. The one who always seemed to have a smile ready, the bridge between Bruce and the rest. But that night, he had no smiles. Only heavy shoulders and a guilt he hadn’t allowed himself to accept... until now.
She saw him. And for the first time, her expression changed, if only for a second. A spark. A memory.
—Hello, little star —he said, using the nickname he had given her when she was a child.
She blinked. But didn’t respond with sweetness.
—That nickname doesn’t fit you anymore.
Dick nodded sadly. He hadn’t expected anything else. Unlike the others, he had heard her laugh. He had been the one to care for her when Bruce couldn’t. The one who taught her to do cartwheels when she was little. But he had also been the first to walk away. To “prioritize” other missions. To assume she’d be fine on her own.
—I didn’t realize how much my silence hurt —he said honestly.
She looked at him with something that seemed like pity... or maybe sadness.
—What hurt the most was that your silence was the only one that really mattered to me.
That broke him. There were no tears, but there was a deep sinking in his chest. Because he knew. He had known since the first day he stopped calling her. Since the first time he ignored one of her letters. Since the day he decided it was “easier” not to deal with what she represented.
—I wanted to come back so many times —he murmured.
—But you never did —she responded, with no resentment, but also with no comfort.
—Can I do something now?
She stayed silent. Then shook her head.
—No. The only thing you could have done was stay. And you didn’t.
Dick looked at her one last time. He wanted to hug her.
He wanted to ask her not to hate him. But he understood that desire wasn’t for her.
It was for him.
And she wasn’t there to heal anyone.
He walked away without looking back.
---
Weeks passed. Then months. None of them ever approached again. But neither could they stop thinking about her.
She became a cult figure. Her face appeared in art magazines, her appearances at events were rare but impactful. Every time someone mentioned her, the Batfamily tensed. Because they knew she shone without them. And that was unforgivable.
Not for her.
For them.
---
The last time Bruce saw her was by chance: a feature in an architecture magazine. She was sitting on a balcony in Florence, drinking coffee. Smiling. With a peace he had never achieved.
And in that instant, he understood that they had never lost her.
Because they had never had her.
She wouldn’t come back.
And now, the echo of her absence was louder than any scream.
Sorry if there are mistakes, I don't speak English, I only use the translator.