When You're Gone

When You're Gone

@sunnysolaria requested this idea.

Tw: reader death, illness, and angst

*I'm not responsible if you ignore the trigger warnings*

(Included characters: Venti, Zhongli, Ei, Nahida, Itto, Wander, Diluc, Cyno, Xiao, Neuvillette, and Xianyun)

They thought gods couldn't get sick. You had come down with an illness. At first they thought you would pass it and get back to normal, but you seemed to get worse. All the best healers from every nation tried to help you, but it didn't work. You sepnt the last week, in pain and coughing. It hurt them, and they were hurt even more when you started to cough up blood. No one wanted you to die, yet they couldn't do anything to make you feel better. Eventually, you had succumb to your illness.

Venti

His tears are hidden

On the outside, he's the same old Venti but on the inside he is crying

A constant visitor to the shrine in Mondstadt, always with a bouquet of Calla Lillies and Snapdragons

Keeps a piece of your jewelry with him

His drinking becomes a lot worseIt's not fun for him anymore, it's a way to make the pain of your death go away

He's lost so many friends, and now he's lost you, his creator

Writes songs dedicated to you, to handle his emotions in a better way than drinking

Whenever he over drinks, he hears your voice scold him

Looks for anyone or anything that could be your second reincarnation

Your festival is celebrated with more energy, only to help the people deal with the lose of you

Your shrines become more decorated in order to make your soul feel at home

Candles are lit in order to guide you home to Mondstadt

on windy days he swears your voce can be heard on the wind

Zhongli

Silence

He avoids you grave

Not because he doesn't care, but he just can't handle it

He lost his wife, and many of his other friends during the archon war

Your young age made him think you would have a little more time

But he feels upset for being wrong

Is one of the main people in charge of the preparations for your funeral

Once your funeral ends, he visits the Liyue shrine with flowers and your favorite food

He cries, you were his grandchild and now you're gone

He shuts himself away in order to process his emotions

Once his emotions are handled, he tries to help others mourn in a healthy way

Walks through Liyue Harbor to reminisce on the memories he shared with you

He swears he can hear your voice whenever he walks past your favorite places

The day you died, people relase lanterns to guide your soul to Celestia

Ei

She cries

She lost her friends and sister, now you

Beats herself up over not making a puppet for your soul like she did for herself

If she wasn't leaving the Plane of Euthymia then, she wasn't leaving now

Stills creates a doll version of you, to have some part of you with her

Leaves sakura blossoms in the local shrine

She starts to reconsider her stop in the pursuit of eternity

She now tries to have a better connection with those close to her

Your death taught her something

Walks around Inazuma to your favorite spots

Sometimes, she swears your voice is heard by the puppet and herself in the Plane of Euthymia

Dolls of you become popular

She holds the doll of you close to her heart

Fireworks are lit to light your souls way home

She can still hear you aspirations and dreams and she wants to make them come true

Nahida

Remember how she cried when erasing everyones memories of Rukkhadevata?

Yeah, she's crying

You were a dear friend to her

She would visit you in your dreams to make you feel better

Plans a funeral in Sumeru for you

Vists your shrine every chance she gets

Talks to your resting place like you're still alive

She holds her other friends closer now

Pushes for more studying of medicine, so no one else suffers like she is

Cherishes the time she spend with you in your dreams

The hoildays about you are celebrated with an air of grief

Incense and flowers are placed on a path to lead your soul to Sumeru

Her walks through Sumeru causes her to get teary eyed

During the Sabzeruz festival she swears she sees brief flashes of your presence at the different stalls and games

Furina

Tears

Locks herself in her room to mourn

You were a best friend to her, and now your gone

Makes laws saying that no one can name an animal or other person after you

Makes your birthday a nation wide holiday in Fontaine

A botanical garden in the Court of Fontaine is created to honor your love of flowers

The funeral takes 6 days and every citizen is in mourning

She makes your favorite sweets and shares them with Neuvillette to make both of them feel better

She and Neuvillette grieve together and get closer to each other more then they already are

During walks with Neuvillette in new garden, she swears your laugh will grace her ears

Itto

In tears

He was so close to you

In you last days , he spent time with you as much as possible

The gang is worried about him

He stops his beetle fighting and the games he loved to play with you

Once he makes it half way through the stages of grief he holds onto the card he gave you

The denial stage hits him hard, and then the anger stage hits him harder

He is an emotional mess

Shinobu tries to help him through his emotions

Gets closer to the friends he has so he can feel better

Once he gets his emotions in order, he becomes even more passionate about the games you both would play together

Sometimes during intense games, he swears he hears you chering loudly for him

Wanderer

While he doesn't show outside emotions, on the inside he is a wreck

Hates everyone and everything

The anger stage of grief hits him hard

He now spends most of his time with Nahida

Holds onto any gifts you've given him over the years

He would have shut done if it weren't for Nahida

He visits every shrine of yours he can find

Leaves small offerings

Buys things he know you would have liked

Tries to hide the fact that he is in mourning

When he travels down roads alone, he can sometimes hear your jokes and he can't hep but sigh

Diluc

His emotions are... fucked up

He has already lost his father and now he's lost someone he saw as a little sibling

It was his job to protect you, and he failed

Knows he couldn't protect you from illness, but he could have made you suffer less

Would visit you wentever he could when he wasn't working

Wold give you gifts to make you feel a bit better

Would use that money of his to find the best doctors for you

Visits your shrine during his off hours

Honors you by being a better Darkknight Hero for Mondstadt

Might try and talk to Kaeya in good faith if only to say he tried for you

Sometimes, he hears you tell him to take a break and if he doesn't he'll work himself into an early grave

Cyno

Also silent

He also saw you as a little sibling

It shakes him a bit

He's supposed to be strong, and yet he wasn't strong enough to get you help

Upset at the doctors that they couldn't find a cure for you

Gets even more blood thristy

Your death breaks his heart

Everyone notices he's upset, especially Tighnari

Visits your shrine and promises to protect the others in honor

On his walks through the desert, especially at night, he hears your laughter behind him and it's bittersweet to him

Xiao

Leaves the room

He's seen his friends die and now he lost his sibling

He and Zhongli cry together over your death

He shuts himself off from everyone even more than he already does

Would light a lantern for your soul

Visits your favorite places with Zhongli

Holds your favorite plushie close

Cuddles the plushie close at night

Visits the shrine every evening with flowers

He is a bit mad a Baizhu for not helping you get better

Gets closer to Verr Goblet and Yanxiao

Goes to your burial site with Almond Tofu to feel like he's eating with you again

When he's on the balcony of Wangshu Inn, he feels you hear his arm, and your voice telling him to smile and take care of his friends

Neuvillette

Fontaine is getting weeks of rain

You were one of his grandbabies

He saw you as full of life like Furina, and now you're dead

He tries to drown himself in work to avoid coping

Enjoy's Furina's plan for a garden to honor you

Once Furina makes him cope in a healthy manner, he walks through the garden

Often sits to enjoy the silence some days

Like to reminisce over the time you two spent together

Makes laws about you and legacy

Makes sure the garden is properly upkept

No longer tries to drown himself in work, on purpose

Sometimes hears your voice and feels your presence on the bench he likes to sit at in the garden

Cries only with Furina in private

Xianyun

Shocked

By now she saw you as one of her children

She thought you were an immortal and your death ruins that

Upset that you were unable to be healed by doctors

Makes toys you would have loved

Ganyu has to keep her wraith in check

Takes walks around the mountains to clear her head

Once stable, she cries

Visits your grave to leave the flowers you love

Keeps some of your old jewlery

Keeps your old jewelry in a special box in her abode

Helps Ganyu and Shenhu mourn in health ways, and vice versa

Honors you in her work

Sometimes hears you voice on the winds at night

Not Your Classic Vigilante [Ch. 16]

Alternate Dimension AU TW: Language, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Slight Body Horror, Gore, Graphic Depictions of Physical Assault, Gun Use, Weapon Use, Talks About Traumatic Incidents, CW: OC Use, See the OC Guide [Here] Genre: Drama, Action, Angst, Light Comedy Pairing: Batfamily & Batsis!Reader, OC x Reader YN Pronouns: Female (She/Her) Word Count: 8.6K

(16/?) [First] | [Previous] | [Next] [DC Masterlist] | [Not Your Classic Vigilante Masterlist]

Notes: Coming out of my hibernation to drop the next chapter, as per usual, I will see you in many months (probably) AHjdhsjshkfhfdjs good news is i'm 5k into the next chapter so it shouldn't take as long as it usually does ahhhhhhh

Disclaimer: This series is originally by@fandom-meanderer who is a close friend of mine, but she has since fallen out of her Tumblr days and asked me to finish a few series for her, hence why I am now in ownership of the Not Your Classic Vigilante series, I hope I can still live up to her writing as I rewrite this series! (I promise not to change too much, hehe)

2019

The sky is blue. Your eyes were as heavy as every limb of your body was too, but still, somehow, you could count the few clouds in the sky.

This wasn’t Gotham.

You could feel the blades of grass dancing around your fingertips, you could feel the dirt under your heels, and you could breathe air clearer than you’d ever experienced before, surely, you were in Heaven. You died and you came to Heaven, that had to be the only explanation. As you stood up you felt the creak in your bones and the aches in your joints, nothing felt natural, and nothing felt real. There was still a soft fuzz in your ears, muffling sounds, if any, from coming through to your senses. You held your hands out in front of your face and, just like that, the rush of memories flooded you and the pain picked up where it left off.

Breathing became gasping, clear skies grew dull and blurry, that soft fuzz became your own past screams, or were they your current ones? You could still feel the blades, you could still hear the rushed mumbles of your assailant.

“Damned thing,” you remembered their voice. “Where is it? Why can’t I find it?” They said those same things after they’d pull off a piece of skin or bone from your body. Eventually, you stopped fighting it. What could you do? They seemed to tear through your flesh in an attempt to find something inside of you, anything. And you think you caught a glimpse of it too before your eyes shut for what you thought would be the last time.

A glowing stone, oblong from what you could see, your assailant held it like it was the most precious stone in the world. That was inside of you? How? It was in your chest, you think, but the pain came from everywhere so you weren’t quite sure if that was true.

You clutched your hands to your chest. You couldn’t find a heartbeat, and you couldn’t feel your pulse anywhere else. You hit it, you clawed at it, and you soothed it. Your nails were caked with the blood that oozed from your weeping wounds. The slashes around your body looked somewhat fresh or maybe in the process of healing, blood still ran through them and it flowed over the previously dried stains.

You just died. Why are you here now? Your throat was burning and it was then you realized how long you had been screaming in the middle of this field of grass. You gripped your hair, feeling the strands being pulled from your scalp as your eyes racked over your wound-ridden body. Hot tears rushed down your face and onto the scars, leaving a deep burning sensation in their wake. 

And suddenly you saw a blanket draped over you. A woman kneels before you, securing the blanket to cover your body. She’s speaking to you but no sound came through. She reaches over, wiping the tears and blood from your face with a handkerchief, and looks behind you, seemingly calling out to someone there, but you couldn’t move, everything hurt too much to. She holds your face gently and, slowly, the world settles around you.

“Breathe, it’s okay, you’re safe now,” her voice, you assumed, permeates your thoughts and everything stops ringing. You clutch onto the blanket around you and let her help you to your feet. You nearly stumbled forward from the pain shooting up from your ankles and you swallowed harshly with deep breaths following. You saw a man run up to the two of you and immediately supports your other side, helping you to their vehicle not too far off and settling you in the backseat. He straps you in and says something to the woman before they climb into the front seats and drive off. Your head hits the window next to you and you seal your mouth shut, hoping that you weren’t making a single sound. With no knowledge of where you were, who these people were, and what you were doing alive, there wasn’t much more to do than what you’ve always been good at. Observation.

The car stops in front of a home and the two help you out of the car again, leading you inside and seating you against a wooden chair.

In seconds the man opens the door and another larger man walks in. He had a large mask over their face that only allowed his eyes to be seen, but he was holding a clipboard with one hand and had a large bag in the other. He adjusts his lab coat and you feel his gaze linger on you.

The last thing you remembered before sleeping again was the woman holding onto your hand.

“You’re safe now,” her voice rang again. “Relax, you will be taken care of.” You closed your eyes.

And when they opened again, you were in a bedroom. Wearing a fresh set of clothes and with a few slices of bread and a glass of water on the table next to you, again your hands that were folded at your lap had taken your attention. The scars you had seen earlier were now dressed carefully with bandages, and they were everywhere. You lifted your hand, feeling the now numbed sensation from it. Nothing burned anymore.

You slowly picked up the plate next to you and started eating and, naturally, you downed the drink afterward. As soon as you had finished, the door opens again and the woman, seeing you awake, rushes in and sits on the bed next to you.

“You’re awake, how do you feel?” She asks aloud. You stare at her, then at your hands. “Are you still hungry?” She eyes the empty plate. You shake your head and she smiles.

“I’m Claire, Claire MacLennan,” she introduces herself.

“…” You kept your mouth shut, your words caught in your throat and your voice seemed lost to you.

“I brought you some clothes here, I’ve been moving a few of my old ones to this room so you’re welcome to borrow them,” she continues. You nodded slightly, and then you saw her expression change. “I know, I know,” she soothes you. You hadn’t even realized how much you were shaking until now. “You must have been so scared, it’s okay, take all the time you need, we can talk another day,” she says while holding one of your hands gently between hers. “Take all the time you need.” She releases you and steps out with a final smile.

With a harsh swallow, you pulled the covers back on top of you and you shut your eyes, silently praying that this was all a nightmare and that you’d wake up in your dorm room.

But you didn’t.

You continued to wake up in this same room. Eventually, you found the strength to even walk outside of it. Claire was always there, always helping you, and always soothing you. She showed you around the house and, silently, you offered your thanks. You were afraid that if you spoke you’d break the illusion of this dream, you were afraid that you’d have to accept it as your new reality. So, for a while, and with a selective muteness, you lived alongside this woman. You helped around the house, you went along with her to run errands, and for a while you watched over her bakery too. Nightmares plagued your thoughts every night, and every time she was quick to run over, hold you close and remind you that you were still alive, and just as fast she’d clean your body that had racked with sweat and fresh blood from the wounds you had subconsciously reopened. And soon it became routine, and you realized that you were starting to get comfortable, and that scared you. Her husband worked strange hours, he was always gone by the time you woke up, came home around the time you slept, and repeated that cycle. Then, one day at the breakfast table, a new resolve strengthened in you.

“(Y/N) Wayne,” your voice was hoarse and it felt foreign to you. And just like that, reality began to settle into you. Claire’s expression lit up.

“What a lovely name,” she replies. “I’m sure there’s much you want to ask.” You nodded and, trying to find your voice, you spoke again.

“Where am I?” You asked slowly.

“You’re in mine and my husband’s home in the Bloom District,” she answers. You nodded.

“Could I see a map?”

“Of course,” she pulls a small screen out from her pocket and places it in front of you, turning it on with a wave of a hand. You saw the holographic display spark to life before she opened a map on it. “Here we are,” she points at the glowing dot on the surface. You zoomed the map out.

True to Claire’s words, the district was called Bloom, the city you were in was called Haven, and the country was called Caelum. Strangely enough, a further zoom out showed you were still in the North American continent but it had a different name attached to it.

“Where are you from, (Y/N)? Could you point it out? My husband can take you back home.” Claire places a glass of water by your hands.

“Gotham, and it should be right here,” you point to its general spot on the map, seeing it empty. Claire’s face has a flash of concern for a moment.

“I see…” she says. She closes the map. “Do you remember anything from when we found you a few months ago? You gave us quite the scare there, if you’re alright sharing, what left you in such a state?” She asks softly. You leaned back on the chair and simply shook your head. You didn’t want to remember that. Claire could only nod. “That’s alright. You take your time, this is your home as much as you’d want it to be. I’ll talk to my husband when he gets home to see how we can help you, but until then do you need anything?” She asks.

“A cell phone, if that’s alright.”

“Of course,” she leaves the small screen with you. “Just call if you need anything.” 

“I…” you wanted to ask her why, why was she helping you so much, why was she devoting her time to you, it’s not like she knows you, and it’s not like you know her. You would’ve never done something like this at home, you were raised to be careful and vigilant at all times but… maybe that’s why you let yourself relax around her, something about her countenance was something you selfishly needed at this time. And you didn’t want to wake up from that dream just yet.

You pick up the device. It’s lightweight in your hands with perfect angles, a small slit ran across it from one corner to the next where the hologram would project from.

“I’ll just… move to that room for now.”

“Of course.” You felt her eyes on you up to the moment you closed the door. You sat down at the chair in the room and looked down at the square device in your hands, after you copied her movements it sparked to life immediately. You tapped on the phone icon and stared at the number pad before punching in the first number you thought of.

“Hello?” A voice you didn’t recognize.

“Hello, I’m sorry to bother, is this Richard Grayson?”

“Sorry, miss, but I think you’ve got the wrong number.” 

“I’m sorry about that,” you ended the call. Then you typed the next one.

“Hi, who is this?”

“Does this number belong to Jason Todd?”

“No, sorry."

“Hello?”

“Hi, is this Barbara Gordon?”

“Who?”

“Hi there!”

“Hey, is this Tim Drake?”

“No, sorry, this is Leo!”

“Hey there, I was wondering if this number belonged to a Roy Harper?”

“Nope, never heard of him.”

“Hi, is this the line to Wayne Enterprise?”

“Sorry, ma’am, you’ve go the wrong number.”

You stared down at the device, looking at the series of outbound numbers. You knew you weren’t in Gotham, you were somewhere else entirely, but something about the confirmation of it weighed heavily in your heart. You were somewhere far, far, from home. For months you wanted to ignore it, you wanted to believe that you’d wake up back in the nostalgic smoggy skies, but no, you were still here. And so you did the next logical thing and you clicked on the News icon. You had to figure out where the hell you just landed. After skimming through the Sports, Health, and Culture tabs, you finally tackled the larger one.

Breaking News: The Royal Family Approves a New Law Affecting the Housing Crisis

2020 Templar Applications Open

Updated: Monster Hunting Board.

URGENT: Fallen Soldier Identifications to Cease in One Week

This Just In: Foreign Affairs Grow More Tense as Negotiations between the Republic of Chavent and the First Kingdom Press On.

Cease-Fire to Peace, the Negotiations between RoC and the Kingdom Soon to Conclude.

You continued to scroll through the various articles, reading through each of them to get a general sense of the world and how it differs from yours. Then you stopped on one article, recognizing the front picture to be the one of the men who helped you months ago.

The Now Captain Allistor MacLennan on his Recent Promotion Following the Battle at Keelfait Plains.

Following the First Kingdom’s victory on the Plains, the highly accoladed previous Lieutenant MacLennan led a successful charge against the Chaventian Army and was awarded with an immediate promotion. Despite the heavy casualties suffered, his efforts allowed for the cease-fire and the reopening of negotiations between the two nations. One year later he finally shares his thoughts on the subject.

“How do you feel?” You tore your eyes from the screen and looked at the man standing at your door. He looked identical to the one on the page right now. You tried to wave your hand over the screen to turn it off and he sighed, walking over to you and shutting it off himself by pressing on the side. “Allistor MacLennan, but you already saw that.”

“(Y/N) Wayne.”

“Claire tells me you’re from Gotham City,” he says. “That’s a long way from here, you know.” He was different from Claire, very, where she took the time to understand you, this man felt similar to your father in some ways. He was interrogating you right now, you could tell from the glint in his eyes. But that’s not what you care about right now.

“You’ve been there?”

“Once, a couple of years ago,” he says. You lean forward now. “Something happens to you over there?”

“Yes.”

“What?”

“…” You sealed your mouth shut.

“Looked pretty bad, surprised you’d wanna go back there.” You bit your tongue back and looked away.

“My family’s there.”

“Right, that’s usually what it is,” he pulls up a chair and sits next to you. “You’re from a different universe.”

“I figured.”

“I have to report dimensional anomalies to the Royal Family by law,” he sighs.

“Then?”

“They’re gonna execute you,” he says, sitting up straight. “More specifically, I’m going to execute you.” You looked down at the small screen in your hands. “Something tells me you’re not ready to go yet, though. Plus, Claire’d have a heart attack if I told her that, so I’ll pretend I didn’t know. You don’t seem the type to try to usurp a government, at least.”

“I’m not.”

“Exactly what a usurper would say,” he whistles. “Either way, let’s make a deal,” he leans forward with his hands folded in front of his lips. “I’ll do my best to find a way to get you home. All you have to do is stay here in this house.”

“What possible benefit do you get from this, moving through dimensions seems… harder than staying at a house does.”

“Claire likes you,” he says. He looks at the closed door. “I’m not home as often as I used to be anymore, and I’ve started noticing her getting quieter. She started talking again when we brought you in, really just talks about you all the time, but for a second she seemed more like herself so…” he clears his throat. “I don’t benefit directly from it, but it’d be nice for Claire,” he says. You nodded.

“Deal.” You’d been wanting to find a way to repay her anyway. Your shoulders slump down, a feeling of relief washing over you. “Thank you, I’m grateful to have been found by the two of you.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m just not in the mood for death right now,” he says. “But to avoid suspicions let's establish a cover story.”

“Mmhmm.”

“You’re a distant relative of mine, some cousin’s kid, alright?”

“Sure.”

“You’re staying with me for a while since your parents are busy. You used to live in Brefig Row before the war. Keep it vague, don’t give details.”

“Alright.”

“Do not tell anyone you’re from a different universe.

“Yes, sir.” You nodded curtly. “But… I don’t want to freeload, what can I do in exchange for your kindness?” You looked at the bandages around your wounds before you looked at him. He huffs.

“Claire owns a bakery and I’m a Captain in the Knightsguard. Which one do you want to do?” He asks. You thought for a moment, weighing your options, and it reminded you heavily of a conversation you once had with your father. Play it safe as a civilian or protect that safety as a vigilante. “Sleep on it. You don’t have to let me know now,” he says as he stands up. He walks to the door. “Claire’ll fix your bandages later, so stop playing with them.” Your hands left the ends of the bandages, you hadn’t even realized you were tugging at them.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t mention it.” He shuts the door. You follow, leaning your ear to the wooden frame and carefully you listened.

“She’s no threat, I told you.” Claire.

“I just have to be sure, Claire. It’s our job.”

“It’s your job. I’ve been with her these few months and she’s the kindest soul.”

“Claire.”

“I’ve been inside her mind, Allistor, she’s hurting beyond words.”

“I figured that from the five rolls of bandages Sam had to use at first, and then the dozens you’ve bought after. If she didn’t scream bloody murder she probably would’ve passed away on that field.”

“That’s not what I mean and you know it,” her voice had a sort of stern tone. “I don’t want to push her, Al, but she’s not the only one they found. Dozens of people scattered across the world all with clean scenes and unexplainable wounds… none of course as significant as hers but still.”

“Right, I know, Sam’s been telling me to keep it under wraps.”

“I don’t understand what’s going on.”

“Neither do I, he doesn’t even want the Royal Family involved.”

“You don’t think…”

“I… she looks so much like her, I wouldn’t know.”

“It was shocking, yes. And her name…”

“Shh, let’s move somewhere else.”

Your breath caught in your throat and you opened the door. Allistor and Claire looked at you quietly.

“Yes, did you need anything?” Claire asks first.

“A pen and paper… please,” you cleared your throat.

“You’d be hard-pressed to find those,” she hums. “I’m heading to the market today, if you’re feeling up to it, why don’t you come along?” She smiles. 

“Sure, I’d appreciate that.” Claire walks beside you and leads you into the next room. 

“How about you, Al?”

“Hm? I don’t need anything. I’ll be in the office.” Allistor remained silently observing you until the door closed.

“Just wait right here,” she seats you down in their bedroom. “I’ll be just a moment.”

“Take your time,” you looked looked around the room and, with a quick furrow of your brow, you looked at her. “How… how did you do that?”

“Hm?” She doesn’t look over her shoulder and continues to pull out sets of clothes.

“My mind…”

“Ah, that! It’s my ability. They call it Empathy,” she says. “I can reach into your mind, understand what you think and feel, and I can walk you through it too,” she says. “I hadn’t used it in a while, I apologize if I startled you.”

“No… it’s fine, I needed that,” you say. She turns back around and disappears into the closet.

“I’ll be right out,” she smiles and leaves. Once the door clicks you make a move to pull the slightly larger sweater off of you.

Silently changing into the set of jeans and a tshirt, you looked around carefully. Picture frames of the happy couple, trinkets with stories behind them, and small hints as to their habits filled the room. You looked at one image in particular. Claire, Allistor, and a man with a mask, the same who helped you, probably. They were wearing uniforms that sported three gilded pins on their right breast. You stepped away just as Claire had finished and followed her out.

~

“Stand up straight in a single line, don’t move out of rank,” one of the instructors said sternly. You stood as straight as you could, glancing around at the other recruits with some level of discernment. You hoped that you wouldn’t regret this. “Chins up, hold your salutes! The Captain is arriving.” Allistor steps up to the incoming class.

“It’s gotten smaller,” he tuts. “Now that the war’s over no one wants to enlist anymore,” he shakes his head and lights a cigar. He stands in front of the first cadet. “Name.”

“Carter Adara, sir,” he holds his stance and Allistor moves down the line.

“Lucián Rubio.”

“Evangeline Chandler.”

“Kaila Anae.”

“Urbi Said.”

“Cosmo Volkov.”

“Seong-Ho Choi.”

“Nixon Jones.”

“Sekou Siby.”

“Alexander Wright.” Your ears perked up at this and your head whipped over to the voice quickly. Allistor was saying something to him and Alex maintained that rigidity you’d long known him for.

What were the odds? He can’t be the same person, surely. In new dimensions, there’s bound to be parallel versions. You wondered if you looked hard enough would you be able to find your brothers? Your sisters? Yourself? You snapped back to attention as Allistor made his way to your row of cadets, and when he finally got to you, you swallowed harshly.

“Name.”

“(Y/N) Wayne.” You answered curtly. Your eyes slid over to Alex’s position, and you saw him turned toward you, an expression as shocked as yours was just moments ago. Then Allistor moved on with the rest of the introductions. You kept your face forward, trying not to draw too much attention to yourself. Joining this Cadet class was probably one of your most impulsive decisions ever, but since that night that you first picked up a sword you knew this had to be the new path you went down on. You wouldn’t be content just sitting still anymore, you had to take action. But you wanted to do it the right way and follow the right steps, it was the least you could do to pay back the two who showed you gratitude. Allistor steps again to the front and you and Alex snap forward.

“Alright, to the 24th Class of Cadets, welcome to your first week of training. It will be difficult, you will want to quit, and you will wish you never signed up for this. Suck it up until your first advancement, once you take that you can quit, cry, or move on. You will follow your instructors to your respective areas and you will get acquainted with your group, you will be training, studying, and living together from here on out.”

“Yes, sir!” The responses echoed across the field.

“Disperse.” Allistor steps away and the instructors take charge.

“Adara, Chandler, Jones, Volkov, Wayne, and Wright you’re with me!” One of the knights called out and you rushed over. “I’m Lieutenant Syke,” he introduces himself. “I will be going over your drills…” and he droned on. You could tell Alex was looking over at you, seemingly studying your actions and likely wondering the same thing you were, but with present circumstances, you zeroed in on your instructions. “From here on out, you’re a unit together,” Syke steps between the group. “Three and three, these are your trios. For upcoming missions, you will act within these pods. Advancement exams are taken individually. Training occurs as a group.” He speaks as if he’s reading off of a list. You look at the two behind you. Alex and Carter. The trio next to you are Eve, Nixon, and Cosmo. “Alright, any questions?” He’s met with silence. “Then we continue with our tour. Training starts at 6 am sharp tomorrow, the schedules will be sent to your dorms,” he hands off the slips with each of your rooms on them. Yours seemed to be 7C.

“The thing with the dorms,” he says. “Well, you’ll know what I mean when you get there, but just know the higher your overall ranking the higher the upgrade.” He waves you all over to follow him, and while the group moved forward you stayed back, and so did Alex. The two of you look at each other a while longer before being called over and following quickly.

“Do you—”

“Are you—”

You both stop speaking and Alex clears his throat, gesturing you to go first.

“Do I know you from somewhere?” You ask him, the tour going deaf in your ears.

“Maybe,” he shrugs, “am I the familiar type?”

“You seem like the type to write letters.”

“And you seem the type to take forever to reply to them.”

“It’s good to see you, Alex,” a small smile settles on your face and he nods, pulling out a letter from his pocket and handing it to you.

“And so the last letter makes it to its destination,” he says quietly. You held it in your hands, it was old, folded, and starting to tear at some ends. In the corner was an international stamp covered with a ‘return to sender,’ in the next was the return address for Alex’s mother’s flat in London, and the destination was to Wayne Manor. “You can read it later, it’s nothing important.”

“Sure,” you chuckled quietly. It’s nice to see a familiar face so far from home… “What are you doing here?” You asked him, a hint of suspicion in your voice.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” he crosses his arms. “To be honest, I was just as surprised to see you here. One day I was at home, the next day I woke up on top of some building’s rooftop,” he keeps his voice below a whisper as soon as he realizes the Lieutenant looking his way.

“We’ll discuss more of this later,” you mumbled and he nodded.

“This is it, don’t be late tomorrow,” Syke stops in front of a door with an inscribed 7 on it, next to it is a pile of everyone’s personal items and luggage looking like it was tossed to the side. “You are all dismissed.” He steps away, leaving the unit on its own. Nixon clears his throat and grabs his things, leading everyone to follow.

“Uh… I’m Nixon,” he introduces himself first.

“Evangeline,” she says from the floor, trying to pull her duffle bag from under a suitcase.

“Cosmo.” The man pulls his luggage from on top of Eve’s items.

“Carter.”

“Alex.”

“(Y/N),” you were the last to grab your backpack, but the first to step forward and open the door. You stepped in and then to the side to let everyone in, but you could feel the disappointment in the air.

“Would it kill them to give us bed frames,” Cosmo nudged the mattress with his foot.

“Be glad we each get one,” Carter looks up at the exposed lightbulb. Eve eyes the one dresser to the side that had one drawer per person.

The room was just big enough to fit the six twin-sized mattresses, there was a small raised platform between the head and foot of each, and it had a small walkway down the middle. On the wall next to each bed there was a hinge and indent that dropped into a small table about the same width as the mattress, and at the end of the aisle, just under the one window, was the dresser. On the ceiling were two rods that stretched across the room lengthwise, each with a curtain at each end that was as wide as the mattresses to provide some semblance of privacy.

“Way to motivate your recruits to work harder,” Cosmo steps further into the room.

“This is the leading military force on the continent?” Alex grimaces.

“Well… I’ll take this one,” you dropped your backpack on the mattress closest to the door and Eve was quick to grab the one next to it. You’d slept in worse, you think.

“Anyway…” Cosmo picks up the paper on top of the dresser. “Here’s the schedule,” he holds it up and reads it out loud for you all to hear. Meanwhile, you and Eve untie the ropes holding the curtains up and they fall open, stopping right before the walkway. Everyone starts to act on their own, some fixing the beds and some unpacking their things into the dresser.

“We should grab something to eat, it’s around dinner time right now,” Eve speaks up over the silence.

“I could eat,” Cosmo shrugs.

“If anyone remembers where the mess hall is I’ll follow,” Nixon was next.

“I’ll go since everyone’s going.” Carter.

“Sure.” Alex.

“I’ll follow you all out, I’ll just finish unpacking,” you nudged your head toward your untouched backpack.

“Sure thing, we’ll save you a spot, (Y/N),” Eve smiles and the group filters out. You, meanwhile, open the letter.

Hey (Y/N),

Finally, you’ve responded. I hope all things are going well with you. I’m glad Roy’s been helping you out with moving into the dorms. Things aren’t too bad on my end, Uni’s been kicking my ass but what’s new? I was thinking of coming to visit again once summertime comes but that depends on whether or not I get this legal intern position, it’s at that firm I was telling you about in my last letter.

Magic studies are going just as well, Constantine is still the exact opposite of how you described him, I can’t see an ounce of kindness in that man when it comes to practice. I’ll show you a trick or two when I come over, I’m experimenting a little something right now and if it works I may be able to help out a lot more people than I would in a courtroom. I took your thoughts into consideration and tried a few spirit tricks and it’s been working out really well so far, I owe you a bout of gratitude for those.

How are you and your dad? Your last letter worried me, (Y/N). I know you miss them all, and if I can be frank I know you’re too stubborn to take the first step. I know it’s unwarranted advice, but you need a support system right now. Who better than your siblings, at least. Don’t shut them out, (Y/N). I’ve seen how close you all are, and it’s a shame if you let your falling out with your father stop that. You have time, don’t forget that. Your thesis will only be as good as you are while making it. Talk to someone, if not them, talk to me. You have my number now, and while I love the classic styles of handwritten letters, there’s a more efficient way at the palms of our hands.

Take care, (Y/N), and be safe always.

Alex

It was just a letter, as ordinary as the ones he’d sent you before and as ordinary as the ones you sent him. But it was proof enough, proof that you weren’t alone in this world as you thought you were. And that thought alone brought so much peace than you could’ve expected. A peace that you followed just to the next building, and with an empty spot next to him, Alex flagged you over and you were swift in your movements.

~

2020

“Ugh…” you wiped the caked mud from your face. You felt like you could barely move, your muscles ached with every step and your mind was in the gutter.

This felt like hell, and that’s saying something.

“You good, Wayne?” Carter hands you a water disc and you open it, not even thinking to answer until all the grime was off your face.

“Why couldn’t I have decided to be a baker,” you finally muttered, wiping the loose water beads from your face and hair.

“Last time I checked you almost poisoned half the squadron,” Carter laughs. “Come on, Xan’s waiting for us at the mess hall.”

“Run off, Adara, we’re just finishing up here,” Captain MacLennan swung his sword in the air and kicked yours back in front of you. “Get up, Wayne.” You did. You grabbed your sword and held it steady. “I asked you if you wanted to make a name for yourself, and you told me you wanted to be greater. Work for it.” You steadied your breathing.

“Tell Alex I’ll skip dinner today,” you readjusted your grip and Carter let out a small sigh.

“What are we going to do with you,” he shakes his head. “Don’t work yourself too hard.” 

“Please, I’m just doing this much so he can let me take the advancement exam.”

“Good luck with that.” And with that, he was gone, and once you could no longer see his retreating figure, you charged forward. Every attack you sent was easily deflected, every defense you made easily broken, it was like Allistor could see everything you could do next.

“You’re too predictable, Wayne.” With the flick of his sword, yours flew out of your hand and buried itself yards away from you. “Change things up a little.”

“How would I do that?” You huffed.

“That’s not something I should answer,” he shakes his head. “Find your style. I don’t know who’s you’re using, but it doesn’t suit you.” Your breath caught in your throat.

Truthfully, you’d been trying to imitate Damian’s style, and it’s worked so far. He was the only one you had observed long enough with some kind of sword to even try to imitate and, funny that the Captain caught onto you fast. Maybe it was because Damian was two heads shorter than you, his fighting style had to make up for his height somehow. Or maybe it was because you’d never even considered holding a weapon until fate placed one in your hands.

Allistor tosses the practice sword into its bin. “You’re tired. We’ll stop here.”

“No, one more time,” you took your sword up. Allistor stood still.

“As important as it is to be stubborn and never quit, you should know when to fall back too,” he says. “Tell you what,” the Captain stands up straight. “If you’re able to disarm me once, I’ll consider you ready for the next advancement exam.”

“And if I can’t get it?”

“You never advance, easy as that. It’s the third advancement, a lot of knights stop after their second,” he shrugs. You tossed your sword into the bin.

“Fine then, you know more than me,” you snarked back and the Captain dropped his necklace.

“Go eat dinner, kid,” he ruffles your hair and pushes you toward the mess hall. “Those two are waiting for you, I know.”

“Ugh, I told them to eat without me,” you grumbled.

“Funny thing about trios, spend enough time together it starts feeling weird to do things without ‘em,” he grins and brushes the dirt off your shirt. “Go, eat, then sleep. Claire thinks I’m being too hard on you,” he sighs.

“Can you ask her if the Baker 2 job is still open?”

“It’s not,” he glares at you.

“Figured I’d try,” you threw your hands up and entered the mess hall.

“(Y/N)! We saved you some roast!” Nixon shouts.

“Yeah, we had to take it from those two before they finished it all,” Eve laughs, signaling you to sit next to her.

“Hey! We saved some originally,” Carter defends. “But your drills were taking too long and we figured it’d be a waste,” he adds quickly.

“You two suck,” you frowned and Eve reaches over, wiping the remaining mud from your face.

“Go eat actual food now, (Y/N), dirt can’t be healthy for you,” she says. You stared at the meal in front of you and took a deep breath.

One step to being greater, one step at a time. You were sick of sitting around waiting for something to happen. Now? Now you want to be the one who makes things happen.

And this group around you would become your new driving force.

“Shouldn’t you all be resting for the advancement exam?” You asked after taking a bite.

“What exam? We’re waiting for you,” Nixon steals a piece of bread from your plate.

“Oh, come on, don’t stunt your growth,” you rolled your eyes.

“No way, we entered together we finish together,” Cosmo tosses his gear down. You looked over at him, sporting a new set of cuts and bruises, he seemed to wince as he took a step toward the table. You didn’t miss the slight limp in his leg either.

“Easy to say for the guy who already took the exam,” Eve glowers.

“What?! (Y/N) said it was fine,” he pointed at you with his fork and you nodded.

“I’ll catch up to you all eventually,” you shook your head.

“No way, we take that exam together or not at all,” Carter chimes. “Plus, it’s recommended to take it in your trio, I have no clue how Cos did it without you two.”

“I’m simply better,” Cosmo kicks his boot up on one of the prongs of Eve’s chair, twirling some of her blonde hair around his hands.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” she scoffs and scoots away from him, his boot landing heavily on the ground. She brushes her hair out and it lands on the other side of her shoulder.

“Ugh, gross, some people are trying to eat here,” Nixon gags and nudges you lightly. “Back me up, Wayne.”

“You should see what me and my ex used to do in front of my brothers,” you chided, thinking back to the times you’d invite him over to the manor. The way Tim would groan and grovel, at one point you just did it to make fun of them.

“Dear god,” Alex finally chimes in. “The paragraphs.”

“Still though, once we all advance we should have a party,” Eve hums. “Should be fun, I’d love to hear more about everyone’s hometowns,” she grins.

“Why don’t we celebrate Cosmo’s? You’ve gotta be damn good to do that advancement on your own,” your offer. “How’d you do it? Find a way to hack the system?” You asked him.

“Come on, you know me better than that, I do things fairly,” he says. “No point in a victory if it wasn’t achieved the right way.” On the cadet rankings Cosmo was consistently first. Archery, swordsmanship, hand-to-hand, you’ve even heard the Captain call him a perfect knight.

“Right, right,” you pushed your plate toward him. “I know you told them to give me yours so just finish it.”

“You did what?” Eve looks at him.

“Seriously, Wayne, just eat the food,” he grumbles.

“Man what a waste, I hate these vegetables,” you make a move to get up and he pushes the plate back down.

“Don’t waste it, no wonder you take longer than all of us to finish drills,” he says, dragging the plate toward him with his fork.

“Wow, the top of the class is nicer than he seems,” Alex whistles.

“Either that or I’m smart enough to know that making not eating a punishment is stupid if you’re training knights,” Cosmo defends. “Anyway, I’m serious, you need to get serious, Wayne, we can’t wait forever. What insane task does the Captain have you doing now to qualify?”

“I just have to beat him at a duel once,” you grumbled. “Tough luck.”

“Ah, the legend of the lucky dueler,” Eve says with a whimsical tone. “He’s never lost an actual fair duel.”

“That does nothing to make me feel better, Eve,” you frowned.

“How hard can it be, I know you’ve got a trick or two up your sleeves,” Alex says.

“Yeah, but none are technically mine. He keeps going on and on about how I need to find my own style, whatever that means,” you grumble. “I’m just annoyed that he’s actually barring me from taking the exam.”

“He cares in his own way,” Eve eases in. “It’s nice to see he looks out for you, you had a rough start.”

“Rough is putting it lightly,” you shook your head. You really did have a hard time adjusting. The nightmares, the ghost pains, and the day terrors. It was luck alone that you were found by him and his wife that day, and it was still luck that they took care of you after that all. To say you were indebted to them wasn’t enough, you should really credit your current life to them.

It was true, you wanted to make a name for yourself. When your mind became clear again you realized that this was your chance to start fresh, new, and different. In this world, Wayne is just a name. No bats attached, no dirty money to creep up on you, and no legacy to live up to. No shadows to loom over you.

So, on one of those sleepless nights, when the Captain dropped a sword in front of you, you picked it up.

And you haven’t put it down since.

~

It’s heavy in your hand, a simple short sword that had small chips along the blade and its handle was just as worn through. You ran through the motions with it now, practicing the techniques you had been learning and the techniques that got you to pass the first two advancement exams.

“Wayne.” You stopped your movements and looked behind you. Cosmo pulls a chestguard over his nightshirt while he yawns.

“Volkov,” you replied likewise. He picks up a sword and holds it at the ready. He nods at you, giving you permission to move first. You readjusted your grip on the sword and began to circle him, and all the while he matched your movements. With each nudge or twitch of your sword he copied you. “Playing games?”

“Trying to find out why you can’t advance,” he says. You nudged your head in annoyance and he copied that too. You narrowed your glance, and he followed. Then, you pivoted and charged forth. You expected him to block you, but instead he did the same thing and your swords clashed together. The sound of metal hitting metal filled the dorm courtyard, not relenting once and not slowing down. Then, you saw it, a flash in his eyes.

“You got an ability,” you said while the blade of your sword was pushing against his, threatening to cut his neck at a moment’s notice.

“I did want to try it out,” he pushes back and you hold your footing. That was the prize for the 3rd advancement exam, a specially bestowed upon blessing from the Royal family.

“Alright, Volkov, show me what you can do with it,” you pushed forward with enough force that he stumbled back.

“Sure,” he spins the hilt of his blade in his hands and you freeze. You knew this stance. Sure, he’d completed the advancement exam a while ago… “It’s called Mirror, by the way.”

“I figured.” How are you going to beat him? You racked your thoughts and tossed the sword down. He quirks an eyebrow up and you readied your fists.

He’s just a taller Damian.

You charged forward and he responded in kind, throwing out the same moves you had been practicing earlier. Mirror? He needed an ability to do that? You’d been mirroring your siblings since you got here. You evaded like Dick, you swung like Jason, you strategized like Tim, and you charged like Damian.

But even without you to be his subject, Cosmo was at the top for a reason. You swung at his legs and he stepped over, grabbing your arm and swinging you over him and onto the ground. Before he could think of the next move, you grabbed the previously discarded blade and slashed it upwards, stopping right at his neck. He bounces back and you stagger up. In seconds he rushes you, sending a flurry of strikes in every direction. You parry as many as you can, feeling the vibrations ring from your hands to your chest, but the fresh shallowed cut on your face proves you still have much to learn. You hold your sword at an angle and stop his final blow, then you turn it against him, flinging the sword out of his hand and once again slicing near his neck. A small line of blood drips onto his shirt.

“Alright, alright,” he raises his arms up and you drop the sword. “Good one, (Y/N).”

“You let me win.”

“I was just trying to find out why you suck at swords.”

“By mirroring my movements?”

“Sure.”

“And what did you find out?”

“Whatever style that was… we’re too tall to use it,” he shrugs. “You like to rely on your arms a lot, don’t forget to look down every now and then, and try not to trip over yourself in battle, geez, how the hell did you pass the first two advancements?”

“For the record, I carried those other two,” you snarked back. 

“I worry for the future of the kingdom, then,” he laughs tiredly. You wiped the blood from your face with your sleeve. “Did you have to cut my face?” You shot him an annoyed look. Even dead tired Cosmo was a skilled swordsman.

“Blame the technique,” he exasperates. “And you, were you actually trying to kill me?” He pulls at his collar, the edges of it spotted with red. “Geez… Line’s gonna finish the job for this,” he pulls the chestguard off.

“I’ll tell Eve I did it then she won’t do anything,” you shook your head. You look up at the dorms, seeing one of the lights on and a few loud shouts coming from it.

“Carter bet against you.”

“Fucking asshole.”

“If I didn’t have this limp I would’ve won.”

“Sure, Cos, let’s have a fair duel once we move up.”

“Once you move up.”

“You don't have to be cruel about it.”

“Cosmo! You better not have overdone it again!” Eve’s voice rang from the window.

“‘Course not, beauty,” he calls back. “See you tomorrow, (Y/N),” he takes your sword from your grasp. “Go sleep, if I gotta wake up to you talking to yourself out here again I’m actually gonna lose my shit,” he says with a small smile. “Plus, Carter keeps bothering me to check on you.”

“Yeah, right,” you watched him enter the dorms before cleaning up around yourself. You grabbed your duffle bag from the side and walked into the dorms. When did your hands get so calloused? It wasn’t even a thought until you pressed the pads of your fingers to the bridge of your nose. The hardened skin around your palm was just proof of what’s happened and what’s bound to happen.

The third placement exam. The first exam promoted you from Cadet to Soldier. The second exam promoted you from Soldier to Knight, and that’s where most people stop. But the third… if you pass that one you get to have an audience with the Royal Family, and you have heard many a time about how the Captain would be sent on inter-dimensional missions.

Instead of an ability, you wondered if they could get you home.

Imagine the look on everyone’s faces. Would they be shocked? Angry? Happy? Sad? You had run through the scenarios so many times. What would you say to them when you stepped into the manor? What would you look like?

Would you cry?

You could easily see Dick’s face. The slow contort from shock to relief. Jason’s was just as easy, knowing him his jaw would be wide open. Tim would be next to you in moments, studying but meaning well. Damian would have his own ways of looking through you. Barbara would’ve seen you coming from a mile away. Stephanie would pick up where she left off. Cassie would be on the other side Tim wasn’t on.

Your dad…

You paused just as you reached your room. Your dad… dad… Bruce Wayne.

“What the fuck…?” You shook your head and leaned against your bike.

Why couldn’t you remember what he looked like?

You took steady breaths, trying to remember the details and, well, there he was. A tall imposing figure whose shadow you constantly walked around in. As a child and as an adult, the name ‘Wayne’ weighed heavily on you. As the named heiress you had a mountain of expectations on you from learning how to properly run the company to achieving something great for your namesake. You didn’t dare make mistakes, the tabloids would have your face plastered on them the next morning, and if you weren’t careful enough there went a large sum of money to keep them quiet. And for what? Was it because of your name only that you were so careful? Some days you wished things stayed simple, you wished you stayed with your mother and that you never knew who your father was. It didn’t matter that she was a liar, at least she was in a way more truthful than the Wayne facade you held for years.

“(Y/N)? Are you coming in?” Eve asks. You didn’t even realize the door had opened. “You look tired, come rest,” she takes your hand and pulls you in, shutting the door behind you. After many missions, after many evaluations, and after many battles, your unit has moved up to the higher-end living spaces. High enough that you each had separate rooms, at least. You and Eve shared one, Carter and Cosmo in another, and Nixon and Alex in the last one. The three rooms surrounded a significantly larger middle room, it was the least the knighthood could offer high-performing knights.

You sat down slowly, kicking your boots off and pulling your shirt off in the process. Then, you collapsed on the bed.

“Come now, (Y/N), you should at least take a shower,” Eve leans over you.

“I’ll wash the sheets tomorrow,” you mumbled, feeling your eyes grow heavy. You force one eye open. “Did you bet for or against me?”

“Hm?”

“Who did you think would win, me or Cos?”

“I bet in your favor, obviously,” she chuckles. “Cosmo’s too prideful to change his tricks, and after training together for a year you know all of them. I knew you’d win.”

“Thanks, Eve, that’s nice,” you yawn.

“Just like I know you’ll beat the Captain and advance forward,” she smiles.

“Sure…” your voice trails, and just like that you had fallen asleep.

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@alishii @bluebear142077 @miso-sopas @enjisthings

Now That You’re Home

Warnings: cursing, mention of kidnapping, violence, mentions of running away, injuries, let me know if I missed any :)

First part here —> Welcome Home

Pairings: Batfamily x batsis!reader

*not my gif*

Summary: After finally getting home, things can’t be expected to go back to normal right away. You were gone for far too long

A/N: I know a lot of you have been waiting for this and I’m sorry it took so long, I kept losing the will to write it, hence why it’s not as good as the first chapter

Please don’t plagiarize my work, you may reblog if you like but I’m asking that you don’t steal my hard work

You yawned, slowly sitting up, wincing and gingerly holding your stomach, scanning the room.

In bed next to you was a peacefully sleeping Cass and Damain.

On the floor was Jason, sprawled out on his back, with Dicks foot resting on his face.

Dick himself, was sleeping half on, half off the couch, looking like if he moved even a muscle he would come crashing down onto the floor.

Steph was hanging upside down off your bed, somehow sleeping.

Tim and Barbara were nowhere to be seen, making you assume that they already got up and began their days.

It was hard to believe that it had only been last night that your family had come and saved you from that warehouse, it felt like it had been years since you were tied to that chair with a piece of tape over your mouth.

Pretty much right as you got into the batcave, Bruce made you get checked up by Alfred, and he gave you some pain medication for your head and ribs.

Then right after, Dick dragged you and your siblings up to your room, which surprisingly hadn’t changed in the slightest, and made you all have a sibling movie night.

After an hour of arguing about what you were going to watch, you finally put on your favorite movie as they continued arguing, which soon stopped them and they just began watching.

The rest of the evening was full of yelling, laughing, and junk food.

The perfect Wayne sibling night.

Apparently you had all fallen asleep, hence the uncomfortable positions most of your siblings were in right now.

The painkillers must have worn off by then, so you carefully put your feet over your bed and crept out of your room, not before taking Dicks discarded phone, snapping a photo, and sending it to your new number of the phone that Bruce gave you last night. Considering your phone was broken in the kidnapping.

You had no idea how he had one just laying around though.

You didn’t feel like walking down all of those stairs, so you hopped into the elevator that Bruce had installed for Babs and rode it down.

You got out of the elevator and walked to the living room, where you knew Alfred would be at this time, having a nice cup of tea before the rest of the children woke up and disturbed the peace.

A small smile made its way onto your face as you stepped into the living room to the sight of Alfred and Bruce drinking tea and coffee, just chatting.

“Morning.” You croaked.

Bruce’s head snapped over to you and he quickly stumbled up and over to you, taking you gently by the arm and leading you over to the couch.

Alfred looked at you with a smile, “Good morning, Miss. Y/n, how are you doing this morning?”

Last night was nice not only because you were finally able to hang out with your siblings, but also because nobody had asked or pushed you to talk about leaving.

You returned his smile and gently said, “I’m doing okay. Thank you Alfred.”

Bruce cleared his throat, “Y/n, I think we need to talk-“

“No, we most certainly do not.” Alfred cut him off sharply, giving him a warning look before turning back to you with a smile, “Care for some tea?”

“I would love some.” You said, voice full of gratitude for multiple reasons. You really didn’t know how you got on without this man.

The three of you fell back into a silence, one that seemed comfortable for Alfred, but very uncomfortable for you and your father.

The silence was thankfully broken quickly though by the sound of feet hurtling down the stairs, “Alfred! B!” The panicked sound of your eldest brother sounded through the room before any of you could even see him, “She’s gone! Y/n’s gone! I don’t know where-“ He cut himself off as soon as he sprinted into the room, skidding to a stop.

He sighed a big breath of relief, visibly relaxing.

Alfred looked at him in amusement, “She is still here, Master Dick.”

“Good.” Dick said awkwardly, rocking back and forth on his heels.

You looked up at him with a look that was a mix of guilt, concern, and sadness, he had thought that you left again.

He briefly glanced at you before quickly looking away, clearing his throat, “I’m- um- I’m gonna go get some coffee.”

With that he scurried off into the next room, stealing one more glance back at all of you.

“He thought I left.” You hadn’t meant to say it out loud, the sadness in your voice caught you off guard.

Bruce hummed, “Which is exactly why I think we need to talk-“

“Bruce!” Alfred burst out, standing abruptly, “May I have a word with you?” His tone was anything but questioning, it was demanding. He turned back to you and in a softer voice said, “I think Mistress Barbra and Master Tim are down in the Batcave if you would like to go see them.”

You nodded, quickly standing up and exiting the room, leaving your father to face Alfred’s wrath.

Sure enough, once you entered the Batcave, you were met with the sight of your older sister and younger brother typing away furiously at the keyboards of the computers.

“Morning.” You called out after a moment of them not noticing you.

Their heads snapped up at the sound of your voice and wide grins broke out onto both of their faces.

“Morning, honey.” Babs called out, beckoning you over with a hand, “How did you sleep?”

“Better than most of the others.” You responded with a small chuckle.

You watched as they both laughed a little before Tim took a large sip from his coffee mug.

“Still an addict for coffee, Timmy?” You asked with a raised eyebrow.

He looked over at you sheepishly, “You know me.”

You rolled your eyes a little, trying, and failing, to hide your amusement.

“What are you two doing up so early?” You asked, changing the topic which made Tim ‘secretly’ sigh in relief.

Babs shrugged, “Work to be done. What about you?”

“I usually get up at this time.” You copied her shrug.

Tim looked at you with a small laugh, “You used to not get up until noon.”

You cleared your throat, “Yeah, well I’m also not up until the early hours of the night every day now.”

Tim’s laugh quickly faded along with his smile and a sad look came over his face. He quickly looked down and Barbra looked away awkwardly.

A heavy silence fell over the three of you, seeming to crush down on top of you, almost making it hard for you to breathe.

“Well,” You said, “I’ll let you get back to work, sorry for interrupting.”

They didn't respond, and you didn’t wait for them to, as you quickly rushed away from the cave to try and rid yourself of the guilt you felt for what you had just said.

Why had you brought it up?

You mentally groaned and you felt like running your head through the closest wall as hard as you could.

As if on autopilot, you navigated your way through the manor. And though it had been years, you still knew exactly where everything was, almost nothing had changed.

There were still family pictures hanging on the walls alongside some expensive artwork that you could assume had been duct taped thirty times over in the back from your siblings probably destroying it.

A lot of the pictures were ones with you in it, but there were also some clearly updated and new ones.

You made your way through the maze of hallways to the place you had always gone whenever you were upset or needed some space to clear your head. The library.

Bruce had bought every single book in there for you and Jason because the two of you were the bookworms of the family.

As soon as you walked through the doors you sucked in a sharp breath, it was exactly as you remembered, besides at least six new bookshelves filled to the brim with books, down to the exact placing of the chairs and couches.

You wandered down the shelves of stories without really paying attention to anything, let alone where you were going.

You were walking down the fifth row when you suddenly ran into a hard wall and fell backwards.

A hand quickly flew out and caught you right before you could hit the ground though.

Your eyes quickly snapped open to see Jason standing above you with an amused smirk, “Watch where you’re going, Sunshine.”

Sunshine was a nickname he had given you when you were first dropped off at the manor. You had always been in a good mood back then, bubbly and full of giggles.

It seemed to annoy Jason to no end back then, and he had begun calling you Sunshine as an insult, but it ended up sticking.

A slow smile made its way onto your face as you fully stood up, “Now that’s a name I haven’t heard in a while.”

The black haired man scoffed, “Obviously, because I'm the only one that can call you that.”

“So true.” You said back, falling into a comfortable silence as the two of you began to wander down the aisles together.

The two of you fell back into the pattern that had been your weekly routine before you left.

You would go back and forth making new book recommendations and you would both do your best to give summaries about them without spoiling.

The peacefulness of normalcy was interrupted by Jason’s phone making a loud ‘ding’.

He grumbled under his breath and fumbled to get his phone out of his pocket. He glanced down at it for a second before announcing, “Dickie Bird says breakfast is ready.”

Your eyes widened slightly in horror, and Jason must have noticed because he quickly reassured you, “Don't worry, Alfred doesn’t let him actually cook. Just let’s Dick think that he helps.”

You breathed a small sigh in relief, “Good, I wasn’t really in the mood to have shit sprinkled with a pinch of poisoning.”

He laughed as the two of you made your way back through the hall mazes and to the dining room.

When you got there, everybody was now awake and all seated in the same seats that they sat in when you had left.

Your eyes swept across the table before they landed on the chair that was in the middle of your father and Damian, the chair that you had always sat in. And it was empty.

The thought made you sad, realizing that they had left that seat empty for you all those years, waiting for you to come home and fill it again.

You quietly made your way to the seat, hesitating only slightly before sitting down, but you were sure that your family noticed.

Across from you sat Alfred, and next to him was Tim, then Cass, Steph, and Jason.

And then next to Damian was Barbra and then Dick.

You all began to eat the pancakes in front of you in silence. And while you sensed your family sending numerous glances your way, you kept your eyes trained on your plate.

Once you were halfway through, you finally looked up and mumbled, “This is very good, Alfred. Thank you.”

You had almost forgotten how much you loved his pancakes. Almost.

“You are quite welcome, Miss. Y/n.” He said, clearly delighted that you spoke up.

Then you all fell back into the uncomfortable silence.

Bruce was the next one to break it.

“Where have you been?” His question was genuine, and there was such sadness in his eyes that you had to look away.

Your siblings all snapped their heads towards you, eagerly awaiting your answer.

Alfred on the other hand, was glaring at your father, “Master Bruce, the breakfast table is no place to discuss such things.”

Once again, you were grateful for Alfred.

“I just wanted to-“

“Enough.” Pennyworth said, face calm, but eyes raging with a fire that you hadn’t seen since you and Jason broke the most expensive piece of art in the manor by having a pillow fight.

Bruce’s mouth snapped shut and he quickly averted his eyes back to his own plate, your siblings quickly following suit.

You cleared your throat, pushing your still half full plate away, “Thank you again, Alfred.”

With that you hastily stood up and exited the room as fast as you could, avoiding eye contact with everybody.

After a moment of silence, Damain rolled his eyes and scoffed, clearly directing it towards his father, and stood up, harshly pushing his chair away from the table and stomped in the direction you had just exited.

It didn’t take him long to find you out in the backyard, sitting on a bench in the garden, knees pulled up to your chest with your head resting against them.

This was where you went whenever you and your father got into a fight.

“Sister.” Damain called out from a few feet away from you, trying not to creep up and end up scaring you.

You turned around quickly with wide eyes before relaxing when your eyes landed on your youngest brother, “Hi, Dami.” You greeted quietly, scooching over to give him room on the bench as well.

He walked over and sat down, letting silence wash over the two of you, this was something that the two of you used to do whenever something like this would happen.

You and your father would fight, then you would end up storming out into the garden and Damian would quickly follow after you.

Then you would end up sitting together for as long as it took for you to calm down. Either by talking it through or just sitting in silence, taking in the comfort that your brother gave when you had him close.

After about ten minutes of a comfortable silence, you let out a deep breath, keeping your eyes straight ahead, staring at nothing, “Thank you, Dami.”

He nodded, looking over and studying you, deciding what he should do next.

Without warning, he quickly stood up, “Come, sister.” He said in less of a commanding way and almost as a question, as if he was afraid you would say no but was trying to hide it, “I want to show you something.”

Letting your curiosity get the better of you, you stood up and followed behind your brother as he led the way through the rows upon rows of plants until he came to a stop in front of a large bush and dropped to his hands and knees.

You looked down at him in confusion and he quickly explained while trying to look under the leaves, “He normally like to hide here.”

Though you were still confused, you nodded slightly.

“Ah,” He said suddenly, “There he is.”

He stuck his arm into the bush and for a moment you were terrified that he was going to scream as it got eaten off by a wild animal, instead it slowly started coming out of the bushes, with a cat in his hand.

“Alfred.” You said in surprise, instantly recognizing the now much older cat.

Damain nodded, holding out the cat named after the butler for you to hold and pet.

“You still have him.” You said softly, gazing at the beautiful creature.

“I also have more pets.” Your younger brother said proudly, before diving into an hour long conversation and meet and greet of the rest of his pets.

The two of you were in the barn, introducing and being introduced to Batcow, when Steph came bounding through the doors with a wide smile on her face.

“Sorry, Dames.” She said, not very apologetic at all, gently taking your arm and beginning to drag you out the door, “I need to borrow our sister.”

You looked at your little brother helplessly as the blonde girl dragged you out of the barn and Damain stood with his face beginning to grow red and a glare pointed at your sister.

Before he could threaten to take his katana out though, Stephine quickly ran and exited, taking you with her as you had to run to keep up with her long strides.

When she finally came to a stop once you got inside the manor, you were gasping for air and bent over with your hands on your knees, “W-what’s up, S-steph?” You asked breathlessly.

Your sister, who wasn’t even out of breath, shrugged, “Eh, I thought I deserved some time with my sister, seeing as my little brother was hogging her all to himself.” She answered with her iconic grin.

This caused you to smile a little, “Well fair enough.”

You looked around, trying to see what room she had brought you to, and with a little shock, you realized that you were in the game room.

Looking back at her, you were about to say something until you noticed her looking at you with a now evil grin, “I Stephanie Brown, challenge you, Y/n Wayne to a game of air hockey.”

You quickly copied her look, “Oh it’s so on.”

The next hour was spent with yelling, laughing, betting, and cursing. Just like old times.

The two of you didn’t stop until you heard someone softly clear their throat from the side of the table.

You and Steph each jumped a foot in the air, letting out a little scream each, and Steph threw the puck that she was holding at the person.

Cass dodged the piece with ease and an amused smile on her face.

You sighed in relief when you realized that it was just her, “You scared me, Cass.”

She giggled quietly, and Steph rolled her eyes playfully, “That’s cause you're a scaredy cat.” She teased, and this time it was you rolling your eyes.

“If I remember correctly, it was you doing the screaming as well.”

She opened her mouth to rebuttal, only for Cass to beat her to it, “Actually, Bruce sent me to get Y/n. He wants to talk with her.”

This caused you and your sister to fall silent and for her to send you an apologetic look.

You looked down and took a deep breath before looking up at Cassandra with a clearly forced smile, “Well then, lead the way, Cassie.”

She nodded, beginning to lead you to wherever Bruce had told her to go.

On the way she started a conversation to get you caught up on some basic things that changed around the manor, like a change in breakfast cereal, or everyone’s new favorite movie.

Even though they weren’t big things, it still made you sad to hear about everything you had missed out on while being away.

You had been so caught up in your thoughts, that you hadn’t even noticed Cass had come to a stop until she put a hand on your shoulder to stop you from continuing down the hall.

With a small, reassuring smile, she quickly turned on her heel and left you to deal with your father alone.

After taking a deep breath, and seriously debating just not going in at all, you mustered up the courage to knock gently on the door.

You were met with the muffled sound of your fathers voice calling back a, ‘come in’.

With another deep breath, you pushed open the door and stepped right into your fathers office, only to find it exactly as how you had left it.

Bruce sat behind his desk and you could see him studying you carefully, before he gestured to the seat across from him, indicating that he wanted you to sit down.

You strode across the room, keeping a brave and confident exterior on, while on the inside you were squirming with nerves.

Sitting down graciously, you didn’t take your gaze away from your father and neither did he to you.

You two just sat there in silence, both of you still trying to wrap your heads around if the other was actually before you or if this was some dream that you would wake up from any moment.

“It’s been put off all day.” Bruce started, leaning back in his chair, “But I-“ He cut himself off and cleared his throat, darting his eyes away quickly, “I need to know.” His voice came out quiet and suddenly you were feeling guilty all over again.

It was weird for you, even after all these years to see your father like this. So vulnerable, so… small.

“Dad,” You began and then opened your mouth again, but no words came out.

You didn’t know what to say.

That you were sorry? That you couldn’t live his lifestyle anymore? That being Batgirl was one of the worst times of your life?

“A day never passed that I didn’t think about you guys… I missed you all so much.” You admitted, tears filling your eyes as you looked down and fiddled with your fingers.

Bruce stayed silent for another moment, “We looked for you. Everywhere.”

You nodded your head, “I figured. That’s why I changed my name.”

A pained look crossed Bruce’s face, “You changed Y/n?”

You shook your head, swallowing hard, “I changed Wayne.”

“Oh,” was all that came out.

You finally looked up, realizing that he deserved to know, and you were just being selfish not telling him, “I was in Bludhaven.”

His head snapped up and his eyes met yours, “You were?”

You nodded slightly, “And I- I left because…” You took a deep breath before letting the words tumble out of your mouth before you could convince yourself to change your mind, “I couldn’t do it. The whole vigilante thing. The violence. Staying out late every night. Never knowing if I was ever going to see my family again. I couldn’t handle it. Any of it. I wasn’t strong enough.”

It was like the weight of the world had been lifted off your shoulders when you said that.

Bruce stayed silent for one moment. Two. Three. Four.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” His voice came out so broken that you almost started crying right then and there in that chair, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want to disappoint you.” Your voice was thick with emotion.

His next words surprised you, “You could never disappoint me.”

Next thing you knew, you were around the desk and had launched yourself into your fathers arms, taking him and you by surprise, but he quickly wrapped his arms around you in return, holding you in a hug that said a million things.

And you stayed like that for a while, holding each other in silence and comfort.

Then the door was slammed open, surprising the two of you so much that you each jumped a foot in the air.

Out of instinct, Bruce immediately pushed you behind him and put his hands up, ready to fight off whoever dared step foot in his office.

But instead of some random goon or attacker, all of your siblings filed into the room, Jason in the front, who you had assumed was the one who did the kicking in of the door.

Steph let out a battle cry as she emerged from the hallway and entered the room, shoving Tim out of the way, who fell with a heavy thud.

Damian followed quickly after, katana raised and ready for action.

Bruce dropped his arms to his side and scowled and you stepped out from behind him, “What are you kids doing?” He asked in a tired voice.

Before any of them could answer though, Alfred stepped into the room, not even glancing down as he stepped over Tim’s groaning form, “They all insisted that since it had been so quiet that one of you had ended up killing the other.”

You watched as your siblings came to a halt upon seeing both of you alive and well, and all shuffled awkwardly and Barbra slapped Dick’s arm and muttered something about an idiotic idea.

Dick then proceeded to gasp dramatically and shove Jason slightly, saying something about it being his plan all along, and he just rolled his eyes before motioning to Damian and muttering about the demon child being the one with a weapon.

The room then erupted in chaos as your siblings yelled at each other and Bruce and Alfred tried to calm them down.

And despite everything, you couldn’t help but allow a small smile to grow on your face.

You were finally home, and this time you weren’t going anywhere.

Eventually, your siblings calmed down after all agreeing to blame Steph (because she was the one to bring up the silence coming from the room in the first place), who was very much against that accusation, and made their way down to the living room where you all sat around as Bruce told you all to wait before he exited the room.

After a moment of silence, you cleared your throat and spoke up, “Guys, I’m sorry for every-“

“We know.” Cass cut you off with that small, kind smile that she’s so famous for.

“I just-“ You tried again.

“We know.” Babs repeated her sister.

Your eyebrows furrowed, “What do you-“

“We may or may not have been eavesdropping on yours and Bruce’s conversation.” Tim rubbed the back of his neck and avoided your gaze.

Your mouth dropped open, but you quickly smiled, “I suppose I can’t expect anything less from you guys.”

“Pennyworth was listening as well.” Damain blurted out, pointing a finger at the butler.

Alfred turned his nose up, “I am quite certain I have no idea what you are speaking of, Master Damian.”

Before the youngest could open his mouth to rebuttal, Bruce walked back into a room with something hidden behind his back.

Everyone fell silent and looked at him expectantly, so he smiled and revealed to all of you the monopoly box he was holding, and grins broke out on every single one of your faces.

The monopoly box he was holding was something that you had helped make with all of them before you had ran away, it was a DIY that held enough pieces, money, and properties to buy for everyone in your family to play at once.

The next hour was spent laughing and yelling while trying to make each other go bankrupt and keep Jason and Dick from cheating.

Jason slammed his hands down on the table, “You piece of shit!” He screamed at Damain.

“Well at least I wasn’t beaten to death by a crowbar!” The younger one yelled back.

Then it went silent and everyone snapped their heads over to you, but you just stayed quiet.

The silence lasted for about five minutes before you slowly stood up.

“I’m sorry… YOU DIED?”

"Careful", you snag the boy's shirt before he can step into the road. The boy's head snaps away from his phone and towards you.

He looks pissed but you watch his face shift into a blank sort of stare.

"Sorry-", you release the grip on his shirt, shifting the carrier on your hip, "you should pay more attention when you're this close to the road."

You offer him a weak smile and he blinks up at you, then turns and scurries across the road, focused back onto his phone. Sighing, you adjust baby carrier and begin walking again.

The walk isn't a horrible one, ten minutes is nothing on the half hour walk it takes you to get to work. It's just a little more difficult with a awkward sized baby carrier.

Typically you'd take the train, but you need to get to the grocery store before it gets dark. The air is already chilly but the forecast calls for snow and the baby doesn't need that.

-

The store is a little warmer when you step inside and you even manage to snag a buggy.

The store is relatively quiet and you find what you need to...except for the box of baby rice towards the back on a shelf you can't reach.

You groan softly, glancing at the snoozing babe. She loves those...

You stand on your very tiptoes, grabbing at air. Then, a hand reaches up and grabs them. You turn, about to ask them for the box, when the man passes the box to you.

"Here, you looked like you needed help." He holds the box out with one hand, running his fingers through his black hair with the other.

You blink curiously at him, then take the box.

"Thank you so much, hon." You grin, placing the item in your cart and hurrying to check out.

-

The walk is still cold, despite the sun barely starting to set. You shiver, somehow managing to carry the groceries and the baby carrier at the same time.

About half a mile from your apartment, you bump into a chest. Dropping a few bags and praying the eggs aren't in them.

"Sorry about that", a masculine voice mumbles above you. You tilt your head up to meet the eyes of a boy a little younger than the one who helped you before. He tilts his head, a tuft of white hair hanging in his eyes.

"Would you like some help?" He starts grabbing the dropped bags before you can answer. He makes a gesture for you to lead the way.

"I'm Jason, by the way. We live in the same complex."

You swear you've never seen him before, but maybe that's just you.

-

That night, groceries put away and a baby snuggled happily against your chest, you lay in bed.

Oblivious to several pairs of eyes watching you and the bickering from the rooftops above.

"Ummi spoke to me today, with the baby!" Damian speaks.

"Yeah, well I helped ma with her groceries!" Jason gives him a playful shove.

"Well, the baby smiled at me!" Dick jabs a thumb at his chest triumphantly.

"All of you hush!" Tim speaks up, crouched next to Duke, eyes focused on a familiar window.

Bruce looms nearby, caught up his daydream where he's the sweater wrapped so tightly around you. Someday.

Someday sooner than you think.

➤ find something worth saving (it's all for the taking)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: HOME

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SUMMARY ↳ Home is where the heart is. Tony's eyes study you carefully. "You sure you're okay?" "I'm home, Tony," is all you say." pairing: jon kent x gn!reader x damian wayne warnings: none wc: 3.2k

all of your replies from last chapter really made me chuckle, glad to see that the writing hit like it was supposed to lol

Miguel refuses to let you go anywhere without getting checked out by somebody. A Spider-Doctor looks you over, poking and prodding at you. She asks you a bunch of questions, some miniscule and some strange.

“Does it hurt when I press here?”

“Is your vision blurry?”

“Does your body feel different on an atomic level?”

She deems you good to go. Your friends are all waiting for you outside the office. Miguel immediately hands you a Web-Watch before stalking off somewhere (grump, you swear). It feels heavenly in your grip. Man, how you missed it. You quickly wear it, placing it just under your web-shooters. The weight of it is reassuring.

With a glance at your friends, you feel a surge of gratitude for their unwavering support. “I should…”

Peter smiles, waving you off. “Go, kid.” The rest of them nod encouragingly. You almost want to cry at their understanding expressions. The watch beeps as you put in your destination. That familiar hum of the universe greets you as the portal opens up. With one last wave to them, you enter it.

Earth-143258

Queens, New York.

Home. You’re finally home.

You breathe in the air. It’s night time now. Avengers tower stands tall, a lighthouse providing a way home. The cool night air swirls around you, carrying with it echoes of past memories. You decide you’ll walk there.

As you walk through the familiar streets, the city feels simultaneously unchanged and yet subtly different. The sounds of the city—distant traffic, people chatting, the occasional siren—blend with the comforting hum of all that New York is.

The familiar sights and sounds evoke visuals, reminding you of the countless times you've swung through these very streets, fighting crime and protecting the innocent.

Passing by old haunts and familiar landmarks, your heart swells with a mix of nostalgia and determination. You catch glimpses of everyday life—families out for an evening stroll, street vendors closing up shop, and the occasional patrol car passing by. Each step feels like a reunion with a part of yourself that you've missed during your time away.

Avengers Tower looms ahead, its imposing silhouette against the night sky serving as a beacon of hope and security. With each stride, you feel more grounded, more connected to this world than ever before. As you approach the entrance to the main lobby, you pause for a moment, taking in the scene before stepping inside.

“Welcome home, [Name],” greets FRIDAY. It sounds like she’s smiling. The warmth in her voice is noticeable, almost as if the building itself is happy to see you return. The spacious, modern interior of the lobby feels like a sanctuary, a place where you've spent countless hours.

“Where’s… where’s everyone?”

“Would you like me to tell them you’re here?”

You swallow. “No, can you just. Can you tell me where they are?”

FRIDAY's voice, smooth and comforting, responds immediately, "Of course. Tony is in his lab, working on a new project. Natasha and Clint are in the training room, sparring. Steve is in the gym, and Bruce is in the kitchen.”

You nod, feeling a mix of relief and anticipation. It’s been too long since you’ve seen them, but you need a moment to gather yourself before facing even one of them. After a few moments of reflection, you stand up, feeling more grounded. It’s time to reconnect with your team, your family. You decide to head to the lab first. You have to see Tony first.

The lab is a hive of activity, filled with the hum of machinery and the soft glow of various screens. The familiar sights and sounds embrace you like a well-worn glove. Tony is hunched over a workbench, tinkering with what looks like a new piece of tech. For a moment, you simply watch him, the flickering lights casting shadows on his face.

“Hey, Tony,” you call out softly, your voice carrying a mix of emotions.

Tony freezes, pausing his work. He turns around slowly, and for a heartbeat, his expression is unreadable. “I’ve officially gone crazy. I’m seeing things.”

You step further into the lab, your heart pounding with a mixture of nerves and excitement. Tony's gaze remains fixed on you, his eyes narrowing slightly as if trying to discern whether you're real or a figment of his imagination.

You chuckle softly, trying to ease the tension. "If you're seeing things, then we both are, because I'm definitely standing right here."

Tony sets down his tools, his eyes scrutinizing. "Well, I'll be damned. Look who decided to drop back in from the multiverse." His sass seems infinite.

He strides over, and before you know it, you're enveloped in a bear hug that speaks volumes of relief and genuine affection. "You’re here," he murmurs, his voice gruff and wavering. “You came back.”

You smile, eyes watering. “Miss me?”

“Every damn day,” he replies fiercely. “It’s been months, kid.”

Your heart tightens at his words, and suddenly the dam breaks. A choked sob escapes you without your permission. You bury yourself deeper in Tony’s embrace. Tony only holds you tighter. The weight of everything comes crashing down on account of you finally letting go of everything you’ve been holding in for far too long.

Tony feels like a lifeline, grounding you in a flood of emotions built up. You’ve longed to feel this safe since you first landed in the other universe. His silent reassurance speaks volumes. There is no need for words in this moment, only the warmth in familiarity.

Tony doesn’t pull back until you do, brushing a hand down your face to wipe away your tears. “You wanna go see the others?”

You nod, feeling a rush of gratitude for Tony's understanding as you sniffle. Tony asks FRIDAY to gather your folk into the common room. He fills the silence with mindless chatter about what’s happened since you’ve been away—small little missions here and there, new tech he demanded Miguel to learn about.

“Oh, I’ve gotta let Wanda and Strange know you’re back. Wanda especially has been a little restless.”

“You asked them for help?”

He looks at you. “You were suddenly stranded in the multiverse. Why wouldn’t I?”

Your legs feel so numb you’re not sure how they still work. “Right.” A realization overwhelms you with a sense of belonging. It’s a feeling you haven’t felt in a while.

When you enter the common room, a wave of nostalgia hits you. You just want to sink into the comfy couches and take a three year nap. It feels like stepping back into a cherished memory. Natasha and Clint are already there, looking up as you and Tony walk in. Natasha’s eyes widen imperceptibly, you’re surprised you catch it. Clint’s usual expression breaks into a warm smile.

“Hey, stranger,” Clint says, voice barely above a whisper. His smile is warm, genuine, and it feels like coming home.

“We were starting to think you were avoiding us.” Natasha’s steps toward you are careful and coordinated, everything about her is. But her eyes are softened.

You manage a watery laugh. “Missed you guys too.”

Natasha is the first to move, closing the distance between you with her characteristic grace. She wraps you in a hug that is both gentle and firm, conveying unspoken words of relief and joy. It surprised you greatly, her willingness to openly show affection like this.  Clint follows suit, patting you on the back with a warm hand.

“Steve’s on his way,” Natasha says, stepping back but keeping a hand on your shoulder. “He’s been worried sick.”

Bruce arrives next, hair messy. His eyes dart around the room, landing on you. He breathes a sigh of disbelief, crossing the room to get to you. Bruce's hug is tentative at first, as if he's afraid you might disappear. But when he feels the solid warmth of your form, his grip tightens.

“Hey, kid.” It’s all you need to hear. You smile and wrap your arms around him. 

“Hi.”

Before long, Steve bursts into the room, his expression a mixture of disbelief and joy. His eyes widen slightly when he sees you, and for a moment, he seems rooted to the spot. Then, with a few long strides, he closes the distance between you.. “You’re really here,” he says, pulling you into a hug that almost lifts you off your feet.

You return the hug with equal fervor, feeling the tension and weight of your absence melt away in the embrace of your friends, your family. “Where’s Bucky?”

“Currently breaking several traffic laws to get here,” he chuckles, letting you go reluctantly. 

“And Pepper?” you ask Tony, looking over Steve’s shoulder at him.

Tony blinks. “FRIDAY, please tell Pepper [Name]’s back.” You roll your eyes, not really surprised. “She’s out right now,” Tony says, giving a winning smile. “Nevermind that, let’s throw a party.”

Chuckles fill the room as Tony rounds behind the bar. Typical Tony, ever the partygoer. “Can I drink too?”

Tony squints at you, so you pull out the puppy eyes. “Come on, I deserve it. I was so far from home,” you pout. 

“One drink. One,” he points at you, turning to grab you a bottle to pour.

“They’re not legal, Tony–” cuts in Steve, because of course.

“Don’t be a party pooper, Cap.” Tony passes you your drink. You grin at Steve as you sip it. “You’re a bit of a rule breaker yourself.”

Steve chuckles, shaking his head in mock disapproval as he takes a seat nearby. You imagine a warm blanket settling on you after a long night. Everyone gathers around, sharing stories and catching up on what has transpired during your absence.

Sam shows up with Bucky, walking towards you with a grin and his arms out. You don’t think you’ve ever received so many hugs in one night before. Bucky awkwardly pats your head, then pokes it for “leaving us so long.”

Wanda shows up next, dragging Vision behind her. She smiles widely upon seeing you, looking a little wistful. You kind of wish the drinks you’d been sneaking could take effect. Cursed super metabolism. Too many emotions have been felt tonight.

"Wanda," you say warmly, reaching out to embrace her. She returns the hug with a heartfelt squeeze, her voice tinged with relief. “I’m so glad you’re alright.”

Vision nods, a faint smile on his lips as he greets you warmly. Wanda’s eyes shimmer with unshed tears as she embraces you tightly, whispering how much she missed you. “Strange sends his regards,” sniffles Wanda, fondly brushing her fingers against your forehead.

The doors to the common room slide open again, and this time, it's Pepper who walks in. Her eyes widen as she takes in the sight of you standing there, and she rushes forward, enveloping you in a tight hug. "I can't believe it," she murmurs, her voice trembling with emotion. "Welcome home."

You feel your heart squeeze. You would’ve thought she wouldn’t be able to meet you tonight, since she had prior plans, but here she is. For you.

Throughout the night, amidst the laughter and shared stories, you find yourself reconnecting not just with your friends (read: family), but with a part of yourself that had felt lost. Tony asks FRIDAY to play your favorite song. 

Tony's eyes study you carefully. "You sure you're okay?"

“I’m home, Tony,” is all you say.

He seems to relax at that, nodding slowly. “You are, and we’re not letting you out of our sight anytime soon."

The night outside is calm, New York’s lights twinkling like stars. The moment feels precious. You wish you had your camera to capture it.

Your camera that was gifted to you back in the other universe.

Hm.

You're fingers start to fidget with your green and blue bracelet.

Eventually, the revelry winds down. Everyone bids their goodnights, and you find yourself standing on the balcony of Avengers Tower, gazing out at the cityscape that stretches before you.

The night air is cool against your skin, carrying with it a sense of peace and contentment. You take a deep breath, letting the moment wash over you. In the quiet of the night, with the city bustling below, you feel a renewed sense of self.

You will all your worries away. You’re right where you need to be. You’re heart must truly lie here.

You find that your room is the same as you left—comfortable, familiar, and filled with reminders of your life here. Pictures litter the walls, ones of you, of your friends, you with your friends. The bed is inviting, and you collapse onto it, exhaustion mingling with the exhilaration of being back home.

You reach for your Web-Watch, now resting beside you on the bedside table. It's a tangible reminder of where you've been and where you are now. In the other universe, you felt like you were constantly flying. Never a moment’s rest. At the very least, you were flying with people you liked.

But here, in this room, surrounded by mementos and the quiet hum of the city outside, you feel grounded. This is your home, your family, and they've welcomed you back with open arms. 

No matter, now you just want to sleep. You nestle into the softness of the pillows, allowing the weariness of your journey and the emotional release to finally catch up with you. Your thoughts are a jumble of faces and voices, memories and new beginnings.

Sleep comes easily, cradling you in its embrace as you drift off into a deep, restful slumber. 

Gwen’s Earth has always been pretty. Soft hues captivate you. It’s a world where the sky seems perpetually painted in pastels, casting a serene glow over the city below. Since you dipped on them last time to go home, they’ve decided that today is hang out time.

It’s always a sort of dance, swinging with the others. You and Gwen are more effortless in your grace, Pav comes close. The two of you twirl around each other, feeling the rush of wind and the freedom of the swing. The cityscape blurs past, a vibrant tapestry of lights and shadows.

“Show offs!” yells Miles, a ways behind you. Gwen's laughter rings out beside you, a melody of happiness that lifts your spirits even higher. The two of you share a glance, matching grins under your masks.

Miles zips past with a playful whoop, joining in the aerial dance with his own unique flair. He’s getting faster with his swinging. Hobie passes by as well, bumping you with his shoulder teasingly. You all swing through the cityscape, weaving between skyscrapers and navigating the intricate web of New York's skyline. 

As the night winds down, you find yourselves perched atop a familiar rooftop, looking out over the city sprawled beneath you. The lights of the city twinkle like stars, a breathtaking sight that never fails to inspire awe.

"I missed you guys," you admit, the words carrying a weight of sentimentality. "Being here, with all of you."

“Awe,” coos Pav, hands squishing his cheeks.

Miles grins, nudging you playfully. "You’re the one that disappeared on us.”

You laugh, feeling a surge of gratitude for these friends who have become your family across dimensions. "I promise, no more disappearing acts without warning."

With a final glance at the city below, you feel a sense of peace settle over you. In this moment, you’re surrounded by friends who care about you. Who could ask for more?

Together, you watch the sunrise paint the sky in hues of orange and pink, a new day dawning over the city that never sleeps.

“So…” hums Gwen, hands behind her back. You raise an eyebrow at her. “What was it like?”

You shake your head good-naturedly at her. Pav nods at her, looking at you. “Yeah, what did you do there?”

“Well for starters,” you clap your hands together, turning to face them all. “You guys got DC comics in your universe?”

“Like, Superman and stuff?” ask Miles.

You nod. He blinks. “No way.”

“Yes way,” you chuckle at their reactions, enjoying the disbelief on their faces. “Yeah, and guess where I landed.”

“Central City?”

“Themyscira!”

“Metropolis?”

You suck in air through your teeth dramatically. “Gotham.” They share a wince. Seems about right. "It's like someone took the grittiest, darkest parts of New York and turned them up to eleven," you explain, gesturing animatedly. "Never a dull moment. You've got Batman and the whole Batfamily running around. Don’t go to a carnival because Poison Ivy will attack it.”

Gwen raises an eyebrow. "Wait, you hung out with the Batfamily?"

You nod. “Yeah, I got like, initiated. I got myself enrolled in school, and Damian Wayne got involved. That snowballed into me getting involved with their superhero world, ‘cause you know, I wasn’t gonna stop being Spinnerette.”

Hobie fist bumps you in agreement. “Met Superboy, he’s a real sweetie. Consequently met his parents, and holy shit, Lois Lane is so cool.” Gwen nods hard in agreement. “I also technically made history when I remade Tony Stark's new element.”

You shrug at their stares. “I was trying to build a watch to get back home!” you defend, then turn to Hobie. “Which, by the way, you have to teach me how you did it. I’d rather not get stranded again, thank you.”

“Sounds like you had a blast over there,” teases Gwen, hooking her arm around you.

You scoff. “Once I got past the looming realization that I could be stuck there forever and never see my friends and family again, sure.” It’s a joke, but not really. “It was a bit unfair, I guess. I knew just about everything about them and they knew nothing about me. But I did… make friends there.”

“Just friends?” Pav leans in. You gulp, remembering what happened just before Miguel found you.

“Just friends,” you huff, shoving Pav back playfully. “Damian’s about as complicated as you’d expect, but he’s a good friend. Touchier than I thought he’d be. Intense, blunt, but still kind. And Jon’s… Jon’s Jon,” you continue, thinking back on your life in Gotham. “Real sweet, like I said. Earnest, kind, and desperately needs some brown contacts,” you chuckle fondly. “They’ve got a dynamic going on. But they’re also… just people. Like us.”

“Sounds like a really crazy telenovela,” hums Miles.

“Trust me, it was,” you agree, thinking of the rollercoaster of emotions and events you experienced. “But it was also… eye-opening. I learned a lot about myself, about what I’m capable of, and about what really matters to me.”

You lean back on your hands. “I just hope everything's okay. I kind of just… left.”

“You wanna go back?”

You hesitate, considering the question carefully. “Part of me does. I left things unfinished. But another part of me…” You glance at your friends, feeling a swell of warmth in your chest. “Another part of me knows that this is where I belong. With you guys. With my family.”

“Damn right,” says Gwen, punching you lightly in the arm.

“They don’t need me, anyway. I just hope they’re not too worried.” The sunrise bathes the rooftop in golden light, casting long shadows and warming the cool morning air. You take a deep breath, feeling at peace with your decision. For now, in this moment, you’re exactly where you need to be.

notes: if you don't know, '143' is slang for 'i love you', each number corresponds to the number of letter in each word of the phrase. reader's universe, earth-143258 means 'i love you in every universe', same rules.

Longing for something you never had.