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When Martin met Mr. Cobblepot-Nygma- or as he had said to call him, Ozzie- and his question centric husband, he thought they were weird, one of them was a man that ran the gotham underworld and went by the name penguin, and a man who had flaming red hair, and was a known psychopath. And the cherry on top was the fact that they wanted to adopt him, the small little italian boy who couldn’t speak, when there were so many other choices. Like the girl who he shared a bunk with, he thought Olivia was her name, she was happy and bubbly and well, she could speak. But apparently the mutism wasn’t a problem, since the red haired one was fluent in sign language. Martin was only 10, and he could tell that the men had something wrong with them, and the 32 something old woman who was named something along the lines of Poppy, or Katherian, some weird white name who was gathering adoption papers should have been able to.But she just seemed to be incompetent, Martin doesn’t know how he learned that word, but he understood it. Not as much as he understood the body language of the red haired man, he was the one who had wanted a child, it was obvious. Ozzie wasn’t happy as Edward was, he was basically snatching for the pen when the lady’s slim, red nailed hands reached it out to the man.And it was pretty normal. He seemed pretty old, not like an old man or anything, but he was at least over 30, and it was showing. While his husband seemed to be nearing 21, it was weird, Oswald had been the youngest mob boss in the state, and he was so feared that the only people who talked to him were his husband, and his underlings, and they barely talked anyways.Martin hadn’t decided if he wanted to go home with them, they weren’t scary like that monster was by any means, but they sent a weird feeling going through his body. Not the same that he had felt when his mother, or that's what she called herself, started rolling her words, touching Martin more than he had ever imagined before. They were different, not like him, but different, like they had been made wrong, the way that Ed kept asking questions, and the way that Oswald would respond promptly with right answers. They way that they smelled like money, not Martin had ever had that, and that they had smelled of the same stuff daddy always used to say that he deserved after dealing with his bitch of a wife.His hand was taken by the shorter one, only a small smile gracing his pale face, actually it wasn’t pale it was more of a tan shade than anything. Green eyes, well one green eye the other seemed to be a blue shade, it was glass, shinny. He had a thick layer of what mama used to put on her face when it got blue, and purple. And that was because daddy hit her, why did Oz have that one, did Ed hit him? No, he was too much of a pussy. Martin had known him for less than 2 hours, and he knew that he would never dare touch Oswald.The car that pulled up was far better than mama’s car that always made a weird noise, and then she yelled at it and hit things for a minute before it roared, and he would light a cigarette. Marin was always comforted by the smell of nicotine, it made him feel like he was with his mother. One of his favorite memories of Dona, if that was her name, it could have been Samantha or even Sue, but he couldn’t remember, all daddy called her was ‘slut’ ‘bitch’ and ‘whore’. It was lighting her cigarettes, the red blare that would come off of the ash, the feeling of doing the motions of lighting a BIC, and when she was done, she would dig the hot, lipstick stained bud into the inner of Martin's arm.He never knew why, or why it felt so good, the first time she did it she was rolling her words again. And daddy wasn’t home, Martin went through the same motions that he had almost every day for that week, and stared at his mother while she inhaled the smoke. And once she was done with it she didn’t put it in its normal ashtray, a plant with three leaves, it was glass and clear. She grabbed Martin’s arm And she looked at the bare skin, and then looked at her’s. Covered in burn marks from cigarettes, that daddy had made when he was angry, but didn’t have the time or energy to get up and, as he put it ‘teach her a lesson’. And she spoke out something that Martin will never forget. “Why doesn’t he hurt you? Why are you better than me, I give him myself every time he asks, and what do you do? Cry and call him daddy. Shit! I call him daddy. I think it’s ‘bout time that you learned a lesson.”She burned him, again, and again, and he never stopped lighting those cigarettes, he never stopped being burned. These are the only memories he has of mama, except for seeing her getting her insides pulled out and eaten by a mad man. Daddy. He was screaming so loud, telling him to stop, that once his vocal cords had been snapped he didn’t realize it and kept screaming, until blood began to pour from his mouth.He snapped back into reality as the man with the black hair, with a purple streak in it, told him to get inside of the car.Martin still doesn’t know how to feel about this, but he sure as hell ain’t gonna run. He stepped into the car and he sat up straight. Staring at the two men on the other side of him.
“Hello, child.” Edward said as his face lit up. Martin waved at the man and sighed. This was gonna be a long stay with the Cobblepot-Nygmas.
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Dick had been jumping around and flying for about an hour now, he was getting tired and was short of breath, not really the shortness he felt as he was swinging from the tallest peak in the tent, but he was still out of breath. Once being dropped off by his parents on one of the ledges to catch his breath and wait for his next cue, he closed his eyes and smiled. He had been born in gotham, it was nice being back, he took a glance at the crowd and smiled. A sea of people, some looking elegant and some looking like they had just crawled from the narrows to watch this show. As he people watched he heard a loud snap, and then the peoples faces turned almost white, gasping and screaming.Dick wound his head in front of the ring, and he saw his parent’s faces as they reached out for him and yelled, falling to the ground and losing all motion. Dick was horrified, why had there been an accident, Haly said that the ropes were so tight you could hang on elephant on them, dick looked side to side as her searched for a exit from his place on the peak, and once he glanced over to one of the curtains, and he saw a man standing there. Burning cigarette in mouth, and a sly grin. Dick didn’t get a good enough view of him at the time that he was grabbing onto one of the ropes and falling down it.He didn’t remember what happened next, all he remembers is sitting in the GCPD precinct, wrapped in a blanket and drinking a cup of water, as a detective, her name was something along the lines of Renee he thinks. She was young, most likely in training, not over the age of 22. She was asking him questions that he just didn’t have answers for, he didn’t know what to say or what to do. But one this tall man and some red haired guy came up to him, his ears became unclogged and he listened to them, intently. The man said something along the lines of,’everythings gonna be okay,’ Dick didn’t believe the man but nodded along, and looked over to the red head.He was wearing some band tee and short-shorts. Kinda like he had been dragged outta bed by his husband to go to the GCPD and meet some kid. Dick did notice something though, on his left hand there was his wedding ring, a 1.5 carat diamond ring, kinda like the one that Mary had, but it had been stolen, John had said that it would have cost half the circus to buy a ring like that. Accompanied by a band that was placed under his ring, a silver band, diamonds embedded. But there was also something on his right hand, a promise ring, a cheap one, a diamond, but fake. Bizarre.The man’s face was tired, like he had been in a deep sleep, he was passing in and out while he was sitting in one of the uncomfortable GCPD chairs, only coming to consciousness when Bruce, that was the tall man’s name, told Dick that this was his husband, ‘Jerome’, nice name. Jerome, smiled at the boy and waved, his nails were painted a red shade, and had cuts all over them. Dick wondered what he did for a living, it must be hard, guess that he’s not just the brained dead housewife type that most billionaires partners are.Jerome didn’t say much except for ‘sup’, and after that he passed out. Jerome reminded Dick of Mary, she always was tired, she always had her nails painted, and she always had torn up hands, from climbing the ropes, and taking care of a lot of the animals.Dick was then taken off by the state, and put up in an agency, before Bruce had come to collect him, sign papers and take him home. But his time he was with another man, he looked alot like Jerome, except his hair was a darker shade of red, and he was more awake. Some ring as Jerome, but no promise ring. Bruce was married to two Jeromes? No, Bruce told him that the man in front of Dick was named Jeremiah, Jerome’s brother, who was also his husband.He was confused but too tired to make notes. This confusion only grew as he approached Wayne manor. It was like the things that Mary had used to look at in the catalogs, and tell Dick that one day, when they got enough money from flying, they were gonna live in a house just like it. Some of that came true, Dick would be living in a house just like it, but without her, and his father.He didn’t talk to anyone inside of the house, or outside. He just stayed in his room for the entirety of about a month into his stay. Only talking to one person, Jerome, he was just chilled out, he didn’t ask him stupid questions, or ask him how he was coping, he just talked to Dick like he was a normal human being. And when Jack Rider came on the TV one night, right before Dick was going to bed, it said that the man who had sabotaged Haly’s circus was found, put in Blackgate and sentenced to 15-life for the murders of Dick’s parents. Jerome ate Ice cream with him, and held him as he sobbed.Life was different, but not bad, this was gonna be a weird time with the Waynes, but Dick thought that he might just live through it.
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Staring, something that Daddy used to yell at him for doing, was being done by a mad man in green. Martin had been living in Cobblepot manor for about a month, and he hadn’t had time to interact with his new parents, as they were both in and out of Arkham asylum, and when they were at home, which was basically only Oswald, he was in his room or drinking. Something that Daddy used to do a lot of, Oswald knew how to control it though.Edward, that was his name, was looking into Martin’s soul, as Martin drank a cup of water. It was weird as fuck, he was just watching, it freaked Martin the fuck out. His parents never stared at him, except for when Mama used to put out cigarettes on Martin’s arm.“Hi,” Edward said finally, pulling a hair in his face behind his ear. His eyes were like a hazel, if they could be called that, and they just kept contact with Martin’s. The boy waved and smiled, not really but he tried. “So, you like it here?” Edward asked him as he fiddled with his nails, which were painted a green, glitter cover on them. Martin didn’t know how to answer the question, he didn’t hate it here. It wasn’t covered in trash and stank of cigarettes and cheap booze, so it was definitely better than his old home, but it was big, and there was literally no one there except for him and the maid staff most days.Martin shrugged his shoulders and focused on his water. “Well, me and Oz have been talking- shocker-, and we thought that you should… bond with children your own age. The maid staff can’t be your only friends. I guess.” Edward sounded like he didn’t want this, like he would prefer Martin stay in this house until he died, never interact with another human, except for his new dads. Martin seemed to be intrigued by this, he nodded. “And the Waynes, who are friends, at least the twins.” Edward rolled his eyes. Who were the twins? “Have a boy, the same age as you. And Ozzie thinks that you two should meet.” Edward finished off and broke eye contact.Martin also didn’t know what to think of this, a boy, same age as him. And a child of Edward and Oswald’s friends. Uh, weird, Martin didn’t care. He would meet this boy, most likely not like him, and avoid him the most he could. He nodded. Agreeing with the man. Ed’s lips came together between his teeth, he broke that and clicked his tongue. He then got up and instructed Martin to get ready, they were gonna have guests.Martin hurried up the long staircase that led to a second floor, he followed the railing which led to a few doors. He had been in only three of the five. The first one was Ed and Oswald’s room, Martin had been in there once, to grab Ed’s cigarettes. It was big, not too big, old as hell and not really used, Edward didn’t really sleep, and Oswald usually didn’t sleep at the house, he slept at his club, the iceberg lounge, a place that Martin hadn’t been to.The second door lead to some study, the fifth one in the house, no one really used it so Martin never felt any reason to step inside. It was probably dorman, and covered in dust.Third door. The other two were guest rooms, he hadn’t gone into either one. Another thing about Ed and Oswald, they hated other people in their house, like they hated it. So they never really saw a reason to open those doors, they were locked. And the second to last was a bathroom, Martin had been inside of it, nothing too grand, just a bathroom, shower, skink the whole package.The last door had been Martin’s room, one of the old guest rooms, renovated into a room fit for a 10 year old, the walls were painted a gray color, a bed, white sheets. Walk in closet, dresser. Mirrors. But the men had left the rest of the interior to Martin. Sadly Martin hadn’t really had time to fix up the room, not like he had many things. He came with a backpack full of books and clothes, which had been thrown out. And replaced with better ones, not as trashy. A large shaggy rug sat in the middle of the room, it was so comfortable, that Martin had slept on it multiple times. Not wanting to get up.When he had heard Ed say that he should get ready he thought that meant change out of the sweat pants and tank top he had been wearing, accompanied by a gray sweater, one of the things that he had been able to save from the ‘incinerate’ pile Oswald had made on his bed.Martin didn’t know what to wear, the only social outing he had been on was when he was dragged to a rouges meeting because Edward wanted to show him to his friends. And Martin just wore what Oswald said that he should’ve. Sadly, Oswald wasn’t here, he was in holding at the GCPD, because he was caught trying to smuggle in penguins or some weird shit.So Martin just had to go with his instinct, which was horrible, but was the only thing that he had right now. SO he just had to pick what he wanted. Not too hard, there was a closet full of clothes, shoes, gloves, you name it. Rich people really love their shit. Martin wasn’t prepared for all the shit in there. But he toughed through the clothing and found something that he wanted to wear. A black pair of sailor pants, as Oswald had called them, and a brown sweater.Paired with black boots, 2 inches. He messed with his hair, grabbed his notebook and walked back down the steps. Tracing the rail, and passing the five doors.His boots made a sound on the dark wood that traced the stairs, a nice noise, not like when Daddy’s work boots stopped on the ground, usually tracing in mud and or snow behind him.They always were on the side of the couch that he sat on as he watched TV and drank. And mommy smoked and cried. She didn’t always cry, but when daddy hit her, or when he yelled at her, silent tears fell down her blushed cheeks. Martin didn’t sit on that couch, he sat in the lawn chair, or floor, which was stained with blood, and vodka. Cigarettes burn on the strands, kinda like the ones on Martin’s arm. That floor was the most uncomfortable thing that Martin had ever sat on, but he sat there as daddy watched whatever was on the cable.Martin realized that he didn’t even know this kid’s name, Ed had only told him that the boy was 10, and that he was the Wayne’s kid. Bizarre, not weird, like Martin’s new family.Martin had known of Bruce Wayne before now, he was the richest person in america, second to Lex Luthor. And he was an orphan, one of the most popular orphans in the country. And the gayest. He had two husbands, and they were brothers, twin brothers. One was an Ex-rouge, Jerome Valeska, or the joker. There was a picture of him hung in the office that the rouges met in. And the other was a popular architect, helped Bruce rebuild Wayne tower, when Joker, Jerome, had blown it up.And they all lived under one roof, with this new kid on their hands the husbands are gonna go crazy. More than they already were. Martin guessed.Martin met Edward in the main room, it was big, surrounded in books and fireplaces, a real fire hazard. And when Edward had noticed the boy, he wore that big grin that was always on his face and patted the spot next to him. As Martin sat, and folded his legs over each other, Edward leaned back on the brown couch and smiled. “So, you’re meeting this Grayson Boy?” He asked looking ahead, and not at Martin. Martin nodded, and looked down at his hands. “Nice, I hear he’s like super angsty.” Edward said, looking over to the brunette. Martin grabbed his notebook and a pen, he jotted down something and gave it to Ed. ‘we’ll get right along then.’ On the page, Ed smiled and handed the sheet back to Martin.Ed lifted his head as the door was knocked on, he got up and walked to the door, gripping the doorknob, he looked back at Martin. “You sure you wanna do this?” He asked. Martin nodded, and Ed faced the door, he opened it and was met with A raven haired boy and a Red head with a large grin on his face. He said something to Ed, but Martin couldn’t hear it. He was too distracted by the boy standing at the red head’s side. He was pretty.
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Dick was told that he was going to Cobblepot manor a few hours ago by Jerome. Or as he called him, J. He called Jeremiah by his name, because he never saw Jereimiah. Him and Bruce run Wayne enterprises, Jeremiah being COO. He was always at work, or in the basement with B. It was weird, they were always in the basement, or that's where J told him they were. J never went under the house, he was always up side, said that the Basement was more or less a Jeremiah and Bruce thing. Going out with Bruce most nights was a Bruce and Jerome thing. Dick didn’t know what they did out. But he knew it was a secret, and he respected secrets.So he didn’t medal, nothing to get him kicked out.Dick wouldn’t put too much thought into that. He trusted J, and he knew that if Jerome didn’t want to tell him, it was for a good reason. He was now in the car with Jerome, not the Wayne limbo, J thought that the Limbo was too big, and that he felt like it wasn’t his. So he preferred to drive his own car. It was old, not like 20th century old, but it was pretty old, made in the early to late 2000s, J said that his mom got it for him when he was 18, not got, stole. J had a pretty bad childhood, and you’d think that so did Jeremiah, but no. Jeremiah had been taken from Lila when he was 4, and Jerome had been forced to stay.J never seemed to have a deep hate for Jeremiah, he just kept his distance, even though they both sleep in the same bedroom. Jerome made breakfast, he took care of Dick, he cleaned when the maid staff had their days off. And he made dinner most nights. Dick had J wrong, he wasn’t standoffish, he was really like Mary a lot of the time. Well how a mother is supposed to be. And Dick didn’t know what to think about that. He wasn’t his mom, nothing like it, he was nicer, he was prettier, more of a mother. He took good care of Dick.He had a lot of scars all over, his arms, his legs, his face. Especially around where his face was, it seemed like it was glued on, like it was mended. J had said that he was in an accident. Nothing specific, he didn’t tell Dick about the accident, he was always aloof. But he told DIck everything else, like the vertical scars that were on the insides of his arm. J told Dick a lotta about him, like how he was a resident at Arkham asylum more than once, how when he was 19 he ran away from the circus to live in Gotham permanently. And how he married Brucea last year, after running a mob for 4 years, 2 years after getting to gotham.A lot of things happened in J’s life, a lotta bad shit. But J always had a smile on his face, he was always laughing, except for when he was talking with his brother. And Dick really never saw that.Dick had called J dad a few days ago, J answered and seemed to not really care. He was his legal dad, and so was Bruce, but he counted more. Dick knew that J wasn’t trying to replace John, and Dick never felt like he was. Jerome was Dick’s dad, just as much as John was.This might have been because Dick was gripping for any father figure, or mother figure.But he didn’t really care.J had said that Dick should hang out with some kids his own age, and that since Bruce won’t put Dick in school, because it could be traumatic. So they were going to introduce their friends kids. And the first on the block were some of Jerome’s friends. Oswald Cobblepot-Nygma and Edward Nygma-Cobblepot had adopted a child as well, the same age as Dick.Dick wasn’t excited to be leaving Wayne manor for the first time in a few weeks, but there isn't really anything to complain about. He was meeting other gothamites, and he was hopefully gonna meet a friend.Cobblepot manor, or Van Dahl manor was just across the bridge, not in Gotham, but kinda like how Wayne manor was. It was still near Gotham. And it wasn’t far off Wayne manor. It was about a 15 minute drive, maybe an hour walk. BUt it was pretty easy to get to. Dick was nervous, he was used to meeting new people, he did it all the time while in the circus, meeting the locals. But this was someone who was also ‘high society’ now, and if they didn’t get along.. It was about to be really awkward at a charity ball.Dick was likable, he thought. He could be really nice when he tried, had a kind heart and wasn’t one to give up. Amazing qualities. At least he thought that, maybe the boy he was gonna meet thought he was stuck up, or mean, or-“Quit your stressing,” J said looking over to Dick, as if he had read his mind. “Eddie says this kid is like an angel or some shit, quite, clean. I’m sure y’all will get along just fine. And he’s also an orphan.” Jerome added. Damn, they did have a lot in common, maybe he was just stressing over nothing. “I know you are.” J said keeping eye contact with the road ahead. “How do you keep doing that?” Dick asked, dumbfounded. “Good intuition.” J explained.As they rolled up the gravel driveway of Cobblepot manor, Dick was prepared. He reached for the door and walked out of the deep tan car. Jerome followed him as his boots crumpled the gravel underneath them. Jerome knocked on the door four times, making sure that every knock sounded relatively the same. Dick heard a muffled voice talk before the door opened up. Showing a red headed guy with wired glasses a painfully bright green. He smiled and greeted Jerome. Dick’s attention fled from the man, and to the boy on a brown couch behind him.He had curly hair, freckles, was wearing some cardigan with flared like pants. Platforms that seem to lift him about 2 inches above where he would normally be on the ground. He could tell that Dick was staring at him, and he was staring back. “Hey birdie, go talk, me and Eddie are gonna go catch up.” Jerome said, patting Dick on the back. Dick walked deeper into the living area and waved at the boy. The boy waved back, and put a small smile on his face.“Hi, my name's Dick, What's yours?” Dick asked quietly. The boy put up a finger indicating to give him a second. Dick nodded and watched as the boy grabbed a notepad out of his pocket and a pen. Jotted something down and ripped the paper out of the notebook. Handed it to Dick and looked down at his shoes.‘Martin.’
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Martin had been to school before, plenty of times when he was still living with daddy and mama. Daddy said that he had to, so that Daddy wouldn’t go to a bad place. The same place that Martin’s new, or not so new anymore, Daddys' went often. Well, not so much Oswald anymore, he was going a google route. He had made a deal with some judge to be better than he had been, using his new son as an excuse as to why he had to change his life around.Oswald was great at telling white lies. They weren’t as good as Ed’s though. Edward was born to be a liar, that’s what the nice blond man in the ridiculous outfit had said. That man’s name was Jervis, Oswald’s best friend, and a rogue. Martin would be seeing Jervis often.But more about school, Oswald had been able to play not taking Martin to school for two years now. He didn’t want Martin to be bullied, or picked on. Because he didn’t want to have to kill a child. But he made sure Martin knew that he was not afraid of. Once Edward had said that if they didn’t send Martin to school that they’d seem like they were neglecting their child. Oswald broke. Down in tears I mean, he started a soap opera in the middle of the living room, going on and on about how traumatizing school can be. Martin had spoken up and noted that he liked going to school. Oswald broke the act and threw an annoyed glance at him.Next thing that you know Oswald is driving Martin to Gotham academy junior. Sulking in the seat as he seems to be bursting out with nerves. This wasn’t from Martin going to school, he was over that. It was about Edward, it was obvious, he had been fidgeting with the diamond ring that was placed on his ring finger the whole morning. Didn’t eat breakfast.He didn’t even looked Ed in the eye the whole morning.Something was up, and Martin knew it, but he wasn’t going to meddle. He knew to stay out of Oswald and Ed’s relationship, it was complicated. Like almost every relationship with a big age gap. Well, it wasn’t that big, Oswald was 25, and Ed was 32. Not that big, but still seven years.“Do you think Ed’s cheating on me?” Oswald had asked out of the blue, breaking any and all silence in the car. “What?” Martin rasped, he couldn’t fully speak yet, and was limited to only rasping noises, which were better than no noise at all he guessed. “You heard me Martin.” Oswald said, obviously not wanting to repeat what he had just said.Martin knew the answer to this. Would he tell the man or would he lie? Martin had found out from Jerome, of all people, that Edward was cheating on Oswald left and right. And that no one knew except the ones he went to bed with, and the ones who declined.Martin loved Oswald, he really did, reminded him of the thing parents are supposed to be, loving but strict when they need to be. Not yelling at 3 in the morning about stupid things. Not drinking his problems away, at least not anymore. 1 & ½ years sober. It was amazing, and Martin wouldn’t do anything to disrupt his progress, and he knew that this would do just that. Oswald would find out on his own, someday, and he would never know that Martin knew.“Ed loves you dad, he wouldn’t do that.” Martin reassured, Oswald let out a sigh. “You’re right, just paranoid.” He said breathing.They approached the building and Martin hugged Oswald as he got out of the car, heading for the big ass building in front of him. As he looks to the side of him he sees a familiar face, tanned, raven hair tied into a bun now. Dick Grayson. The first day of school went as Martin had thought, he was in six classes, all uninteresting. He didn’t eat lunch, low appetite. And once it was finally time to leave he couldn’t wait to walk out of that sad place. It was basically falling apart at the seams. How Gotham's elite send their children to that damn school is an enigma that even Ed couldn’t solve.Martin had talked to Dick, once, he said hi, formalities but he didn’t stick around for that long. He left after a while, but was introduced to someone though. Barbara Gordon, she was the daughter of commissioner Gordon, and of the drug lord, Barbara Kean. Martin had met Babs once, and that was when Oswald had a home visit from the blond. She was pretty. So was her daughter.Dick had a crush, it was apparent. Barbara didn’t share the affection. She was nice, ginger, and weird. But good, weird. And she was in a wheelchair, she had a bedazzled controller, made by her mother. She seemed pretty tall. But she was sitting.Martin had met her and then left. That was in the library.Martin was in the limbo again, but with Ed instead. Martin didn’t particularly like Ed anymore. Martin had standed him for about a year, and then he became a dick. Like a big one. Not like daddy- no that’s not his name, he isn’t Martin’s dad, far from it, his name was Herold-. Not like Harold, but he was a jerk. He was sly, and mean. He was childish, and a cheat.This was the first time Martin had been in a car with Ed for about a month, after a long stay at Arkham, and only returning home yesterday evening. When Jonathan Crane escaped the prison.The car was silent, not a word between the two. Edward knew that Martin didn’t like him, Martin didn’t try to hide it. He had said it plenty of times. And was not scared to say it again. “ We’re not going home.” Edward said, “Oswald wants to meet you at the lounge in a few minutes.” Edward said. Martin had been to the lounge plenty of times now, it was a lounge.They pulled to the bright luminescent building, looking into the glass front, it wasn’t see through.Martin took in a breath, he walked out of the car, slamming the door behind him. Not looking back to check if Edward had been following. He just walked up the front, a large CLOSED sign on top of the door. Martin ignored it and took out a key from his lanyard, sliding the key inside of the hole, fitting and sliding it to the right. Clod hit Martin’s face as he opened the door, the lounge was always kept at a chill 50 degrees, not going over, or under that temperature.At the front table a woman sat, reading a magazine, it seemed to be a fashion one. She looked up and pointed, with a red painted fingernail, to the direction Oswald was.He was sitting at a table, round, three chairs, one on each side. Martin approached the table, and Oswald gestured to the seat directly in front of him. Martin sat on the soft chair, it didn’t creak, made next to no sound. Oswald smiled and crossed his legs. “Martin,” he greeted. “Dad,” Martin greeted back. “We have things to discuss.” Oswald said, Martin nodded, not wanting to respond. “You know how the business that I lead has many moving parts?” Another nod. “Well, I want you to be one of those moving parts.” Oswald said. Martin was confused, wasn’t he already a part? He helped with finances and he attended most of the meetings. He thought that meant that he was a part of it. But he guesses not.“I know that you help with things from many other parts, but I want you to have your own part. Since I can’t go out and yell to the hills that I’m doing illegal things, that breaks my plea deal.So I need someone else on the field, keeping appearances, keeping the bat occupied. And I want another bird.” He said taking a box from the side of him.It was a cobalt blue box, black lining it. It was an open and shut box, and Oswald opened the box. There, resting upon a small gray pillow that filled out the box, was a high tech looking mask. Not some normal mask. It was a bird, beak and all, pure gold around the front of it. From the feather coming from the top, it was a peacock. It seemed to cover the top of someone’s head, not the mouth, it was pretty, it was engraved with flowers. Going over the eyes.“It’s beautiful..” Martin rasped out, slightly touching it. “Try it on.” Oswald instructed. Martin placed it onto his face, and it shifted to the measurements of his face. He could see rapidly through the glass of the eyes. “Jervis made it, said that the peacock is a flightless bird, and a mystery.” Oswald informed. “I’ll make sure to thank him at the next meeting.” Martin stated.This was going to be different than when Martin was counting numbers, and looking for rats inside of his father’s organization. But he would get used to it. Cold, sad, lonely, were words that Dick could use to describe Wayne manor right now. Why was the manor like this, well, last week Jeremiah made a very big scene at the Wayne building, got dragged out by security. Dick didn’t know what he did but he knew it was some shit. And that night at dinner, Jereimiah placed his matching diamond ring, that matched Jerome’s, on the hardwood, and walked up to the bedroom. Came down maybe ten minutes later with a suitcase full of clothing, and walked out of the door.Jerome isn’t talking to Bruce, he says that it’s B’s fault that his brother left. They had been bonding more and more over the past two years, taking care of a pre-teen tends to do that. Bruce isn’t talking to anyone. Only Alfred, who has come back to take care of the house since J will only cook for Dick and himself, doesn’t do shit and just slacks around the house. And with Alfred came his husband, Lucius Fox, or Pennyworth. Lucius is nice, he’s pretty young, like a few years older than Jerome. But Dick isn’t judging his ‘Grandfather’s’ choices in men.No one knows where Jeremiah is, well, they didn’t until yesterday, when all hell broke loose. Jeremiah has been staying with the Cranes, Jervis, Jonathan, and some girl who lives with them, goes by clocker. And has been drinking his ass off, Jonathan called the house at like 3:30 PM, begging someone come and get his ass. An hour later, J walked in holding Jeremiah in his arms.Jeremiah will only talk to Dick and J, Bruce had tried to talk to him, but came up unsuccessful. Jeremiah told Dick that he left because he wanted to be heard, not just seen, or used. He wanted to be listened to, heard. And he won’t be Bruce’s Husband, COO, operative, intel he is heard. Dick didn’t understand what Jeremiah meant by operative, he looked to J. Who was biting at his lower lip hard enough to make it bleed, he sucked a breath in and grabbed Dick’s hand. Took him to the third living area in the manor, and played some cords on the piano next to a grandfather clock.The clock opened, like the inside of it popped open and showed an elevator. Jerome asked Dick if he was ready, Dick nodded. They walked into the elevator, and the door closed behind them, and began to move. Dick didn’t say anything, not wanting to ick J anymore then he was. He said that Bruce had wanted for Dick to come down to the Basement, so they could talk about things. After that the rest of the ride was silent, not long, but not short. They came to a stop. Jerome said that this was as far as he went, and sent Dick into the cave-like area. The elevator closed and went back up to the living room.The room was big, as said cave-like. And was full of things, a very large computer in the middle of the room being the main attraction. But one thing in the corner of the room, a car. A bat like car, what the hell was that, Dick had seen it before, he just couldn’t place it. As he got closer to the car, it came to him, it was the goddamn Bat-mobile, the thing that was all over the news all the time. Why the hell was the bat-mobile in a secret cave underneath wayne mano- Holy shit!Bruce was batman, Bruce fucking Wayne was the batman, “Holy shi..” Dick mumbled.“Language Grayson.” A booming voice came from the ceiling. Dick was scared, was he gonna be killed, maybe this was all a set up, maybe they had just been planning to get Dick into this cave for years, and today was the day. Dick was scared as all hell.Bruce came down to the floor in a crouch, he got up and walked over to Dick, as he got closer Dick backed up. Until his back was up to the Car. Bruce was close, Dick was sacred as shit.“Dick, calm down, I'm not gonna hurt you.” Bruce reassured, backing up slightly, taking the cowl off of his face.“I have a proposition for you,” Bruce said, walking away from the boy and walking up to a staried area in the cave, “Come, I have something to show you.”Dick followed the man up the stairs, and to some glass cases. They had suits in them, different versions of the Bat-suit, but there were some others. Like a green jacket, kevlar laced it seems, with combat boots. “Who’s is that?” Dick asked, sheepishly. “Jerome’s,” Bruce said simply. “Wait, J Is the Joker!?” Dick asked, shocked. He knew that J was a little corrupt, but that was different. “Yes, he works with me, speaking of working with.” He noted, “I have something to ask of you.” Bruce said. “Jeremiah also works with us, he runs communication, keeps us safe out there. And he won’t do it anymore, something that I did.” Dick let Bruce continue.“So, we need someone else out there, and I think,” Bruce pressed a button, a new glass case coming through the floor. “That should be you.” Inside of the case, was a suit, red chest, green coming out of it. A yellow cape draped on the back of it, tights green. And on top of it sat a domino mask. Dick put his hand to the glass, staring into the glass, it was amazing, nothing like Dick had ever seen it was…. It was perfect. “Yes.” He said under his breath. “I’ll join, I’ll become..” Dick trailed off as he looked at the emblem on the breast, an R. “Robin.” Three months under Delilah Monroe, an underground fighter, artist, and badass. Martin had known Delilah for months, she was great. She was a singer at the iceberg lounge, he saw her often, Oswald liked her, asked her to help train his son so that he wouldn’t get his ass handed to him by a bat. And she accepted, she trained Martin's ass out. Like he could barely see by the end of the training each day. He would get off school, which he rarely went to anyway, go to the lounge, but wouldn’t stay in the top part; he'd go down to the third level, where the underground fighting ring was located. Lilah would be waiting for him, and they’d get right to it.She never left too much damage just the slight bloody nose once, she knew not to ever hit him the the throat, if she were to damage his vocal cords while they were being strained, Martin would most likely never speak again. So she went under the face and neck half the time.After they had finished hand-to-hand combat, they went to gun training.There was a shooting range in a small part of the club, and they used that alot. Martin had known how to shoot a gun way before he was even adopted. Harold loved guns, way more than he loved his own son. Harold had taught Martin to shoot when he was eight, they went hunting about every month, and killed some new innocent forest animals.There was also another part of his training, but Ms. Monroe couldn’t do it. Sword combat.Oswald said it was important to be skilled in many forms of combat. Nyssa Al Ghul took charge in this one. Nyssa wasn’t a rogue, as much as she was a princess. She lived in Nanda Parbat, well, she did, she was kicked out when she tried to take on the queen, or the new Ra’s Al Ghul, Talia Al Ghul. The eldest heir to the demon. Talia struck fear in anything that lived. She was wrath, some say she does it better than her father did, he’s dead now. And as Nyssa says, the Leviathan herself is bearing an heir, or was, the babies born. Damian, the son of the demon.Martin chose not to tell Dick about this. Dick was also trained, but harder, by no other than the bat himself, and not just physically trained, he was made into a detective. Days, months of training made him better than he would have ever thought. He also had to use his knowledge of the circus in this training. His acrobatics I mean, he had to jump off rooftops somehow?This training lasted three months, he trained and trained until one night J stayed back with Jeremiah, who was back behind the screen, and Dick went out with Bruce, it was an easy night for his first, no rogues, just a few thugs. Until B got a call from Gordon, he told Bruce that there was a drug deal happening down at Gotham docks. Not just a slip of coke in a baggy, Kilos of cocaine being shipped from Columbia, Bruce threw them in the car and speeded over to Gotham Docks. Oswald had let Martin out tonight, by himself, well, not by himself with a few bodyguards, but it was a normal dealing, Martin wire the money over to the supplier of the Coke that was being sold, once he saw it was legit. Easy peasy, he wouldn’t even have to use his gun, unless he needed to.Just as he relaxed back into the seats of the limbo, his suit rubbed against his body. It was a normal two piece, his mask was on his face, fitting perfectly. The suit was black with gold accents. Vines lining the sides of his torso. It was nice, nothing permanent, he was still having his suit designed, but it wasn’t far off this. His sword was across him, he wasn’t anxious, he knew when the boat was supposed to be here, and he knew that nothing would happen tonight.He was mistaken.As he was glaring out the window, he saw a blue glowing car approaching at a fast speed, weird, the docks were closed at this time. He then realized it wasn’t just a car, it was a bat car. Shit! Why on his first day did he have to meet the bat? Why!? He groaned and got out of the car, slamming the door behind him. He stood his ground as the car stopped at a swerve, he expected to see a man covered in armor, big ass cowl. But he saw a 12 year-old. The fuck..?It was a boy, a small boy, the same age as Martin, he was staring at Martin. Well, he couldn’t really make that out since, well, he was wearing that ugly ass mask. What the fuck!“Who the hell are you!?” Martin yelled. He could yell now, well, he couldn’t really, it was something in the mask that made his voice louder than it was when he talked, just so no one would have suspicion about who he was.“I’m Robin, and I’m taking you to jail…” ‘Robin’ said, leaving the air open for Martin to tell him his name. “The peacock, and what am I doing that's illegal?” Martin asked as he looked over to the boy. “You’re drug dealing!” The boy yelled. “Sorry, I can't hear you from there!” Martin said, lying he could hear the boy plenty fine, he just wanted to see him closer. As the boy walked into a light something in Martin’s head clicked. That raven hair, the tanned skin. That was Dick 100%.“Dick?” Martin asked as he moved his head to the side. “Uh? Wh… whos that?” Dick said as he was nervous. And he was Nervous, it was obvious. “Richard Grayson.” Martin said out loud. Dick seemed to stare at Martin just a little more. “Wait, Martin?” He asked. Taking off his domino mask, Martin also took off his mask. “What the hell are you doing here?” They both asked at what seemed to be the same time.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Martin wasn’t ready to run into an old friend on his first night of patrol. Very not ready, he was gonna shoot the ugly bird right between the eyes. If he could ever find them, behind that fucking mask. Well, that was old news, something that rugged up whore Vicky Vale would report. Martin had beef with the reporter, well you’ll find out about that later, for now you get to find out what happened to the two boys. Bats, or Bruce, was kinda mad that Oswald and Ed threw their 12 year old out on the streets, but was hit back with the small 12 year old on his waist at that moment.
The Batman, Penguin, and Riddler, came up with an exception. Martin would only work out of the diamond district, Dick would stay out of there as long as Martin was behind the crime, because the three knew that they wouldn’t fight each other, even if it meant revealing their identities.And they all went their separate ways.Two months after that an angry little nine year old boy was brought back to Wayne manor. Jason, as he was called, was found trying to steal hubcaps, while Dick and B were trying to bust some villain- of- the- week. He was vulgar, said the f slur five times, and that was just in the car ride to the cave.
And when he met the twins, instead of doing what Dick had done, rotate towards Jrome, he became closer to Jeremiah. Miah was very shocked at this, children had never really been good with kids, but he was very happy that this one was gravitating to the red head, well, green head, his hair at the time was dyed green. Some undercover mission. Jason wasn’t the best kid, but he was hurt, and Dick understood. Jay, as they were calling him, very confusing, because Jrome’s name is also J. But they fingered out a way to change it, they added a bird to the end of the Jay. Making it Jay bird. Had been distant from the others, except for Jeremiah. Dick sat Jay bird down one night, and told him that he was a part of this family, wherever he had come from, or what he had done. All of that was forgiven when he became a part of this family. They cried together that night.
Dick was now Dick head, better than not being spoken to, but still kinda mean. Three years, that's how long it had been since the day that the boys had run into each other on that cold Gotham night. Things are different, like really different. Martin can now speak over 70 dBs, Dick is in high school, they both are, Martin is now just a Cobblepot, no longer a Cobblepot-Nygma. ED and Oswald got a divorce. Jason is 12 now, and is in training, and the twins are closer than ever. Things are amazing, better than ever. And Martin and Dick are getting…Closer so to say. They’ve been spending a lot of time together, going from Wayne manor to the Iceberg lounge. Cobblepot manor is now Nygma manor, Ed took the house. And Martin now works at the lounge.
Dick likes that Lounge, but not as much as he likes Barbara Gordon. She’s the perfect girl, strong, sassy, smart. Everything that Dick has ever wanted in a woman. She’s so beautiful as well, like a goddess, he would worship her. Well, not really, Dick doesn’t believe in gods, but she could change that, anything that she wants him to.Dick was destroyed when Barbara started going out with Lucas Fox, which was really just salt in the wound, he would have been broken if Barbara would have gotten with anyone that wasn’t Dick, but it had to be his Step uncle. He was Lucius’s Adopted son, and he went to Gotham Academy High as well. Lucas said he was sorry many times after he found out, but at that time after he found out, but at that time he didn’t know. And Dick couldn’t blame the boy, if he had balls he would have asked her out too.But he didn’t go home that day, he went straight to the lounge. He had known that Martin was working today, because he wasn’t at school. He had sent a text to J to tell Bruce that he wouldn’t be able to go on patrol tonight. He didn’t say why, he didn’t even say that he wasn’t coming home today. Dick knew that as soon as he said hi to Ozzie, Os would get his phone out and text one of the twins that Dick was staying at his.
It made Oswald feel better at letting Dick stay over so much, and once J did almost blow up Gotham because he didn’t know where Dick was. While he was just smoking a cigarette with Martin over one of the many gargoyles on one of the many GCPD precinct buildings.They do that a lot, sneak out, smoke, talk. They're closer than ever, and Dick can trust him, more than he can trust almost anyone in the world. Martin is his best friend, and Dick is his. And when Dick needs a shoulder to cry into, there Martin is, every time.
Cold hits Dick as he walks into the club, a chill 50 degrees, as Oswald likes it. Dick knew that he had to bring a blanket if he was going to be staying inside of the bottom of the lounge for more than a few hours. The upper area of the lounge, the apartment that Oswald and Martin live in is always over 50. Martin makes sure of it. Well, actually I wanna take back my previous statement, not only Oswald and Martin live in the apartment. Jervis Tech also lives up there. He used to be the mad hatter, while his husband was still around. Jonathan isn’t dead, he just left Gotham, and Jervis, for Georgia. The state. That girl that was living with them now lives under the lounge with a woman named Dahlia Monroe.The woman who was warming up on the stage waved at Dick as he came into the building, she was the lady who did a comedy act every week, on fridays. Harley, she and her wife work at the club, Ivy is her wife’s name. She works with the plants all over the place, and Harley works as a waitress, she’s in school for psychology though.
She was pretty funny, Dick and Martin had come down here once or twice to watch a few of her sets. She's good.Dick also saw a man who works at the club, he replaced some dude named Julian Day or something, he was one of the people that Ed was fucking on the side. This guy was way better, his name was Leo, Leonard. Dick didn’t know his last name, but he did know that he was kinda a thief, and he was the manager of the lounge. Not the full manager, but he told people what to do and shit. He also made sure that the club was in shape. Oswald paid him well, and he was nice. Dick waved at him too. Leo looked up and moved over to the boy.“Hey, Dick, Martin told me to tell you that he’s at some dealing with Ozzy, but you can go upstairs. Jervis will open the door for you.” Leo told Dick in a chill tone. He didn’t have hair, he had some hair, but not much. He had three rings on his hand, which was at his side at the moment. A ring on his pinkky, one on his left middle finger, that was gold as the others were all silver. And one on his middle finger, a sapphire in the gem’s area. It was a wedding ring, or a proposal ring, Leo wasn’t married. His Fiance was in jail. The guy’s name was Mick something.Dick nodded at the man and headed up to the glass elevator. It had a very big sign on the top saying ‘this is private property, any person loitering or trying to enter shall be shot, or severely injured on site.’ It was very blunt. Dick had almost been shot before for trying to get in. The guard was fired. And Dick was given a pass card, and key. He used the said key to open the elevator. It was glass, not being seen through. Dick hummed to the low MCR instrumental playing inside of the elevator, Oswald had picked the music.Dick had been in this elevator many times, more than he could count over the last two years. Ever since Oswald left Edward. Dick had never liked Ed, even before he saw him as the Riddler, Ed just gave Dick a weird vibe. He was unsettling, creepy, mean as fuck, even to his pwn husband. The many screaming matches that Dick had been there for were mostly one sided. Oswald doesn’t like talking about that period in his and Ed’s Five year marriage, he likes to talk about before all it happened. Before they were married, before they became such bad people. When Oswald was at GCU for law, and Ed was there for forensic science.Dick’s thinking sesh was interrupted by the doors to the elevator opening. There was a hallway to the main apartment. Some other people lived in the apartment’s on the side of Os and Martin, only a few though. Like five other people, and they were all ‘rogues’, as Oswald called them. The rogues are a bunch of Gotham villains who were brought together by Jrome.
The few who lived here were, Kite man, a guy who was literally turned into the man he is today by the Riddler. Catwoman, who really isn’t a rogue as much as she helps Bruce and Dick. Dick goes over to her house sometimes to play with the cats, and she makes very good conversation. Nora Fries is the other woman who lives in the complex, Mrs. freeze. She’s an older lady who lives with a younger girl. The girl’s name is Sam. Martin hangs out with her a lot.
The next resident is some 20 something dude named Lonny, or something. Dick has never met him, he just has his name on a white board on his door. He’s rarely at the complex, he runs out of Star city, but lives here when he’s in Gotham
The last one who lives in the next apartment isn’t a rogue, her name is Leslie Kean. She’s Barbara’s step-mom. She’s the ‘queen of the narrows,’ as Os calls her. She’s terrifying. Dick has met her before, she’s really nice.Dick made it to the door and knocked, yelling that it was him to Jervis. It took about thirty seconds before Jervis popped his head out, a cascade of blonde hair falling down to the side of his neck as he turned it. “Hi, Dick, come in.” He said decently horse. He smokes a lot of cigarettes, especially now. He’s been living here since the scarecrow left him. Dick never got to fight scarecrow, he left Gotham about the same time that Dick became robin.
Jervis is nice as hell, he has a light accent, soft facial features, and bright blonde hair. He’s also pretty short, Dick is taller than him.A smile is always on his face, even if it's accompanied by a red nose and puffy eyes. He’s normally like that, Jervis never ‘got over’ Jonathan. He was all that the blonde ever knew. Jervis got with Jonathan when he was fifteen and Jonathan was 32. Jervis had followed that cruel man for almost his entire life. He never had anything else, been anything else. Scarecrow was everything to Jervis, everything. And when Jonathan just up and left him, it broke Jervis. Dick remembers having to take Jervis to Arkham, which would be the last time, after he had tried to make half the population of Gotham kill themselves. Jervis didn’t do anything, he just sat in the back of the Batmobile and looked out at the skyline.Jervis is doing better than he was, it’s been 3 years, doesn’t mean he’s over it, just means he’s talking to people, and leaving the couch. He was doing much better. And it made Dick happy, Jervis is good people, and he deserves the best.
The bright smile on Jevis’s slightly bloody lips was comforting, just for a second Dick forgot he was mad. Jervis was like Jerome, he was kind, funny, and loving. Dick had only ever seen Jervis yell once, and it was because he was having a breakdown and was yelling at Oswald.“You okay Dick,” Jervis asked the boy as he sat down on the couch, patting the area next to him, to tell him to take a seat. “ You look like you’ve been crying, what’s wrong?” A soft light voice asked Dick. He had been crying hard, as he was walking to the lounge, and right after Babs told him that she had a boyfriend now. Once he got to a place where he couldn’t be bothered. “Oh, it.. It’s nothing.” Dick assured the Blonde. “You know I hate being lied to when the lie is obvious, it makes me feel stupid. I want the truth Dick.” Jervis said in the same light and soft voice as before but with a slight hardness in his voice.Dick looked the man over, he was wearing some kind of tee-shirt and shorts. Arm warmers covering his wrist, to the start of his elbow. Dick had never really seen the man’s full arms, it was weird, even when he was still wearing that ugly mad hatter cosplay, his arms were never shown. Dick chalked it up to something personal, like what was on J’s arms. And B’s.
Jervis had his nails painted, Oswald most likely did them, the work was very precise, only Oswald cared that much about damn nails. You would never see Oswald Cobblepot without a fresh full coat. Os said it was because he used to do his mom’s nails constantly, because of her job. And then he had to do his step mother’s nails also, because she didn’t trust anyone else with her nails.Dick thought over Jervis’s question, or demand really. He could combat it with a question of his own, like his arms, or his nails, or his outfit. But Dick knew better. You didn’t debate with the
Hatter. As Martin had told him, he wouldn’t answer a question, and was blasted for days. Dick wasn’t there that time, he wishes he was.
“Fine, It’s about a girl.” Dick let out as he leaned back into the couch cushions. A light giggle came from beside him. “What are you laughing about?” Dick asked.
“Technically I’m not laughing, I’m giggling. But besides that, you’re having girl trouble, and you came to the house full of gay guys?” Jervis asked, slipping back into a giggle. “Where else was I supposed to go?”
“I don’t know, your father! Do you know what he did before he met the twins?”
Dick took a minute, yes, yes he did know what Bruce did before he met the twins, he had read about it a few days after he had been adopted. It was basically just sex scandals and a few ‘video’ drops. Dick didn’t watch the videos, but the description in the paper was already too much info for the, at the time, 10 year old.And then Dick thought about the other question that Jervis had asked, he had said the house was full of gay guys, Dick knew that Oswald was gay, Os didn’t make it seem any other way. Dick was pretty sure that Jervis was gay, he had only ever been with one person and it was a man, at least that's what Dick had thought. But what about the other guy in the house, Martin. Dick didn’t know what Martin’s sexuality was, and he had thought it didn’t matter, it didn’t, but this was a new thing. Dick had a crush on Barbara, yes, but he had also been looking at a guy a year or so ago. His name was Caleb Ford, some boy at GAH. He and Dick weren’t friends per say, but they talked. And Dick seemed to have a slight crush, he told Martin about this, Martin told him it was fine that he was feeling this way, but that Caleb was ugly, and he looked really straight. So Dick cut the crush.He always did what Martin told him to, Martin was smart, and was his best friend, why wouldn’t he?Dick put the thought away, and focused on Jervis who seemed to be preparing to speak.
“Okay, what’s this girl’s name?” He asked, seemingly trying to help even though he had zero experience in this department. “Barbara,” Dick said, taking his shoes off, and sitting with his legs crossed under him, criss-cross applesauce style.
“And you like this girl?” He asked again. “Yes.” Dick answered simply as he could.
“So, what happened?”
“She got with another guy, Lucas Fox.” Dick said with an eye roll, being seen in his tone and on his face. “Like Lucius Fox?” Jervis asked very confused. “Cause, he’s way to fucking young to have a kid your age.” Jervis said, as if he didn’t have a semi-child of his own a few floors below them. And he was a good few years younger than Lucius. “He’s not biological, he’s my step-uncle.” Dick explained, Jervis nodded and hummed. “So you’re butt hurt that you didn’t get there first. Huh?” Jervis asked being very condescending. “I’m not butt hurt.” Dick mumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. “Really? You ran from school, crying, to you’re bestie’s house. To gloat in his arms.” Jervis said. “Sounds butt hurt to me, and the fact that you look like you’re gonna rip someone’s arm off.” He wasn’t wrong, Dick was very angry and probably butt hurt, but he wouldn’t tell Jervis.“You want a fag?” Jervis asked the boy, Dick was almost shocked that Jervis had said the F-slur, but than remembered that’s what they called it in the UK. “Shit, sorry meant a Cigg.” Jervis said to the boy as he slapped himself in the head. “Are you offering a 15-year-old nicotine?” Dick asked in a very melodramatic way. “You want one or not?” Jervis asked as he reached into a bag laying on the glass table in front of them, pulling a box from it. Hitting it one his hand a few times before opening the seal. “Yea,” Dick said as he reached for one of the two cigarettes that Jervis was holding out. “ Got a light?” Jervis asked as he searched his empty pockets. Dick reached into his backpack. Which was laying beside them on the floor and pulled out a light pink lighter. “Nice color.” Jervis commented, “It’s not mine, it’s Martin’s.” Dick told the man sitting beside him.Jervis didn’t continue the conversation, though he did reach of the lighter and lit his cigarette, Dick soon after fallowing after the man. “Don’t tell any of the adults you live with about this, mkay?” Jervis asked as he looked over to the dark haired boy. “Yep, wasn’t planning on it.” Dick said as he took another swig of the Nicotine, “That's why you’re my favorite, don’t tell Marty.” Jervis winked at the boy, as he flicked off ash falling from his cigarette into a clear ashtray.They stayed like that for about five minutes, until both of the cigarettes were out, and there was still smoke lingering around the house. It was like this most of the time, everyone in this house smoked, something. Os smokes weed, for his leg, as he says, he has a card. Jervis was a crack head. And martin smokes anything that's bad for him. The smell of booze is also present in the apartment. That's mostly Oswald, and the bar downstairs. Theres many smells in the semi-small apartment, Oswald's perfumes, Jervis’s candles, Martin’s room. It smells of, kinda everything. It was a mix of weed, cigarettes, booze, perfume, candles, and more. Dick loved that smell, it was like home to him, even though his home smells like fresh linen, and printer paper.
Martin’s room kinda is like his home away from home, It’s were he’s comfortable, safe, no chance of an ambush. Dick does miss something from home when he’s here, Jason, that little spitfire grew up so damn fast, he was almost the same size as Dick at twelve, at least over 5,5. Dick had a game plan, Jason was being trained for such plan right know. Dick would be robin until Jason was at least sixteen, and than he would be nineteen, and he would become his own hero, or he would hang the metaphorical cape. But he still had three years, and he was going to make sure he was a good impression for Jason. Even though he was there only the weekdays and mission nights. But he was still there.Just as he was in some train of thought, the door was being knocked on, and was stopped and replaced with the sound of a key inside of the lock, shaking and making noise. Dick leaned his neck over the couch to face the door as it was being fondled open, so did Jervis. The door was silent for a moment, so were the muffled voices outside of said door. Until the white door flew open as Martin and a very pissed off Oswald walked in from the outside. A small tick came from Oswald’s tongue as he walked over to his bedroom. Dick wasn’t too worried about the man, seemingly covered in glitter. He was more focused on the boy who was taking a mask off of his face. As he walked over to where Dick was sitting.Jervis stood and seemed to understand that the boys needed to speak as he walked outside, to the patio to go and smoke a cigarette. Martin sat down and faced Dick as he wore an sorry look on
his face. “I’m so sorry Dicky, Babs told me about Lucas.” Martin said in his normal rasp. He’s able to speak over a rasp, but after a few hours of speaking needed a break. “Don’t talk you’ll stress your cords.” Dick said as he found a very interesting thing on the floor to stare at. “Fine,” Martin said as he rolled his eyes. Martin took his gloves off and placed them on the side of the couch. Using sign language signed him “Do you wanna talk about it?” Martin asked scrunching up his eyes in obvious pity. “No, there's really nothing to speak of. Babs doesn’t wanna be with me, I have to get over her, and she’ll never know about this dumb little crush.” Dick spoke as he looked straight into Martin’s eyes. Those eyes watering up. Dick was going to cry again, just knew it. And as a feeling went down his throat telling his that he was just unable to speak anymore, he began to shake his head at the feeling. He really didn’t wanna cry. He didn’t. He had to reassure himself, just to make sure that he wasn’t going to break the stone wall that should be built. But as Dick began to blink away tears, he felt his head being taken. And being placed into Martin’s shoulder. He couldn’t hold back anymore, he had to cry, And he did just that into Martins shoulder as the boy rubbed his back and shushed him.Staying there for several more minutes, could have been a few several hours, as long as Dick knew he was born in these arms. Dick looked up at Martin. Really looked at him. His tanned complexion, curly hair lining his face, draping down ears, pierced ears, a ring on the side and one large feather on the lobe. It was what he wore when he worked, the feather was a peacock feather, his name-sake.
When Dick looked to the left he saw those brown eyes, they soon would turn green if Martin got angered. It was something Dick always noticed, when he began to breath harder, sharpen his eyes, that would be a bright green instead of the light brown that sparkled in the lighting of the apartment. Dick had began to notice the flaws of Martin’s face, one of his eyebrow was sharper than the other, he had a very large birth mark on the side of his face, more near his right ear. His eyelashes were two different lengths. But he also saw so many beautiful things about his face. It was just perfect. His face had an amazing shape, his lips were plump, but not too big, or small. His cheeks were a dark red shape, most likely from makeup. Even the shape of his eyes were beautiful. Why had Dick been using that word so much. ‘Beautiful’ was something that Barbara is to Dick. She’s everything, but Martin is…. More, he’s different, he’ll never leave him.Dick’s eyes went from Martin’s, to his lips, those lips could entrap any one who was curious enough to search, they were a lock and a key, a lock to everything that you’ve ever known, and a key to everything that you will know. Dick wanted that key, he needed it. He had needed it for years, he just never knew why. But know he does, he fucking does. And he won’t waste this realization. He will reap it until he no longer can, as long as Martin lets him.
Dick is seeing clear, he still had a lick of nicotine in his body, but that wasn’t changing his mind, he wanted what he wanted, and nothing was going to stop him..He leaned in, keeping a distance of a few meters away from Martin’s lips, asking a deep question, as he looked back into those brown eyes, and gripping the side of his face, softly, but hard at the same time. “Can I kiss you?”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The question wasn’t expected, especially not from Richard Grayson. The boy that Martin had been crushing on for at least a year or more. ‘Can I kiss you?’ It was really a simple question, a yes or no, but Martin was never one of yes or noes. Oswald says that no question can only have two answers, it can either have a question or it can have an answer. Not both, or more than the others. Martin had learned a lot of things from Os, he was his father, well, not really but he was on paper. So was Edward Nygma, a man that Martin hadn’t spoken to in almost two years.Thinking about his dad wasn’t something that should be going through his head after the boy who he’s had the biggest crush on for years asks to kiss him. Martin didn’t know what to do, he wasn’t gonna decline, but he didn’t know if he had the courage to accept. The brunette wasn’t going to say no, so he must say yes, but he didn’t know if he could speak it into existence. Much like after he strains his vocal cords too much, his throat tightened, he just couldn’t find his voice.As he was going to start speaking, well, say a word. A loud crash came from the room behind where the couch was, and then Oswald yelling out many words, that he recognized as Hungarian swears, and then a very loud, ‘Fuck!’ Come from the room. Dicks hands went from Martin's face, Martin had wished they’d stayed there forever. To the cousins of the couch pulling himself off of the couch, a cascade of blonde hair also pooped out from the outside door. Jervis was peeking into the house. “The fuck was that?” He asked, as he flicked his cigarette to the street. Martin simply shrugged his shoulders, still flushed from the close proximity of Dick and himself.Everyone made their way to the door where the sound came from. The door flung open and Oswald, looking very startled, looked over the group. “You good Ozzy?” Jervis asked. “Yeah, I’m fine, just dropped a mug, cut myself a tad.” He explained, showing his bleeding hand. “Want some help cleaning it up?” Dick asked, being very nice about his words. “No, but uh, why do you two look like fucking tomatoes?” He asked, looking between the two teenage boys. “Oh, it's hot in here.”Oswald obviously didn’t believe this, but he went on with their little lie. “Well, I gotta go do stuff. So, bye-bye now.” Oswald said lightly, chuckling, and closing the door on the trio’s faces. “Damn, I'm going to the store, y’all want anything?” Jervis asked as he went over to the couch, to grab his mint container, which served as a wallet. “No thank you, uncle Jervis.” Martin said, seemingly for the both of them. And with one last bye, Jervis was gone. He was going to the corner store, to either buy booze, or some more cigarettes. Most likely both today.Martin never wanted anything from there, except for cigarettes, and he bought those himself. Dick just wasn’t in the mood for anything. Dick shuffled and looked down at his feet as he cleared his throat. Martin was also kinda being awkward, but he was covering it up way better than the former.“So, I’m gonna go and change, see ya.” Martin said, really wanting to escape the situation. He really did have to change his clothes, they were kinda covered in dirt and blood, and one of his sleeves had to be sewn on later. He got dirty as fuck when he was in the narrows, the place is literally known for being one of the dirtiest places in jersey. He didn’t know how he even ended up in the fucking narrows. There was supposed to be a shipment at one of the docks, but it never came, and since Oswald has put Ms. Kean on any and all shipments coming into gotham. He went to go ask her about the missing container. And Martin was dragged down with him. He didn’t talk to Barbara, he didn’t really like her, she was mean, and fucking stupid some times. He much preferred her wife, Lee, she was the ‘Queen of the narrows,’ and the nicest lady Martin knew. She was always so happy when he came by, and always had a good conversation. She also lived next to Martin, so they did see each other a lot of the time.Barbara part 2 was also there, it was friday, and the custody agreement that James and Babs had said that Barbara spend all week with her father, monday to friday, and she spent the weekends with her mother, Friday to sunday. And Barbara was okay with this agreement, as much as Martin knew. He didn’t have a problem with Babs, she was one of the main parts in the way he could never have the one thing in this world that he had wanted since the day it walked into his life.But he didn’t blame Barbara for that. Like how some wives who’ve been cheated on by their husbands, are decent friends with the women that he cheated on her with. As long as they didn’t know he was married. It wasn’t Barbara’s fault that Dick liked her, Martin would never tell her that she needed to back off. Because if she did, it would break Dick, he was so head-over-heels for this girl, that he wouldn’t take said rejection so easily. But when Barbara wheeled up to him, saying hi and showing that soft smile, set on rosy lips. She told him all about her new boyfriend. She was being very guessing game type, and wouldn’t tell him who it was, the boy was close to him, and he was a friend of hers. He had thought it was for sure Dick, until the words Luke Fox came out of her mouth.Martin was a mix of angry, and relieved. He was angry because this would hurt Dick harder than any rejection would, but on the other hand, this would mean that Dick would need the one who he leans on for everything. And he could take his chance when Dick was most vulnerable.He had to physically pull himself out of his own head. He was mean, evil as many enemies of the mob would say. But he wasn’t cruel, wasn’t vindictive, he’d take advantage of anything that came his way, but Dick wasn’t just some business opportunity, he was Martin’s best friend, and he couldn’t do that to someone who he claimed to love.He could feel a tear fall down his face, good that the mask that covered the top part of his eyes was still on. Barbara was raving on about her new boyfriend, and not paying any attention to the short boy in front of her.Martin thanked god for that, he was most likely red in the face, puffing up and snot coming out of his nose everywhere. He had learned to concelle the sound of crying from others around him. Daddy- shit, he really was feeling bad- Harold had hated loud noises, especially crying. He would give a loud sigh, and grunt when Martin would cry, tell that whore to shut her kid up, and take his seat back on the probably uncomfortable recliner.Martin excused himself and took a second. He wouldn’t take advantage of his best friend like that. It’s not like he wanted in his pants, he just wanted Richard. He wouldn’t do that anyways.There was no reason why they shouldn’t be together, they got along great. They’re parents got along. They both like guys, and they would make a great couple. But somethings where in the way of that. The fact that they were on different sides of history. Martin was going to run Gotham one of these days, and it would be from the underworld. Dick was going to be a hero, save the world. And Martin was just going to drag him down.Martin was in the bathroom, when he noticed he hadn’t brought any clothes. He walked through the flat to his room. As he opened the door he was met with Dick, he was sleeping on Martin’s bed. He must have been exhausted from all that crying. He grabbed his clothes and exited the room.(Tw: self harm is mentioned, stay safe!)Dick opened one eye, checking if Martin had left the room. The shower turning on was a sign of him being inside of the bathroom at least. Dick laid on his back and stared to the ceiling. It was white, popcorned, and had a hole in it. It was a bullet hole, Dick didn’t know why it was there.There was also a mirror on the ceiling. It was shattered though, broken in many places. Seemingly from things being thrown at it. Dick knew of Martin’s violent tendencies, mostly from Oswald. But some from a past that Dick has never known, was never told of.He knew it had something to do with the burns on Martin’s inter arm, cigarette burns. The faded ones, not the newer ones, they were made with a lighter, and Martin’s nails, digging into his wrist. Martin had always struggled with self harm.The door knob on the bathroom has been kicked off, and the knob to Martin’s door. It was until the whole door was taken off, and replaced with a sheet.Dick had never done anything about it, he acted like he didn’t know that he did it. It wasn’t his place to ask about things that Martin didn’t want him knowing.He may have been trying to think of anything except what he had asked. What he had wanted. He wanted his best friend to kiss him, he wanted to kiss his best friend on his father’s couch. In the middle of the living room.Why would he ask that, and what would Martin's answer have been? Would he have pushed Dick off, cursing him out and throwing the other out on his ass. Or would he have nodded and leaned into Dick’s heated lips.Stop. He had to tell himself as he got up off of the bed that he had been “Sleeping” in.Maybe a glass of water and an Advil would clear his head better than a nap would. Knowing his way to the kitchen he made his way, one step closer to decent tap water and something to kill the raging pain in his head. Probably from all that crying.As he looked for a cup to house the water he was wanting, he heard a very familiar cane being tapped on tile. “Hi Oswald, how's your hand?” He asked at an attempt at small talk. “It’s fine,” he assured. “you gonna tell me why it looks like you’ve been through the ringer?” He asked.Oswald always knew of course Oswald always knew. He was smart as a whip, despite all the allegations from The riddler. And he knew how to read people. Especially kids. And he always knew.“I’d rather not talk about it, if that's okay Oz.” Earning him a soft smile and a hand on his shoulder. “Of course kid, just don't be scared to come to me when you are ready to talk.” He said. Oswald was never good with others feelings. But this whole father thing made him learn quickly.Dick nodded and asked where the Advil was. He was directed and Oswald left him to his own devices in the moderately big kitchen. There was still eyeliner under Martin's eyes when he came out of the bathroom. Steam following behind him. Sadly when he looked over to the bed which had a sleeping Dick in it just 30 minutes ago, was empty. Making a noise of disappointment he threw the dirty suit in his hand into the hamper in his room.As he was going to go look for the boy wonder, he was met with a pair of blue eyes that were still a tad red from crying. Martin’s chest tightened as Dick stopped in his tracks. Still making eye contact. “Yes,” Martin said looking at intentful eyes. Dick’s head went to the side, in confusion. “Yes, you can kiss me.” Martin explained, rasping it out.And with that, Martin was pinned to his wall, mouth being kissed and him kissing back.This was perfect. And Martin didn’t care where thisput them, this was where he wanted to be right now. Fuck the future. Fuck the right and wrong sides of history. This was the side that he wanted to be on.