gilded

[bossymarmalade]

takes place directly after the Halloween party, with Kate dressed as Phillip Marlowe and Ollie dressed as a satyr

kate: You have fun last night?

ollie: Some. Hal kinda surprised me. That costume was weird.

kate: I didn't take Hal for the drag type.

ollie: Me neither! He mentioned something about how Kyle's encouraging him to be kinkier, which led Hal to envision himself in a schoolgirl skirt, and so forth and such like. But a schoolgirl skirt in private is miles away from a Queen of Tarts costume in public!

kate: *grin* He's got nice legs, though. *blinks a few times, out of reverie* Sorry. *clears throat* I didn't think Kyle was, uh, that kind of kinky.

ollie: I have no idea if he is. Hal's relating of the tale was less about Kyle and more about how wonderfully the pleats would lie over his ass. *grins and pulls her close* But I don't wanna talk about that.

kate: *leans in, murmurs against his neck* Would you rather talk about how you've got me listening to Leonard Cohen?

ollie: You've got me reading him. Very very slowly, because I keep stopping to think about you. You and me, a thousand kisses deep.

kate: Should we start with just one for now, then build up to it?

( swirls and slashes )

the nowhere

[bossymarmalade]

Jason Blood was pleased with himself. It had taken years, and not to mention a small fortune as well, but he had finally tracked down a copy of the Pergamum Codex. Many thought the book of prophecies to be lost; the last known copies of it had been destroyed in the late 17th Century. But Blood had heard whispers that one or two had survived the great purge. And now he had proof. He had one in his hands.

The trail of the book had taken Jason to the most dreaded of places: sunny and warm California. But it was all worth it. He paid the right people, struck the right deals. Now he was back at his home outside of Gotham. Now he was in his study with a soft lamp on his table about to participate in his most treasured pastime. He was about to read an ancient tome… alone and undisturbed.

The immortal mage poured a snifter of cognac, room temperature as he liked it. He ran his left hand over the smooth leather backing of his reading chair. He slowly inhaled, savoring the air, the musty smell of the book.

Taking his seat, Jason Blood pulled on a pair of white cotton gloves. This was a valuable find and he was not about to do anything to damage it. Jason took the Pergamum Codex in both hands and lifted gently, as if cradling a small child. Placing the book on his lap, he paused and closed his eyes. Reading was one of the few joys the old knight still had in this world and he was planning on savoring every moment of this.

( hermetic dawn )

check your dance card

[bossymarmalade]

The Abigail Horton Charity Ball was not one of Star City’s more glitzy or titillating yearly events. Instead, it was a sort of party anachronism, a perfectly and unchangingly orchestrated snobfest that had somehow endured in a city increasingly derisive of any social caste system. One of the reasons for this longevity was most likely the continued and considerable support from Oliver Queen, who had dutifully attended the Ball almost every year since its inception.

This, however, was the first year he’d actually brought somebody with him.

“Did you get a look at the cloakroom?” Ollie nudged Kate as, coats checked, they strolled through to the cocktail area of the enormous venue. “There was so much fur in there it was like some Guy Maddin windchime, all those little fox paws knocking against each other. The saddest clapping in the world.”

A waiter whisked a gleaming tray of champagne flutes in front of them, and Ollie swiftly appropriated one for each of them before the waiter disappeared again, having said nothing at all. Ollie grinned at Kate, resisting the urge to loop an arm around her, kiss her perfect hair. They had the whole party to ride out, after all; he needed to pace himself. Instead he gestured around with his glass before sipping from it. “I know you’ve been to some upscale soirees, Katie, but I’ll bet you’ve never been to a real dyed-in-the-silk, old money, pearl-clutching and monocle-popping kinda gig. Get ready to be scrutinized from stem to stern by every wealthy family that’s creaked out of the crypt and gussied up to be here.”

Apart from the waiters, they really were among the youngest people in attendance.

“You totally just brought me along so you’d have someone to snark to, didn’t you,” Kate murmured back in Ollie’s ear. She’d mastered the fine art of holding a pleasant-yet-uninterested expression a long time ago (it was sort of a job requirement), and she kept hers on even while making observations like this.

Ollie could get away with being overheard. Kate was many things that he wasn’t that made her only on the edge of suitable for attending, not to mention female as well. The expression wasn’t quite a mask; it was, she figured, what would be construed as civility…even if behind it, she was anything but. Or maybe it was from some bone-deep sense of self-preservation. Or both. It was hard to say.

Gently putting her hand on his shoulder, to turn a little, she took a sip of her drink and noted, still sotto voce, “To be honest, I’m stunned the animal-rights activists aren’t camped outside, because this would be seriously easy pickings, especially for Star City. Or am I missing the discreet police presence keeping them 100 yards away?”

( high society whirl )

sweater shopping, batbrat style

[bossymarmalade]

Jason sent his thanks and hardly a minute later got another message alert. Stephanie’s address. He moved the message to a ‘Saved’ folder but he knew it was not going to get forgotten any time soon. Not bothering to double check it, Jason still managed to get to her place on time despite having set off later than schedule so as not to seem too eager.

He parked up and went to her door, shaking his limbs a little whilst he waited, he just could not seem to relax. Come on get a grip, Jay, he told himself. After all, how many times had he gone out with girls in the past few months before coming home?

And this was Stephanie. Not even a date. Just Stephanie.

Whoa…where had ‘date’ come from?

Steph heard her doorbell and checked her hair again in the bathroom mirror. Why the hell was she nervous? She and Jason were just hanging out, no big deal. No big deal. She took the stairs two at a time when she realized she was keeping him waiting and let him in. “Hey, stranger. Is this a home invasion?” she greeted him. Giving him a hug, she ushered him in. “Let me grab my shoes and we can go.”

She slipped her shoes on and grabbed her purse. “So you’re driving? I’m honored you’d let me touch your bike.” Steph picked up the to-go coffee cups and paper bag she picked up earlier. “Hope you don’t mind, but I wasn’t kidding about coffee being on me. The blueberry muffin was an impulse buy, though,” she told him a little sheepishly.

( Read more... )

kane squared

[bossymarmalade]

Bette throws ten reps of double punches into the bag.

“Your form is getting a lot better.”

The younger Kane girl smiles to herself as she changes her position to do 20 reps of kicks into the bag, alternating legs. “How long have you been standing there?” she pulls out one of her ear buds for her iPod.

Kate smirks, leaning with her arms folded against the door frame. “Long enough.”

Bette starts her kick reps, trying hard to focus on her workout, but with Kate standing watch her, she’s focused more on impressing her. The kicks come faster, harder, higher, anything but consistent.

“Hey, hey,” Kate taps her on the shoulder. “You’re better than that. Focus.”

She stops, realizing she lost count anyway. “Right…sorry…”

Kate steps back. “Start again?”

( double down )

if you can't stand the heat

[bossymarmalade]

The unholy sounds of flesh ripping and bone crunching could be heard down the hall. The racket would be sickening and alarming if it were not for the secure and mundane location they were coming from.

Etrigan sat alone at a table in the Watchtower cafeteria eating - well eating may be too generous a descriptive word. Devouring? Destroying? Consuming? Yeah, we’ll go with consuming - a giant platter of Buffalo chicken wings. Red sauce was dripping down the sides of his mouth. Skin scraps and meat chunks and bone shards covered the table and the floor around him. No napkin was in sight.

*BBBRRRRAAAAAAPPPP*

The Demon’s belch seemed to underscore his utter disregard for any semblance of table manners. To him, this was a gluttonous feast for him alone.

“Yes, I know” Etrigan said out loud to no one.
“They grow suspicious.
But if things take a turn,
I can still be quite vicious”

Returning to his, oh let’s be kind and call it a “meal”, Etrigan plowed into a handful of spicy fowl. The Demon did not even notice when a League member entered the cafeteria behind him…

( immolation )

the dive

[bossymarmalade]

J’onn arrived at the location provided by Oliver a little early. He was in one of his most familiar human forms so as not to draw unwanted attention from the natives. J’onn chose a table in the back. The place was not very crowded but the table he picked was out of way of any traffic flow just in case.

He ordered a shot. When the waitress was walking his way with the whiskey on her tray, she screamed and dropped it, shattering the whiskey glass and spilling the drink on the floor. ”Spiders!” she shrieked as she ran back towards the bar, franticly brushing imaginary arachnids off her arms. ”Spiders!”

J’onn’s smirk was clearly visible in the soft light of the bar as he waited for the Archer to arrive.

The Centrel City Bar (so named to distinguish it from the score of other similarly-named bars in the city) had changed since the last time Ollie’d been there. In addition to the low-light types drowning in beer and the local liquor called Central Strip, there was a smattering of young hipsters filling up on caipirinhas and irony.

Despite his nondescript appearance, J’onn was easy to spot, chilling at the back as the waitress had some sort of wobbly and dashed back to the bar. Sparing her a perplexed glance, Ollie slid into the seat across from his old colleague, his expression deepening as he took in the uncharacteristic smirk.

“Heyyyy,” he said, slinging his bow case over the back of his chair. “Should we get a round of shots? Looks like yours is rolling across the floor.”

( draw and release )

the unhungry games

[bossymarmalade]

“I know what you’re doing,” Ollie intoned direly, raising one eyebrow at the giggling little girl who was half-hiding on the other side of the red-clothed table, just her button nose and big brown eyes visible over the top. “You’re trying to get me all hopped up on sugar so I’ll give you an airplane ride like last time, aren’t you?”

Little Priya giggled harder and ducked entirely out of sight for a moment, leaving Ollie to check his watch as he licked sugar syrup from his fingers. Steph should be along any moment now, and he’d brought one of Mia’s bows for her to work with. The rental bows at the range were good quality, but they weren’t built by Green Arrow. There was no reason Stephanie shouldn’t start with the best.

But still, there was time to get in at least *one* airplane ride. Ollie scooped Priya up and hoisted her into the air, flying her around as he mentally made a list of trick arrows Steph might like to try out.

Steph walked into the archery range Ollie texted her the address to and was pulling her hair up into a ponytail. She was psyched for their first lesson, and ever the troll, couldn’t wait to see Bruce’s face if she could pull off some trick shots in the Batcave. Spotting Ollie swinging a little giggling girl around in his arms, she popped up beside him sneakily and said in his ear, “BOO!” and laughed at his expression.

“What’s shaking, Olliewood?” she asked, and smiled brightly at the little girl. “Woah! You’re up high! Do you like flying, hon?” Men and little kids were undeniably adorable. Something shiny caught Steph’s eye and she swiped her thumb across Ollie’s chin to get the syrup off. “Been into the sweets again, huh? I hope you haven’t been eating waffles without me. The evidence is incriminating.”

( untoward cheer )

stay out of the kitchen

[bossymarmalade]

Zatanna magically teleported Captain Marvel and herself directly into the cafeteria. “One warning only, Etrigan. Say the poem and transform back to Jason Blood. NOW” He was loathe to start a physical fight with Etrigan here, inside the tower, but there was nothing stopping his mother from teleporting them a hundred feet from the Watchtower, in space if it came down to fisticuffs.
Etrigan barely even looked up from his meal at the Magician and the Mightiest Mortal.

“You come in here barking your orders quite loud,
But why should I leave here and miss this fun bash?
Zauriel knew where his actions would lead -
And that’s why he’s now just a sad pile of ash.”

The Demon tossed the bone he had been gnawing on onto a growing pile in on the floor. Following the bone’s trajectory, the heroes could see he was tossing trash onto a pile of ashes that only an hour ago was their teammate, the Angel Zauriel.

“Blame someone else! I did nothing wrong!
I touched but one feather on that Angel’s wing.
I merely sat here enjoying my supper -
It is quite delicious and fit for a king!” Etrigan said, smiling.

( rhymes that cut )

lines redrawn

[bossymarmalade]

Dick had been thinking all day about the night before. Guy’s confusion when he’d rubbed the makeup off of Dick’s thighs and hips, and the horrible, twisting feeling in Dick’s stomach when he told Guy about Ollie kept haunting him all through work. Even that morning, they’d barely said a word as Dick got ready for work aside from the usual “I love you”s. Dick felt he had done something terribly wrong, and all he wanted to do was come home and fix it, make everything as it should be.

When he got home, he started up a pot of soup, calling Guy to let him know he could come back over anytime, and changed out of his uniform. They’d talked extensively last night about what had happened with Ollie, but they’d let it go after the explanation. Now Dick wanted to know how to get back to level. He was falling again, and he needed the ground back under him.

Guy, for his part, had been kicking himself all day. He shouldn’t have been upset at Dick for anything, even if he was hiding it and saying little. The hurt and jealousy…he had no right to feel that way. He’d made his bed, and now he was lying in it.

He arrived at his lover’s door with a bottle of his favourite cider, a small peace offering, or perhaps a symbol of reassurance that Guy’s feelings for him hadn’t changed.

( like cartography in a way )

smoothing the wrinkles

[bossymarmalade]

He’d changed the sheets.

It was only after he’d taken the other set to the laundry that he realized he’d done it. He stopped a moment and laughed at himself, shaking his head. Was he really THAT confident about this little reunion thing?

Well, in a word, yes.

Smoothing his hands through his hair, Hal headed to the bathroom, picking up a clean shirt and pulling it on. Buttoning it up, he looked at himself in the mirror. Was this the same man who had been Parallax? the same man who’d fallen victim to the lie that he could change everything? and make it ‘right’ again? The grey at his temples stood out more starkly in the bright bathroom light…but it wasn’t the same. The hair didn’t ring his head in white, caused by…fear.

“No.”

He shook his head. He was Parallax no more. He was Hal Jordan, and he would only be Hal Jordan. Even with part of Ion’s power, he could stay himself, he could stay…sane. He had to. With so much to live for now, how could he let himself come apart?

Walking back into the main room, he told himself all he could do now was wait…and hope that Ollie really wanted to extend the olive branch.

It was odd, the Coast City house. Even the idea of it was odd, visiting Hal someplace so big and seemingly permanent. All the while Ollie’d known him, the guy had been transient, constantly moving — hotel rooms to the truck to lovers’ homes to outer space — and even though most of the League from the old days knew Hal’s place at 22 Seaview, in the grand scheme of things that apartment hadn’t even lasted that long.

And now he’d up and bought a Green Lantern chapterhouse.

( slow approach )

vergiften

[bossymarmalade]

“Desaad!” the Lord and Conquerer of Apokolips called out from his throne room. ”Come in here! I have something for you to do. A task for my… amusement.”

“Yes Almighty Darkseid” the Master Torturer of Apokolips and Darkseid’s right hand answered as he entered the throne room bowing. ”What is thy will my Lord?” Before his Dark Master could answer, Desaad saw an Earth pilot suit and helmet on a table in the corner of the room.

“Dress in this disguise,” Darkseid commanded, “go to Earth, steal something called a ‘helicopter’, then send this invitation to the one known as the Flamebird. Then wait at these coordinates for further instructions.” The evil lord handed his henchman a piece of paper with numbers written on it.

“Of course Mighty One” Desaad answered pulling off his robe and putting on the jumpsuit. Grabbing the helmet, he opened a boom tube with his remote and began to walk through the gateway to another dimension.
“Your will commands all Great Darkseid!” Desaad shouted as the boom of his trans-dimensional travel reverberated through the room.

Darkseid, rarely one to allow anyone else to see him do so, allowed himself a private smile…
It was easy enough to find a helicopter rental business. It was even easier to kill the owner and take his place, though Desaad would have preferred capture and long torture sessions. But he was following direct orders from his Master.

Desaad sent the invitation through the mail as instructed, then piloted the stolen helicopter to the Earth coordinates as he was told.

“I have arrived at the location you instructed, I have acquired the items that you requested, and have sent the invitation as you commanded Lord Darkseid” Desaad’s voice announced over the communicator in Darkseid’s throne room on Apokolips. ”What shall I do next?”

( never mind the fine text )

perspective

[bossymarmalade]

Their visit had come to an end all-too-soon, he realized, as he ushered Dick to the balcony of Hal’s sprawling beachfront estate. It was nicer than even Bruce’s summer cottage, where Guy had been given the opportunity for the first time to really talk to Dick on any meaningful level.

“Keep in touch amigo, okay?” he told Kyle over his shoulder, “I’ll try to bring Ribbit by tomorrow.” Hell, any excuse to see more of Kyle, and to let him know he wasn’t as isolated from his friends, and the world, as he was feeling right now without the use of his green power ring. Sure, it was by his own very responsible choice, but that perhaps made it harder for him; he wasn’t just resigning himself to accept his ringless situation brought about by the need to refrain from using Ion’s power, he was probably having to fight the temptation use it anyway.

Kyle walked them to the balcony and watched as they flew up into the air, bidding them goodbye with a salute and a smile. “Laterino, amigos.”

Guy caught himself looking back several times, until he saw the tiny dot on the seaview balcony disappear back inside the house and the outside light get flicked off. He flew southward along the coast with Dick under his arm, saying nothing for a long while, but flying slower than they did on the way there.

Dick snuggled close to him, itching to say something, but he chose to distract himself with the scenery instead. He knew all too well how much Dick loved flying with him, just the two of them like this. Sometimes, after a long day of work, or a grueling evening of patrolling Bludhaven, if Dick’s spirits needed a lift and he wasn’t too tired, Guy would treat him to something just like this.

“…Nice house, huh?” Guy finally broke the silence.

“Yeah! Yeah, it’s really nice. Really big. Very modern,” Dick replied, encouraging and agreeable. Anything to keep the talk going.

“Can I tell ya something? And you won’t think bad of me?” Guy heard himself ask, then shook his head at his own questions. He could tell him anything, and Dick wouldn’t think bad of him. It didn’t even need asking, but had he been talking to anyone else, he’d have felt differently. Heck, anyone else could say “sure”, and it still wouldn’t be a guarantee he was actually safe to speak freely. But not Dick. Never Dick.

“All this time, even before the Ion thing…I thought Kyle was gradually choosin’ Coast City over Venice Beach. I mean, it makes sense, wantin’ to be with Hal, an’ in a perfect home like that, right? But really, it ain’t nothin’ like that. He actually misses livin’ over Warriors as much as I miss him.”

And there, the confession was out. He had been missing Kyle terribly. Of course, Dick knew all along, and showed it by hugging him a little tighter. ”I’m glad,” he replied, “I mean, I’m glad that he does miss it. That it was all a misunderstanding and stuff.” He kissed him. “And I’d never think bad of you.”

Guy rolled onto his back, still flying, and hugged him. “Me too. I didn’t realize how unhappy he was, but now that I know…I really want to do what I can to help him. Anything. I can’t stop worrying about him, I just gotta do something.”

“And I know you will,” the younger man nuzzled him, just as if they’d been lying on a bed instead of empty air, “That’s what best friends are for, right?”

“Yeah. Christ, the guy is feeling trapped, and none of this was really his choice…I feel awful for him. I remember, all the times I’ve had to surrender my ring, or it’s been taken from me one way or another…” His voice trailed off as he stared up into the starlit sky, twinkling bright over the blackness of the ocean surrounding them on three sides and forested coast on the fourth, not a man-made light in sight except Guy’s power ring.

His lover rested his head on Guy’s chest and listened to his beating heart. “Y’know, I think I’m sorta starting to understand what he’s going through. It’s kinda hard for me to realize how much not using his powers upsets him.”

“I’ve done both, and given the choice between them, I think I’d rather lose my mind again than my ring, Dick,” Guy said grimly.

Dickie tucked his head into the crook of Guy’s neck. “Then I hope you don’t ever lose either….”

He gave the vigilante a wry look, “Not again, anyway.”

“Fine, never lose either ever again!” he scrunched his nose playfully, ”Better?”

Guy kissed him, still flying on his back, but now above the clouds where they had a little more privacy. “Better. Everything is better, Dick. I feel really light, y’know? I got all I could want: you, my best friend, an’ my ring. Nothin’ else matters as long as I got those.”

Dick laid small kisses up his jaw, “Well, you’ll have me as long as you want me, so there’s no worries there.”

“I’m not worried,” he reiterated, “That’s kinda the best part. It feels great! I feel great!”

“That’s wonderful, Guy! I’m so happy for you.”

He pulled up to a stop, knee-deep in clouds, and turned them so they were both upright. “I’m just happy, period. And know what? It’s all. Your. Fault.” He punctuated each word with a tap to Dick’s chest, then he kissed him deeply, meaningfully. “Thank you, Love.”

Dick clung to him as they kissed. “I love you so much, Guy.”

“I love you too, Dickiebird.”

When they broke from their kiss, Dick happily suggested they go back to his place where Guy could use all his concentration on something else, and Dick could show him just how much he meant to him.

“You’re on…” he readily agreed, and veered them suddenly eastward from their southern course. Over desert, mountains, plains, and finally in just minutes, the glow in the night sky of Metropolis, Gotham, and New York loomed on the horizon. “Let me take you home…” he murmured in Dick’s ear, and he aimed them for Bludhaven, and a long night together.

simply barbaric

[bossymarmalade]

TXT: hey masculino, you still need that barbarian today? I’ve got an afternoon free. xx kate

TXT: wicked, will drive up, there by 2 or so. have brought swimsuit, tho it’s really too cold up by you to be all scantily clad. may need some incentive. or a coffee.
Kyle got Kate’s text and got to work, making sure the fancy central heaty thingie was working. The floor got warm too, which Kyle absolutely loved. Hal was the Richard Attenborough of Casa da Costa - he spared no expense.

Making a face at the drip coffee machine - he had make Hal get one of those fancy machines - he put some up to brew; he also scooped out some fancy hot tomatillo salsa verde he’d gotten at the little Mexican restaurant/deli that he worked close to. He hadn’t tried it yet. But he made Hal eat some and it was confirmed that said salsa was muy caliente.

Or as Hal said ‘muy carienta’. Damn it was cute when he earnestly got Spanish wrong.

Kyle grabbed his phone and texted back.

[Txt] See you soon. You’re doing me a humongous favor, I owe you bigtime.

( sonja roja )

mapping metropolis

[bossymarmalade]

Kyle flies to Metropolis, but has trouble finding Zee and Clark’s home, and texts her instead. —[Txt] Help! I’m flying and I can’t find you! Point me!—

Zee texts back with a laugh, [Text] With all that ring’s power you still can’t find me?! We’re in a small apartment building on the corner of 3rd and 5th! I’ll buzz you in when you get here.

Kyle buzzes after about ten minutes, trotting up the stairs to greet Zee as she waits with her apartment door open. Kyle rushes over to give her a kiss on the cheek and a brief hug. “Being a powered-down Lantern is hard work! I have to be all, like, normal and stuff. Ahhh it’s so good to see you, though! Worth all the normalcy in the world.”

Zee bops Kyle on the nose, “Oh poor baby, what are you going to do?” smiling back she added, “it’s good to see you too. So! Ready for a tour?”

Kyle nods. “Sure! Know anywhere I can grab a coffee first? No Starbucks. Maybe some cute little trendy…maybe…Superman themed coffeeshop or something?” Kyle grins hopefully, tugging at his baseball cap.

Zee loops her arm with his, shutting and locking the apartment door behind them, “Oh my god you’re such a fanboy…I think there’s a cafe a block away that has a /Superman/ sized cup of coffee.”

Laughing only a /bit/ self-consciously, Kyle jiggles her arm. “I can’t help it, I grew up playing at being the guy. It still comes out every now and then….my whole room was Superman-themed when I was five.” He looks over at her, sudden realization crossing his face. “Say….you magi Zataras don’t have a branding logo! Like the S-shield or the GL symbol. Do you?”

( city to city )

taken for a fool

[bossymarmalade]

“Okay, Dick, I understand. It can wait until the weekend.” He even smiled as he said it, to convince them both he was less disappointed than he was. “But when I do see you Saturday, you better come hungry and thirsty and with your dancing shoes, because I’m taking you out to dinner, and clubbing, and maybe we’ll even skydive without parachutes for kicks, or scuba dive without gear…”

He opened the fridge as he tucked his bluetooth over his ear and kept talking as he grabbed himself a beer. “…An’ then we’ll come back here, slip in the hot tub…heh, yeah, we don’t have to worry about Ribbit starin’, either, I took her over to Hal’s place.”

Dick chuckled low, the sound going into a moan at the thought of the weekend with Guy. “That all sounds wonderful. How about a long weekend together, just you and me and everyone else can fend for themselves for a while? We can just talk and cuddle and play and… enjoy each other.”

He giggled to himself, glad Bette was taking long enough in the shower for him to talk to Guy. “I’m really sorry to change plans like this, Guy, but believe me, I’ll definitely make it up to you. Any way you’d like….”

( the not known )