HAZEL POV:
"I bought us some fritters!"
Superboy flies up to us and plops down on the ledge of the roof next to me. He waves the treat in front of my face, about to set it down in my lap when I interrupt him.
"You can have mine." I smile.
His jaw drops in surprise. "Hazel Cotello, denying the offer of free food? Who even are you?"
Damian scoffs, his cape fluttering in the wind. "Don't discourage her newfound ability to control herself."
I huff, elbowing Damian in the ribs. Considering he was Robin, he should've blocked the attack, but I guess he just wasn't good enough. Heh.
"Ow." He growls over at me.
I stick my tongue out at him teasingly. "You deserved that."
"So, can I have your fritter?" Jon asks, cutting through Robin's glare. I nod and Jon's face lights up even more.
"Tell me why we're even here with you." Damian looks away, scanning the scene below We sat on the GWRC rooftop ledge, tucked away from view, the three of us hanging out. To our left, the Bay waters crashed up against the shore, and to the right, we could see the city skyline rise up through the dim clouds.
I'd visited the Cave two days ago, Damian reluctantly taking me in order to get me to shut up.
To be fair, if you found out your friend was a masked, crime-fighting vigilante along with Batman and they had a badass lair, you'd want to check it out too.
Let's just say Bruce was not too amused when he saw me there. At first he thought that Damian told me, but then I shut him up and took the credit for it all. Because really, it was I who figured that shit out.
I got big brain.
Alfred smiled over at me then. He's a boss bitch. He knew that I'd figure it out. I love that guy.
Jon got all excited after he saw me down there, and he was so happy to finally tell me the truth.
It only made me feel bad, because I couldn't tell them about mine. At least, not yet.
Robin did not have a high sight of metas (I wasn't a meta, per se, but he'd categorize me as one). I was dangerous to Bruce etc., as Bruce explained in a lengthy lecture the day I went down to the Cave. I still had no idea who Eli was, and why I was branded.
Brands are targets, something to distinguish someone from the rest. A bullseye painted on my back, but I have no clue who'll fire the shot. It didn't heal with my enhanced healing, so I doubt it was just a burn, it had to be something related to magic.
And what the hell did the Aztec Sun symbol mean? Was I gonna be sacrificed to some old-timey gods?
Ma was hiding something about Eli, that was for sure. Why did she make him promise to stay away from me?
And this whole new shit with Robin being my best friend and Superboy being my other best friend, it was a bit nerve-wracking.
If they really were so good at their jobs, they could easily figure me out and lock me up. They'd get furious because I never told them about my predicament when I knew about theirs.
And I had a lot more going on behind the scenes. Being the top hustler in L.A. definitely had its downsides. Sure, I only hustled messages, and legal things, but being unregistered and a freaking kid was definitely against the law. Damian would find out soon and tag me as a criminal.
I'd lose everything I'd built with Damian. And strangely enough, I've grown to care about Pretty Boy's opinion on me. He cares about me, he proved that, and frankly, he's the first rich boy to ever be like this.
He's different. I care about him, even if destroying his ego is one of my favorite pastimes.
I'm getting soft.
Ew.
"Haze. Haze!" Jon shouts, waving his hand in my face. "You zoned out again."
"Sorry." I mumble, pushing my hair out of my face. "Just thinking."
"Lord help us all." Jon laughed and I send him a quick smile. Damian picks up on my behaviour and looks down at me, hiding a flash of concern behind a stoic expression.
"What is on your mind?"
I can't not answer. That'll be suspicious.
"My Ma."
Damian looks to the water. "She's a brave woman. Not anything like what Folgers said, if that's what you're thinking about."
"I don't give a shit what Folgers said. I'm worried about her."
"Shouldn't it be the other way around?" Jon asks. "My mom worries about me so I don't have to."
I sigh. "Yeah, but it's different for me. You guys have your dads, your brothers and in Grinch's case, his sisters. I've only got her. One single person in my family. I gotta protect her."
They're silent for a bit.
"We can be your family too." Jon says, slinging an arm around my shoulders.
"Don't worry, Jon." I smile, reaching both my arms out and dragging Damian into a group hug (to which he yelps in outrage). "You already are my family, you sexy cocksuckers."
"This is stupid." Damian's muffled voice cuts through the moment, and Jon takes the honor of slapping his shoulder to get him to shut up.
"Ouch."
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*DAMIAN POV*
Six days since Cotello figured out my alter-ego.
Six days of feeling slightly lighter, one less secret to hold from her.
Six days since I realized that I trusted her with my life. Now, isn't that a nightmare come true?
It was Saturday, and Cotello was once again 'chillin' in the Batcave with Kent and I. She dangled from the mouth of the dinosaur statue, talking to Grayson about a case as Father swept into the Cave.
"Damian?"
"Yes, Father?"
"Yes Father?" Cotello mimics me from her roost up above, and I glare at her with one of my most intimidating looks, a glare that I used on criminals, a glare that caused many of them to soil themselves.
When I turn to face her, using that same glare upon her to frighten her into silence, she just sends me an irritating, ear to ear grin. I ignore the jolt that runs up my spine at the sight of it, scowling.
She's grown immune.
Father nods in hello to Cotello, smiling softly as he turned back to me. "I don't suppose you've forgotten something, Damian? Jon?"
"Yeah Mr. Wayne?" Jon looks over at him from his seat by the Batcomputer.
"We've got a gala to attend in two days. I nearly forgot. Bring a plus one, if you'd please. Oh, uh, Hazel?" Father looked up at her, calling her attention.
"Yeah?" She hung upside down from the jaws of the dinosaur, her hair hanging towards the ground, and she looked over at Father. She looked like a spider monkey, always sitting up in the high roosts.
He sighed. "Would you like to come along to the gala?"
"You'd want me there?"
"Well, I insist. You're quite quickly becoming family."
"....do they have a chocolate fountain?"
I mentally face-palmed.
Of course Cotello would only want to come to mooch off of food.
"Yes indeed." Father chuckled. He fondly looked up at her, which wasn't too surprising to me. She'd already connected extremely well with everyone, and it had only been a couple of times she'd been over. "So, shall I RSVP you a spot?"
"I don't know? I mean, I'm not rich or anything, I don't exactly have an appropriate wardrobe..."
"Don't you worry. The girls will take you shopping."
"Whoa whoa, I'm paying though! I've got enough stored up for a fancy schmancy dress. I'll just sell something."
"You don't have to-"
"I insist."
Father smiled to himself, before turning to me. "Bring a date this time, Damian. It'll keep the press off your tail."
I grumble in annoyance. "Fine."
He leaves then, heading off to some corporate meeting, and Kent flies over to me, picking up Cotello on his way. She lets him pry her off the dinosaur and set her down next to me.
"So?" She wiggles her eyebrows towards the both of us. "Who're you gonna take?"
Kent uncomfortably shifts. "I don't know, actually."
I scoff. "I'll just take some ornamental female. Nobody special."
Cotello wrinkles her nose at me. "You know, using women like that isn't a good thing to do, right?"
"I'm not using them if they want to do it first."
Cotello scowls, planting her hands on her hips. " Not using them? How many girls have you dated and dumped, Mr. Womanizer Jr?"
I huff. "None of your conc-"
"3." Kent snickers, and I send him a death glare.
Cotello looks displeased. " Well, send them my condolences. And you, Jon?"
Kent rubs the back of his neck. "Nobody yet."
"Aw, he's still so pure and innocent-" She starts squishing his cheeks teasingly, and I scowl over at her, crossing my arms.
"And you, Hazel ? You can't just ask everyone except yourself that question." Kent replies, and suddenly, I find myself listening intently and angrily for the answer.
"Eh, I've had several first dates. It only ever got serious with one, but then it wasn't actually serious, et cetera." She waves off her words as if it was a cloud floating about her head.
I huff, ignoring the spike in my heartbeat, and turn to Kent. "I highly doubt she'll ever find anyone to take her to the gala. Would you like to babysit her? I myself will be busy, but I think we both know someone's got to supervise her ass. "
Cotello makes a noise of outrage but Kent cuts her off.
He laughs, bowing down low and holding out a hand to Cotello. "Madam, would you like to be my babysit-tee?"
Cotello crosses her arms and huffs.
"You guys are assholes."
From across the Cave, Grayson bellowed in laughter. We promptly ignored him, and turned to Cotello, who darkly looked over at us.
"I can take care of myself! I don't need you guys to make me a babysit-tee!"
"I doubt 'babysit-tee'' is a real word, both of you."
"Well, every word is a made up word, so shut up, Damian!"
Kent quickly cuts in before Cotello and I could spiral into another argument. "Hazel, forget everything we just said. Do you wanna be my plus one to the Gala? As friends, I mean."
"Does that mean you're gonna protect me from the wrath of a cranky Damian Wayne?" She plucked at her nails, sending a pointed side-eye glance in my direction.
There's a strange feeling that pokes at my stomach, and I glare at the wall. Even though Kent's taking of Cotello was my suggestion, I strangely did not want to condone it.
Kent chuckles. "Indeed, M'lady."
"It's a deal then. I hang off your arm, you shield me from post-gala Dami when we get outta there." She smirks and takes his hand, and Kent twirls her around cheekily.
"Get a room." I hiss, finding something burning rise up in my throat. I turn around and stalk out of the cave.
Once again, I malfunctioned.
I shouldn't be feeling like this. I was Damian Wayne! The almighty Heir! The prince of Gotham!
Yet even so, seeing Cotello's hand dwarfed by Kent's was enough to make me malfunction again.
Why am I feeling like this? Stupid emotions!
Perhaps I could ask Grayson tomorrow in secrecy, while the girls were out with Cotello to help her choose a dress.
Yes, I have to. I've been acting way too weird, lately, and I can't stop it. I've been feeling things, weird, inexplicable things, and there might be something wrong with me.
I don't know the reason to these feelings, and that's rather frightening.
I've never felt this way before. Not with any of my exes, not with any of my associates-? What was going on with me?
But for now, I had to get a plus one hanging off my arm. I go through my contacts, wondering who I could take that the press would be more chill over.
Chill? I never use that vile word. Why would I- ?
My eyes widen in realization as my thumb hovers over her name. Her name.
Hazel Cotello.
Oh no.
Oh no.
But no matter how much I try to block out the wave that suddenly comes crashing down on my mind, I can't. More of those weird feelings overwhelm me, as her infamous shit-eating grin flashes in front of my vision, as her infectious laughter rings through my head.
No no no no!
I panic, slamming the door to my room and leaning against it, feeling everything set into place, feeling the concrete dry.
I slide down to the floor, trying to collect myself, trying to slam the brick wall back into place, panicking as it crumbles away in my hands.
No way!
Yes way, I morosely think, feeling my heartbeat thunder its way into my ears.
Hazel Cotello was the reason.
Everything just got a hell of a lot more complicated.
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Ah!
Another shitty chapter, up for grabs!
Here ya go, I promise you, the crazy ex is coming real, real soon, I just need to set some things in place first.
Hope you enjoyed reading.
Stay tuned <3
-Jumpy