By Chicago
Pairing: Woozy/Eel
NOTE: Bedtime Stories is a series of vignettes that will make more sense if you've read Waking. All six stories are set within a day or two of the end of Waking and are presented in chronological order, but each one more or less stands alone.
Disclaimers: Characters and setting belong to DC Comics, borrowed for fun, not for profit.
Setting: J'onnverse
Canon notes:
GL: Jenny Lynn Hayden (aka Jade) got her powers back during the "Ion" storyline in Green Lantern (issues 143-150).
Plas: Part of the dialogue regarding Plasticman's fatherly potential is taken from JLA #65. For more on Plas and Woozy, read Darklady's "Thanksgiving is for Families" in the J'onnverse.
Aquaman: We've jettisoned Obsidian Age in favor of the J'onnverse's "All's Fair." There will be similar issues, though, since ripping the capital city out of a nation for several months is bound to have ripple effects. A small general note on Dolphin - I'm playing with her characterization and drawing from earlier than present canon.
Rating: Mostly PG-ish, although the Plasticman segment might move into R territory.
Archive: Batslash and Martian Manlove page
Bedtime Stories - Plasticman
By Chicago
The dark felt alive.
He shuddered internally, but he put on a brave expression anyway.
He hated the dark.
Dark tasted of whiskey and cigarette burns and stale urine-soaked mattresses.
It was moving now, and he remembered how seductive dark could be.
It covered flaws. It covered crimes.
It was talking to him.
"Of all of us, I thought you would make the best father."
A chill voice, threatening and delicious at the same time. But the words...
He stiffened his back and crossed his arms over his chest, glaring into the dark. "Why? I barely cut it as a hero, as you've noticed. My responsibility quotient is next to zero. And in case you missed it, I'm not exactly what I would call a role model. Did time, remember? Petty thug. I would've operated in your town, you would've taken me down."
The dark hovered expectantly around him, saying nothing, but not accepting his excuses.
"You're not going to make me say it!" he defied.
Silence. Dark silence.
"Dammit."
More silence, still expectant, hovering at the edges of perception.
"Okay, fine. You want to know?"
Say something, he pleaded silently. But still nothing from the dark.
He scowled. "Yeah, I'm a crook. I'm a flake. No kid wants a father like that. No kid wants a dad that's gay."
The dark seemed to rustle and sigh.
"There, are you happy now? I said it. Ready to kick my fag ass out of your precious league?"
A hand reached out, resolving out of the darkness to touch his cheek.
"Gay?" the voice asked.
He raised his eyes, hoping he could swallow the hard lump in his throat before it forced tears from his eyes. "Yeah. Wanna make something of it?"
The darkness had a shape now, broad-chested and well-muscled. "I didn't know," it breathed.
"Yeah, well, it's not something you put on your resume, okay? And I don't need the Flash worrying about me checking out his ass."
A low rumble like laughter emerged from the dark, and the silhouette of a cowled man solidified in his sight. "You've checked out the Flash's ass?"
He shrugged, not able to summon up embarrassment. The worst was out there. What else could go wrong?
The glove at his cheek had not fallen away, and now it slipped behind his neck as the dark stepped forward.
God, he was gorgeous - the thought happened before Eel could stop it. The broad sweep of his shoulders tapered down in that perfect triangle to tight waist and narrow hips. And that face, only partially visible under the cowl - the strong jaw, the lips...
...lips that were even now descending to meet his.
He started at the contact, entirely surprised. This was Batman. Batman didn't have human drives. He certainly didn't...
Oh.
A forceful tongue parted his lips, demanding entry, and a tight grip pressed Eel to those washboard abs, the bulging pectorals. Rough gloved fingers stroked down his back as that tongue...
He pulled back, gasping. "Batman-" he protested.
"You didn't know?" the now-husky voice asked teasingly. "My poor O'Brian." Batman's cape seemed to melt away, leaving behind the mask and the form fitting costume. Very form fitting. No detail left to the imagination form fitting. Suddenly not there at all form fitting as Batman swept forward, claiming one of Eel's ears with lips and tongue, hardness pressing into Eel's stomach...
A soft caress of tongue pulled him awake, and his eyes fluttered open to the street lit bedroom. A gentle nip now, and a hand reached around to cradle his erection. "Ya want some help with this?" Woozy whispered lustily, adding another kiss behind the ear.
Shame flooded Eel's face as Woozy's pudgy hand curled around him. His breath caught, and he stilled Woozy's action, putting his hand atop his lover's. "Maybe not tonight," he whispered.
Woozy paused in the kisses he was trailing down Eel's neck. "Ya sure? Ya feel ... mmm."
Eel rolled to face the man spooned behind him. "Only as good as you make me feel," Eel lied, trying to forget the dream, to forget he could ever lust after his teammate, wishing he had never seen that kiss between Batman and J'onn.
He kissed Woozy dramatically to hide his guilt, winning a crazy grin from his lover. "Keep kissing me like that and I won't take no for an answer. Whoo-baby!"
Eel stretched out a reptilian tongue to flick Woozy's nose in a teasing gesture. "Cool your jets, cowboy. Save some of that energy for when I get off monitor duty tomorrow."
Woozy's eyes lit up. "Oooh, yer plannin'. Stealin' schemes from yer buddies upstairs?"
Eel chuckled to cover a wince. "Nah. They've got nothing. I've got you."
Woozy grinned and snuggled against Eel's chest. "Heh. And I got you."
Eel stretched himself around Woozy's stout form, cocooning him in that way he liked and listening as his breathing slowly deepened into sleep. He stayed that way until morning, staring emptily into the shadows.
End