Actions

Work Header

Rating:
Archive Warning:
Category:
Fandoms:
Relationship:
Characters:
Additional Tags:
Language:
English
Stats:
Published:
2025-05-10
Updated:
2025-05-13
Words:
2,352
Chapters:
2/?
Comments:
5
Kudos:
223
Bookmarks:
52
Hits:
2,489

The Gala

Chapter 1: Chapter 1

Chapter Text

“Danny, help! Sam’s trying to kill me!”  Fear/play/love.

“Shut up, Tucker! Eat the damn broccoli!”  Exasperation/love/play.

“I shall not!”  Indignant/offended.

Jazz sighs from her spot at the desk.  Fond/play/love.   “Danny, you’d better go get ready.  We have that gala tonight, remember?”

Danny groans, annoyed/don’t want/help me , phasing through the couch and rolling onto his stomach at her feet.  He pouts up at her pathetically, trying to express his emotions physically in combination with the emotions all ghosts and liminals can sense.  “Jazz, please, help me!  I don’t want to go!”

Jazz kicks him away and stands, walking to her room while laughing.  Love/silly/brother.  It’s not like they can hear the emotions, it’s more like a feeling.  But most of the time it seems like you’re hearing it.  Jazz’s power allows her to feel them more clearly,  and lets her make others feel how she wants.  Empathetic projection.

Sam chases Tucker through the living room, and then straight through the wall.  Danny stands and stretches, sighing in resignation.  “Hey Danny!” Ellie says as she walks out of her room, her emotions as loud as ever.

She’s wearing a short black turtleneck dress, sleeveless, with white fingerless gloves and black clogs.  She sports black pearl bracelets on her wrists and a white pearl necklace.  Around her waist is a silver belt, the clasp in the shape of the classic symbol both she and Danny wear on their chests in their ghost form.  Her hair is tied up in a white bow.

Danny whistles.  “Looking good, Ellie!”

She smirks, yelling smug/proud , “I know.”

Danny laughs as he walks into his room, the blinking stars on his ceiling lighting up his face.  He dresses up in a classic black and white tux, minus the suit jacket.  He rolls up the sleeves of his white button up to different lengths and puts black pearl bracelets on his wrists, matching Ellie.  He forgoes a tie or bowtie, simply leaving his top button undone.

He leaves his room just as Jazz leaves hers for the bathroom, a teal dress in her arms and a makeup kit in her hand.  She smiles at his outfit as she passes.  “Nice.  Sam’s fashion lessons finally kicked in.”  Play/love/look good.

Danny sticks out his tongue at her, before plopping on the couch again.  Jazz laughs and closes the bathroom door.  “You look splendid, little badger.”  Love/care/protect.

Danny turns to his godfather, who stands in the doorway to the kitchen.  “Hey fruitloop.  I’m actually pretty proud of the fit, not gonna lie.  It might make the night just the littlest bit tolerable.”  Annoyed/fond, Danny said after, to really prove his point .

Vlad smiles and comes over to ruffle his hair.  Stylistically, of course.  He looks as classy as always, four piece suit and long ponytail held back by a thin band, red tie tied expertly.  “I did forget to mention-”

Tucker rushes past them then, before being yanked back by the scruff by Vlad.  “Mr. Foley, if you’re not going to help your siblings get ready, then go get ready yourself.”  Anger/fond/love/care.

Tucker gasps, shouting indignant/confused/play, “Wait, I have to go too?”

“Of course you do.  I’m not leaving you here alone,” Vlad smirked evilly, bringing out his fruitloop stare, sneering evil/play/love .  “And there will be barely any tech allowed!”

“NOOO-”

Sam snickers as she passes and tries the bathroom door.  “Someone in there?”  Polite/no pressure/take your time.

“Me,” Jazz says, “But I’m nearly done.  I can hear Tucker’s pain/wrong/sad from in here, what happened?”

Ellie pops her head out of a wall.  “Tucker has to come to the gala too, and Vlad said no tech.”

“Oh,” is Jazz’s reply.

“It’s terrible!  How can you do this to me, Vlad?  You monster, making me leave my babies at home!  How am I supposed to hack the cameras without tech?”  Tucker whines, from the floor after falling to his knees in a dramatic show of horror.

Vlad sighs.  “I didn’t say no tech, I said not a lot of tech.  You’re all making an appearance as my heirs, so you need to be present and public.  Now Dani dear, go help Tucker find something that isn’t sweatpants, Red Robin merchandise, or Oracle merchandise,”  Vlad pauses in thought, then continues, “Something based in Egyptian culture is best.”

Ellie salutes and drags a still whining Tucker to her room.  Jazz emerges from the bathroom in all her glory.  Her teal gown nearly touches the floor, and has a bunched up train in the back to keep the bottom all one length.  The top is a corset style, black with short poofy sleeves.  Nothing on it has ruffles, instead opting for a sleek look.  Her black wedges are stunning, tall, thin things with knives carefully hidden in the soles.  With a stomp, they would shoot out.

Her long hair is left loose, with a small black hair clip keeping it out of her face.  Her makeup is plain nudes, that accentuate her features without overdramatising them.  She also is wearing an alexandrite necklace that ties the look together.  Vlad beams at her, and Sam nods her approval.  “You look great!” Sam says.

Jazz blushes and smiles with an embarrassed/grateful/confident and a “Thank you.”  Sam leaves the room, slipping past Jazz into the bathroom.  Jazz comes and sits beside Danny, still smiling.  “You ready for tonight, Danny?”

Danny smiles tiredly and pushes good/worry/okay towards her.  She frowns, and he knows she caught the fear/uncertain as well.  “Hey, they can’t get us in such a public setting, and Tucker will be keeping an eye on the cameras.  Plus, it’s Gotham.  The bats won’t let them in here.”

“I know Jazz,” Danny sighs, rubbing his chest where a scar should be.  Where it wouldn’t have to be, if he were alive.  He can’t help thinking that the GIW will find them, that he’ll get captured again.

Love/care/safe/protect/safe.  Danny smiles at his sister as she sends him emotions.  She smiles back.

Sam returns from the bathroom in a floor length black train with leggings underneath.  The seams of the train are interwoven with white and purple flowers, and her black heels click on the floor.  The top is backless, held together by flowery vines that tie around her neck like a choker.  Her choppy hair is flat and brushed, leaving it looking like silk, and a flower crown of wisteria and poison hemlock adorns her head.  Silver drips from her ears, forming dangling pentagrams.  Vines trail up her arms and bloom beautifully.

Her makeup is skillful, purple lips, pale cheeks, black lashes and violet eyeshadow.  She looks like a flower indeed, as poisonous as the ones she’s wearing.  Danny smiles at her, and she smirks back.  She looks much better in black than pink.  It’s going to be her first gala in a style that fits her, and Danny’s pretty sure she’s excited.  “Come on, ghost boy,” Sam says, “I’ll do your makeup and hair.”

Danny nods and follows her back to the bathroom, hopping onto the counter so Sam can do his base.  She applies barely any, just some darker shades to his eyelids, and lighter shades underneath.  She then adds a hint of bluish blush, to create a “mysterious look.  You’ll look half dead!”  She adds a pink tone to his lips and shapes his eyebrows.  Then he’s officially done.  They walk out just as Tucker and Ellie do.

Tucker’s eyes are lined in kohl, and he wears thick white pants.  His shirt is black, tucked in, and has golden accents.  He wears golden bangles and necklaces with jade pendants, in addition to hoop earrings.  He has a gold and jade snake pin in his hair.  His feet sport delicate sandals, also golden, and his toenails are painted like jade.  His fingernails match.

Vlad looks at each of them with pride.  “Well then, I suppose it’s showtime.”

Chapter 2

Chapter Text

Jason hates galas. He despises them with his entire being, and that’s not just the pits talking.

And so, you may be wondering why he’s in a fancy suit, sitting in a limo, pointing a gun at Tim. Answer? Some random “important” guy is apparently introducing his heirs tonight, and so it’s mandatory for everyone to come. Jason was bribed with Alfred’s cookies, but that’s besides the point. Currently the car is packed, Damian, Tim, Cass, Dick, Bruce, and himself. They ride in silence, except for the shifting, and Tim occasionally tapping the gun away from his head.

Damian huffs in annoyance, stating, “I do not understand why Brown and Thomas are not coming along. Gordon I can understand, as she has a known father, but the other two live at the manor.”

”Steph technically isn’t B’s kid, so she and Babs are on patrol duty tonight,” Tim replies, “And Duke gets to sleep because he’s still the only one with a daytime patrol. As for the rest of us, we have to go to hell.”

”It’s not hell, Tim,” Bruce calls back from the front seat.

“Nah, I’m with Timbit. I fuckin’ hate galas.”

“Aw, Jay!” Dick coos, turning back from the passenger seat, “I’m so glad you get to suffer like the rest of us!”

”Richard, please control yourself.”

”No can do, baby bat!”

Damian sighs deeply, letting his head fall into his hands. Tim and Cass laugh, and Tim turns back to his computer. He hacks the cameras quickly, reporting on everyone already in attendance, while handing out comms. Jason takes one and pops it in, just as the car pulls up to the building. It’s big, pillars and all. Definitely a place where rich people gather.

”Alright, showtime!” Dick yells, opening his door and strutting out in his blue suit. Tim sighs and follows, playing with a loose strand of hair. Damian leaves next, trotting up by Dick and walking with his shoulders held high. Cass swoops out gracefully, pastel yellow dress waving around her. Jason gets out at the same time as Bruce. He ignores the itching under his skin, and walks up to the place. He smiles at everyone in the building, as do the others.

They approach the center and disperse, socializing with all the rich assholes. Jason sighs and begins making his way to the snack bar, his only saving grace.

He freezes. Blinks. There are three kids at the snack bar, and the pits roll.

Danny sighs again, radiating boredom/tired/frustrated. Ellie piles tiny foods onto her plate, pushing a cream puff in his mouth. Jazz is standing next to them, silently assessing the large room and its occupants. Just then, a whiff of frosty breath escapes his mouth. “Who are you? What are you.”

A man is standing behind Jazz, holding a gun to her head. Danny and Ellie get into defensive positions, while Jazz stands still. The guy is giving off waves of fear/danger/ŗ̸̸̡̨̩͈̜͖̥̞̜͍̘͈̅͒͂̓̒ͨ͆̊̈ͫ̃̈̕͟͢͡͠͝ḁ̸͖̑̋͒̿ͣ͆̍̑̽g̵̡̡̠̗̣͕͓͍̏ͮ͗͛ͨͪͫ͝ȅ̩͚ͦ̌͞ͅ. But underneath it is concern/confusion. Almost like the first emotions are false, a wrapper that just looks like emotion. Also, the dude is rancid. Jazz slowly turns, pushing calm/friend/safe to the guy. “Can my siblings and I help you?”

Damn, that guy looks like a brick wall. Whatever killed him definitely messed him up. He snarls, pressing the gun against her head. “Why are the pits scared of you?”

Danny and his siblings look at each other in confusion. “Pits?” Elie asks.

Just then Danny spies a tall figure pushing through the crowd. Bruce Wayne?! He’s here? Then that means he’s here! Danny calls out love/care/help, “Dami!”

The stranger freezes in confusion, just as Damian shoots out of the crowd, Bruce Wayne trailing behind him. “Daniel? Why are you here?”

Danny grins and grabs him in a hug, shifting behind him. Ellie darts to him too, giggling in triumph/joy, “Now you’ve done it, random dead guy!”

Jazz sighs, saying calmly, “This revenant is having a fearful reaction to us. He seems to have a block on his emotions. Also he is pointing a gun at me, which probably is helping him feel in control of the situation.” She smiles at Damian. “If you could please help? I see you have a bond with him.”

”Wait, really?” Confusion/surprise.

”Demon brat, what the hell is going on?” the guy snaps.

Danny’s eyes narrow and flash. “Don’t call him that.” Warning/order/obey.

Damian pets his hair soothingly, calm/safe/love/brother, “It’s alright, starlight. He is one of my father’s adopted children. It is just another silly nickname. This is Jason, remember?”

“Oh! Yeah, I remember him!”

Jason straightens and gawks in shock/confusion/worry, lowering the gun, “Starlight? Wait- King Phantom?”

Danny throws up a peace sign as Jazz shakes her head, exasperated/fond, walking to Ellie and picking her up. Sam and Tucker rush over quickly, looking panicked. “What’s going on,” Tucker yelps, “Why was this revenant pointing a freaking gun at Jazz- wait, Damian?”

Sam stops in her tracks at the sight of Damian. She grins and ruffles his hair, fond/excited, and though he grumbles, Damian moves closer to her. Danny laughs at Jason and Bruce Wayne’s shocked expressions. “Dang, didn’t know you’d be here, little bat!” Sam crows.

“I am the same age as you, Samantha.” Annoyed/fond.

”Yeah, but shorter. I win!” Triumph/pride.

”That is not how this works!” Frustration.

“Kinda is.”

“Todd, silence yourself. Daniel, Jasmine, why are you here? Where are your parents? Why did you not contact me sooner?” Damian asks, tucking Danny under his chin. Danny makes himself lighter.

”It’s a very long story,” Jazz starts, looking away in sorrow/guilt. Ellie coos at her, pressing closer and giving calm/love/safe/not your fault/sister.

”Well,” Bruce Wayne says, calculating/cold but with a mask of friendly/innocent, startling them all, “perhaps it’s something we can tell over dinner tomorrow? I know I’d definitely like to hear the story behind this.”