Rain seeped in to Constantine's coat, turning it a darker brown and making his neck itch. It stuck his blond locks of his forehead and blurred his vision. He sucked on a cigarette held between two fingers and exhaled a cloud of grey and an ancient word, "Clear my sight.", was its rough meaning. But no words of modern tongues could ever capture the true power behind the magical languages of old.

The path ahead of him instantly became clear, his eyes seeing through the drizzling rain. What was he to expect at this time of year in Gotham? This many Darks in one city, attracted to its lulling aura of sin, was bound to damage the atmosphere.

He spoke around the cigarette in his mouth, "Did you hear about those bellend shifters up at The Dragon. Caused quite the ruckus.", Constantine turned around, staring in to an alley submerged in darkness. "Ah come on Zatanna, I know your there. The shadows don't really suit you love."

Coat tails, top hat and all, Zatanna click-clacked out of the dark, arms folded. "Constantine."

"The bloody hell are you following me for?", he gestured with his cigarette, the other hand dug in to his pocket.

She stayed where she was, two metres away and glowered at him, "I need to speak to you."

"Aaaand you stalked me rather than calling becaaaaaause...?"

Zatanna stared at him pointedly, not offering up an answer.

"Oh, yeah, right. You're going for the mysterious, sexy thing nowadays.", he slapped himself up the head and rolled his eyes. "I should've realised!"

Constantine's sarcasm was not appreciated.

Hands on hips and lips pursed, Zatanna snapped, "I was walking this way and happened to find you through the alley, don't think you're sooo special John. And for the record, "she smirked, "I've always gone for the mysterious, sexy look. I would say 'in case you haven't noticed', but you're trying a little too hard not to notice."

Once that kind of teasing would have worked, but not anymore...ah fuck, who was he kidding? Those fishnets, straining shirt and daring eyes would still leave his throat dry no matter what. "So, what is it then?"

"There have been more and more attacks from Night Children on humans, the Council isn't handling anything well what with the loss of a Ringmaster and weeding out her supporters. And it isn't just the shifters that are riled up, wights and the sidhe and even the most peaceful sprites are riled." She sighed, "I mean, we had to deal with those dragonettes last week in Canada- and the Irian Greens don't even leave their realm during the worst conflicts!"

"You can feel something coming then?", Constantine asked, exhaling smoke.

She nodded.

"Could just be the Blood Moon's coming up, heck, even my blood's curling at the thought.", he shrugged "Maybe they're just feeling it too?"

Zatanna shook her head, rain-soaked black sheets of hair clinging to her shoulders and cheeks, "It's more John, I know it is."

That raised some alarm. One of Zatanna's 'feelings'. If she was sensing something off in the magical world, something was damn well off. The rain began to let off as the two of them walked together through Gotham's lowly suburbs, shadows flickering behind shutters askew and shattered glass windows. Wayne Enterprise's investment in the city's more deprived areas could only go so far.

A great rumbling, shrieking roar broke their serious conversation and the two of them spun around, eyes wide. Splashing through the wet street, growls growing louder and louder, a creature the size of a small car bounded towards them.

"That isn't a shifter!", Zatanna panic-shouted, "And it can't be a-"

Constantine all but screamed, "Man-wolf!", and legged it as far as his feet would carry him around the corner and in to al alley too small for the creature to get through. Zatanna followed him a second later, panting and heart racing.

"It ain't even a full moon yet!", he said, bewildered but somewhat exhilarated. "Something's bloody well up for sure.", Constantine turned to Zatanna, "You know the plan, right?"

She scoffed, "Ha, of course. We've dealt with man-wolves before...just not a week before full-moon.", not waiting for a signal, she ran out of the alleyway, hands blazing with white light and foreign words on her tongue. Rolling his eyes, Constantine ran after her, not happy about her taking his place as the impulsive one.

***

"Don't follow along, just watch for a moment," Raven instructed, "See, step and swivel hips, step and swivel hips at the same time AND at the same pace."

Stepping out of the close-quarters position, Damian and Raven stood next to one another, arms identically folded. "Now your turn,", he nodded to their pupils, "we'll count you in."

Jonathan looked for some reassurance in Donna's eyes, and found it. Her face was resolute as she placed her hand on his shoulder and held the other, falling in to the position Raven and Damian had drilled in to them. That day, after school, the older two had made amends with Donna and Jonathan, taking in to account the words Superman had given them about being a little too harsh (which Damian did his best to not really listen to). There was a noticeable change in the way Raven and the green-eyed-ball-of-ruthless dealt with them, though their hands were still firm.

"Five, six, seven, eight. Aand one two three four five six seven eight. One two..."

Beneath his breath, Jonathan muttered to himself, "Step, swivel, step, swivel."

Donna couldn't help but smile as his eyebrows drew together and he stuck his tongue out in concentration. She relaxed a little, still stepping exactly as she had been taut, her posture not sagging.

Unbeknownst to the two of them, Damian and Raven were exchanging pleasantly surprised looks. Their movements could have been a liiiiiitle sharper, but that wasn't a huge problem at the moment. It still took Damian a while to adjust to the idea of accepting imperfection. The notion that it was okay for something not to be pristine and polished was still trying to stand up in his mind that was still crowded by rioting concepts of immaculacy and personal pride.

"six seven aand stop there."

Staring expectantly, Jon and Donna were taken aback by the feedback given.

"That was very well done, you've pretty much got the basics.", Raven appraised, and Jonathan beamed like it was Christmas.

"I don't know about 'very', but that was...begrudgingly...well done.", Damian conceded.

Jonathan's smile grew even more as he spun around in a circle of celebration, "Aw yeah! That's the nicest thing he's ever said...ever!", he held his hand up and high-dived Donna. "We're totally not gonna fail!"

Another half-hour of dancing, and they had had enough. Sitting on the bench in the HOJ's simulation room (their makeshift practise-area) Damian and Raven watched the younger two eagerly draining their water bottles, commenting on the improvements made within that session.

"Um, Damian...Raven,", they looked up as Donna fiddled with the top of her water bottle,"I was wondering if you could help me with my science homework.", she looked at them hopefully. "Since you probably already know the topic..."

Jonathan piped up -a little rouged in the cheeks after the exercise- , "Mr Clancy's? The whole 'shell diagram' thingy?", she nodded. His helpless look mirrored Donna's, "Yeah, I really don't get what he's talking about. Like it goes on through one ear and swoooosh out the other."

Damian frowned, "'Shell diagrams'? As in, electron configuration? Dot and cross diagrams?"

Jonathan nodded, "Yup! Something like that. I really, realllly don't know what Mr Clancy's going on about half of the time...okay, three-quarters of the time...probably more like nine-tenths of the time. I don't get science. Too many big words that mean stupidly simple things, it makes my brain feel fuzzy."

Damian snorted, "J, you're brain has always been 'fuzzy'."

That got a laugh out of Raven and Donna, even if it did make Jonathan a little redder in the ears. "Oh yeah?", he retorted. "Well, uh...at least I have a brain!"

"Tt.You call that a brain?"

"You call that a face?!"

"It's better looking than yours!"

"Is not!"

"Is too."

"Is not!"

"Is too."

"Dami-aaan! Stop being annoying!", Jon whined.

The older boy chuckled (even as Raven buried her face in her hands and asked herself why she was cursed to have to put up with their behaviour) and poked the bear even more. "Is. Too."

"UUUUUURGHHHH! Is noooooot!"

Damian smirked, "Alright then, let's find out. Donna!", the Wondergirl whipped her head around so fast her long hair went flying in to her face.

"What what? What is it?", she panicked.

Seeing where her boyfriend was going with this, Raven pulled herself out of a state of self-pity enough to roll her eyes at his antics, preparing herself for the scene about to unfold. Lips pulled in that irresistible way that made her want to wipe that smirk off, Damian asked, "Do you think Jon is good looking?"

Donna was dumbfound. Damian really, seriously, just asked her that kind of question. What in Hera's name was she supposed to say? Yeah I think he's cute and I may or may not be crushing on him and his blue eyes and cheesy smile and slight accent and...by the gods, get a grip! What would Diana say?

She recovered from her shock and, with a boost of courage from the gods watching overhead, boldly said, "I- yes. Yes I would say Jonathan is good looking, more so...cute.", Donna tried to shrug it off and play blasé as if she hadn't just taken a huge leap, spurred on by some invisible hand.

The recipient of the compliment was frozen with only his lips moving, but not making a sound, and all capability of speech had abandoned him. Alarms shrieking in his head and a quiet voice telling him not to hyperventilate, Jonathan panicked beyond any level of panic that he'd even reached. Without thinking (because his brain couldn't manage it at that moment), Jon blurted out, "You're really beautiful."

A second later, his brain started to work properly. Realising what had just happened, Jonathan's alarm only worsened. With the shocked faces of Damian, Donna and Raven staring at him, the boy did the only thing he could do: he ran. Out of the simulation room, out of the Hall of Justice, in to the Manor, all in a matter of seconds. He stood, panting in his room, back against the door, for ages, not really sure what to do.

Thinkthinkthink! Who can I go to for good advice? Who have I gotten good advice from? Ooh shoot what do I do whatdoidowhatdoido?

And it came to him. The most obviously un-obvious option.

Jonathan left his room and speed-ran through the Manor, only to find his target not in the room. He checked the main living room, the kitchen, the big fancy dining room, the ground behind the Manor, even peeping his head in to Mr Wayne's private rooms for a scary second- nothing! He contemplated knocking on the door of Harleen's room, then remembered that she'd just left the Manor: to try and pick her life back up, find some *legal* work, and live in her own apartment in the city that Mr Wayne had gladly financed. So she wouldn't be there.

Jonathan gave up. Belladonna was nowhere to be found- maybe Selina had taken her to the park? He'd have to search for expert council elsewhere. Hearing groggy foots trudging up the main staircase (99% likely to be Tim's) Jon wracked his brains. Whowhowho???

A second lightbulb pinged over his head, another eureka moment. Mum! He could speak to mum! She would be off-work by now, back at their place. Jon was supposed to go over tomorrow after school, an early visit wouldn't hurt. And with his recently amplified speed, the distance wouldn't be an issue -so long as he didn't run in to any buildings.

Mum would know how to make things feel right- mum always knew.

***

A hand of scarlet caressed Cyborg's face as he tried to regain control of the situation. "You've given me a name, but...we need a bit...", he struggled to get the words out as the alien wrapped her hands around his neck and her snake's head reared itself by his own- tongue flicking out a millimetre from his skis, tasting the air, "..more information about your", he inhaled sharply as she came closer, golden tulips an inch from his mouth, "bounty."

The two of them, Vic and the serpentine alien bounty-hunter (Siza Leys) were alone in one of the rooms branching off from the JLA meeting room, Cyborg's private rooms. Brimming with a vast collection of technology (the kind that would make NASA scientist faint from over-fangirling) and with the standard, professional white walls and dull, grey flooring, was the first of the rooms. Further through, lay Vic's more personal area, decorated with sports memorabilia, carpeted (beige) and with all four poster-filled walls painted light yellow, a single bed in the corner.

Vic had been set with the task of finding out more about this bounty of hers and the threat they posed. He didn't seem to be getting anywhere; for some strange reason, he disliked the thought of Batman grilling her for answers. So the two of them had somehow found their way here, standing in the middle of his private sector, nothing productive taking place.

Vic frowned as she responded in a hiss, "That'ss not how it worksss. Didn't you realisssse?", the snake slowly began to unravel itself from around her.

At a loss, Cyborg was guided by the unforgiving voice of the shady Dark Night echoing through his cerebrum. Get a hold of yourself Victor. Batman would be mad, very mad if he could see what was happening. Knowing him, he probably could. Vic was not in the mood to do a Dick Grayson and get slapped around the head.

He pushed the golden-haired temptress away firmly, arms folded, and she recoiled in surprise. "No. I'm not interested in playing your game. People's lives could be at risk. You need to tell us what you know because this is waisting time!"

He could almost feel Batman's eyes narrowing, waiting for her reaction.

Recovering from her moment of rejection, Siza rose with satisfaction in her black eyes, a half-smile on her lips. "Finally, I knew I saw strength in you.". Vic blinked twice. Gone was the elongated hissing, reduced only to a faint undertone in her voice. The woman who'd seemed dying to get it on a second ago disappeared, and in her place, a calculating woman looking upon him with appraisal. "It takes one of great inner power to withstand the powers of us.", she stroked under the head of her large serpent. "I was wondering if I'd made a mistake trying you. Apparently not."

Vic was confused, "Wait...so that was all an act? Everything? What were you testing for? "

She sniffed, "Strength in character. I'm a bounty hunter, my bounty is one of the most dangerous criminals this side of the Johilo sector with the powers of manipulation unlike anything I've ever seen. When facing your Justice League before (the city knows as...Faris? Paris? I can't remember exactly) I sensed that, well,", high and mighty as she was, Siza shrank into herself a little, "you all felt mentally strong, but -maybe due to your being part machine and all- that wasn't AS strong with you. I can't work with a team that has liabilities.", she concluded, hoping it didn't sound as bad as it did in her head.

Sardonically laughing, Cybrog ran a hand down his face. He shook his head, feeling like the butt of a sick joke, and raised his eyebrow, "So I check out then, huh? That's how it is?"

She thought about it for a second, then nodded. "I suppose it is, yeah.", feeling somewhat remorseful for putting the poor man through such trouble, Siza tried to change the subject. "Sssooo, do you by any chance have spare clothes I could borrow? Being a badass bitch is loads of fun until the room's a little too cold and awkward." Siza petted her serpent's head, "Sorry my precious."

Never the arsehole, Cyborg (too baffled with life to even care at this point) gestured to the small wardrobe by the wall, "There should be some stuff in there. Just...get what you need and I'll be in the room opposite mine- the one with the bluish door, you can't miss it-...", he dropped his hands and sighed, at a genuine loss.

Siza tugged on a strand of her hair, chewing on her bottom lip, "Mhmm, okay, yeah...I'll just...", she pointed to the wardrobe.

Cyborg cleared his throat, "Yeah-yeah, you just...do that...I'm going...", wincing, be backed away. With the biggest sigh of relief, he closed the door to his quarters and pressed his fingers to his temples. That was a minefield of bemusement he was happy to step away from.

***

Superman closed the phone after his standard, "Bye honey, love you.", to Lois. He turned to the concerned Titans, "Jon's with his mother, everything's okay, he's just a little upset is all."

Damian released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. When Jonathan decided to run off for almost no reason and didn't come back, Damian was surprised at how worried he was. Maybe he did care if that little shit fell off the face of the Earth- yeeeh 'alaina! I sound like Todd!

With dance over and Jonathan gone AWOL, there was no reason why the three Titans shouldn't do something productive- like homework. It would be unfair to sort out Donna's and Jonathan's science homework with him gone, but that didn't mean that there wasn't anything else to do. Like the older two's French homework and Donna's maths (what in Zeus' master bolt is 'Pythagoras' theorem'?).

For the fifth time, Damian groaned at the Wondergirl's abysmal working out. "Oh for crying out loud! I could work this out before I could walk! It's simple A SQUARED PLUS B SQUARED EQUALS C SQUARED and you just rearrange it properly!", he hit his head on Raven's shoulder, "This is painful I tell you...PAINFUL!"

Sitting next to him around the table (in the JLA common room), Raven patted her boyfriend on the shoulder while reassuring Donna, "You're following the right steps, just don't write it like that because it's mathematically incorrect. You'll get method marks taken for writing that."

In the middle of calculating, Donna looked up in despair, "I don't understand? What do you mean it's 'mathematically incorrect'?"

Before Raven could respond, Damian snapped, "Tt. Look at what you've written! The ridiculously easy question is just 2 squared plus 7 seven squared equals c squared. You've written 2squared+7squared=4+14=c. That's incorrect!", he stabbed at the paper with his pen, "4+14 DOES NOT equal c is equals c SQUARED! 18 DOES NOT equal c! This isn't rocket science Donna!"

Seeing that Donna had already gotten frustrated enough without Damian digging a thorn in to her, Raven intersected, "Alright that's enough Damian. If you aren't going to be calmer, just go now.", she wasn't shouting, but her firm voice was enough to get Damian to be quiet. "Donna, it's a small mistake, but you've grasped this all really well. Why don't you do the next five questions on your own and we'll see how you've done?"

The older two sat on the sofa nearest to the window, away from Donna, giving Raven the perfect opportunity to chew Damian's ear off. "You need to be encouraging her, Damian. She hasn't been here long and already she's learning at a great speed for her age. In case you didn't notice, non-practical maths was't exactly taught on Themyscira over preference of physical combat."

Damian tutted, "Mistakes like that would've cost a lashing in the League of Shadows."

"I know, just...try to be a bit nicer is all. You know how much she looks up to you.", Raven appeased.

Damian snorted, "You sound just like Clark."

Superman popped his head around the common room door, "Someone said my name?"

From the other door, a few metres away, Cyborg walked in like he had a ton of bricks on his shoulders. Ever the irritancy, Damian jibed, "Tt. What's wrong with you?"

Vic sprawled himself on the sofa, "That's a looong story."

A.N:

Welp, hello my darlings!

First thing's first, I totally forgot that I was going to do this ages ago, so I'll do it now!

Demonfox3452 tagged me in this so...

1) My nickname is Bats or Tabouleh (Arab family nicknames and all).
2)My eyes are honey brown- probably the only thing (plus my hair) that I actually like about myself, the rest is fine I just don't LIKE it all.

3)My hair is dark brown but with natural lighter brown highlights- I love it when the sun hits and makes it go all golden.

4)Well...I'm a red belt martial artist. That's pretty neat.

5)I'd have to say it's between black and green.

6)My favourite place...sheesh that's a bloody hard one. Probably on my bed, sitting with my sister and cousins playing cards.

7)I don't really have a favourite. Maybe Benedict Cumberbatch or David Tennant.

8)CATS! meow meow mutherfuckers.

9)Ooof that's hard. I listen to everything from R&B to trap to indie to punk to gothic and power metal. There's a LOT. At the moment it's probably The Years by ✝️✝️✝️ (crosses). I don't listen to them but I found this song on the Arkham game album and it's awesome and dark and just great!

10) Why the fuck are you doing this to me? I don't know?!!! Peppa Pig: Peppa goes swimming. It's so inspirational and truly changed my life.

I'm not going to tag 20 people because that's long so I'll tag a few.

devilinyoureye
littleredhood-
AmandaKayLee79
SPOODERFLOOM
TheRunningWolfi
JamesDyson123

Just a bit random really, do it if you want, if you don't, no one's going to shank you in your sleep with a kitchen.

Anywhooo thanks for reading and commenting and voting -love you all bucket loads!

Mwah 💋

-Bats :3