[DCAU - Beyondverse] Getting Easier
I'm alive! Just eaten by RP and the desire to write a lot more original fic. But for some reason, this thing came out... and I figured it was about high time I posted something here. ♥ So I hope you guys enjoy it.
Title: Getting Easier
Fandom: DC Animated Universe
Universe: Beyond-verse (expanded Batman Beyond)
Relationship: Noah Drake/Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe
Summary: Noah's only starting to realize that some days, work does get easier... even if it doesn't seem like it.
Disclaimer/Warning: Noah is the only character I own, so this essentially means this is indeed a Canon/OC pairing. If this doesn't interest you? You miiiight want to skip this short fic.
Everyone said work got easier after the first year. Noah had a sinking feeling they weren't talking about vigilantism: for him, the work seemed to triple in difficulty with each passing month. If it weren't the freaky metas that wanted to rob banks, it was some dreg that robbed databases... and occasionally, some idiot would reunite the Jokerz and bring the impossible to life.
If he said he didn't know why he dragged himself into this, he knew he'd be lying. He knew very well why he was here and he knew very well why he'd created a costume to battle crime. At first, his tech wasn't that great - not compared to Batman's & Robin's gear - but he learned to create better models.
He was no Oracle. Noah couldn't pretend to know technology as intricately as she, but he loved to tinker with nano-tabs and ear pieces and the full nine years anyways. Practice made perfect! Even if it didn't seem like it. He held up a modified grenade to the light and let a sigh escape his lips.
The water in Neo-Gotham had to make him crazy. There was no other logical reason he put himself up to this work, day in and day out. Most kids his age just attended college and got wasted or high (or BOTH) at various parties around campus, but he? He had to go ahead and patrol the city for signs of criminal activity.
A burst of smoke interrupted his thoughts. He quizzically glanced up at the source, "Charlie?"
His girlfriend cheerfully waved at him as the smoke dissipated around her. Setting down a boxed lunch before him on his desk, she brushed back her crimson-tinted hair and sat down on the edge of the table. "Hey," she replied, gently picking up a french fry and plopping it into her mouth. "How's the mods going?"
Noah couldn't help wryly smiling at her as he gestured to the nearly-finished grenade. In the comfort of his apartment, everything seemed so much less dangerous. "Pretty good," He admitted. "I think I'll be done once I finish this one."
Without any warning whatsoever, Charlie ever-so-gracefully fell right into his lap. Noah staggered for a second before gently wrapping his arms around her. Grinning widely at her, he set down the grenade and leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "Or it can wait if you're in a hurry..."
She gently pressed his lips to his. For the longest time, Noah forgot completely about his nightlife, about the mods he needed to finish, about the water that made him crazy... about everything. When they let go to breathe, he couldn't help sitting straighter and gazing directly into her eyes.
Every time he looked straight into her, he always took pause upon seeing his own reflection. It was as if he were watching himself in a smaller, Charlie-sized mirror. "Soooo..."
She giggled, leaning on the table for support, "So? I just thought I'd surprise you for lunch. You've been cooped up in here for like, days. Even Day's been worried."
"Day's been worried?" Noah furrowed his brow. It wasn't often that their Team Mascot openly expressed concern for anyone, especially Charlie, so for Damian to actually say something... must've taken a lot. "I didn't think I was that bad."
Charlie sighed, rising to her feet and helping herself to yet another french fry. "Noah Richard Drake. You are just as bad as Mr. Wayne some days, you know that?"
Uh-oh. Noah winced at the full name ultimatum. But he thought he was doing so well...! He'd gotten a kiss and lunch from his favorite person in the whole world! The one girl who could force him to do anything without a single protest from him! So why was she so angry (and stealing all his french fries)?
He slipped on his sandals and stood up to catch her hand, "Charlie! Please!"
She glanced over her shoulder at him, "Just promise me you'll come back to normal once that thing's finished."
Noah didn't hesitate; he pulled her in for a tight embrace. With fervent nods, he solemnly promised, "I'll return to the Cave and begin business as usual. I'm sure Grandpa'll be happy to see me."
Charlie couldn't help giggling as she let go. "Was that sarcasm?"
Kissing her again, he licked his lips as he stood back and waited for her to bounce out, "Maybe."
His girlfriend simply rolled her eyes at him before disappearing in yet another loud puff of smoke, "You're something, you know that?"
Yeah. Even though she couldn't hear him anymore, Noah knew he was something altogether. Some days, work made him want to stay in his apartment and modify tech until he was too tired to leave the house... but it was the people he worked with that made his job easier, not the work itself. Maybe that's what everyone meant. In some ways, even though it didn't feel like a whole year, work had gotten a heck of a lot easier.
Title: Getting Easier
Fandom: DC Animated Universe
Universe: Beyond-verse (expanded Batman Beyond)
Relationship: Noah Drake/Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe
Summary: Noah's only starting to realize that some days, work does get easier... even if it doesn't seem like it.
Disclaimer/Warning: Noah is the only character I own, so this essentially means this is indeed a Canon/OC pairing. If this doesn't interest you? You miiiight want to skip this short fic.
Everyone said work got easier after the first year. Noah had a sinking feeling they weren't talking about vigilantism: for him, the work seemed to triple in difficulty with each passing month. If it weren't the freaky metas that wanted to rob banks, it was some dreg that robbed databases... and occasionally, some idiot would reunite the Jokerz and bring the impossible to life.
If he said he didn't know why he dragged himself into this, he knew he'd be lying. He knew very well why he was here and he knew very well why he'd created a costume to battle crime. At first, his tech wasn't that great - not compared to Batman's & Robin's gear - but he learned to create better models.
He was no Oracle. Noah couldn't pretend to know technology as intricately as she, but he loved to tinker with nano-tabs and ear pieces and the full nine years anyways. Practice made perfect! Even if it didn't seem like it. He held up a modified grenade to the light and let a sigh escape his lips.
The water in Neo-Gotham had to make him crazy. There was no other logical reason he put himself up to this work, day in and day out. Most kids his age just attended college and got wasted or high (or BOTH) at various parties around campus, but he? He had to go ahead and patrol the city for signs of criminal activity.
A burst of smoke interrupted his thoughts. He quizzically glanced up at the source, "Charlie?"
His girlfriend cheerfully waved at him as the smoke dissipated around her. Setting down a boxed lunch before him on his desk, she brushed back her crimson-tinted hair and sat down on the edge of the table. "Hey," she replied, gently picking up a french fry and plopping it into her mouth. "How's the mods going?"
Noah couldn't help wryly smiling at her as he gestured to the nearly-finished grenade. In the comfort of his apartment, everything seemed so much less dangerous. "Pretty good," He admitted. "I think I'll be done once I finish this one."
Without any warning whatsoever, Charlie ever-so-gracefully fell right into his lap. Noah staggered for a second before gently wrapping his arms around her. Grinning widely at her, he set down the grenade and leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "Or it can wait if you're in a hurry..."
She gently pressed his lips to his. For the longest time, Noah forgot completely about his nightlife, about the mods he needed to finish, about the water that made him crazy... about everything. When they let go to breathe, he couldn't help sitting straighter and gazing directly into her eyes.
Every time he looked straight into her, he always took pause upon seeing his own reflection. It was as if he were watching himself in a smaller, Charlie-sized mirror. "Soooo..."
She giggled, leaning on the table for support, "So? I just thought I'd surprise you for lunch. You've been cooped up in here for like, days. Even Day's been worried."
"Day's been worried?" Noah furrowed his brow. It wasn't often that their Team Mascot openly expressed concern for anyone, especially Charlie, so for Damian to actually say something... must've taken a lot. "I didn't think I was that bad."
Charlie sighed, rising to her feet and helping herself to yet another french fry. "Noah Richard Drake. You are just as bad as Mr. Wayne some days, you know that?"
Uh-oh. Noah winced at the full name ultimatum. But he thought he was doing so well...! He'd gotten a kiss and lunch from his favorite person in the whole world! The one girl who could force him to do anything without a single protest from him! So why was she so angry (and stealing all his french fries)?
He slipped on his sandals and stood up to catch her hand, "Charlie! Please!"
She glanced over her shoulder at him, "Just promise me you'll come back to normal once that thing's finished."
Noah didn't hesitate; he pulled her in for a tight embrace. With fervent nods, he solemnly promised, "I'll return to the Cave and begin business as usual. I'm sure Grandpa'll be happy to see me."
Charlie couldn't help giggling as she let go. "Was that sarcasm?"
Kissing her again, he licked his lips as he stood back and waited for her to bounce out, "Maybe."
His girlfriend simply rolled her eyes at him before disappearing in yet another loud puff of smoke, "You're something, you know that?"
Yeah. Even though she couldn't hear him anymore, Noah knew he was something altogether. Some days, work made him want to stay in his apartment and modify tech until he was too tired to leave the house... but it was the people he worked with that made his job easier, not the work itself. Maybe that's what everyone meant. In some ways, even though it didn't feel like a whole year, work had gotten a heck of a lot easier.