#justice league imagine
Silhouette
Pairing: Arthur (Aquaman) X Reader
Word count: 1.9 K
Summary:During a visit to a small, cold town, you took a picture of the waves. Among them, the shadow of a man. You couldn’t stop thinking about it, so you decide to go back and try to find him.
×
It was a forgotten picture, that you didn’t look twice when you took it, almost a year ago on a trip to Iceland.
Photography has always been your hobby, and that makes you always look for different places to visit. So that was how you found yourself in that frozen, small village, walking over that dock, with the waves crashing around you, the water splashing crystal towers above you. At that moment, you turned around and clicked, and the picture came out as if the water was levitating.
A beautiful, perfect picture, that got lost among the many others.
But now, it got your attention.
After printing it, you hold it in your hands as you sip a cup of tea, moving to sit on the armchair you have by the bedroom window.
The picture is amazing, gorgeous. The cold colors, the dark and pale blue palette, the water, hitting the dock from both sides, creating a tunnel. But that’s not what gets your attention.
It’s the man, or better saying, the silhouette of a man, standing right in the middle of the waves.
You tried some alterations before printing it, to see it better. But it was useless. It’s clear it’s a man, 6 feet tall, or maybe a little more. Strong, stronger than anyone you’ve ever seen. You’re mesmerized by him, you’re not sure why. Two weeks after you saw it, you still can’t let it go.
And when you have ten days off work, you book a flight back to the very same place.
It’s a long shot, stupid even, to look for someone who might not be there. For someone that only appeared for a second, because you’re sure he wasn’t there the moment after the shot. You’d notice a man like that if he was standing right in front of you.
But when you regret this silly, stupid decision, you’re already on the plane. So there’s nothing else to do than enjoy the trip, and that’s what you do. After you’ve settled on the small cabin, you leave, walking around the place and seeing that nothing really changed.
But it’s a complete change of scenery from the big city you live in. Things are slower here, and people know each other. But the downside is that it’s cold. Freezing, more likely. But it’s beautiful. And it doesn’t take much until you’re taking pictures.
“Excuse me, miss.” Someone calls, and you turn around to find two men carrying a huge box, full of fish.
“Sorry.” You say, stepping out of the way with an apologetic look. “Mmm… Excuse me. Do you know any places I could get a different angle?” Deciding to ask, you show the camera to justify the question. “I’m a photographer.”
“There’s a cliff over there.” One of the men, with gray hair and faded yellow pants, points out. “There’s a trail on the end of the beach that leads there, a smooth one. But rained yesterday so the stone might be slippery, be careful.”
“I will be, thank you.” With a wave and a smile, you turn around, going to where he pointed out.
You couldn’t help but take pictures on your way there. Flowers, trees, animals.
But even now, that picture burns in your head. Also, you couldn’t help but notice that the man in it – if he even lives here – isn’t anywhere to be found. Not that you looked for him diligently.
The track is indeed easy. Two miles, maybe three, always going up. And when you get up there, the view is amazing. The ocean, the village, the gray clouds above.
You’re clicking over and over, walking closer to the edge. When you get there, you can see a stream of water below you, among the rocks to your left, flowing to join the ocean down there. Careful where you put your feet, you move closer to the edge to get a better look. The stone doesn’t seem that slippery, so you feel brave. You’re basically on the very edge when you get the perfect angle, taking a few clicks. When you’re done, you stop, letting the camera hang from your neck, looking around, and taking your time to admire the place.
The wind is cold, and you wish you had a stronger coat. But you’ll come back here tomorrow. You’ll be staying for five days, more than enough time to revisit the places you like the most.
Looking down, at the raging water down there, you spot a shadow. A fish perhaps, but it’s too big. A shark? But that’s an odd shape for a shark. The image, moving almost unnaturally, stops suddenly. You don’t even notice you’re bending over, trying to see it better.
But you suddenly lose balance when a stronger wind hits you and to add up to that, the rock under your feet breaks, launching you into a free fall, knocking all the air out of your lungs as you hit the water hard.
Cold, freezing water.
And you don’t know how to swim.
But despite that, you try to fight it, out of instinct, to make your way back to the surface. But the water is too strong, pulling you down every time you get closer to the light, to the air, for which your lungs burn.
It doesn’t take long until you’re tired, exhausted. Chest burning, brain getting slower for the lack of oxygen. You didn’t know it was that fast. At some point, you just stop, eyes open, taking in the vastness of blue around you. A good place to die maybe. You wonder if you should let the water in, die already since that’s happening sooner or later.
But in the middle of that thought, you see it. The silhouette from the picture, the shadow in the water.
A man, swimming, floating, over to you.
Maybe you’re dead already, and the very last synapses your brain can fathom are making you hallucinate.
But when he’s right in front of you, when he touches you, he’s very, very real.
•••
You jolt awake suddenly, turning on your side and spitting seawater on the sand, lungs pulling the air in and pushing it out violently. With a hand over your heart, it takes some time to recall what happened. The cliff, the fall, the man.
The man.
Looking up again, near your legs, you see him. Huge, muscular… Shirtless. Hair wet, probably from saving you, and eyes like a predator. A shark comes to mind.
“You…” Voice fading, you clear your throat. “That was embarrassing.” You continue in a low voice.
“Don’t worry. You’re not the first tourist I have to rescue.” He says, and his voice gets to you. It’s strong, deep, and sends shivers down your spine. “Are you feeling well enough to stand up? Or do you need me to take you where you’re staying?”
“I’m well enough.” You quickly say, getting up.
But when your legs fail you, the man keeps you from collapsing on the sand. “Whoa. Easy.” He says with a smile. “Don’t push yourself.”
“Thanks, mmm…” Looking at him now, eyes traveling quickly through his body, you remember it. The picture. And you also remember your camera. “Oh, no. My camera.” Looking around, you don’t find it.
“Is it waterproof?” You nod, raising your head to look into his eyes. “I’ll get it.”
“You don't–” And he’s off, running back to the water and vanishing from sight.
You stand there, alone, until you start wondering if he got caught up by the powerful waves. After a while, with your eyes attentive to the ocean, you start considering getting someone to help. But when you’re about to move, you see him, walking over the beach as if it wasn’t through any trouble.
“Here.” He says when he’s close enough, handing over the camera.
“I have a picture of you.” You burst out, taking the camera back. “I-I mean… Last year I was here and I snapped a picture by the docks. You were there so…” Looking down, you shake your head. “It’s stupid.”
“I’d like to see it.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Is it in the camera?”
“Oh, no. I don’t keep the pictures here or else I would have no space for the new ones. But I have a printed version in my cabin. I’ll bring it over.” Gesturing at the hill where you’re rented cabin is, you look back up at him. “Give me twenty minutes and I’ll be back here.”
“Or we can save the time and I could go with you.” And he starts walking in the direction you pointed out. “Name’s Arthur. Yours?”
“Mmm…” Taking a deep breath, you rush to reach him, keeping his pace. “(Y/N).”
“(Y/N), huh? It suits you.” Looking down at you, Arthur smiles.
“Really?”
“Yeah. Pretty name for a pretty lady.” That makes you blush. “What brings you here? Looking for the man in the picture?”
Choking on air, you cough, clear your throat, and try to look normal. As casual as possible. “I came because I loved this place last year. That’s why I’m back here.”
“Oh, I hit the exact right spot, didn’t I?” He chuckles, and you stop.
It doesn’t take much for him to do the same. “Look, I don’t know what’s up with you, but I don’t like being… Mocked.” You say, your cheeks burning.
Arthur furrows his eyebrows, coming closer. “You’re not used to being complimented. So you think I’m joking.”
Gasping, you step back, crossing your arms. “You–.” Whatever sassy comment you were hoping to come out, doesn’t. “I don't–.” Shaking your head, you sigh, starting to walk again. “As if you know me.”
“Wait, wait.” Arthur grabs your arm, but not in a violent way. He doesn’t squeeze it, softly pulls it instead, forcing you to stop again. “You were looking for me and I was looking for you.” He says, towering over you. Eyebrows furrowed, you wonder if he’s joking again. But his voice, deep, strong… Sounds like he’s serious. “The girl in the light pink coat with a camera around her neck, walking through the deck in the middle of the splashing waves. I tried to find you but… You live too far from the ocean.”
“Too… Far from the ocean?”
He smiles. “You don’t know me. I’m who people call Aquaman.”
Your brain freezes, and it makes sense. It’s a weird feeling to suddenly know the man you’ve been talking to for a while now, and it feels like you were hit by cold water. Again. “Y-you… You’re like… That water guy from the League.”
“I’m that water guy from the League, yes.” He repeats with a smile. “I tried my luck searching for you, but without a name that’s quite difficult.”
“I don’t even know what to say…”
“Say yes then.”
“Say yes to what?”
“Going out with me tonight.”
That makes you more perplexed than knowing he’s Aquaman. “You really want to go out with me?” He nods. “Y-yes then. A hundred freaking times, yes.”
“Then we must schedule a hundred dates.”
With a smile taking over your face, you nod. “I’m fine with it.”
And so it happens.
But your story with Arthur didn’t end there, on those countless dates. You both went around visiting each other, until you moved to a city near the ocean, in a touristic area where you started taking a side job with your photography skills. And it didn’t take much until you and Arthur got together, and as you became one with him, you also became one with the ocean. Many times he took you swimming, making you play with dolphins and whales.
What started under heavy clouds and rain with that first picture, lead you to sunny, clear skies with the owner of that silhouette, swimming, floating around with nothing but the calming ocean, and the two of you.
A/N: Sooo I got this idea after I watched the vow, (great movie btw) It’s not requested, I’ve just had in it drafts for a really long time. I’m not sure anyone’s really going to like it? But I figured I would post it to see what happened. I’ve already gotten a few more parts written, so if you like the story please let me know so I can post those! Anyways, I’ll stop rambling Love you all!
Pairing: Green Lantern Reader x Dick Grayson (Nightwing)
If you could describe it in one word, blank.
It had been blank before. Why had it gone?
The first thing that came back to you was sound. A constant, steady beeping. A machine rising and falling. The worried and hushed whisper of voices, voices, people… you felt a hand brush over yours. Touch. The lingering placement spoke of worry and care. Your mother maybe? Your father?
You felt an itchy sheet underneath you, and you laid on a rather stiff bed, the mattress odd and unforgiving.
Almost as odd as the stench of disinfectant. Smell… like sickness and bleach… like a hospital.
Hospital, you frantically blinked open your eyes. White light, much too bright assaulted you as you rapidly tried to adjust.
As if through a tunnel you could hear the heart monitor beeping rapidly, the shuffling of feet, the even louder murmur of voices.
Hospital.
You hated hospitals.
You were covered by a thin sheet, tubes were attached to your arms, you were trapped. How did you get here? Why were you here? Who are you people?
The heart monitor’s beeps increased in frequency, urging your heart to beat faster to keep up.
A few People rushed To restrain you, and unfamiliar faces crowded your vision.
Too many people, too many hands, curling yourself up, you cradled your throbbing head and cried out.
Oh god, make it stop, make it all stop, take you back to when it was blank.
“Hey! Back off her alright?” An outlying voice said, a tone of anger wavering in their voice.
The hands withdrew, steps faded away- you must remember to thank that angry voice.
You felt someone brush the hair off your forehead, and flinched at the contact. It hurt, oh lord, your head hurt.
“(Y/N)?” A gentle voice whispered, and the soul inside of you leapt with recognition, as if crying: (Y/N)! Yes! That’s me! I’m (Y/N)!
You slowly tipped your head up, blinking once again at the bright surroundings, and your eyes immediately focused on blue.
The blue you dream of, the color blue the sky is when you are a child, the blue the ocean is when you can see all the way to the bottom, the blue of the ever constant tides and of the calming midspring rains, the blue that was so full of emotion…
“Thank god.”
You blinked multiple times, focusing on the whole picture rather than the one detail.
A man, you were staring at a man. You could see the slight differences of skin tone where if he had been paler there would have been a splash of freckles, his messy black hair, the way he had a slight scar above his left brow, the forgotten laugh lines and deep dark circles around his eyes- his bright blue eyes- it looked like he hadn’t slept in days… you were much too close, and he was far too attractive.
Scrambling backwards, you took a ragged breath as the room around you became much clearer.
“Shh, (Y/N), it’s alright, you’re safe, we’re in the hospital,” the man said soothingly and you begrudgingly nodded.
Confusion swirled in your brain, like a fog that was too dense to navigate through. It seemed to settle over things you knew you should know- like a blanket covering memories you felt tugging at you, but no matter how hard you tried the fog wouldn’t dissipate.
“I-” you coughed, your voice coming out much more pathetic than you had realized.
A small foggy pink glass of water was held in front of you, and with a jerky movement you glanced up.
A tall, imposing man stood next to your bedside. He so seemed impossibly wide and formal you couldn’t help but feel intimidated. His eyes were kind but his jaw was harsh.
Carefully taking the glass, you swallowed a few gulps.
“My… my head hurts,” you said slowly, wincing ever so slightly.
A nurse glanced at you and checked the chart in her hand, with a warm smile she patted your foot.
“That’s completely normal after what you’ve been through sweetheart. I’ll go get you something for that." With that, she headed out the door, leaving you with the three men- your doctors?
You wrinkled your nose is confusion. "I don’t understand- what I’ve been through?"
The imposing man looked you over worriedly.
"You were gravely injured in the fight against The legion of doom, you took on Sinestro even though your ring had been dangerously low on power-” he stopped as the brown haired man behind him scoffed.
“We told you not to! You could have died (Y/N)! Do you have any idea how much-”
“Hal!” The blue eyed man snapped, and the imposing man sighed.
“We’ll lecture you another day, we are all just glad you’re alright."
Your eyes widened in confusion.
"Excuse me, but what the heck?” You glanced between the men-doctors in utter confusion. “Who’s… Sin-Jesto? What ring? Why would you Lecture me? And Why did you start yelling at me? Where are my parents?"
”(Y/N),“ the blue eyed doctor began and you shifted uncomfortably under the intensity of his gaze.
"Don’t you remember us?”
“I’m sorry, remember you? Aren’t you just my doctors? Wha-”
“What’s going on here?” The nurse returned, glaring between the three men.
“You said she would recover! You said she would be fine!” The blue eyed man launched to his feet, jabbing a finger angrily in your direction, glaring at the nurse, as (Hal? Maybe was his name?) whirled on her as well.
“Brain injuries aren’t that simple, Mr. Grayson. I said she would recover, the odds were good but there’s always unforeseen side affects. She’s alive, and awake. And that’s what counts,” the nurse placed a hand on his shoulder. “Give it time, You have to give her time.”
The man- Mr. Grayson, turned to you.
“Do you really not remember?” He asked quietly as he sat on the chair next to you.
“I’m sorry, should I?” You frowned. He looked so heartbroken as He carefully placed his hand over yours.
“(Y/N), it’s me, Dick, your husband, and Bruce.”
It felt like you stared at him for hours.
This… this man, Dick, he was your husband? And his name was… Dick?
You couldn’t help the bubble of incredulous laughter that rose in your throat.
“I’m- I’m sorry! It’s just- how are you my husband? Why’s your name Dick?”
“Sweetheart, I still ask those questions,” Hal responded and Dick shot him a glare. The nurse turned her head to you in worry.
“Honey, what’s the last thing you remember?"
You frowned, biting your lip in concentration. It was hard to pinpoint an exact memory.
"I- It had just snowed. We were at my House, my mom told me to grab my gloves before school, and that’s it? Why?" You shrunk under the woman’s worried gaze. “Yeah, about that where are my parents?"
Dick, (Seriously, how was that his name?), took a sharp breath.
”(N/N), it’s 2022,“ Dick said softly. You spluttered.
2022? How was that even possible? You needed a mirror, you needed to see…
As soon as you tried to get up, Dick tried to hold you down. You shrunk back for a moment under his touch before trying to push him off you.
"I need to see! Just let me up alright?” You snapped, and he immediately pulled his hand back.
“It’s alright,” the nurse informed you stood warily. The older man, Bruce, Dick mentioned, carefully moved the iv drip so you wouldn’t tangle the cords.
Dick got up too, and when you looked in the mirror you took rapid steps back. This girl- she barely looked like you! Her eyes were harsher, her face more thin, her hair was a ratted mess (most likely from being wrapped in bandages)…. she couldn’t be you. She seemed so… hardened. Reaching a wary hand up, your own face and paused as you looked at your arm.
“Woah,” you murmured, flexing slightly and you stared agape. Turning back to the others you saw them looking at you in confusion. “I’m freaking ripped!”
Dick and Hal burst out laughing and you couldn’t help but smile, soon Bruce and the nurse joined in.
“I came as soon as I heard! Shayera is on her way from the watchtower… (Y/N)?" A familiar voice echoed from the room and you froze in shock. That was your Uncle John, John Stewart.
"John, she doesn’t, just be careful, she can’t remember-”
“Uncle John!” You screeched and ran over to him, tripping up on your iv drip but nonetheless flinging yourself in his arms. He stiffened in shock for a moment before returning the hug with similar vigor.
Tears fell down your face as you breathed in. You could remember him, there was one thing here that connected to your memories.
“(Y/N), I’m so glad you’re alright,” he pulled back a little to get a better look at you. “What’s wrong?"
John turned to look at everyone in the room, and you took a step back. He wasn’t the same Uncle John you remembered. His hair was grayer and his voice seemed rougher. But then again, if it was 2022, he would have aged quite a bit. The men looked at you, and Dick- you had to turn your eyes away from his. He looked so distraught, and you knew it was all your fault.
Hal seemed distant, and the other man, hell you still didn’t truly know his name.
"She doesn’t remember any of us,” Hal rasped.
“She doesn’t-” your uncle turned his head down to look at you.
“Her last memory is it snowing and her mom telling her to grab her gloves before school,” Bruce filled in. “But it makes sense she would still remember you, she’s known you her whole life.”
“Bruce-” Uncle John paused with a heavy breath, “that means…"
"Speaking of,” you murmured, “no one answered my other question: where are my parents?"
The room went eerily quiet and your Uncle John placed a comforting hand on your shoulder.
"Sweetheart, your parents passed away 10 years ago.”
You stumbled backwards, confusion marring your face. “That’s not possible.“
Everyone was quiet and watched your reaction, and Dick looked ready to catch you if you passed out.
Your breaths came in sharp gasps and your shook your head wildly.
"No, no. That’s not right. This is all just some bad dream. It’s not 2022, I’m not married to some random guy with the name Dick, I’m not in the hospital, I’m just…."
Uncle John placed his hand on you, and your nose wrinkled in pain.
"How are they dead?” When no one answered you turned to the nurse in a flurry, “How come I can’t remember my freaking life?” Tears filled your eyes and your knees crumpled. How could you forget so much?
YOU GUYS I NEED SOMETHING FOR SMUTOBER. GIVE ME SOME REQUEST.
Has everyone forgot my inbox is open to request???
