LOVE + FEAR

INFILTRATOR

— L O N D O N —

Most of St. James Park was empty, aside from the shadows that leisurely strolled across the grounds. One of them took humanoid form and neared someone snoring on a park bench.

She sat down next to the unconscious blond man. A cigarette balanced itself between his lips, still emitting a soft stream of smoke. Tiny embers flared when the man exhaled.

She tried tapping him on the shoulder. That didn't work. She didn't think it would. He slept through just about anything—when she found a demon living in the oven, the manor obtained more than a few burn marks until he roused.

She poked his lightly-stubbled cheek. Still nothing.

She sighed, glancing down where something glinted from the inside pocket of his sandy trench coat. He always carried a flask. She popped open the container and held it beneath his nose, wafting the strong scent of liquor towards him with her hand.

His nose twitched. Yet his breaths remained slow and steady.

"Hmm," Her hand hovered in midair near his face. She moved her fingers towards his forehand and flicked him. Hard.

"Bollocks!" John Constantine shot up. His cigarette went flying and his bloodshot eyes darted everywhere until settling on the figure in front of him. Constantine's gaze darkened.

"Remember that conversation we had, Roth? About boundaries?"

"I'm not your sidekick, and you're not my mentor. No one will ever follow you on this path, and my presence holds no threat to your record: I'm just around ." She recited, throwing up handmade quotation marks.

"Exactly. And that means not interfering with my lifestyle."

"I'm not," She remarked. Constantine's cigarette was still missing. She checked her own pockets and her fingers curled around a box. She pulled out a full cache of Constantine's favorites (specifically for his use, of course) and offered him one.

"I noticed you weren't home yet. I would've left you alone, but I figured a mattress would be more comfortable than a night on a park bench," She replied.

He groaned, snatching one of his 'ciggys' and pulling himself up from his creaking wooden nest.

"Where's the house?"

"Down the street."

The vibration of a phone mingled with the sound late-night mingling crickets.

Constantine rubbed at his temples as he trudged forward. "Walking's annoying with this hangover. Why don't you teleport us—oi!"

He called out sharply to realize his companion was still ten paces back, smirking at her phone. Constantine huffed, "You're gonna walk into a lamppost with that thing in front of your face!"

"I'm coming," Her steps quickened to match his. The bright luminescence of the phone lit up her lingering smile.

She kept in touch with all of the Titans, but there were only two that she spoke with on a frequent basis. Kory's texts were mainly reiterating Dick's concerns and gushing over any pastries and chocolate-related things she discovered. And the other...

"I hope that it's not your nightly visitor ," Constantine commented, peering over at her phone screen. She leaned the opposite direction in response as they walked.

"Hey, remember that conversation we just had about boundaries? Respecting each other's private lives?"

"You woke me up from my nap. You pay the price, Roth."

"I don't have nightly visitors. And if I did, I warn you against harboring curiosity," She remarked.

"You warn me? It's not like I'm itching to sneak into a nineteen year-old girl's bedroom. But it is my house, love."

" Your house..." The building in question came into view amongst dark wisps of treetops. The massive structure, formally known as the House of Mystery, was a sentient structure that could move itself through time and space. Like it's location, nothing about the house rarely stayed the same; the rooms inside always rearranged themselves into a dizzying labrinth. Even the architecture, which currently matched the gray cobblestone of London, was prone to alterations.

"Didn't you win that in a poker game?" She recalled one of Constantine's many pub stories, some of those nights ending on the same park bench.

"It was won fair and square."

"I know you. Do you really expect me to believe that?"

Constantine paused at the steps leading up to the double doors of the house. She copied his behavior, reaching out with spectral senses to scan the house. Something felt off. As an empath, she felt another presence inside. It did feel familiar...and it didn't at the same time. That was confusing.

The pair shared a sidelong look. Constantine huffed, "We have a visitor."

They tensed, energy crackling in the air as magic was called forth. Soft embers from Constantine's cigarette burned bright. The shadows of St. James Park were born into new creatures of terror to roam the realm of night.

The double doors opened.

Superman stood before the two, bathed in the soft candlelight. His cobalt gaze met hers.

"Rachel Roth? I've been looking for you."

—*—

Author: Hello Awesome Readers!! Welcome, and thank you so much for reading our first chapter! I am SO excited to begin this new adventure with you c:

Jason Todd: Yeah...doesn't really sound like my thing. Polite pass.

Author: If you cameo, you get to make fun of Damian.

Jason Todd: ...Keep talking.

Author: There are so many things that I want to explore in the DC universe with you guys! As shown on the list of characters, we get to see some interesting pair-ups and interactions coming up soon!

Lex Luthor: Did I really donate money to this?? The first five minutes was that blond guy snoring on the park bench.

John Constantine: Bugger off, Charles Xavier rip off!

Harley Quinn: :O Does this mean we get to break the fourth wall in the story? Come on, Author! Let me do it! You know I'm great at breaking things!

Author: We'll work it out in post...anywho, I hope you enjoyed and we'll have more coming soon! Love, fortune and glory to you, Awesome People!!