Constantly Sleeping

He hated the idea that they needed to rely on something that could be much worse. But Jason was from Gotham, and almost everyone there hated magic and anything to do with the higher planes. There were enough psychotic unpredictable monsters in Gotham created by the human mind; they had no desire to see something that could snap and an entire block disappear before the screams could even start.

Jason had been one of the few who voted against the summons for that reason. But he understood the majority rule more than people knew. On the streets of Crime Alley, if there was ever an agreement, it was that when the people got together, nothing could stop them. He had to settle while the magic users set up the summons, grumbling under his breath and looming like the rest of his siblings.

Hilariously enough, the magic users seemed more nervous about the entire Bat Clan watching than about offending whoever they were calling upon. He even saw one of them- A hero from France working under the name Magie Noire- cast a protection spell against demons, while looking at them.

Tim, the little shit, responded by biting the air towards the Frenchman. Duke made the shadows grow around all the bats a second later, allowing only their narrow eyes to be visible.

Even the Sups couldn't see through the darkness that responded to the demihuman, which made those who didn't work with them often shiver. Then, because something is wrong with Duke, on a psychological level, the shadows swallow them whole, but not before letting them take the shape of screaming humans, stretched around the little corner the Bats claimed as their own.

Magie Noire actually whimpered before John Consitiine reached over and smacked the back of his head, reminding him to focus on the signals they were drawing.

Despite the disapproval, Jason had left the dark corner, stepping back into sight and ignoring anything or anyone as the summons went underway. He couldn't tell why he moved or why he fell to his knee, but everything about this felt right.

Even the amusement of the song choice he made, despite once calling it tacky-

Like a dam breaking, memories overflowed Jason's brain

________________________________________________________

He was practicing his swings in the training field. Around him, squires of different backgrounds were doing the same. Many were hopefuls from distant territories who had come for the knight selection of the royal guard.

Only the best of the best would be able to move on to serve His Majesty. Those who failed would be sent home in shame. Not everyone would pass the first round of the selection process, but that didn't mean the pressure wasn't high on those from smaller territories to succeed. These were ghosts that were born there, and thier people's survival depended on how much fondness the King had for them. Natural resources were scarce in the Realms.

Jason was a rare ghost. He didn't have a territory to call his own where he served the local lord, nor was he a wandering ghost that had nothing tying him down. He was a new ghost, just arrived after his brutal killing. The older ghosts promised him that his death would eventually fade, and the pain would seem like a bad dream until he could not remember it or his life.

But Jason remembers everything, and sometimes he wants nothing more than to leave the Realms and see Gotham again. But he could never find his way home as natural portals to the mortal world were more scarce than resources; instead, he wandered between territories, treated once more like a street kid.

Back in life, the only way Jason had managed to avoid homelessness was by securing Bruce Wayne's attention. In death, the only way to escape homelessness was to secure the Ghost King's.

"His Majesty is watching," One of the squires whispered, her glowing hands trembling around the hilt of her sword. Jason doesn't dare glance up at the castle, but he can feel the King's burning stare as he reviews all the knight hopefuls. In two days' time, the squire camp would be cut in half as people would be dismissed for consideration. In two days' time, the remaining would be allowed within the castle walls for the next round of selection.

Jason would be one of those squires.

_________________________________________________________

Jason is sitting on his bed in the barracks, his three roommates preparing for bed around him, while he is flipping through his latest book. He hopes to get in at least three chapters before his exhausted body forces him to rest.

He's been a knight for about six months. Back home, that would have been six days, at least he thinks. One of his roommates swore up and down that he could calculate time warping in different realms and mortal worlds, but Jason knew he had never actually been to the mortal world, so there was some doubt about the accuracy.

Still, it was the best guess he had. By that point, he could not remember his death, which was something he was grateful for. But he did remember his love of reading.

His role as a knight wasn't as luxurious or as fulfilling as he thought it would be. Jason was low-ranking, with no money, no connections, and no territory to support him; he was only selected for his impressive display of combat knowledge. He figured he would at least be posted guarding a border, or even standing guard at a gate, from his time as Robin, but instead Jason was assigned manual labor alongside the castle stablehand, despite outranking him.

His roommates were in the same boat, as they were all as poor as he was, even if he was the only unclaimed ghost. One was a gardener, the other worked shifts in the laundry house, and the last was the library aide. Jason burned with jealousy over the library assignment, especially when the other knight didn't value books as he should. But at least the ghost was willing to bring Jason something to read, after catching on to his jealousy.

"Rare that," Piebs mumbled

"What?" Jason grouched back. Piebs was the one who worked in the laundryhouse and treated Jason the worst for his unclaimed status.

"Not often do you see someone who can read." Piebs shrugged, uncaring of Jason's glowing green eyes alight with rage. "Not just the Unclaimed. Most territories ghosts can't. Not unless your parents are nobles, were mortal once, or if one of those wandering ghosts comes through after a trip in the mortal world."

"Jason was a mortal once," Vredoct called out. The anthropomorphic dragon pulled his shirt over his head, getting it caught a bit on his spikes. Jason looks away, blushing slightly. The Realms was an odd place, and interspecies relationships were the norm, but he still found it a bit odd how he could find a dragon attractive. It must be the voice. Vredoct had a seductive voice, smooth, deep, and always slightly amused, speaking in a way that rang true to his noble status despite being the sixteenth son of a poor baron. "He's a new arrival, remember? Most mortals are taught to read from a young age."

"Oh, here we go again. Mr. Expert in Mortal lands. Are you going to calculate how long it's been since my mother died next and the year it's now in her past world?" The final roommate, Bor, cut in, waving his claws around in a mockery of Vredoct's accent. He was a gardener because his territory fell more into the plant-life section of the Realms. He was the son of a Past Mortal Ghost, which wasn't rare, but everyone loved talking about the mortal world. Jason would compare it to asking an astronaut about the moon who's walked on.

"Depends." Vredoct laughed, shaking his long red hair out of his face. "Where did she form, what species is she, and what is the size of her core output?"

Jason ignored the argument that followed, flipping the book back to the front. There he found the same name that had been inside every book he'd requested from Vredoct.

Danny Fenton.

He wonders if he will ever meet the ghost that shares the same interests as him. He had found notes on paper stuck between the book's pages, where Fenton had written out thoughts and comments on the book. Jason appreciated that he didn't actually write in the books.

_____________________________________________________________

A year later, Jason has moved up from stablehand. Vredoct had moved back home. His father had arranged a marriage for him that would bring the house some much-needed money, and the dragon had been quick to mention that Jason could read and was perfect to replace him.

He was overjoyed to no longer be shoveling horse manure and now shelving books that were from the largest library he's ever seen. Jason could spend all eternity here, since books were gathered from the start of all time, and varied from genres, cultures, and even some came from the mortal world.

He also met Danny Fenton. He was an aide who worked at the King's office, coming through the library to pick up references for the King. Danny and Jason were closer in age. He thought he wouldn't age while in the Realms, but thanks to his Unclaimed status, he was able to age, and the knowledge did freak him out a little.

Though it did mean dating wouldn't be as weird. Jason was glad because it meant he could flirt with Danny without finding it weird. Danny was also an Unclaimed ghost, which made icebreakers very easy, especially when they realized they were from the same mortal world, the same country, and the same time; the only difference was that Jason grew up in a different state than Danny.

It became a habit for the two to chatter for as long as they could between one browsing for books and the other shelving them. They find little corners to speak, usually about thier lives, the things they missed from Earth, and whatever they wanted in between. Those short conversations became the highlight of his day.

Jason already found himself turning his head whenever the door opened.

___________________________________________________________

Jason is sitting on a bed, nervously looking over his shoulder at Danny's slumbering form. It's been three years since his death; he would be eighteen, and he has grown to that age. He had taken the casual flirting in the library to another level, and he didn't mean inviting Danny to watch him at mandatory knight training.

That was the date that showed how serious they were. Most knights who had partners made things official at the mandatory training days, where those who were given jobs that weren't the typical position of a knight could show off.

He had done something different with Danny. It wasn't that Jason didn't want anything serious; he just didn't think the timing was right. He couldn't lie that the idea of someday making it back to Gotham didn't linger in his mind, but much like reaching the moon without a rocket ship, it was a far-off dream.

Just not one he was ready to wake up from.

Danny seemed alright with that, because his own role in the King's court was daunting and time-consuming. He admitted that he just wouldn't have the time to be a boyfriend. The most that they could be was lovers with no strings attached.

He had allowed the ghost to seduce him and bring him back to his room. The night before, Jason had been preoccupied and hadn't taken in his surroundings, but in the morning he noticed things he had missed.

Danny didn't live in servant chambers. He had a noble's room. Jason could tell that much by the sigils of the King placed everywhere. He wasn't just an aide in the King's office; Danny was likely even part of the royal family.

And Jason had just accepted being in a purely adult relationship with him.

How would this affect his life in the castle?

______________________________________________________________

"Today was exhausting," Danny complains, pressing his face into Jason's lap. The two are in thier private room, having requested it after a year of their no-strings relationship, which was full of so many strings that Jason could have opened a yarn store.

He didn't mean for that to happen, but at least Danny also made the mistake. They held hands in the hallway, spent lunch breaks together, went on dates in and out of the castle when thier schedules aligned, and both were exclusive with one another despite having agreed they didn't have to.

Honestly, the whole castle knew that Jason was Danny's boyfriend long before they decided to be official. Rumors started up fast, some speculating that a noble like Danny was only playing with an Unclaimed, while others whispered that it was an ambitious Unclaimed attempting to move up in the world by any means necessary.

It was always fun to watch Danny crush those gossip mongers by confronting them and loudly declaring himself an Unclaimed as well. Not that it helped much since everyone had this fixed idea that an Unclaimed could never be a noble, which was what Danny obviously was.

Jason didn't know Danny's official ranking. No one did.

His boyfriend had high clearance and moved through the inner castle where few were allowed in, but he wasn't allowed to talk about it. Still, he chose to give up his far subpar lodging to move in with Jason, who was able to move up in rank and was now back on the field fighting. He will be honest, he missed the library, but it was nicer to work as an actual knight because he had more privileges and could stand next to Danny better.

He was now part of the strong squad of the Royal Guard. Jason was only a few months away from being assigned as a private guard to a high-ranking noble. He'll be someone important again.

"The council on your ass again?" Jason asked, threading his hand through Danny's white glowing hair. His lover makes a small purr, letting him know that Jason is doing the right thing to comfort him

"I sometimes wish I could poke those floating eyes. Throw some sand into them." Danny groans, and Jason laughs

"Careful. You might be marked for high treason. The King adores those Observants"

Danny turned to stare up at him with one eye, a complex emotion swirling in his iris before he laughed. "The King does not."

_____________________________________________________

Jason bows, "My King"

 Danny looks up from his desk, a laugh bubbling from his lips. "My dashing, brave, and handsome knight! Why are you bowing like a regular knight? You are a noble now, darling"

Jason is still bent down, but he allows his eyes to look at his lover, who always finds it amusing that he has taken his assignment as the King's guard so seriously.

He had no idea that his lover was the actual ruler he had been trying to impress since he found himself on the castle grounds, but in high sight, he should have noticed. No one told Danny no.

No request was ever denied, no matter how out of policy it was. Instead, Danny had ensured he rose quickly through the ranks, not allowing discrimination against Unclaimed ghosts to get in his way. It was a little-known fact that the Ghost King was sensed but rarely seen, because he powered the entire Realms, ruling over it like an unseen god.

Only the most trusted of subjects knew the face of the King. And Jason was the only one who knew the King in private moments.

He was the royal guard to the Ghost King, who was also his lover for the past two years. After five long years of death, Jason was finally happy to be a ghost and accepted his place in his reality

He was brought back to life the day after proposing to Danny

_____________________________________________________

The memories settled just as Danny stepped into the mortal world, smiling at him through some tears. Jason feels joy that he hadn't felt since he was brought back to life bloom in his chest.

As if someone had given him the other part of his missing soul back

"My King."

redraw this was the og. from like January i think… but i was never too happy w it so..i redid it yay