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English
Series:
Part 1 of Escapismverse
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Published:
2021-08-18
Updated:
2024-01-06
Words:
157,376
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22/31
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Escapism

Summary:

Sucked into a portal created by the villain Warp, Garfield Logan finds himself sent to Smallville, Kansas on another Earth, where he's taken under the care of Clark Kent and Lois Lane, along with befriending and becoming housemates with their twin sons: Jonathan and Jordan.

Experiencing the unknowns of a normal teenage life alongside The Kents, Gar finds himself growing deeply fond of the fresh start this Earth allows him to have and family that calls it home.

While Garfield is adjusting to his new life, Jonathan finds himself in a confusing time in his: recovering from a traumatic experience and gaining powers unlike his family has ever seen.

Both boys finding themselves growing closer together as they travel down a different yet same path.

Notes:

An au made to focus on Gar and Jonathan since the shows they're featured in don't give them the spotlight and stories they deserve, Escapism is everything you just read in the summary.

Prepare yourselves cause this au is a roller coaster I swear. There's so much going on, so much to tell, it's gonna be a wild ride but in a good way,,

enjoy! ❤️

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm no longer in the Titans (2018) fandom and don't want this universe to be tied to that show anymore, so I'm officially removing Titans from this fic. But don't worry nothing is changing! No characters or stories are being changed. Besides a few lines I replaced with new ones that fit this universe, everything else is exactly the same. Gar is still Gar, he's not changing at all, and the Titans he's separated from are just a version of the Titans, not solely the 2018 show version.

Chapter 1: The beginning

Chapter Text

You never know when a day won't go as planned, do you? You go through your routine as the day unfolds, normally going as every other day, maybe there'll be a few hiccups but nothing too drastic, nothing that throws your routine, let alone your whole life, for a curve. You could never plan for a surprise change in the story. That’s why when the Smallville Gazette and the street surrounding it began to shake, Lois abandoned her seat and marched over to the window, Crissy at her side in a matter of seconds; asking questions Lois didn’t have answers for just yet.

Peering outside, it wasn’t long before the journalist spotted the source of the vibrations: The sky, clear blue moments ago, twisted into an ominous wine red, accompanied by clouds colored pink swirling slowly around as the lightning inside follows the same pattern.

It’s been two years since Superman and the D.O.D put an end to Morgan Edge and since then, it seems like the world went back to a sense of normalcy- well, as normal as a family made up of Superman, Lois Lane, and their twin alien hybrid sons can be. This, whatever it was, was about to put their normalcy to a screeching halt in ways they could never prepare for.

Across town, returning home from a boring day at Smallville High School, Jordan alongside his twin Jonathan found themselves stopped, frozen in their tracks. Hovering in the middle of the road, a few feet away, is what looked like a tear in the universe. A vertical jagged line color matching the sky with what looked like pink electricity surging from it.

Jordan steps back, eyes round and unmoving from the anomaly, “What the hell is that?”

“I-” Jonathan gulped, “I don’t know.”

It wasn’t until the tear began growing in size, electricity quickening, and a thundering crack sound from inside did the twins break from their trance. Grabbing Jordan’s wrist, Jonathan pulled him over to the nearest barricade, a mound of dirt in a field, and lowered behind it. The brothers held onto each other, bracing for something large and dangerous to crawl out of the rift.

Just as quickly as the odd storm came, it left. The red sky returned to blue and the rift stitched itself shut, disappearing as if it was never there.

Prompted by the sudden silence, Jon blinked his eyes open to investigate. Relieved by the sight of the bright blue sky above, the teenager twisted around and peered over the dirt mound, inspecting where the rift previously was.

Jonathan didn’t really know what he was expecting to see: an alien, a monster, some kind of gross goop maybe, but the body of another human being lying still in the middle of the street definitely wasn’t something that crossed his mind.

“What the..?”

“What? What is it?”

Ignoring his twin’s question, Jon vaults himself over the mound and steps slowly and cautiously closer to the body in the road. Kneeling down, he narrowed his gaze and eyed the unconscious human; taking immediate notice of the teen’s bright green hair and fresh scrapes under his left eye and forehead. No doubt caused by the road. Next came the weird attire, a whole body suit, black and purple, with what looked like armor for protection and a green paw print set in the middle of the chest piece. As far-fetched as it sounds in his head, it looks like the stranger was sporting some kind of super suit.

Jordan appears over Jon’s shoulder, “Is he dead?”

Jonathan tilts his head and presses two fingers to the teenager’s neck, checking for a pulse. When a steady beat pulses under his fingers, he breathes a sigh of relief and retreats his hand.

“He’s alive, just out cold.”

“Who is he?”

Jon hears his twin question aloud as if he’d have the correct answer. Some dude who fell out of a portal is the only explanation he’s got.

“I don’t know,” Jon scooted behind the stranger’s shoulders and slid his hands under his arms, lifting the teen up as he stood, “But we can’t leave him here to get run over, I’m taking him to the house.”

Jordan blinked, watching his blonde twin begin to walk backwards in the direction of their home while dragging a complete stranger like he was trying to flee the scene and dispose of the body.

“Dude, it looks like you killed him.”

“Well, how else am I going to get him back to the house?” Jon frowned, raising an eyebrow, “I can’t pick him up, he’s just as big as me.”

“There has to be something else we can--”

Their discussion quickly comes to a close when an all too familiar truck comes to a screeching halt behind them. Freezing in place, the boys stared round eyed as their mother swung the door open and marched towards them, hazel eyes moving between them and the teenager being held up by Jon.

“Jonathan! Jordan! What happened?”

“We didn’t hurt him!” The twins reply in unison.

“A portal opened in the road during that weird ass storm, I think he came out of it. I just wanted to help.” Jonathan added an explanation as this whole picture must look quite weird.

“Okay, okay,” Lois ran her hand through her hair with a deep inhale. Smallville must be a hotspot for people from other universes to visit. “Jonathan stay in the back with.. whoever that is and Jordan, you’re up front.”

Jon nods.

“Where are we going?” Jordan asked his mother, pulling the car door open.

“Home.”


It happened in San Francisco, he remembers that. There had been an argument between him and the team leaders, they separated for the day. He awoke to a strange red storm and a rift in the universe tore open. Inserting himself into the mess before the tear could drag Raven into it's metaphorical jaws, Beast Boy sacrificed himself by shoving his friend out of the way, allowing the portal to take him instead. That's where his memory ends. He doesn’t remember what happened inside the portal, just the last thing he saw before it shut: Nightwing running and reaching for him.

Garfield doesn’t know how long he’s been unconscious but assumes it’s been awhile because when he blinks his eyes open he’s staring at circling fan blades and lying comfortably on a couch. The portal couldn’t have kicked him out into a random living room, someone found and brought him here.

Sitting up, he lifted his hand to inspect whatever it was he could feel stuck to his face. Determining it to be gauze, his gaze took a sweep of the room. There’s a fireplace to his right with framed photos sitting on top, chairs on each side of the couch. Rustic décor seemed to be the main theme. If he had to guess, by the decorations and look of the room, this was a farmhouse out somewhere in the middle of a no-where town in the countryside.

“Oh, you’re awake.”

The teen snapped his head in the direction the voice came. Standing in the doorway, another teenage boy who looked to be around the same age as Gar, holding a plastic cup full of water and blinking at him with round, ice blue eyes. He had blonde hair, short on the sides with a poof of curls on top, clad in a long sleeve white shirt with a thick brownish orange stripe in the middle, a gold chain necklace around his neck, and jeans that tucked into a pair of green nikes that Gar swears he has as well back on his earth.

“Um,” The blonde teen steps closer and holds the cup out for Garfield to take, “I was going to drink this, but you probably need it more than me.”

After a moment of hesitation, Gar takes the cup from the other teen and lifts it to his nose to sniff, enhanced senses checking for the scent of poison or drugs. Always check before drinking anything a stranger gives you, a tip from Nightwing.

The blonde tilts his head.

Senses ruling out anything suspicious, giving him the green light to drink, he gulps the whole cup of water down a few seconds. Guess he was thirstier than he thought.

Gar set the empty cup on the side table next to him, “Thank you.”

“No problem, man.” The teen rubs the back of his neck awkwardly, then points over his shoulder with his thumb, “I’m gonna let my family know you’re awake.”

As the blonde teen began to exit the living room, Gar swiftly hopped off the couch and grabbed the other teen’s wrist to keep him from leaving. An effort earning a confused, slightly panicked look from the blonde, who’s gaze moves in between Gar’s face and hand wrapped around his wrist.

“Wait! Where am I? Who are you?”

The teen’s expression relaxed at the reasonable interrogation, relieved Gar’s sudden burst of speed was to ask questions and not harm him.

“Smallville, Kansas and you’re currently in my house. You are completely safe here, don’t worry.” The other boy shrugs as a grin pulls at his lips, “We kind of have the best security system, trust me.”

Gar releases his grip from the teen’s wrist and folds his arms over his chest.

“I’m Jonathan, by the way, but you can call me Jon.” The newly named teen smiled, “What about you? I can’t keep calling you ‘dude I found in the road’

So, the portal kicked him out onto a road? Makes sense. Did Jonathan drag him to his house by himself and how far away is the road? Would he have got hit by a car if Jon didn’t show up? Ugh. Too many questions, he’s getting a headache.

“Garfield, but I prefer Gar.”

“Sweet,” Gar flinches when Jon gently punches his upper arm. “Our names match!”

Dumb as it sounds, Gar didn’t understand Jonathan's comment until he repeated their names in his head. Jon and Garfield, like the newspaper comic characters, duh! It was refreshing to have someone not question his name or look at him like it’s the weirdest name they’ve heard.

In the doorway another teenager appears, longer black curly hair and clad in all black from his jeans to his hoodie. A style reminding Gar of Rachel and her all black and blue wardrobe.

“Of course,” The boy scoffed, “You were supposed to notify mom when he woke up, not start a conversation.”

“Gar,” Jon nods towards the other teen, “This is my twin brother Jordan.” Then repeats with Gar, “Jor, this is Gar.”

Gar gives an awkward smile at Jordan’s just as awkward wave.

“I’m, uh, gonna tell mom so she can inform dad.”


“So, you’re from another earth and on that earth, there’s a group of superheroes called The Titans?”

Sitting in one of the living room chairs with hands clasped together and set on his lap, the adult man with short black hair and eyes framed by a pair of square glasses questions.

Gar nodded, “Yeah, we protected San Francisco.”

“You were a superhero, too?”

Averting his gaze from the boys’ father to Jordan, who was sitting on the opposite end of the couch, then to Jonathan in between them, leaning back comfortably, practically sinking into the cushion with arms folded over his chest. He wonders how detailed he should get in his answer. These people seem nice but also doesn't know a single thing about them..

Simple it is.

Gar shrugs, “I was in training, but yes.”

Jon adds to the game of twenty questions next, “Do you have, like, powers or whatever?”

Jonathan's question seemed to draw everyone’s attention to Garfield. Eight eyes staring at him in interest and curiosity, awaiting his answer. If only the answer was simple - like Superman’s powers simple - but having to explain shapeshifting and how he’s able to do such a thing? They could be here for hours.

“It’s um.. Complicated,” Gar chuckled, “I’m still learning how to use them.”

Gar watches Clark share a quick glance at Jordan, then to his wife. A silent conversation going on between the three people and he looks down to Jonathan for confirmation, raising an eyebrow. Jon only presses his lips into a smile and shrugs.

“Do you know if these Titans will be able to find you?”

Lois’ words brought a frown to Gar’s face and he shook his head. It was the truth. The Titans are an amazing team, smart, and work together perfectly and there’s no doubt they’ll be doing whatever they can to search for him, but if they can or will find him is another story. None of them knew portals to other earths existed and only Fate knows what earth he’s on right now, it was completely random the portal landed him onto this one, and how many he passed before this one. There could be hundreds or thousands of earths his family would have to search until they find him, that could take them years.

The woman exhales, glancing at her husband then back to Gar. There’s a kind, sympathetic look in her eyes that made Gar’s fears feel a little less intense, “Until your team can find you, you’re welcome to stay here.”

Gar tilts his head, “Really?”

“You aren’t the first guy from another earth that’s stayed with us,” Jordan comments, “And you’ll be a lot more fun to hang out with than an old man.”

“Old man?” Clark cuts in, “Me and John are the same age.”

“We don’t have another room, so you’ll have to bunk with one of these two. I promise they’re well behaved boys.” Lois smiles, “We have a spare bed in the basement, I’ll have Clark clean and set it up for you. If that’s okay.”

“All good.” Gar matches her smile, “Thank you, I greatly appreciate it.”

Jonathan raises his hand to volunteer before his twin even has a chance to speak up about the arrangement, “He can stay with me. My room is bigger than Jordan’s anyway.”

Gar nods in agreement when Lois gazes at him for an okay.

“Welcome to room de Jonathan.” Jon holds a balled fist up for Gar to bump.

Smiling at the action, Gar bumps his fist into his new roommate's.

“I hope you can sleep with him tossing and turning all night,” Jordan snorts, crossing his arms, “Oh, and snoring that sounds like choking.”

Jon throws his hands up in protest, “Dude!”

The green haired teen chuckles quietly, watching the blonde playfully shove his twin into the couch’s armrest and Jordan retaliating by slapping Jon on the back of the head gentle enough to not cause harm, insisting what he said was true.

“Boys,” The adult chided, “Your mother just said you were well behaved.”

The twins put their antics on pause, focus on their father, and reply in unison, “We are.”

Lois sighs, getting to her feet, “Jon, take Gar to your room and get him something-” She eyes the teen’s super suit for a moment, “-More comfortable to wear before dinner.”

The teen exhales and pushes himself up from the couch, “Alright. Come on, man.”

Taking one more glance at the new faces he’ll be living with, Garfield stands and follows after Jonathan. He’s gonna have to get used to this, remember where everything is and what leads to where. Get used to climbing stairs instead of an elevator and hopes he never accidentally falls down them because his brain is too familiar with the lack of stairs in the tower.

/

Sitting on the edge of the teen’s bed, he watches Jon dig through his dresser drawers, searching for clothes for him to wear.

“Here,” Jon hands him a pair of dark gray pajama pants and blue t-shirt with the Superman logo in the middle, “I don’t have a lot of loungewear.. That’s more Jordan’s thing.”

“Superman fans?” Gar asks with a hinted smirk, raising an eyebrow.

Jon breathes, “You could say that..”

Scratching the side of his face, he proceeds to back up towards the open doorway, “I’ll, uh, let you get changed without an audience..” He laughed awkwardly.

Pausing right before exiting, he adds, “My mom is making dinner and you’re welcome to join if you're hungry or just want company, but if not, that’s cool, you can chill up here.”

“Thanks, Jon.” Jon. Being a part of a family with names like Dick and Koriand’r, a simple name like Jonathan sounds foreign to speak, “I am pretty hungry,” Honestly, there’s never a moment where he’s not hungry. Damn fast animal metabolism. “So, I’ll be down.”

“Got it! I’ll make sure mom makes enough food.”

The bedroom door shuts and Gar sighs, starting to remove his suit, pulling the chest piece off first then the body armor shirt he wore under, replacing it with the t-shirt. Turning his gaze down to the Superman logo, he couldn’t help but chuckle. What are the odds. On his earth, his family were a family of Bats- for obvious reasons - but it looks like, out of the many earths that portal could have chosen, it chose to drop him into a family of Supers.