I am using the Bane from the game Batman: Arkham Origins. This is something I'm writing just for fun. Enjoy!

Unexplored Fear

For the amount of time I had known Bane, I never had expected to be one of his broken victims.

I hid in the vents, holding my breath whenever I felt the ground shake. He told me not to follow, but I did because I feared for his life. Every nightmare I had where I woke up screaming and sweaty, Bane holding me with fearful eyes were, we're nightmares were Bane died. And every time I woke up from those, his large hands would gently wrap around my waist and pulled me into his heated chest.

"I would never hurt you," he would whisper in my ear, massaging my back with gentle circles. I melted into him like heated wax, molding into all the curves and muscles of his body. "Never."

"That's not it." No matter how many times I told him that, he never viewed him. I ran my small, cold fingers over his chest. He hummed in enjoyment. Running my fingers up higher, I rubbed small circles around the tubes that went into his neck, where the transfer of his preferred drug pumped through. I hated it.

Gently wrapping his index and thumb finger around my wrist, he said, "Please don't touch them, Chickadee. It makes me nervous."

"I didn't touch it," I replied, running my hand down his chest, his fingers still encasing my wrist. When Bane was with me, he let me have all the power. A man who could rip a door off its hinges with minimal effort was weak on his knees to a woman who was less than half his size.

He sighed and I could almost hear his eyes roll in his head. A small grin appeared on my lips. "You know what I mean, Chickadee."

I laughed softly, nodding. "Okay, okay." I ran my hand lower, spinning my finger slowly so the little hairs on his lower abdomen wrapped around it. His hand was still on mine, following it like a ghost. Placing all my fingers on his skin, I teasingly ran my nails across, getting lower. A felt the smallest of pressures on my wrist. Bending my neck up, I looked at his tired eyes. Though puffy bags hung from under his brown eyes, there was a small spark behind his eyes that grew every times my hand ghosted lower. My hand was almost at my destination.

"You first," he said, his voice an exotic gruff that sent tingles into my bones. Wrapping all of his fingers around my wrist, he tugged my hand away. With a swift flip that I never guessed someone the size of Bane could do, I was on my back with him hovering over me.

As excited as I was, I was also disappointed because Bane never let me bring him any pleasure. A little virgin I would stay until Bane took the lead.

To think that last night my only worry was that Bane didn't like me enough to have sex with me. Now I was hiding in the vent, terrified for my life and hoping that Batman could bring the man I loved down to his knees in defeat. Bane was unrecognizable, larger and more of a monster than I had ever thought someone with such gentle hands could be. He could bash and destroy concrete, twist and bend solid steel like it was fresh play-doh.

I felt the ground shake and held my breath. I could see his basketball-size knees through the little vent door. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see the monster in front of me. If I fully took the Bane in front of me in, I would never be able to accept the gentle Bane from my memories again. I was denial to believe that the monstrosity in front of me was the same man from last night.

The ground shook and my hands looked for something to hold on to. There was no where to run, being at the end of the small vent. I looked up, seeing little light from the outside world. I didn't have the strength to spider climb my way out so the only option left was to wait for either Bane or Batman to win. Even though it pained me terribly, I wanted Batman to win.

I sighed, tilting my head down and what I found looking at me through the grills of the vent made my chest freeze over.

Bane's toxic green eyes were pinned on me and I could tell there was no recognition. A growled built up in his chest before he let out a full roar in my direction, the sound vibrating the vent.

"Oh god," I said, covering my mouth. There was this realization that spread through me that sent a form of fear into my very core that brought hot tears into my eyes. Bane didn't know who I was and he would be the one who would take my life away. My stomach churned and the toxic smell that wafted off Bane was only making things worse.

Bane roared once more as he stood up and for the smallest of seconds I thought I was in the clear but then Bane's fingers squeezed through the grills of the vent, easily spreading them apart as if they were lose guitar strings. With the smallest tug, the vent came off and I heard it smash in the distance.

I screamed when Bane's monstrous hand slithered into the vent, pushing apart the small frame of the vent with his muscles. I squeezed myself against the back, inches away from his grasp.

"Bane, please!" I begged him but it only seemed to make him more eager to grab me. He back up and viciously slammed against the wall, his arm getting closer and closer. With a final and last slam, his shoulder squeezed into the vent, morphing it out of shape, gaining the final inch to wrap three of his fingers around my forearm.

A shrill of pain escaped my lungs as Bane squeezed my arm, a gruesome snap of my bones echoing in the vent. He tugged at me, pulling and thrashing me around like a rag doll. With another forceful tug, my shoulder popped out of its socket and I was finally out of my hiding spot.

"Bane!" I screamed, trying to get through to him. His eyes glowed with venom and the veins on his face pulsed in rhythm to his fast-beating heart. "Bane, please!"

His hand tightened and I could feel my muscles dig into my broken bones. Never in my life would I have thought I'd expirience such excruciating pain, especially from a love one.

Then I hit the ground, landing poorly on my ankle and experiencing another form of pain this night. I looked up and found Batman on Bane's back, pulling and tugging at him towards an electric fence. In instinct I crawled towards them, afraid for Bane's wellbeing.

"Stay back!" Batman hissed. "Back!"

As Bane hit the electric fence, he howled in pain. His massive body convulsed and his eyes rolled to the back of his head before he fell on his knees.

Batman walked towards me, leaving the unconscious Bane behind. "How do you know Bane?" He asked, crouching down to my height.

"I met him at a bar one day," I quickly told him. I rubbed the tears our of my eyes with my good arm. "I swear I didn't know any of this! I-I didn't know he worked for the Joker."

He nodded, his eyes forgiving. "He almost killed you," he stated.

A small sob crawled out of my throat. "He doesn't remember me," I said, looking at Bane. "At all."

"Can you stand?" He asked me.

"Y-yeah."

Batman wrapped his arm around me and helped me up.

A groaned froze us on the spot and both our heads snapped around to Bane. Bane shook his head as he slowly stood up, swaying on his heavy feet.

Batman shoved me behind him as Bane's eyes traveled to us. A heated flash of anger flashed through his eyes, making them glow. Mechanical sounds came from his suit and Venom puffed out in steam.

"Run," Batman ordered. I peeked over Batman's shoulder, looking at Bane. His eyes landed on me and shock took over them. He shook his head side to side, his massive body swaying.

"Chickadee?" Bane whispered in a confused voice, his green eyes on me.

"We have to go. Now." Batman swiftly picked me up and started running.

My eyes stayed on Bane and I saw his eyes sharpen, anger growing present once more. "Batman!" He screamed, before charging towards us like a rhino.

Batman threw a bomb at a wall in front of us and blew it up. We jumped through the smoked and into the other room. I flinched as I heard a roar behind us.

I screamed as Batman threw me to the side. The ground shook under my body and I watched Bane break through the smoke wall, his eyes on me. I crawled away as his hands reached for me but before he could touch me, two green lasers wrapped around hishis wrists and yanked him back. He began tugging and pulling, his eyes never leaving me.

And then electricity pumped through him once more, sending his body into convulsion again.

"Stop!" I yelled. "You'll kill him!"

The electricity stopped and Bane landed on the ground with a loud thud. He groaned in pain, his muscles twitching slightly.

"Finally," Batman said. He walked towards Bane, grabbed a chain and wrapped it around his left foot. With noticeable struggle, he pulled Bane up until he was hanging upside down. Bane's body spun around and involuntary flinch jumped my body when his eyes came into contact with me.

"Chickadee," he moaned. I could tell by his eyes that his mind was still fogged up but he was slowly coming to.

"Bane?" I called to him. With some difficulty, I crawled towards him. I only had one arm and one leg in function which meant a slow, and very painful struggle.

Bane's eyes fluttered, sending away whatever smoke was left over in his mind. "What happened to you?"

I paled and froze on the spot. The way he looked at me, his eyes soft and innocent even though they didn't match his extremities, told me he truly didn't remember the last few minutes. A shaky breath left my lips as he moved, unsure if I could still trust him. His eyebrows curled as his sarroundings finally started to settle in. Panic started to bloom in him, making his movement frantic.

"Stop," I yelled. Bane's anger simmered down.

"I need to get you out," he said, his muscles expanding slightly. I felt like puking.

"Better control yourself, Bane." We both watched as Batman stepped out of the shadows. Bane instantly began flailing, his hands swinging around dangerously. "You wouldn't want to break her other arm, would you?"

Bane's movement froze. "You're lying!"

"Am I?" Batman looked at me, soon followed by Bane's desperate looking eyes. My chest tightened. Bane was pleading with his eyes.

"Y-you didn't know!" I quickly replied. "You were just..." I lost my words, the memories of Bane coloring my mind. I shivered.

There was a heavy pause, Bane's heavy breathing the only sound. After a while, he spoke. "Her shoulder," he said, and I looked at Bane who was looking at Batman. "You have to break it into place."

"N-no," I quickly said. "I'll wait for the hospital."

"Mr. Wayne," Bane said, his voice hollow. "Please don't leave her in pain like this."

And before I even realized it, Batman had moved behind me, one hand firmly on my arm while the other on my back. Bane looked at me, his eyes devastated and torn. "Just breathe, Pequeña."

The scream that tore my lungs echoed in the metal room, the pain worse than when it had been broken.

"The bones in your forearm were crushed, torn ligaments, deep tissue damage. You'll need major surgery for it. Your ankle will heal soon. Try to stay off it for the first week." I felt light headed at the thought of major surgery. Batman pressed a button on his belt and two blue pills popped out. "These will help with the pain," he told me, offering the pills. I took them and swallowed them dry.

"My pocket," Bane spoke. We turned to look at him. "There's a cloth. Wrap her arm." Batman stood up but never approached Bane. His eyes were hard and cautious. "We both know I won't attempt anything, Mr. Wayne. I just want her pain to go away."

"Funny," Batman sneered, "sense you were the cause of it." Nonetheless, he walked towards Bane.

Bane lowered his eyes and the tubes in his body made cracking sounds as venom steamed out. "Left side pocket," he said, his voice empty.

Bane was true to his words; he didn't move an inch. His eyes were fixated on the ground as if the answer would suddenly appear there. Batman retrieved the cloth and quickly wrapped it around my arm and neck. He was gentle with his moves or the pills had kicked in, either way I didn't feel any more pain.

"Let's go," Batman said, picking me up.

I nodded, limping beside him. When I realized we were walking away from Bane I stopped. "We can't leave him!"

"You must, Pequeña," Bane said. "I can't help you like he can, expecially in this..." Bane's voice grew dark and his eyes sparked bright. "Just go."

"No!" I pulled away from Batman and quickly limped towards Bane. When I came to few meters away, his eyebrows lowered. with some unexpected maneuvering, Bane bent up and tore the chain off. Landing on all fours. I paused, the thought of him free settling uncomfortably in my stomach.

"Go with him," Bane said, his voice cold. He raised until he was on both feet, towering over me once more. I took a hesitant step back which he responded with a ground-shaking step forward. As frightened as I was, I didn't move any further. He was putting up a front, pushing sensitive buttons, and I wasn't going to fall for it. There was also the comfort of Batman helping me if Bane truly did decided to have another swipe at me.

Bane huffed, green steam coming out from his lips and nose like an angry bull. I found inner strength to take a hesitant limp towards him, where I now found myself at arms reach. If he wanted to hurt me, now was his chance.

"Chickadee," he said softly. And the seven feet monster fell on his knees, his head lowering to my height. "Please." I eagerly closed the little distance between us and wrapped my good arm around his head, pressing him against my stomach. He inhaled and exhaled with shaky breaths.

"I missed you," I told him, rubbing small circles on his neck. He was as hard as marble and the venom on his skin burnt my finger tips slightly. My eyes watered but I couldn't tell if it was from my feelings or the poison coming off Bane's body. When his tubes contracted, releasing steam, it caused my lungs to burn and I began coughing.

Bane's head snapped up and I shared a trivial smile with him that didn't convince him. He looked over at Batman and said, "If you help her I will tell you Joker's next plan."

"And I should trust you why?" Batman's eyes sharpened.

"Look at me, Mr. Wayne," was all Bane said. There was a brief pause in where he held his breath and his muscles coiled. I didn't think he would strike but rather he was preparing himself for an answer he didn't want to hear.

Batman raised his arm and said, "Alfred, prepare the surgery table."

"As you wish," he replied, his voice weary.

Bane exhaled, his head pressing into my stomach. As unreal as it seemed, Bane looked exhausted. Even though he had the strength of a thousand men, he seemed incapable of picking up a single pencil in his state.

"I'm going to pick you up, Chickadee, so don't be scared." He raised his head, his tired eyes looking into mine. I was convince he couldn't frighten me now but when his large hand rested on my back, I flinched and he instantly distanced himself from me.

"Sorry," I said, knowing the damage was already done. "I just didn't see it coming."

I heard Batman click his tongue behind me before he swept me off my feet, carrying me bridal style. "Follow me," he told Bane, who's face looked appalled and white.

"Bane, I didn't mean-"

He smiled brokenly and said, "It's okay" with an apologetic tone. He stood from the ground and followed behind us, the ground softly shaking as he attempted to keep his feet light. "It's okay," he repeated.

"If you attempt to escape, Bane," Batman said, "I'll take her to the hospital where they will mostly likely amputate her forearm."

"What?" I looked at Batman who kept his eyes forward.

"I know."

Batman placed me on the table and a man in white, who I assumed was Alfred, carried surgical things on a silver tray. Within minutes I was hooked up to machines and skinny tubes that when into my skin.

"Don't look," Batman said, who was now in white clothing, a mask covering his lower face this time.

"Where's Bane?" I asked, feeling woozy.

"I'm right here." His voice came through a speaker. "Look to your left, Chickadee." I rolled my head to the side, feeling slightly nauseous. He was behind a glass wall, looking worried.

"You look silly in such a small room," I told him with humour.

Bane smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes. "I look silly in most rooms."

I giggled. I felt an odd sensation in my arm. I rolled my head, but was stopped half way by Alfred. "Did you feel that, Miss Reyes?"

"Feels weird."

"That's good," Batman said. "Nerves are intact."

"How long will this take?" Bane asked.

I felt my arm give an involuntary jolt as Batman poked at something. I tried spinning my head once more but Alfred kept it in place.

"You don't want to see this, Miss Reyes," Alfred reminded me. I nodded.

"Considering the extent of the damage," Batman said, wiping sweat off his forehead. "Eight hours. She might even need a second surgery."

My heart started racing and Alfred gently patted the side of my head. "Do not worry. We have the best there is."

"Chickadee," Bane called me. I rolled my head towards him.

"Yeah?"

His hand was on the glass. I noticed he shrunk in size slightly. The veins on his face were no longer so prominent but he was still glowing. I snorted. "You look like a big firefly."

Bane shook his head in disbelief. "You can call me whatever you wish."

After hours being poked at, childish name calling, enough morphine to drown someone, and a lot of patience, the surgery was over. Not once did I get too look at my opened arm. I was placed in a comfortable bed inside a small but fancy room.

My covered arm was inside a small box that once in a while beep and sent red lights, scanning my arm. Before I dozed off, there was a knock on the door.

"It's me, Pequeña."

"Come in," I called eagerly.

The door opened and in stepped Bane, almost back to his original-yet still large-size. My good hand reached towards him and he let me wrap my fingers around some of his. "You're so cold," he stated, lifting the covers up with his other hand. I noticed the veins in his arm still glowed slightly along with his eyes.

"I missed you," I told him, squeezing his hand.

"I haven't gone anywhere, Pequeña," he replied, looking down at me. His cheeks looked gaunt and his eyes were bloodshot.

"Yeah," I said, closing my eyes. "Yeah you did."

When I woke up, I found Bane's head on my lap. There was small, dried tear-tracks on his cheeks and I felt small flowers of guilt bloom in me. Slipping my hand out of his gently, I started running my fingers over his head in a comfort manner. Even though it had been hours, the last remaining amount of venom in his body didn't seem to leave him. I frowned, worried. What if Bane never got back to his original size?

"Relax, Pequeña," Bane whispered. "It'll go down eventually."

"Are you sure?" I rubbed off the tear-tracks from his cheeks.

He nodded, grabbing my hand tenderly. Pulling away, his eyes bore into mine. I could feel a serious conversation bubbling to the surface.

"I almost killed you."

I felt my heart squeeze and my blood freeze at the bluntness of his words. His eyes dropped to my hand where his fingers began rubbing small circles on the back of my hand. He was hitting all the right pressure points, taking away my anxiety.

"You didn't know," I replied.

He shook his head. "Doesn't change what I did." His fingers worked there way up further but stopped half way up my forearm. "You didn't see what I did to your arm." Letting me go entirely, he stood up, suddenly looking afraid as if I was the one pumped full of venom.

"They wouldn't let me look," I reminded him.

"For good reasons!" The sudden raise in his voice alerted me.

"I'm sorry?"

Then his anger dissolved and he sat down. the creaked under his weight. "No, no, that's not-mierda!" Bane rubbed his head with his hands, a nervous habit of his. "I'm sorry!" He all but whispered. He grabbed my hand and pecked it several times feverishly. I saw fresh tears spill over his eyes.

"Bane, I know," I told him, placing my hand on his cheek. I sighed. "I'll be honest with you though..." his kisses stopped and his wet eyes found mine "...you terrified me, Bane. I'm going to have a hard time forgetting that side of you."

Bane snorted and placed his head in his hands. "I messed up, Pequeña. I messed up big time."

The machine on my arm started beeping and the lights started flashing, stealing our attention. We watched the red light go up and down my arm in silence. I chewed on my lip, restraining back a question that's been burning on my tongue for the past few hours.

"What is it?" Bane asked.

"What?"

Bane snorted under his breath in humour. "Just say whatever is on your mind." He patted my knee.

I looked at his eyes. I noticed how they were deep in his skull and the bags under his eyes were bruised looking. The scars on his face seem more prominent right now but then I realized that overall Bane looked more deteriorated than usual. The hand on my knee was hot enough to be felt through layers of fabric. Lifting my good hand, I placed it on Bane's forehead.

"Bane, you're burning up!" I noticed sweat glistened on his neck and arms. When I attempted to sit up, Bane placed his arm over the upper part of my chest, firmly keeping me down. He placed his face in the crooked of my neck.

"I'll be fine, Pequeña," he whispered into my ear. His breath was hot against my skin and not in a good way. "Now ask me what you wanted to ask me."

I pushed Bane's arm off, feeling discomfort on my shoulder because of the weight. "Lower your arm; it's too heavy." He complied.

"I need a moment," Bane said, standing up. He walked out, looking like a hungover disaster. Then it clicked.

"The venom," I stated, voicing my thoughts. Bane nodded, looking guilty. He closed the door with a click and walked down the hall, his feet dragging themselves.

I worried Bane was having withdrawals from whatever else he had pumped into his body. The thought of him having to constantly inject what had caused him to become what he was last night stressed me byond belief. What if he constantly had to maintain a daily habit of the new drug? The heart monitor beside me started beeping at a faster pace. Anxiety slowly started building inside me, until my legs shook and my hands twitched. The familiar dry, paste flavour formed in my mouth and now everything seemed louder.

"Bane," I called out. I had to stop him. I couldn't let him fall. Not again. "Bane!"

I grabbed the cup on the bed side table and threw it at the door, hoping someone could hear me over the he obnoxiously loud beepings.

"Bane, stop! You can't!"

Then I heard heavy, fast paced foots in the hallway.

"Bane!"

The door burst open, a sweaty and panicked looking Bane standing with his arms up, ready to fight. When he noticed there was no threat, he crossed the room in two steps and looked me over.

"What's wrong? What is it?"

I noticed he stayed the same size and I felt tears spill over my eyes. Pulling away from the bed as much as the stupid machine would let me, I snatched his hand and pulled him towards me. I hugged his arm into my chest and kissed the top of his broken, crusted knuckles.

"Pequeña?" Bane voice was tender and quiet.

I let his hand go and ran my hand up his arm, scanning him. Then I reached his chest and found everything to be the same as before. Bane grabbed my eager hand and chuckled under his breath.

"I-I thought-" I couldnt tell him. It was always such an awkward topic with him that not once had I succeeded to win.

Bane smile dropped and he squeezed my hand. "Do you think so poorly of me?"

"No, I just-"

He lifted his other hand, cutting me off. "I'm not mad." He sat down on the chair. "I'm not," he said a second time, his tone more serious. Wiping sweat of his forehead, he continued, "I don't blame you for thinking like that, Chickadee. Even though my word probably means nothing right now, I promise you I won't inject the new formula of venom again."

A part of me didn't believe him but the part that wanted to believe his words was stronger. "Promise?"

"The withdrawals aren't a worth it; I've been I'm pain for the past few hours, my memories are a little foggy, and..." he licked his lips and I noticed a distant look in his eyes, "and the craving's too strong. I can't risk it."

Bane grabbed my face in his large hands and rubbed the tears away. "Hurting you is not worth it. It never will be worth it."

When I saw the inner struggle in those green orbs, I had my doubts. Then his eyes hovered to my injured arm, taking it in. He then closed them and opened them and those inner demons of his were shoved to the back of his mind, where I could no longer see them. It didn't matter that I couldnt see them anymore because I knew they were still in there somewhere, hiding in the deepest parts of Bane's heart.