So, this was something a sleep-deprived me came up with in the middle of the night. Honestly, I was half asleep when I wrote this. Please enjoy!
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Diana had no idea how this situation came to be.
In all the years that she had known him, Bruce had never shown an interest in alcohol. When they were younger, he had frequently expressed that he would never drink. In high school, he hardly ever showed up to parties and when he did, he refused any drink offered to him; even when assured that it was completely clean. When she had asked him about it, he had responded that one could never be too careful. Even now - in college - he never went out for a single beer.
So she was thoroughly confused when Clark had called her at near midnight to come pick him up because he was drunk beyond belief.
She blinked, processing what he had just said. "I'm sorry, do we have another friend named Bruce?" she replied. "Because Bruce Wayne has never had a drink in his life."
She heard Clark sigh over the phone. "I'm honestly surprised he even came with us," he admitted to her. "I turn my back for one second and he's completely out of it."
Diana was quiet for a moment. "Did you leave him with Wally?" she finally asked.
"Yeah, wh- oh."
She pursed her lips. "Why can't you just drop him off?"
There was silence on the other end. "I kind of have my hands full..."
Diana raised an eyebrow. "Lois?" she guessed. The girl was known for being a bit of a wild partier.
"Lois," Clark confirmed with a sigh. "Please, Di? I'll bring him outside and everything."
She groaned. "Of course I'll come pick him up," she agreed. Bruce was one of her oldest friends, after all. Why wouldn't she help? "I'll be there in about ten minutes, alright?"
She heard Clark exhale in relief. "You're the best."
Diana smirked. "I know."
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Just as promised, Clark was outside of the building supporting a slouching Bruce. It felt so surreal seeing the billion dollar heir so... disheveled. He was usually so kempt and neat. "You were right," she agreed. "He is drunk." It was the only logical explanation for his appearance. "But even if he was with Wally, he wouldn't have let him give him a spiked drink."
Clark seemed to think about this. "You think he did this on his own?"
Diana shrugged. "Sometimes, it's hard to tell with him."
Clark snorted. "True." He set Bruce in her passenger seat, sending the woman a grateful look. "Thanks again, Di. You're a lifesaver."
She winked. "It's what I do. I'll text you when we get to my place." She would bring him home, but her apartment was much closer and he looked like he was about to knock out right then and there.
"Sounds good. See you, Di."
"Bye, Clark."
As the duo said their goodbyes, Diana drove off towards her apartment.
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It took most of her strength to get Bruce - who was practically dead weight - from her car to her sixth floor apartment, but her fellow gym members didn't call her "Wonder Woman" for just her looks. She was able to haul him through the door and onto the couch with little complication. He seemed to be half-asleep, muttering incoherent phrases here and there.
She shot Clark a text and was going to go get him a glass of water when Bruce muttered, "Diana."
She turned and shuffled towards the couch, leaning over him slightly. "Hey, buddy," she greeted softly as she knelt next to him. "How do you feel?"
He disregarded her question as he gazed up at her, a silly grin slowly spreading across his face. "You're beautiful," he declared.
Diana visibly recoiled. "W-What?" she sputtered. Where had that come from? She shook her head; he must have been drunk because there was no way those words would ever come out of a sober Bruce's mouth.
"You're beautiful," he repeated, a bit more firmly.
She chose her next words very carefully. "Thank you." It seemed to be the safest route.
Bruce tucked a raven lock behind her ear, causing her to freeze. "You're the beautifulest girl in the world," he proclaimed with confidence.
Diana swallowed thickly. This was beginning to overwhelm her a bit. "Bruce," she began slowly, not trusting herself to speak. "Stop." He's drunk, she reminded herself, trying to keep her emotions in check. He doesn't know what he's saying.
"Do you remember that time?" he asked her.
She tried to collect herself. "What time, Bruce?" she asked evenly.
"In tenth grade," explained Bruce. "When you told me that you liked me?"
Diana flinched, memories of rejection stinging her heart. "I remember..."
He gently pulled her closer to him and whispered into her ear, "I liked you too," he said this, as if it was a secret. As if nobody was supposed to know, even her. Especially her.
She staggered away from him a bit. "I- what?" No. No, he couldn't do this to her. Not now. She had moved on with her life. She had buried her feelings for him to the farthest recesses of her heart.
Bruce nodded bashfully; as if ashamed. "I was scared," he confessed to her. "I still am."
He still was? What did that mean? That he still liked her? "Bruce," Diana started, keeping her voice level. "Do you... still like me?" She knew she shouldn't have asked him that given the state he was in, but she couldn't help it. She needed to know if her feelings were one-sided or not.
He shook his head. "No," he answered.
Diana didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed. On one hand, it felt just like it had in tenth grade; like her heart was being torn out and crush to dust. On the other hand, they could both forget this nonsense going forward. It would be as if it never happened. She could handle that. She could handle anything that Bruce Wayne threw at her. She had known him for over a decade, after all.
But nothing prepared her for what he said next.
"I love you."
She inhaled sharply. "Don't say that," she snapped, harsher than she meant to. How dare he. How dare he do this to her! How dare he toy with her emotions like this! He didn't get to reject her, then five years later come back spouting this nonsense! It's not fair, she thought vehemently, her nostrils flaring slightly.
"I love you," Bruce reiterated. "I love you, I love you, I love you."
Every time he said those words was like a dagger to her heart. She couldn't take this. "Bruce, knock it- mph!"
He was kissing her.
He was sitting up now, one hand delicately cradling her face while the other held he waist, tugging her closer. Diana was frozen as he moved his lips against hers. Every part of her was screaming to give in, but she could not. She couldn't do anything.
The kiss didn't last very long as Bruce pulled away, staring at her with such adoration on his face. "I love you," he repeated firmly.
"Bruce," breathed Diana, he cheeks flushing a rosy red.
"Diana," he mimicked her. "Do you love me?"
Her eyes fluttered close before she opened them back up again. "I do," she whispered softly. She couldn't lie to him. Not when he was being so open and honest with her.
Tears welled in her eyes as she realized that this experience between them would change nothing. There was a chance Bruce wouldn't remember any of this, wouldn't remember his confession or hers. Even if he did remember, she knew him. He would go on as if nothing happened. He would completely shut her out if she tried to approach it. That was the last thing she wanted.
Right now, however, Bruce looked horrified. "A-Are you crying?" he asked in alarm. "Why are you crying?"
Diana wiped at her eyes. "It's not important," she lied.
He didn't seem too convinced. "Are you sure?"
The corners of her mouth twitched as she nodded. "I'm sure."
"Okay then..." he accepted reluctantly.
Diana took a moment to collect herself before speaking again. "I'm gonna go get you some water, okay? And I need you to drink as much as you can. Can you do that for me, buddy?"
Bruce thought about it for a moment before nodding. "Yeah."
She forced a smile. "Good." She stood up and entered her kitchen, emerging a few minutes later with a bottle of water in her hand. She offered it to him. "Here you go." He took it, twisting the cap off and chugging a few sips down. "Good job. Now, why don't you get some rest, yeah?"
Bruce nodded, draping the blanket she had set up earlier over himself as his eyelids began to droop. "Goodnight, Diana."
"Goodnight, Bruce."
His eyelids closed completely before he added, "I love you." Before she could say anything else, he was fast asleep.
She kissed his forehead and - though it killed her inside - replied, "I love you too." She then retired to her bedroom for the night, cursing herself as she cried over a man who had shattered her heart five years ago.
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Guys, it's 1:30 in the morning. What am I doing with my life? *sigh* Anyway, please review and let me know what you think. Bye!
