Selina Kyle usually didn't think much of that time she kissed Bruce Wayne. Sure, it was cute, she thought, but that does not mean we should start something. Us being friends is already going to be the end of us. But now, here she was with him, two years on, in some mobster's trunk, roped and cuffed together, with their faces inches away from one another.
To say that Bruce Wayne was embarrassed now was an understatement. His face was redder than a traffic light covered in pigeon blood. And he knew what pigeon blood was like, he took Biology in school. But that was beside the point. Right now, he was more concerned about whether or not he would die and the fact he was trussed up in front of his only real friend since his parents' deaths, Selina Kyle.
The car went over a speedbump. They felt it, Selina swearing under her breath. Well, she would've anyway, had there not been several layers of duct tape covering her mouth, sealing it shut. Bruce was the same. He was trying to look away from her face, but he kept seeing the large shotgun lying next to the two teenagers. The two of them knew it was loaded, so they tried their best not to struggle, scared of what could happen if it went off.
The car turned, and after a few minutes, stopped. Bruce felt stiff. It felt like an eternity. He struggled again, stopping when he remembered that his legs were tied to Selina's, and their feet were a few feet away from the butt of the shotgun.
The trunk then opened, revealing that it was dark outside. Selina and Bruce looked up to see a large man in a coat standing above them, his face obscured by the light and the hat he wore. Taking out the shotgun, he called to some men, who then came over and dragged the two bound and gagged teens out of the trunk, bringing them into a warehouse.
Bruce looked at Selina, and saw her look back at him. He saw that she was terrified of what was probably going to happen to them. Of course, he remembered, she's been in this before. The large man pointed at an area in the ground, and the other men dropped them there before walking off.
"Now look, I was hoping for some street kids, okay? But my boss, the Dollmaker, he told me that in the two years since he last came here, the number of street kids has dropped by two-thirds. So, I had no alternative but to take the golden boy of this damned city. It's nothing personal, kiddo," he continued as he leaned down, "it's just very well-paying."
Reaching into his pocket, he produced a knife, and placed it near Selina's throat. "You scratched one of my friend's eyes out, you stupid bitch. I'd love to do the same to you." He stood up, smirking as he cut his belt. "And a bit more."
Bruce had been struggling to get his hand out of his handcuff the whole time. It hurt like hell, especially since he was now bleeding, but he needed to help Selina. She was his friend. Also, she was usually brave and fearless. If she was terrified of something, then the situation they were in was not good. And right now, she was scared for her life. She was moaning under her gag.
Thankfully for the both of them, two good things happened. One, Bruce was able to get his left hand free, although by now he was bleeding and his skin had been cut and bruised.
And two, a shorter man limped in and shot the human trafficker in the knee, knocking him over.
"God damn it. King of Gotham for two years and people still don't know better than to not trespass on my property," he muttered, before turning on the lights, revealing himself to be Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot, gangster and so far-undisputed ruler of the underworld. He was dressed in a black three-piece suit with dark green tie, with a gold pocket watch attached to his vest.
"Do you want to know why I shot you?" he said in his nasally voice. "I was heading back from a very important meeting with the Chinese bosses, hence the attire I have on now, when I got a call from Gilzean telling me that a car was seen driving into this warehouse. I own this building! You are trespassing, you son-of-a-bitch!" He then turned to see Bruce and Selina, still bound and gagged, with Selina sweating in fear, and Bruce moaning at the bruised, cut bleeding wrist and hand.
"Oh, Holy shit!" gasped Cobblepot. He turned towards the man on the ground, now clutching his knee. "YOU KIDNAPPED BRUCE WAYNE!? YOU STUPID DUMBASS!" he yelled, whacking the man on the head with his trademark umbrella. He stopped, and then turned to the bald man standing at the door. "Call the cops, and an ambulance. This man needs…..medical attention."
Hearing the bald man walk away, he turned to the two teens, and limped towards them, taking out a switchblade. Kneeling down, he began to cut at the ropes holding their legs together. "I was tied up once," he said to them, smirking, though it looked extremely sadistic.
"Gordon was asked to kill me and dump me in the river. Instead, he faked my death. When he fired the gun, he did so near my ear, then let go of my collar. It looked like he'd actually popped one in me. Of course, I'm now partially deaf in this ear, but because he didn't kill me, I managed to get to where I am now."
He began sawing away on the handcuffs. He tensed when he saw Bruce's wrist and hands. "That must hurt, eh?" he asked. Bruce rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, it's not as bad as you think."
Ten minutes later, Bruce and Selina had blankets on them, and Bruce had some bandages on his wrist and hand.
"Bruce, do you think that was terrifying?" asked Selina. Bruce turned to her, and saw her smile. "I mean, was that experience we just had, of us being bound and gagged and stuffed in a guy's trunk, and me nearly getting raped by that guy, was that scary or traumatising?"
Bruce nodded. "It was scary, Selina. I thought I was gonna die. I thought you were gonna die, or worse." Selina nodded, saying in a sadder voice, "That's cool. I really did think he'd do that to me. It nearly happened before once. I got away that time, but this time, I knew I be helpless, at his mercy." She placed her head on Bruce's shoulder, letting herself cry.
"Does this sound cliché or what?" she said finally after a couple minutes. Bruce chuckled slightly and nodded. "Yeah. It really does." Selina laughed weakly. "Though to be honest, Cat," he continued, "I saw another side of you today. You were afraid, as in fear, and you didn't have your usual brave stubborn self."
Selina sighed. "Even after your girlfriend nearly gets raped, you're still an enormous dork. But cute."
Bruce sighed. "I know, Cat. I know. I feel guilty know."
"Don't be, you were right. Whenever I go out there, I'm afraid for what may happen. But I try and see if there's a way out. There was no way out there, so my fear became terror." She turned back towards him, and leant in. "And as scared as you were for whatever happened to me, I was just as scared for you."
"So you are human."
"Shut up, Bruce."
"I will."
"Thanks."