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One Day After Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day had come and passed uneventfully. Well, relatively uneventfully. She had been assigned to help out in Japan; a major tsunami had been predicted, and the island was horribly unprepared. She, Flash, Aquaman, Ice, and Firestorm were all that stood between the natural disaster and the lives of millions of people. Not that this was the first time that she had held such responsibility, but twas the life of a hero.
They had been successful in stopping the natural disaster. But between evacuating the citizens, stopping the tidal wave, and running crowd control afterwards, the mission had lasted nearly all day. It had drained physically and mentally. As soon as they returned to the Watchtower, she had gone immediately to her quarters. After a shower, she had gone straight to bed, too exhausted to be bothered. A date was the last thing on her mind.
To be honest, she wouldn't have noticed the holiday had it not been for the unpropitious commitment she had set for the day after.
The knock on the door woke her up the morning after. She glanced sleepily at the clock. The bright red numbers read 11:09. She groaned and rolled back over. Generally, she wasn't one to oversleep; she didn't have enough hours in the day to afford it. But today was her day off, and with nothing planned, she was going to take advantage of all the lost hours she had accumulated. She never knew when another opportunity would present itself.
She started drifting back off, hoping that she had dreamed the intrusion to her sleep when another knock drew her attention back to the door.
Pulling the covers back, she got up grudgingly. Her feet dragged the floor as she made her way to open the door.
"Your date must have gone pretty long for you to be in bed this late."
Black Canary stood in front of her with casual clothes and a smile stretching from one side of her face to the other. Dinah knew that the Amazon had spent the night alone after her work in Asia. And while the implications behind it weren't what she would have wished for her friend, a victory was a victory, and she was not about to let Diana slide until her end of the deal was fulfilled. Besides, there would be plenty more opportunities to get the two together.
Diana raised a hand to protest, but the blond stopped her before she could get a word in.
"A deal is a deal. I'll meet you at the transporters in 20 minutes. Don't wear anything too tight."
"Dinah, wait."
"Twenty minutes," she called over her back.
Diana cringed internally as she watched the blond leave. She let out a Greek curse as she went back in her room. Why had she agreed to this? She went to the bathroom and looked carefully one last time at her pure, unmarked body.
Twenty minutes later, she met Canary at the transporters, a relatively loose T-shirt and curve hugging jeans adorning her body. Within seconds, they were in front of the parlor, a grimy looking building in a strip mall that had seen better days. She didn't understand why Canary even knew about a place like this. With each step closer to the door, Diana could feel her stomach tightening. Her toes curled in her shoes as they continued to move forward.
Dinah opened the door for her friend, a slick grin forming as she ushered her in.
"It's going to be fine. Trust me."
They sat in the chairs near the window as they waited for an artist to free up. The Amazon's foot tapped nervously as she fidgeted with her hands.
"Diana, this is supposed to be fun."
"That's easy for you to say. You're not the one who is about to get permanently marked for a split second decision."
"It's really not that bad."
"I've seen reality TV. That's exactly what the friend says before they give them something they're going to regret for the rest of their life."
"I promise I wouldn't do that to you. I do have some class."
Diana exhaled deeply. She believed her, but the butterflies in her stomach refused to quiet down. She hated waiting, and the anticipation was killing her.
The artist turned to them and gestured for them to take the seat. After a bit of coaxing from her teammate, she moved over to it. Every muscle in the Amazon's body was tense as she worked up the courage to sit in the chair.
"What can I do you for?" the artist asked.
Diana shrugged, shaking her head. "I think you should ask her." She pointed to Dinah, who seemed to be enjoying this way more than she should have.
"Lost a bet, huh?"
Diana simply grimaced, hiding her face in her hands. Canary grabbed the artist and brought him out of normal earshot. Even with her super hearing, Diana was unable to grab any clues as to what her fate was to be. Dinah was really pulling all the stops to make sure it was a surprise.
The two walked back over and the artist began prepping his materials.
"I'm gonna need you to turn over on your stomach."
"Stomach?" Diana looked, eyes wide, in Dinah's direction. "You said you wouldn't-"
"Diana, calm down. It's mid back at lowest. I told you I have more class than that. But your uniform doesn't leave many spaces to put this and no one see it."
The consternation was still written on Diana's face.
"You're going to like this. Trust me," Canary assured.
"You keep saying that, but it's not making me feel any better."
The artist came back, tools in hand.
"Ready?"
The Amazon inhaled deeply. "As ready as I can be."
The man began to do his job. She wasn't nervous about the pain. And she knew her friend wasn't trying to humiliate her. If she was honest with herself, if it wasn't for the nervous energy running through her, she probably would've enjoyed it more. It was somewhat relaxing. But Hera, did she hate not knowing.
Within the hour, he was finished. After a few post-design procedures, she had the tattoo wrapped with paper towels and saran and was heading out the door. She had to wait an additional two hours for the big reveal. She was not happy at all about that. In the meantime, they had walked around the surrounding stores that hadn't been shut down. Canary had bought lunch to try and get her mind off of it, but she was ready to see it now.
By the time the two returned back to the Watchtower, the wait time had expired. The nervousness in her stomach had returned as she and the Siren walked back to her quarters.
"Ready for the big reveal?"
She put a forced smile in her face. "As ready as I'll ever be."
Canary patted her shoulder and continued walking as Diana finally reached her door. When she entered, she threw her purse to the bed and went straight to the bathroom. She stood anxiously in front of the mirror, staring at the woman staring back at her.
She began removing the wrapping, using the solution the artist had given her to remove any excess. When it was finally clean, she took her hand mirror and closed her eyes.
"Here goes," she whispered.
Holding up the mirror in her hands, she stared at the reflection of her back.
It wasn't huge, but big enough to make a difference. She nearly laughed at the irony of it. She should've known, but it still was a nice surprise. It's not what she would've picked for her first, if she ever had the courage to get one, but it was fitting for the occasion.
Black Canary had been right. She did like it.
"Not bad, Dinah," she thought to herself.
She could feel the smile coming to her face.
Six Days After Valentine's Day
The smile was no longer on her face. Sure, she still loved the design, but the novelty had long faded. In its place was the incessant itch that was threatening to drive her mad. Her skin was starting to rash around the site, and running around fighting in a skin tight uniform was not helping at all. The constant rubbing was making it worse. She knew she shouldn't scratch it, but sometimes the sensation was just too much to ignore. She had resorted to walking with her hands behind her back to make the scratching less conspicuous.
In addition, she still felt self-conscious about it all. She knew that no one could see, no one even knew to look. But she got a little nervous when someone stood behind her. The only plus side about the whole situation was that the one man she had been trying to avoid had yet to appear. But it seemed fate had decided to arrange a meeting.
Within the last week, the Watchtower had been nearly compromised; a contaminate had been found in the ventilation system and had caused quite the panic. It turned out to only be Plastic Man's squirrel that had died in the airways, but it was enough for the regulations and safety guidelines to be revisited, resulting in an emergency Founders' meeting. An emergency meeting that Superman was supposed to be heading.
So as Wonder Woman slid her way into her seat, she felt her heart jump into her throat. Batman stood in front of her and her teammates giving a presentations on the amendments that were to be made to their current standards. It turned out that Superman had been caught up in a crisis in Metropolis and had asked the Dark Knight to step in for him.
She sincerely tried her best to focus, to play it cool, but all she wanted was for the ground to swallow her whole. The whole meeting she made sure not to make eye contact. The others mainly gave input. Every now and then, she would put in her opinion, but for the most part she had stayed quiet.
As the meeting persisted, it seemed the itch did too. It was too much to try and think about policies and the intense itch that was inflaming her back. She just wanted the meeting to be over. She couldn't even scratch with the chair sitting on her back. The only silver lining she could find in this meeting was with Batman leading, he wasn't sitting next to her, but she was positive he could still see all her squirming from the front of the room.
The entire thing lasted an hour. Her friends stuck around for awhile, delivering small talk as they left. She waited for a few to leave before she struck out, making an exit even Batman would be proud of. She made a beeline for her room. The moment the door closed, she took off her uniform allowing her skin to breath for a minute. She welcomed the temporary relief, but that's what it was, temporary. If she didn't apply something soon, it was only going to return with a vengeance.
She scoured the bathroom for her Cortisone cream. Through the medicine cabinet, the towel closet, the shower area, but the tube continued to elude her. She searched again, hoping she had just overlooked it. She tapped her hand against the wall nervously. She knew it had be in there, she had just used it the day before. It's not like it could just get up and walk away. Her heart beat frantically. There was no way it could be missing now.
She moved from the bathroom to the bedroom. From her dresser top and drawers to under the bed, there was no sign of it. She was on her knees, looking under the bed when a knock came from the door.
The thud could be heard outside the room. So could the groan afterward.
"Just a second," she moaned.
Diana got up quickly, rubbing her head. She searched for a shirt, throwing on the first she found before running to the door. Batman stood in front of her, Cortisone cream in hand.
He looked her up and down. "Nice shirt," he commented.
She looked down to see a Superman logo on her chest. She hadn't even noticed.
She grinned slyly. "Not jealous, are you?"
His only response was a sarcastic look.
"What are you doing here?" She stepped aside to invite him in. He shook the ointment in his hand to draw her attention to it. Her eyes widened in surprise.
"Is that my cream?"
He could feel a bit of incredulity in his chest at her statement. "I assure you this is mine. Why would I have yours?"
"Maybe you stole it and were trying to return the evidence before anyone noticed," she commented. "Not that you need a large incentive to do something most would find odd."
He huffed in annoyance. "Look, do you want to use it or not?"
The urge to snatch it out of his hands was tremendous. But she had to remain calm about this. She was sure he was suspicious about her new "look", but she couldn't give him anything that might confirm those suspicions.
"What makes you think I need it?"
"Please Princess, you've been scratching for the past few days. So much so, that you've resorted to the Darkseid pose to try and make it look less conspicuous."
"Darkseid pose?"
He demonstrated the action; his hands rested in the small of his back behind his cape. His chin rose in the air reflexively.
"Is it that obvious?" She could feel her cheeks starting to turn red.
"Maybe not, but I tend to perceive things others don't. Most may find it odd, but it makes me good at my job."
"Well I suppose I should be thanking you." She reached for the container in his hand, but he snatched it out of her reach.
She looked at him confused. "You did bring that for me, did you not?"
"Let me apply it on for you."
Diana felt the air being sucked out of the room as her breath hitched in her throat. When he had stepped in the room, she had not expected the encounter to go this way at all. It both piqued her curiosity and aroused her. But she knew that she couldn't allow anything to happen, not with this tattoo on her back. He of all people could not see it.
The Amazon swallowed hard, trying desperately to push her feelings down.
"That's okay. I think I can manage it." There was absolutely no conviction behind her statement. She knew she was going to lose this battle.
"I know you can manage, but wouldn't it be easier if I did it for you?" His voice was in a low, predatory growl, making it that much harder for her to resist. Bruce knew she was up to something, but had yet to pin down exactly what it was. If this was how he was going to get it out of her, so be it. He might as well have fun with it. It gave him great satisfaction to see her so distracted by his mere presence. Pay back for all the times she had done it to him.
"Really Bruce, it's not necessary. I'm a big girl. I put my uniform on all by myself, I think I can do this too."
"You wouldn't be trying to hide something, would you?" He took another step towards her. Even in his uniform, she could smell his cologne. He was trying to seduce her to giving him what he wanted. She knew the game well. She often did it to him. But all she wanted now was the Cortisone cream to relieve herself of this itch. Why was he making this so hard for her?
"Why would I keep secrets from you?" she continued.
"Why don't you enlighten me?"
"Bruce, really I can do it." She attempted to grab it from his hands again, but he swiped it again. She wrestled with him for a few turns before he maneuvered out her arms' reach. He began to walk back to the door.
"Where are you going?" He was really starting to tick her off.
He stopped and turned back to her. "It's a package deal. You want this, all you have to do is show me what you're hiding."
"Bruce, come on. It's just a rash. It's really nothing you want to see. Can I please have the tube?"
He began walking out the door again.
"Fine," she called after him. "I'll just wait until you leave for Gotham. You'll leave for patrol eventually." If it took a few hours of mind over matter to win against him, then she was willing to wait.
His mouth ticked up at her persistence. "I'll take it with me."
"Then I can ask someone else."
"Not if I leave a notice to every Leaguer saying the use of hydrocortisone has been banned through our new safety regulations."
"You wouldn't?"
"Try me." He turned to her. She challenged him with her glare, but he knew she would do what he wanted.
She had no choice but to give in. There was no doubt in her mind that he would pull a stunt like that to aggravate her. "Okay. Okay. Fine," she acquiesced. This man got under her skin like no other. A playboy smirk was on his face. It was times like this where she couldn't stand his very guts. She had played right into his hand, and she knew it. But the itch was unbearable.
She grabbed the edge of her shirt and nervously flitted with it.
"You can't laugh. It was a stupid bet, and I didn't pick the place or the design."
He was thoroughly interested now. He had an educated guess this entire time, but now he had to know.
"When have I been known to laugh?"
She knew they were in the privacy of her quarters, but she looked around anyway to make sure no one could see. She tentatively lifted her shirt and turned around.
Batman could feel his pants getting a little bit tighter. It couldn't have been more perfect. In the middle of her back was his insignia. It was surrounded by a cloud of bats flying in a spiral fashion from the Bat Signal center point. He could feel the genuine smile form on his face.
He cleared his throat to tamp down on his urges.
"Impressive." He stepped closer to examine it better. He could see the apprehensive look in her face.
"You don't like it?"
She moved to the bathroom mirror to look closer at her tattoo. She gave a simple grin as she looked closer. "I do. It's just something I have to get used to. I mean, for starters, I'm never going to be able to wear my favorite dress again."
Bruce watched her intently. He could see the image of her in that very dress in his mind now. "The aquamarine one with the slit-," he started.
"And the back out." They both finished together.
"Right." She replied back. She wasn't surprised that he knew. She had seen his reaction when she had put it on at their last gala event. Besides that, there were a few facts like that that she knew about him. "I like it, but there is no way I'm going to let people see it. Especially when I'm trying to be elegant."
He gave it another once over. "I wouldn't worry too much about it. You'll wear it again."
She looked at him confused. "I'm not going out for all the world to see this… this... tramp stamp. All I need is for it to be on the cover of every trash gossip magazine."
He chuckled.
"What?"
"It's not a tramp stamp. Just give it a couple weeks, you'll be able to wear it again. You're ink isn't permanent."
"It's not?" She began wiping her hand over the area, checking his statement for truth. It looked pretty permanent to her.
"No, it's not. It's called henna. It just stains the skin for a while, but it is completely temporary. Canary must've figured she'd go easy on you for your first time."
She looked up from her self examination to stare at him in shock. "How did you know it was her?"
"World's greatest detective."
She rolled her eyes.
"I think we might have been set up," he added.
"Set up?"
"A certain green archer made a bet with me with a similar punishment. Mine is a little more permanent though." When she returned from the bathroom, she found him with his back to her. He preceded to take off his cowl, cape, and his uniform top, placing them on her bed. When he finished, he took his cape again and wrapped it around his neck before turning back to the Amazon.
The itch was long forgotten as curiosity took over. She stood with her hands on her hips, motioning for him to move the barrier. He held his left arm up for her to see his own mark: her emblem with her tiara hanging from one side of the "W" and the lasso on the other. All positioned over his heart.
Diana couldn't hold the laughter. She held onto the wall as she grabbed her side.
"I'm glad you find my misfortune funny." He wasn't upset though. He loved the sound of her laughter.
Her smile reached both sides of her face. "I love it." She walked closer to better examine it. Her fingers lightly traced over the outline. Bruce could feel his body responding to her soft touch, a jolt of electricity shooting throughout his spine and out to his extremities. He closed his cape before it could go any farther.
"So, what were the terms of your 'deal'?" she inquired.
"Arrow didn't believe that I would make any moves for Valentine's Day," he answered.
"In general, or was there someone he had in mind?"
He could hear the seductive undertones in her voice. As response, his face started to heat up. His hands began to fidget under his cape. He never understood how she could make him so flustered. His only response was a slight uptick of his eyebrows.
"Canary and I had similar terms," she replied. "She didn't think that a dark figure would ask me out for Valentine's Day."
Disappointment filled the pit of his stomach. "Looks like your faith may have been misplaced."
"No, I don't think it was." She gave him a confident smile. He returned it.
"My offer still stands," he prompted.
"I think I might just take you up on that. On one condition."
"I'm not going to tell anyone about it, Diana."
"Oh, I know. Because if you did, I can't make any promises that Flash wouldn't hear about yours. And we know how fast news travels around here."
He shook his head in amusement. "Then what are your conditions, Princess?"
"You let me help you with yours."
He raised a brow to her accusation. "What makes you think I need it?"
"You're not the only perceptive one here. Your hand has been around your chest this entire week. I just assumed it was an injury, but I know better now."
Impressed, he nodded. "Agreed then."
They sat on her bed, and he positioned himself behind her. He proceeded to rub the ointment on her back. His fingers were working all the right spots, not only relieving the itch, but unwinding her muscles too. Diana could feel the shiver run through her body as his hands explored her back. Her eyes fell closed as she enjoyed all the sensations. She bit her bottom lip as she tried to contain the fire growing inside her.
Bruce could tell he was exciting her; her body relaxing under his touch. He wanted to always make her feel like this, but first he had to make it up to her.
"You know maybe some good could still come out of this."
"What do you mean?"
"I realize it is a little late to make good on the bets, but who says it has to be Valentine's Day for me to-"
"Bruce Wayne, are you making a move on me?"
"I'm just saying it's usually crowded on Valentine's Day. On a night like tonight, we could go anywhere with little to no interruptions."
She took the tube and faced him, and began spreading it over his chest.
"I'd like that."
"Great."
Bruce watched her work. She was beautiful. Meticulous, making sure she left no spot uncovered. She gave him a few passing looks as she finished, locking eyes with him occasionally. He had finally worked up the courage to ask out the girl of his dreams. He wanted badly to just take her right here, right now, but there would be time for that. Maybe tonight if they were lucky. The possibilities were endless now.
He put his uniform back on and made his way to the door. "I'll pick you up tonight at 8. Wear something … elegant."
She ushered him out, sharing a knowing look with him. She watched him walk down the hall.
Eight could not come fast enough. She may not have gotten him for Valentine's Day, but if this was any indication, there was still hope.
She walked over to her closet. Tonight she was to be elegant. She scanned all her wardrobes when her eyes landed on the one she wanted.
She pulled out the aquamine dress with the back out.
A/N: So I guess Happy Valentine's Day for all you boo'd up and all you not boo'd up. I was determined to get this one out before February ended. FYI, this was always supposed to be a belated Valentine's story. But then it was February 19. Then February 24. When all of a sudden we were on the last day of February 2019. But it's here, so...
Hope y'all like it, and don't forget to drop that review.