A/N: Whew. It's taken me exactly one week to write the longest one-shot I've ever written (nearly 13,418 words and 30 pages!). I hope people are still visiting this page even after the movie has been out for two weeks.
Anyway, I mention a lot of places here, so if I've butchered your country in any way, please tell me. Also, I wrote this as fast as I could and edited really quick. If you see any mistakes, kindly let me know.
This is Rated T for language, a tiny bit of violence and limes. ;)
Reviews, in any shape or form, are always appreciated.
She sits next to the window, vacant and tired. The city rejoices three weeks after Batman sacrificed his life for them, their cries of happiness flooding the streets. She needs to leave but she can't. She feels like shit. In fact, this is the only time she hasn't fled and feels guilty even thinking about it. Crying is never an option, but her eyes tear up regardless. She blinks the water away, afraid of feeling weak but they come down anyway, landing on her cold cheeks.
"Are those for me?"
She jumps and tries to still her racing heart with no avail. He looks good, relaxed, and with a jolt Selina realizes he's happy. He's still banged up with scabs on his face, but he hides it well enough. "H-How . . . How did you . . .?"
Bruce laughs quietly, the effort causing him to clutch his stomach. Selina feels terrible, and only imagines what kind of injury he's sustained. She's been hurt before, but he's been thrown all over the place. He walks with a slight limp and stands a few feet away from her. The sunlight captures every flaw in his face, yet she does not think about it. She sees the anger and frustration that once clouded his every waking moment, but a new layer of fulfillment is etched on his face.
"Auto-pilot," Bruce simply says.
Relief washes over her. Even though he's standing in front of her, alive and well, she wasn't sure if he was a projection of her mind. "I should've known."
They're quiet for a few minutes. Selina doesn't know what to say. She cares for him in a really weird way and she is unaware of how to express it. Finally he asks, "Is your offer still open?"
Confusion comes first, then she remembers what he's referring to. Her coyness comes back (she's afraid it was forever gone) and Selina smiles. "Depends on which offer you're talking about."
Smiling, Bruce says, "The one where you whisk me away to a picturesque island."
"Who would've thought Bruce Wayne was a romantic?" She grins and stands up, walking past him (her heart jumps a little), and grabs a handbag.
"I've never had a chance to be one, actually."
He seems sad now, so she tries to make the tone light. "I have a ticket to Crete. Wanna join?"
This time he smiles his true smile, the one where teeth are showing and his eyes crinkle up, and she just knows everything will be okay.
It's warm when they get there. Selina takes a few deep breaths of fresh air, glad she's out of the hell hole. The airport isn't that busy since not the typical summer months. Selina has two suitcases of her own, full of precious clothes and other precious items, while Bruce has two also. She suspects one of them has a bunch of high-tech gear since it's the heaviest.
They barely spoke on the plane, uncomfortable with their new lives and their current situation. Selina slept most of the time, and she only got to see Crete's beautiful landscape because Bruce gently woke her up.
Instead of a car waiting for them, they have to get a cab. She thinks Bruce has never even been near a presence of one, but when he whistles loud and clear, she's proven wrong. Selina has a feeling this won't be the last time she will be wrong about Bruce Wayne.
He opens the door for her and for one brief second, she feels like a princess. Not a princess who has a ton of money and travels in her own personal jet, but someone who has no worries. No one is chasing her nor is she chasing them, and she doesn't have to worry about having to conceal her face in front of the cameras.
They sit inside the car, the driver a tan man with no affinity to talk. Once again, there's silence but cars, bikes, and average folks tune it out. She would give anything to be them. Then she thinks I am and just because she's had a bad past doesn't mean she isn't allowed to start all over. It doesn't mean Bruce isn't allowed to start all over either.
"Batman had to die, but why Bruce Wayne?" She steals a glance at him; he's looking out the window, his face so solemn she's afraid he might be angry and upset with her.
"My father believed in helping others to the point where he died giving a man his wallet." His voice is quiet; Selina has to strain her ears in order to hear him. "All this time I've been . . . trying to find a way to help. Being a billionaire and occasionally donating, or having a sum taken out of the bank account every month doesn't do anything. The rich have to do their part, too.
"No matter how many times I held a charity event or attended one, I – we – could never be like the poor. It's more of a chore to have a steady income and donate, as opposed to giving it all away." He looks at her, his gaze steady and calm. "Besides, I wanted Bruce Wayne dead. In order to make an impression and to have it work, it had to last."
She digests all of it in. He really is something else. "Did you hate being him? If you wanted to change your image, you could've hired a publicist."
Bruce laughs a little and says, "No, I didn't want to be a part of that society anymore."
"You want to be irrelevant?"
"No. I want to be normal."
He says it in such a casual manner, as if being normal is easy to achieve.
The hotel they get is actually a hostel with two twin beds on either side. Selina thinks about making a snarky comment about the whole two beds thing, but she isn't feeling snarky right now. Maybe tomorrow.
"What's up with this hostel thing? Did you really give all of your money away?"
Bruce sets the suitcases down and sits on one of the beds. "No."
Her brows furrow in confusion. "Then how are you going to take care of your expenses?"
"I transferred all of my personal money to my 'friend.'" His 'friend' happens to be his new alias, Henry Williamson.
"Oh." Then she asks, "What do I call you out there?"
He unbuttons the first couple of buttons of his shirt and unties his shoe laces. "Well, his middle name is Bruce, so if you prefer the middle name . . ."
She looks at him warily. "I can see you being a Henry. I think I'll stick with Bruce, though."
"What do I call you?"
"Selina's fine."
When she wakes up Bruce is gone and there's a note next to her. He's at the doctor's office, and instantly Selina is worried about his health. Obviously he had enough strength to go there, but she hopes he hasn't sustained any permanent damage.
She dresses and decides to do a bit of sightseeing. The island is gorgeous, the water crystal clear and the colorful houses complementing the scenery. Knossos isn't far from where their hostel is at, so she takes a cab there and walks amongst the ruins. It's busy and before long, Selina finds herself somewhat lost in the historic palace.
As she touches the cool, fading stone, she realizes why she cares about Bruce so much. She knows now – she feels guilty. He asked for Bane and she took him there, but she didn't realize he was going to get thrown across the room and get hit on the head multiple times. When she first met Batman, he seemed like another vigilante poised for attack. She didn't understand how much he sacrificed on a day to day business. Gotham needed Batman, and she had given him to the worst person possible.
And when Bane had the city down on lock down, she understood she wasn't that adaptable. She lay between the rich and the poor. She had the means of getting to the top, and she also had the ability to quietly slip into the shadows and be an average female. At the end of the day, she had nowhere to go.
Selina owes him. Helping him out on Judgment Day was nothing special. He was gone for so many months, all because of her. Providing him companionship is the least she can do.
It's been a couple of hours so Selina heads back, hoping Bruce is at the hostel. When she gets there, he's sitting with his hands under his chin, a resigned look on his face. Selina senses something is wrong, and for a second she's scared. "How was the doctor's?"
A look of ease washes his face once he sees her. "It seems like for the rest of my life I'm allowed to take the elevators."
Her nose wrinkles in distaste. "You plan on getting fat?"
Bruce laughs quietly. "Well, uh, I just need to take a break from jumping off buildings –"
"And jumping out of planes."
"Yes. That."
Selina sits on her bed and silence envelops them. Usually she's not a fan of awkward silences, but this seems okay. Suddenly Bruce asks, "Where did you go?"
She flops down on the bed and takes off her heels. "I visited Knossos. It's very pretty."
"And you didn't wait for me?"
He doesn't sound hurt, just a little playful. "Pushing you around in a wheelchair is not what I intend to do here."
Bruce laughs again (she's getting a lot of these) and he says, "You don't need to worry about me."
"I can't help it. You have to pay for all of my travel arrangements," she replies with a sly smile. She turns to her side and leans her head on her arm, facing Bruce. "What exactly are we doing?"
Confusion sweeps over his face. "What do you mean?"
Unexpectedly she's feeling very nervous and shy. "I mean . . . Are we trying to settle down somewhere or taking a very long holiday?"
He's quiet for a long time. She hopes to God he isn't thinking about ditching her because she does not need that. "Whatever you want. We can be traveling companions."
Selina is about to give a reply before she stops and notices his word choice. "Traveling companions? What is this, Doctor Who?"
Bruce reddens slightly. "I didn't know people still watched that."
She can't believe he's a Whovian. It's cute. "I mean, it is the longest running television series ever. It's okay to be a fan, though. I'm a Trekkie in case is you're wondering." Bruce smiles again and laughs at the absurdity of it.
The next day they travel to Waves on the Rock, the sweet water coating their skin and fresh seafood stuffed in their mouths. She and Bruce don't talk about anything in particular, and for that she's grateful. She just needs to get comfortable with being normal, and talking about normal things is the way to go.
They spend another two weeks in Crete and it isn't long before Selina's feeling antsy. She still can't shake the feeling of having someone follow her all the time. Whenever Bruce asks what she's looking it, she brushes it aside and pretends nothing is bothering her. But Selina knows that he knows, so when he produces two tickets to Morocco, she's about ready to kiss him senseless.
Sometimes it scares her how well he knows her.
Whereas Crete is lazy, Marrakesh, Morocco is bustling. People are running and yelling, trying to sell their items, and donkeys fill the streets with their carts. They've spent a week here already, and unfortunately Selina has a bad stomach due to the rich food. She wants to eat it but she'll have to go back to the hotel every time to calm her stomach down. It's kind of embarrassing.
Currently they're Djemaa El-Fna, sipping on very strong tea and watching the sunset. It's colorful and hot here, but the lull of cars, music and the sound of grills calms her down. Bruce is reading the English newspaper, ignoring the beautiful scenery. "I think you can read that tomorrow, Mr. Wayne. You should take in the sights."
"I'm a fast reader, Miss Kyle. I'll finish in no time," he responds. Selina pouts, because he really should take a look and focus on what's in front of him. When he continues to read, she takes his camera and snaps a few photos. A long time ago she wanted to be a fancy wildlife photographer, but that was before everything went downhill.
The sun goes down, three-fourths of the population attends their evening prayer and promptly return to their entertainment for the night. The music starts, an upbeat Arabic rhythm, and a group of male dancers come forth. Bruce has long ditched his newspaper. There is a storyteller nearby, speaking in Arabic, but Selina can pick up what she's saying by her elaborate gestures.
She starts watching the dancers, as they are the male strippers of Marrakesh. She laughs when they attempt to get a surly looking man to get up and dance, and when they pull a few moves she envies their strength. It's not like she doesn't have any, but it is one thing to be a fluid dancer and be strong.
Soon enough, a dancer comes by and provocatively moves his hips in front of her. She's embarrassed but it's hilarious; Bruce is amused as well. The dancer says something, grabs her arms and leads her onto the dance floor. Selina's certain the entire room can see her blushing, but then she thinks Screw it. She's taken a few belly dance classes before, and it isn't long before the men are cheering, whistling and clapping their hands, sweat is forming on her delicate shoulders, and Bruce Wayne is looking at her for the first time in that way.
They're both tired but Selina is extra tired; all the dancing did a number on her. "I wouldn't mind living here," she exclaims as they walk into their two bed hotel room. Taking off her heels and twirling in the middle of the room she says, "I wouldn't mind being a dancer."
Bruce unbuttons his entire shirt and tosses it on top of his suitcase. This is the first time she's seen him shirtless, and while she should really worry about the amount of scars covering his body, Selina's focused on his physique. "I'm sure you would fit right in. You're very good."
"How good did you think I was?" she asks in a slightly flirtatious tone.
His jaw tenses, as if he's trying to hold something back, and he peers at her strangely. "Good enough to catch the attention of every male in the room."
"Did I catch yours?" Selina sits on her bed and crosses her legs, her hair covering part of her face and a grin forming on her lips.
"I said you caught the attention of every man in the room, didn't I?" He takes out his pajamas and heads into the shower.
When he gets out, Selina is lying on his bed with the covers neatly tucked around her. He gives a puzzled look. So far they've slept in separate beds, but it's not like they're strangers, and now Bruce seems a little awkward. She knows he's been around and she doesn't understand why he chooses this time to be shy. "I don't know why you keep on getting the two beds. You only have to pay more."
As Bruce is putting his dirty clothes in the suitcase, he replies, "I was trying to be a gentleman." He's wearing a shirt; Selina's disappointed.
"Now, now Mr. Wayne, there's nothing gentlemanly when you're depriving a girl of some closeness," she answers coyly.
She can see he likes her audacity. She thinks. "I wasn't aware you needed a man to take care of you."
"I don't," she says a little defensively. Bruce puts his hands in the air, his version of an apology, and Selina sighs. "It's just cold when I'm all by myself."
"Selina, it is eighty-six degrees outside."
Okay this is too frustrating. She just wants to sleep next to him, that's all. And okay, maybe she finds him attractive, but he's making it so hard. "When I'm sleeping by myself it ends up being fifty-six degrees, which is a little cold if you ask me."
Sensing she won't give up, Bruce lies down next to her and instantly it gets a wee too hot under the covers. He's keeping a good distance between them. She finds it nice that he's respecting her and such. Soon enough, she falls asleep, glad she convinced Bruce to share beds.
And this is the first time in many nights she hasn't had a fitful dream.
She keeps making these offhand comments and seeing Bruce flush is probably her favorite pastime. Now and then when they walk outside, her hand brushes against his. Selina pretends her hand is tingling because it's feeling numb, when in all actuality, it's feeling quite the opposite.
It takes her another week before she steals something. It's only an apple, not any jewelry, but she wanted one so she took it. That's how she's always operated: take whatever you want because you deserve it.
The street is busy with shoppers and vendors trying to conclude their transactions. She's about to bite into it until Bruce's hand snatches the fruit away from her. They stop in the middle of the street, his dark eyes glaring at her. Selina stares right back at him. Just because she stole an apple doesn't mean anything. She can't help it.
"I'm hungry."
Bruce's voice is strong and low. "You're not starving."
Selina tilts her head to the side. "It's an apple," she drawls out.
"No, it's not. It could mean another fifty cents for the vendor you stole from. It could mean extra money so he can pay to have food on his table." Bruce steps forward, his face a mere inches away from hers. "I understood why you stole what you had to before. But you're not her anymore."
All right, now she's pissed. "I will always be her," she retorts. "I'm not a fucking switch you can turn on and off. Stealing is how I made a living, and if you expect me to be an angel because we're traveling together, well, good luck with that." Shoppers are annoyed that they're standing in their way but Selina doesn't move. "It will always be a part of me. I may not be as moral as you are, but for the love of God, don't you dare judge me."
She stomps away and steals two mangos, letting the succulent juices run down her face as she enjoys the sweetness.
Bruce doesn't come back for a long time. They have cell phones but she doesn't want to appear as if she's concerned. Technically, she should be one roaming the streets at night and making Bruce worried. She realizes this is the first discord they've had, minus the stuff that happened in Gotham.
Obviously something was bound to occur. And okay, she didn't have to steal the apple. But it's what defines her. When she embarked on this journey, she wasn't expecting to be someone else. Selina wanted to be Selina without breaking into banks and getting chased down all the time. She's been stealing since she was six. It's a hard habit to break.
He comes back at midnight, and by now Selina is lying on the other bed. When Bruce finally sits down on his bed, she looks up at him and waits for an apology. His face seems a little haggard. Bruce peers at her, an expression so ambiguous she doesn't know what he'll say.
"The first time I stole so that I wouldn't starve. By that time not everything was black and white for me." He sighs and looks down at his hands. "I never intended to judge you. But you're not starving and neither am I, so there really isn't a need to lose sense of what's right and wrong, is there?"
Selina starts to feel ashamed (which she rarely feels) and she turns her body away from him so he can't see her burning face. Selina's killed and stole without any remorse because she had to. Bruce is right, of course. Her past doesn't exist anymore. She doesn't need to cover her tracks by getting rid of people and stealing just to pay a debt. God, he really knows how to get under her skin.
As his light snores echo into the room, she begins appreciate what kind of man Bruce Wayne is. He's so different. He's been damaged but it doesn't make him cautious. He's been places (she isn't sure where) and that's taught him things an average person doesn't know. Bruce could have easily left her in the dust but he didn't. He could've said horrible things to her and made her feel like a pile of shit. Once again, he didn't. She trusts him, Selina realizes.
At one o'clock in the morning, she slips underneath Bruce's covers and snuggles in.
They're spending their last couple of hours in Marrakesh at a sweet shop. It's been a month and a half since they've landed here; she's sad that they're going. Currently she's drinking orange-flower water and eating local desserts. She's probably gained about ten pounds but she's never had the chance to be gluttonous with food.
Bruce is munching on a very thick sweet and is licking his fingers at the same time. She's kind of turned on. He isn't being purposeful with his actions, and while he's eating it as if he has never seen a dessert before, Bruce somehow manages to look prim and proper. It's an odd combination.
She drifts off and attempts to soak in the beauty of Marrakesh before it's time to go. She's taken about eight hundred pictures already, but nothing can compare to the real thing. Selina's bound to forget some of the stuff they've seen, so it's only natural that she wants to commit all of it in her memories.
"Selina, where do you come from?"
She snaps out of her day-dream. "What?"
"Who are your parents, how did you learn how to fight . . . You don't have to tell me if you prefer not to," Bruce adds. Now he appears a little apologetic for even bringing it up.
Shaking her head she replies, "No, it's okay. Everyone knows where you're from so . . ." Selina's feeling nervous at the moment, because before she even deleted her name from all of the databases, the police didn't have this on record.
Her fingers are fidgeting and suddenly her cotton dress has become very interesting. "My mom was maimed after . . . something, and then she got pretty bad depression and killed herself." She swallows and tries to hold back the rush of emotions. "Dad was always drunk. He died drinking his ass off. And . . . I've always been a fast learner. I was always flexible and used it to my advantage. I learned a few tricks and trade from some fighters. The rest is history, I guess."
A chill creeps up on her spine and she shivers. Selina feels liberated and embarrassed at the same time. She knows he won't judge or pity her, because she's been able to rise from the ashes and be her own person. So has Bruce. Trying to loosen the atmosphere, she grabs her drink and adds, "Pretty original, huh?"
His penetrating gaze causes Selina to glance down from discomfort again. Then she feels a warm hand covering hers, and when she looks up she understands it's alright to be imperfect. Because really, who are you trying to impress? The world or yourself?
The boat rocks under the strong waves. A little boy next to her is crying and the mother tries to console him. Selina closes her eyes, feeling the warm sea air cover her. It smells wonderful and it's so relaxing. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"
She smiles. "Yes." She and Bruce went to Tangier to catch a ferry, which would drop them off in Gibraltar, Spain. "I've always had a thing for ferries. It seems old-fashioned but modern at the same time."
Bruce stands fairly close to her and says, "I remember taking the ferry from Manhattan to Staten Island a few times. It surprised me that everyone, no matter how wealthy they were, had to take the same mode of transportation. It makes me wonder if getting a fancy car is useless."
Shrugging, Selina answers with a lame "That's one way to put it." But then she remembers a small incident from a few months ago and adds, "Well, getting a chance to steal a Lamborghini isn't that useless."
Bruce smiles from the memory. They're quiet as they watch sea, the sun beating down on them. Randomly Selina asks, "Why did you feel like you owed Gotham?" All those months ago, she tried to convince Bruce there was nothing for him to save, but he insisted. "The city ruined you."
In truth, she's been wondering about this for a very long time. His parents were murdered there. As Batman, he was labeled as a killer and a vigilante. There was nothing but heartbreak for him. She didn't understand why someone would want to torture themselves by living in a place full of dark memories.
"Remember how I told you I wanted – needed – Bruce Wayne dead? I said I wasn't doing my job, as a well-off man, to help the citizens of Gotham." His hand grips the rail and his knuckles turn white. He lets go after a few seconds and takes a deep breath. "They gave me a lot, Selina. I had so much that I didn't know what to do with my spare time. My parents worked extremely hard to make Gotham a better place. In order to truly be a Wayne – in order to truly leave my mark and save the city – I had to sacrifice.
"And it was a sacrifice I was willing to take."
They're in Spain at the moment. Once they got to Gibraltar, they spent a week in that area, another two in Sevilla and as of now they're in Cordoba. There's so much to see in Spain. The country has a mix of the past and present engraved in its cities and people, and it all clashes together rather hazardously. Yet, at the end of the day, it's strangely beautiful. It's very cultured. The people have a sense of who they are and where they come from. She appreciates their confidence.
She and Bruce and are with a tour group looking at Roman architecture, and tomorrow they plan on looking at the Muslim art. It's the end of May and while she's heard that Andalucía is famously hot, she didn't realize how disgusting it would be. Selina's afraid of putting on too much sunscreen but she really needs it. Bruce already has an embarrassing foot tan.
When the tour guide lets the group roam around and take some pictures, she finds herself alone with a Spanish man who's been staring at her since the tour started. She pretends to ignore him. "You are American, no?"
As she's taking pictures she replies with a clipped, "Clearly."
The man laughs and says, "You American girls are . . . very strong."
"Hmm. You've met a lot of American girls, I presume."
She's caught him. "Yes, but none who are like you."
Now he's caught her. Selina turns around and likes what she sees. He's like a Spanish version of Bruce, minus the haunted look and the dark eyes; this man has crystal blue eyes and a very happy face. "I'm sure you say that to every foreigner."
The man frowns. "No." The 'o' is dragged out, and Selina can't help but crack a tiny grin at his accent. "You walk confidently, but it is not you. Occasionally your face is so peaceful, and other times you look like you are trying to . . . hide something. Make sense?"
He's struck a nerve. Not only are the men here good-looking, but very intuitive. Recognizing a victory, the man cocks his head to the side and shines his pearly whites. "Mi nombre es Cruz."
Selina chews the inside of her cheek. She glances at Bruce. It's been about two to three months since she and Bruce left Gotham and about nine since she's had sex. Spain is full of handsome, well-manicured men. She's picked up some Spanish from the streets, and sometimes when the men are hitting on her, she's able to flirt back without Bruce noticing.
She doesn't know if he cares, but they continue sleeping in the same bed (he still gets two beds regardless) so it really shouldn't be an issue. Maybe. They have an odd relationship. Sometimes they hold hands but it's brief. On several occasions, Selina's found her arms and legs thrown over Bruce's body when she wakes up. They haven't kissed since that day. She's attracted to him but Selina doesn't know what his feelings are towards her.
This is too much to handle. Selina doesn't need permission from Bruce to sleep with someone. If he likes her, he needs to take the initiative. God knows how many times she's been the more aggressive one.
Having decided how she's going to spend her night, she gives her most dazzling smile to Cruz and replies, "Me llamo Selina."
The tour ended at six, she had dinner with Cruz until eight, and didn't come back to the hotel till eleven. As she enters into the lobby, she can't help but feel a little guilty. While they're not a couple, in a way they behave as one. They're comfortable with one another, and unfortunately it appears Selina's taken advantage of that.
She's stalling to go back into the room because, well, she's feeling pretty shitty. Not only did she send Bruce to Bane, she quite possibly crumbled their relationship. It's just . . . too confusing. They're not friends because friends aren't awkward around each other and sleep on the same bed without feeling something. But then again, they're not lovers either. Perhaps deciding to travel with Bruce Wayne turned out to be a very big mistake.
Selina sits down on one of the chairs and relaxes for a bit. When she closes her eyes, she thinks she hears someone clicking away on their laptop. Sure enough, it's Bruce with a glass of whiskey sitting next to him. His brows are furrowed in concentration as he types at a furious pace.
Her legs swing around and she gets up to go to Bruce; she's unsure of what she'll say, but she just wants to be near him. Maybe she'll apologize or maybe she'll pretend nothing happened with Cruz. Before she can take another step, a blonde woman with long legs comes up to him. The two begin to talk, and soon enough he smiles that billionaire playboy smile. It seems like the Bruce Wayne she has come to know will be gone for at least a few hours in order to woo this woman.
He has the right to sleep with her. After all, Selina just came back from a one night stand. She isn't allowed to feel jealous or protective of Bruce. He's a grown-ass man. Although for some reason, a rush of emotions comes forth and she doesn't know what to think. God, she's such a hypocrite.
Feeling horribly confused, she goes into the room and lies down on their bed, unable to sleep. He comes back at two in the morning, extremely loud and evidently drunk. Despite how intoxicated he is, Bruce sleeps on the other bed.
The next day they're inside the Mosque of Cordoba. The architecture is beautiful here, she muses, but since Bruce is hogging the camera she's unable to take artsy pictures. Selina walks over to him, her high heels making incredible noise. He's busy taking his own photos and doesn't notice Selina approaching him. "Mind if I borrow the camera?"
Wordlessly, Bruce hands it and quickly leaves her side. He doesn't even look at her.
Two months isn't enough time to tour Spain, but they somehow accomplish it anyway. Selina's so sick of the heat (even if it is nicer in northern Spain) that she begs Bruce to take them somewhere cold. He chooses Iceland.
The inn they're staying it only has a room with one bed available. It's around nighttime when they get there, and Selina's so tired she doesn't bother changing her clothes. She waits for Bruce to lie down next to her, but instead he creates a makeshift bed on the floor. It seems he's still hell bent on the whole two beds thing.
Or maybe he doesn't want to be near her.
Selina's been trying to loosen the mood between them, but Bruce has been noticeably indifferent towards her since that day. It's not like they were a couple, but she understands where he comes from. She cares for him; if she didn't, then she wouldn't have joined him. They hungered for closeness and they got it. As she thinks back to the past few months, maybe she did string him along. Now she truly feels like a slut. In her defense, she didn't really know if he liked her. (As a matter of fact, she still doesn't know.)
He doesn't appear as if he's angry or jealous, just a little . . . judgmental, which he isn't allowed to be. They both slept with someone that night. And for crying out loud, it was two months ago. Obviously it's a little more uncomfortable since they're in a confined space, but this is getting out of hand.
Sighing, Selina rolls onto her stomach and glances at Bruce. He's sitting on the floor in their room with his computer on his lap, doing something fancy. "Bruce?"
"Hmm." He's still working on the computer.
"Bruce," she says a little louder.
Finally he looks up, his mind clearly not focused on her. Selina's voice has suddenly stopped working. Her mouth opens and closes but nothing comes out. Goddamn it, what is wrong with her? She expects Bruce to go back to his computer, but instead he's waiting for her to say something.
"Cat got your tongue?"
She blushes and toys with the blanket. "A little." She finally has the balls to peek back at Bruce (he's got an amused expression on his face) and sighs again. "I just wanted to talk about that night in Cordoba."
"Oh."
It's awkward all over again, and Selina rushes to get her point before they stop talking all together. "It's just . . . I never meant it. It was, um, I don't know." This is the first time she's been this tongue-tied; it's a foreign sensation. "I don't know who we are and what we're doing, but I want you to know I do care for you."
Silence. This is absolutely crazy. She can't believe she said that out loud, let alone to Bruce. Selina's always been one to bottle her emotions, but this man has done something to her. And she's rarely shy. Her heart beats at a furious pace, and it's getting hotter and hotter by the second in here.
"I know. And it didn't mean anything to me, either."
This is probably the closest they'll get towards apologizing to one another. Selina relaxes and hopes they can move on from here.
The next day they go climbing on the Hrutsfjallstindar Peaks. She can't believe she acquiesced to mountain climbing. Obviously she and Bruce are capable of doing it but Jesus, she wasn't expecting a workout in Iceland. And actually, Bruce probably shouldn't mountain climb. Although he's doing a good job of hiding, she notices when he walks with a limp and when his back is hurting. Sometimes he gets these headaches which last for several hours. At these times she feels utterly useless.
They're climbing the highest peak, which rests 6,150 feet above sea level. It's noon right now, and while the view is stunning here, she kind of wants to pamper herself instead of climbing. There are six more people in their group who are obviously strong, healthy folks. Selina peeks at Bruce and sees that he looks comfortable, like he's done this before. Before they started the tour, he asked her if she wanted to go on a climbing route or not. She chose to go on the route.
Selina walks over to Bruce. (It takes her a while to get there.) When she gets close enough she asks, "This isn't the first time you've climbed a mountain, hmm?"
"No," he breathes out harshly. The oxygen level has depleted severely and Selina struggles to continue talking.
"So how did you learn?" Her question is slightly muffled due to the thick scarf covering her mouth.
Bruce is quiet as he tries to collect his thoughts. "I didn't choose to climb the mountain. I had to get somewhere."
Sometimes he gets so cryptic it annoys the hell out of her. "You need to be more specific, honey."
He laughs a little. "I learned to fight from the League of Shadows. You remember the name?"
"Yes," she replies. She heard Miranda talk about being the daughter of the leader and her true intention as to why she was in Gotham before the bitch died.
It takes Bruce another minute to start talking. "As part of the, uh, initiation I had to climb a mountain in order to get to their headquarters."
Ah. So this explains why he's sure of himself out here. "What exactly is the League of Shadows?"
Bruce is silent for a few seconds. "They are a group dedicated to destroying places . . . and people they deem unfit for our world." He pauses and takes a deep breath. "Call them terrorists or saviors, but at the end of the day they burn everything in their path."
How many crazy people are in this world? Sometimes she forgets how much he's gone through. They've fallen behind from the group, but it gives them a chance to talk without being overheard. "Their form of justice is killing anyone and everyone. Justice and vengeance are completely different, though," he adds. Bruce gazes into the cold landscape with an odd expression.
She's about to ask more, but their group leader is yelling at them to move faster. There's more to Bruce Wayne than meets the eye.
They finally have a break. Selina's legs are hurting and it's getting harder and harder to breathe. Sometimes she thinks she's grabbing onto oxygen crumbs. She's sitting next to Bruce, all worn out. The sun is bright and causing her eyes to tear up. "Bruce, how did you get to the League of Shadows? What led you there?" She really ought to stop asking questions, but their peaceful surrounding is causing her to be unusually chatty.
It takes him a while to chew on his granola bar; Selina thinks he's buying time instead of savoring a frozen snack. "I was at college when I found out the man who killed my parents was going free. I was angry. This man murdered them, and because he was willing to testify against a drug lord, he was set free? He took so much away from me, Selina. At that point I lost faith in our judicial system.
"I bought a gun, but someone else beat me to it. Perhaps I would have killed him, or maybe I would have balked. At the end of the day, I was still angry I didn't have a chance to get my revenge." Bruce sighs and tosses the wrapper in his backpack. He glances at the sky, his face solemn and tense. "I didn't realize . . . Who knew how many other families lost their loved ones that night? I never knew what it truly felt like to be destitute. I didn't know what it felt like to have nothing at all, or how someone ended up with the wrong men. Then, I just . . . threw my wallet away, left Gotham and –"
"And didn't return for seven years. I get it now; you were trying to understand the criminal underworld." He nods in acknowledgement. She really does get it. Bruce lost his parents and wanted to punish the man who took them away from him, but his parent's murders weren't mindless. There was a reason why that man was hungry, poor and prowling the streets and ended up killing his mother and father. As a result, Bruce set out to understand why.
"I got caught and ended up in a Tibetan prison. That's where they found me."
Seven years. All that time he spent his waking moments to find meaning and purpose. Selina's heart swells; she doesn't know if she's proud of Bruce or if she admires his strength, but her level of respect for him has skyrocketed. "Did spending time with other criminals teach you anything?"
The talking has made Bruce a little tired. "Yes and no. I learned the . . . thrill of getting a job done and evading the authorities, and occasionally I found myself taking a shower once a week, sometimes two." Selina makes a disgusted face and he smiles. "I was lost, yes, but at least I felt some inkling as to how a person got stuck in the endless cycle of crime and poverty.
"I don't regret my time spent with the League of Shadows. It taught me everything I needed to know in order to succeed in Gotham, but it also taught me if I became killer . . . searching for vengeance, I would be an average thug roaming the streets. As Batman, I had to set a better example."
Selina's questions have ceased for now. She's not sure if she should pat him on the back or give him a handshake, but she ends up resting her hand on his knee and whispers, "You're a good man, Bruce." And she means it.
Maybe they should live in Iceland because Selina's already learned so much about Bruce. While they were in Crete, Marrakesh and especially Spain, they usually kept their personal demons aside and spoke of lighter topics. She never understood how he got to where he's at and why he chose to become Batman, but now she has a newfound respect for Bruce. In a time of corruption and injustice, he rose from the earth and showed the world it's possible to be repair the world. She appreciates his strength.
It's ten o'clock at night. Selina just finished her lengthy bath; even after sitting in there for so long her legs are still killing her. As she walks out of the bathroom, she sees Bruce lying on his stomach watching Doctor Who. He's so intrigued by it that he doesn't see her when she stands in front of him. Her fingertips lightly raise his chin and finally he looks up. Leaning down, she kisses him softly and tries to show that she admires, respects and really, really cares for him.
She pretends the flutter in her stomach is due to the fact that she hasn't been near a man like this for two months.
They're at the Mývatn Nature Baths for a couple of days. Since Bruce got to mountain climb, Selina decided they get time to relax a bit. It's incredibly peaceful here, and the water is utterly soothing. She could swim in here for days and not worry about becoming a raisin.
Selina feels a sharp sting on her left shoulder, and it turns out an injury she acquired many months ago is getting the chance to heal. If this is how she feels right now, she can only imagine what kind of soothing pain Bruce is going through.
There are a few too many people here, and she sees some of them looking at Bruce, wondering if he's affiliated with the mob. He's at the edge of the pool, his entire body dunked beneath the water except for his head. Either he's trying to cover his scars or is in dire need of geothermal treatment. She swims over to him and he meets her halfway. His hair is wet and he actually seems relaxed. All of a sudden, she's feeling pretty shy now. Her swimsuit is a modest two-piece, but this is the least amount of clothing she's had on in front of him.
"You look kind of funny. Your head's bobbing up and down . . . like a seal's." Selina realizes how stupid that sounds, and before she can retract what she said, Bruce laughs out real loud. She joins him and adds, "It really does."
"It's not a very nice thing to say," he jokes. There's a playful glint in his eyes, and suddenly, Bruce goes underwater. She searches for him, but the water isn't very clear. Selina's about to go underwater herself when she feels a sharp tug on her leg; she yelps and goes towards the end of the pool. Bruce returns to the surface and laughs.
Selina splashes a large amount of water at Bruce and cries, "You scared the crap out of me!" She continues to throw more and he tries to avoid the waves, laughing as he does so. Bruce makes a grab for her and lifts her up. She's yelling at him to stop and let her go; he does, and Selina falls into the pool, the water enveloping and thoroughly soaking her. She comes back up to the surface, searching for retribution.
"You little –"
"You asked me to let you go," Bruce says. The innocent act he has on breaks as he smiles real wide. He truly seems happy. Selina hasn't seen this smile in a really long time, and she thinks I would do anything to see that again.
She really would.
Selina's enjoying the warm sun in Oslo, Norway at the moment. Bruce wasn't feeling up to par, so she decided to grab a bite at a local café near the inn they're staying at. She's drinking coffee and reading Time, glad they have a large selection of English reading material.
A cool breeze washes over and unexpectedly, she feels that feeling. Selina turns her head to the right and left, but no one is in sight. She attempts to focus back on her article, but the nagging sensation is still there. Usually when she gets these types of feelings she's right, but there hasn't been an incident in so long. And anyway, who would follow her all the way to Norway?
She's been sitting out for too long. Selina swiftly gathers her things and walks away, heading back to the inn. Her feet drag along the sidewalk and God, something is really off. Casually, she takes a peek behind and sure enough, there is a man walking behind her with a hat on. Her body freezes in fear and adrenaline.
Everything starts to click and all the switches she turned off are back in high gear. She turns a sharp left, away from the inn, and continues walking briskly. She thinks about dumping her purse but there's no need since she doesn't have her I.D. inside. Her fingers clench and her muscles begin to remember all the techniques.
Another man starts walking in front of her. He's huge, probably a henchman; the man behind her could be his boss. She turns a right and tries to circle around the entire block. As long as there are people, they won't pull a move. Just as she's about to take another left, a second henchman appears. All her efforts to evade them have gone to waste. She doesn't know her way around this area and soon enough she's lost. The streets get emptier and narrower. She's built herself a trap.
All three men are behind her when she stops. The one wearing a fisherman's hat comes forward. She sucks in a breath and instantly realizes who he is. His hair is perfectly slicked back, his clothing is impeccable as ever, but he looks like the same scumbag she stole from nearly four years ago. "Well, well, look who we have here. You're a hard one to catch, Miss Kyle." Selina's heartbeat has slowed down and now she feels in control.
"How long have you been following me?" she grounds out. His two cronies are standing behind her, their arms folded.
"Me? I was enjoying my time in Oslo before I saw your pretty little face." The man steps closer and says, "You owe me something, sweetheart. And I want it back."
Selina flinches and wrinkles her nose. "Before I give you what you want, I suggest investing in some breath mints, because you really need it."
"You think this is funny?" he yells out, his face beet red. "I want that program you stole from me." He makes a lunge for her arm before she sidesteps. He trips, angry that he couldn't even make a grab for her arm.
"It's gone. It's been gone. Do you want a time machine to go back and get it? Well, sweetheart, you can't!" she says angrily. His two cronies are walking forward; Selina prepares herself. "Even if I could get it back to you, I still wouldn't give it."
The idiot swings at her, but his fist blocked by Selina's hand. She twists his hand, breaking it, and he yelps in pain. She throws her purse to the side and kicks him in the balls as he falls down. For good measure she grounds her heels into his knees; rest assured, he will not be walking for a long time. One of his guards takes out a gun and she throws it away. Before she can land another punch, someone grabs the huge man and rotates his arm. With a jolt, Selina realizes it's Bruce.
She focuses her attention to Henchmen #2 and she easily knocks him to the ground, smashing her heels into his head one, two, three times. There's a metal bar to the side and despite how light it is, she hears a loud crunch as the bar hits his ribs, effectively breaking them.
Stepping back, all three men are lying on the ground, each terribly hurt. The two guards are unconscious. Selina looks up and catches Bruce's eye. She nods, silently thanking him for his support and walks over to where the gun is. Selina returns to the man who was following her, Alex Woodworth, and shoves the empty space between her heel around his throat.
She leans down and cocks the gun, pointing at his head. Alex is trying to breathe and contain his pain but it's proving to be too much for him. "You're a sick fuck, you know that? If I ever catch you following me, I'll kill you." Above her, she hears Bruce give a sound of displeasure. "Fine, I won't kill you in front of him." She digs the gun deeper into his head. "But I will get if you ever come near me again. Is that clear?" Selina whispers. He nods vehemently. "Good."
Throwing the gun away, Selina quickly picks up her purse and grabs Bruce's hand. "Let's go."
Her adrenaline rush has died down, but she can't believe one of her enemies was in Norway, out of all places. Will she ever be safe?
She could have easily taken care of the men, but apparently Bruce was walking out of the inn when he noticed the men behind her, and being the chivalrous the man he is he followed. Sometimes these little acts of kindness make her head spin. She left him for dead all those months ago, and he acts as if he doesn't remember. Because of these dark thoughts, Selina is huddled on a chair instead of lying on the bed. (This time Bruce got a room with one bed only.) She's feeling like shit. Due to their busy schedule Selina was able to hide her remorse but now she can't keep it in.
Bruce notices she's quiet and asks what's wrong. He genuinely looks concerned. When she doesn't respond, he asks if she's hurt. She shakes her head. "Something is obviously off. I don't bite, Selina." He gives a reassuring smile.
Ugh, why is he so nice? "Bruce, I never apologized for taking you to Bane."
He pauses, slightly taken aback and slowly sits on the bed. Bruce watches her cautiously and his next words are carefully planned out. "That doesn't matter anymore."
She shakes her head. "No, it does. You trusted me and . . ."
"Selina, I asked you to take me there. I knew what I was getting myself into."
"No, you didn't!" she snaps out. "But I knew. I knew what he was capable of." She takes a deep breath and continues. "Because of me you were gone all those months. I left you for dead," Selina whispers. "I'm so sorry." God, she's close to crying. She practically sold him to Bane, and made their relationship a mess because she chose to be a whore for a night. She's always been selfish, and unfortunately it caught up with her.
Bruce is sitting quietly, his head lowered. Running his hand through his hair he says, "It's . . . If I hadn't gone to him, I wouldn't be the person I am today. I don't blame you, Selina." He looks at her, his eyes pleading. "I never did. Feeling guilty won't get you anywhere."
She can't even muster the courage to raise her head and peek at him. "What I did . . . It was wrong."
He sighs and is silent for a minute. "When Bane took me away I was broken. Lost. He threw me in Hell; he intended to break me, but he didn't know that I was already ruined. But being there . . . For the longest time I didn't know what to do with myself, with Batman. And finally I knew. If I hadn't gone there, I wouldn't have been able to save Gotham."
Selina understands what he's getting at, but seriously, nothing good can come out of Bane. "It still doesn't change the fact that you got chopped to pieces because of me."
At this point Bruce gives up. Silently he gets up and heads to the bathroom. Selina's tired for some reason so she lies on the bed. She still feels like she betrayed him. When she first met Batman she thought he was a joke, but seeing him getting beaten up like that was disheartening.
She closes her eyes and nestles in. She hears Bruce come out of the bathroom. When he sees her lying on the bed, he shuts the lights and walks to the other side of the bed. She can feel the bed dip under his weight, and when Selina finally opens her eyes she finds Bruce right in front of her. There's a look of concentration on his face. He bends his head, kissing her softly. His left hand cradles her head and he presses his lips on hers. Selina's head is spinning. She's feeling incredible and she kisses him harder just to vent her emotions. Two minutes ago she was a wreck, and now she's patched up and feels great.
Slowly, he pulls back and brushes a few hair strands. Bruce doesn't appear hungry for more but he continues to stroke her hair, sometimes her cheek, and it's so calm and quiet she falls asleep.
Before Selina's mind completely shuts down, she hears Bruce say, "I forgive you."
In a mad rush they left Norway, hoping to avoid anyone else who might recognize them. Selina decided they should go to Germany and Bruce chose Hamburg. Germany is exceptionally modern and expensive, although she doesn't mind it that much. It reminds her of the States, but high-tech infrastructure and the good looking population proves otherwise.
It's around ten at night. Selina dragged Bruce to a nightclub and boy does he look out of place. It isn't a trashy type of club where high school kids spend their weekends at, but techno music and Bruce don't go together. She's actually pretty bored even after getting a few drinks.
Some guys have been spying her, but she doesn't dare encourage them. She and Bruce have finally passed the awkward phase. They kiss on occasion, but it's only for a few seconds. Even then Selina can't ignore the butterflies in her stomach and why her skin gets so flushed. And besides, she doesn't want to be with them. She's focused on Bruce and Bruce only.
Selina's drinking her third drink when she hears a remix of "Blue Monday." She laughs since this song would always play in the clubs she went to as a kid. Even after the 90's started producing more heart-thumping music, the DJs would go back to the classics.
Bruce leans forward and takes a sip from third – fourth? – drink. "I remember this song. All the kids would play this in boarding school." He's practically shouting in her ear.
"Oh? And why were you listening to this kind of music?" Bruce doesn't hear her and looks perplexed. Talking is pointless in these clubs. She rolls her eyes and grabs his hand as she stands up. "Let's dance!"
His eyes widen and he protests. "I'm fine . . . here," he says as he pats the couch. Selina pulls on his arm; he's pretty heavy and she only manages to budge him a little out of his seat.
"Come on!"
She finally drags him onto the dance floor and tries to get him to dance. His hands are in his pockets and he just stands there. After a few seconds Selina pouts and yells, "I know you're capable of busting a few moves! If you can slow dance, you can do this!"
"I . . ." He's trying to contain his smile and his hands are still in his pockets. Bruce is embarrassed, although there isn't a reason to be. "It's not my scene."
She groans in frustration. "Stop making excuses!" She turns her back at Bruce and presses close, feeling his heat radiating off of him. Her hands travel from his thick, soft hair, down to his face and landing on his arms. She brings his arms to circle her, and she can feel Bruce's grip tighten around her stomach. She sways a little then turns around, facing him. Her stomach clenches and she sucks in a breath. God, he looks like he wants to devour her. His hair is sticking up, his lips are parted and for some reason she feels powerful. She made him like this. Selina grins and turns back around, moving to the music.
They've built up a nice rhythm and the music pulsates through her veins. No one pays them any attention, and even if they did, she wouldn't have known they were. Bruce's head is resting on her neck, his nose skimming up and down, up and down. He peppers kisses, his hands roaming around her body, his fingers leaving a burning path. She can feel his hardness pressing against her backside; it feels too good for words. Selina wants him now.
"I want to go back," she whispers into his ear. She's facing him again, pulling his body tight against hers. In response, Bruce's hands fall to her bum and he gives a gentle squeeze. It's so hot in here. Selina gazes right into his eyes and notices his already dark eyes are pure black.
Bruce grunts, forcefully bringing her mouth to his and thrusts his hips forward. Selina breaths out harshly as she can feel how bad he wants her, too. He fights for dominance, his tongue taking what he wants. She's uncomfortably wet in her knickers; she wants to go and dear God, did she just beg?
Ah, the things he does to her.
It's like a scene from the movies when two lusty, horny people bang the door open and literally eat each other. It's not very attractive or well-rehearsed, but they're both very desperate and there's a lot of pent of tension. Bruce loudly shuts the door, and impatient Selina drags his mouth back to hers. Her back is pressed against the wall, her fingers threading and gripping Bruce's hair. His hands a pressed on her hips and he kisses her back hotly. Selina's fingers have moved to his chest as they attempt to unbutton his shirt. He pulls back to take it off himself when she ends up pulling his shirt and ripping it. She's pretty sure it's one of the expensive ones but she doesn't care.
Clumsily, he starts dragging them to the bed. Selina forgot how much they drank and she's feeling a little dizzy right now, but it's probably due to Bruce. She hopes. His hand is trying to unzip her dress but he can't pull it down. Taking control of the situation, she takes off her dress in a snap and pushes him towards the bed. The lights are off but the curtains are open, the ambient light painting his skin. His body is more chest than abs since he hasn't been hitting the gym six hours a day, and well, it gives him a casual toned look. His hair is all over the place and he looks ravenous, his eyes surveying her body. Selina likes feeling this exposed in front of him.
She steps forward and captures his mouth, her tongue teasing him. His hands are trying to push her down but she relents and pulls back. "I'll be right back," she says, her voice a little hoarse.
Vehemently Bruce shakes his head. "No." His hands travel up to her breasts and he begins massaging them, and it feels too good for words.
"Bruce," she whimpers, "I . . . I'll be right back." She manages to tear herself away from him and heads to the bathroom. Shutting the door, she takes a peek at the mirror and tries to calm herself down. Obviously she's had sex but this Bruce Wayne. He's the only guy she's ever been hanging out with this long and hasn't pulled a move yet. She wants to make this count.
Her underwear is a modest black set, so she'll have to make do with what she has. The lipgloss she used before they went out is by the sink; she puts some on, tousles her hair and adjusts her bra. She drinks a little bit of water from the faucet and when she sees herself in the mirror, a silly grin is plastered on her face.
She's a wee bit woozy but her drunkenness shouldn't be an issue. She gets out of the bathroom, turns on a lamp light and finds Bruce fast asleep and his legs dangling off the bed.
Seriously?
Come morning, both have slight headaches and their mouths are parched. Selina slept in her underwear and Bruce clearly wasn't able to change his clothes either. When she gets out of shower fully clothed, Bruce is sitting on the bed and rubbing his forehead.
"Here, take these," Selina says, throwing the Advil case at him. He pops a couple into his mouth and gets up from the bed. She's standing in front of the mirror and dries her hair, letting the towel do its job. As he comes from behind, she hands him the water bottle. Bruce chugs it down and stares at her once he's done. "What are you looking at?"
He shrugs. "Never mind." Bruce turns around, and as he gathers his clothes and heads into the bathroom he says, "Black underwear suits you, you know."
She can't help but blush.
They finally, finally do the deed after touring Hohenzollem Castle. It's not rushed and for the first time in her life Selina actually wants it. It's different with Bruce; he's pressed and sliding against her skin, kissing her when he isn't watching her every need. He goes slowly and carefully, and he fulfills every wish she has. It's perfect.
She doesn't know if she loves him or wants to marry him, have kids and settle down. But she wants this – stability. If he can give it to her and she can give it in return, then she might as well fall in love with him, get married and have kids.
A gust of cold air hits Selina as she's sleeping; when she opens her eyes Bruce is sitting on the bed, his hands covering his face. She's seen this happen before but she would usually ignore it. Occasionally he gets up and sits somewhere else and doesn't return until much after. Selina never knew what to do in these instances.
His breathing is slow and even. She sees a new layer of sweat has formed on the tops of his shoulder. Selina brings a tentative hand over to his lower back and instantly stops when Bruce freezes. He hasn't looked back at her yet, and when he makes no protest she begins rubbing his back, up and down. She sits up also, wraps both of her arms around Bruce and presses a soft kiss on his collarbone. "It's okay, Bruce," she whispers.
"I . . ."
Selina brushes his hair from his eyes and quiets him. "It'll be okay."
He drops his hands and takes a deep breath. She continues to rub his back and after a few minutes, Bruce relaxes and lies back down. He ends up going back to sleep pretty fast, but Selina is still awake, watching him. Sometimes she forgets how damaged he is. She hopes they can move past their demons, and one day, neither one of them will wake up during the night.
After spending nearly two months in Germany they head out to Italy and Sicily. Selina makes a comment about visiting the Axis powers before Bruce gives her such a puzzled expression she shuts her mouth for a very long time. Visiting these two countries back-to-back is just coincidence.
They stop at Sicily, tour Syracuse for a couple of days then move Catania; the architecture is beautiful there. Selina can't decide which city is better: Cordoba or Catania. Sicily is kind of like Spain, where there is a clash of many different cultures but in the end it all works out.
After Catania they travel up to Palermo for a few days and then head to the mainland. Selina's always been a sucker for Roman history and she can't hold back her excitement; after all, people walked and breathed the same air as she did all those centuries ago. She and Bruce work their way up through Italy; they visit Naples first and soon after they go to Rome. Selina is exceptionally excited to see Rome and Vatican City, and after much insistence, they spend two weeks there. For some reason Bruce is in a hurry to get somewhere, but she brushes it aside for now. They're in Italy for Pete's sake!
Italy isn't known to be a romantic country, but Selina finds herself walking arm and arm with Bruce, and he buys flowers for her when he seems them on the street. It's cute and sweet. She's never been able to experience this type of . . . relationship before. She's not sure if they're boyfriend and girlfriend or lovers, but whatever they are she'll take it. Everything is peaceful and safe; by no means is it lacking, but for the first time there's no agenda behind it.
She's glad she and Bruce decided to go on this adventure.
"Promise me something, Selina."
It's their fourth night in Rome, and after a very busy day Selina wanted to sleep, although Bruce was up for something else. She's riding him right now at a fervent pace but she slows down, puzzled. Bruce rarely talks during sex. "What?"
His hands are gripping her hips and his eyes are burning. "Promise me you won't be empty ever again. Promise me you'll make sure it doesn't happen to me."
She's baffled for a second but then it all clicks. Before this they donned a costume and walked the streets because something was missing. For Bruce he wanted to set an example and feel worthy, and for Selina she . . . Well, she never had a chance to live. They were tortured souls, and they managed to mask it by wearing one.
Now . . . Now there's no need to feel vacant, because the past is gone. Everything is done, fulfilled. The T's are crossed, the I's dotted. She leans down and rests her forehead against his and says, "I know. I know, Bruce."
"That's not good enough," he growls. His fingers are pushing deeper into her skin, and later she'll find bruises there. He thrusts forward, trying to make a point.
"I promise, I promise," she moans. Selina continues to repeat it like a mantra, over and over, and it isn't until they're both spent when Bruce finally let's go of his iron-like grip on her.
It's warm and breezy in Florence; today is going to be a good day. She and Bruce are currently at a restaurant, sitting outside. Selina's wearing a blue dress she bought yesterday, and by the looks of it Bruce really likes it. A waiter comes by and she orders a drink, admiring the quaint area. When she glances back at Bruce he's smiling real wide.
"What are you smiling about?"
He grins and says, "I have a gift for you."
"You shouldn't have." Selina smiles, genuinely excited. He reaches in his bag and gets out a black box; her heart flutters because she knows some type of jewelry is inside.
"Open it."
She does and finds the very same pearl necklace she stole from him all those months ago. "Bruce, you really shouldn't have," she speaks quietly. This is too personal. Sure, they're intimate with one another and they kind of know everything about each other, but for some reason Selina's close to panicking. Several heartbeats later, she gathers the courage to look up, give a timid smile and calm down. He's not proposing to her or anything. Bruce simply wants to be nice.
He shakes his head and leans back on the chair. "I want you to have it. It really does look better on you than my mother."
Selina thoughtfully touches the cool pearls. "When I stole it all those months ago I was just screwing around, I don't want you to feel obliged –"
Bruce snorts. (This is the first time she's heard this sound from him.) "I honestly want you to have them. I don't feel obliged," he adds with a wink, "I just wanted to give you a gift." His hand reaches over the table and grasps hers. "You're hurting my feelings, you know."
She laughs a little and takes out the pearls from the case. Bruce stands up and fastens it, his fingers lightly touching her collarbone, then the necklace. He sits back down and smiles that special smile of his, where his shoulders relax and his eyes light up. Her heart swells; a mere two minutes ago she was nervous, but now it feels completely normal.
There's no fancy present for Bruce; instead, Selina takes out the English newspaper and hands it to Bruce. "Congratulations, you're no longer considered a failure in the financial world." She hasn't had the chance to read the entire article yet, but it seems people behind Wayne Enterprises were able to show that Bane destroyed the company, not Bruce.
She gauges Bruce's reaction, but he seems indifferent about it. "Well? Aren't you happy?"
"Oh, yes. This is a very nice surprise."
Now it's her turn to lean back on the chair. "So you knew."
He smirks and says, "Yes."
Selina thinks back past few months and remembers all the countless hours he was on the computer. "That's why you were always on your fancy laptop." Bruce nods in acknowledgment. The waiter comes by and hands their drinks. After a few sips she asks, "What happens now?"
Bruce is stirring sugar in coffee. "Meaning?"
"Are you going to come back from the dead?"
"No," he cuts out, a bit angrily. "I'm done with them." Bruce takes a sip and looks out into the street. "There's nothing for me there."
They're silent for a minute, each sucked in their own thoughts. Something isn't right, though. Someone must know he's alive at Wayne Enterprises. "Bruce, how could you have helped your company without anyone not knowing?"
He doesn't appear to be angry anymore and he answers, "There is someone, but as far as he's concerned, he's willing to believe I'm still dead."
"I see. But what about the money? Are you still going to receive your income from them?"
Bruce chuckles. "There's no need to worry about the expenses, Miss Kyle. Rest assured, we'll be living comfortably for a very long time."
With a jolt Selina realizes he said we as opposed to I. What does this mean? Does he plan on moving in with her when she decides to settle down? Does he expect her to live with him? She's beginning to panic a bit now, but as she thinks about it, it's really not bad. She can do it. She likes Bruce – a lot. They already act as if they've been together for many years. It shouldn't be hard.
It shouldn't be hard to move on.
"What do you think?"
The apartment is small. There's only one bedroom, a small bathroom, a living/family room and kitchen combined. It's noisy outside but she likes the quaintness. It may not be the Ritz or the 16th arrondissement of Paris, but it's something. Even though she and Bruce have a stocked-up bank account, they chose to live in a regular setting. Getting this apartment is one step closer to normalcy.
After spending so many months traveling, Selina convinced Bruce it was time to relax for a bit. She was scared of buying anything from the places they visited because carrying two suitcases was already a lot to take care of. By the time the finished Italy, she bought a third one and a huge handbag full of goodies with no place to put them. Now they're here, buying an apartment. She can't believe it.
"I like it." She walks over to the kitchen and notices the counter is a slightly lopsided. "We can make it work."
Selina's been using a lot of we's now. Four months ago in Florence she was unsure of what direction she wanted to take with Bruce. Four months later, she's glad she made the right decision. She never noticed before how well they fit. He balances her out. She knows Bruce hates bell peppers and isn't a fan of strawberry milk. They've caught up on the latest Doctor Who episodes, and now she's got him interested in Star Trek. They argue, talk about deep, meaningful topics, and at the end of the day Selina isn't bored yet. She wants to learn more about him.
She knows he went away to boarding school after his parents died because he couldn't handle living there. Likewise, Bruce knows Selina hates hospitals because it reminds her of all the times her mom and dad ended up there. Their past sucks, but she's vowed not to let her experiences dictate what she'll do in the future. By the looks of it, she's doing a darn good job.
Turning around, she beams at Bruce and says, "When do you want to go for furniture shopping?"
He grins and for one fleeting second she thinks she may love him. "I thought you would never ask."
The internet is pretty slow at their apartment. Selina's trying to upload pictures from their extensive trip on a Picasa Album. Some tourists might consider their trip too tiresome, but she's glad they spent at least a month in each country. They had a chance to do the touristy stuff and do some local things, too. Now that they're situated in Paris they're taking their sweet time as they slowly tour The City of Light.
Bruce is cooking dinner for them, but he clearly hasn't had any practice. He's making pasta and chicken, and even though he has instructions right next to him, he's leaning against the counter, confused.
She feels it right . . . then as she's watching him. It starts from the bottom of her heart and travels up to her face, then back down and circling her entire body. Her chest feels like it might burst so she swallows and tries to figure out what's going on. When Bruce goes back to making food, the sensation is gone and Selina is left with the remnants. She doesn't know what to make of it.
It's strange. But over the next few weeks, it grows and grows and Jesus, will it ever stop? She tries to tamp it down but it's relentless. Soon, it becomes bothersome. And suddenly, she finds everything Bruce does is attractive and/or cute. The way he combs his hair back or how he goes from ten pushups to twenty when she comes into the room. He still buys her flowers when they walk outside, and on Selina's birthday he takes her to the Eiffel Tower and kisses her under the moon like there's no tomorrow.
What has she gotten herself into? Whatever it is, she likes it for some reason.
The weather is exceptionally wonderful today. People are running with their dogs or lying on the grass, oblivious to the world. Selina's head is resting on Bruce's lap; he's reading a novel while she's gazing at the sky.
It's taken her a while to realize this is where she'll be for a long time. Waking up past noon with her arms thrown over Bruce's is so normal that some days it shocks her how casual it is. They still wake up in the middle of the night; most nights it's Bruce, but occasionally Selina wakes up too. A lot of times they bicker, and a lot of times they give each other such silly smiles it ends up being pretty hilarious.
For a while Selina felt she owed Bruce; he doesn't know she felt that way for a very long time. But as they live day by day she has finally come to terms that her debt is paid. He's happy. She's happy. They're happy.
She thinks back to all of those months when Bruce spoke about being normal. She's not sure if they've achieved that stage in life, but as far as she's concerned they're there. It takes a special kind of strength to leave everything you ever knew behind. She knows Bruce misses home and so does she, but there was nothing for them. Maybe that's why their lives were so shitty. It was Fate's way of telling them to get the hell out of there.
Whatever happens between them, Selina will never, ever regret being with Bruce. This is the first time she's been able to live. She doesn't have a personal yacht or a butler, but living in a compact apartment in Paris is good enough for her. She used to dream about leaving Gotham but it never happened. But this happened and for that she's forever grateful.
It'll take some getting used to being in love and not eating frozen dinners. It'll take them a while to not wistfully gaze out the window and think about what occurred a lifetime ago. Maybe they'll grow out of it and maybe they won't. At least they're trying to live a content, normal life.
At least, according to Selina, they are living a content, normal life.