More Than Words

by LOTSlover

They say that actions speak louder than words. Sometimes words just get in the way. Set some time after "This Little Piggy". BMWW

TITLE: More than Words

AUTHOR: LOTSlover

CHARACTERS: Batman / Wonder Woman

RATING: T

WARNINGS: Author Chooses Not to Use Warnings

DISCLAIMER: I love Justice League, but especially Batman and Wonder Woman. Unfortunately, I do not own the characters and, if I did, things would be much different for them.

SUMMARY: They say that actions speak louder than words. Sometimes words just get in the way. Set some time after "This Little Piggy". Pre-BMWW.

Thanks Dinasis for the help with the title! You're brilliant as always. Hope you guys don't mind something a little different here.

More than Words

Gotham; May 29th, 23:53 EST

Constant camera flashes…endless streams of questions that are shallow and bordering on the ludicrous. Far too many people, too many hands wanting to touch the famous heroine, too many dances with men who find more interest in her body than in who she is as a person.

The spacious ballroom is stifling and suffocating, teeming with countless guests and laughter and an endless supply of alcohol. It's overwhelming even after three years of being in Man's World.

This is her fifth charity function in the last two weeks and it's wearing heavily on her typically resilient spirit. So much suffering, countless life-stealing diseases without cures. Abused and battered women, children with no parents to call their own, homelessness and poverty. She feels as though the difference she is making is as monumental as a single teardrop in the ocean.

Looking about, she somehow manages to escape into the waiting arms of nightfall unnoticed…or so she believes.

Alone out here on the balcony, she welcomes the sweet solitude that greets her. Her eyes fall closed as she breathes in the warm night air, slender fingers filled with immense strength wrapping around the wrought iron of the balcony railing as if seeking comfort that it cannot provide.

She feels conflicted, her heart wrestling to resolve something that has only been growing stronger despite her best efforts to smother it. It goes against absolutely everything that she has ever known or trained to believe and yet she yearns deeply for it.

She knows that he is here somewhere in the mass of people, hiding among the sea of endless faces. She has felt his eyes on her every move from some unknown place in the shadows of the grand ballroom, his heated gaze caressing her skin and driving her to distraction. It's as if he can see into her very soul, peeling back layers of tradition and training...separating the woman from the warrior. It's thrilling and at the same time unnerving.

She tilts her head back to gaze up at the stars that litter the black canvas that stretches as far as the eye can see. It's a breathtaking backdrop to the moon that casts a warm glow on everything it touches. A cool wind causes the tree limbs to nod and leaves to softly rustle, the sprawling garden that stretches out before her beckoning her to come explore and find the peace and the answers that she is longing for.

Her fingers lightly caress the wrought iron as she slowly releases it, entranced by the extravagant garden paradise that reminds her of home. Taking the steps one at a time, she descends into the lush green grass. She can't help but pause to remove her heels, wanting to feel the blades between her toes.

Carrying her shoes in her left hand, she silently moves like an ethereal spirit into the garden maze, not knowing where it'll lead her, but anxious for the serene adventure that awaits her. She passes through the open iron gate, not realizing that someone follows her from a distance…always from a distance.

It's safer for his heart that way…or so he thinks.

She pauses by a rose bush, bending over to inhale deeply. Her eyes fall closed as she savors the sweet fragrance, a smile curling the corners of her lips. She brushes her nose against the velvet-soft petals of red, wishing she could take the flower with her.

Stealing one more whiff from the fragrant rose, she continues to make her way through the garden, relishing the feel of the grassy blanket beneath her feet. It's a simple pleasure that she misses when she's on the Watchtower for extended periods of time.

She leisurely wanders among the extravagant flora; some well known while others are new to her. She pauses before a lilac bush, her fingers lightly stroking the leaves. She doesn't need to lean in to smell the blossoms; its fragrance reaches up to greet her where she stands.

She presses on; her hands clasped behind her back, strappy stiletto heels dangling from her fingers. The train of her navy blue evening gown gently trails over the grass behind her, the warm wind caressing her bare shoulders. Loose raven tendrils dance in the breeze, forcing her to hook a couple of strands behind her ear to keep them out of her face.

She unexpectedly finds a statue of her goddess Aphrodite standing full and proud and nude, the white marble practically glowing in the moonlight. While alluring to behold, it still does not do justice to the goddess of love's true beauty.

Dipping her head, she lifts up a silent, beseeching prayer to her goddess, praying for answers that don't seem to come. It's a daily struggle that is always near her heart, thoughts and feelings and dreams that she's positive an Amazon should never have, but they're there despite her best efforts.

After several moments spent in prayer, she lifts her head, her heart feeling lighter than it had before she'd entered the garden sanctuary. The musical strains of the orchestra continue to follow her every step, accompanying her on her solitary journey. She finds it a sweet comfort instead of an annoyance, adding to the tranquility that has enveloped her here in this paradise.

She passes by stone benches, marble statues, and ornate bushes, working her way deeper and deeper into the heart of the garden sanctuary. Large pink peony blossoms seem to almost bow in the presence of the princess. Her fingers lightly caress the petals that are soft beneath her fingertips.

She has no idea how long she has been out here, but she's in no hurry to return to the boisterous gala that continues on without her. Turning down another path, she finds herself in the very heart of the garden, a massive marble fountain greeting her.

Water springs up from the very top several feet high in the air before cascading down into a bowl overflowing like an endless river. From there, the water descends into an even larger bowl decorated with more ornate flowers and birds carved out of marble.

Approaching, she watches as the water cascades over marble flowers, the rippling of the liquid adding to the peacefulness of the haven she's exploring. She moves to sit on the stone ledge that surrounds the fountain, her heels still dangling from her left hand. She leans over and dips her fingers in the cool water, drawing nonsensical circles and patterns and losing herself in the simplicity of the peaceful moment.

It reminds her of home and a part of her wants to cry, but the fierce warrior in her refuses to allow it.

It feels as though she is the only person on the face of the Earth, no one around for as far as the eye can see, but she is not alone. She is being watched from the safe shadows of a towering shrub, further captivating him by merely existing. Just by being herself, she is working her way further and deeper into his heart without even being aware of it.

He has been watching her all evening, drinking her in over and over again in hopes of getting his fill so he can finally be free of her, but it's failing to work. He finds himself only wanting more. Always more of her. He can never get enough of her no matter how hard he tries not to want her…not to fall in love with her.

His hands are tucked into the pockets of his tuxedo pants; his heart losing its once steady rhythm as he thoughtfully studies her. The moonlight shimmers off her shoulders, illuminates the intricate design of her braided updo. The slit in her evening dress slips even further to the side as she leans closer to the fountain, her outstretched fingers touching the running water. The move reveals an enticing expanse of leg that causes his breath to quicken, his eyes roaming from her upper thigh down to her bare foot.

She truly is a goddess walking among mortal men, with them but definitely not one of them. She is far above all in breathtaking beauty and unlike anyone he's ever met or known before. She is true perfection and she doesn't even realize it. She is the embodiment of selflessness and innocence and it only serves to intensify his want for her.

After several long moments, she gracefully stands to her feet, her dress slipping back into place. Her back is to him as she stares at the fountain, obviously lost in her thoughts. He can't help but wonder what she is thinking about or, better yet, who. He secretly hopes it's him.

Unable to stand it a moment longer, he silently makes his way to her, his need to touch her becoming next to unbearable. It feels as though his heart is pounding in his ears as he approaches her, knowing he should warn her of his presence or risk having his jaw dislocated, but he can't seem to find his voice right now. She has managed to steal all of his thought processes, arresting his attention and silencing his voice.

He notices her head turn ever so slightly to the side, acutely aware of his presence, but she doesn't turn around. She seems frozen in time as he stops right behind her. His breaths come a little faster, a little shorter as he lightly traces her bare shoulder with the tips of his fingers.

She doesn't move, doesn't speak as he appreciates the softness of her skin that is like the finest silk. Her heady scent immediately assaults his senses, further stirring his desire for her. A nervous flutter erupts in the pit of his stomach. He's never felt quite like this around any other woman. He's usually confident and the one firmly in control, but not this time. Never with her. She disarms him with nothing more than a smile or those mesmerizing azure eyes of hers and he finds himself completely at her mercy once again.

His chin drops, his mouth hovering close to the slender column of her neck as he leans in closer to her, but he fights the urge to press his lips against her skin. He can't, however, suppress the slight upturn of his lips or his fascination as she shivers beneath his touch as his fingers lightly trail down the length of her arm. He takes great pleasure in the reaction he receives from her. His fingers grasp her wrist, gently tugging and encouraging her to finally face him.

She turns around, finding herself standing very close to him, her body nearly touching his. Her expression is somewhat shy as she looks up at him through dark eyelashes, her eyes revealing the weight of her struggles. He knows she feels so deeply, carries the burdens of the world and her mission of peace closely to her heart. It's one of the things that first attracted him to her. Now, he wants to be close to her heart as well.

He can see how it is beginning to wear on her, ever so subtly draining her of a small measure of the light that she carries within her. It is no less bright, but the warmth of it has dimmed a little in the last couple of weeks, causing him to worry about her.

He aches with a profound need to be the one to restore that brilliant smile that nearly makes him dizzy, to spark the warmth that the world has managed to steal from her lately, but how can he when he lives and breathes darkness as well as the icy detachment that permeates his nighttime persona?

She graces him with a soft smile, but there's a tentativeness to it that piques his curiosity. Does he have the same effect on her that she seems to have on him?

He stares deep into her eyes, drowning in the blueness that seems to swallow him whole. He takes her hand in his as the soft strains of a new song begin to encircle them. He places her left hand on his shoulder before taking her right hand in his.

Without saying a word, he begins to guide her in a slow, graceful dance. It is one that he has been anxious to have with her after being forced to watch her dance with one lecherous man after another tonight. It had piqued his jealousy, but he has her all to himself now and he isn't planning on giving her up any time soon.

She is afraid to breath, afraid to look away from him as they slowly move together as one. Dancing with him here under the millions of stars, she can barely believe that he's really here. She can feel the heat of his muscular body as he brushes against her, the possessive grasp of his hold on her…his hand subtly stroking the bare skin of her low back.

She can't help but notice the way that he is intently gazing back at her or the longing that reflects in those cobalt blue orbs. She swears that his eyes have never looked so blue, darkening with a mutual feeling that is tugging fiercely at her soul and she knows that no other will ever hold her heart like he will.

She slowly slides her hand from his shoulder to the collar of his shirt, the nervous flutter in her stomach growing stronger. She runs her fingers along the edge of the stiff white material peeking out of his black tux jacket. She carefully watches him for his reaction as she allows the tips of her fingers to lightly stroke along the side of his neck.

His breath catches in his throat with the way that she is fully meeting his open gaze, the feel of her fingers against his skin like fire. He feels as though he's floating as they slowly dance beside the water fountain, their only light that of the moon and the endless expanse of stars. It feels like a wonderful, magical dream and yet it's more amazing than anything he'd ever dared to fantasize about.

His every fear, his constant apprehension and the countless reasons why not begin to fall away one by one as he holds her close in his arms. They move closer and closer to one another like two halves of the same whole drawn together as they continue to dance until she is fully pressed against him.

Time seems to slow to a standstill as he tightens his hold on her, keeping her right where he wants her most. Appearing to share his feelings, her forehead comes to rest in the crook of his neck as her fingers slip around to play with the short black strands that lay at the nape of his neck.

He swallows hard as his heart skips a beat, his breathing growing slightly erratic. He tilts his head down to nuzzle her ear with his nose, shivers of desire racing up his spine as her warm breath caresses his throat. He's growing lightheaded, nervous apprehension rising up in his chest and yet he knows nothing has ever felt so right in his entire life.

No one has ever made him feel quite like this; awakening things inside of him that he'd long thought buried where no one could ever find them. Somehow, she has managed to reach that part of him, tapping into a dream that he had given up hope on ever coming true.

It was a dream meant for others, never him, but she has somehow sparked a flicker of hope in him to believe in it for himself now.

She tilts her head slightly, her lips lightly brushing against the smooth skin of his neck, his aftershave making her flush warm with desire. She hears his heart beating harder…faster. His breathing wavers as his body momentarily tenses and she fears she has pushed things too far, too fast.

She is stunned as well as delighted when he dips his head again, his hot breath pulsating gently against her ear before his lips softly whisper over it. He is overjoyed by the gooseflesh that ripples across her skin as he nips at the sensitive skin behind her ear only to taste her with his tongue.

Her fingers press into the back of his neck, her blood rushing in her ears as he releases her hand to grasp her waist with both of his. Her other hand settles on his back as they just hold one another, the dance long forgotten despite the music that continues to drift on the wind and swirl around them.

Unable to control his desire for her any longer, he plants warm kisses along her neck and collarbone, only stopping when he meets the thin strap of her dress. His fingers dig into her waist in order to keep her hips pressed against his, wanting her to feel and to know just how badly he wants her…what she does to him just by existing.

His breathes come faster as he kisses along her jaw, his cheek rubbing against hers. She trembles in his arms with the feel of him wanting her like this, her prayers answered in the most unexpected way. She pulls back, but not out of his intimate embrace. Her mouth hovers so tantalizingly closely to his, silently begging to be kissed…to be taken by him.

He tilts his head as his heart hammers beneath his breastbone. They share the same breath as the sexual tension surges like a powerful electrical current between them, the air nearly crackling with the intensity of it. His lips softly touch hers, a tentative graze that silently hopes and pleads for permission for far more.

He doesn't want to push her, knowing she's never been this far before and yet he can barely hold himself back any longer, his self-control on the verge of snapping once and for all. He knows things between them will forever be changed after this…his life will never be the same, but he knows he doesn't want it to be. He doesn't want to live his life in complete darkness now that he's seen the light.

He wants her…needs her more than his next breath and he's growing desperate to show her.

Before her whispered name can escape his lips, her mouth is moving against his. It's tentative at first, exploring and prodding and learning before it becomes confident…hungry. It is fueled with a shared longing that has been restrained for far too long by both of them, passion and desire slipping past their mutual fears and defenses.

Can he still be the vigilante his city needs with love and light in his life?

What will her mother or her sisters do if they discover that she is falling in love with a man?

Is he actually capable of loving her the way that she deserves?

Will her gods forsake her for turning her back on her heritage?

The kiss intensifies, the passion growing more heated as her lips part, beckoning him to taste her. His tongue readily explores with a greediness that takes them both surprise. They are vulnerable in each other's arms in this intimate moment, revealing what has been growing and enveloping their hearts since their first meeting.

They finally break apart, breathing heavily as his forehead comes to rest against hers. She slowly rakes her teeth over her bottom lip, trying to calm her racing heart. His tongue sneaks out to drag along his lower lip, savoring the taste of her that he wants more of.

It's her that begins to kiss him all over again, her arms wrapping around his back. His hands settle on either side of her jaw, returning her kiss with an equal need for more. As badly as he wants her, he knows that now is not the time, this…not the place. She deserves far better than that and he wants to be the one to give that to her, to be her first, only, and last.

He reluctantly breaks the kiss, his hand tracing the side of her face as he drinks in her beauty accentuated by the moonlight. Her fingertip traces his lips as if imprinting the memory firmly in her mind. He pulls out of her embrace, confusion and disappointment clouding her eyes, but it just as quickly disappears as he takes her by the hand, his fingers lacing with hers.

The brilliant smile that had been missing for the last couple of weeks fully returns, beguiling him all over again. He silently leads her through the sprawling garden, his thumb continuously brushing against the back of her hand as he guides her to his waiting limo and the British Butler that greets them with a knowing smile and eyes that say "finally".

He smiles somewhat coyly to the elder man who is like a father to him as he helps her into the back of the limo before sliding in beside her. No words are spoken or are necessary as he takes her into his arms once more, allowing their hearts to reveal what words cannot begin to express in that moment.

THE END