((SXH: Hello, friends and readers. I just got a little bit of inspiration while I was working on a different piece. I decided to take a break on that to give you guys this because I really see this couple as a thing if these two stories ever crossed over. I didn't see one with this pairing so I decided to provide you lovelies with one. Enjoy!))
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or DC. I'm not making any money off of this whatsoever.
Warning: Sexual Situations. MxM. Use your imagination. Plot. Yes. There is plot. And OOC, but I had to in order to make it work.
/
Interest
The café was especially quiet today. There were hardly any people there, with good reason. Not many people would dare stay at the café for long. With the evening rolling around and the shops being located on the outskirts of Gotham, on didn't wish to stay late in case they get attacked after they left. With Christmas coming soon, those chances increased with the bitter cold.
Bruce Wayne knew that this was a hotspot for criminal activity lately, which was why he had stationed himself out early. A man had been kidnapping women and slaughtering them. Only one made it out alive. The details of her injuries weren't discussed, but she was able to give a small description of the man that attacked her. He was described as tall, intimidating at first glance but had a sweet smile. He was said to have dark hair that seemed greasy.
The sun was showing its last rays of light before he was shrouded in darkness. He had watched every person come in and out of the café carefully. Soon it was closing up and he watched one particular person walk out. The tall man had ink black hair that was chin length, looking greasy like the woman described. He was definitely intimidating at first glance. The smile was one that Batman intended to wipe off his face. He wasn't alone either. He was with a girl who had bushy brown hair that didn't seem like it could be tamed. The girl was very attractive and seemed to be talking the man's ear off.
The man seemed to be annoyed, if his twitching lip had anything to say about it. He made a comment that Batman couldn't hear, but it apparently made the girl laugh wholeheartedly. He observed them for a little bit, deciding that it would be best to follow them and wait. As they walked, the man offered to walk the young woman home. She seemed hesitant at first, but agreed when he reminded her of how dangerous Gotham was. It was one of the few things Batman caught of their conversation. The rest of it was oddly muffled.
Batman followed the two on their journey. They seemed to follow the road, until they turned and stepped onto the apartment building. Batman hid himself in the darkness of the alleyway. The muffled conversation seemed to clear up now.
"Professor, are you sure you don't want to stay for dinner? Ron and I would be more than happy to serve you. Think of it as a token of my…" The girl didn't get to finish as he cut her off.
"Mrs. Weasley, I have not been your professor for little over ten years now. My given name will suffice. As for dinner, do not worry about me. I have leftovers in my refrigerator at home," the man interrupted.
"Are you absolutely sure, Prof- Severus?" she amended. "I would really like to thank you for all you've done."
"No need, Mrs. Weasley. I appreciate the thought, but I will have to decline tonight. I still have quite a bit of work to finish. Have a good night," the man, whose name was apparently Severus, assured. He rewrapped his green scarf around his neck and adjusted his black coat. Mrs. Weasley gave a soft 'good night' back and entered the apartment complex.
Batman didn't know what to think of the exchange. The man had a heavy English accent which was not described by the woman. But, that didn't rule him out. Batman decided to continue following him. Severus began to go back in the direction he came, back to the café.
/
Severus was having a rather tiring day. He had been called to meet Hermione Weasley at that café. It just so happened to be one he visited often, so he was able to meet with her fairly quickly. They spent hours in the café discussing strategy on the petitions and bills she wishes to push through the Ministry. The girl had begged him for months to help her but he had been busy with his own… affairs. The girl was apparently desperate. She had come to the United States to find him. She had gotten an apartment in Gotham of all places.
Severus knew she was a smart girl, probably the brightest in her age group. However, she was a Gryffindor at heart. He let out a sigh as he passed the café. It was dark now. He needed to get home quickly. He jumped slightly when he heard his cell phone rang. He dug out his Blackberry and checked the number. Not many people were privy to his cell phone number so he was a tad bit confused when he didn't recognize the caller. He clicked the button and answered.
"Hello?" he asked, continuing to walk.
"Hey there, Severus," a very familiar voice answered. Severus nearly dropped the phone at the voice he hadn't heard from in nearly eight years.
/
Batman watched with interest when he saw the man stop dead in his tracks right after he answered the phone. He listened intently, trying to catch bits of what the tall, dark man was saying. His voice seemed to shake in what seemed like shock, relief, and… love?
"How did you get my number?" he asked. Batman unfortunately couldn't hear the other respond. But apparently it seemed to unsettle Severus. "Where have you been? What…How…" There was another paused as the man listened to whoever was on the phone. Batman immediately called Oracle.
"Oracle. I need you to trace a phone the phone of the man near me. I want to know who he's talking to," he ordered. The response took a moment.
"Alright. Mysterious caller's number coming right up," she said. Batman heard soft clicking of keys on her keyboard. When they stopped, Batman realized that he had missed most of the conversation.
"Why? Why have you been gone so long? What could possibly be so important that you left?" Severus's voice was angry now. Batman could hear the hurt in his voice. "When… When can I see you?" Those were the last words spoken apparently because Oracle cussed, informing Batman that the call ended. At the same time, a baseball bat came swinging down on Severus's head. So much for him being a suspect… Batman thought. He did nothing as he watched a car drive up and the man who hit Severus drag him into the car. Instead, he followed the car to the docks. This wasn't the case he was following anymore. This takes precedence over the other one.
Once he was stationed on top of a warehouse, he watched the car stop at the end of the dock. There was a boat at the end. A couple of men hauled Severus onto it and into one of the rooms.
"Oracle, can you hack into the cameras and tell me how men are around?" Batman asked.
"Can I get a 'please'?" she teased. She was met with a silence so powerful she could feel his glare on the other side. "Jeez, take a joke for once…" Batman heard more typing on the other end. "Speaking of jokes… Someone apparently broke out of Arkham without you knowing."
"How? Arkham should have informed to GCPD of the breakout," Batman whispered harshly.
"Well, apparently not even Arkham's gotten the news yet. I just checked the security report for earlier today, Joker was asleep in his bed, like a good little psychotic clown," she spat. "No one knows he's escaped yet. At least we found him before he's caused too much damage."
"We don't know that yet. Where is he now?" he hears a scoff on the other end.
"Where else? On the boat in dining room area. He's sitting down at the table. Who's that unconscious guy with him?" Oracle asked.
"The man whose phone I had you track. His name is Severus. Last name unknown. He's a professor of some kind. He's got an English accent. Find what you can about him later. Right now, I need to know how many people are guarding the room." More typing and clicking of the mouse.
"Not many, actually. Though it's more than he should have since he just busted out. There's four on the boat in total. The bare minimum. I'm sure you can figure out how many are between you and the boat."
"Thanks," Bruce said simply. He looked around. There were more than he expected there to be. Though, something was a little off about them. They weren't the usual thugs he was used to seeing. Some were, others looked like they were just normal men off the street. There were about six others outside with guns.
It was easy slipping past all of them. The two guards guarding the back door were easy to knock out without any noise. He was able to climb into the ventilation and was able to spy in on the two in the room. The Joker looked… nice? He was dressed in nice clothes and was without his usual makeup. Probably couldn't have robbed a convenient store yet. His hair was oddly not blond. It was ink black and more unruly than usual. His eyes shone an emerald green in the candlelight.
The room itself was also well decorated. The low light and table-set was a bit… unsettling to be honest. The entire setting looked like a date.
"Are you seeing what I'm seeing, Oracle?" he whispered.
"Yeah. Creepy, huh?" she answered. "To be honest, everyone had a bet that if Joker was in love with anyone, he would be in love with you of all people." Batman had to do a double take on that. Just as he was about to ask who 'everyone' was, Oracle went on. "Looks like Superman and Barry are losing that bet. As well as half the Justice League in general. Many said that he couldn't love at all."
"Who on earth says that the Joker loves anyone?"
"Um… Bats. If you could see the look he is giving that man in front of him, you would know instantly that he loves him. I just want to know how they know each other," Oracle informed.
"Then shut up and get to work on it," he whispered harshly. He heard an indignant sound on the other side and some grumbling before the sound of more keystrokes and clicking were heard. She seemed to be done talking. He looked down at the scene. He was surprised when he saw the Joker get up and go over to the man. He couldn't see Joker's face anymore from this angle. However, he could see Joker gently – gently? – pick up the other man's head and inspect the wound that was dripping blood very lightly.
"This is a bit beyond weird, Batman," Oracle began again. "Not the fact that the Joker seems to be giving that man first aid now isn't weird enough. I couldn't find anything connecting the Joker to him, but they definitely seem to know each other. Also, hacking into files overseas isn't exactly easy. Other than that, the man's name is Severus Snape. He's a well-known writer in England and Scotland. However, his official career was a teacher there isn't anything about where he taught. It also seems that he's dabbled in a little bit of everything. He's forty-seven and…"
"And what?"
"He's apparently married. Not exactly a shocker, but damn. He's married to a man by the name of Harry Black. No wedding photos, though. I'll look him up later."
"How about you look it up now?" He heard a sigh on the other end. He waited, watching the Joker carefully ease the man up into a better position.
"Woah."
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Oracle," Bruce warned.
"No. I'm serious. There is nothing in the British database about Harry Black. I even tried to use combinations of Harry Snape, Harry Snape-Black, and Harry Black-Snape. There is literally nothing on this guy."
"Hmm," was all Bruce said as The Joker sat back down at the end of the table. Suddenly, Snape awoke at with a sudden gasp. His eyes scanned the room swiftly before they landed on The Joker. "Drop it for now. We'll pick it up later." Oracle said something but he was more focused on Joker and Snape.
"H-!" Severus tried but was quickly cut off.
"Hello, good sir. I am The Joker. And you are?" Joker began. Snape seemed confused for a moment. He answered hesitantly.
"Severus Snape," he replied.
"I'm sorry. My men seemed to have picked up the wrong fellow tonight. I was ah… hoping to catch a bat tonight," Joker giggled. Severus rubbed the back of his head in aching remembrance.
"That's a terrible joke if I've ever heard one," he commented. Bruce began to worry for this guy. Anyone new to Gotham didn't seem to get that you had to laugh at The Joker's jokes. Otherwise, they could quite possibly get killed.
"Heh. A man can try to lighten the mood," Joker shrugged. This seemed to bring a small smirk to Severus's face. "Care for a drink?" Joker offered, holding a bottle of cheap wine.
"It's not poisoned, is it?" The Joker shook his head and poured the two of them a glass. "Cheers," Severus said and drank the entire glass. "So, who were you trying to capture tonight?"
"Ah. Well. As I said, I was trying to capture a bat. No pun intended this time. Batsy is a bit of a hard man to catch, you know. Though, it seems my men have mistaken you for him. Though, that must be a mistake on my part," The Joker explained, leaning on the table. "I described him as tall, dark, intimidating. If look could kill, his glares would turn you to a pile of ash." Snape chuckled a bit. "I also said that his voice was like liquid chocolate. However, that seems to be the only thing they got wrong. You're laugh is like music to my ears. My Batsy doesn't laugh at all."
"Shame. There is no way to get through life without a bit of humor," Snape commented. Bruce was feeling rather uncomfortable. The Joker was openly flirting with this man and he was spying on it. On the list of things he wished to see in his life, this was not one of them. And the fact that The Joker had described him like that made a cold chill run up his spine. He didn't want to think about that at all.
"I am truly sorry that my men injured you. However, you seem to be much better company than that jerk. I swear he has a stick up his ass," The Joker went on. "Although, if you do not wish to stay, I will pay for a taxi and get you out of here. I'm sure you are upset with me, even now."
"Hmm. I suppose that would be for the best. However, I would be amendable to spending a bit more time with an interesting person such as yourself," Severus answered. "Would you like to tell me about the guest that you originally intended to have?" The Joker sat a bit straighter and fiddled with his hands a bit.
"Well, if you've been in Gotham long enough, you would know that Batsy and I are… ah… bit of a pair. To everyone else he is known as The Batman. I, however, only know him as my Batsy," Joker began. Batman had to hold in a groan. Snape had opened the floodgates. Joker was now going to ramble about how perfect they were, how they were going to fight for eternity, etc. Batman continued to watch in case the Joker was actually planning something else, or if he was going to kill the poor man before it all ended. "He is pretty stoic. He doesn't show much emotion except for anger. But, I feel like there's more than to him than that. Sure, he's got that idea that he can save everyone because he's the vigilante of this city, but he's still good company. Reminds me a lot of how I used to be, to be honest. And… From sitting here, I can tell you and he have the some shared qualities. You are both intelligent, mindful, calculating. However, the major difference I see is that he is the classical Japanese tsundere."
Batman heard a howl of laughter in his earpiece, making a note to look up the term later. The two seemed to talk about him for a bit longer until they both left the dining room and headed onto the deck. To his surprise, The Joker was almost dwarfed by the height of Snape. Snape stood at a good 6'5 at least. Either that or he never realized how short the Joker actually was. Snape was actually taller than Bruce if that were true.
"You didn't get to Gotham until recently, did you? What do you think of it?" The Joker asked. Snape scoffed.
"Does it matter? I do not see you being the type of man to actually care about such things."
"I do," The Joker countered. "Humor me." Severus scoffed again.
"It is not much different from London. The architecture is strange and I am still getting used to driving on the other side of the road. The crime rate is much worse. There are no cameras hanging on every street corner," Severus spoke snidely. The next sentence was a bit softer. "It is different from what I'm used to."
"Heh. At least, you're not suffering from culture shock. I heard it could get bad with people you're age."
"Ha. Ha. I'm not that old. In my family I'm actually middle aged. People around me live until they are at least in their nineties," Severus informed, leaning against the rail and looking out into the frigid water. "I don't know why people are afraid of you. You seem… kinder than most." For once, Batman heard The Joker laugh heartily, not his maniacal chuckle or hysterical giggles.
"You're funny. You haven't been here long to hear what I've done," he began before giving his a serious look. "I assure you, sir, that I am not kind in any way. I am cruel, unusual, and frankly a psychopath. I kill people for laughs. I kill them for fun. If you had any sense, you would have already tried to run from me." Batman watched as Severus's eyes widened a bit before his smirk reformed into a genuine smile. His shoulders started to shake and a deep chuckle began to emerge from his throat.
"I have seen many things before. Many horrible act and crime committed before my own eyes. I fear neither death nor you." Joker gave him a leveled look, placing a hand over Severus's own. Batman felt a cold chill run down his spine.
"You should be."
One second Severus was leaning against the rails. The next second, he was being held against the Joker, back to chest, with a knife to his throat. Joker looked up and straight into Batman's eyes. Severus had shock in his eyes. He seemed genuinely surprised that this had happened.
"A little late for dinner, aren't you, Bats. I expected better of you," Joker called out. Having finally been found out, Batman jumped down into better view. Snape's eyes locked onto his and narrowed. "Say hello to Batsy, Severus. This was the guy that I had intended to catch tonight. And here he is."
"Let him go," Batman growled. Joker laughed.
"Poor choice of words, my friend." With this, Joker threw Snape off the edge into the freezing waters. Growling, Batman dove in after him. Joker looked over the edge and laughed. When his laughter died down, he turned away from the edge and got off the boat. "You never seem to learn, do you, Bats?" Once he signaled his men to get off the vessel, he strode over to the car and left the room.
/
Batman dragged both himself and Snape out of the freezing waters. He called for his car while he tried to keep the unconscious man warm. Snape seemed to have fallen into shock as soon as he hit the water. He had his own armor to keep him warm. But he could already see the frost forming on the outside of their clothes. That definitely was not good. He waited maybe five minutes before his car arrived. He picked up the surprisingly light man and put him into the back seat. He quickly called Alfred and told him that he was bringing some unexpected company to take care of.
As soon as he got into the car he sighed in relief, not realizing until now how cold he actually was. The ride back to the cave was, thankfully, quick. Unfortunately, he didn't think any further than getting the man to the cave. He felt a bit ashamed about that. That wasn't like him at all. Why didn't he take the man to the hospital? Why bring him here? Shaking his head of all those thoughts, he decided to improvise. He ran past Alfred, strode up the stairs, going to one of the guest rooms.
Laying him down on the bed, he removed the emerald green scarf from his neck. He noticed the silver embroidered snakes on it as well. He was surprised to find a particularly nasty scar that stretched across his entire neck. This was when he felt a hand on his shoulder. When did Alfred get there?
"Let me deal with this, sir. You need to remove your own clothes. I'll also call for a doctor to come see him and make sure no more damage was done," Alfred assured. Bruce nodded and strode to the door. "I will wish to hear this story as soon as possible."
Bruce turned his head and simple said, "Bruce Wayne was taking a stroll near the river and found him washed up and barely breathing. The nearest hospital was too far away to drive. You can guess the rest." Alfred nodded and tended to their new guest.
Bruce strode to his own room and stripped out of his own clothes. He stepped into the shower, setting the water to mildly warm. Afterward, he put on his black sweatpants and a soft grew sweater. He grabbed a set of black silk pajamas and went back to the guest room. He gave them to Alfred before he went to gather his drenched suit and took it back to the cave. He would dry it later. For now he had other things to worry about. When he arrived, he found Oracle calling him. He answered immediately.
"Yes, Oracle?"
"What the hell happened," she demanded. "One minute you were on the boat, the next you were in the freezing water. Wanna tell me what caused you newfound suicidal tendencies?"
"Joker threw Snape into the water. He's lucky that I went after him. As soon as he hit the water, he went into shock. I brought him back to the cave, but I decided to bring him up to the manor. You may be hearing about it in the news tomorrow," Batman informed.
"I'm sure I will. But I would prefer you telling me in person," she argued. "You could have died doing something so stupid." Brue stared her in the eye.
"Oracle, I have a chance of dying every single night. This night is no different from the rest. Or would you like to recount how many scars are on my body." Oracle went silent after that. The silence between the two was uncomfortable. Bruce had actually turned to leave when Barbara spoke again.
"I'll get to looking into this Harry character. I'll also look into Snape a bit more," she said softly.
"While you are at it, look into any medical records that Severus Snape may have," he asked. She nodded and cut the call off.
/
The doctor was kind. He was a bit of an eccentric, but he was the best the hospital could send. Stonewater was his name, not that Bruce really cared. He was a bit more concerned about his possible suspect. When the doctor left, he was more than a bit shocked. Not many people of Severus's age could live after being in the water so long (of which he they had to lie about the length of time). The only injuries Snape had suffered from were hypothermia and a concussion, probably from when he got hit in the head with a bat. The doctor advised that he should rest in the manor for a few days and to call should any problems arise.
They cleaned Severus's clothes as best they could. They pretty much looked as good as new when Alfred was done with him. Now he was resting hopefully comfortably in the guest room. While he was waiting for Snape to wake up, he went to the spot where Snape was originally attacked. He didn't think about it before but the tall man had dropped his phone. He would probably want it back. When he got back, the dark man had yet to wake.
He pulled up a chair and watched the tall man for a while. Before he knew it, the sun peaked in through the windows, so he closed them. This man probably wasn't much of a morning person either. But who knew. Alfred brought in a tray for Bruce. It had coffee and toast. He set the tray on the nightstand and poured a cup for him.
"You know, he reminds me much of you, Master Bruce," Alfred commented. Bruce scoffed.
"Oddly enough, The Joker said the same thing. Several times. That was before he ultimately threw the man off the boat," he replied. "I'll talk about it later, when we're alone. But not now."
"Maybe he spoke a bit of truth, sir," Alfred went on, earning him an odd look. "You both had scars all over you, from years of fighting no doubt. His clothing says that he is modest but intelligent. I could go on but I feel you would prefer to find it out for yourself."
"I'd prefer not to find out at all," Bruce shot back. Alfred smiled before he turned to leave.
"I've already informed Wayne Enterprise that you have excused yourself for a few days, for your monthly vacation," he informed before he left the room. Because Bruce Wayne doesn't like to work so much every month, does he? Bruce thought. At least he didn't give him the regular 'he's sick' excuse. I've already used all my sick days.
/
It was almost in the afternoon when Snape woke up. He sat up instantly with a gasp. As soon as his eyes landed on Bruce, the billionaire could see the fear and horror in his eyes. He wasn't fully awake. He wasn't seeing Bruce. Snape seemed to be reliving his nightmare at the moment. Bruce stood up quickly and tried to calm the man down. As soon as he did, Snape recoiled and backed away as fast as he could. He backed up to the edge of the bed. He seemed to be grasping for something on his person but was shocked to not feel it.
Bruce didn't step any closer. He stayed where he was with his hands up, hoping that it would show that he meant no harm. Neither of them moved while Severus's eyes cleared and adjusted to the darkness. Slowly, Bruce could see the fear change into confusion and curiosity. He remained tense and cautious While Bruce stepped over to the lamp and clicked it on. They both winced a bit at the new light that invaded their eyes but they continued to stare at each other.
"Where am I?" Severus growled threateningly.
"My manor," Bruce answered. "Wayne Manor. I found you down by the river. You'd been there for a while. I brought you here and had Alfred change you out of your wet clothes. I called a doctor to look you over. You've suffered from hypothermia and a concussion." He watched as the news sank in. Slowly, as if realizing he was cold, Severus got back under the covers and leaned against the headboard.
"How long do I need to rest here?" was all Severus asked. Bruce slowly eased himself back into the chair beside the bed, conscious of the fact that Snape was keeping his distance.
"A few days. Maybe a week, depending on how fast you recover," Bruce informed. "How did you end up in the water?" Snape didn't answer. Instead he asked his own question.
"Where are my clothes?" Bruce stared at the man for a bit before he called Alfred in.
"Yes, Master Bruce?" he asked as soon as he opened the door. "Ah. You are awake. That is a good sign."
"Mister… um… I'm sorry I didn't catch your name," Bruce lied with a charming smile. Snape glared at him.
"You should. My wallet was in my coat," he snapped. Wow. That's not how he acted last night. Even with the Joker he was more open. Bruce's smile faltered visibly.
"I try not to snoop through people's belongings, especially those of an injured guest," the billionaire spoke. Snape scoffed before looking to Alfred.
"My name is Snape if you must know," he informed. "I would like to know where my clothing resides." Alfred gave a polite smile as he answered.
"It is folded up in the laundry room. I will retrieve them for you, if you wish, Mr. Snape. Is there anything else you wish?" Severus shifted uncomfortably. He didn't seem to like the idea of being waited on. Alfred just nodded in understanding. "If you are hungry, I will go make breakfast. I suppose the basic eggs, bacon, and biscuits will suffice. How do you like you're coffee?" Severus nodded and Bruce noticed him lightly bite his lip.
"Black," he said simply. "I would like my clothes as soon as possible, if you do not mind."
"If you want, we can arrange for someone to go to your house for more clothes, since you will be here for a couple of days," Bruce offered. At this, Severus snapped.
"No!" he bit out, glaring at Bruce. "I do not want anyone I do not know personally around my belongings." Bruce sat back and raised his hands up defensively.
"Alright! Alright. I'm sorry I asked. If you want to call anyone feel free to do so," Bruce replied, standing up. He straightened his clothing and sighed. "I don't blame you for being a private person. We all have our reasons and I won't ask yours. If you want someone that you know to go get your things, I'll get you the address to pass on. For now, I've got a few things to check on, maybe even get a bit of rest myself." Bruce raised his arms over his head and stretched a little, hearing his back pop a little in some places. He yawned loudly and walked to the door.
"Good night."
"Master Bruce, it is only noon," Alfred informed softly.
"Either way, I'm still going to get a nap," Bruce shot back. Bruce walked to his own room and happily crawled into bed, not bothering to change clothes at all. He fell asleep easily. He got up later that night to go on patrol.
/
It seemed that Severus had indeed called a person to go get his things. This person as a rather beautiful blond with slate gray eyes. Bruce had actually thought it was a girl, but the body shape was all wrong. He had quickly deduced that this was just a very effeminate male who demanded to see his godfather. Alfred had let the young man in with Bruce's permission. He introduced himself as Draco right before he strode passed both he and Alfred with a small bag in hand. Somehow he knew exactly where Severus was as it was the first room he checked, striking them as odd because the room was on the second floor.
Bruce went to his room and let them visit, but made sure to listen in on them through the camera set out through the entire place. Apparently, Draco was more than a little trash talking Bruce in there. Draco had read about him in the newspapers. The blond seemed convinced that Bruce was truly a playboy. Severus bit out the he and Draco both knew that wasn't exactly true. Not everyone was as they seemed.
"Just take Potter for example," Severus had said. Draco's arrogance simmered down to almost nothing then.
"Y-yeah… You haven't found him yet, have you?" The blond wasn't given an answer. Severus didn't seem to want to touch the subject at all. "Well. Let's get off that depressing note. Would you like to come stay at the manor while you recover? I know some remedies that will help. You don't have to stay here with these M-…"
"Draconis Malfoy. Not here. You do not know what could be heard in this house," Severus said. "I would rather not complicate things any more than they already are. As for staying at your home, I am unsure if I would be able to stand traveling that far."
"Uncle Sev, I'd be more than happy to stay and take care of you in your hotel room, though," Draco argued. "You don't need to ask me to. I'd do it because I care about you."
"You would be willing to tell Mrs. Weasley that I am unable to meet her because I now have a concussion?" Severus asked, eyebrow raised. Draco's brow furrowed.
"Which Weasley are you talking about? There is literally about twenty of them now. Well, I supposed there are about seven women, not including the little brats," Draco wondered. One pointed look from Severus and he sighed. "Got it. Granger it is…"
"History aside, will you do it?" Draco grimaced but nodded.
"Yeah. I'll talk to the know-it-all," Draco agreed. "I'll have my father pull the car around. As much as he hates it, he's had to adjust to… normal life. I even got him a cell phone." Severus smirked.
"I bet he nearly destroyed it the moment it went off for the first time." Draco laughed.
"You should have seen his reaction. He nearly-…" For some reason, the video feed cut out for a moment. He would need to check on the reason why later. "It was hilarious. I'll message him right now and hope he doesn't throw the damned thing out of the car window."
"I shall inform them that I will take up residence elsewhere…"
Severus had told them that he would be staying at his apartment for the rest of his recovery. He thanked them for all they had done for him. Bruce had said his goodbye. He was sure that he was going to see Snape again soon though. Though, he had a feeling that he knew the name Malfoy somewhere before, he just couldn't put his finger on it.
/
Bruce did see Severus again, after three or four weeks. It was at a charity party that was being held at an art museum. He wasn't the one to host it. In fact, the host was one Lucius Malfoy. It was a name that was gaining fame in the United States as well as the United Kingdom. He seemed to be a relatively rich, elegant man. His son was Draconis Malfoy, who was the donor of many pieces in the room. They were… interesting. They mainly depicted interesting creatures that he had never even heard of before in mythology.
He met Severus while perusing through the pieces. They all had a chance to look at the pieces before they were auctioned off. He was looking at a portrait of a castle. It was beautifully painted, Bruce had to admit. It depicted the castle at night with a dark, foreboding lake nearby and a sinister forest on the other side. Severus had come to stand by him.
"Hogwarts," he stated. Bruce turned to him with a confused smile. He looked Severus up and down. Snape really was taller than him, a head taller. He didn't know how to feel about that.
"That is the name of the piece," Severus answered. "I was there while Draco painted it. That boy is a bit…"
"Arrogant," Bruce supplied, earning a laugh out of Severus.
"Yes. You should have seen him when he was younger. He was a complete brat. Eleven years old and he thought he owned everything he saw," Severus went on. "What I was actually going to say was that he is a bit shy. He actually uses his arrogance as a cover for it. You see, as he grew older, he and his father learned a bit of humility. Unlike his father, he isn't interested in politics. He just prefers to delve into his imagination."
"And why are we talking about a blond that is probably ten years younger than I?" Bruce asked, turning to Severus.
"Would you prefer to talk about a man that is ten yours older than you?" Severus shot back.
"Yes, actually," Bruce replied instantly. Severus scoffed.
"You sound like my husband," Severus murmured. Bruce made his smile falter a bit.
"I didn't know you were married," Bruce said.
"I did not know you were interested," Severus snapped. Bruce was unfazed.
"Who said I was?" Severus did not deign that an answer. Seeing that subject dropped, Bruce continued. "So, where is your husband tonight? Wouldn't you like to introduce him to the man that saved your life?"
"He is not here tonight. In fact, I have not seen him in over eight years. No, I do not wish to speak about it. No, I also would like to express that I would never wish to introduce you because of such arrogance," Severus snapped back with a scowl that made his wrinkles more noticeable. For the first time, Bruce got a good look at his face. He didn't pay much attention before. Severus's nose was slightly larger than average, and his eyes were an obsidian color, with what looked like green and blue flakes in them. They were very… appealing.
"I am sorry to hear that," Bruce apologized, looking ashamed. "I hope you find him." Severus sniffed and turned back to the painting.
"You are not sorry," Severus answered with a smirk. Bruce gave him a genuine look of shock. "The school I attended and taught at for some time had different houses in which students would be sorted into by personality. There were only four houses, for the four main personality types. The mascots for those houses were the raven, lion, badger, and snake. Those in the house of the Snake were cunning and clever. They are manipulative and charismatic. I was in that house, along with Lucius and Draco. When I taught there, I was named Head of House. My responsibilities were to manage, represent and care for the house and its students."
"Why are you telling me this?" Bruce questioned curiously. Snape chuckled and gave him a pointed look.
"I can tell when someone is attempting to manipulate me, Mr. Wayne. I have had very many talented snakes under my care. None of them to this day could fool me, not even you," Severus answered. "What I would like to know is, why are you so interested in me?" Bruce searched for words as he began to walk to the next painting, Severus following him.
"As I said before, Mr. Snape, we all have our reasons to be private people. You would understand that since my name is already in the papers so much, I would like to keep certain matters… strictly under wraps," Bruce explained. "I won't lie. You seem like a very interesting person. I can't help but feel like I need to get to know you better."
"It is in what way that bothers me," Severus said. Bruce hesitated as they passed what looked like a very unsettling hooded figure, named 'Dementor'.
"If it truly bothers you, then feel free to leave me be and enjoy your night. I wouldn't like to bother you," Bruce countered. Severus smirked and grabbed two glasses of champagne, handing one to Bruce.
"You Americans have attached a negative meaning to the word 'bother'. What I actually meant is this: you interest me as well," Severus clarified, maneuvering them over to a duel portrait. One side of the divider was a beautiful woman. The other side had a horrid bird-like creature in it. "You are not who you seem to be on the outside, Mr. Wayne. I can assure you, neither am I."
"Your point, Mr.-"
"Severus. Call me Severus," he corrected. Bruce raised a brow in interest. "I know it is an odd name. As are most of the names you would come across in Brittan. You get used to it."
"No. It's a nice name," Bruce insisted. "I've heard of odder names in my travels." Severus's eyes lit in curiosity. They had actually ended up talking about their travels over dinner. Severus had been to places like Romania, Egypt, Japan, Argentina, and Australia. Although, he expressed a serious dislike for Egypt and mild distaste for Australia as well. He explained that he had worked as a doctor for an excavation group working in Egypt, but he had to pay for his own lodgings and was paid very little. He worked with a Weasley named Bill who was stationed at a bank there for the time being, also working on excavation. He and his husband visited Japan together for the cherry blossom festival. Severus refused to tell him what he was doing in Romania and Australia. Argentina was where he went to get some herbs that were apparently good for making medicine out of.
Over time they began to talk about Harry. Severus had explained to him that he hadn't intended to marry him in the beginning. They were together for the company after some unfortunate events that Severus didn't really wish to speak of. Harry had helped him recover from his neck wound, which he shouldn't have survived from. Recover financially, he clarified. Harry had paid his medical bills, got him a new wardrobe, hire him some help to take care of his house, and even went out of his way to fill out applications for a new job, since he could no longer teach. The dark man explained that after a while he and Harry had grown very close. Harry was actually the one to propose to him, embarrassingly enough, at Hermione and Ron Weasley's wedding.
"Harry loved helping me look for the herbs. It was rather interesting to watch him fuss over the fact that I did not inform him that what he was actually picking was poison ivy. He had me sleeping on the couch for a while after that," Severus laughed. Bruce joined him. Severus's husband didn't seem like one who could take a joke. Severus's smile turned bittersweet at the memory. "It was one of the few times he was ever truly mad at me… The only other time I'd seen him that angry was when he was in school. I used to think that he was like his father. Oh, he proved me wrong."
"You knew his father?" Bruce asked, leaning heavily against the table. He and Severus had a bit more to drink than they should have. Severus growled and sipped his drink.
"Do not remind me. It is bad enough I was friends with his mother," Severus scowled. "Many people called me disgusting and accused me of abusing Harry because of our age difference. I told him many times before we were officially courting that it would not end well for either of us. We would be condemned. I remember Harry was once called a 'freak' in public. He did not take too kindly to that. He beat the crap out of his offender. It took me and a couple of the Weasleys to pull him off the poor man. Later that night, I found Harry crying in our room." Bruce remained silent as he listened intently, sobering a little. "He finally told me about his experiences growing up with his aunt and uncle. Well… Let us leave it at this. Harry did not know his own name until he started school. He had been known as 'boy' or 'freak' before that."
"I'm so sorry," Bruce whispered. Severus laughed.
"Harry wasn't. He said to me that he was truly happy with how his life had turned out. Otherwise, there would have been no chance that the two of us would have fallen in love with each other," Severus explained. "He said that if he had to suffer through every scar he had obtained over the years again, just to fall for me again, he would."
"That's so sweet," Bruce commented. Severus said no more on the subject. They instead talked about Bruce's achievements in the business world as well as all he had donated to charity to orphanages. Bruce didn't exactly tell Severus everything, naturally. He still needed to keep up his persona as Bruce Wayne. Severus listened, but really didn't seem to be listening to him. He kept talking, hoping to say something to peak the man's interest again and have him talking. He looked Severus in the eyes as he spoke. Where the blue flecks always so bright?
/
They ended the night on a rather light note. He invited Severus to lunch next week at a little café he knew and visited quite often, when he didn't want to be recognized. Severus, unfortunately, declined. He said that he had a meeting that day with Mrs. Weasley. Bruce was a little saddened by that, not that he would ever admit it. He truly began to enjoy the other's company. They were both intellectuals. They could discuss many things and learn a lot from each other. Other than that, they did meet more. Bruce found himself seeing more and more of Severus over the next month or two.
Although, he was met with a surprise one week. When Bruce came back from patrol one early morning, Alfred had informed him that he had received a package. It was the painting on the castle that he and Severus had struck up a conversation by. It was a rather large painting, but still lovely to look at. Alfred looked a bit nostalgic and insisted that the painting go in the main living room. Bruce had agreed, then began to read the note that came with it.
I saw you eyeing it rather intently before we spoke. It is a favorite of many. You are lucky Draco owed me a favor. –SS
P.S. I expect to see you at the café where we had originally met tonight after it closes.
Bruce was dumbfounded. He had no idea how to take that. Severus had made it very clear that he knew Bruce was the vigilante. How? This wasn't good. If he went to the café, he would be admitting to the fact that he was Batman. Should he go as Bruce, or the safer persona of Batman?
/
Batman stood in the shadows of the alleyway next to the café. It was dark and deserted as ever at this time. Severus was standing out front of the store, shivering in the cold. He stayed there for a good twenty minutes before he snarled. He guessed that I wasn't' going to show up. Severus turned on heel and started to walk in the opposite direction of Batman. Bruce heaved a heavy sigh and scaled the wall. He knew Severus wasn't going to do anything stupid, but he wanted to watch him for a little longer.
To his surprise, when he looked down at the street, Severus wasn't there. He didn't hear Severus drive away. He knew Severus walked briskly, but there was no way he could get to the corner before he scaled the building. The alleyway? No. He wasn't there either. Where was he? Just as he was about to jump over to the next building, his cape caught on something and pulled him backward.
"Going somewhere?" he heard a voice asked. Bruce felt panic course through his veins. He stumbled backward before he fell into a hard chest. The only person he knew that was strong enough to pull him back like that and so silently get behind him was…
"Superman, I swear if you-!" Bruce jumped back and was met with the sight of Severus. His eyes widened exponentially.
"Superman? Hardly," Severus said simply, a slight tinge of anger staining his voice. He gave Bruce a bone chilling glare. He let the cape fall from his fingers Bruce was still left wondering how on earth Severus had gotten on the roof. "Super? What a poor word for it. Powerful is more accurate. Man? Clearly." Batman's expression was filled with even more confusion. "Human… Not exactly." Bruce's eyes widened. He jumped back further, getting into a fighting stance, watching Severus's pupils turned to slits and his eyes shine a bright, hungry blue. Severus raised a brow. "If I wanted to kill you, I would have done so by now."
"Why haven't you?" Batman demanded harshly, not stepping any closer to Severus.
"I don't believe in killing. I could easily do it to anyone, but the only person I have ever killed was Harry," Severus began. Bruce's eyes widened again. "Don't take that the wrong way. Harry isn't exactly human either. You should know by now from your encounters with strange beings that there is more to even your world than you know."
"Explain."
Severus sighed heavily. "I can't explain to you everything there is to our world. I, myself, am only a Potions Master."
"That's not what I meant, but I would like to hear about that later. What did you mean? You killed your own husband." Severus stared at him simply.
"Yes. Many times actually. Death is only defined by the heart stopping, no matter how brief a period it is. Harry is only half human. The other half and his human part combined, making him impossible to actually kill. I drained him dry and fifteen minutes later, he was conscious again with a full of blood," Severus explained. "He is still alive. I just don't know where he's at. No one does."
"Are you the one that has been mutilating those girls?" Bruce questioned. Snape raised a brow.
"Of course not. You need to listen more, Bruce. I do not believe in killing. The only one I've ever needed to kill was Harry. He was my husband and he knew the duties he needed to accept."
"What kind of duties were those? Subjecting himself to regular beatings?" Severus gave him a glare that would make any other freeze in place. He felt like he crossed a line.
"No. He got enough of that from his uncle and school bullies," Severus informed coldly. "Harry took care of me even before we began to court. He would regularly donate his blood to me. He knew that duties required of him by marrying a vampire." Bruce scoffed.
"You're not anything like a vampire I've met," he spoke.
"You have not met many different types of Vampires then. I take it you ran into the Dracula type. Those that cannot go out into the sunlight, are burned by crucifixes and garlic, and turn into a bat at will? Was it the kind that stole women for brides? I take it that it was one that bit any but they turned back as soon as you killed him. The look on your face tell me that it indeed was. Even our world despises those.
"I am of a very different type. A more evolved one. My kind prefer the dark, but can survive out in sunlight little difficulty. I can also survive with both human food and blood because I was bitten. My kind do not age like most after they are bitten. The ones bitten will not turn back after their creator has been killed, and no, we do not go hunting for women. My kind may take as many lovers as we wish, but it is not our sole purpose. We are not driven by our lust for women or blood," Severus went on. "I am a person. And the only thing I wanted to do with you, Bruce, was talk." Bruce felt himself relax a little. He didn't know how he could tell but Severus was telling the truth.
"Come with me," Bruce said.
/
"Back here again," Severus said softly, looking at the manor. Bruce had dropped him off at the gates and probably went to hide his… war machine. Alfred had led him to a very comfortable living room. There he noticed the painting he had procured for Bruce. It truly was a lovely painting. One that would have no doubt sold for millions. However, he had asked Draco if he may have it. He agreed without hesitation, saying he could just make another like it. They both knew he couldn't. It was one of the few paintings of Hogwarts that he ever made. It was hard for him to paint it. He ended up crying about every five minutes or so because he couldn't stand the thought of it. He was more than happy to give it away.
"Make yourself at home, Master Prince," Alfred said, giving nothing but a knowing smile when Severus whirled around to stare at him. "Forgive me. I meant to say Mr. Snape. My humblest apologies." Alfred left the room without another word. Severus made a mental note to look into the man's family history. Shaking that from his mind, he concerned himself getting to know his surroundings.
Severus was restless. He couldn't sit down at all. He felt the familiar urge to hunt as he stepped round the room. He could smell the faint scent of Bruce in the air. It was indeed very faint. He didn't spend much time here. Not in this room at least. He shivered in anticipation. Bruce smelled of bitter coffee and wonderful musk that was unique to him. He wanted to smell him further. He wanted to take him to bed and show him exactly how to relax those tense muscles. Why? Bruce was beyond handsome. He could see why The Joker – Harry – was attracted to him. But he needed to know why Harry fell in love with him. Why? What did Bruce have that he didn't?
Severus's thoughts were interrupted by Bruce walking into the room. He wore a black swearer with a matching set of sweatpants. Those piercing blue eyes stared him down. He wanted to chuckle at the other's attempt to intimidate him. He held it at bay, watching Bruce walk in but staying close to the door. As if he could run from me… his inner predator laughed. Severus forced himself to sit.
"You have many questions," Severus stated.
"What was your first clue?" Bruce said, dropping his normal Bruce Wayne persona. Severus was taken aback. He knew that Bruce was hiding behind a mask. He just didn't think that Bruce was so harsh underneath. Harry did say that he and I were similar... He said the one difference was that Bruce had some Gryffindor tendencies.
"I also have questions of my own… Whether or not I ask them depends on how the night goes," Severus began. "Ask away." Bruce slowly took a step forward, cautious. Who wouldn't be? He had just let a vampire into his home.
"You seem to know a lot about the 'strange creatures' of this world. How many different creatures are there?" Bruce asked. He needed to know this for the future, in case something like 'Dracula' ever happened again. Severus stared at him for a bit, giving him a look that asked if he was serious. Once he realized that Bruce was nothing but serious, he sighed.
"I am no expert on this subject. In fact, Care for Magical Creatures is one thing I despise the most, but I do get some of my own potions ingredients from them. There are hundreds of non-human races out there, and thousands of magical creatures. I do believe Draco showed some in his exhibit today," Severus told. Bruce though back on that night. He wasn't truly paying much attention to the paintings as he was Severus. But he felt a chill run up his spine as he remembered an entire wall dedicated to different dragons. Severus just nodded.
"Unfortunately for you, Bruce, you cannot always see one of those creatures or even know that they are there. This society has spent thousands of years trying to hide from human who do not possess magic, humans that we call Muggles. There are things that you cannot protect yourself against like Demetors. Muggles like you are unable to see them at all, but you can feel their presence. Those are horrible creatures that steal away a person's happy thoughts, leaving them with nothing but the most horrid memories they have ever faced." Bruce recalled that horrible hooded figure in the painting. He didn't like the very idea that those things existed.
"Then there are creatures that you cannot discern from a normal person in a crowd of people. People like me and the Veela. I am positive you remember that duel portrait in the gallery. That is an example of a Veela," Severus finished. "Anything else?" He knew by now that Bruce was feeling very uncomfortable. His brow furrowed. Bruce was afraid. He had heard rumors that Batman wasn't afraid of anything. He didn't think it was true. But he could see that Bruce was afraid of the things that he was learning. Maybe he had been too harsh. "However, the Ministries of Magic around the world make sure that no creature is not in check. They make sure that most creatures do not cause harm to Muggles." That seemed to calm Bruce a little.
"I assume that mean they cannot handle all situations."
"Naturally. No government can. It is why rumors of the paranormal exist," Severus stated. "Do not worry. You and your city are safe from the horrors of our world. One very special person made sure of that."
"Who?" Bruce asked instantly. Severus sat back against the couch.
"Now that would be telling. I would like to keep some air of mystery, thank you," Severus teased. Bruce growled and took a few steps toward the couch. Severus raised a brow. "Easy there, little dragon. No need to get nasty. I have my reasons to keep my secrets. My telling you this would land me in prison actually. Azkaban they call it. Its guards consist of nothing but Dementors." Bruce's features softened before they twisted again in thought.
"Then why are you telling me this? If it is against the law, why would you risk your freedom to tell me?" Severus sat back in thought.
"I suppose I wanted to give you a little background…" Severus murmured. "You probably would have found out anyway. Why not go ahead and tell you?" Bruce's brow knit in confusion. "Before I say any more, do you mind if I have a drink? My throat is a bit parched." Bruce, seeming without thought, nodded and was about to call Alfred into the room. Severus smirked a millisecond before he lunged.
Bruce didn't know what to think. Once second he was standing by the door. The next one he was being pulled onto the couch on the other side of the room. He was roughly pulled into Severus's lap, feeling one arm wrap around his waist, pinning him in place. Severus's other hand grasped his wrist in a vice-like grip. His head, Bruce found, was way too close to his neck for his liking. Wait. Is this what he meant by drink? Bruce felt panic set in as well as the need to escape. Severus instantly smelled it and pulled away slightly.
"Calm down. I am not going to kill you or anything," Severus said. "I am just getting a sip. You'll still be functioning by the time I am done with you." Bruce struggled anyway.
"Like hell! You are not drinking my blood!" Bruce yelled.
"That is not up to you, is it?" Severus countered, earning him a punch to the side of his head from Bruce's free hand. Severus was stunned for a second, but didn't loosen his grip. "Ow. That was not very polite, Mr. Wayne. If it makes you happy, I shall not take a sip from your neck unless you wish me to." Severus brought Bruce's wrist to his mouth. He could feel Bruce's rapid pulse under his fingertips.
"Let. Go. Now," Bruce warned threateningly. Severus didn't stop. In fact, when he saw Bruce's other fist swing again, he grabbed it and pinned it behind Bruce's back. Bruce let out a soft hiss of pain as the fast movement twisted his arm too quickly. Severus looked up at him with bright blue eyes.
"Why on earth would I let you go now? You invited me into your home. You make me wait for your company. And then you strut in here begging for me to bite you," Severus countered, nuzzling Bruce's wrist.
"I did no such thing!" Bruce bit out with as much venom as he could. Severus chuckled, making Bruce involuntarily shiver. He felt the vibrations in his skin and through his arm, like they traveled through his veins.
"Yes, you did. Your blood has been calling to me since the moment you rescued me from those freezing waters. Not that I would have died from that. It takes a lot more than freezing water to kill a vampire," Severus said. "I am just answering its call." Bruce could see no way around this. This was going to happen whether he wanted it to or now. Severus laughed smirked and kissed Bruce's wrist when he smelled Bruce sulking. "Now, now. Don't be so glum. You will enjoy this just as much as I will, probably even more." With this, Severus called his teeth. Bruce shivered at the sight of them. Severus sank his teeth into the vein and the sweet liquid lips came out to meet his tongue. It was wonderful. It was soo wonderful. Severus gulped it down in earnest. It was almost as good as Harry's blood. But then again, what blood could ever compete with that of a half-wizard and half-elven person.
Bruce felt a pinprick of pain, like a shot from a needle. Then he felt the most wonderful sensation he had ever. Shocks like electricity and pure pleasure coursed through his arm and down his spine, pooling in his groin area. It felt amazing. Bruce felt himself harden in his sweats but couldn't bring himself to care as wave upon wave of pleasure washed upon him.
Severus felt deep a deep satisfaction well up in his chest as he heard Bruce moan, loudly at that. He even felt the other rock his hips a little into Severus's, making said man release a groan of his own. This was better than he expected it to be. He didn't want to stop, but he forced himself to pull away so that he didn't take too much. He pulled away and licked the trail of blood that had slipped past his lips back to the two puncture marks. They healed upon contact with his tongue.
Bruce whimpered a bit when he felt the fangs leave his vein and the warm wet tongue travel up his arm. He felt dizzy and good. He didn't want this to stop. Why did he stop? Probably to make sure he didn't die from blood loss. When he came back to his senses, he was more than a little ashamed that he was hard. They sat there in silence, gathering their wits and breathless.
Bruce had to hold back a gasp when he realized what had just transpired. This was not supposed to happen. He didn't know this man very well. He only spent time with him to get more information out of him. But, you have. You've learned that there is definitely more to this world than anyone thought. His mind supplied. That didn't matter. He shouldn't do this. He wasn't even attracted to men! Then why are you hard? Bruce felt like cold water was poured down his spinal column. He began to struggle again, slightly sluggish this time.
"N-no," Bruce said, pulling on his arms, which were held captive in a cast iron grip. Did he just stutter? That wasn't very convincing… Severus seemed to think so too because he gave a little frown and huffed. "Let go!" Bruce said more forcefully. Severus gave a slight smirk and pulled the man closer.
"Hmm… No," Severus said. "I think I'll hold on to my catch." Bruce wondered briefly what Severus was doing near his neck when he felt something warn and slick slide up it. He shivered a little before instinct kicked in. He shifted his weight on his left knee while his right one came up and impeded itself in Severus's side.
Severus let out a grunt, his grip loosening in pain. Bruce too his opportunity to grab the older man by the front of his shirt. He knew he couldn't run, but he could fight. His fist came down and connected with the left side of Severus's face. Just as he was about to hit him again, Severus gave him a glare that could freeze anyone's blood solid. Severus caught the fist before it could connect. Bruce quickly thought of plan B.
He tightened his hold on Severus's clothes and dug his feet into the edge of the couch. He pushed off the couch with his feet and pulled Severus up with him. Severus's eyes widened as he realized what was about to happen. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do to stop it. Bruce fell back against the coffee table with a grunt. Severus landed on top of him but didn't get to stay long. By pushing Severus with his still captured fist, he was sent toppling over onto the floor between the couch and the table.
Bruce landed on top of him, straddling his chest this time. His other fist coming down to try and punch the older man again. He didn't count of Severus recovering so fast. Severus caught it with ease and held it in place. They stayed like that for the longest time, until Bruce let his fists unclench and fall away. He stayed on top of Severus just staring at him. Severus did nothing. His hands stayed beside his head.
"We cannot do this," Bruce stated.
"Who says we cannot?" Severus reasoned.
"I do," Bruce growled. Severus held back a laugh.
"You sound like him," Severus muttered. Bruce thought for a moment, his brow furrowed. Oddly enough, only one person came to mind.
"The Joker?" Severus gave a small nod. You've got to be kidding me. Not him too… "I am nothing like that scumbag." Severus's eyes darkened.
"You should know something… He did not used to be that way," Severus said. Bruce's eyes widened then narrowed. Before he could ask what Severus meant, he went on. "I do not know much about him, but he was pretty famous in our world… He will not use his powers though. His reasons are either that he does not want to have an unfair advantage over you, or he just cannot remember."
"He's from your world?" Bruce growled, his voice raising in volume. "Then why is he here?!"
"I do not know. No one does. I have asked our Ministry, but the only people who know anything about it are the Unspeakables, the people who work in the Department of Mysteries," Severus continued to explain. "I am actually surprised that they let me know that much. However, as you can guess, the Unspeakables are not exactly the type you can get information from."
"Why?" Bruce demanded.
"No one knows who they are. Only the Unspeakables know who their employees are, other than the people they let privy to such information, which is a crime if it is not strictly business," Severus explained.
"Wait a minute. You are telling me that the only people who know why the Joker is terrorizing human beings are people within the Ministry and that they wouldn't reveal themselves as such unless they were hiring someone?" Bruce asked. Severus nodded. "So, they hired the Joker to do all this…"
"Not necessarily. I am not familiar with his crimes, but surely there is a pattern," Severus spoke softly. "Surely if we find his pattern, we can deduce his objective." Bruce gave him a heavy frown.
"There is no 'we' in this. I am the only one working this case and it will remain that way. As for a pattern, good luck with that. The Joker is an attention whore. He loves getting his name in the papers. More than that, he likes messing with me. He commits crimes to test me and that is it," Bruce snarled. Severus raised a brow.
"Are you so sure?" Severus asked. "There is no way to know until you look into every detail." Bruce shivered as two handed rubbed his thighs. When did those get there? He slapped the hands away. "Ow… You are not a nice person, Bruce."
"I never said I was," he countered. "You said the Joker was famous in your world. Care to tell me what his name was?" Severus looked up at the ceiling in thought. He thought for a second or two before his hands found their way onto Bruce's thighs.
"I think not," he stated. "But, I could be convinced…" Bruce rolled his eyes.
"Do you sleep with every man you deem interesting?" Bruce questioned. Severus froze and then violently shivered in disgust. One hand came to cover his eyes.
"Dear Merlin, definitely not! I find some men and women interesting, however, do not want to imagine them naked!" Severus groaned in agony. He uncovered his eyes and place his hand on Severus's chest. "I demand that you take responsibility for the torment you have caused me."
"Like hell," Bruce said dully. "You can live with those images for the rest of your life. Tell me about The Joker."
"I would rather not. I am tired and would like some sleep," Severus reasoned. "May I stay the night?"
"Sleep on the couch," Bruce snapped.
"Wow… And Harry called me cold…" Severus murmured. "I wonder… Why is The Joker so interested in you?" Bruce tensed up. He did not want to talk about it. In reality, he wasn't even sure why The Joker was so fascinated by him. Severus studied the other's expression while the other thought. Just as Bruce was about to say something, he cut him off. "Allow me to rephrase the question. Why is it that The Joker has fallen in love with you?" He watched Bruce choke on nothing and lean away. He had to keep himself from laughing. He needed to keep a straight face for this conversation. He needed to know.
"Why do you care?" Bruce snapped, not knowing what to say.
"I think the real question here is: why do you?" Severus said easily. Bruce was at a loss for words yet again. "Why do you care if a mass criminal loves you? That only means that you get to live longer than most. Are you bothered by that fact? Or are you simply embarrassed?" That earned him a punch to the face faster than he could say Quidditch… He reached up and rubbed his aching nose. "Must you constantly hit me? I know some people are masochists, my own husband was one. I, however, am not."
"Could have fooled me with how often you say ridiculous things," Bruce shot back. "I don't know why that psychopath has an interest in me and it doesn't matter. I am more interested in the lives of the people in this city." Severus went silent, his eyes going wide. Bruce wondered for a few minutes whether or not he broke the man. He shouldn't have bothered. When the taller man broke out of his daze, he lunged at Bruce, connecting their lips in a heated, one-sided kiss.
If anyone asked, Bruce did not let out a surprised yelp when he was nearly thrown off the tall man. He pushed against Severus's shoulders, struggling to get him away, to no avail. Severus's grip was stronger than steel. He even pulled Bruce flush against him, chest to chest. Within moments, Severus even pressed their pelvises together. Bruce felt the other's hardness against his (still?) erect member. He bit back a moan… and evidently Severus's lip. The Potions Master pulled away with a hiss and a bloody lip.
"Sorry…" Bruce said without thinking.
"Finally, some remorse for what you've done to me tonight," Severus teased. Bruce flushed a little and hit the man's chest.
"You're one to talk! You took my blood!" Bruce reminded, trying to push the other away again. "Which reminds me, let me go!"
"Why should I? You got yourself into this situation. Take responsibility for your actions," Severus teased again, his hand finding its way under Bruce's shirt. Bruce began to squirm under his touch again. He struggled more and Severus loved it.
"Let go of me! Now!" Bruce demanded, then hissed when he felt nails raked lightly down his back. "Ow! That hurts! What are you, a sadist?!"
"Ding, ding. We have a winner. I would not tease you so much if I did not get some sort of pleasure from seeing you writhe uncomfortably in my arms," Severus answered dully, rubbing the marks he made. He bent his head down to kiss at Bruce's neck again. Bruce panicked again.
"I said… LET. GO!" Bruce didn't trying shoving the taller man away this time. Instead he leaned his head in close and bit down hard on Severus's shoulder. He bit down so hard a sweet wine flavor filled his mouth with a little bit of a metallic taste. Severus's eyes widened. He pulled Bruce off as quickly as he could, despite the pain it brought him. Severus stared at Bruce in shock and concern.
"Are you an idiot?!" Severus asked. He lunged for Bruce's mouth again, invading it with his tongue. Bruce was about to bit down on the tongue when he felt a hand grasp his jaw harshly, forcing it to stay open. He was forced to wait for Severus to finish and when he did, he glared at the other. "You are a complete dunderhead when you panic, you know that? You could have just become a ruthless raging vampire if you had so much as had a drop of my blood go down your throat. What the hell do you have to say for yourself?"
Bruce was at a loss for words. He felt like a ten year old being scolded. He hadn't been scolded like that since the time he first when out on his own without informing Alfred. I could have turned into something like him? That easily? Bruce didn't know how to react. While he stared at Severus, he noticed the man was sweating… Why was he sweating? Was he that worried? Bruce swallowed his pride. He had messed up. He leaned his forehead on the injured shoulder. Severus gave him time to collect himself.
"I am sorry," Bruce said softly. "That wasn't my intention…"
"Then what was your intention?" Severus asked, a tinge of softness also touching his voice but still maintaining its sternness.
"I…" Bruce tried but bit his lip. "Just don't touch my neck. I don't like anyone near my neck." I don't want to die… As if Severus read his mind, he nodded and kept his head raised away. "I'll let you feed from me, in exchange for information." Severus thought this over for a little bit. He knew Bruce was not going to like him by the end of this. He might as well enjoy it while he could.
"As long as you do not mind the aftereffects of the bite, then we have a deal," Severus agreed. "I will also give you blood replenishing potions after I feed from you. You'll need all the energy you can get afterward. Is that agreeable?"
"So long as I inspect the 'potions'. I don't want you to poison me," Bruce stated. Severus snorted.
"Please. If I wanted to kill you, you would already be dead. Have you not learned anything tonight?" Severus teased, making Bruce smirk just a little bit. He would never admit it to anyone. "I take it you are interested?"
"Definitely."
/
SXH: Sorry I ended it there. I had to post up something while I wait on my invitation to AO3. The sex will be in the next chapter if you wish to continue. Sorry again. Let me know if I should throw more of this couple out or not in the future. I am also currently taking summer courses at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia so if you are a fan from that school, send a shout out. Love you guys, I really do. See you in the next chapter!
Bye~!