Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the plot. Thanks for reading, let me know what you think of it.

As The Sun

"As the sun colors flowers, so does Art color life." John Lubbock

The next day Blake wasn't in a particularly good mood thanks to lack of sleep and extreme horniness that neither his hand nor any of his toys had been able to work out of his system. Not even the half a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts he'd picked up for his breakfast were likely to help his mood any time soon. Or at least the three he'd already eaten on the way to his shop hadn't. He'd bought more for the rest of his division too, though the sight of them all hovering around his desk had him rethinking that selfless gesture. No good could come of them doing that while he wasn't around to stop whatever prank they intended to play on him.

Although…who was the pale, nervous looking guy at his desk they seemed to be encircling?

Curiosity and self-preservation had Blake picking up speed, dropping the two other boxes of donuts on Crispin's desk before calling over to them with deceptive casualness.

"Hey, you ALL looking for me?"

"Lieutenant Robin Blake?" The unknown man asked with relief heavy in his voice, the cops around him moving back a little so that Blake's desk was at least visible to him. And in doing so they revealed the fact that there was definitely something on his desk that he hadn't left there earlier.

He knew flowers. His teenage years had been spent in his grandfather's main shop after school, and he still ended up arranging or selling them on occasion when he had the time and his grandfather needed his help. But still at a first, brief glance, Blake thought he was looking at really poorly made fake flowers. But he was the grandson of a florist and knew not even the dollar stores would sell what he was looking at. So no, these weren't…oh.

Face lighting up with delight, Blake tossed his donut box onto the other side of his desk and then reached out to lift the 'flower' arrangement up by the wicker basket base, turning it around to admire it from all sides.

The flowers were all made of fruit of some kind, cut up and put together to resemble various types of blooms. Strawberries, pineapple, grapes and kiwi, melons as well, the last he'd pass on to someone who would actually eat them so they didn't go to waste. The craftsmanship was first rate, though he'd have to eat it quick since he'd heard somewhere that fruit arrangements like this didn't have a long 'shelf' life so to speak. Not that that would be a hardship.

"Are you Lieutenant Blake?"

Looking over Blake smiled in apology. "I am. Apologies for ignoring you there."

"No problem. If you could just sign off that you got it I'll be out of your hair. I was told I wasn't to leave it to anyone but you."

Setting the basket down Blake held out his hand for the clipboard and pen, asking who'd sent the gift to him as he took the office tools and signed for his present.

"Ah, you'll want to read the card in that envelope for that information, Sir."

Well that certainly explained the cops all hovering around them. The envelope was either sealed or they'd already opened it before the nervous man in front of him could stop them and wanted to give him a hard time about who was sending him presents. Because of course he was pretty sure he knew exactly who it was from.

Retrieving the envelope and finding it unsealed, Blake gave his colleagues knowing looks before withdrawing it to see that there was no message on the plain white card, just Bane's name in elegant handwriting.

"Oh he is so very, very good." Shaking his head as his grin only got bigger, Blake absently handed over the clipboard. "Thanks for the delivery. Hold on a sec for a tip."

The man's eyes bulged at the very idea. "Oh no. No, no, no." He actually waved his hands in front of him for emphasis. "I've already been tipped by Mr-the sender. Honestly. Thank you, but no. Thanks."

"Gotcha. And you can just say Bane, in case he makes a habit of this." Reaching over Blake flipped up the lid on his donut box and held out one of the donuts to the man. Donut? Just between us."

The man could pass on the cash, but pass on a fresh Krispy Kreme donut…well that was asking too much it seemed, as the man actually smiled in thanks as he took it.

Grinning back at him, Blake thanked him again and then sent the poor guy on his way, watching him go before walking around his desk to take his seat, reaching out to bring the arrangement closer to him as he started studying his choices.

Which of course was the signal his fellow cops had been waiting for as they converged on him like a pack of hyenas. Hyenas with donuts in their hands, Blake noted, since of course his brief conversation with the delivery man had given them time to raid the boxes he'd brought for them.

Petterson. "Bane? Really, Blake?"

Chambers. "Seriously, Dude? Did you guys know each other before yesterday or what?"

Faisal. "How long has this been going on, My Friend?"

And of course Baxter asking if he could have a strawberry because the man always thought of his stomach first.

"I brought you donuts. Only melons slices are available to you guys." Blake withdrew one of the stems so that he could eat one of the strawberry roses just to make a point. "And I'm not dating Bane. He's just…courting me. And trying to make me eat healthy food. Proof of how evil he is, I know."

This of course started the familiar debate of who had the worse eating habits, Blake, Baxter, or Officer Wilks.

Angling the basket so that the 'flower' he'd removed wasn't obvious while they did that, Blake pulled out his phone to take a picture of it to send to his brother, after taking a minute to come up with a caption that wouldn't cause his little brother ulcers.

That taken care of Blake went to work on his next 'flower', eating it all before tuning in to the fact that his fellow cops had changed their topic of conversation, the discussion now revolving around bets about how long it would be before Blake ended up in Bane's bed.

It seemed no one thought he could resist for long.

"Gee, thanks, Guys. You do remember he's a criminal mastermind, right?"

The looks they aimed in his direction made it clear that they knew that that would only sweeten the pot for him, so to speak.

"Has crime taken a holiday? Do none of you have work to do? Because if not I would be HAPPY to find you all something to do besides stand around with donut crumbs all over you."

Deserting him like rats aboard a sinking ship, Blake watched the others all run for their respective desks to start looking busy while his father walked through the lines of desk to reach him. The head of their division was a legend among the cops and universally liked and respected as a man besides. And just like him the majority of the cops all wanted to live up to the standard Lieutenant Shin Blake set, which meant they all wanted to impress him.

Pulling another 'flower' from his basket, this one mainly pineapple, Blake held it out to the older man while wearing his most adorable, 'gotta love me' look. The man loved pineapple.

Not that it or the bribe worked, but his father was amused as he accepted the flower and took a bite of ones of its petals. "Something you wish to tell me, My Son?"

Smart man, his father. "The man's got style."

"So it would appear." His father jerked his head in the direction of the gift. "Clever of him, even if you would have preferred chocolates."

"He says I eat too much junk." Something his father stated frequently too. "There's a Krispy Kreme donut there for you too, by the way, since we're on the topic of junk food."

"I knew you were my favorite."

"At least until the next time technology hates you." Blake agreed with a grin, well aware that his father loved him and his brother equally.

Softness in his eyes, Shin lifted a hand to run it lovingly through Blake's hair. "Be careful, My Son. Very careful."

"I'll do my best."

The sound his father made then suggested that he wasn't sure his eldest son's best would be good enough in this case.

)

Sitting back in his leather chair, custom made to fit someone of his size, Bane considered the images on his laptop's screen critically. He would only buy after examining the art in person, to insure that it lived up to its image, but he wished to acquaint himself with the various pieces of stained glass in order to narrow down his choices. A worthy second gift, he thought, to woe his stubborn little bird. Though he had yet to decide whether he wished to continue with the flowers theme, or perhaps choose one featuring birds instead. Though thus far robins didn't seem a popular artistic choice.

According to his spies Robin had eaten all but the melon pieces of his first gift, which was good, but his bird had not come to him either. So he must make his next lure more alluring without feeding into the man's abysmal eating habits.

A knock on his door.

Glancing up Bane called over for whoever it was to enter, knowing that no one got passed Barsad or his assistant without permission.

And it was the latter who came walking into his room, but it was what Barsad was holding that had Bane's full attention.

Barsad was holding a teddy bear, as large as the man's chest. And it was wearing…a Gotham City Police Officer uniform.

There was a very unusual amount of amusement in Barsad's voice when he came to a stop in front of Bane's desk. "Your cop has an interesting sense of humor. The message states that this is for you to cuddle with, as he cannot."

Staring at the bear being held out to him, Bane took it out of reflex as he tried to wrap his mind around such a gift, the card Barsad then handed over to him confirming Robin's message.

There was no way Robin could know about Osito, the teddy bear that had been his only friend when he'd been a child. Osito had been the one thing that he'd kept with him always, and still had locked away with his greatest and most prized possessions. And yet…

Stroking fingers over the soft fur, Bane wasn't aware that he was smiling until Barsad pointed it out to him.

"It is rare for you to smile so."

"He is a most unusual man, Robin Blake."

Dismissing Barsad for the time being, he had work to do, Bane settling back in his seat to contemplate his present with the bear in his lap. He doubted it would stay in place if he set it on his desk, and it wasn't a problem to hold it with one arm around its waist while he retrieved his phone with his other hand.

With quick but careful swipes of his fingers, they really were too big for the device's features, Bane brought up the message he'd received in response to his first gift.

'I bet you'd be tastier, but since we must play nice thanks for the juicy alternative. Robin.'

His little bird did love to tease, which was something Bane had no previous experience with. None had ever dared. Which was why he hadn't responded, and why he now hesitated over what to say to the man in response to this very unexpected and…possibly very suggestive 'gift'.

And refusing to remain indecisive, Bane accessed Robin's number to call him.

"Lieutenant Blake. Would you like to report a crime, Mr. Bane?"

Even just the sound of his voice, it felt like a stroke down Bane's back.

"I called to thank you for the unusual gift. Is there a reason you thought I would need a teddy bear?"

"Doesn't everyone love something to cuddle with at night?"

"I don't cuddle."

"Then you've been sleeping with the wrong people. Not to mention it's a good thing that we aren't having sex, as I'm definitely the cuddling type. Though after having sex with me I'm sure I could change your mind on the subject."

"Come to me tonight, and we can test your theory."

"I'd ask what you'd do to me if I said yes, but I'm working with Baxter at the moment, and he's eavesdropping. Plus it's one thing for me to tempt you, and another thing for you to return the favor. I might not be able to resist."

Freezing for a moment, Bane's mind struggled with the idea that he was being asked to…talk dirty, was the American term for it, he believed. Another thing he was not in the habit of doing when not actually having sex. He wouldn't know where to begin.

The sound of rich, seductive laughter sang in his ears.

"Are you blushing right now?"

"I do not blush."

"Baxter is blushing right now. He only likes to talk and hear about heterosexual sex. You like girls as well, right? Wanna compare stories with him?"

"While you prefer only men. And no, I don't wish to speak to this Baxter person."

"That I do and who could blame you on the latter. Baxter here isn't my type, so he's safe from my potent wiles too. Aren't you, Baxter?" A pause. "I'd repeat what he had to say about that, but I was raised not to use certain words in mixed company. Not to mention I'd prefer I didn't have to deal with irate parents."

"Parents?"

"Yeah. We're currently in the park, waiting for the M.E. to arrive. Baxter's case originally, but there's similarities between this body and another I was assigned to last month, so he called me in. Now we just gotta wait and see." A moment's pause. "So what are you wearing?"

In the background he heard a male voice yell 'JESUS, BLAKE!'

Blake laughed again.

"Okay, okay. Don't make your head explode." A snort of amusement. "He doesn't approve of me flirting with you."

"Are they giving you problems at work?"

"If you were worried about that you shouldn't have sent your present to my bullpen."

"There was no point in hiding my intentions." And there wasn't. Bane had gotten enough sense of who Robin Blake was to know that the man's earlier actions and words made it clear that there would be no sneaking around. Between the two of them Bane didn't doubt that they could hide their interactions with each other from the incompetent at best IAB or the press, but Blake wasn't that man. He would have tolerated it, to have the cop in his bed, but Robin was no one's dirty secret.

"Well you've certainly given them something to talk about. And hold on a second." Background noise hinted at another conversation, but Bane couldn't make out the words. And then Blake's voice came back over the phone. "Sorry, Sweetie, but I'm going to have to hang up now. Duty calls."

"Sweetie?"

"Would you prefer Darling? Buttercup? Perhaps Baby?"

"Bane."

Another laugh, followed by Robin's 'Bye, Gorgeous'. And then Robin ended the call before Bane could say more on the subject of pet or nicknames. Neither of which he would answer to.

Setting aside the phone, Bane glared at it for a minute before remember that he was sitting there with the teddy bear still sitting in his lap.

….

)

And so the tone was set for their 'courtship', so to speak. Bane's next gift was stained glass as planned, shaped in a kaleidoscope made up of different colored feathers. Upon delivery he received a text from Robin asking if this was his way of saying he liked feathers with his foreplay, which he opted to ignore since his bird did not need any more encouragement to tease. Two days later a silk blue tie and hammered silver cufflinks were delivered to his office for him, the former matching his eyes according to his assistant. Or at least that's what she'd blurted out before paling enough that her eyes had stood out as well. The tie had come wrapped around a card stating that it was for work purposes only, which Bane had rolled his eyes over even as visions of tying the other man up with the tie remained constant in his thoughts. His return gift was an exquisite chess set hand crafted from poplar and ipwich pine, as he loved the game and thought that there was no way for Robin to twist that.

Naturally the cop found a way, asking how he felt about strip chess.

Robin then set him a Go set in return, which Bane looked forward to playing with the man once he managed to capture him as surely as he would take the other man's stones.

An antique book was followed by a handsome calligraphy set, a sky blue silk shirt met with an elegant, chandelier style glass wind chime.

And it was at that point that Bane decided that he'd done enough 'wooing' from afar, rearranging his schedule around so that he could deliver his latest gift in person. He called to make sure that Blake would be in his cop shop when he arrived, the reception he received checking in and making his way through the building not at all unexpected. But no one tried to stop him, which was the main thing as he followed directions to his cop's bullpen. And then he was walking through the doorway, eyes automatically scanning the large room for the correct desk, Bane went very still when he found it.

Eyes narrowing Bane studied the unfamiliar man currently leaning forward, his left hand braced against the desk top while the other…the other waved a box of some sort under Robin's nose in a meant to be enticing manner.

A tattooed, badly dressed, but handsome man who Robin was definitely looking at with fondness written all over his face.