Title: Snapshots
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Crossover: the Batman & Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice
Characters: the Batman: Garfield Lynns (Firefly), Peter Merkel (Ragdoll), Drury Walker (Killer Moth) ; J/C/H no Kuni no Alice: Alice Liddell, Lorina Liddell
Pairing: Mentioned!Smileshipping (Garfield Lynns/Alice Liddell), Mentioned!Peter Merkel/Selina Kyle
Summary: "Why, Moth, that's very bold of you to say about Lynns' girlfriend."
Word Count: 845
Author's Note: This is set in the same timeframe as Doubts.
Warnings: None.
Disclaimer: the Batman & Joker/Clover/Heart no Kuni no Alice do not belong to me in any shape or form (including characters). Thank you.
Gorgeous
It came out as a sigh.
"Isn't she just gorgeous?"
Peter Merkel could only roll his eyes in response. One would think that after all this time that the man would have grown used to how Gotham's finest villains acted like a moth to a flame when it came to that stupid girl, especially if the compliments and whatnot came from a certain firebug that was dating her. And no, it wasn't because he secretly fancied her either and wished to have the pathetic girl all to himself.
He was just one of the lucky few that hadn't been caught under her spell.
And for that, he was immensely thankful.
Still.
The possibilities of what a particular kitten would do to the brunette, should he have fallen for her, does make him curious. And sometimes amused even, depending on the mental scenarios that his mind conjurors up for him.
"Yes, thank you, Lynns, for telling me that pointless and unwanted information for the millionth time now."
…
Is it just him or is that the scent of awkwardness in the air?
Odd, considering Garfield would have scowled at him and given him a few colorful choice of words by now.
…
Unless…
He lowers the book he's reading to find that Drury is the only other occupant in the room with him. And that's when he hears the voices in the kitchen and realizes that Lynns and his girlfriend and his girlfriend's sister are busy making dinner. (OK, scratch that: Lorina and Alice are making dinner while Lynns is trying to steal a piece of the chocolate cake that they baked earlier.)
And what more, he shouldn't be surprised that Drury has said something like that about Alice, but the fact that he did… well…
Let's just say that Peter's grin is an exact match to the Cheshire cat's.
"Why, Moth, that's very bold of you to say about Lynns' girlfriend."
Drury's face becomes even redder and it doesn't take a genius to know that he hadn't meant for those words he said to escape him.
"N-N-No… I… I wasn't… I-I mean…"
Dammit. Peter's now starting to wear the face of the cat that ate the canary.
"Oh. Don't worry, Moth. I won't say anything to Lynns about it. No, no. Besides, what's the point? He knows perfectly well how large her fan club is and what's one more to it?" asks Peter in that cheerful tone of his. In fact, he's about to go on and on when he notices Drury's lips move but no sound comes out. And all cheerfulness goes out the window as his next words escape him. "What was that you said, Moth?"
If Moth wasn't talking about Alice and it was Selina he was referring to then the man had a death wish.
Drury swallowed, tugging at the ends of his sleeves and eyes focusing on his lap to avoid Merkel's glare.
…
Peter's scowl deepens and he sets his book off to the side.
"Moth, you have one second to tell me what it is you just said. And I swear, if you tell me that you were referring to Selina then I'll—"
"Would you gentlemen like some tea?"
The thief whirls his head around to find Lorina standing a few feet behind him and holding a tray with a small kettle and two teacups. And judging by the expression on her face, she doesn't appear to have known what was transpiring between the two.
It doesn't surprise him though.
She is Alice's sister and so it makes sense that she would be oblivious, too.
"No."
Lorina doesn't flinch from the venom in his tone and he does have to give her some credit. If it were Alice in her place then the brunette would have fidgeted in her spot. But still, both of them are a nuisance and it makes him wish that neither of them came here.
"H-Here, I-I'll get t-that for you!"
Peter doesn't even have time to blink as something from the corner of his eye comes hurrying past him and then, in that instance, he's a witness to seeing Drury trying to carefully (and failing to) take the tray from the woman's hold.
…
What?
He watches the event, but it doesn't feel like he's really seeing it at the same time.
Alice's sister gives Drury a polite smile and reassures him that there's no need for him to do so. Moth's face is turning redder and redder by the second as he tries to wrestle the tray from her grasp. And that is odd in itself because he never once did this when Alice—
Oh hell.
Now it makes sense.
Drury doesn't have a ridiculous, silly crush on Alice.
He has a ridiculous, silly crush on her sister.
That isn't so bad. After all, it's a somewhat of refreshment in its own special way. Isn't it?
Still.
Peter makes a face at them, trying to withhold making a gagging sound (which he fails to do so), before returning to his book.
