How the Joker Fell in Love Part 35
The minute Danger set eyes on him, Bruce Wayne glanced over and saw her. He looked confused for a minute, then walked over slowly. "Rae?"
Danger hesitated. She didn't want to lie and say "yes", but she didn't want to say "no" and make him leave. "Sort of," she said, deciding on the truth.
Still confused, he just stood there, looking at her. He seemed oblivious to all the girls staring at him in disbelief. She had to admit, even she'd be surprised at seeing him in a mall.
"I'm Rae, but I'm Danger," she said, trying to clarify as best she could.
"Danger?" he asked in surprise. Then it kind of dawned on him. "You're nineteen?"
She smiled sheepishly, but it quickly faded. "It's a long story," she sighed, looking down at the table.
Bruce had offered to give her a ride to his mansion, and Danger accepted. She felt like she had to set things straight with him, tell him the real story. He had the right to know. And she really wanted to still be friends with him after it, if that was possible.
Ava bade her goodbye and drove back to the hospital to tell them where she was going. They let her have more freedom lately, but still liked to moniter her actions pretty closely. She didn't have secret agents following her or anything (as far as she knew) at least.
Bruce walked into the living room after her, being a gentlemen. Danger hadn't met a person in a long time who still obeyed the "ladies first" rule, and it was refreshing to find that chivalry wasn't completely dead.
"So," he started after they both sat in chairs across from each other, "how are you 'sort of' Rae Ledger?"
Danger sighed, for about the millionth time today. "Rae Ledger doesn't exist. The Joker made her up so I could fool you and get close to you." Catching what she was implying, she jerked her head up and looked into his eyes. "I had nothing to do with it. I don't even know what the whole point of it was! He never told me what I was doing. I was mostly just being myself the whole time," she admitted.
"You were lying to me," he muttered, his gaze emotionless, yet she couldn't bring herself to look into his eyes.
"No!" she protested. "I mean, yes. But I didn't want to! Please understand. He was gonna kill me if I didn't. You've seen what he's done! He would've killed me! It was hard enough staying alive for this long!"
"Okay," he said softly, shutting her up. The corners of his mouth lifted up in a very slight smile. "I understand." Then his face turned serious again. "But what I want to know: I know that you're not Rae, but is Rae you?"
Danger took a moment to understand the question, then answered. "Yes," she responded. "I was never being anything but myself around you. And that's the truth."
Bruce was quiet for a long while, and Danger started to feel very awkward and small. She shifted in her chair nervously, waiting for him to say something.
Finally, he broke the silence. "Ra- I mean, Danger, there are obvious reasons why we should forget this ever happened and never speak to each other again."
Danger's face fell to the floor. She knew this was gonna happen.
"But," he continued, "when we were together, I'm not gonna lie, I felt a... connection with you. And, even though it may not be right, I don't want to end that."
Danger felt her heart stop. "You... You wanna keep dating me?" she asked like an idiot.]
Bruce lifted up a corner of his mouth in a boyish crooked smile. "If that's what you wanna call it, then yeah." He rested his hand on her knee. "I really like you, Danger. And I hope I can get to know the real you a lot better."
Danger smiled so big she was afraid she looked a little creepy. "I'd like that," she whispered.
Bruce smiled and kissed her, softly at first, but then turned passionate and deep.
Danger felt her hea swim and kissed him back unconsciously, lost in the feeling of his body against hers.
He lifted her up to stand, then lifted her legs around his hips.
Danger wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeper as he walked to his bedroom.
He shut the door behind him, then locked it.