The City In Pieces

Chapter Fifty-One: Not Tonight

That night, while in bed for the last time underneath the blanket of stars, Chance gazed up with wonder. It was so awesome how somebody could feel so complicated, lost in the world, when if one would look up there, they would feel somehow insignificant to the world. But they weren't. The stars above, shooting fires from the great beyond, all looked alike. To count them was impossible, for none of them stood out from the rest. Not like humans. A person could make themselves individually apart, become something else entirely, and be counted from the rest of them. How humans could think that to die was a better relief, it was a thought to consider, but a foolish one. Chance's eyes traced constellations in them, entranced by how some of them actually twinkled, like the lullaby. Chance whispered the words under her breath,

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star..." she raised a hand to draw the patterns, "how I wonder what you are...Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you...are..." Chance lowered her hand to continue to gaze at the beauty that glimmered back down at her.

Could the stars see what happened in the world? Surely God did.

What is in a God? Chance thought atheistically, if he existed, if any of them did...Wouldn't he have stopped so much pain, so much despair...and wiped Gotham off the face of the earth? Merciful...There was no God that was merciful...

Bane stirred beside her. He uttered a long sigh. She turned her head to watch him move from his side to lie on his back. Chance gazed at his face, then her eyes fell to his body. His tattoos faced her, and she gazed at them with interest.

She never really paid attention to them, but always liked to glance at them. He was like his own museum of art: sculpted, painted—truly a nice piece of craft.

She admired him so much. Of course, she loved him, but she truly thought that he was one of a kind. Five years—next month would mark the sixth...He hadn't betrayed her, though at times she thought he would. He hadn't slept with any girl or anyone, and although Ace might believe that his charm wasn't the greatest in the world, Chance still considered that if she liked Bane, then other women would too. But if ever he was offered some sort of favors, he either took it and didn't show it, or he completely declined the lot all together. It didn't seem like him to favor the use of a prostitute. Even if he did, he didn't let it on. Chance had to admire how well he could silence his men, how easy it was for him to lead.

Bane's own mind was just as impressive as his body. How could he remember so much to have lived so little? Chance envied his knowledge, though she didn't covet from it. She enjoyed the intellectual conversation that she had with him. Chance was satisfied with that too. He pleased her by all the senses. Perfect, in her eyes.

Sometimes, she wondered if that's what he saw in her.

Bane uttered a small moan; Chance glanced at him. She was brought out of her reverie, and her eyes watched him with interest. He sighed. What was he dreaming? Then, to Chance's stomach-rolling pleasure, he uttered her name in his sleep. Chance grinned.

That's more like it, thought Chance.

Feeling a bit restless, she sat up straight. With caution, lest he be the ones who hit others in his sleep, Chance crawled down the bed sheets and squatted on her knees in front of him. She set her hands along his calves, slid her fingers along the soft material to set her hands on his thighs.

Chance had once did something like this to one other person, thought it was nothing as erotic like this. Ace, actually, had been a willing participant to test Chance's ability of dream manipulation. It wasn't a psychic art or a scientific procedure. When Ace was well into REM, Chance had spoken to Ace whilst she slumbered, held several knives in her hand, and actually convinced Ace that she was being held against her will in a barren basement; Chance had sprayed some urine-like substance to make it more believable. Of course when Ace flew out of slumber, she had nearly cut Chance to pieces, only a few minutes before realizing that she wasn't being kept in a dungeon but was safely in her room.

Now Chance was testing her ability to make her lover climax within his dream. Chance hadn't tried dream manipulation on Bane; many times, she had considered it to be dangerous. If he was in a hostage situation, he would kill, but at this point of the night, Chance was feeling frisky.

Chance's fingers climbed up his pelvis. She glanced at the rising bulge, concealed by his undergarments. Chance smirked. She cupped him gently, watching his eyes carefully. He felt it. She could tell. Her hand caressed him in a wonderful massage. He moaned pleasurably, sending chills down Chance's back. She lowered her head to his carved stomach, following the muscles with the tip of tongue, a hot trail pursued.

Then his hands found her shoulders. His hand swept through her hair—

"Ah!"

Chance was startled when he pulled her up; she might as well have been a rag doll, for he easily sat her on his hips, bringing her face to meet his. His eyes gazed at her.

"What are you doing to me?" he said quietly.

Chance smiled. His hands around her face kept her still, but the wide smirk on her face lined with little effort.

"I was pleasuring you," said Chance sweetly. "I thought it was going well."

He stared at her.

"I was under the impression that you enjoyed yourself when I was awake," said Bane, amused.

His hands fell away from her face. She remained seated on him hips.

"I do. It's more of a challenge when you're sleeping," said Chance.

"A challenge. Is that what you want?" questioned Bane.

Chance lowered her head to his neck. Her lips kissed his collar bone.

"What do I want?" asked Chance. "Isn't it obvious to you?"

Chance felt his erection rise beneath her.

"Mmm," she cooed against his neck. "Bad boy..."

"Reckless tonight, aren't we?"

"I am," admitted Chance. "Can you fix me?"

"As tempting as that is," he sounded sincere, "we can't. We have quite a flight in the morning."

"It's a few hours away." Chance dismissed softly. Her hands groped his strong abdomen.

"Which you need to sleep," he added.

Chance met his eyes.

"You meant that?" she said seriously, though not entirely abashed.

"I do." Bane said gently. "What I want to know is this: How do I know you're going to go to sleep if I had already fallen?"

Chance smirked at him as she rolled off his body.

"Trust me, Sir."