In some ways, Gotham was devouring itself. But in others, the city was healing. People had reason to be hopeful. The relief efforts were fierce and constant. The city was unflooded, and reconstruction was repairing tons of damage every day. Tragedy has a funny way of bringing people together. Most citizens of Gotham have been kinder to each other, helping with food and shelter and banding together to fix their collective home.
Selina feels this as soon as she slides into the city. Chills go down her spine as she maneuvers through the familiar streets. A warm sensation washes over her, the sweet feeling of returning home after so long away seeping into her bones. Her first order of business is to find a place for Ms. Thang and the rest of her belongings. Without really thinking about it, she finds herself pulling up to her old apartment building. Heaving in a deep breath of Gotham air, she kills the engine on her bike and makes her way into the building. It's dawn, but she knows Mrs. Kitt will probably be awake.
"Selina?"
Her old landlord, Rachel Kitt, blinks in surprise when she opens the door to a smiling Selina, who sets Ms. Thang's cat carrier gently on the ground beside her. Selina quickly leans forward and hugs the older woman tightly, relishing in her familiar smell. Damn, it really is good to be back.
"Hey, honey." Selina coos, and Mrs. Kitt returns the hug warmly, a surprised chuckle escaping her. The older woman tucks her robe tighter around herself when they end the embrace, the surprise wearing down enough for her to remember her manners. She waves Selina forward and steps aside.
"Please, come in, come in! Sorry, my mind's all over the place. It's been so crazy...well, you know. It really is so nice to see you! Coffee? I just put some on."
"That would be lovely," Selina sighs gratefully, the exhaustion from the trip finally catching up to her. She scoops up Ms. Thang and closes the door behind her as she enters the homey apartment. Mrs. Kitt leads them both into her kitchen, nodding to the wooden table nestled against a big window.
"Take a seat, dear."
Selina settles into the chair and savors the smell of home-brewed coffee as it engulfs the kitchen. While Mrs. Kitt prepares two cups, Selina looks out the window, watching as the morning sun paints the sky a delicious orange-pink. People are groggily shuffling to their cars on the street below them, starting their day in the construction zone that is Gotham City. Mrs. Kitt appears suddenly beside Selina, handing her a warm mug with her coffee made just as she likes it: sugar, extra cream.
"Thank you," Selina says before taking a sip, cherishing the warmth that spreads in her chest. Whether it's from the coffee or Mrs. Kitt's kindness, she isn't sure. But her old landlord is one of the kindest souls she's ever encountered. She was always welcoming, understanding, and attentive. Selina use to worry that Mrs. Kitt would be taken advantage of by some of the vermin that resided in their part of town. But, as Mrs. Kitt would often tell her, sometimes the good you put out into the world finds its way back to you. And Mrs. Kitt put out a lot of good. Her old landlord is one of the very few that Selina feels she can be herself around. She didn't have to be sexy or dominating or witty. She just had to be authentic.
"I hope I'm not intruding, Miss Kay," Selina starts as Mrs. Kitt eases herself down in the seat across from her.
The older woman waves her off with a distasteful look on her face, like the idea offended her. "Of course not, sugar! I'm so happy to see you. I was sad to see you go after the flood. But I understood. This place was a shit show for months...still is a shit show, really, but we're getting there." Mrs. Kitt laughs, her tired eyes sparkling as she takes a sip of her drink. Selina follows suite, relaxing under the landlord's fond gaze.
"Yeah, I've been keeping up with the news. It was a relief to see them drain the water so quickly," Selina muses. Cats aren't a big fan of water. " And to see the Gotham Relief efforts pushing for residential reconstruction first?! I still can't believe it. The elite assholes running the city actually trying to give a shit about us peasants."
Mrs. Kitt nods grimly in agreement. "Most of those assholes waited out the worst of it upstate in their summer homes. But I think Réal put her money where her mouth is and is pushing for change around here." She taps on the folded newspaper resting at the end of the table. The headline flashes Bella Réal's name, and the picture is of the latest rally held in the recently reconstructed Gotham Square. "And those suite monkeys are following her lead. Even Bruce Wayne is involved now, and Jesus, I haven't heard anything about that boy since his parents were killed. Everyone really came together. It's nice to see this city remember what it means to be a good neighbor, to help each other. It's too bad it took a damned lunatic blowing things up for that to happen, but...still, it's nice to see."
They both laugh together, the absurdity of it all elongating how funny it is. Funny only because of how not funny these past few months have been…Selina's favorite kind of funny. A comfortable silence falls between them, and Selina takes another sip of her coffee. Ms. Thang starts fussing in her carrier next to her, demanding to be let out. The fluffy cat meows profusely while Selina unzips the bag and plucks her into her arms with a, "Alright, alright, Ms. Thang."
Mrs. Kitts peers over her glasses, catching Selina's gaze as Ms Thang purrs in her lap. "So, dear," Mrs. Kitt settles back, her voice suddenly taking on a hint of curiosity. "What brings you back to this neck of the woods? Are you moving back to Gotham?"
Selina hums, nodding her head and setting down her mug as she clears her throat. "Yes! Well, that's the plan. Actually, that's why I'm here. I wanted to ask you if I could move back into my old place, if it's available. Turns out you can take the girl outta Gotham, but not Gotham outta the girl." Her voice has a slightly forced airiness, and it doesn't go unnoticed by the older woman.
"Oh well, sugar, that's great! I actually just rented your place to a couple, 'bout your age. They have a little boy, he's just precious."
Selina nods, not surprised the place is taken. She mostly just wanted to see a friendly face. And if Selina is honest with herself, Mrs. Kitt always had a motherly energy that comforted her. The older woman might be the closest thing she has to family. "I figured it'd be snatched up. That's sweet, Ms. Kay, I'm glad families are moving back-"
"You know what," Mrs Kitt interrupts Selina, holding up her finger, "my unit on the top floor is ready to go. I had a couple tours set up for later this week..." She heaves herself to her feet with a small grunt and makes her way to a cabinet resting against the wall nearest to them. With a key she keeps around her neck, she unlocks and opens the old wooden doors, revealing an assortment of more keys with the corresponding apartment number written on tape below. Mrs. Kitt scans the numbers, muttering, "five-oh-five," and takes out an old, golden key. She tosses it at Selina, who catches it easily.
"But I'd rather have you, dear. It's a little bigger than your old place, has an open loft. We can just do what you were paying before."
Selina blinks at the key in her hand and then stares up at Mrs. Kitt in disbelief. She didn't expect to walk away from this visit with a key. Shit, she honestly thought Mrs. Kitt would recommend her to another complex. Selina's eyes unexpectedly well up from the gesture, and she sets Ms. Thang down on her chair before springing forward to pull Mrs. Kitt into their second hug of the morning.
"Miss Kay, Thank you, this means so much to me. I don't know what to say." Having grown in a place where it was Eat or Be Eaten, little acts of kindness like this touch Selina deeply.
"Say you'll have lunch with me next week," Mrs. Kitt laughs, rubbing Selina's back and squeezing her before pulling away. She holds the younger woman's hands in her own, noting Selina's glazed eyes, and takes a deep breath that she exhales loudly.
"There is something I was wondering, if you feel like humoring an old lady."
The curiosity from earlier is back in the landlord's voice, instantly lightening the mood. Selina grins, now just as curious.
"What's that?"
"Now I've been around a long time, and I know that look in your eyes. What really brought you back to Gotham?"
Selina's eyebrows pull together in confusion, and she searches Mrs. Kitt's face to try and understand what she's alluding to. The older woman almost looks like she's smirking.
"I told you, Ms. Kay, you can't take Gotham out of the girl. Just homesick-"
"Homesick, shomestick!" Mrs. Kitt drops Selina's hands to point a finger in her face with a knowing look. "Is it someone special?"
A grin spreads across Selina's face before she can stop it. She bites her lip in a vain attempt to hide it as she busies herself with putting Ms. Thang back into her cat carrier and securing her on her back.
She thinks about the masked mystery man hiding in the shadows. About his eyes studying hers, finding something in them that gave her access to secret parts of him he hid from the rest of the world. She thinks about the last time she saw him. How he said her name in a way that sounded pained. How he leaned into her, letting his guard down for the first time, searching for her lips. How she stepped away as he leaned in.
And suddenly she's ready to hunt him down, find the answers to the questions she's been marinating in for six months.
"Something like that."
