Dick sped back into Midtown Gotham, continuing south.
This was bad. Not only had he broken nearly a dozen rules by talking to her, abandoning his post, and neglecting his duties; he'd taken her out of Uptown. It was his job to keep people like her in confinement, and he'd given her a way out. Even worse- he'd showed her that he had weaknesses. Batman's golden rule- the mask hides the emotion. It was the easiest way to do the job they did, conceal the identity, conceal the emotion.
Dick had never been particularly good at it.
He stopped and parked his bike before walking over the bridge to Downtown Gotham. Downtown wasn't exactly lively, but it was the place that felt the most normal. There weren't many people outside; they were either working or had nowhere to go. Some kids played in the street, carefully supervised by watchful eyes within apartment windows.
The people always seemed tired. City people, born and bred, were learning to till fields to try to grow even a measly amount of crops, businessmen who had to do their part to keep the city from falling apart, police officers with guarded expressions, mothers who carried flares to alert guards of an outbreak.
And everything was rationed. Power, running water, toilet paper, candles, and especially food. Rations were distributed from the old City Hall after scouting trips. The citizens took everything relatively well. Alcohol had been eradicated from the city to avoid conflict, and only the police force and the people under Batman were allowed to carry guns. The crime had dropped; there was zero tolerance for it. Criminals were sent to prison, and the only prison still operational was Arkham City. The GCPD handled small matters such as food theft and civil disputes, but the people were relatively happy. They were given enough to survive.
Anyone Nightwing passed stopped to wave at him, and the children would gawk and point. Batman ran the city with absolute control, but it was the only thing that kept the people alive. Members of the Batfamily were treated like heroes.
Every once and awhile there would be a party. In the evening, once the work was done, the people would gather together on some deserted street, and anyone that had an instrument and could play it would provide music. The people may be beaten down, but they were grateful. Gotham was one of the last safe havens left.
"Robin to Nightwing," his comm sounded. He pressed it.
"Go ahead."
"You headed to City Patrol a bit early, didn't you?"
Dick could hear the smirk in his voice as he spoke, and he rolled his eyes. "I was finished in Arkham. You and Batman have begun your break with Selina?" he responded.
"Of course," Damian sighed.
"Good luck," Bruce added.
"Blackbat, Spoiler, you've started your work in Arkham?"
"Affirmative, oh Commander," Steph giggled.
Dick nodded. "Batwoman, I assume you've begun your supply run?"
"Couple of hours ago at sun-up. Where have you been, Bird-brain?"
"Busy," he smiled.
"No need to ask," Jason said behind him, and Dick jumped. "I'm here too."
"Alright that's everyone. Keep me posted." He switched his comm off and looked at Jason. "Good to see you're taking your job so seriously," he smirked.
"More seriously than you apparently."
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked. A little girl sprinted across the street to him and grabbed his hand, dangling from his arm. Dick smiled and laughed, and the girl's sister watched timidly from the curb.
"Why there is nothing I could possibly mean by that." Jason rolled his eyes and laughed.
"Hood!" she cried, abandoning Nightwing and reaching for Jason. Her sister suddenly sprinted over.
"Caty, stop it," she ordered. The younger girl's eyes began to water.
"Hey, no crocodile tears," Jason said, squatting down in front of the little girl. "Let's turn that frown," he hefted her up by her legs, "upside down." He dangled her upside down and spun her around as she giggled wildly. Dick laughed and the girl's older sister smiled, covering her mouth. A few pedestrians watched them with contented expressions on their faces.
"Come on, Jason. We ought to be moving on."
"Aww, can't you stay?" the older sister asked. "We were going to play tag..."
"Yeah Nightwing," Jason scoffed as he tossed Caty onto his shoulder so that she squealed and kicked her legs in the air, "you ruin all the fun."
"You know what?" Dick grinned, and smacked Jason in the forehead. "You're it." he laughed and dodged away from Jason's irritated swipe. Caty squealed in his arms and screamed.
"It doesn't count! It doesn't count unless you tag me you're touching me so it doesn't count!" she shouted and wriggled out of Jason's arms. Her older sister sprinted away too.
"This block is the bounds! My front steps are the base!" she called. More children came, popping out of the woodwork as they hesitantly joined the game, standing around on the street and waiting for Jason to make a move.
"No playing like Nightwing and just sitting on the base," Jason called as he chased a little boy with glasses that kept sliding down his nose. Jason dove dramatically after him as the kid scrambled up on base. Caty waggled her foot above Jason from where she was safe on the step. "Now you're just taunting me." Caty giggled as Jason got back up, shaking her foot. He laughed at her squealing before lunging for some bushes where her sister was hiding. "You're it!" he cried as he lifted her up in the air as she giggled. He set her down, and she grabbed his sleeve.
"No, that's not how it works!" she said angrily, hanging off of his arm. "You were the first zombie and now I'm a zombie too!" she whined.
"Lizzy no, they don't know how to play zombie tag!" Caty squealed.
"All you gotta do is help me tag the other guys and then- and then the last one is Batman! And Batman wins!" she ordered, looking up at Jason.
"You know, I never get to be Batman," Jason fake pouted, sitting down. Lizzy yanked at his arm.
"Come on! We have to go Infect people!"
"Alright, alright," he stood back up, "but once I create an army, I'm going after Nightwing."
"Yes! Get Nightwing!" Lizzy squealed, running off in the opposite direction. Dick laughed.
"What is this game!?" he muttered, running away from her.
"Grr!" Jason fake growled as he trapped a couple kids in a corner. They squealed as he limped toward them, arms outstretched. "Come join my legion of the undead!" he cried as he patted them all on the head. They all wandered off groaning like he had, their arms stretched out in front of them. Dick laughed, jumping away from another boy who'd been zombified by Lizzy.
"No fair," the boy whined. "You're too fast."
"Come my minions!" Jason called once there was a large number of zombie kids. "Attack the tall one!" They formed a big group to swarm Dick.
"No! How can I survive!" Dick cried, looking at Caty, still standing on the steps across the street. "Save yourself, Batman!" he laughed, falling to his knees as a dozen little hands patted his jacket and his head, tagging him to turn him into a zombie.
"We have our winner!" Jason went over to the stairs and fell to his knees, pretending to grovel. "All hail the all powerful Batman." Caty giggled and patted his helmet.
"You are cured good citizen."
"Ha!" Jason jumped up and climbed onto the steps. "Look at that," he taunted Dick.
"Hey, Batman really does have the power to do that," Dick laughed, rolling his eyes behind his mask. "Sorry kiddos, but Red Hood and I have got to make the rounds."
"Boo!" Jason chorused with all the kids. He picked Caty up sideways and carried her under his arm to the other kids and set her down."Now we leave Batman in charge," he said sternly. Dick smiled at him and looked around as they walked away, waving to the kids. A few of them followed to the end of the block before dropping off, and Dick glanced at Jason.
"So I never caught up to you in the mess of Selina getting bit- how did it go with that police officer? First off, did you catch her name?" he joked, smiling.
"Haha," he shoved Dick, "at least I got laid."
"So you did," he smiled. "Seriously, what was her name?"
"It was Jessica." Jason shrugged. "I don't see it going anywhere. She was into the whole hero thing. Seriously," he looked over at Dick, "any girl in the city would be dying for you to ask them out. It's just something about a mask I guess."
"I told you," Dick laughed. "And you never see it going anywhere. One of your flaws."
"Hey, I'd try. It's just a little hard when they're more into you because you know Batman, rather than because of your incredibly dashing good looks," he smirked.
"Which you keep saying sarcastically like you don't actually have. You're not a bad guy, Jason, you could be in a committed relationship if you wanted to- you're just a little rough around the edges." When Jason opened his mouth to answer, Dick did the same.
"Dying will do that to you," they said in unison, and Dick grinned at him.
"Your catchphrase," he elbowed his brother. "I'm serious. If you don't think Jessica is worth it, then who cares? But you can find someone, you know." There was a beat pause before he smiled. "What about Cassandra?"
"As in our sister? No, that'd be like dating you." He put his hands behind his head as he walked. "And where am I going to find someone around here? Any girl in Gotham is only going to want to date me because I'm on Batman's roster." He shrugged. "They're not in it for me, so I just have my fun and leave them with a story. A great story," he smirked.
"Whatever floats your boat, Red Hood," Dick shrugged. "We probably ought to split up and work our way South," he sighed.
"Yeah, yeah, just try not to get into any more zombie attacks that a girl has to save you from."
"Hey, we're in a paradise," Dick spread his hands. "What's the worst that could happen?"
Harley knocked on the window. After waiting for a few seconds, she rapped again. Poison Ivy slid the window open with an annoyed look.
"I have a front door you know."
"I know." Harley climbed through and closed the window on the fire escape. "But where's the the fun in that?" She skipped forward and sat at the kitchen table.
"So what's up, Doc?" Ivy walked around the table.
"Not much." Harley leaned her chair back on its hind legs. "How's it slummin' down here?"
"Fine, how's it living at the top?" she retorted.
Harley laughed. "Not as cushy as everyone thinks. We're starving just like everybody else. Well, except you," she amended.
"Are you hungry?" Ivy asked, moving into the kitchen. It was a small studio flat, and Harley could see everything, including the abnormal amount of plants in the room. It was small, but everyone in Arkham lived in what they could. At least Ivy kept her place cleaner than most inmates.
"As long as it's not beans," Harley said as she stretched. "I'm sick of beans." Ivy returned to the table carrying a plate. "What is it?"
"Kidney beans."
"I hate you."
"No you don't." She set the plate on the table.
"You're right. I don't." She beamed at Ivy, picking at the food. "So how ya been?"
"Fine."
"Been avoidin' the chaos in the streets?" she said as she waved her arms dramatically before popping a bean into her mouth.
"Causing it." Ivy smirked.
"Yeah, you're not in any real danger when ya can just voodoo magic guys into submission."
"It's not mag-"
"Ah!" Harley covered her ears. "Don't spoil my fun." Ivy rolled her eyes. "So been black magicing any guys recently?"
"Yeah right," Ivy snorted. "With all these winners walking around? We're in Arkham City, so do you want me to date a murderer, rapist, thug, or con artist?"
"You forgot the crazies," Harley reminded her.
"Oh yeah, big step up."
"Hey! It is," Harley defended.
"Yeah," Ivy sneered.
"I'm gettin' really tired of people makin' digs at Mistah J."
"Isn't the point of clowns to be made fun of?"
"Red," Harley warned.
"Okay, fine. But when one of his little tricks gets you killed, I'm going to rip out his spleen."
"He is not gonna-"
"-I thought you didn't want to argue about this?" Ivy interrupted.
"I never said that."
"No," Ivy grinned, "but you did say you didn't want me insulting him which I will be doing a lot of if we argue about this."
"I love him-"
"-but he doesn't love you."
Harley glared at her. "We love each other." She shoved Ivy.
"If you say so." Ivy smirked. "But it'll eat at you."
"You're stupid." Harley threw a bean back onto the plate and stood up. She walked over to the bed and flopped onto it with an angry sigh. "I seriously hate you," she muttered into the pillow. Ivy let out a short laugh. "Don't be such a putz." Ivy ignored her. After a moment, Harley sat up.
"Hey Red." Ivy was walking around the room watering plants. "What cha doin'?" She shot Harley a look before continuing around the room. "You're so boring." Harley fell back onto the bed. After a long pause, she asked, "Do ya think we could make ice cream?" Ivy didn't say anything. "Red?" Silence. "Did ya ever think about how cute the Bats are?"
"What?!" Ivy paused in the middle of watering a flower.
"See. I knew you were listenin'."
"Bats as in… Batman?" Ivy demanded.
"Yeah." Harley rolled onto her side. "I mean, like the Robins. Especially the older ones."
"Are you feeling okay?" Ivy walked over and put a hand on her forehead.
"Stop it." Harley swatted her hand away. "I'm fine. Even if I'm in a committed relationship, I can appreciate when someone is hot."
"Hot as in a fever," Ivy muttered. "Isn't dating the Joker bad enough, now you want to pine after the capes?"
"I'm not pining after 'em," Harley defended, sitting back up. "I'm just sayin' that even though they kick our asses… they may also have nice ones."
Ivy snorted and sat beside her on the bed. "So what, you've been watching them?"
"A little," she admitted. "What?! It's borin' around here. And I… may have also…" she looked at her hands, "been talkin' ta Nightwing," she held up her thumb and forefinger centimeters apart, "just an eensy weensy bit. To gather intel," she added hastily.
"Bullshit you're gathering intel." Ivy smacked her shoulder. "What. Are. You. Doing. Harley." She punctuated each word with another hit as Harley ducked under her hands.
"Stop! Okay. Okay!" She peeked out from under her hands. "I just wanna know what Gotham's like, ya know?" She collapsed over Ivy's legs. "I'm sick of all the zombies, and the starving, and the riots, and the darkness. For all we know they have ice cream and cake over there."
"I'm sure they don't."
"I know they still have zombies, but-"
"-Why did you say that with a tone of certainty?" Ivy studied her carefully.
"What?"
"Why do you 'know' they still have zombies?"
"Because I've seen one," she said slowly, blushing. "Because Nightwing took me to Midtown."
"Harleen Francis Quinzel!"
"What?! Don't middle name me! We know all the people have been moved ta Downtown, so it's not like it's that big a deal," she defended. "I didn't even get ta see anyone, or all that much," she whined.
"Nightwing took you across the bridge and into Midtown?"
"Yeah. We drove around for a while and went ta the botanical garden. You should see all the plants. You'd love it."
"Let me get this straight. He's been talking to you. You. He took you across the bridge," Ivy began ticking off on her fingers, "and into Gotham-"
"-Not really real Gotham."
"And into Gotham," Ivy pressed. "And to a romantic garden."
"No," Harley interjected, sitting up.
"Where you two spent time together."
"No stop."
"Alone."
"Red," she warned.
"It was a date."
"It was not a date," Harley insisted.
"He likes you."
"No he doesn't." She pushed Ivy away, blushing. "He's just a nice guy. He's said repeatedly that he doesn't trust me."
"Uh huh, sure." Ivy laughed. "And you were insisting so hard that you're in a committed relationship."
"I am." She swatted Ivy. "I'm allowed to have friends. Sure, probably not hero friends but that's beside the point. I can't just talk to you and Mistah J for the rest of my life… and Nygma. I need a friend who can bring me new drama every now an' again. Who knows about Gotham. Who I can banter with."
"And by banter you mean flirt," Ivy smirked. "You've been flirting it up with one of the Bats."
Harley stuck her tongue out at her. "Just because you're content to sit behind the wall like a sorry old maid doesn't mean I am. I am gathering intel. I can flirt and be helpful to Mistah J at the same time. Besides, where's the fun in having a friend if ya can't tease 'em?" She grinned.
"You think you're so funny, clown." Ivy shoved her off the bed, and Harley rolled across the floor.
"Gotham still has power," Harley mused as she stretched out. "How has Batman managed ta keep the city alive?" She looked over at Ivy. "Don't you just wanna see it?"
"Why would I want to see it?" Ivy stood up and brushed her legs off.
"Well it's not like ya ever cared about this place. Ya won't help Mistah J, and I'm the only one you grow food for."
"Why would I ever want to help that twisted psycho-"
"-Insults," Harley warned. "Besides, didn't ya wanna rule the world, not a studio apartment?"
"I hate you sometimes," Ivy muttered, kicking her leg as she walked by.
"No ya don't," Harley grinned.
"Get that stupid smile off your face."
"What stupid smile?"
"That one."
"You're just jealous because I gotta see a whole garden of plants that men haven't been tamperin' with," she taunted. Ivy glared at her. "And it didn't even have any beans."
"How about you find your own food then?"
"Seriously, why can't ya grow any watermelons or something?"
"Why can't you ever stop talking?" Ivy muttered.
"What, do you have someone else to talk to? Have your plants started responding. That would be unbeleafable." She giggled.
"Plant humor," Ivy said dryly, "hilarious."
"I just don't know where they stem from," Harley burst into laughter.
Ivy rolled her eyes. "Oh just eat your kidney beans."
"You gotta be kiddin' me." Ivy cracked a smile, and Harley pointed at her. "I saw that!"
"Don't you have someone else you can bother?"
"No." She put her hands under her chin and leaned on her elbows. "Not since Mistah J's busy all the time and Dent got caught. Catwoman disappeared, too."
"Didn't you find a stray cat and name it Selina?" Ivy resumed watering her plants.
"Yeah but Mistah J shot it when it started foamin' at the mouth," she said wistfully. "Oh! what time is it?" Harley glanced out the window. "I gotta go feed Nygma."
"Yes, you need to go feed your pet zombie."
"It's either feed him or be fed to him," Harley said as she got up. "And I prefer ta think of him as a very pungent roommate."
"Whatever." Ivy turned her attention back to her plants as Harley opened the window and stepped back onto the fire escape. "Harls." Harley glanced back at Ivy. "Stay away from Nightwing. I don't want to know what the Joker would do if he thought you were up to something."
"Relax. I know what I'm doin'." She grinned and closed the window.
It was only a few hours before the sun would rise and Bruce would have to return to patrol, and he never thought that he'd ever want his break to be over, until Selina had woken up.
"Bruce, I'm hungry," she whined, pulling on his hand. Damian sat in the furthest corner with a sketchbook in his lap, his feet up on a table where Tim was going over the notes he'd taken so far. Titus was curled around the legs of Damian's folding chair. Barbara smirked at Bruce a little from where she stood on the opposite side of the gurney that Selina lay on. "I'm not joking, I'm really hungry. Like, I know we don't have any food, but I just want food." she stared at the blanket over her legs for a moment, and then her head jolted to the side as she suddenly looked at Barbara. "Bring me some of those kit-kats that Dick brought you," she whispered loudly.
"I ate them all, but I do have gummy worms," Barbara offered.
"I hate gummy worms. Gummy worms are robin food." she pouted, and then pulled on Bruce's hand again. "Can I have a tuna sandwich?"
"You just ate," he reminded her. "Two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches."
"I don't want peanut butter," she groaned, dropping her head back like a petulant child. Damian glanced up with a slight smile on his lips.
"The medication did a number on her, didn't it?" he muttered, scooping up his tiny stub of a pencil in his hand.
"At least she stopped crying since we turned the heart rate monitor off," Barbara muttered. "She thought her heart was just really loud."
"Bruce," Selina whispered. When he didn't respond instantly her hand shot up and she yanked his head down closer to her by the ear on his cowl. "Bruce!" she snapped, still holding onto him.
"What is it Selina?" he asked as Tim laughed. She hesitated, pursing her lips like she'd forgotten her train of thought.
"Um… I'm hungry, and I don't want peanut butter," she said matter-of-factly, her words slurring a bit as she blinked slowly.
"What do you want?" he sighed.
"I want tuna," she whined, pulling on his cowl again.
"I can't go get you some if you're holding on to me," he calmly reminded her.
"No you can't leave!" she practically shouted. Tim and Damian looked up in shock. She stared at them. "Um… I mean… I don't want you to go yet," she said, more calmly this time.
"Barbara do you think you could…"
"Yup on it." She left as Bruce gently removed Selina's hand from his cowl and straightened back up. She scrunched up her face and looked up at him, putting fingers by her ears to imitate his cowl.
"Hey," she suddenly grinned, grabbing his cape. "Do you remember when I was a hero and you were a bad guy?"
"No I don't."
"Try again, Selina. That was backwards," Damian said gently, glancing up from his drawing of her. She thought for a while and then shook her head vigorously, adjusting herself on the pillows.
"No, no I mean I was the good guy and you were the villain. It was our something-or-other anniversary and you said that I got to be the hero when we were playing," she insisted, pulling on his cape. Damian snorted. Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.
"Way to go Bruce," Tim chuckled.
"Hey," Selina barked, looking at Tim, her eyebrows raised. "I know things about you that I can blackmail you with, you little shit. Don't laugh at your father's happiness."
"Okay," he said slowly. "Protectiveness of Bruce triggers anger." He made a note of it. "Got it."
"You're damn right it does. And you too. If anyone tries to hurt my batbabies, I'll rip their throats out." She nodded once, with so much force she had to sit back and pause to clear the dizziness away. She looked up at Bruce.
"I'm hungry," she whimpered, reaching up toward him, her hand only making it to his chest.
"Barbara's getting you food. Try to be patient." He grabbed her hand.
"I can't wait I could just eat now," she pressed.
"Selina," Barbara poked her head back into the room, "we don't have tuna."
"Damn it Barbara, why do you have to ruin everything," Selina snapped. Damian laughed out loud.
"Is there anything else you want?" Bruce asked, trying to be patient. Selina broke into a grin.
"How about you, big guy?" she giggled, tugging on his cape.
"Other people in the room," Damian reminded her.
"Whatever, you can watch if you like that shit," she laughed and yanked Bruce's cape so hard that he fell onto the bed with her.
"Selina," Bruce tried to free himself from her, "no." Tim and Barbara covered their mouths as they laughed, glancing at each other. She allowed him to stand again, but caught his face before he could straighten up, her lips near his.
"You don't tell me no," she snapped, biting his lip gently before kissing him. He pushed her back down by the shoulders.
"We are in a room with clear walls," he said sternly.
"Kinky," she laughed, running a hand up his arm.
"Selina," he sighed. "You remember the reason you're in here to begin with."
"Because you can't handle it when I get rough," she sat up quickly, so fast he didn't have time to lean away before she was kissing him again. He blinked in surprise before grabbing her face and pulling her off.
"You're loopy on pain medicine and need to rest."
"Actually," Tim input, "we were going to hold her here until the meds wore off, but she could leave under supervision."
"See, I could go with you," she pressed, pointing at Bruce, her cheeks squished between his thumb and forefinger. Selina grinned and made a meowing noise.
"I have to leave for patrol at sunrise."
"Plenty of time," Barbara scoffed. "Just bring her back before you leave."
Selina mewed again, crossing her eyes and looking down at his hand. "Anytime you wanna let me go, champ." Bruce released her face, stepping away. Her smile turned to an angry frown as she looked at the three feet between them.
"Father, she could benefit from releasing some of her... energy," Damian smirked as he stood, closing his sketchbook. His dog immediately stood with him.
"Why are you all encouraging this?" Bruce demanded. "She's going to be extremely worried when she comes down off of the meds."
"But she's not now," Barbara pointed out. Damian nodded, walking over to Bruce.
"So enjoy it," he muttered, clapping a hand on his father's shoulder. He stood only a few inches shorter, smiling a little. Bruce sighed.
"Come on Selina. Let's get you something to eat." He offered her his hand. She eagerly took it, stumbling out of the bed before standing up straighter.
"I'm ok, I've got it, I can walk," she beamed, walking towards the door and slamming face first into the glass. She stepped back, examined it, and then pulled it open, her hand still tightly held in Bruce's. He rolled his eyes as he let her pull him along.
"Are you still hungry?" She didn't answer him, guiding him out of the labs. "Are you ignoring me now?"
"What?" she glanced at him, her eyes a bit unfocused as she pushed the door open carefully.
"Are you okay?" he asked, cupping her chin to look into her eyes.
"I'm fine," she smiled, and she dropped her head down on her shoulder, looking at him. She rocked back and forth, tilting back dangerously on her heels. "You haven't looked at me like that in hours," she purred, clasping her hands together at her waist as her shoulders scrunched to her ears.
"I'm sorry," he scooped her up into his arms, "it's hard to look at you when you move around too much. I'm dizzy just watching you. Let's get you somewhere you can lay down."
She gasped happily, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her head dropped onto his shoulder, and she nuzzled his cheek with her nose. "Only if you're laying under me," she giggled, and then covered her mouth to hide her smile.
"Selina, you're high," he sighed as he carried her to their room. "I'm not going to take advantage of you." Her lips turned down in a pout.
"Who said that you're the one taking advantage?" she stroked his head under his cowl. "I'm taking full advantage of you, and maybe the high will make it feel even better," she bit his chin gently, kissing his jaw. He grabbed her face so that she'd look at him.
"I don't want you to do something you'll regret."
She stared at him for a moment before laughing out loud. "What's the matter playboy? 'do something I'll regret', jeez." She took his hand away from her face and kissed his fingertips, pulling his glove off. "I'd tell you to grow a pair, but I can see them in that skin tight Bat suit of yours," Selina purred, moving on to kiss his jaw again. "So what's the matter, Batman, can't you use them?"
"You have been sedated for days," he reached their door, "and advised to avoid extreme emotion," he opened it and went in, "now is really not the time," he kicked the door closed behind them.
"I can be as emotionless as you, don't hold yourself so high," she said petulantly, suddenly forcing her weight on his arm holding her legs. When he let go in surprise, she held on by her arms around his neck, swinging her legs around his waist as she faced him. "I think now is exactly the time," she smiled, pulling his cowl away from his face, letting it fall down around his neck. She ran a hand through his hair, pulling her own shirt up with the other. His hand caught hers.
"Selina," he groaned. "We shouldn't."
"Oh I know," she said quietly, shifting her hand in his, holding his wrist and guiding his hand up her torso, pulling the shirt further. "But you said no. And that's not allowed. I have to show you that that's not allowed." Selina smiled, running her tongue over her lips seductively as she pulled his face within an inch of hers.
"Oh really?" He ran his hand higher up her waist, his other hand resting on her thigh.
She nodded and smiled. "Uh-huh. Now who's taking advantage of who?" her breath whispered against his lips, her hand holding tightly to his shoulder to keep herself upright.
"I'm definitely the one taking advantage," Bruce mumbled. His lips brushed along her neck, barely touching it. Selina pulled away from him and pulled her shirt off, unwrapping her legs from his waist and landing lightly on her feet, taking her arms away from his neck.
"Wrong answer," she mumbled, working the light cotton sweatpants she wore away from her hips. The fabric dropped around her ankles, and she looked up at him expectantly. He ran a hand over his mouth as he looked at her.
"My answer's not going to change," he smirked.
"We'll have to work on that then," she shrugged, pulling her sports bra over her head. Testing him, she put her hands on her hips, slipping her thumbs into her underwear. Her eyes were still unfocused from the drugs and her cheeks were flushed, her heart no doubt pounding in her pale chest. "You know if you don't 'take advantage of me' I'll just have to do it myself," she raised her eyebrows, a smile creeping over her pale lips. "You can watch." Bruce picked her up and dropped her onto the bed before she could begin to sway. He leaned down over her.
"At least we're in agreement about who's in the wrong," he said before he kissed her. Selina giggled happily into his kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck again. For a brief shining moment, Bruce could imagine that they were back at the Manor, their home; with none of this pain and grief and suffering. When she was happy, he was. When she laughed, he could forget about it all and imagine they were home. She sighed slowly, running her hands through his hair.
"Bruce," she moaned, grinning before pulling his cape off and yanking the top of his Bat suit off of his chest.
"So you're the hero," his hand slid to the small of her back, lifting her up against him, "and I'm the villain?" he asked with a chuckle. He rested the other hand on her cheek as he kissed her. She nodded and laughed again, her back arching as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Her kiss was gentle and loving, but it grew more violent as she grabbed his face, biting at his tongue. She laughed into the kiss. "Careful," he reminded her, gently brushing the hair out of her face before kissing along her collarbone and down her chest.
"I don't want to be careful," she gasped excitedly as her hands tangled in his hair. He kissed down to her belly button before putting his hands on either side of her face and kissing her nose.
"But you have to be."
She stared up at him. "Why do I have to be careful? Are you that afraid of me?" Selina frowned, looking genuinely hurt before she grinned. "No, Batman's not afraid of anybody. Let me give you a reason to be afraid of me," she snapped, and in an instant she had thrown him to the side and pinned him down on the bed, leaning down to kiss his chest. "I'm going to eat you," she teased, her eyes shining mischievously.
"Is this because we didn't have tuna?" he taunted, running a hand up her thigh.
"I never wanted tuna. I definitely had something else in mind," she whispered, and then promptly turned around on him, straddling his abs. Her slender back was to him, pale as a ghost in the dark of their room. She unbuckled his utility belt and tossed it aside, busying herself with pulling his pants down. Bruce moaned, his hand clenching into a fist in the sheets.
"Okay fine you win," he gasped. "You're the one taking advantage."
"Nope, it's too late for that now, complying isn't going to save you," she laughed. "Though I do appreciate the sentiment, and I'll make sure to note it later and use it against you- but right now, looks like you'll just have take what's coming to you," she glanced over her shoulder with a grin before leaning down and pulling his boxer briefs down slowly.
"Somehow, when you were crying over a peanut butter sandwich, I didn't think this was where the night was going." She sat up and thought for a moment.
"Well we could still get the peanut butter," she pondered, and then leaned down again.
"If you want to leave, be my guest," Bruce told her, "but I think I'm good without it."
"I think you're right," she laughed. "Now shut up and let me take advantage of you."