After two weeks of pure business work, Bruce Wayne finally stands before the gates of the Manor. Exactly 14 days in Japan to be exact and another day for the flight. All these thoughts seemed unimportant to the young man now that he's finally back to his comfortable home
Instead of actually coming to the front door like any normal person would, Bruce decided to take the secret entrance to the Batcave for safekeeping…
Bruce Wayne may live in the Manor but the Batman's home is a cave.
It had also been two weeks of the Batman's absence – and with this, Gotham may be compromised— but he's not worried at all..
After all, there's a certain someone that's 10x better with handling Gotham than he is. She is quite an odd individual but she has proven time and time again of her impact to the once dark and sunken city
And speaking of the capybara…
"Hera, she did not just say that!"
Her voice echoed from the depths and to the entrance that he was able to hear her despite still being far away from the batcave itself.
A smile forms on his face "As always.."
He finally enters the scene and a certain maiden was spinning back and forth sitting in the control chair with the batcomputer showing what seemed like a show.
His footsteps bickered against the caverns and the ceilings of the cave as Diana tilts her head to the side..
"Hello Bruce" Her graceful and voice greeting him in such an innocent manner as if she's not violating the batcomputer with her own personal entertainment as of the moment
"Welcome home" she was still facing the monitor, completely engrossed to the show she was watching
Bruce heaved out a sigh and took a seat with the table just behind her. Looking around, she seemed happy at the very least. With everything in the Manor and the Batcave, surely it would feed her boredom for sure
"Noticing that the place hasn't fallen to pieces yet, I'm assuming you behaved yourself quite reverently in my absence"
"By the Goddesses, is that how you really view me as, Bruce?" her voice ached a little bit, but it wasn't serious "I'm not some big monster or a troublemaker whose only up to no good.."
"I know.." Bruce folded his arms and closed his eyes
And just like that, the ambient noise from the show was the only thing heard from that place. Not a word came out from Diana and Bruce sat still
Despite Diana's immaturity and childish tendencies at times, she still managed to hold her own. Bruce never had to worry about what she will do with his absence, he already knows her well for that
"Me, Donna and Richie went fishing the other day, you know"
Bruce opens his eyes upon hearing this
"We caught a big one but it got away.. Donna is not that skilled in using the fishing poles yet, we usually catch them by hand back in Themyscira"
Listening to her stories, he found himself staring at her long raven hair and back as she faced the other way
"And last week, Alfred prepared a special dinner for us. It was very delicious, the first time I've had a dish like that.. even Donna ate five plates!"
Diana adjusted her seat and leaned closer to the monitor
"Then yesterday, we went to the park to play frisbee, then to the mall so Richie could buy some toys and some dresses for Donna too.. we had a lot of fun"
"Is that so.." A lighthearted response came from Bruce
"I didn't get to use the batcomputer this much while you were gone, you know!" her voice squeaked, excitement can be heard from her
"Oh really?" he took a sip of his hot cocoa with a proud smile on his face. Diana did manage to have fun without him. And here he thought that his absence would probably affect her in some type of way
But looking at her having all the fun, he did not have anything to worry about.
It would definitely only be a matter of time before Princess Diana and Wonder Woman herself would finally be fully independent on her own.
But as he thought of this, Diana suddenly turns the batcomputer off and stood to her feet. Her face was hidden by the strands of her raven hair front. A sniffle was heard from her for some reason and it seemed like her demeanor has completely shifted to a whole turn
Bruce only watched as Diana herself slowly wiped something from her eyes
"D… Don't go anywhere again…"
Her voice was soft, and weak, and it resonated sadness and loneliness for some reason. Bruce was completely clueless of what just happened
And with this, the Amazon finally turns around revealing her cheeks drenched with tears and nose red as a tomato. Her eyes were completely wet and lips shivering.
Without hesitation, Diana ran to him and fell into his arms. Bruce carefully wraps his arms around her, knowing this was only the best he could do at the situation despite not fully knowing what it's about
Bruce was about to utter a word when suddenly..
"Don't talk!" she cried out "I know it looks ridiculous, Bruce, but please let me be here close to you for a couple of seconds"
Finally, she looks up to him and revealing more of her expression. She looked completely distraught, unlike of what Bruce had assumed her to be. She had bags under her eyes, her hair was a mess and she looked rather pale
"T-Two wee..ks.." her voice shivered
"Two weeks you idiot!…" she added in a disgruntled hurt voice "You said it would only be 3 days.."
"I did but something came up.."
"You're a liar" she falls back to his arms with her face snuggling his chest "I hate you.."
Slowly caressing her hair, Bruce finally figured it out. Diana really was affected with his absence but was just too stubborn on not showing it.
"So this is what I get as a welcome back?"
"D… Don't go anywhere again…" her whispers were barely heard, but suddenly, she looked up at him with a furious expression
"Do you hear me? Don't go anywhere again!" she frantically grunted at him despite her tears in the way "Don't go anywhere again… y-you stupid Bruce Wayne.."
It didn't take long before her feeble attempt to be tough was broken into a series of cries and sobs. Clinging to him, Bruce could only hold her tight with how everything came to be
What seemed like the independent Wonder Woman that he thought her to be earlier was completely opposite of what he was witnessing. And with the mess that she looks like right now, it is kinda hard to believe that she enjoyed herself in those two weeks…
"Diana.. I'm sorry" he could only whisper in a murmur "I didn't know you would be feeling like this.."
"You should be.." Diana sniffles in Bruce's arms "I missed you..."
"Next time, I'll try to limit my business trips to 3 days only" he tried a jest to alleviate the mood
"One day." Diana responded in a assertive tone "Just one day and you go home right after" her eyebrows furrowing close to each other as she stares up at him with her sapphire eyes
"Now Now… that is absurd.."
"I don't care." Diana stubbornly cut him off with a determined look on her face "If you don't come home, then I'll have to get you myself"
Bruce heaved out a sigh with the smile on his face staying.
"Do you even know how ridiculous you're sounding right now?"
She didn't respond, and as Bruce looked at her, her eyes were now closed completely leaning against him. He could hear her soft breaths of slumber with her cheeks still drenched of tears. Her weariness has finally caught up to her.
Bruce carefully reached out for a handkerchief and wiped her tears from her face, then he slowly combs the messy raven strands from her forehead. Diana was as beautiful as ever despite her state
He then slowly lifted her unto his arms and made his way to the stairs up above to the Manor where he can lay her down in her room. As they reached her room, Bruce didn't hesitate to slowly lay her down on the bed to rest.
When he did, a certain whisper came out of her..
It was soft, and slow, and weak. The series of words she whispered…
"Two weeks without you was difficult.. very difficult but I tried to have fun just like you said… but I simply can't."
"I don't want you to go anywhere again.. don't leave me.. two weeks is more than enough.. a day is more than enough… an hour is more than enough"
Bruce was troubled. It has something to do with how she said that and how it came out. These are Diana's real thoughts and feelings, and if that is the case, then this is definitely not normal.
If she really feels this way, then how can she be independent?
"Amazons should be independent, not in captivity of any men in particular" That was exactly they stand for as the true Amazons of Themyscira. She should be able to improve that way, on her own that is
All of these thoughts made it seem to him like he is holding Diana in captivity and keeping her from achieving her full potential as the champion of the Amazons and Wonder Woman.
She should be free to do whatever she wants without him, to learn, to improve and to experience everything in life, regardless if he is around or not.
.
.
.
But with him looking at her like this, he doesn't see a champion, or a warrior, or Wonder Woman
He sees Diana.. the vulnerable Diana. The imperfect Diana, the spoiled Diana, the stubborn Diana… everything that she really is – he sees in her.
In order for her to blossom and live up to her potential, this side of Diana must be left in the past… alongside with him who has been with this part of Diana
For Diana to live up to her true potential…
.
.
Must he lose her too?
.
.
He damned himself. His thoughts and feelings conflicting each other like a hundred year war of dominance and morality. Diana needs to be independent, that's the bottom line.
He should steer clear and leave her alone to be…
.
.
And yet… he's incapable of leaving her alone.
.
.
.
.
As these thoughts raved his mind, another soft murmurs came from her..
"Stay with me.. here with me and close to me.. I don't want to do things without you, Bruce. I want to spend everything that I do beside you and watching me… close to me.."
He is incapable of leaving her alone…
"I promise to always be here when you still need me, Princess.." Bruce whispered as he fixes a raven strand to her ear. Her radiant smile was all that mattered to him, and he'll damn himself forever if it meant he could see it every day
May it be from a distance, or even if she becomes independent and she slips away from him..
As long as he can see her happy.. that's all that mattered to him.
With this, that radiant smile forms on Diana's lips as she leaned in Bruce's hand, rubbing her cheek on his palm as she softly whispered…
.
.
.
"You promised~"
