Son
Part 7
Bruce had seen and heard a lot in his forty years of life. Since he had picked up the cowl and explored the darkest streets of Gotham, he had the opportunity to meet a huge panel of different people. Some had a sense of honor, no matter how twisted it might be, others were downright cruel. Some were mere mortals like himself, trying to survive. Others were metas with gifts they, sometimes, couldn't control. He had met peaceful metas before, knew of other vigilantes -though he stayed clear from their paths as they stayed clear from his.
Still, the woman sitting beside him, his one-night-stand and mother of his child, calmly explained she was a near three-thousand-years-old Amazon who had been in "Man's World" ever since the first world war. Oh wait, he forgot the part where she claimed Zeus was her genitor. He didn't believe a word of it and wrapped that thought around one plain word:
"Bullshit."
Diana, to her credit, did not look offended. If anything, she appeared amused.
"You asked for the truth," she said with a twinkle in her eyes. The corner of her mouth held definite laugher. "That is the truth."
He glared at her, trying to figure out if she was making fun of him or not. She had an honest face and had been straightforward with him. From their first conversation, he hadn't pictured her as a skilled liar. If he relied on his inner lie detector, she was telling the truth. His personal logic though, could not accept her words.
He opened his mouth to say -what? he had no idea -and closed it immediately. Instead, he stood from the couch and turned to the spot Alfred usually left the whiskey lying. Except the bottle had vanished, courtesy of Hip's presence. Damn it; he really wanted a glass of something right now. Clearing his frustration aside, he gathered the information he knew: Diana was a skilled, deadly fighter. She appeared invulnerable and possessed super strength. She also fought in an armor that could suit a feminine version of a gladiator.
She gave birth to Hippolyte, his son.
He could accept her being different -he would be a first class idiot to consider people like Poison Ivy, Doctor Freeze or even Bane as pure human. But three thousand years old?
Hell no.
"Do you have any proof?" he blurted instead. His eyes met hers, still calm and unrepentant.
"If you are willing to wait a few decades, you will notice I do not age," she replied easily. "My armor is older than I am and was made with components that cannot be found in Man's World. A friend of mine tried, out of curiosity."
An armor would deteriorate with time, he thought. The idea of a foreign substance appealed to the scientist in him.
"May I see it?"
Diana's eyebrow twitched slightly. She suddenly didn't look comfortable anymore. Bruce waited, expecting a reluctant approval or a flat refusal. Instead, she seemed to make up her mind and replied:
"Show me yours, I'll show you mine."
Ah, he thought. It was a matter of mistrust. He couldn't quite blame her; they had only renewed acquaintances two days ago, found out each other's little secret last night, and now he was preying upon her. He didn't doubt she must have encountered people like him before. He certainly believed she hadn't had a child with them.
The last thought made him pause.
"How many children do you have?"
"Hip is the only one," she replied softly. "I consider him a miracle. I didn't believe I could bear children."
He frowned at her in mild disbelief.
"So you'll claim you had only one kid during a one-night-stand through a hundred years? I don't believe you were exactly chaste that whole time?"
Diana glared back in turn.
"Hip is my only child," she repeated coldly. "I cannot prove it, but he is." Her eyes drifted towards the room where the boy was playing with Alfred. He spotted the longing and love in her eyes, along with a hint of sadness. "I prayed my gods to end my loneliness," she added quietly. "They gave me my son, and I will be forever grateful." She turned towards him, raised an eyebrow. "I cannot make you believe me, but I wish you trust that I will only speak the truth."
Bruce grimaced. Once again, she looked truthful. His guts told him she was truthful and in the end, it didn't really matter. Hip was the main subject, not any other kid she might have had on the way. If he wanted to earn her trust a little further, he had to make the leap. Hippolyte was in her care; while he had a lot to lose should she betray him, she had a son to protect. Should he let her secret loose, the wrong people might take an interest in the little boy; and if anything happened to Hippolyte because of him…over his dead body.
Screw it, he thought. He was in for the long haul.
"Follow me."
Diana hesitated briefly before standing in turn. The two walked past the room where Alfred and Hip were building constructions. The butler looked up sharply, narrowed his eyes as he correctly guessed where they were headed.
"Master Wayne?" he called, hiding his uneasiness quite skillfully.
Bruce shook his head, mentioning him not to intervene. This was something he and Diana had to settle. She followed him to the basement, where he stopped before a rather banal wall. There, he turned around to face her.
"I'm doing this because I want you to trust me, and I hope I can trust you in return," he said quietly. "I also want in, in Hippolyte's life. Don't take him away from me. Please."
Diana pressed her lips together, more and more uneasy herself.
"I won't," she conceded instead. "We will work something out."
Bruce understood that would be the best he would get out of her and pressed a spot on the wall. The doors of an elevator suddenly opened –cleverly hidden from view behind a large painting. He led her inside, pressed a button that didn't show on the dashboard –level minus three. And down they went.
Leading Diana in his hideout was a serious leap of faith he hoped she appreciated. Even though he was back to working solo with Alfred as backup, a lot of information he kept down there could threaten the safety of many people. Dick, for one, Barbara, Lucius and Leslie and others that have given him a hand in times of need…had she been an ordinary woman, Bruce would have carefully kept that part of his life well separated from her. But Diana was no ordinary woman –truth be told, he didn't think he had ever met a woman like her.
Perhaps he should have let her and Hippolyte go after all, a dark voice whispered from the back of his mind. He contemplated the idea once again, but knew it would be futile. Hip was his son and he would see him grow –one way or another.
The doors to the underground base opened and the familiar silence and occasional squeaking from the bats welcomed them. She followed him on the platform, eyeing the bundle of high-tech spread around in specific order. Her gaze stopped at the glass case holding Jason's last costume, but thankfully, she didn't question it. Instead, she focused on the large screens, the fitted walls of the cave. She didn't look overly impressed, which somewhat disappointed him.
"So this is where you hide your fancy toys?" She asked. Gadgets were exposed in perfect alignment. Further down, the batmobile was ready to leave for another nocturnal spree. "How do you fit everything underground?"
"Deep pockets and two decades of amelioration and innovation," he replied with a hint of pride. She turned her attention to the training section with the critical eye of a connoisseur. The falling water, the weights, the huge tires and the hammer he hadn't bothered putting away since his last session. That, somehow, seemed to impress her more.
"Pure training and skills," she whispered. "I did wonder if you were…and yet you are only human. This is incredible." She turned to face him, a new glimmer of respect in her eye. "You are incredible."
Bruce felt himself straightening. He might have taken offence at the 'only human' part, but he suspected that coming from her, it was a high praise.
"I am glad you are him," Diana went on softly. "Hippolyte's father is a good man."
And just like that, something quivered inside him. He suddenly wanted to reach out to her, tell her more about himself and make her see him. He didn't confide naturally –even Alfred had to pull his teeth when it came to feelings carefully held to his chest. But Diana…Diana was something else. Her big brown eyes pulled him in, encouraged his need to confide…and he wasn't sure if he liked it. He tightened his fist, forced himself to breathe.
"I showed you mine," he said eventually. "Show me yours?"
Son
The armor was folded in the case in the trunk. Diana lifted it with the care it demanded and set it on the bedding. She had to hide the suitcase transporting it from Hippolyte's view, else the little boy would come running in excitement and deprive them from a much private conversation. Her son had always been in awe of her armor, up to begging her to have one made for him. Every single time, her heart would pinch, knowing her mother would never allow such an honor. That is, should they ever find a way back to Themyscira.
"May I?"
Bruce's expression reflected the same fascination Hippolyte's usually did. When she allowed it, he reached out and caressed the cool metal with an odd sense of respect. Linda –the friend she had allowed to handle the armor, had been awed too. Unlike Bruce, her friend had understood its significance. Diana felt relieved that her one-time lover would show some reverence, even though the importance of her gesture was lost on him for now. She had been right to show him, she thought.
"Do you know what it is made of?" he inquired after a moment of quiet observation. Diana shrugged.
"No. I never asked how the armory was forged."
It was true. Back on Themyscira, the forgers made the armors out of iron and other metals; but this was no ordinary protection. She suspected the corrected answer would be 'forged by Hephaestus', but doubted he would fully understand the meaning. He was skeptical enough of her origins; no need to drag him further down that road.
He took a bracelet, weighed the leather glove in his hands. It had been well-used over the years, but time had no hold on the toughness of the fabric. God-made items did tend to last through time, Diana thought, amused.
"How old is this?" Bruce wondered out loud.
"I do not know," she replied honestly. "Mother never said and I never asked."
He gave her an exasperated stare.
"You don't question much about these things," he pointed out, slightly sarcastic.
Diana rolled her eyes.
"I was taught how to care for it, but I did not make it. I cannot tell you what this metal is called according to Man World's rules, because it is as natural to me as iron is natural to you. Even if I did know, I would most likely not part with that knowledge. It is a trade that belongs to Amazons –and something completely irrelevant to you."
Bruce looked put off for a moment but didn't push further. He caressed the bustier, touched the leather skirt, held the bracelets and weighed the boots. While he examined the armor, she examined him.
She hadn't truly taken the time to properly do so yet, too busy worrying about the chimera and his reaction to Hip. Now that the greatest secrets had been revealed…He had yet to stop surprising her. He was more than what the picture newspaper painted him to be. He had courage and strength she found in little men and used the power he held to help others, mainly his city. Her words had been genuine in the cave. She was glad Hippolyte's father was a man like he.
"You use a rope for combat?"
Diana snapped her attention back at him. Bruce had let aside the armor and glanced back into her suitcase. The lasso of Hestia lay comfortably at the bottom, waiting for its next use.
"I told you it is no mere rope," she reminded him with a hint of annoyance. "The lasso of Hestia compels you to tell the truth."
He gave her the same look that when he had claimed 'bullshit' for her former stories.
"Try it, if you don't believe me," she dared him. As she expected, Bruce Wayne was not one to back out from a challenge. He picked the lasso out of the suitcase and stood up. When the cord glowed, he didn't drop it –much to his credit. Instead, he stared at his with the same fascination he had her armor.
"So this piece of rope will force me to reveal my deepest thoughts?" he said out loud. Diana bit back a huff and crossed her arms. Well, he asked for it:
"What do you think of this situation?" she demanded casually.
Bruce's stare never left the lasso as he started speaking:
"It's utter nonsense," he said back readily. "I can believe in the existence of humans with superpowers or unnatural gifts but I draw the line at three thousand years old demigoddesses. I mean, yes, you beat that creature that looked it escaped straight from some bad science-fi movie and this armor you wear is something I've never encountered before. Hell it suits you well. And you're one of the hottest women I've met and damn if I can't get the pictures of you naked in my bed out of my mind since-"
As if realizing what he had just spouted, Bruce dropped the lasso as if it had just caught on fire, his cheeks flaming red. Diana snorted in bewilderment. The two remained silent for a short time, before he mumbled:
"That is not quite what I wanted to say." He couldn't meet her eyes. "I guess it does works."
'I told you so' was just on her lips. Feeling magnanimous, Diana spared him further humiliation.
"Is there anything else you would want to know?"
She didn't think he would risk more today. If his embarrassment was telling enough, he would not say or do something that might bring him in an even more vulnerable position.
Evidentially, she underestimated him again.
"Would you spare with me?" he blurted.
Diana blinked.
"Spare with you?" she echoed, not quite sure she had heard him well. Bruce nodded in confirmation, a strange determined glint in his eye.
"After Hip is laid down for his afternoon nap. I'd like to…try our abilities against each other."
He wants to see if he can take me down, she thought. He wants to test me. He should realize after the past evening he could not win against her. Or perhaps he had not quite grasped how powerful she was.
"Why?" she inquired. She needed to hear him to say it out loud. Bruce pressed his lips into a thin line. His eyes drifted towards the lasso and back on her. Diana briefly wondered if the lasso had showed him something he hadn't admitted to himself.
"I'm curious," he replied instead, and Diana knew he was lying, or at least, hiding something. An uneasy feeling crept in her chest. Bruce was determined. "We will use the sparring matt in the cave. No need to risk showing off our skills to the world."
They would be hidden from the outside, he would be free to record their performance with her none the wiser. Diana wasn't certain she approved of the idea. The sound of Hippolyte shouting about lunchtime broke her focus. She was briefly brought back to the little boy beyond the doors, and she had to remember the man would not cause her harm on purpose. At least, she hoped so. She didn't want to have to maim that man –or worse, if they had to run and dash.
"Fine," she conceded eventually. She might as well measure the strength of the Batman too.