Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and plot stories. Hope you enjoy this latest chapter.
A Few Days More
Walking into the quiet, barren room, Bane could only hope he was ready for whatever bomb Talia intended to drop on him tonight. This meeting couldn't be a good thing, he could feel it in his bones. And the fact that he had come to dread even the sound of his Talia's voice, that he had come to fear hearing from her, much less seeing her in the flesh, told Bane more about how his priorities had changed since meeting his Robin than any decision he'd made since he'd arrived in Gotham City. Always his world had revolved around Talia, believing absolutely that her way was the only way, her happiness his happiness. But harming Blake could never bring him happiness, and that was what Talia wished and Bane knew that without question. She would not allow his loyalties to be split, and having never imagined that anyone could mean as much to him that had never been a problem. And yet now here he was, stuck in the middle, and worst of all...in his gut Bane knew which side called to him the strongest and it wasn't Talia's.
She stood at the uncovered window, the light from a single lamp set on a nearby table illuminating the room and her just enough for her form to be visible. The image she projected, bathed in the shadows of both light and dark, brought to Bane's mind the idea of film noires and femme fatales, hidden motives and the knowledge that trusting what you thought you knew and saw was often a foolish, foolish thing.
"Talia."
"Bane." Dragging a finger over the condensation on the window, Talia kept her back to him as she mused out loud. "I wasn't sure you'd be able to come, you've been so busy this week. I know Barsad's been taking on many of your duties so that all bases remain covered in the city."
He'd come up with a variety of lies and half truths to explain himself, knowing that she'd call his recent actions into question when she became aware of them, but in the end he'd decided to stay as close to the truth as he could. "I wish to keep my pet, and I am trying to make him stronger, and more willing to accept the truth of what is to come and the necessity of it. Barsad, as you said, has insured that nothing is being overlooked."
"You believe the cop who wears Bruce Wayne's symbol in his very skin can be converted so easily? Really, Bane, you've never been an optimist." Slowly turning around Talia finally looked in his direction, though the shadows continued to mask parts of her face. "Do you think, if he had to choose between the two of you he'd picked you? Protect and die for you? As I would? You are neither a fool nor an optimist, and yet..."
"Is this why you called me here, to discuss Detective Blake again?" Bane did his best to hide any trace of emotion or thought related to her words in his own voice. "He does no harm to you, and as my pet he is mine to do with as I please."
A chilling moment of silence, and then Talia was strolling towards him.
"No, that's not why I asked you here." When she was standing right in front of him Talia stopped, and now her words were as cold as ice. "He got out."
Bane's thoughts immediately went to Blake, the idea of his bird leaving him, especially before he'd had the chance to say goodbye, had Bane panicking for a moment before logic kicked in, cluing him into the fact that Talia would be quite happy if Blake left him. "Gordon?"
"No. Wayne. He got out."
Eyes widening, Bane asked when and how. He wouldn't insult her by asking if she was sure. Not about this.
"Two days ago. He climbed out."
"No rope?"
"No rope."
"He's found himself." A shiver of anticipation running up his spine, Bane could feel his blood heating up at the idea that he might yet get to meet the warrior Ra's al Ghul had once thought so highly of that the man had considered him worthy or Talia. The Bruce Wayne he'd faced in the sewers had been weak, especially in mind, fighting for what he thought was right but without the fire and will to do more than irritate Bane on the 'battlefield'. But to not only heal from the damage he'd done to the man's spine, but train in both mind and body in the time he'd been there, to the extent that Wayne had done what only Talia had been able to do at this point...that spoke of a man worthy of his notice and respect. It had been so long since he'd encountered another who could challenge him, and with his effortless defeat of Wayne before he'd thought...
What would Blake think of this?
"He'll come here. To Gotham."
Nodding in agreement Bane didn't doubt that that was so. "Do you wish that to be made easier for him?" The original plan had been to level the city, destroy it completely and make Wayne live out what was left of his life in the hell that was The Pit, the images of Gotham's demise seared into his brain and heart. Destroying him from the inside out with the knowledge that he had failed on every level, saving no one and standing for nothing. But now that plan would have to change, Wayne would not be easy to track now that he was in the wind. They'd considered him so broken and beaten that they hadn't bothered to insert a tracker, a mistake, in hindsight.
"No. If he gets in it will be because he finds something you missed or didn't think of. He has to earn the right to die here."
"Then he won't get in."
"You said he wouldn't get out of The Pit, remember?"
Rather than argue Bane asked if there was something she did want him to do.
"Yes. You will get rid of your pet." Talia was in his face before he could comment, her heels giving her the height to look him dead in the eye, their breath mingling. "He has thirty six hours, at the end of that he's dead or back with his fellow rats scrambling around this city, trying to survive a little longer before we blow him and his kind to hell. You will put all you have into making sure Gotham remains in our hands and that Wayne does nothing to jeopardize that. What and who euthanize your pet is up to you, but it's not leaving the city alive, understand?"
She'd see his bird dead, Bane knew absolutely as he stared into eyes that lacked any trace of humanity or light. Nothing he could do or say would sway her.
"I understand."
)
Blake came awake with a very loud yelp and much creative cursing as he flailed around in an attempt to free himself of his icy predicament, failing epically due to the fact that the human block of ice spooning him from behind had his cold arms wrapped around his waist, holding him in place. That didn't stop him from shouting though, especially since the manner of his awakening had woken his brain up enough that he put two and two together pretty damn quick.
"DAMMIT, BANE! WHAT THE FUCK?! DID YOU GO SWIMMING UNDER THE FUCKING ICE TO PROVE YOUR MORE BADASS THAN EVERYONE ELSE? JESUS, FUCKING CHRIST, LET ME GO! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME TOO FROM SHOCK?!"
"No on both counts. I'll warm up soon enough, go back to sleep."
In some part of Blake's brain he recognized that there was something really wrong in Bane's voice, mechanized or not, but he was too busy dealing with what he was sure was impending frostbite to give that much thought. "I'll be dead by then! Let me get more fucking blankets at least!"
A long pause. "Then you'll come back?"
"YES!"
The arm was retracted and lunging away Blake didn't even care when he stumbled off the bed and crashed onto the floor. The floor was warmer than Bane. But he also knew that Bane would drag him back into bed if he didn't return ASAP, so Blake got to his feet and then very sulkily went over to the walk-in closet where he'd stashed a bunch of blankets in case the electricity went out at some point. Choosing the thickest of the bunch Blake carried them back over to the bed and spread them out, wishing that he could wrap himself up in one of them but unable to do so since he knew Bane would get warmer faster via body heat.
Even if the bastard did deserve minor frostbite for crawling into bed with him like that.
"Robin."
Sensing the warning as opposed to hearing it, what the hell was up with Bane's voice, anyway, Blake shook his head, gritted his teeth, and rejoined Bane under the covers, allowing himself to be yanked back up against Bane's very cold, T-shirt covered chest.
"You owe me big time for this." He was aiming for a growl, but it was hard to pull off at the moment.
"Go back to sleep. We will talk in the morning."
"Now you're assuming I'm going to talk to you after this." Blake resorted. "And how did you get this fucking cold anyway?"
"I went for a walk."
"A walk. God. I really am surrounded by morons. The biggest moron in Gotham is trying to turn me into a human icicle." Calling Bane more names under his breath, the teeth chattering he was doing probably made his words incomprehensible anyway, Blake forced himself to take Bane's hand from its place on his hip and slid it up a little and under his thick hoodie, splaying the fingers over his formerly warm stomach.
The volume of cursing rose in response to that chilly hand quite a bit.
But when Bane tried to move it Blake just moved it back into place and then started rubbing his hand over the top of Bane's much longer one while telling Bane not to be stupider than he already was. Going walking this late at night, when the temperature had dropped this much, was he insane? More than his usual terrorist insanity, Blake clarified, because really Bane couldn't afford to lose any more of his grip on his sanity. Being sane was important, especially since his own life depended on Bane's mental well being. And for that matter mercenaries needed hands to fire guns, remember? Not to mention he'd pay serious money to see Bane try and throw a grenade without hands. So taking care of his hands should have been top priority.
And when Bane had nothing to say to any of Blake's ramblings Blake outright asked him, again, what he'd been thinking.
"That is not open to discussion. The sooner you accept this the sooner you will be told tomorrow. Am I truly too cold for you?" Bane tacked on the last part after a pause, again moving a little away Blake's warm body with great reluctance.
"Duh. But I'm looking at it as more under the ice training since you're no good to me dead or with pneumonia or just plain sick." Really, he didn't even want to imagine just how hellish nursing Bane back to health would be, especially given how annoying regular men were when they were sick. Because unlike those guys Bane had access to way too many weapons, and if the idiot got cranky or feverish...
Paling a little at the very thought of that horror being visited upon him, Blake flipped around so that he was facing Bane instead, moving in close so that he could shove his own hands under the thin shirt Bane was wearing to start rubbing warmth into the stupid man's skin, all the while asking again why he'd gone out walking so late.
"I needed to think."
"Right...because freezing your brain is a great idea. This explains so many of your terrorist decisions."
The words were barely out of Blake's mouth before he found himself on his back with Bane's weight pressing him into the mattress, stealing the air from his lungs and pinning him in place just that easily. He could smell winter on Bane's skin and the clothes the idiot hadn't even bothered to change, and Blake was pretty sure Bane had only taken off his coat, whatever body armor and weapons he'd had on his person, and his boots before climbing in beside him.
Poking Bane's side Blake told him to get the hell off him.
"Angering me now, Little Bird, would not be in your best interests."
"One, lose the nickname, two, when is it EVER in my best interests to piss you off?" Please, like that had ever stopped him.
Rather than answer Bane did something so unexpected, Blake froze even as his insides melted into goo. The man lowered his head and nuzzled his face against his neck, which wasn't a pleasant sensation thanks to the mask, but the action itself...
"Bane...seriously, what's wrong?"
Rolling them back to their original position Bane's voice was weary, with an underlying plea to it. "We will talk in the morning. Sleep now."
Making a sound of disgust, it was the only answer he could give without revealing his own worries, Blake nodded and went quiet, allowing Bane to hold him as they both tried and failed to drift off for a long time before exhaustion got them both.
)
Waking up the next morning Blake wasn't pleased to see that Bane wasn't around, especially since the idiot had promised him an explanation for the night before. So with that in mind he showered and dressed quickly, heading downstairs with a look in his eyes that promised untold troubles if Bane had left their gaudy home without talking to him first. Of course Bane was horribly twisted too, so maybe the bastard was just lying in wait, planning to drag him into the gym for more training exercises or fight simulations that would finally make him cry like a little girl.
That thought had him stopping dead in his tracks, Blake's eyes shifting left and then right suspiciously.
Mercenaries did like their ambushes after all.
But he was standing nearly at the front door of the monstrosity passing itself off as a house at the moment, so it wasn't like he wouldn't see someone coming if Bane was in the vicinity. The man wasn't someone you could easily miss even with the gaudy decorating style of front hallway with its lion head doorknobs and creepy gargoyle molding. Barsad had said something about it being an example of a style called...it rhymed with cocoa. Rococo? Or something like that, anyway.
To distract himself further, as well as still being half awake thank to his late night interruption, Blake spoke in a low voice as he looked around again as a joke, like Bane really was lying in wait for him. "Hello? Hello...is someone there? I don't mean to intrude, but I'm looking for the biggest idiot in Gotham."
"That's funny, I'm sure that someone is you."
Jumping into the air at the unexpected response and the large breath Barsad had blown against his neck just to freak him out more, Blake whirled around with a fire in his eyes that quickly died, the look in the other man's eyes stopping him. Because where there should be amusement and there wasn't...so something was wrong. Just as there'd been something wrong with Bane before.
"What's going on?"
"I thought you'd be the one, the one to break the spell. I don't like being wrong."
"Okay...did you go with Bane for his walk last night and put your brain on ice too? A spell, really? WTF?"
"Your breakfast and Bane are waiting for you in the library. He sent me to come and get you."
"That's not an answer."
"That's all you're going get."
"I don't deserve you. Seriously, Assehole." Giving him a dark look Blake didn't bother to try and get more information out of the jerk, there was never a point in doing so when it came to Barsad. Especially when the topic of conversation was Bane or the man's orders in relation to him. So instead Blake simply shook his head over both Bane and Barsad's clandestine behaviour, and then headed off in the direction of the library to hopefully get some answers in regards to what the hell was going on.
Watching him go Barsad mentally recalled the conversation he'd had less than an hour before with Bane, when he'd tried to reason with the man and get him to fight to keep Blake with him. To at least hold on to him until the very end instead of just dumping him back onto the streets where he could easily end up dead or wishing that he was before the bomb ever went off. What if he got dragged before Crane, or had another run in with the Timber Wolves? Hell, what if his former comrades in arms refused to welcome him back because really, who was going to believe that they'd decided to just turn the detective loose, especially when Blake had proven before that he could be a real pain in the ass when he wanted to be.
Bane was sure that Gordon would welcome Blake back, and Barsad didn't doubt that either, but still, with them was the safest place Blake could be right now.
"He's not safe with us either." Bane had replied. "And my decision is final."
He'd asked Bane why...and had gotten the answer he'd been hoping to hear for a while, but in this context meant that that answer wouldn't save Bane.
Bane's answer...because he loved him.