Bruce started to come around a lot more often after Ivy left, and honestly, Selina thought that was strange. Even stranger, he'd always ask about Harley first. In the beginning, Selina's answer to "how is she" would be "she's fine." Catwoman thought for sure his sudden interest in her eccentric roommate would blow his cover, but Harley's mind was elsewhere. She was distracted, antsy, clearly craving the affection she'd lost. She liked when Bruce came over, though. Harley liked Bruce, for some reason. Probably because he sometimes brought her presents. Stuffed animals, mostly, horses and bunnies and puppies…But one day he came with a pot of crimson chrysanthemums.
Harley regarded them apprehensively. "Who are those for?"
Bruce smiled charmingly, his blue eyes sparkling. "I just thought you might like to have a plant around. Breath some life into the place."
"We already have a whole bunch'a plants." Harley pouted.
"I know." Bruce's voice was warm and comforting. "But this one's special."
"Oh, yeah?" The jester arched a blonde eyebrow. "Why's that?"
"Well, according to the clerk at the nursery…" he glanced over at Selina to include her in the conversation. She came to stand by his side. "Chrysanthemums, which is every bit as hard to spell as it sounds, are usually lavender. But these are…"
"Red." Harley melted into a silly grin and grabbed for the flowers.
"Uh uh uh," Bruce wagged his finger and Harley returned to her exaggerated pout. "Flowers have to be taken care of. They need sun and water or else they'll wither and die. You can't just…leave it. A flower is a responsibility."
"Ya, ya, sure thing, Brucie. Now gimme gimme." The jester held her hands out like a child expecting Ice cream at the parlor.
"That was…nice of you." Selina slinked up next to him after Harley skipped away happily, plant in hand. "Not exactly subtle, but still nice."
"As if Harley Quinn has ever appreciated subtlety." Bruce chuckled before his voice turned sincere. "How has it been on you?"
"What? Keeping Harley out of trouble?" Selina asked.
Bruce leaned back against the kitchen counter. "Pamela leaving."
"You're asking how I feel about Poison Ivy no longer freeloading at my house?" Catwoman was incredulous.
A cocky smirk played at Bruce's lips. "I thought you invited her here."
"It's all about context." Selina huffed, pinning him against the counter with her eyes. "If I'm being honest, though, it's been a lot harder to deal with Harley. That was sweet that you brought her the flowers, but I don't know how much longer she'll want to stay here without her. She needs something I just can't give her."
"No?" Bruce raised a mocking eyebrow.
Catwoman rolled her eyes. "No. Believe it or not, female friendships aren't just scantily clad games of truth or dare and lesbian innuendo."
"I feel like I've been lied to." Bruce laughed.
Selina forced away the smirk that was threatening her steely expression and took Bruce by the hand. "Come on." She pulled him away from the counter. "You're getting laid for the flowers, but I'll be calling Alfred to come and pick you up if you say one more stupid thing about my gay roommate and her psychotic girlfriend."
Bruce couldn't help it. "Which is which?"
"That's it!" Selina dropped his hand. "Alfred! Come get your man-child!"
/
Barbara knew what this video meant. What it would mean to the league, to the world…this looked like cruelty, plain and simple. Those living outside Gotham City might not know Poison Ivy's history. Their only impression of her would be what they saw in the arena, in which she came off very sympathetic despite the 18 people she'd murdered. Wonder Woman and Batman's actions in the video would seem like a human rights violation. The latest polls already showed the Justice League's approval rating plummeting to 33%. If this video came to light…
Barbara took her glasses off and rubbed her eyes, feeling her eyelids droop from the strain of crying earlier. Batman had wanted to end The Arena, so much so that he was willing to, and ultimately did, directly disobey the protocol he'd help to establish. He had rigged the games this year. The female villains always polled better than the male ones. They were nearly always more sympathetic to the viewers at home, and the hotter they were the more people tended to root for them. Straight as Barbara was, there was no denying Ivy, Harley and Catwoman's attractiveness. Barbara knew Batman had looked at the data. He'd chosen the best players for his game, but then ultimately committed the mortal sin he'd avoided in his career previously- underestimated Poison Ivy. But Batman was a hero. He'd dedicated his life to the cause of Justice. But with all that had happened since Lois Lane's death, the league Batman helped create was more 'injustice' than 'justice' at this point. Batman believed in second chances. No soul was truly lost. Certainly not Harley, Ivy or Catwoman. Batman understood there was no such thing as black and white, only gray area. As Batgirl, Barbara had understood that as well and now, as Oracle, she was not a member of the Justice League. She still belonged to the Bat-family.
Oracle navigated to her personal Barbara Gordon twitter account and took a deep breath before typing, "I was Batgirl. Not a God, just a girl in a mask. Joker took my legs, he was evil. I killed Poison Ivy, I am evil #Injustice". Using every last drop of courage she possessed, she pressed 'send'. Then quickly, before she lost her edge, she sent the security tape as well with the caption "Justice? I say #Injustice".
It didn't take long for people to notice. It was six seconds before the first retweet. 10 minutes before it was picked up by a news site. Then it was everywhere. '#Injustice' trending nationally first, and then spreading around the world, '#BatgirlUnmasked' not far behind. Barbara knew what she'd done. She'd changed the world forever.
Her phone wasn't just lighting up with tweets, but calls, texts and emails as well. Facebook messages and Instagram DMs…Barbara calmly reached over and took the battery out of her phone, bracing herself for what would inevitably come next.