Minna stood by the door as ordered when the warden entered the room before her. She kept her eyes on the ground, thinking about what she had gotten herself into.

She was about to give herself to a stranger. A stranger and a criminal. She didn't know much about him, only that he tried to blow up the city a few years ago and there she was, standing outside his room with her small hands shaking as she waited for the inevitable.

She had always thought her first time would be with her future husband, after a romantic wedding out of a fairytale, assisted by her prince charming's gentle kisses. There was hope in her life back than, the hope of a happy future and love. That was before she was forced to live in the filthy streets of Gotham on her own.

Thinking about the future was no longer an option for her, not when she hardly found something to eat every few days and haven't been in clean clothes in months. She had to think about the moment now, live for the day and the day only. She no longer stood the chance of meeting a prince on a white horse when her hair stiffened from filth and feet had been scared from walking around barefoot. What did her virginity matter mean anymore?

"You know the rules, Bane. Leave the girl alive and you just might get to see her again. If not… you go back to the company of your right hand."

"I never heard of the girl from last week. I did not kill her", a metallic voice murmured from inside the room. Minna didn't dare meet the source of the voice yet, in fear of what she might see. "As well as the girl before that... and the first one."

"Well…" The warden shifted in place. Even in his five-year-long state of obedience, there was something so frightening in the accented voice of the convict before him. "They have decided not to return. But the new girl is right outside."

"Very well then."

As Minna listened to the conversation of the two men come to a close, she was surprised to realize that the man they called Bane held all the power in the conversation. Even when he sounded like he was agreeing to the warden's offer of bringing her inside, his deep voice carried a unique sense of authority to let one know that he was only agreeing because it suited him just fine, not because he was asked to obey.

Minna entered the room upon seeing the warden wave a hand at her. She kept her mind focused on the loaf of bread she would receive the next morning. She would right? Didn't the man just say he didn't kill any of the girls before? She could handle injuries just fine. Well, better than fine if she had some warm bread resting in her belly.

Her stomach gave an audible growl as she walked inside with cautious steps, hiding her shaking hands inside the worn-out pockets of her patched hoodie.

"Great!" The warden exclaimed when she stood before Bane, watching the man's boots. "I'll leave you two to it then."

Minna finally moved her gaze up as the warden closed the door behind him. Her breath caught in her throat as she tried to register the size of the man before her. His height was easily above two meters and he seemingly filled the entire room with his broad shoulders and biceps the size of her head.

He took a slow step towards her, prompting her to take a wary step back, blue eyes were focused on her as he frowned, "What is your name?"

"Minna."

"Minna…" He took another slow step towards her, cautious in his moves to refrain from scaring her.

She was way too young to get in bed with a man like him. She looked barely legal. If he had a normal life, if he was a normal man he could have a daughter the same age as her, maybe even older.

Something tugged at his heart beneath the strong plate of muscle on his chest when he studied her face. She had such a delicate sense of beauty about her. It almost felt like she was ashamed of being beautiful and hid behind the dust and dirt on her skin. She was dressed in an old hoodie filled with holes and patches and that was it. No pants, no socks, no shoes. The hoodie hardly reached her knees, exposing her bruised legs.

Bane cursed his weakness as he reached out and wrapped his large hand around her upper arm, not knowing whether to laugh or cry when his thumb touched his middle finger.

She had to be one of the homeless citizens of the city, she would not be here otherwise. Nothing as beautiful and delicate as her had place next to a creature like himself under normal circumstances.

He knew everything that was wrong with that very moment. She was too young. She had no other choice. She was probably offered resources in exchange of this night of torture she was about to endure. But he was weak. Beneath his towering height and full muscles, he was the weakest man alive and she was so beautiful.

He pulled her close until her chest hit his lower abdomen, she looked up at him, dark brown eyes wide under a thick veil of lashes.

She was shaking like a leaf when he smoothed a hand against the small of her back, leaning in to press a kiss at the top of her head.

"We don't have to do anything you don't want to participate in", he whispered in her hair.

She was glued to the spot with the realization of what she was about to do. Baring herself right there and taking a man like him in her, could she really do it? She didn't feel brave enough.

He didn't seem as awful as the rumors about him suggested. Maybe if she asked nicely he would let her go.

Her stomach gave another growl. She was starving.

"It's okay… Wha-whatever you wanna do", she buried her face in his torso, closing her eyes, praying that he wouldn't hurt her too much, praying that she would leave this room with minimal damage to her body if she did everything he asked.

"I will take you", he whispered. "That's all I want to do. You can decide the rest."