Bruises
Bruises. I hate them. There is rarely a week that goes by that I don't collect at least a couple of them. I hate them because they remind me that I'm human, an ordinary man living an extraordinary life dressed as a Bat and leaping from rooftop to rooftop by a thin cable.
Maybe I am a little crazy for doing this every night, but who wouldn't be after watching their parents being gunned down in an alley.
I swing my fist and he blocks it, swinging his fist like a massive club that connects with my side. Another bruise…another reminder of the frailty of my life, the fact that one day I'll be a step too slow to do this and I'll finally be dead.
I push the morose thought from my mind as I deliver a series of punches and a roundhouse kick that would've shattered anyone else's jaw. Bane merely staggers a couple of steps backwards, rubbing his still intact jaw with a smirk that is nothing but pure evil.
I know I need to get that hose disconnected before he tries to snap my spine in two again. I can't afford another injury like that or the months of recovery involved in it. When the weather changes, I still get an ache deep in my spine…just another reminder.
I run straight at Bane, dropping and sliding between his legs at the last second. I rapidly come up behind him, yanking the tube free and cutting off the source of his strength. He roars in rage, a violent sound that vibrates deep in my chest as I kick him in the back.
His size shrinks right before my eyes and I smirk at his smaller stature. I stalk straight towards him. He arrogantly attempts to fight back, but it's only a matter of a minute before I have him cuffed face down on the asphalt.
I plant my boot in his back, digging my heel into his spine as I lean down. "Maybe you'll think twice about trying to escape."
He curses at me in Spanish. I grab him by the back of his head and slam it down into the asphalt to silence him. It's already been a long night and I'm anxious to return home. Bane trying to escape from prison got in the way of those plans. I'm still pissed about it. I also have a new bruise to show for it.
I contact Oracle to have the police pick him up as I climb into the Batmobile, speeding off into the night. I grimace as I shift in my seat, my side reminding me of the blow I'd received. It was not only going to bruise but it was going to be sore and tender for a few days.
Great.
My frown begins to lessen as I being to think of the other bruises that I carry. These discolorations that mar my skin aren't nearly as unpleasant. Thoughts of them swim through my brain, keeping me company and occupying me as I finally pull into the Batcave and park on the platform.
Exiting, my hand immediately goes to my side, but I refuse to give it any more attention. I have much better things to preoccupy myself with. I head straight for the changing area, stripping off my uniform before stepping into the shower.
Hot water cascades over me as white clouds of steam billow around me. I place my hands on the shower wall, dipping my head and allowing the hot water to beat against my muscles. I know I should hurry, but the shower feels so good right now. Besides, we'll have more than enough time to fully explore all that has been ignored for the last week.
A week…and yet it feels like an eternity.
I change my mind, quickly shutting off the water and begin drying myself off with the towel. I wrap it around my waist as I shuffle out of the shower to the changing area again. I stop before the sink and mirror, pausing to look at my reflection.
The first thing that I notice is the large bruise already forming on my side courtesy of Bane. It's purple and garish and will likely be there for at least a week if I'm lucky. I sigh to myself knowing it'll probably be closer to two weeks seeing how the bruise extends towards my abdomen.
The next thing that catches my eye is the bruise that sits where my neck and shoulder meet. It's now more bluish-green than purple and definitely a lot less noticeable than it was a week ago when it happened. I lightly run my fingertips over it, a crooked smirk rising to my lips as I recall that particular event.
She always manages to mark me in some sensual way, shape or form, but it's almost always a bruise. Although, I'm pretty positive I have a couple of rows of healing Amazonian scratch marks down my back. They're marks that I proudly wear because they're from her and I love her.
My gaze falls to the equally fading bruises on both my biceps. It was where she was gripping my arms the last time we were together. That was a climax that had definitely rocked both of our worlds and I find myself more than anxious to do it all over again.
If I look closely, I can just barely make out the shape of her hand on my arm, each place her fingers had dug deeply into my flesh. If I close my eyes, I can still hear her crying out my name in that breathless sultry tone that swiftly sends me plummeting over the edge.
I swear that I can still see her beautiful face flushed with passion and her sapphire eyes bright with love, her chest heaving as she pulls me in for a heated kiss that quickly steals what little breath I have in my lungs. It's erotic and amazing and I want her all over again.
The unexpected feeling of fingers dancing up my spine and over my shoulders breaks me free of my reverie, my eyes flying open to find the chink in my otherwise flawless armor. Her chin comes to rest on my shoulder, her raven hair falling around her face and tickling my skin.
"I thought you were going to stand me up," she tells me as she tips her head to plant a warm kiss on my shoulder.
"Bane tried to interfere," I reply.
I shiver despite my absolute refusal, my body betraying me once again. My body always bends to my will except when it comes to her. She kisses along my shoulder before raising her head, her deep blue eyes meeting mine in the mirror as she smiles seductively at me.
Her expression is purely predatory as her arms circle my waist, her fingernails lightly raking over my abdomen only to pause long enough to tease me along the top of the towel wrapped around my waist. I am quickly responding to her and she knows it.
Her eyes are dancing with mischief as her fingers dip below the edge of the towel, and I hold my breath in anticipation only for her to suddenly stop. My eyes open to find her gaze full of hurt, her right hand moving to the bruise on my neck that she had blessed me with a week ago.
"Bruce," she softly utters my name with contrition as she brushes over it with the tips of her fingers.
"Diana, it's nothing…I promise," I attempt to reassure her.
"Yes, it is something," she insists.
"If you're worried about that, you should see my arms," I lightly tease.
I immediately regret my lame attempt at humor the second it leaves my mouth, realizing I have just made things worse. She gasps as her fingers trail over my bicep, creating a trail of fire that courses through me and further turning me on. Tears well in her eyes as she turns away from me, dipping her head.
"I'm so sorry," she says, her voice barely above a whisper.
I quickly turn to her, grabbing hold of her arms and keeping her from walking away from me. "You don't have anything to be sorry about, princess," I adamantly maintain.
"I hurt you…I gave you bruises, Bruce," she exclaims as a tear slips down her cheek. "I never meant to hurt you. I just love you…and…maybe it would be best if we didn't see each other any—"
I immediately silence her with my mouth, pulling her hard against me. The thought of her leaving me terrifies me, but I tamp down on that fear. We've only been together for two weeks and I already can't imagine having to live without her.
Diana kisses me back and I can taste the saltiness of her tears on my tongue. She melts against me as I press her against the wall, lifting and wrapping her legs around my waist. She fully gives herself over to her feelings for me and it creates an amazing heat low in my belly knowing how much she truly loves me. It still makes my head spin that she would want me.
She abruptly breaks the kiss with a gasp as realization seems to hit her. "We can't…I can't…" she chokes out, her chin falling to her chest. "I don't want to hurt you again."
"You didn't hurt me, Diana," I swear to her.
"I left bruises on you," she replies.
"I love the bruises you leave on my body, princess," I huskily respond, my lips and nose nuzzling her ear, pausing to nip and suck on her earlobe. "It's a badge of honor. It reminds me just how passionately you love me…how you chose me and no one else…how I can make the powerful Wonder Woman completely lose control."
"Bruce…" she breathlessly gasps, tilting her head and offering more of herself to me as she loops her arms around my neck.
I kiss along her jaw to her lips that curl slightly at the corners, telling me that I'm getting through to her. "I love the way that you show your love for me," I continue between kisses. "I love that you don't hold anything back…that you show me everything…share every part of yourself with me. I love that I get to see the real you…completely uninhibited and wanting me."
"I…I just don't ever want to hurt you," she softly says and the hurt that laces her words pierce my heart as sure as a sword's blade. "I love you, Bruce. I want to make you happy."
"You could never hurt me, princess," I assure her, caressing her cheek as I gaze deeply into her eyes. "You only make everything in my life so much better."
She smiles at me, her blue eyes bright once more. She kisses me as she pushes the towel from my waist, her hands roaming over my back. She abruptly stops in the midst of her exploration, forcing me to pull back to look at her again.
"What is on your back?" she asks, her forehead creasing with concern.
"Nothing," I adamantly maintain, knowing that I've just lied to the embodiment of truth.
"Bruce," she growls, her eyes narrowing.
"Scratches," I tentatively reveal.
"Bruce…" she groans with embarrassment, tilting her head back against the wall.
I grin wolfishly at her, refusing to let go of her as I tighten my hold on her thighs still wrapped around my waist. I crush my lips against hers as I thrust up into her, already determined to make sure that she adds to the collection of bruises that I already have.
Those are my absolute favorite because I got them from her.