A/N) Pre-reboot Cass is and always will be my favorite. Also I still ship her with Black Wind. And since they have literally three fics about them on here, one is mine, I am adding to it.
She draws in a sharp breath, swiping at her moth, thumb coming away scarlet.
He hit her.
This... whoever this man was, had actually surpassed her speed and clipped her jaw. That was no small feat. When Oracle sent her in this mission, she wasn't expecting this. Oracle had said it was a regular burglary.
"You fight like wind, Little Bat." The man says, voice young, honeyed and lilting with an accent she can't discern, perhaps northern Asian.
This man was definitely not even a little regular.
She almost misses his next movement, she catches his spinning leg, he uses the momentum and flips backward beautifully then launches himself back at her, his movements have changed. He is no longer aiming to hurt her. They end up in a locked stance, his arms against hers as she blocks and his half masked face is driving her mad as his slanted eyes glitter, dangerous and - something else.
"You don't use words much do you?"
She doesn't.
They push against each other and break away. Sizing the other up, walking around, studying, watching, she waits, her eyes scan him, she takes in the loose movement of his hips, the set of his broad shoulders, the tilt of his head, he seems... curious now.
"Come, I want to see what you can do."
She doesn't give into goading, she never has, and she has four annoying brothers to goad her plenty.
But for some reason this man was... making her angry.
Maybe it was because she can't read him clearly, maybe it was because his body is giving her confusing signals, odd readings... maybe she's just caught off guard which hasn't happened since her father was teaching her how to kill someone with her bare hands.
She shoots forward and misses.
Batman would be disappointed.
He catches her arms and spins her around, holding her flush against his chest and she realizes she's stuck.
Not fully.
She can escape, of course, but... she feels a different kind of trapped. Her body isn't listening to her. And it's always listened to her. This is shocking her, her limbs go numb and everywhere her body touches his is hot, and electric as he looks down into her white lenses.
"You move beautifully." He breathes and she can feel it subtly against her through her mask as his onyx eyes search for hers, he suddenly tenses and she feels frustration. "Can I see the face of my adversary?" His finger touches the edge of her face mask.
She shakes her head. Her mind feels empty and wild at the same time. She's desperate and she doesn't know what for. No man has ever made her feel this confounded... or powerless.
"Very well." And he releases her slowly, his grasp turns light, caressing, and moves slowly up her arms as she slides downwards, feet touching asphalt, his hands continue to move and she feels no malice, can predict no lethal movement, then his hands slide up the arch of her neck she freezes when they cup it and tilts her head up towards his.
"You cannot stop me, Little Bat. But I find... I wouldn't mind it if we battle again." His eyes crinkle, smiling under his bandana mask before he lets her go and walks away, disappearing into the night.
Cassandra can't break out of the spell he's put her in until he's gone completely.
Then she realizes how cold he's left her and she's suddenly terrified with emotions that she's never felt before.
When she reaches the watch tower, Stephanie and Barbara are inside, having called it a night, they were watching some old black and white movie, laughing together.
Stephanie smiles at her first, warm, cheeks bulging with popcorn, her yellow hair tossed up in a messy bun, "heya Cass, good catch?" She asks cheerfully, fully expecting the answer to be yes like usual.
Cass winces internally and moves away without answering which is probably more suspicious than lying badly... of course Barbara caught this and looks at her through her glasses.
"Cassandra?" The tone is firm and asking at the same time, "everything okay?"
Lie. "Yes."
Stephanie stops chewing and Cassandra can feel the two women giving each other a look. The kind that is worried and suspicious.
"You sure? You seem a little... worried." Stephanie says kindly.
Not worried. Confused.
Cassandra looks at them as she continues to peel off her suit. Steph is dating Tim and Barbara is engaged to Dick. This, she was told, makes them sisters, almost, to her. Maybe she should tell them, then they could explain what went wrong for her.
She shakes her head and goes to take a shower. She just needs to scrub her skin of those touches he's left, scrub away the odd tingle long he left behind.
That's all. Next time she won't be distracted; she will be ready.
"Hmm, she'll talk when she's ready." Cass hears Barbara say quietly to Steph.
She hopes she doesn't have anything to talk about later.
Cassandra ends up joining the movie night in her sweats and black tank top, firmly squished between Steph and Barbara with the bowl of popcorn in the nest her crossed legs make on the seat.
"Ooh ohh this is my favorite part! When Jeremy kisses Lisa, oh sigh." Stephanie sighs dramatically and falls over Cassandra's shoulder.
Cass stops chewing and her eyes widen at the black and white scene on the screen. Her face goes numb as she lifts her hand slowly to her mouth.
The hero on the screen is holding the heroin closely, staring into her eyes as his hand slide slowly up her arching neck, her eyes flutter and Cassandra swallows dumbly as the hero leans downwards slowly, their noses brush softly and the hero's hand comes up, thumb pressing sensually under the heroines chin and their lips meet in a soft aching way and Cass doesn't realize her mouth is hanging open in stunned fascination as she watches their lips slide against each other and their bodies melding together almost as if they want to connect into one body and -
The spell is broken when Steph squeals and starts fanning herself dramatically, "phew! What I wouldn't give for a kiss that steamy! Don't tell Tim I said that." She says playfully, gripping Cass's arm and shaking her.
Cass nods and smiles emptily as Barbara shushes Stephanie for the movie to continue.
Cass touches her lips as the girl's chatter around, stomach swooping as she feels tingling in her chest. And she has a sudden feeling that maybe she wants to be kissed like that too.
"On your right!" Red Robin snaps abruptly, dodging his own adversary.
Black Bat nearly misses her shot but these thugs are low class, and she had let herself wander somewhere else. Mistake. She never makes mistakes.
Red Robin makes it a point to voice this to her on the way to his apartment after they tied up their patrol.
"Your head isn't in it Cass. Something you want to talk about?"
She resists an eye roll. Tim is the prince of not talking about things that were bothering him. Bruce is the king. Neither would accept this title.
Tim accepts her silence and didn't push as he peels off his mask and looks into a mirror, he has dark circles under his eyes as he pokes at an old bruise on his cheek and hisses.
"Man, I had a meeting tomorrow. Guess I have to use that concealer Steph got me." He says only mildly amused.
Cassandra nods and stands there silently, her own mask in her hand.
Tim hums and she feels him looking at her through the mirror.
"Alright Cass. You're being way too quiet, even for you. What's bugging you?" He turns to actually look at her.
She sighs a little and sits down, her mind whirling. It's bothering her tremendously. Ever since she met that strange thief a week ago she hasn't been at the top of her skills. And her mind will not quiet down. She feels uncomfortable and constantly distracted and she can't even name what's making her so irritated.
Maybe it would help if she talked to someone. She trusts Tim almost as much as Bruce, and she doesn't have to worry about him telling anyone anything she doesn't want him to.
"Tim?"
"Yeah?" His smile is subtle as he uncaps a bottle of water and takes a sip.
"Um - what's it like to... kiss?"
Tim spits out the water and promptly begins hacking hard and smacking his chest dramatically.
Cassandra stares at his reddening face, eyes wide, her expression nonplussed.
"Wh - what? Why are you asking that? Me?" He sputters, voice pitching higher.
"I'm just..." she mulls for the word he would use, "curious. Steph was saying-"
"Whoa, whoa, hold up there. Steph? Look Cass – um - I'm sorry but... maybe... I don't think I'm the best to ask about this subject." His body language screams discomfort and escape.
"I thought you knew everything."
"Not about this stuff!" He is definitely looking to escape.
Cassandra sighs, defeated, "sorry." Then she thinks for a moment, "Should I ask Dick?"
Tim gawks at her, "definitely not. Try Babs, heck even Steph is a better idea."
"Why not Bruce then?"
"Cass - listen... there are just some things men, Brothers and Dads specifically, do not want to talk about with their sister slash daughter okay."
"But you all have kissed someone and -"
"Gaaaah! Oh-Kay! That's enough of that, I'm going to hit the showers and you - um - don't be mad at me please. But you should talk to Babs."
And he nearly dives for his bathroom.
Cassandra lets out a sigh and flips onto his couch. She shouldn't have said anything.
When she catches sight of the moving shadow, she knows, in her very bones, that it was that man.
And she doesn't understand the thrill that goes through her for a bare moment.
She'd spent the week watching romance movies in secret so she managed to gain some sort of idea of attraction between men and women... but still.
She never felt it. She wasn't sure if she was feeling it. The people in the movies looked... longing, passionate... desperate. Emotions that assaulted her brain more than registered in it. She learned to read fear, lies, rage, weakness.
Not love or lust or whatever those feelings were.
She doesn't think those are feelings she's experiencing but... what if they were?
"Ah, we meet again, Little Bat." The man says from his place in the shadows.
Her spine straightens and she feels the surprised shock go through her at his voice. She forgot how it sounded, like velvet wrapping around her heart and silk brushing her skin... she swallows her rising fear.
Bruce would be so angry at her inaction with this criminal.
This is getting so bad that she barely remembers that she still doesn't know what this man's objective actually is.
"Feel like talking tonight?"
She shakes her head.
He clicks his tongue softly, "shame, I rather wish you would."
She crouches and launches herself into the fight.
He blocks her on coming arm smoothly and Cassandra rages at herself when he uses her weight and spins her around, crossing her arms around herself with his wrapped firmly over them, her entire back pressed to his front as he leans his face to her ear, his breath warm and she can almost feel it rushing down her spine.
"Such a delicate looking sword."
She was always described as a weapon but no one has ever called her... delicate.
"We could be friends." He whispers and Cassandra wrenches against him, his grip loosens and she slides down and out of it, rolling to her feet away from him. She's had enough. Her heart is thumping in her throat and her blood is rushing up her neck and into her ears.
She needs to stop this.
She charges for him and he takes and gives almost as perfectly as she does.
Mostly he seems to be trying to grab her.
Cassandra doesn't let him come close enough. She needs to focus; he can't distract her anymore. She needs to stop him from . . . whatever it is he's trying to do at Gotham city hall?
What is this?
"Stop!"
He actually does.
"Black Bat – come in Black Bat, are you okay?" Oracle's voice crackles over the intercom.
Cassandra feels like she's been caught doing something wrong,
"Shall we continue?" The man says calmly, unaware of the voice in her ear.
"Black Bat do you need back-"
Cass's heart flips and she taps her ear, "fine, no, I'm fine." She says haltingly, her eyes not moving from the man in front of her. He's cocking his head now and his body is purposely relaxed as he stands back a bit.
"Voices in your head?" He says, voice amused.
She shakes it and stands up firmly. She needs to speak. She needs to – just – she can't.
"What – what do you want?" She says, tone more upset than she wants it to be.
"Me? Justice is what I want. You understand that don't you?" Isn't that what you and your – Batman? do here?" He sounds so casual and unassuming – it's lethal.
"This is not the same – you – want to . . . take something that isn't yours."
He cocks his head and a short laugh comes out from his masked mouth, "Oh? Are we sure about that little Bat?"
He . . . was trying to steal something wasn't he?
She doesn't actually know and she's not sure Barbara does either.
"What do you want?" She asks again.
He takes a slow step towards her and Cassandra freezes when he raises a hand slowly and traces a finger down the side of her masked face, "Justice, freedom, and at the moment?" He leans closer and she can see herself in his eyes, "you."
Her brain shorts and Cassandra does something that she's never done in her life. She moves back – then runs away.
"Cassandra?"
Cass startles and makes a dive for her laptop, slamming it closed to guiltily as Steph looks at her oddly, her brows furrowed in questioning.
"Are you – okay?"
"Yes. Fine-"
Steph hums and closes the bedroom door before launching herself into Cassandra's bed, "What are you hiding? Hmm – lemme see?"
"O-okay." Cassandra sighs and doesn't feel like hiding anything form her best friend.
Stephanie giggles and tosses her blonde hair over her shoulder as she cozies up next to her and open up the laptop, "let's see what's got you so jumpy with – oh."
Cass shrinks into herself as Stephanie watches with obvious glee on her face at the movie on the screen.
"Wow – I didn't know you liked the oldies so much?"
"I – liked it." Cass says slowly and hopes Steph doesn't notice anything amiss.
"Right! A lot of people sleep on the old stories, but the romance is gold and the kiss scenes are-"
"No!" Cass stands abruptly and Stephanie stares.
"Cass – are you . . . okay?"
"Yes – I think – I mean-" She isn't good with words; she's never been good with words. She should just – tell the truth . . . maybe Stephanie could help her? Figure out what's wrong with her. . . her eyes water and Stephanie sits up, face pulled into a horrified look then compassion morphs it.
"Cass, tell me what's wrong. Something is bothering you, me and Babs can tell – you can talk to us – to me." Stephanie looks at her openly and Cassandra can't hold back her fear anymore. She needs help to understand, Steph is here and she wants Cass to open up, so she does.
"Oh. My. God." Stephanie lets out a whoop, her hair streaming down from the side of the bed, her bare feet crossed at the ankles and resting up against the wall, "You are horny! And what's even more epic, for a criminal!" She squeals in glee that Cass cannot understand.
"I don't understand."
"Look – "Steph flips over and grabs Cass by the arms, "I get this feeling – I used to get it when I was first starting off as spoiler and Tim would chase me around telling me to cut it out."
"Okay?"
"And Bruce and Selina? Don't even get me started, I'm sure Dick and Bab's had the same issue when they didn't know each other first."
"What is it?" Cass feels frustration now.
"The mystery, the sexual tension, I'm convinced it's because of the masks." Stephanie says excitedly, "We all lived our love stories, now it's your turn!"
"Love – what? Stephanie, Stephanie I don't under-"
Steph grabs her and looks her in the eyes, "Kiss him."
"What?"
The blonde girl nods her head ecstatically, "Yes, kiss him, you want to – that's what the problem is, you want to kiss him. You're curious, you should just find out and get it over with."
Cassandra nods slowly, "and this will help this feeling stop?"
"Um – probably?"
Cassandra lets out and annoyed groan and falls face first into her pillows.
Stephanie sighs and lay s down next to her, "you're first crush I can't wait to see how this pans out. Bruce is gonna be so pissed."
Cass did not want to hear that.
"Come to attempt to stop me again?"
Cass stands a good few feet away from this man, she's tired and unsure and if he comes any closer he will touch her and she doesn't want him – to –
"No. I came to – ask-" She doesn't know what she's asking.
"Yes?" He steps closer.
She steps back, the electric pull strengthening.
"If you – feel-" She feels her cheeks turning red under her mask.
"Feel?" Another step.
Cass doesn't move, "something-" She motions between them, as if they can see the current she can feel.
"Something like-"He's in front of her, towering a full two heads over her, his powerful chest in front of her, blocking out the moon behind him, "Like this?" He raises a finger and drags it up her arm and her shoulder then the side of her neck, it hitches at the seam of her mask and when she doesn't make a move to stop him he slides it upwards, up and up and up until her chin and lips and nose are exposed.
Her breath comes out shallow when he lowers his own mask and he smiles, a charming hole in the side of his cheek and he is – stunning. She suddenly wishes he kept his mask on because whatever barrier was holding her back before . . . it's gone now as her breath stutters when he hooks a finger under her chin and draws closer, his nose brushing hers.
"You are beautiful." He whispers like it's a secret.
She doesn't have time to answer before his lips brush hers and the shock that happens goes straight to her heart and turns to liquid heat before it pools in her belly and drips down into her bones and joints and her knees wobble, he smiles against her lips, soft and fresh, and wraps an arm around her waist, pulling her flush against him, her arms automatically going up and gripping his shoulder as he tilts his head and the kiss deepens.
Suddenly she's flying, her body is floating and reacting in ways she's never experienced and – she doesn't want it to stop.
Sirens blare close by and he pulls away slowly, lips separating softly, he smiles, eyes half lidded, "I think that answers some questions." His voice is different, lower, scratchy and just as honeyed but this voice reaches into her and pulls at something in her core, she almost presses her lips back to his but he pulls back.
"It also might have raised a few more, eh, little Bat?" He says softly and pulls her mask back down before letting her go and backing towards the edge of the roof, "Until next time. Oh and - you can call me Black Wind – for now." And he salutes before he back flips fluently over the edge and disappears into the dark. Again.
"Black Bat?" Stephanie's voice comes up behind her and Cass turns, immensely glad her mask covers her face completely, "what – are you okay?"
Cass nods firmly, her insides liquid as she fakes bravado, "I am." Better than okay she realizes except –
"Great, let's get in one more lap for patrol and then head home for a movie?"
"Sounds good to me." Oracle crackles over their coms.
Cass nods and Steph smiles, throwing an arm around Cassandra's shoulder. Cassandra lets herself be dragged away, but she feels the eyes on her, she glances over her shoulder and she sees him – a smile most definitely on his face – before he turns and disappears.
Cass smiles to herself, she knows this won't be the last time she sees him.
And she finds – she doesn't mind that so much after all.
Thoughts are appreciated. Also I'm probably going to give this only one shot - unless inspiration strikes.