Chapter 3! thankyou for making it here, i hope it means you're enjoying it thus far!

"Why is it still always me you have to take to these events, they are insufferable, and I could be doing more good on patrol," Dick moaned in the car back to Wayne manor, "you have other children to choose from."

"One day you will inherit Wayne enterprise, and it is important to me that you get an understanding of how that side of things works," Bruce replied plainly, unmoved by Dick's frustration.

"I think i have enough experience, surely Tim deserves a slice, or Damian even, i know he is only eleven but still the choice remains," Dick continued.

Bruce sighed, his gaze fixed on the road ahead as he navigated the sleek car through Gotham's bustling streets. "Tim and Damian will have their time, Dick. But for now, I need you by my side."

Dick crossed his arms over his chest, his expression a mix of irritation and resignation. "Yeah, well, I'd rather be out there, making a real difference."

"You make a difference in many ways, Dick," Bruce said, his tone gentle but firm. "Wayne Enterprises plays a crucial role in shaping the future of Gotham. Understanding its operations is just as important as fighting crime on the streets."

Dick leaned back in his seat, grumbling under his breath. "I just don't see why it has to be me all the time, i'm already stretched pretty thing with the team"

"Because I trust you, Dick," Bruce said, his voice softening. "You have the intelligence, the intuition, and the heart to handle the responsibility. You may not see it now, but one day, you'll understand."

Dick fell silent, his frustration momentarily quelled by Bruce's words. As the car glided through the city, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Bruce's insistence on his presence at these events than just grooming him for Wayne Enterprises. But for now, he resigned himself to his fate, knowing that his mentor had his best interests at heart.

As they neared the manor, Bruce brough up the last name Dick wanted to hear, "Faber Loralle is definitely a torch for the future, a brilliant mind."

Dick cut Bruce a side-glance, "she is half your age, besides i thought your bachelor days were over."

"I didn't mean to give off that impression, I was simply stating a fact. It is an anomaly as to your rivalry."

"We don't like each other. It's a mutual feeling."

"I see," Bruce replied as he parked the car. "Take the night off, I am going on patrol with Tim."

Dick simply nodded in thanks. He knew Bruce had his reasons for everything, even if they weren't always apparent. Deciding to push aside his concerns for now, Dick headed into the manor, eager to finally have some time to himself. Yet, even as he settled into the comfort of his room, his mind kept drifting back to his frustrating encounter with Faber and the enigma of Bruce's intentions.

So Dick decided to do something he had meant to do in a long time. He did a deep, extensive background check on the heiress to Loralle & Co.

Much to his dismay, he discovered nothing that he didn't already know. While at boarding school in upstate New York, Faber's parents were murdered while leaving their main research facility just outside of Gotham. The motive for their deaths was inconclusive, the police suspected a robbery. Anyway, with Faber's Grandfather also dead, she was to inherit the company. Dick was not heartless, he did sympathise for Faber. If it weren't for the fact she hated him from the minute she laid eyes on him, he could have imagined them being civil with each other. He couldn't imagine friendship, no, the thought alone made me uneasy. She was Viper, who did not show any remorse for her attitude

Then he reflected on another enigma in his life : Belladonna. He decided to pull up all her previous thefts onto his laptop. The commonality was that each heist was from the fraction of Gotham's rich who did not have a compassionate bone in their body. If anything, they got what was coming to them Grayson thought. And that's when he decided it : he was gonna have a lil conversation with Belladonna the next time he saw her.

When Faber returned to her flat, her roommate Harriet was still awake. Harriet and Faber were roommates during their first year, and had been bestfriends since. Harriet was majoring in psychology, and is currently one of the top psychiatrists in Gotham.

"How was it," Harriet sleepily asked.

"If I told you it would put you back to sleep," Faber said, "but also feels good to be putting money to good use. I'm gonna take a shower."

As she stood in the shower, Faber revelled in the memory of outsmarting nightwing as Belladonna. Harriet knew of Faber's antics, and was often concerned for her, but she had nothing to fear. She was no damsel in distress, no fragile flower in need of protection. She was Belladonna, the deadliest of flowers.

Faber was regarded enough as a criminal in the villain community that they weren't concerned by her, and she wasn't seen as too much of a threat to the heroes of Gotham. One thing was true, Nightwing was her favourite hero she liked to be caught by. She often imagined what would happen if he spotted her before committing any crime. Alone, just them. Would he arrest her, or would he have other more enjoyable things in mind? The thought definitely crossed her mind more than one, the sexually tension was undeniable. Faber made the shower ice cold at that thought. She needed to sleep, but soon, she might very well test her theory. And who knew? Perhaps she would find herself caught in a different kind of embrace—one fueled not by conflict, but by desire.

December 18th

A week drifted by in a blur of intense focus and tireless experimentation as usual.. Faber had immersed herself fully in her lab, pushing the boundaries of her research to their limits. Every moment was consumed by the pursuit of a breakthrough, a discovery that could redefine everything she thought she knew.

As the clock struck 9 p.m., Faber's efforts finally bore fruit. A revelation shimmered into existence before her eyes, illuminating the darkness of her lab with its brilliance. She stood frozen in awe for a fleeting second, the weight of her discovery settling upon her like a heavy cloak. This was no ordinary breakthrough—it was a seismic shift, a game-changer in every sense of the word.

With trembling hands, Faber locked the doors of her lab behind her, the gravity of her revelation pressing down upon her with each step. In the depths of her mind, a single thought pulsed with undeniable urgency: she had to get out, to escape the confines of her lab and embrace the freedom that awaited her outside.

Faber was no ordinary human. Through unforeseen circumstances, she was gifted with enhanced abilities—keen senses, immunity, and formidable strength—she effortlessly scaled Gotham's buildings. Standing atop Gotham Central Bank, she embodied Belladonna, but she was not here for a heist. Still, she knew once her presence was detected by a bank, nightwing would come running. And so he did.

"Are you taking your time on purpose to rob this bank, or are you expecting someone," his voice was low, with a deep rasp that sent shivers through her.

Faber giggled as she slowly twirled around, "Oh dear, it appears I've been caught."

Dick's eyes narrowed, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips as he stepped closer, his gaze locked on her. "Caught, indeed. But the question remains: what does Belladonna, the notorious thief, want with Gotham Central Bank?"

Faber met his gaze, her own eyes sparkling with mischief. "Perhaps I'm here to make a withdrawal. Or maybe," she paused, taking a step closer to him, "I'm just here for a little excitement."

Their proximity sent a jolt of electricity through the air, tension crackling between them as they stood mere inches apart. Dick's pulse quickened, his heart pounding in his chest as he fought to maintain his composure. He knew he should apprehend her, stop her from whatever scheme she had planned. But in that moment, with her standing before him, he couldn't deny the pull he felt towards her.

"Excitement, huh?" Dick murmured, his voice husky with desire. "Well, you've certainly caught my attention, Belladonna."

Faber's lips curved into a knowing smile as she leaned in closer, her breath mingling with his. "Good," she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper. "Because I'm not finished with you yet, Nightwing."

And with that, she closed the distance between them, her lips meeting his in a passionate kiss that ignited a fire neither of them could extinguish.

Soooooo, things are moving quickly! Ibr, I have no clue how these heroes have managed to hide their identities with just an eye mask, like it would be so obvious.