"Ly~dia!"
Looking up at him, Velma was not sure why he had called her name in that type of accusingly tone. She had caught up to him, and he was waiting for her only a few steps down. So, it hadn't taken long for her to join him and all the others who were filing down to the subway. But they needed to get past the various setup that was standard for all subways. Crossing to get to the turnstiles when he made such an overly dramatic tone that she was starting to become familiar with. His joking, dramatic voice when he was not being serious.
"What did I do now?"
"Did-did you just size up that turnstile?" He gasped, placing a hand to his chest. Making his chains jingle at the action. Bumping into them as he gave into the theatrics again.
Looking back over at it, she realized she had. Shrugging once. "Old habit, I always need to know the general height of it in case I need to hop over it if something happens. Chase sequences are easier with pre-height checking anything that might be an obstacle."
She countered his statement with logic. It was important for her to judge the general height and skirt snaggability of how ever the turnstile worked in this particular subway. Never knowing when a chase sequence might happen, and how she needed to get her skirt out of the way for such actions. So, it was standard procedure to make sure the quickest way over, under or through an object that might be in her way. Eying up many things that she came across, this just being the first clear one it seemed that she did in his presence. Or at least one that he noticed, and brought to her attention. It was so common place for her, she even forgot that she did that until he pointed it out.
"But... You haven't sized me up yet." Bruce put out his lip in a pout, which was really ruined by the general theme he had that day. Big gruff man, sulking with a hurt puppy dog look... was hard to keep a straight face at. But she persevered.
"...One. I don't think I will need to leap over your tall height any time soon. Two, are you seriously getting jealous of a turnstile? And three..." She said turning her head away, when she usually was blushing and didn't want him to look. Hiding in her hood, which was providing useful so far for this date. "How did you know I-I didn't check you out when you weren't looking?"
"Did you?!" He beamed, though she wasn't sure if he had actually seen her or not. Changing his tone in an instant.
Not able to face him, she just took a step and hopped the stile effortlessly. Running away to gather herself, and easily clearing the metal spinners, and the scanner that the card needed to be passed through. She heard him chuckle at her flee. Running his card to the stall, but rotating it once before he seemed to be using it for himself. Paying for her, even though she had leapt the machine. Being a good, stupidly rich dude and paying for her being bad and hopping the stall.
He could totally have hopped it as well, knowing what she knew. But she was glad he paid.
She would have gone back to pay for it, had he not. But in her embarrassment, she had just needed some distance to get a hold of herself. Her heart really getting tested, and her mind still spinning at everything that he would do that triggered her. Because him looking at her butt didn't seem to be as bad, as her actively admitting that she might have totally checked him out when he first showed up. Maybe just voicing what she had done, was the hard part. And the happy tone in his voice when he said that, wasn't helping.
Love made no logical sense, and it drove her crazy!
Didn't give her any warning or prep. It didn't come with a manual or walk-through. And there was no cheat codes or a wiki. How positively archaic! How could people live and deal like this?
Starting to walk off, she heard a chuckle behind her. "Hey Lyd's... it's this way. That is going uptown."
Picking up her head, she did find herself looking at the blatant sign that was for uptown trains. Compared to them needing to head downtown, for the shopping they were planning on doing. Shopping Bruce had mentioned earlier for bribes for the gang. But in her fluster, she got caught up and ended up going in the wrong direction. Pointing across herself, she pivoted on a heel to wheel herself around and walked back to where he was. But thankfully he wasn't making things worse. Just still lightly chuckling to himself and letting her walk past him with out any snark.
Trotting down the stairs, Velma took in the neat and tidy subway. It wasn't the cleanest, like compared to some subways in Japan. But it wasn't as bad as some run down and haggard ones she had been in in the past. And it was also not too crowded in Gotham, that they were packed like sardines. Giving the pair ample room between them and the next waiting people for their trains.
"Which ones are we looking for?" Unsure exactly where he was leading her, she had to ask to know which train they were going to use.
"We need the A main line, we could catch a few others but the A isn't a bad way to go. And to avoid the rush, we want not the express one. So, we don't mind the stops. It won't take too long anyway and I could use the time."
"Hm?" Velma wasn't against the longer ride. They still had enough of their day left to get some shopping done. Also let her boot up her brain to distract from what had just happened moments ago to try to think of ideas to get the gang for bribery presents they might each like.
"Well, I have some things I need to inform you about." He said pointing to his own ear. "... Just a few built in options that you need to know how they work. But it will be easier once we get going."
"Ah, got it."
'Wait... I'm keeping the earbud? I though he was only letting me borrow it for the date.' Velma wondered to herself, unsure she was ready to have that kind of responsibility. Being connected to the Batman network this early. This was only the second date, after all.
'Wouldn't that at least be a like, uh, Fifth date type thing to give me...' Not exactly sure how being connected to one of the most secretive vigilante group would fit into those stereotypical date type presents, one might see in those Hallmark type romances...
Holding hands, First kiss, overhearing villain banter. You know, normal date things.
Also unsure that it would work when she would go home, or if the system was connected to the cell network that maybe he was piggybacking off of... or well, owned. He was Bruce 'The' Wayne... So, he might be just using his own satellites. Or Heaven forbid, the Justice League satellite. Her mind reeled at the thought.
But she was unable to dwell for too long, as the train they needed came in. Piling in with the rest of the people, they found one corner of the train car they could be more distant from others. In case anyone would overhear their conversation. Claiming a pole that sat across from a seat that could fit them both if they wanted to sit, as well as another bar and the back wall of that car. Which worked perfectly for Velma. Planting herself on the wall, she leaned against it to brace for the train to take off before she wanted to set herself balancing. Standing about a foot and a half away from the wall. Shifting her weight as the train bumped along. Making sure to pull down her hood to better help her to be able to split her attention between him and the turns ahead.
"Well, we have a few stops before we reach the main market streets. And thankfully this car isn't too crowde-May I ask what you are doing?" Came the lightly bemused and curious comment from Bruce.
She looked over at him, after getting her center and found him lounging against the bar that was connected to the seat. Taking a standing position as well, but he was lightly gripped on of the bar to keep his balance. Looking over at her rocking with the train. Untethered to any way of holding on, curious on why she was doing that.
"Oh, another old habit as well. Totally blame Daphne for getting us all into this. It's balance training. You keep close to something, in case you fall over. Like this wall. But the challenge is to subway surf in the car and make it all the stops to the destination without falling over, or needing to grab at something. Can be done on a train train, or a subway like this. Sometimes even some busses too. But the game is to try to see which one of us could be the last to grab on or might make it all the way. Though with all the stops like this, adds more difficulty. Since the slowing down can be a pain, and the speeding up suddenly can also be a bit harder."
"That sounds like interesting method." He leaned away from the bar, and took a few shaky steps to start balancing himself as they were talking. Willing to take up her challenge and not against some impromptu training.
"Though isn't usually 'subway surfing' riding on the top of a train? Honestly, that is much harder."
"Well, yes. But unlike you, Beej. I am more often getting into situations on the inside of trains, rather then on top of them. Can't say it hasn't happened. But my numbers pale compared to yours."
Velma had to concede to his expertise. And well, either it be on top of a train, or subway... She was more likely to try to get inside when she could. Or more crawl across the top like a bug. Undignified, but less the wind knock her about. Let alone have like a fight sequence across the top of one. She would leave that to the experts.
"Point." Bruce chuckled, giving it to her with a nod. Out of the two of them, he was more likely to actually subway surf then she was. And honestly he would like to keep it that way. Less his new girlfriend was exposed to danger, the better. Less, being the word.
"Well, challenge accepted. But let's get down to it." Bruce tossed a thumb towards himself, pointing at his ear. Needing to tell her about how the setup worked. Which worked for her, the game was already afoot. Leaving plenty of time to learn how the mechanics worked for the earbud.
"Right now, we are in a personal channel. This will only connect you to me, or can contact Barbara."
Nodding, Velma locked her attention mostly ahead of herself, to keep an eye on the cars ahead and how they moved, to brace for changes she noticed them making. Giving her a heads up to various bumps and turns, allowing her to shift with the train car as she listened and watched him explain things to her. Juggling both for her to be able to brace and learn at the same time.
"Barbara is the voice that spoke up earlier?"
"Oh yeah." Dropping his voice in such a way that the train sounds and general din would drown out what he was going to say. Only because she was connected to him with the earbud, could she make it out. "Barbara is Oracle. Former Batgirl, and daughter of Commissioner Gordon. She is my eyes in the sky, and helps to coordinate between me and everyone else."
"Ah, got it." Velma nodded, bracing for a bump and shifting her feet to counter act the bend they were in. "I'll probably need to be 'read in' to all of this at a later date, and some where more secure. And you said that you want to upgrade my phone to a more protected one? We might then have to do that for the rest of the gang...Eventually."
"Yeah, I can outfit the gang, but once they know. Not sure how Daphne would react to me getting her a whole new phone this early on. But we will worry about that later. But as I was saying. Think of this as just like a normal Bluetooth earbud. So, it can do all the main earbud options."
Taking a few wobbling steps to make sure to keep his balance as the train was slowing down for a stop, but also get closer to Velma to show her his earbud. It was sleek looking, but not to much different then all the other ones she has seen in the past.
"So, the main button here... " He pointed it out on his, "This is the main control. Press it once to Answer a call or hang up on a finished call. And it also works for stopping and starting any music you might want to be listening to. I do have a charging case for this. And if you want to use two at a time, I can give you the other side. I just like having one ear not occupied when I am working. Or well, 'working'."
Velma nodded, following what he was saying so far. Able to hear the quotation marks put around the last bit.
"Pressing the button twice, will change to the next song while it is playing. Or while no music is playing, will lower the volume. And these are rapid pressing, not holding anything."
"Yeah, I figured."
"Just wanted to add for clarity. Three button taps, will go back a song or when no music is playing will raise the volume. Press and hold the button for two seconds will power the device on, But if you are having someone call you, pressing and holding for two seconds will reject the call. And it will beep once after the two second hold to tell you that option. And if you push and hold for four seconds, it will turn off the earbud. All pretty standard, right? You following me so far?"
"I think so. One button push either answers or hangs up a call. Or it will control my music that I turn on from another app on my phone. Like, playing my Pandora. I can pause and play my music with one button tap. Tapping the button twice, will shift my music forward to the next song. Or if I pause the music, two taps lower the volume. Three taps, go back a song or raises the volume. Does that also work for on a phone call as well?"
"Yeah, if you are not in a music program, the two or three taps will raise the volume of the phone connected to the earbud. We kinda hacked into yours to pair the earbud..."
Velma tilted her head down and shot him a side glance before letting it pass. He was Batman after all. And possibly not the first time he's hacked into her phone to do something to it. So, she let it slide. As long as he was professional about it. But once she get's the new phone, she might need to set some ground rules, or look over the software herself and see if she could add in some privacy things of her own. Letting him continue explaining what the device does. So far, pretty standard earbud settings.
"If you press and hold for two seconds and hear a beep, it will open up your phone's AI. Siri, google, or which ever you phone has. But you need to be outside of a phone call for that to work. But that prompt can also connect you Oracle or this space. She won't be listening unless you speak to the program that you want to be connected to 'Hermes', or when the voice prompt asks you how it can help and you tap the button twice. Which will have her connect to you directly. If you don't need to speak with her, but wanted to be connected here. Ask for 'black box' at the voice prompt. And you will be automatically transferred to this open space where we can talk. Which would ping me that you entered the room, so I know when you join that even if I am busy with other things. But if that is the case, Barb might let you know that I am busy or I can leave a short message for you to receive once you join the room. As soon as you turn off the earbud, it will disconnect you from this space."
Bruce slid the earbud in and had to shift his foot as the train lurched. Catching his balance before continuing. Though Velma had been ready for that one, since she was paying attention to him as well as how the cars ahead moved. Bending her knees to take the shock and bob with the train's movements. But able to keep her feet level and avoid needing to shift for that one.
"With the earbud on, and no matter what you are doing. If you tap your jaw twice, you will hear a beep prompt. If you tap once after that, it means that you need to talk to Oracle but can't speak aloud if someone is with you in the room."
"And you get a phone call after that! I always found that odd at times, when you would put your chin in your hand and tap the side of your face. I mean you get a lot of phone calls, but it makes sense if someone had to talk to you but you were busy with someone like me, in the room and couldn't just talk aloud without seeming like you got a call in the first place."
Velma interrupted, having noticed that he had a habit like that sometimes when they were working, and it always seemed like he got calls right after such things. Understanding a bit more of some of the odder habits he had, that she would have to look into in a new light. With him being far more then she knew at first.
"See... This is the reason why I had to lie to you all those years." Bruce said with an amused but proud grin on his face. Looking over at her. "You're too clever for your own good, my dear Lyds. But yes. Exactly for those reasons. That is a way that you can get a phone call from her that will be discreate as she will know you can't talk. And that will trigger her listening in if you need and might be in trouble and can't pick up the phone. As well as setting up the GPS tracker in there. In case you need some back up."
"Daphne will need one of these. We always joked about putting a GPS tag on her somehow-"
Her eyes locked in front of her. Watching how the front of the car was moving. And it was a big bump coming their way. She was ready for it... but Bruce was looking more at her, then how the subway was moving. The train lurched in their car! In an instant, Velma knew that Bruce was tipping off balance. The jingle of his chains rattled as he lost his footing, flailed slightly and was falling. But Velma wasn't going to let that happen!
Taking a step closer to him, she moved to catch him. Shifting her weight to be a counter brace, she tilted to prevent him from hitting the ground. Wrapping a hand around his lower back, she pressed her shoulder into his side under one arm. But, her right hand had been shifted to help and found itself a more desirable destination. It ended up cupping her palm into his upper body, making an accidental grab at his chest. It took her a second before she realized what she just did. Eyes growing wide as her breath was caught up in her lungs.
They stood there for a second, before Bruce broke the silence.
"...I would say buy me dinner first." Bruce chuckled, not as phased as she was. Bringing up his hand to pull her towards him. "But you already had bought me a lunch."
Velma's face burned red, all the way to her ears. Flush with his flirtatious words, breaking her brain. A little too much at once, though it didn't stop her hands from being a bit on auto and getting in a few gropes for later.
-Since she was there.
With them basically hugging, Velma found the only thing she could do was press her face into him as another bump came, making them stagger a bit as a pair. But the comments he said was still in her mind. Making her struggle as she was getting more tactile sensation then she was prepared for, on top of his flirting at her. Helping him to his feet and getting his balance back, but at a mental cost.
But Bruce must have realized he had done it again, and went too far. Quickly apologizing to her, and pulling her to one of the empty seats nearby. Leading her to sit side by side to give her time to recover. Putting their game on hold, since he lost anyway. And he made it a point to tug up her hood, to give her some privacy from anyone looking their way.
"Sorry... I need to be better at that. It's just habit and been a very long time to try to weed out quickly."
Velma struggled to get air in, trying not to hyperventilate at the small overload. But she wasn't against it, just not prepared for such things as well as the tactile sensation she had just gotten. And honestly, it was a familiar grab. There was a few times she had accidently did this to Batman in the past with the chaos of a mystery. So, had his voice not spoiled things for him earlier, this grab might have.
"No... No..." She panted slightly, trying to even her breath and calm down her rattling heart. "I'm ok... Just caught me off guard."
'And I think I never want to wash this hand again. I can't believe that I am connected to this Grade A+ Beef here... Batman be damned. I need to never forget THAT sensation! Sorry Shaggy, but I don't think I could ever go vegetarian now.'
"I mean, I guess I should be proud to make the unshakeable Lydia, flustered. But still. Sorry. I am not trying to do this on purpose... Mostly." He looked bashful, grabbing one of her hands and giving them a supportive squeeze.
'Oh man, I almost thought he was going to do something else to my hand... I wouldn't mind going back for seconds.'
"I'm always surprised at your strength. And hopefully your hand approves of mine as well."
'My strength? It just gave out against that symphony under his silk shirt. Being pressed closely to his body like that... Jinkies! Ooh boy. What a Hunk!'
Which just earned a roll of her head, trying to shake it off as he had to remind her of what she had just done. Smacking his nearby thigh lightly, less she made a slap sound compared to as hard as she wanted to hit him for that.
"Hey, I am happy if my girlfriend approves of what she just... appraised. I do work hard for this." He gestured at himself, that she tried not to fall for the offer. But did take a quick glance from under her hood before griping.
'Oh do you ever...'
"B!" She snorted at him. But it was almost as he was making it worse, that it felt better. Ignoring her own inner commentary. That he took the moment of high embarrassment, and drew it out in a joking and quipping manner that made it a bit easier on her. More her style that rather then he not like her, being sarcastic, he was adopting it in a way to make her feel more at ease. Since it was part of her own coping mechanisms. Figuring that he was smart enough to see what she was doing with it, and seemed to be using it as well to make her feel better.
'...And it was working.'
Though she wasn't sure if she should be mad at him for noticing and using it against her... Or be happy that he was thinking about her and tried his best to work with it to help make things more normal.
"Well, I clearly lost. But this will be our stop."
Standing up, he gripped the pole as the train was coming around the last bend and was starting to slow down. Putting out his other hand to help her up when she was ready. "M'lady. Shall we?"
Looking up at him, he was just beaming at her with a soft look on his grizzled looking face. She wanted to make a snark at him, but pushed it aside to reach out her hand to let him help her up. A tiny part enjoying her Black Knight being all gallant and helping her to her feet. Even though she was the one to catch him just moments before.
Pulling up on his hand, she was just getting to her feet when the train brakes made the whole car jump. Sending her tumbling. But he was prepared this time, and tugged her into himself. Grabbing her around the waist he made sure they both didn't fall. But this meant that she was burrowed into his chest once again. Only this time it was both hands and part of her face. A more awkward position that was slowly becoming more familiar to the small detective.
"We really need to stop meeting like this... Or my glasses might not last." She quipped with a resigning chuckle. Pulling her face away once the train came to a full stop. "That, or charge the locals gawking at us, for the repair bill."
"Ah, got it! I need to make sure Alfred has your prescription and glasses style on hand... In bulk. And see if I already own that or not..."
"Don't you dare." Not that she needed more people keeping tabs on her glasses.
'Because he would...' Velma lamented mentally, 'Bruce Wayne would totally dare.'
Forgetting the rule she had told herself at the beginning of the date. For having to watch what she says around the filthy rich boyfriend of hers. Worry about him using some expensive private jet for attending Musicals, or fearing for Batman to carry around her prescription in his bat belt among the rest of the gadgets. Or just needing to call over the butler to make her glasses seem to appear of of thin air upon request.
What a dashing rogue, she had fallen for.