capeandcowl | 001

001 | video;

[After a few expertly feigned false-starts, Bruce manages to set the communicator to record and the video feed focused on himself. He's a man in his late thirties; the classic tall, dark and handsome. His hair is playfully mussed and the tie to his visibly expensive executive suit is drawn slack enough to reveal a lipstick smear on his neck. He wears the lazy smile of someone who has never had much difficulty having a good time.

All in all, it's a thoroughly convincing charade.]

I must have overindulged on the bubbly because I don't remember the Big Apple ever having its own border control. Is that a new initiative?

What's more, it would appear that I've mislaid my butler. He has my appointment book, but I fear I'm long past expected at a Community Health Center ribbon-cutting in Gotham.

I'd be loathe to flake on such a worthy cause, so would someone be a dear and call for a car? You can be my plus-one.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I'll take your word for it. [Shut up Zee he knows you think he's hot.]

You're judging me. I can tell. [Ew, no. He has cooties and totally isn't her type at all. In fact, she has never confessed to having feelings for him. She thinks he is a stupidhead.]

...Do you, ah, want anything to eat? Drink, maybe? I think we have some leftovers in the fridge and there's almost always coffee or tea ready to be made.

I know better than to do that.

Coffee. [Please. He was clinically dead for a while back there. He could use a pick-me-up.]

...if anyone has the right to, it'd be you. Not that I want to get into this all over again or anything. [But she kicks herself around enough for that.]

Mm, okay. You're welcome to look around. It's still very much a work in progress. We've only been in here for about a month now. [She heads off down the hall, toward the kitchen.] Really strong, right? [She's prepared for it.]

I'm no paragon, and I'm over that, too.

Mm, very really strong. [He floats around the house, poking his head through. He finds one that has several large stacks of paper piled in the corner.] I see Barry's discovered sudoku...

...thanks. [All it took was getting shot. If only everything could be solved in such a manner!]

I can handle that. [Putting the grounds in the filter, she turns it on and taps her foot impatiently. When she hears his voice come again, she peeks out into the hallway.] Hm? Yeah. It's pretty addictive, or so I hear. I tend to enjoy... other extra-curricular activities. [herpderp whoops. Quick--] I've got a fourteen year old apprentice, after all.

[He surfaces in the kitchen so that he can give her this face.] I hope for his sake that he has no idea what those extra-curricular activities might be.

I'm sure he'd be absolutely mortified that I'm putting Carlton's cat in a tutu. [Oh, look, there's enough to fill a cup with! So she does. While making a point to appear as oblivious as possible.]

[Not buying it.] Carlton?

A friend. [She hands him a cup and waits for it to finish before pouring herself one.] He has a cat. Her name is Gaster.

Mmhmm. [He's... just going to busy himself blowing his coffee cool.]

You should get a cat. I could dress her like a bat -- or a bumblebee. That would be cute. [She wraps both her hands around the cup, leaning against the counter behind her.]

I already have a cat. She dresses herself.

...ferret?

I'm not getting a pet. [Unless it's a really big dog. In black. Then she can dress it up but only as Batdog.]

You're so boring. Diana and I are going to get a bunch. [The second he turns around, it will be tutu-Batdog or Bowtie-Batdog. :(] Naturally, Barry has no say in the matter. Hopefully we won't get anything that will try to eat Yo-yo.

Does Barry get a say in anything? [That's mostly a playful jab, but he knows the police scientist would be too polite to object.]

No. He's like Cinderella. [You can't unsee it.]

He'd prefer it that way, assuming he hasn't changed. [It's still there when I close my eyes.]

I promise I'm not taking advantage of his sweetness. [/eagerly awaits next art request post!] You know, I'll be honest with you, it's killing me a little not to ask you what happened, but it can wait as long as you need. [Sincerely, she smiles, ducking her head a little in the process.] I'm just glad you're alive and well. My place is always open to you, so if you need a place to crash for the night, we've got plenty of extra bedrooms upstairs.

Darkseid's a God. Most people don't realize that he can see what's coming and when I was about to put that bullet in his shoulder, he saw death. [He scowls.] I was his escape plan.

I need to check in with Barbara and the boys before I decide anything, but thank you.

...I see. [She doesn't entirely, but she knows this complicates things.] As long as you've escaped, as well. That's all that matters -- he can be fought again, but you can't be replaced.

[She doesn't hesitate in setting down her cup on the counter and parting their distance, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, giving him a little squeeze. It's the sort of cautious yet kind gesture that suggests she wouldn't at all mind giving him another hug.] I know you do. Do what you need to and take it easy before you get back into the swing of things.

I doubt we'll be seeing him again. Not as he was.

[And she's going to make him initiate it, isn't she? Fiiiiiiine. At least no one's watching.] Take it easy. Right. [Yeah, good luck with that.]

And what about you? Have you changed? [A question that might be more well-suited to being answered later. Things were always unnecessarily complicated with them.]

I know you won't. But I wish you would try. Just a little. [Yay. c: She's less bone-crushing about it this time, at least.] C'mon. I'll take you wherever you need to be. I just wanted to see you and let you know what's up. I'm sure you've more pressing matters to deal with.

Maybe. [Time will tell. He only just remembered who he is.]

I'm sure you do, too. Take me wherever my people are.

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