* QUEEN / OF GOTHAM !

Cyrus wasn’t all too worried about Nadia recognizing him, or their being seen together. There wasn’t anything to tie them together, not a single record that remained in tact which could associate the boy with his half-sister. The only way that his identity could get exposed was by his birth family themselves, which meant that he had some work to do to ensure such a thing didn’t happen. It wasn’t expected from Selina, who was benefiting from the whole charade. Nadia, on the other hand, remained a wild-card. Turning when he was seized, face fixed in a stern look, annoyance from being interrupted on his purposeful way to the Science department. “That’s me, although Mr. Ableman is probably more appropriate” he replied, “do I know you?”

“don’t give me that shit.” nadia lenore kyle, dutiful housewife of [ redacted ] and paragon academy’s newest and thus far most prized curatorial assistant did NOT use such language. she was business suits on the weekdays and flowery dresses at the weekend. she was gentle blonde curls around a cherub face and the calming smell of lavender that wafted as she moved. she was sugar with not a hint of SPICE, and she didn’t chase anyone down. she didn’t pull them to a stop. she didn’t swear. but the nadia kyle of gotham infamy, the one with cold diamond for a heart and a mind that strayed to the freedom of rooftops sure did. “you’re working someone,” it wasn’t a question. she needed only these moments to know. “do i even want to know who?” 

“oh, she’s a feisty one, huh?” tommy couldn’t help but grin, leaning against the bar as he looked at her. “i can appreciate that, america, cassie, and kate have kinda forced me to love a terrifying woman.” he shrugged, smiling softer now. “you want me to leave you alone, m’lady?”

“let me ask you something-” her tone was conversational, though she leaned across the bar a little and dropping her volume as if she were trying not to be overheard. “am i really terrifying, or are you just terrified?” she fell back into her seat with her lips already twisting up, looking away dismissively as she continued, “you can think on that particular paradox while you get me a white russian.”

“No,” he twisted his face into clear repulsion. “There’s some nice work on the school but it was clearly built for utility and perseverance, not attractiveness.” Theo dropped his chin then stooped over to pick up the toy. “I was looking at photos of buildings through this,” he explained finally.

“when you put it like that, looks don’t exactly matter much,” she hummed - though at her heart, she disagreed with the very point that she was making. nadia didn’t think that the aesthetic should suffer to achieve all of what was needed from a structure. her interest newly caught as he continued, she held out a hand for the picture viewer. “may i?”

“ aw , nads ,” she almost coos , putting a hand on her chest in mock sentimentality. bea was used to the people in her life being temporary. her relationships were ephemeral ; at some point , people either moved on from her , realizing she’d only been a stepping stone towards something better , or more likely , she fucked up. it was inevitable. as if she pressed some metaphorical self-destruct button , and the people around her were nothing more than casualties of her recklessness. nadia , however , was one of the few ( she could count them with her fingers ) , who felt permanent. “ are you calling me a treasure ? i’m touched. “

“if you’re not gonna buy any drinks, you better tip me.” he huffed, leaning against the bar. “this is gonna shock you, but i ain’t getting paid to stand ere and look pretty.”

“no. i presume that you’re here to do your job - which probably doesn’t include hassling the customers,” a little snappy for someone becoming known for a chirpy demeanor, but... nadia couldn’t say she appreciated the TONE.