𝓰𝓸𝓭𝓼 & 𝓶𝓸𝓷𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼

The smile glistens on his face. Amusement sparkling on otherwise dour features. It settles and clings to his features as if it was always meant to be hung like that upon his cheeks.

" Only when I'm right. " He whispered, brushing his nose with hers and nipping at her bottom lip. Hands finding the curves of her hips and picking her up with ease. " On it shall stay then. "

there   is   nothing   as   fun   as   seeing   bruce   being   playful   and   funny.   she   loves   it,   of   course,   and   doesn't   mind   the   back   and   forth   as   long   as   both   know   this   is   part   of   that   secret   love   they   know   they   share   but   are   too   afraid   to   say   out   loud.

her   arms   welcomed   him   warm,   lips   curved   on   a   teasing   smile   even   when   trapped   between   his   theet.   chills   ran   through   her   spine   as   his   hands   traveled,   one   hand   sunk   into   his   dark   hair,   making   the   space   between   them   inexistent.

▬   careful,   bat   .   .   .   you   could   be   falling   on   my   trap.

A smile blooms from the void of his previous confusion. Relief is etched against the edges. The WORLD’S GREATEST DETECTIVE pleasantly surprised. 

The tender curl turn upward into a bright smirk. 

                         “ I thought so. ”

she can almost hear his breathe realx at her confirmation, which is cute if she thinks about it. face tilts gently and her hand reaches to him to pull him close. getting on her toes, the woman speaks against the corner of his lips.

▬▬ don't get too cocky, my beloved.

"I know. That doesn't make it untrue" There would have to be something fundamentally wrong with him to fall in love with her. He did though, the thrill of being around her, her beauty, her intellect, the way they fixed that beaten up motorbike and went for a ride. He was meant to just embed himself and gain information but Roy never met an addiction he didn't fall face first into, including love. It was addictive, being with her, being in love with her. "Jab all you want I said it." I love you.

she sure has having fun at his expenses. but was the harmless thing she could ever do after what he just said. it was her way to cope with thins she didn't know how to handle. love, mainly.

roy was everything she wanted and everything she knew was not meant to have. somehow, she was happy that he was the man she had lian with. couldn't think of a better man to raise a little kid with, even if she was not there to raise her.

another reason why he was good, he is a good man over all. not just as speedy or whatever he called himself now. just as roy harper.

of course those words made her feel things, but she preferred to pretend. because it was easier.

▬▬ you are so sweet . . . i could even buy that.

"That's me to a T, a real sweetie but I ain't selling anything."

Roy insisted, she could toy with him all she wanted but she'd have to perish the very thought that he was just trying to sweet talk her. "You don't have to believe me or feel it back, you just have to know. You've always been a prickly pear, is alright I can take your stern little face." Roy even dared to now approach her.

oh... how she hated that he was not willing to let her win and pretend they both were just fooling around. it was normal, she thought ... they had a daughter, and too much history to pretend they were just playing and nothing of this matters. because it does, for her and him.

those brown feline eyes look at him while he speaks those things that made her stomach jump from expectation and her heart scream from happiness. a happiness she knows won't last forever. because it never does.

her eyes close at the feeling of his touch, and while looks at him leaving just to the kitchen, her heart feels like can't let him go and soon follows him.

▬▬ that's the problem. that i do. and that puts a target at your back, and i can not do that to you, or lian. can you understand that ??

this is no chance meeting , is it , [ name ] ?

take back your homeland .

what if i were to help you reclaim it ?

that's not the worst of it .

we have another problem .

what did i tell you ? quiet as a mouse .

will you just listen ? i'm trying to tell you there's something else out there .

the bear is unpredictable , the man can be reasoned with .

come away from there , it's not natural . none of it .

it's obvious , he's under some dark spell .

you'll be safe here tonight ... i hope .

we grow in number , we grow in strength .

death will come to all .

there are others like you ?

you're running out of time .

a darkness lies upon that forest .

i would not venture there except in great need .

go now while you have the light .

this forest feels ... sick . as if a disease lies upon it .

something moves in the shadows unseen , hidden from our sight .

if our enemy has returned , we must know .

i would not do this unless i had to .

you've changed , [ name ] .

you must stay on the path . do not leave it . if you do , you'll never find it again .

is there no end to this accursed forest ?

we're going around in circles , we are lost .

the sun . we have to find the sun .

we're being watched .

they're growing bolder .

not just a thief , but a liar as well .

i myself suspect a more prosaic motive .

i have seen how you treat your friends .

you turned away from the suffering of my people .

a hundred years is a mere blink in the life of an elf . i'm patient . i can wait .

did he offer you a deal ?

shh ! there are guards nearby .

you were supposed to be leading us out , not further back in !

are you mad ? they'll find us .

please . please , you must trust me .

this is not a nice place to meet .

why now , [ name ] ? i don't understand .

a human sorcerer could not summon such evil .

in our blindness , the enemy has returned .

the enemy is preparing for war .

i started this . i cannot forsake them , they are in grave danger .

you want me to cast my friends aside ?

i think we've outrun the orcs .

we've no weapons to defend ourselves .

do it again , and you're dead .

what makes you think i would help you ?

no doubt you have some hungry mouths to feed .

oh , come on - enough of the niceties .

i would like to know who you are . and what you're doing in these lands .

we need food , supplies ... weapons . can you help us ?

i'd wager there are ways to enter that town unseen .

for that , you'd need a smuggler .

there was more he could have told us .

i don't care what he calls himself , i don't like him .

we don't have to like him , we just have to pay him .

i've been bled dry by this adventure ! and what have i seen for my investment ?

if you value your freedom , you'll do as i say .

folk in this town are suffering .

you'd do well to remember ; we know where you live .

it's a small town , [ name ] , everyone knows where everyone lives .

who would have the nerve to question my authority ?

you promised us weapons .

death ! that is what you'll bring upon us .

have you forgotten what happened to [ name / location ] ?

let us not be so quick to lay blame .

join us when you're healed .

[ name ] , you belong with the company .

i belong with my brother .

we have no time to wait , we're on our own .

the evil that is hidden here ... i command it reveal itself .

you have keen eyes , [ name ] .

let all those who doubted us rue this day !

i know these walls ... these halls , this stone .

i do not know what you'll find down there .

it never ceases to amaze me . the courage of hobbits .

if there is in fact a live dragon down there , don't waken it .

come , now ... don't be shy . step into the light .

there is something about you , something you carry .

there you are , thief in the shadows .

i did not come to steal from you .

do you think flattery will keep you alive ?

what else do you claim to be ?

truly , you are mistaken .

you have nice manners , for a thief and a liar .

i know the smell and taste of dwarf .

they are drawn to treasure like flies to dead flesh .

did you think i did not know this day would come ?

you should leave us .

and go where ? there is nowhere to go .

the dragon , it's going to kill us .

i kill where i wish , when i wish .

my armor is iron , no blade can pierce me .

i need you to distract the guards .

time to do what , to get killed ?

yes , i'm afraid . i'm afraid for you .

you're not yourself .

the darkness is coming ... it will spread to every corner of the land .

you were only ever a means to an end .

i will not part with a single coin . not one piece of it .

your reputation precedes you .

you have no equal on this earth .

i think our little game ends here .

so tell me , thief ... how do you choose to die ?

we've given him the slip .

there may be a way out .

it's our only chance , we have to try .

i've heard tales of the wonders of elvish medicine .

that was a privilege to witness .

i will not die like this . cowering . gasping for breath .

if this is to end in fire , then we will all burn together .

perhaps it is time i paid them a visit .

this isn't their fault !

you care about them , do you ? good . then you can watch them die .

i am taking back what you stole .

you will take nothing from me .

i laid low your warriors of old . i instilled terror in the hearts of men .

this is not your kingdom . these are dwarf lands .

revenge ? revenge ?! i will show you revenge !

i am fire . i am death .

It’s fortuitous, he imagines, standing here, surrounded by things he was meant to have as a child and finding himself a bit lacking. He’s been to a few of these as an adult. Not enough he imagines to really gage it beyond anything like a battlefield ; eyes on him like hawks. His image against parents and teachers, his parenting against everyone else and then the Talia of it all. 

He’s tried to be subtle ─ the staring ─ as if it could be hidden amidst the waves of curious men beholding beauty they wouldn’t otherwise be able to get within 5 feet of. And he imagines, to some degree, its a viable possibility. If he was just as neatly tucked away as some of the Faculty behind windows and doors and other facilities. But he’s only ever a few feet away, just enough that it’s hard not to see the framed picture. 

And it’s easy, for a moment, to pretend. 

“ Merely an observation, Talia. “ He remarks with a small smile of his own as his gaze falls back to her. Focused and gentle in the moment, forgetting and not quite where they were. Maybe still caught in the haze of wondering. Maybe caught again by the way her features still inspire some ache in him. Or maybe it all just felt simple ─ normal that it soothes some old ghosts that have lived in his spine for decades. 

emerald gaze looks at all the people, being who se is, it's hard she doesn't observe and try to figure their weakness even for this innocent rally. of course she didn't came just to play the mother of the year role, if she is there is to win and make her son proud of the mother he has. even for a moment. even if its just for a mundane thing like this.

then her eyes go from the crowd to damian's father, sode eye look, cocky smile. ▬▬ oh, don't worry. you don't have to observe the men i talk to. i am perfectly capable to take care of myself. - still, both know she is too sphisticated for any of these men. but that won't stop her from playing the mysterious woman game.

It could be both. 

Despite his frustration, he manages a polite smile. A thin line that dangled between dismay and chagrin. His head tilted, amused by all appearances until a voice from one of the teachers called for their attention, announcing the next game the kids would be playing. A relay of some sort that would require the children to play as a team after they formed their own groups of three. 

Bruce took it as his initiative to step away from his audience and stand beside Talia where Damian could spot both of them with ease. 

    “ Your admirers seem to have filed back to their wives.” He pointed out casually, through a smile, and surprising himself even with the ease of his own voice. As if he’d been at one of these Family Day for years even if the last one had to have been at least 6 years ago since TImothy had invited him to his. 

when the idea of coming to one of these family days was presented to her by her son in an almost hiden and uncaring way talia was not the most excited about it, however she knew that under all that facade of naming it as something mundane and unimportant, damian wanted to have some normality on his life at least once, even if that went unnoticed even for himself.

but she was his mother, after all. and later called bruce to arrange their assistance.

having all that male attention was not something talia really expected, but if that made bruce grunt as if he had a bullet on his leg and were about to take it off, she would play her role and be fascinating to them. laughing and joking with them while the kids played their part. until the teachers instructed them to disipate.

damian's mom was an enigma for the teachers, now she was there the full picture was clear for why damian was the way he was. looking at talia and bruce, damian was their perfect image.

even though this is not exactly what she expected, the woman couldn't help but to let herself go into the game. in the eternal what if of how their life could have been if bruce wasn't too damn commited to his mission as batman, if she wasn't the demon's daughter. and this is how their life could have been. how will never be.