?

❝    YOU  WISH .    ❞        there’s  a  biting  chill  to  her  voice ,  a  seventy - thirty  split  on  how  much  of  it’s  genuine  and  how  much  is  engineered  for  the  benefit  of  the  d.e.o.  agent  in  her  ear .     kate  had  sworn  when  she  jumped  off  that  rooftop  and  glided  away  that  night  that  it  was  the  last  time  she’d  ever  find  herself  in  the  presence  of  the  question .   of  renee .   the  fight  they’d  had   —   an  actual ,  honest  to  god  fight ,  with  fists  and  boots  rather  than  scathing  words   —   and  renee’s  unshakable  obsession  with  the  case  that  kate  tried  and  failed  to  break  her  free  from …   for  a  long  time  it  was  the  only  thing  she  could  think  about  whenever  the  memory  of  her  ex - lover  surfaced .   then  she  thought  she  was  over  it ,  the  more  pleasant  memories  returned  and  she’d  learned  to  appreciate  their  time  together  despite  the  roller  coaster  it  always  was ,  but  now …   ugh !   couldn’t  she  have  just  stayed  the  hell  out  of  gotham ?   

SHE  CAN  HEAR  CHASE’S  STUPID  MOUTH  OPEN  TO  START  BITCHING  OVER  THE  COMM .   kate  doesn’t  want  to  hear  a  single  god  damned  word  of  it  right  now ,  especially  because  she  can  only  imagine  the  hell  she  and  bones  are  going  to  give  her  over  renee’s  presence  here  and  her  interest  in  the  case .   her  mixed  feelings  aside ,  the  last  thing  she  wants  is  to  put  renee  in  their  crosshairs .   quick  to  cut  agent  chase  off ,  batwoman  engages  the  question  once  more .       ❝    you  should  find  a  new  case .   this  one’s  taken .    ❞

The hostility doesn’t surprise her, especially given –––––– ( last time... last time had been exceptionally bad, even for them ). 

She’s certain the whites of the Batwoman’s lenses burn with deeper intensity than normal. 

And even if that was just her projecting, Renee’d recognise the scowl from a mile away ––––– even here, at the edges of Gotham’s streetlights. 

Defensiveness rises. It’s second nature around her.

And with the object of her intended questioning barely conscious and quite sufficiently terrorised, it’s a bigger challenge still to bite down on full out accusations. Her only recourse is to be blithe:

          ❝I’m doing fine, thanks for asking.❞

          ❝Made some friends, found a hobby. Well... rediscovered.❞

She’s inched closer, just short of closing her eyes and taking a deep breath to rid her system of clouding emotion. Instead, the Question huffs in amusement. ( It’s tinged with incredulity. ) Had there ever been an instance where Kate’s directives were heeded?

Her arrival’s announced by the scent of incense, of wafting smoke falling upon the alley –––––curling and drifting in direct contrast of the vigilante’s quick flashes of crimson. 

She fights the urge to crane her neck, stretch out the phantom pain from their last encounter. ( Always fond recollections with her, huh? ) There’s defensiveness, a lingering sense that she should have picked a different case, and the beginnings of a thought for how she might engineer that. 

Displeasure’s only an undercurrent in the way she speaks. ( But it’s Kate, for Chrissakes, of course she’d know! )

          ❝That’s the second time you’ve questioned my perp.❞

          ❝If you’re stalking me, count me flattered.❞

her gaze darkened with desire when she was pulled forward,   with the urge to reciprocate two fold.       she leaned in,   noting the same look in renee’s eyes.      her mouth came in close,    &    the way she    ONLY   dropped her eyes to her lips served as a reminder that she had the control     &    she could make that apparent at any time.      fingers slid from cheeks into her hair,    purposefully pressing her body into renee’s.        but instead of going further,    blue eyes flickered back up,    smirk curving at her lips,     ❛    you hungry  ?    ❜    she was   clearly   satisfied with renee’s answer —  she knew without a doubt that she missed her,    that came as no surprise to her,   but it was always nice to hear her say it.

❛   let me guess,   you’ve been eating take out all week.  ❜   it was a statement,   not a question,  said matter-of-factly.      there was an air of confidence,   at the thought that she had left a hole in the other’s life,    that her absence had been felt in many ways.  

her smirk remained,   exercising her control as she unwound her fingers from her hair slowly,    stepping back.   but not without softly brushing some of her hair out of her face,    ❛ i was just about to make dinner.    you helping  ?  ❜    she walked toward the kitchen,    missing her touch but knowing that she would be following.     helena was glad to have their routine back,    feeling relief,   feeling    HAPPY   at that   &   with her back turned to the other she smiled.

She’d not lie ––––– there was a degree of disappointment that Helena had chosen now to exercise restraint, leaving her the single option of trailing in her wake. 

But she did it uncomplainingly as always, now more than ever mesmerised by the woman and curious to uncover the thread of her thoughts. 

          ❝I don’t know about you ––––– ❞

It was evident where her place was to be, arms winding around her middle and once again fully flush against Helena. After living confused between boundaries, there was exhilaration in these uninhibited displays not unlike that of firsts in a new relationship. ( Relationship? It was evident there were yet questions to be answered, though the joy kept her miraculously unperturbed. )

Her lips rested against the side of her neck, satisfied at the notion of cashing in on those unspent affections. 

          ❝ ––––––– But I’ve always found cooking for one not worth the effort.❞

Fingers only relinquished reluctantly to echo her companion’s earlier departure, but not without dragging across her waist. The following part saw their return to the well-worn routine. & hoisting herself to the countertop facing her friend, she thought it only fitting to return with her grin:

❛ seems pretty fair to me, ❜    helena was up right after her,    eyes scanning the room for anything she had missed that could be useful in a fight.      but she decided to back herself,   she was more than her crossbow,    her fists would do nicely.  she looked forward to the feeling of evening the score first hand.

a roll of her eyes at the look she was given,     barely wanting to acknowledge it,      ❛ you really going to pretend you don’t like owing me ?  ❜   the look the huntress gave back was there to rattle her back,   mimicking renee’s but showing   CLEARLY   her expectations for her reparation.

❛  go right ahead,  ❜  she nodded in the direction of the door,   letting her HAVE this one,   she would get her back after all  (   that had been promised  ),   ❛     &  maybe try to avoid being hit.  just a suggestion. ❜  

          ❝Doesn’t matter what I feel ––– ❞           ❝I vote for a FAIRER system.❞

Too preoccupied to read the Huntress’s unspoken promise –––– or at least, she presented so. In return, she let the woman’s next words slide ( being in enough trouble already where she stood ). 

The door crept open, allowing her a glimpse into further gloom.

          ❝Looks like someone around here doesn’t like lights.❞

She grinned behind the mask, footsteps cautious and silent even as she ducked into the adjoining corridor.

she released a breath in irritation when the other pulled away to glance behind her,   already invested  &       knee deep in her own desire for this detour from the mission.        but it was only to be expected,    she had  FELT   renee’s resistance,   her begrudging kisses,     & yet unable to refuse her for the moment,    it had been a sweet victory.        

her eyebrows rose from behind her mask as the question’s hands set on her arms,     her own hands dropping off her as she conceded.     her tone was partially soured but she would make sure this was continued later,         ❛   fine.   i can hold off,        for now,   ❜    one of her hands crept up her thigh for illustrative purposes,    ❛   but you owe me.      i’ve got some ideas.  ❜ 

her hand lifted off her thigh so that she could rub at her sore wrists,    her attention flickering to her other favourite topic   — revenge,    ❛   i want my crossbow back.        you done using me as a chair,  q ?  ❜ 

She’d not deign her companion the satisfaction of a comeback, trading words for patronising pats on the shoulder as she dismounted. ( BUT ––– she wasn’t above admitting her relief in their return to the task at hand. )

As the Question squinted into the gloom, she’d be aggravating further in her complete disregard for the other’s presence. ( Might as well make the most of it if there was already hell to pay. ) Careful steps towards the exit, once again neglecting to include her partner in this endeavour. She looked back with a look to admonish the Huntress for her dalliance.

she searched her gaze,    looking for confidence,    for backup on this   (  to not feel like she was crazy for once   )   but she came up empty.       she was tense under renee’s touch,   hand not clasping in return.    ❛   …sure, renee. ❜    her tone exposed her disappointment   (   the betrayal she felt  )  instantly,      judgement   &   perceptions,   everything clouded by the emotions that had weighed upon her all night,   wetness blurring her vision at every opportunity.      helena couldn’t see anything beyond that,    beyond providing a home for the child she had saved.    no,   she would not abandon him – – she couldn’t. 

she dismissed renee’s touch,   walking over to the kitchen where arms came  &   wrapped around herself.       her face shook,    the pain she felt channeling into the voice that wavered but was resolute nonetheless,   ❛   he needs us,      you saw him,  ❜    voice dropping lower,   ❛   you can do your check,  renee,    i won’t take him back there,   ❜   she couldn’t.

The woman’s reaction spoke volumes. Her vulnerability was THIN ICE, and such emotions too easily ran astray. Though Renee’s caution was warranted, it had not been enough.

She was uncharacteristically belated in her approach. Perhaps Helena asked for too much too abruptly –––––– but perhaps she had, in her surprise, backpedalled too far, leaving her lover out in the cold and without the FAITH that was due. 

         ❝Hel...❞ 

Her hand came to the shoulder, hard like the tone had been.

          ❝Okay. I trust you.❞

she could only smile at the reaction she had been the cause of,   noting the way she had stolen her breath.    she also noted the desire in her gaze,        admiring   it    visibly,    feeling satisfied that it went both ways.         her grip around her waist did not falter for moments after renee gave an answer,     only letting go when she deemed herself to have left an impact,     that she might miss the touch she retracted.     she couldn’t deny that her praise meant something to her.

her smile remained,    held up by renee’s attempt to compliment her as she switched off the gas,       ❛  i always wished i could learn more, ❜    thinking about all the recipes she had never learnt from her mother—  it didn’t pay to dwell on what she had missed out on,    on what was  TAKEN from her as a child,    it was easier to pull herself out of it with renee standing beside her,     ❛   — & it’s nice cooking for two for a change.  ❜    it was strange to have company in the kitchen she was so accustomed to standing alone in,   allowing the sounds of the other ‘tenants’ or classical music to block out any desire for things to be different.       renee’s presence only altered her to this unspoken yearning she had,     quickly revealing to her what she had been missing all this time.        no,  it was no trouble at all cooking for someone else,   for her on her birthday,     it was more of a gift than anything else,   not that she’d reveal her hand.

using oven mitts she brought the pot over to the table,   resting it on top of the mat she had placed there earlier for easy access.              she quickly stripped off her apron,     midriff exposed as she proceeded to take the glass from her.               she innocently clinked her glass against renee’s,      ❛   but you can always pay me back, ❜   the look that gathered in her eyes did not match the words that fell from her mouth next,      ❛    show  &  tell next week ?      i promise to step in if they ask the tough questions.  ❜         she was coy,    but hoping more than she expected to hear a yes in response,   an excuse to see her again.     

Her gaze lingered, caressing the expanse of the bared midriff in her mind. Cheeks grew hot, knowing that this did not go unnoticed. Her attention was averted, then pulled towards eyes, only for imagination to be further encouraged by the look she found. 

Impulsive words leapt to lips, only to be silenced in internal admonishment as she sipped the wine. The detective would not make the mistake of assuming show & tell was all that would be asked ––––– after all that had transpired between them on their first date, she certainly hoped not. Still, Renee replied with sincerity slightly overcompensated, schooling her mind to the benefit of the children ( but plagued still by the wicked wants that her date intentionally teased ).

          ❝My work can be unpredictable, but...❞           How was she to refuse those eyes?           ❝ –––––– I’m sure I’ll find the time.❞

A pause, taking her seat. Working up to the part she felt so inexperienced with voicing:

           ❝...And maybe I can take their teacher out for dinner after?❞

It was incomplete and not enough. The thought would not cease its nagging despite the continued conversation, mind wandering ahead of the compliments she was paying the woman’s risotto. 

She was numb in self-consciousness, unsure if she truly did it justice. Hopes were that confusion would not mar her message, reviving an avenue long put to bed:

          ❝Um... I really DO appreciate you doing all this ––– ❞

The pace slowed, uncertainty fading now she had committed, letting unmistakeable desire shine through her lower registers:

a smile curved at her lips,   ❛   who’s getting caught ?   ❜  helena was only pleased by the resistance that manifested into renee’s irritated tone,       making sure that her appreciation was apparent on her face—         that’s how she knew she had gotten to her after all,   &  she would take it as a win,               ❛   you might not condone bribery— ❜     her smile was aimed directly at her lips once again,       breathing out intentionally,      ❛  but i know for a fact it’s not out of the question.   ❜        this wasn’t the first nor would it be the last time she would employ  &  call on such methods that the other deemed out of bounds.   

her lips kissed at renee’s from under the mask,    one hand moving from her jacket to settle on her face,    her grip anything but gentle.     her kisses were drawn out,   firm so as to make sure the other could feel them in part through the mask,      at least enough to leave her wanting more.            occasionally she pulled away,      requiring that renee chase after her lips if she wanted them,   teasing her.     &  if she didn’t helena made sure that between the grip on her face  &   her jacket that she would follow through.      

breaths fell against her mask again as her lips sought her ear,    confident in her desire to slip her up,    to make her want her despite the circumstances  &  the red tape she was putting up.    she was amused,    &  yet her voice dripped with the right amount of desire,   low enough that it called back to many other commands she issued the other,  ❛   why don’t i tie you up again ?  promise i’ll play dirtier than these amateurs.  ❜  

It was exactly as she feared. There was no degree of fun she was allowed without Helena Bertinelli retaliating tenfold. And with the appetite for risk that far exceeded the Question’s, with the threat of failure and recapture bearing down on only one of them, it all fell so conveniently into her palms.

–––––– Leaving Renee to tear herself up between the temptation at her lips and the nagging  in her gut.

Where gaiety had been she was now rigid ( how quickly they traded roles ). It was altogether wasted effort to deny the physical reactions, but she could still make clear her disapproval for the unreliable mix of danger and desire. She bit where kisses landed, and still chased contact of her own accord. Both soft and hard ––– surely affording Helena the satisfaction of returned affection and her frustration made apparent, despite all intention to NOT.

Her jaw drew tight in displeasure, pulling back to glance over her shoulder. She made no move to abandon this perch, however, hands latched onto the woman’s forearms in an absentminded embrace.

And it was in such contradictions that Helena revelled.

After all she had conceded to her friend here, it was best not to even acknowledge the offer.

         ❝FOCUS, Huntress –––––– ❞

in any other circumstances helena would have loved to be pressed up against the question,   costumes between them as the adrenaline of the mission only fed her hunger,    fed the flame within her that wanted to consume the other woman.      there weren’t many exceptions to that,    but this predicament just happened to make the list.      her own move used against her,    her  face soured as soon as the thought occurred to her.      

helena pressed her lips together,    remaining still despite the initial urge to lean away,   or the other overwhelming urge to somehow heave her off,      ❛    just cut,  lady.   ❜    other than that,   she stayed uncharacteristically quiet,     impatience only inflating with every fibre of the rope that was cut.    

when she felt the ties loosen the slightest bit she forced them off herself,     hands grabbing at renee’s jacket,    jerking it down with enough force that there was no room for resistance,     ❛  how do those brownie points look about now ?  ❜     she held her jacket taut,     lips almost against hers,   ❛    i forgot to mention—   i took out a guard while you were sleeping,  ❜    eyes took in what she could see of her face beneath the mask,      trying to spy any damage now that she was close.       she brushed her lips teasingly against hers,     before pulling again,  dragging her lower so that she could press a kiss against her forehead,     ❛   did i make it better ?  ❜  

Handled with such roughness, in such proximity to the Huntress angry and unleashed –––– she imagined this to be the nightmare of many an adversary. For her? This was just another night. The Question barely did blink, her return almost clinical in spite of her powerlessness.

          ❝You should know by now that I don’t condone bribery.❞

Not that brownie points would be enough to save her, had she any. ( And she did always seem in short supply, traded too freely for her quick remarks. ) She was at Helena’s mercy now, and they at their captors’. 

––––––– She did hope her partner had not forgotten THAT detail.

Her mind wandered across improbability after improbability, attempting to piece the events that had led to the woman overpowering one while restricted as they had been. Renee concluded simply that she did not possess Helena’s arsenal, not the violent artistry nor the heedless aggression. Outwardly, she remained unimpressed, being the Huntress’s biggest critic ––––– often witness to the distractions and inconsistencies that quite honestly, she was too good for. ( Often its unintentional cause. )

          ❝Good to see you haven’t lost your touch.❞