#no cops

Sophie chuckles. “I’m not a cop.”

“No Crows either.” Even one who’s somehow weaseled her way onto the Bat Team.

Sophie shrugs, as a slow smile overtakes her face. Ryan’s eyebrows furrow at the silence. At the relief and almost nervous hope in Sophie’s eyes. That look isn’t just an off duty officer looking for community. That’s an I finally did it; aren’t you proud of me kind of look.

Ryan laughs. “Holy shit. Holy -- are you serious!?”

Sophie smooths the blank space of her shirt where her Crows badge used to reside. “I figured there are other ways to protect this city.” She steps in close to Ryan -- closer than they’ve ever been. Sophie’s voice drops as her eyes catch Ryan’s. “I hear there’s another team with an opening.”

“Hmm?” Ryan can hear her blood rushing in her ears. “And who told you that?”

Sophie leans over to whisper in Ryan’s ear. “Batwoman.”

Ryan barely suppresses a shiver. She can almost feel the smirk on Sophie’s lips. “Now you’re lying on Batwoman. That’s bold.”

“I can get bolder if you can get...”

Ryan glares. “Don’t say it--”

“Wilder.” Sophie snorts the moment she says it. A full bodied laugh follows the snort, and Ryan shoves Sophie away before Sophie can continue the bad joke.

Ryan has to project to talk over Sophie’s laugh. “Your last name is literally Moore! You don’t see me making jokes.”

But Sophie just clicks her tongue and swipes a tear from the corner of her eye. “You’re missing out. It's great material. I'd give you more but--”

Ryan actively turns around at that point. She starts walking off into the crowd, and Sophie has to jog a few steps to grab Ryan's wrist and stop her. The slight distance gives Ryan a moment to school her features into something serious. Something determined and not at all entertained by Sophie’s antics. Until, of course, Sophie reaches for Ryan’s shoulders to turn her around to face Sophie again.

“Okay, enough jokes. Just....” Sophie takes a breath. “It’s Pride, and I really would like to spend it celebrating the fact that for the first time in my life, I am an out, Black lesbian with nowhere else I’d rather be. And no one else I’d rather be with.”

That makes Ryan smile. Her voice pitches up. “No one?”

Sophie scans the audience. “Well, Rihanna’s not making her way to Gotham anytime soon so--” She ducks from Ryan’s swat at her. “No one. So, are you gonna keep playing hard to get, or can we actually have some fun today?”

Ryan scoffs. “I haven’t even begun to play hard to get.” She isn’t lying either. The only issue is that Sophie may have gotten her before the game could even begin.

“Maybe this will sweeten the deal?” Sophie turns around so Ryan can get a good look at the back of Sophie’s shirt. It’s another unlicensed Bat shirt with the logo on it, and in bold print, it reads: PROUD OF OUR GIRL.

Ryan rolls her eyes, but she does reach out to squeeze Sophie’s hand. “I’m proud of you too.” Not that she’s ever letting anyone else hear her say it. “Now, come on. They don’t have Rihanna, but they do have good music over here.”

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