I'm working on a random fic just to get all the Batman hyperfixation out of my brain so it stops distracting me xD
I got to the opening quote and just ran with it.
Not sure where this will sit in the timeline I'm working on, but I love how sassy Tempest gets. I dont see it often in her own world and then I remember that she is very mouthy 😂
Gotham Nights
Tempest watched as the thug turned to face her, and his stale breath hit her nose, yellowed teeth bared in a feral grin.
"I don't hit girls."
"What a shame. I can." And she brought her knee up hard to strike between his legs, cracking him across the jaw when he doubled over to send him tumbling to the ground.
As he struggled to his feet, she moved past him to the girl cowering against the wall, curled up in a ball. Tempest crouched, sliding off her mask and meeting her eyes.
"Hey, it's okay..." her voice was soft, free of any modulation. There was sheer terror in the girl's eyes, wide and wet with tears streaking her cheeks. Tempest offered her hand. "I promise you, it's okay."
Slowly, the girl set her hand in her own.
"T-thank you."
"Can you stand?"
"Yeah..."
"Atta girl, let's get you out of here."
Tempest scanned her idly for injuries, her skirt was ripped and her knees were grazed, her face a little reddened. Thankfully that was all she got before she found her.
"You're not... Batman."
Tempest snickered at that. "What, you think old Bats has to answer every call? Maybe I was just in the area. And besides-"
She was interrupted when she felt a heavy hand on the back of her shirt, pulling her clean off her feet. The girl screamed and suddenly everything was spinning. Tempest crashed to the ground, the impact knocking the wind from her but also the mask from her hand.
"You bitch!" The thug snarled, blood trickling from his mouth. Tempest moved quickly, activating her wrist strap for the magnetic field, pulling her mask quickly back into her hands to settle it over her mouth again. He grabbed her by the shoulder, rolling her onto her back as he loomed over her.
"Worried I messed up your face, big guy? Sorry to say, you weren't that pretty to begin with." She ducked when he threw a punch, smacking the concrete beside her head, and she threw one of her own, landing against his nose with a crack. It sent him reeling back and gave her space to move, pulling herself to her feet.
There were footsteps approaching as she scrambled to her feet and took her stance, she was ready for him to lunge at her and was ready to sweep his feet once he did.
But before he could move, there was a sudden flash and a bang that echoed through the alley.
Slowly, she saw the blood pooling in his shirt, square in his chest. Even he seemed shocked, looking down in disbelief as he touched the hot, sticky crimson mess under his fingers. Then he was down, and the shadow standing behind him made her frown.
"What the hell are you doing?!" She snapped as Red Hood holstered the pistol on his belt again. He shrugged.
"Problem solved." And he turned to the girl, now terrified for another reason entirely. But he gestured with his hand, a lazy wave of his arm. "Go. Go on."
As she scampered away, Tempest stormed up to him. Her frame dwarfed by his height, her face came up to his chest and she had to tilt her head up to glare at the mask.
"I had it handled."
"Yeah, I could see that. Got a great view of you getting your ass beat. Good job."
"Don't you take that tone with me!" His hands flew up, open-palmed in an appeasing surrender.
"Easy, easy... Dial it back a bit, yeah?"
"You did not just say that to me!" She hissed. "*Jason Pete*-" he pressed something on his comms and suddenly there was a distortion on her mask, the modulation garbled and eventually muted.
"Don't full name me! I didn't do shit wrong."
She huffed and pulled her mask off. Her anger less explosive but still no less incensed. He did the same, tucking the red helm under his arm.
"Can't you just let me do one thing by myself? I don't need you hovering over me."
"Wasn't hovering, I was on patrol."
"Oh how convenient."
"Yeah, lucky for you."
She pursed her lips, before she let out a sigh and ran a hand through her hair.
"I was doing exactly what you said. I wasn't even meant to be on this side of town but I heard her and I just had to..." she trailed off when she noticed he was looking at her. Not in anger, listening. "You're looking at me again."
His expression shifted then, a lopsided little grin. As if he hadn't just gone full vigilante mode five minutes ago, hair falling across his eyes.
"Can't I look at you?"
"No. You just shot a man and now you're trying to be cute."
"Is it working?"
She chewed her lip in contemplation, then walked past him to the edge of the alley.
"Shut up. I'm still mad at you."
