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25 đ· MINORS DNI đ« in my (perpetual) Battinson era đŠfollow me on AO3 + Wattpad @ellesthots
157 posts
Chapter 26 Was Amazing, The Way I Opened My Mouth In The End, It Was So Sad. The Fact That Bruce Wanted
Chapter 26 was amazing, the way I opened my mouth in the end, it was so sad. The fact that Bruce wanted to stay with her just a little bit longer is heartbreaking, like sheâs somewhat the only thing that keeps him going :/ I wonder what was going on inside his head, what was his last thoughts, who did he think about⊠Anyways, Iâm so excited for the next chapter, do u have an idea of when u will update ? I donât want to pressure you, just asking xx
Right?? This chapter was such a beast, it took me foreverrrr to get through đ„Č THANK YOUUU for giving it love đđ I donât know when Iâll update but itâll be within the next 2 weeks!! I always post as I finish writing them, so it depends on how fast I get it done lmao. Could be two days, could be longer! I try to always have a new one up within 2 weeks time though!! But comments like yours always make me want to write write write, so who knows! đ
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More Posts from Ellesthots
Fateful Beginnings
XXX. âgut feelingâ
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parts: previous / next
plot: in an untoward evening, Bruce gets protective.
pairing: battinson!bruce wayne x fem!reader
cw: 18+, violence, drugging, aggression, description of injury, angst, nausea/vomit, basically Gotham being Gotham
words: 6.7k
a/n: oooowieeee Bruce is really starting to show his more flustered side đ€
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PHOTOS: EMT Says Bruce Wayne âLucky to be Alive" After Harrowing Crash on Tower Grounds
You'd been walking the sidewalk just before Rai's when you got the news alert. Even with his warning, one that left you for a few seconds when first staring at the phone, it was like being pummeled by a brick. Tethered to your screen, flipping through the photos TMZ posted like they were scripture. After a few heavy exhales, you gathered yourself enough to walk inside. The familiar 'Welcome in!' before a double-take. "Y/N? What are you doing here? You said you left?"
In all honesty you'd forgotten about your last conversation, the last moments before tragedy, and hadn't prepared for what you'd say to people outside of what you were to tell Mar. You did your best to laugh it off, but he wasn't taking it. He walked around the register and stood in front of you, right by the Oreos. "Always been able to read you, friend. Tell me, what's on your mind?"
Ding! The door opened to a cluster of women and Rai gave you a playful finger wag. "Foiled this time."
You joined half of the pack as they perused the drink aisle, then the other that clustered by the deli. He was almost out of tabbouleh, and the second best thing in your opinionâbaklavaâwas being thirsted after by the two people in front. You decided to get some pita and hummus to go.
Rai didn't have time to talk to you with the line of people behind you, and for a brief moment you thought about stayingâbut your bed was calling your name, so you kept it simple. "I decided to stay for a few more weeks, at the very least. I'll be back soon for more tabbouleh." You winked at him, smiled, and found yourself right back where you had rotted the past 36 hours.
Rai sent you a text about fifteen minutes later. Heard you're a big journalist now girl! How does it feel to be published?
The message stopped you in your tracks; it was the first time someone had mentioned the interview without also mentioning Bruce Wayne. It brought tears to your eyes. He was the first person truly interested in your experience with it, about how it was just a project, not the person, that was the cool part.
I'm staying a bit longer for the election. Especially with how much traction my interview got, I think I carved out some legitimacy for myself to maybe make a difference reporting on the mayoral campaign.
He must've gotten swamped because your next text from him wasn't until an hour later. Whatever keeps you near Gotham and tabbouleh makes me happy. Bouleh on me next visit.
It was a running joke how often you ordered it; it was almost a hyperfixation, the flavor of it orienting you to time and place whenever things got harried. You learned a few months after being here that you needed some routine and, well. That was yours. The glow of your iPad screen was also an ever-present friend:
SEARCH: Marian Grange
Google showed that Grange was the former district attorney, a big-time lawyer taking on some very high profile cases in her time. A handful of years ago she had made her way to Gothamânotably, with just enough years of residency to run for Mayor this calendar year. Since coming to the city, she hadn't taken on any more cases, submitting wholly to the pursuit of... socializing? She was often pictured with the elite, holding hands with a beaming smile, endlessly pictured throughout her public-facing Instagram going to various fundraisers and luncheons. Per her campaign website, she wanted to stop the 'targeting' of the city's rich. Out of the many filler words on her 'issues' page, that was the only information you could glean.
SEARCH: Sebastian Hady
Hady's 'issues' page was a bit more complex: in addition to his position of taxing the churches, he wanted to put out an immediate hit on the batman. He'd attempted to run for mayor in the past two elections, falling short of winning enough votes to make the final matchup, and it was clear why: his politics were inconsistent. Tax the churches, but don't tax the wealthy; increase taxes on the poor, so they could 'bootstrap' their way out of their 'unfortunate predicament'. As out of touch as Grange was, Hady made your stomach flip. He'd been a political science major, with no real experience due to being denied access to Gotham University's Public Administration graduate program. Outside of running incessant campaign ads on late-night television and blaring his oversaturated frame across the city streets, he'd mostly laid low.
SEARCH: Lincoln March
BRRT BRRT. BRRT BRRT. "Mar?"
"Have you seen the news? I didn't have any reception in the lounge."
Every time she went to the Iceberg Lounge you wanted to hold her by her collar and give her a desperate talking-to. You gripped the phone tighter. "It's dangerous, you know the type of shady shit that's gone down there the past few years?"
"So you haven't seen it." She slurped away on a drink. âSour as hell.â
Ding! You pulled your phone away from your ear to see the TMZ article. Your gut cinched.
"It's all anyone's talking about. People are getting into massive arguments on Scypher about it, it's fucking crazy."
"Arguments?" You bit the inside of your cheek.
She scoffed on the other line. "You're joking, right? Some people are saying he was DOA and had to be revived!"
A lurching clump of bile hurtled into your mouth, forcing you to double over and squeeze your mouth shut. Everything about that sentence haunted you, from the almost incredulous way she delivered it to Gotham's colloquial use of shorthand when describing being killed. He might've been fucking dead? Fuck, fuck...
"Hello? Y/N? Hello?" She groaned. "You're acting weird. Haven't even told me why you're still in the city."
"Don't you think it's a heavy fucking thing to talk about like that? You can't throw around someone being, someone being fucking, dead!" You were more shrill than you meant to be, but you didn't exactly have the resources to control your tone while you clutched your stomach and held your breath, not wanting to taste the vomit you'd just swallowed.
"Shiiit, I thought you didn't like him." If she turns this into a conversation about dating...
"I already saw it earlier."
"Think it'll interfere with your interview?" The sound of background whistling and whooping created an unsettling soundscape.
"I really don't care if it does."
"Pretty rude of the guy, in my opinion. Stealing your thunder like that?"
She's drunk. She doesn't know any better. Hell, might even be wasted. Still, your hand shook with anger to the point you had to set the phone on your comforter and scoot back from it. You pressed your palms flat against your mouth to keep from screaming. Screaming what, you didn't know. You were beginning to understand what it was like for Bruce to talk to you as you struggled to speak through gritted teeth. "That's really disrespectful, Mar."
"I'm jooookingg!" She cackled and you heard a clatter. "Oh shit hahaha, my phone. Hello? Still there?"
Don't want to be. "Yeah. Do you need me to call you an Uber?"
"Nahh, this guy's taking me home."
"What about Gianna?" She always hung around Gianna; you'd only met her once when Mar got picked up, and only for about five seconds, but after a brief look over her socials (and an impressive LinkedIn) you were inclined to think she was a good influence. Gianna had to be with her.
"I haven't asked her to be exclusive yet, you know that." Her words were beginning to slur.
"Who's the guy?"
"Some dude I met at the bar, he's super fuckin' rad."
"I'm sending an Uber to your location. Come up to my apartment, we'll spend the night together." Did she always leave with someone when she didn't go out with you? You pictured her being preyed upon, studied in the pulsing lights of the club. It made you sick.
"Okay bossy. No." She giggled to herself. "His apartment is like half a mile north, he's walking me." She hung up. Jesus. You threw on your sneakers, grabbed a taser, and raced outside, scanning your apartment fob to access the free-use bike garage. Iceberg Lounge was about a fifteen minute walk south.
It was terrifying biking on the streets of Gotham. Half the street lamps didn't work, and the drivers were all fiendish assholes who drove like they wanted to smear bodies on the pavement. You'd almost thought yourself lost until you spotted a glint of her neon pink cami.
"Hey!" You tried not to sound too menacing; maybe this was a rare good guy in Gotham, and he was gonna tuck her in safely to his spare bed and make sure she had a nice, non-laced drink of water at her bedside. No fucking way. "Hey,"
"Y/N?" Mar looked shocked at your arrival.
You dismounted your bike and grabbed her hand. When you did, the man grabbed your forearm. You ignored him and spoke directly to her. âLetâs head back to my place.â
âInterrupting our date.â The man laughed, but it was indignant. He still wasnât loosening his grip on your arm. Getting a closer look at Mar, she was disheveled; her straps were sliding off her arm, exposing the top of her bra; her belt was halfway undone, yet her lipstick was pristine.
âWe have a rule to not go home with people when weâre drunk.â You flashed him a smile, his green eyes dark and menacing. Why do I always notice the eyes?
âSounds like BS to me.â He tried to laugh again when he said it, which only pissed you off. He probably thought he was one of the âgood guysâ and didnât understand why no one ever called him for a second date. You snaked your left arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to you. A quick once-over noted him wearing a thick leather jacket with white cuffs, and dark blue jeans with rips in the knees. His shoes were a nondescript pair of white Nikes. âYou seem perfectly sober, interesting.â Mar was unsteady in your grasp, her weight leaning slightly too much into you, her knees wobbly. Did he fucking slip her something?
You swatted away his hand, which had a butterfly effect; he swiftly grabbed your ponytail, yanking on it so you were removed from between them. He grabbed her by the elbow as you stuttered back, tears springing into your eyes from the tension of having your hair yanked. He couldnât quite walk as fast as he wanted to, her legs catching on every crack in the sidewalk. In this city that meant a long, treacherous walk anywhere, and an opportunity for you to strike.
You pulled out your taser and ran closer to him before slamming your finger on the trigger. A small catch of electricity came from the tip, then faltered. Itâs not charged. Fuck. He turned toward the nearest apartment complex, and you lunged for his neck. He was tall, but not too tall, and there were a few steps heâd climbed to the doorway. You were able to wrap your palm around half of his neck, pulling him down hard on the concrete. Before heâd even smacked the ground you jumped down the stairs and slammed your foot into his balls, as hard as you could, your left foot skipping atop the concrete with the force as it struggled to balance. He cursed, spit flying out of his mouth as he clutched his groin. Mar was barely holding onto the siderails at this point, confirming sheâd been slipped something. His legs thrashed wildly, his grunts filling the empty sidewalk. He caught your ankle and you fell back, smacking your head against the bottom stair. For a few seconds all you could do was breathe, the air knocked out of you and your vision blurry, stilted. He rose to his knees, and you scrambled back. By the grace of whatever God may or may not exist, you were able to get back on your feet before he did. The transition made you wildly dizzy, and before you knew it you fell to your knees again.
Mar was barfing off the edge of the railing, crying. You figured she had no idea what was going on, just knew that it was bad; the first and only time youâd been roofied was out with Mar one night. Youâd tasted your drink and within a few minutes you were feeling woozy. Make it ten minutes later, and the room was a glowing haze of smoke and mirrorâliterally. You were seeing double everywhere you looked, locked in your own cage of whatever someone else did to you. Thankfully Mar had enough experience to notice the initial signs of being drugged (at least, in someone else) and had immediately called an Uber and notified the staff of the bar. Sheâd tended to you the rest of that night, and when you woke up her eyes were buggy and bloodshot. âI stayed up all night watching you. I didnât want you to like, choke in your sleep or something.â
You attempted to raise your head, but it was pounding, whiting out your vision when you tried to support it with just your neck. You grabbed your phone and managed to open it to your phone app, but he smacked it away. You watched through bleary eyes as it soared into a bit of bark dust beneath some shrubs, landing face-down. All you saw was a gentle emanation of dark blue light. It called someone.
âHELP!â You shouted, hoping that whoever it was would hear you. Most of your contacts (you didnât have too many) had access to your location information. Youâd gotten scared after a few harrowing abduction stories in the Gazette and sent a mass text to the people in it with your info. Someone would call, and it would be fine. âCALL 911.â
Mar slumped to the ground and balanced her head against the railing, tears streaming down her cheeks. This part of town was deceptively barren, of course it was. The man grabbed you by the ankles and you screamed, jerking your legs until one broke free. âHELP!â
A part of you thought it would be okayâuntil you remembered Batman wasnât on patrol tonight. Your heart sank as you watched him latch both hands onto your other ankle⊠and then he dropped you. He turned and walked halfway between the road and the apartment doorsâwhy wasnât anyone coming out to help?âand faced you, his mouth slobbery and in a slack grin. He shook out his body and flexed his fingers, taking a moment to hype himself up. You tried to sit up again, grinding your molars with the effort, but you nearly blacked out. The only thing that came to mind were the earthquake drills from elementary school, of hiding under your desk with your hands over your head to protect from falling debris. He was falling debris. Inevitable. You wrapped your hands around your aching head. Pressed your elbows together in front of your nose. Tucked your chin, barely, to protect your neck. He took off in a sprint for you, his sneakers connecting brutally with your thigh. You screamed, and he kicked it again. And again. And again. âSee how you like it, fucking bitch.â
Mar screamed behind you; weak, but undeniable. âStop it,â She stumbled toward you as his foot barreled into you with unbridled ferocity. She grabbed onto his arm and he shoved her off. She reached back out, her nails digging into his skin. He shouted and shoved her hard against the railing, turning his attention on her. She had enough bearings now to dodge a single hit, rolling out of the way before another landed square between her shoulders. You were busy incrementally lifting your head from the cement, centimeter by slow centimeter sitting upright. The man wiped the arm of his jacket against his mouth, muttering. âBullshit fucking cunts.â He slammed his foot between her legs, and she yelped, rolling over onto her stomach. A wave of nausea stormed through you.
She was slowly rising, but he slammed his fists into her back and she buckled. Her face hit the pavement so hard you hoped her nose wasnât broken. She started coughing, stringy spit dribbling off her lips. At this point he turned back to you with a sneer. âGuess Iâm getting double tonight.â
Sick freak. The pain was edging out your fear, and resignation was teetering towards fruition. You only needed a few more minutes to get your bearings. Long enough to heat up a fucking hot pocket. He slapped you across the face, and you fell back to exactly where you were. Flat against the ground. Thundering head. Unable to sit up, arrested by searing pain.
The sound of skin slamming into skin disoriented you. Thudding, smacking sounds pierced the air, peppered with the manâs grunts and yelps. He sounded like a hit dog. What, the fuck? You shoved your palms against the ground to support your weight, but it wasnât working. You physically grabbed your jaw and the back of your head and tilted it up, holding it there to watch the scene unfolding a few feet in front of you. A horrible hollow sound echoed just as the man was hurled against the opposite railing, his chest nearly touching his shin as his body bent around the metal. His opponent was adept at fighting; fully hooded with a black shirt wrapped around the bottom half of his face, a thick, baggy jacket bulking his frame, gauze wrapped around his knuckles. You couldnât make out his full face, but the feeling you got told you all you needed. It wasnât quite fear, not quite comfort, or peace, but an indisputable sensation of safety. You let your head fall back, too fast, as you sobbed cries of relief.
The mystery man kept trying to fight back, but not a single hit landed. You saw it all in the lower half of your vision. Saw the guy try, fight, and run, and the other stoop down to Mar and help her sit up. Once she was in a safe, neutral position he turned to youâBruceâs eyes were framed with black, paint smearing down his cheekbones and into his brows. He took your arm and attempted to pull you up to the same position, but you squealed. âI hit my head,â
He sat back like he was calculating something for a moment before cupping his left hand at the base of your head. Holding you like an infant, he slowly tilted you upright. He held his hand just above your neck a few seconds longer. âGonna let go.â Tentatively, he did, and you resisted your torsoâs urge to flop back down.
A car pulled up right then, one you hadnât seen before. It was flashy, but not a sportscar. He noticed your eyes follow it and lowered his voice. âItâs mine. Iâll take you both home.â He paused, gesturing with his head. âDo you know her?â
You tried to nod but you felt like your head would snap off your neck. âYeah. My friend. I think, she was drugged.â The pulsing in your thigh was violent, and you worried you might have fractured something. He gave you a once-over, then looked back to her. âIâll help her in first.â
Bruce tried to help her stand, but she shook her head. âY/N,â she called out weakly, moving to her hands and knees to crawl toward you. She managed to make her way to your side, panting with the effort. âWho is, why,â
Shit. âUm, heâs my friend. I called him when, when the guy, shit,â Your head was in agony. You struggled to form coherent thoughts, let alone speech. How, clear is she? Recognize? Him? Disguise?
âI trust you.â Her voice no stronger than a whisper. She reached her arms out to him, and he walked over to help her up. He wrapped his arm around her back and to her armpit, hoisting her up and steadying her to the car. The side door opened as he walked up, and he helped her sidle in. He waited a few seconds while she adjusted, then grabbed the seatbelt. You heard him say something, but couldnât⊠only if you want maybe? About the seatbelt?
You blinked and he was holding out his hands for you. The scarred, dirty hands that now had traces of fresh blood from reopened knuckle scabs soaking through the gauze. It made you faint thinking about him at the⊠Arkham. All at once you sat up, the motion sending you reeling. âFuck!â Your hands trembled as pain ravaged your head, all the blood simultaneously leaving and filling it. âNo, you shouldnât, fuck,â
He squatted to your eye-level. His stare didnât waver once. âYouâre, recovering, I donât, thanks,â Between every word was a gasp of pain.
His tone was firm, leaving no room for disagreement. âIâm glad you called. Iâm taking you home.â
âAre youââ
âIâm fine.â He held out an expectant hand for you to take. You anticipated having to pull your own, but to your surprise he pulled you up with you barely feeling the ground whatsoever. He carried the bulk of your weight, snaking his arm on top of your shoulders instead of under, allowing your neck not to bobble as you both walked. The last time youâd been this close to him you hadnât known his identity. You recalled his hold being so firm you couldnât escape, how afraid that had made you until youâd realized it was him. You stopped trying to force your balance and let him guide you the last steps to the car; the door opened automatically again, and he helped you slip in beside Mar. She had her head against the back of the seat, eyes half shut.
âNeed help?â He had a finger looped around the seatbelt. Your cheeks heated, and you stammered out a no. He shut the door, and you painstakingly buckled yourself. A part of you wondered what heâd do if you refused to buckle up, and how long he would sit there demanding you put it on before you finally gave in, having sufficiently annoyed him.
When Bruce climbed in, you felt like a child who forgot their lunch on the way to school. You asked him to retrieve your phone, explaining it was under some shrubs by the entryway. Not ten seconds later he was back in, wiping dirt off the screen before handing it back to you. He was so fucking fast.
Mar didnât talk during the drive, and neither did Bruce, so neither did you. You kept one eye on her at all times, making sure she didnât fall asleep before you could check if she had a concussion or not. You figured you did, and you were not looking forward to checking in the mirror later looking at the damage done to your left leg. Now I match Bruce. A bitter thought.
Youâd had the wherewithal prior to leaving to bring your keychain with you, tucked nicely into your pocket. By some stretch he hadnât kicked just a few inches higher, which would have probably left you with a gaping wound from the jagged ends of the keys fileting your hip. You held the fob out the window when he pulled up to the garage, and in another blink he was helping Mar out.
âCan you stand?â Mar was slumped into his shoulder as he supported her weight. âMight have to carry her.â She looked exhausted, with her eyes glazed over, her face sweaty. You watched her chest with diligence, and per usual he sensed you, reading you like he was superhuman. âHer respirationâs normal. You can check the rest of her when you get your bearings.â
You unbuckled and tried to stand, but even shifting halfway out the car scared you. The ground phased in and out of your vision, the depth completely lost. As much as it burned⊠You sighed. âTake her up first. I think I need help walking.â
You handed him your keychain and he went on his way. Only after heâd disappeared up the elevator did you question it. I let her go up alone with a man? In this state? You couldnât berate yourself much though, because a strong swell of defensiveness ravaged you. It was like the you before and you now were dueling. Condemning your judgment and rationalizing it, back and forth.
There was truly just something about him. Maybe you were infantilizing him and the past week was clouding your judgment. Maybe he moonlighted as Batman to cover up his serial killer tendencies. Keep the cops trained on an alternate identity, a vigilante. But he made you feel safe. He always made you feel held. Even when your mind took over and convinced you he was wrong, convinced you you should be afraid, your body never internalized it. That gut feeling you got around other men; the other men at city hall, the other men at the club, some of the men in your undergrad classes, even some of the professors⊠your stomach never curdled like that around him.
You didnât think about it any further.
Bruce jogged out the elevator and helped you out. You ignored how your stomach fluttered being pressed so close to him, fought the tears that begged at the edge of your eyes, and let yourself sink into his chest. At some point you closed your eyes and concentrated on the roughness of his jacket against your cheek, and the patter of his heartbeat. Warmth. Alive. Breathing. Secure.
You being so close to him made him keen to his breathing. His body felt tingly and dizzy. He held you tighter. Every exhale fluttered the hair in front of your face, wisping it across your eyelashes. Was his breathing too loud? Were you falling asleep? He rustled you slightly, just taking a step slightly too hard, not wanting you toâyour lashes fluttered, having caught you right before slipping into dreamland. He needed to keep you awake, at least long enough to do a proper assessment. Long enough to make sure you werenât going to die.
Walking through your doorframe was a beast he realized too late; too narrow to both walk through wide, after your left hip caught on the strike plate and you cried out. He hated how much it felt like someone squeezed his chest when he saw you in pain; if you or your friend had been any less injured, he wouldâve taken more time on the perpetrator.
He sat you delicately on the couch, instructing you to sit upright as much as you were able. He unwrapped the cloth from over his mouth, shoving it into his jacket pocket. He asked if he could touch the back of your head, and you agreed. His fingers were as gentle as a catâs whisker, delicately sifting through sweaty clumps of hair that, if it werenât for even the air moving past it causing flinching pain, mightâve made you soft, weak. You startled when he removed his hand. âCanât feel any bleeding, no cuts.â His voice was soft, his eyes scanning everywhere but yours. You were glad.
He asked the date, gave you a few words to recall back, and shined a light in your eyes. You recoiled like heâd slapped you when he pulled out his flashlight, the light causing physical pain. On the jump back, your leg brushed the pillow to your left, and he stared down at it. âMay I?â You nodded and he pulled up your shorts; you were biting down on your tongue as his pinky grazed the bruise. âHow bad is it?â It was at this point, when he didnât immediately respond, that you realized heâd turned off the lights in your apartment and only left the lamp on in the corner. Thoughtful.
âAlready bruising.â He grimaced, seeing the speckled outline of the shoeâs leather binding indented in harsh red streaks along your leg. His grimace made your face fall; he hardly grimaced like that when he had a fucking gaping wound in his leg. âWhat? Tell me.â
He shook his head. âA bad bruise, thatâs all.â He grabbed your shin lightly and asked you to bend your leg. Then put weight on it. Twist left to right. Flex your hip. Everything worked normally. Still, his brow was twisted together, looking like he was gnawing on his cheek. You eyed him skeptically. âWhat?â
This was the second time heâd pulled someone off of you in less than six months. Your entire thigh would be lit dark scarlet in just a few days. Heâd called Gordon the second he got into his car, and whispered an ID to his watch to ping over when he went to get your phone. He was sure they got him, but all he could think about was brutality; he didnât like the things he was imagining, the drive to crack all the fingers off the manâs hand and shove them into his petrified, quivering mouth, and the equal drive to wrap you in a hug that never ended to make sure no one else harmed you.
You saw the movement of all these thoughts across his face, but the only source you could track them to was hesitation to tell you the extent of your injury. âDo I need to go to the hospital?â
He wanted to scour every inch of you to look for more lacerations, bruises, bleeds. For possibly the first time ever, he didnât trust his estimation. You needed a professional, just in case. In case he missed something. In case youâd jostled your brain too much, in case the man had loosened a clot in your leg. He nodded. âI think you should.â He could take a back way there, walk you up to the doors and then put you in a wheelchair at the entrance. His mask would cover up enough, probably. Heâd bring your friend with you. She could be checked out too.
You looked to his bloodless palms and fingertips that had just explored your scalp. Down to the splotches across your leg. âWhy?â You felt like shit, yeah, butâŠ?
âI might be wrong.â
âAbout what?â
âThe extent of it.â
âWhat, like a brain bleed?â
âExactly like that.â
You flicked your gaze up to your bedroom door. âI canât leave her. Is she okay?â You moved to get up, and it was painful, but you managed. You slammed your hand on his shoulder for emergency balance, and you begrudgingly accepted his support across the living area. Mar was on her side in bed, squinting at her phone that seemed to already be on the lowest brightness. You whispered. âI got it.â
He let you go and walked back to the living room, and you shut the door behind you. You limped over to her and sat on the edge, tapping her ankle to alert her. Slowly her eyes moved to yours. The lipstick that had been untouched was now smeared across her cheeks, and her eyeliner bled and cracked off. âAre you, okay?â
âI think so. Are you?â You were doing exactly what Bruce just had; scanning her body at rapid speed, analyzing for any signs of injury. She looked a bit scraped up on the heels of her hands and knees, and you asked her to turn to take a look at her back. There was still the rough, muddied outline of his shoe from where it connected on her spine, but nothing else of note. Some general redness, and when you touched it she groaned, but didnât shriek.
You looked into her eyes, but knew you had no idea what to look for. âDid he check you out already?â
She nodded, leisurely. âShined something in my eye and told me to say stuff, I donât remember what though.â Her words were still slurred, and the top of her nose was scraped, but nothing looked broken. You thought of the kick heâd done between her legs, and asked if she felt any pain there. She almost giggled. âBastard forgot I donât have balls. But, how,â She winced as she adjusted, her back rippling with it. âCool is it he thought, I did.â She sighed and returned her attention back to her phone.
âDo you have pain anywhere?â
She glanced down at her palms and then pointed to her nose. Her biggest thing then was being drugged, and yours was whatever head thing you had going on paired with a throbbing leg. The thought of leaving your warm bed to go to a brightâfuck, BRIGHTâhospital made you want to actually die. You were gonna take your chances tonight. Oh, it was making you sick thinking about itâŠ
âIâm gonna get some meds. Want some?â Whew, just a few steps through to the kitchen. I can do it! Iâve done it a lot! At least half of the journey is carpet, if I do eat shit. She nodded again (you were very jealous she was able to bob her head), and began your slow shuffle to the kitchen. The second you appeared in the doorway, Bruce jumped to your aid. You waved him off. âI think Iâll stay home.â You grabbed the counter for support.
âIâm taking you in.â
Furrowing your brow hurt your aching head. âIâm gonna take some meds, itâll, be fine.â
âThen Iâm staying.â
He sounded like a scolding parent. You shot a look at him and felt the ground wiggle beneath you. You squeezed your eyes shut which only made it worse. Tried to refocus on the medicine cabinet. So highâŠ
âLetâs go.â He made his voice a bit louder, sterner. You finally scooted close enough to reach the handle, and now worked up the courage to grab it. You rustled around in there for a moment.
âYouâre not really going to take that, are you?â His tone was biting. Footsteps, then he snatched the bottle of ibuprofen out of your hand. âDo you want to have a brain bleed?â
Shame coursed through you, another one of his thousand cuts. When you were able to look back at him, he had his eyes shut tight and his lips pursed, one hand holding the bottle and the other gripping the counter. He saw you looking at him and hastily turned away. The pop of the plastic bottle on the marble punctuated his apology. âSorry.â He ran his fingers through his hair, his hood removed somewhere between your bedroom and the couch. He huffed and tilted his head back to stare at the dark kitchen light. His shoulders rose and fell with every cycle of breath, one for every three blinks. The room was silent like that for a minute. He was so angry⊠no, he was nervous. Upset.
He caught your eye when you turned and his face fell into something softer, more vulnerable. âYouâre not going, right?â He gave the smallest shake of his head and flicked the bottle a few inches. He didnât wait for your answer. âIâm staying.â He made his voice strong, though you both knew you could kick him out and there was nothing he could do about it.
âBruce,â
âYouâre both incapacitated, leaving you here alone, itâs, itâs not an option.â He was getting flustered. You always took him there. He didnât stutter, he never caught on his words, never caught on the sidewalk, never overlooked a pedestrian, fuck. His voice was raising, only slightly. His breathing got shallower, his fingers feeling chilled. âI need a minute.â He put his hands over his head and walked to the other side of the room, pacing in front of the couch. The fact the silence felt thick made you want to cut it. âIâll be fine,â
âPlease!â He dropped his hands at his sides and stood facing the cushions.
Deep breath in. Hold⊠exhale. Inhale, hold⊠exhale. Inhale, hold⊠exhale. Inhale, hold⊠exhale. He felt his chest start to release. Inhale, hold⊠exhale. Hold. Inhale, hold⊠exhale, hold⊠the feeling was coming back into his fingertips. Inhale, exhale. Hold⊠Inhale, slow, hold⊠exhale, slow, hold. Blink. Blink. Look at the wall. Couch. Hands. Jacket. In, out.
Another big sigh and a small shake, and he looked over his shoulder. He swallowed back globs of saliva that threatened to drown his vocal folds. His cheeks were pink, from what he had no idea. âIâm upset this happened to you.â He figured some transparency wouldnât hurt, seeing as heâd just watched you get bludgeoned on the sidewalk and the⊠events of the past weekend. His jaw flexed. âAnd your friend.â He groaned, feeling frustrated tension fill him again. âI heard your shouting from blocks away. There were plenty of people.â His hands tightened in and out of fists, a motion you never failed to dial into. âNo one did a damn thing.â
âSeems about right.â You slowly reached for the ibuprofen and put it back in the cabinet, letting it fall shut with a small tap.
Bruce was facing you now. âYou donât seem fazed.â
You shrugged, but couldnât raise your shoulders in any meaningful capacity. âPeople donât give a shit here.â You winced, as another blow of pain emanated the circumference of your skull. âOf course you donât,â You flinched, speaking causing coils of pain to vibrate in your head. âGet it.â
He held back the full extent of his response, because he had a full argument sitting on the tip of his tongue. âIâve seen the worst of it as him. I get it.â His enunciation begged no comment, but it was steamrolled.
âYou donât.â It was going to hurt to push all the words out at once, but the adrenaline of more friction with him was enough fuel to edge it out, momentarily. âYouâre only able to be him because of your very unique, situation.â It was suffering to continue talking. âEven if people wanted to, to be you.â You took a small breather, placing both hands on the edge of the counter as the world whizzed by. âWe canât. We have, work, school, people are, shit.â
âWe can talk about it later.â He walked to the cupboard and drew some water from the sink. You noticed him rinse it twice before filling. He held it out to you. âDrink. Sips.â
Some muscle in your finger had to have direct access to your brain because when you extended your arm fully to grab it, as soon as your pinky gripped the glass, you shuddered like youâd flicked a nerve. The glass clattered to the ground, exploding shards across the floor. When you ventured to move, he stopped you with a firm hand on your shoulder. âIâll get it.â He didnât want you tripping with how unsteady your gait was. He moved to your side and grabbed some paper towels, squatting once more to gather the biggest chunks. âThereâs a, broom. In the closet by the door.â
âY/N?â Mar had made her way out of your room in a drunken shuffle. Sheâd said your name but her squinted, hazy gaze was focused entirely on Bruce, who was now facing her without his hood, without his mask, almost entirely exposed save the black around his eyes. Her eyes widened. âIs thatâŠâ
In your periphery you noticed Bruceâs eyes flick up to yours as his hands slowed. For once he was silent, letting you take the leadânaturally, it was the first time ever you didnât want to. Fuck.
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how I see everyone that reads my fic
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reminder that my asks are always open! itâs never a bother to hear your thoughts, takes, feelings :) makes it so exciting and extra fun!
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what do we think of the new chapter ??
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just posted (and pinned) a chapter index for Fateful Beginnings !! đŠ hopefully this helps with navigation đ