Summary:
Still in shock, Barbara buried her face into his neck.
“Bruce… you saved me?” Batgirl asked.
“It’s what we do.” Batman said.
“I still love you. Can I say that now? I love you, Batman.” Batgirl said.
“Batgirl,” he said. There was a nervousness in his tone. “Batgirl. Eyes open. Stay awake.”
Minutes prior there was gunfire everywhere. Her cowl usually blocked out the sound. But tonight was different. Hundreds of automatics laying thousands of rounds onto the concrete floors. She was shivering. It was shock.
She didn’t remember getting to the safehouse in time. But now she was small. Curled up like a baby squirrel. Her chin tucked against his chest. A bruise like no other on her left eye. His palm graced her non-swollen cheek. Waiting for her body to settle.
“Alfred sent Lucius’s helicopter to get Leslie. She was at a conference in Metropolis. Do you feel wounded anywhere? Barbara?”
“Where’s my dad?” Barbara asked.
“I need to check you for wounds. We’re within walking distance from Gotham memorial. I have a spare set of clothes here.” Batman said.
“My dad?” Barbara asked.
“He made it out ok. They’re still after Two-Face.” Batman said.
“I don’t think I need a doctor. Take me to the cave.” Batgirl said. “I just need rest.”
“We’ll get you there. Harley blindsided you with her mallet.” Batman said.
He was two far away to see most of the encounter. Harley could have killed her. She was manic. Two-Face killed off another Joker. Not her “True Love” , but she cared for this one. Like a brother.
Barbara was trying save her from taking Harvey’s life. Her men killed off the majority of Two-Face’s men in a matter of seconds. But in the moment of the fight, Harley held back her death swing on a badly bruised Barbara. Even Batgirl knew that. Barbara buried her face into his neck.
“Bruce… you saved me?” Batgirl asked.
“It’s what we do.” Batman said.
“I still love you. Can I say that now? I love you, Batman.” Batgirl said.
He said nothing in return. She let out a cry that she hadn’t let out in her four years of patrol.
Half her face was swollen. She didn’t seem to mind.
“I’m not mad that you aren’t saying it. I’m just sad that you want to but can’t.” she said.
Bruce looked at his communicator. She looked down at the texts from Alfred. Dick was fine. Tim was fine. Harvey was in the ER, but he’d be fine. Harley was loose.
“If you need to go back out, I can find my way around here.” Batgirl said.
She limped over to the couch.
“If you’re going to create a safehouse, maybe go to IKEA instead of putting in a $14,000 designer sofa.” Barbara said.
“Well. You never know what type of company you might be having over.” Batman said.
“Poor Alfred. Probably has to clean up these things after you take Diana here after a mission.” Batgirl said.
He found a blanket for her. Luxury Siberian husky fur. It was faux, but still a few thousand dollars.
“If it matters, that was a gift from the Sultan.” Batman said.
He was in a stage where he gave up making eye contact with her. Not because of the bruising. Just the natural, complex jealousy she had in the moment. She propped up against a pillow and tried to figure out the remote control.
“If you know how to make ramen or tea, that might help keep me awake.” Batgirl said.
“We have to check you for bruises. She got your ribs pretty hard. Broken rib can cause…” Bruce said.
“Internal bleeding. Yeah. Yeah.” Barbara said.
There was dried blood on her face. And hair. Bruce picked her up in his arms. She noticed he was walking her to the master bedroom.
“Dark Knight and Shinning Armor time?” Batgirl said.
“We’re going to bathe you.” Batman said.
“You go by ‘We’ now. Bruce and Batman.” Batgirl said.
“More like I’m going to hand you a washcloth and look the other way.” Batman said.
He got her into the master bathroom. There was a long bath. And a military EMT grade medical kit.
“This is one way to ask me to give up the costume.” Barbara said. She winced in pain. Realizing that her thigh was hurt pretty bad as well.
“You know you’re Batgirl. You’ve never needed me to say that you weren’t.” Batman said.
He brushed his lips against the top of her cowl. She let out a calming sigh.
“The zipper is still in the back. The black version of the suit just hides it better.” she said.
He put her onto the cold floor. Unromantically, he pulled down the zipper. She wiggled it off as best as she could but needed his help. The spandex stuck to her skin.
“What’s the damage?” Barbara asked.
“I’ve had worse.” he said.
“You’ll have worse than your worst one day. Part of the mission. Huh?” Barbara said.
He had pulled down the top half off her costume. And took off her sports bra. She pulled both of her weakened arms around his neck. Pushing her pert breasts and pink but hardened nipples against the logo on his chest.
He hugged her back. Then moved gingerly to the tub to turn on the water.
Like a knight, he waded his hand through the water. Waiting for it to fill. Barbara sat herself up on the edge of the tub. Glimpsing at herself in the mirror.
She would have to miss weeks of work and school for this.
“What would Bruce Wayne’s protocol be for this type of bruising? Car accident? Mountain bike fell down a cliff?” Barbara asked.
“Water skiing. People don’t try to add anything up.” Bruce said.
He undid her utility belt and slipped her out of the rest of her costume. She looked at the bruises on her thighs and ribcage.
“Turn lights to 40%” Bruce said quickly.
They quickly dimmed. He took out a gadget from the Medic Chest. It was a handheld sonogram. Pre-Patent. Wayne Tech. He hovered it over her body.
“Verdict?” Barbara said.
“Leslie will look deeper into it. But looks like the suit saved you from even fracturing your ribs.” Bruce said. “Milk does the body good.” Barbara said.
“There’s some salt that our Hockey team imports. Should help with any muscle damage. Let me find it.” Batman said.
“Care to add some bubbles to the bath for me?” Barbara said.
She slowly put herself into the warm water. Images of Harley still racing through her head. Images of getting to the scene too late to see the dead body of Joker no.4 or no.5 all over the floor. Despite the pain, she still put her knees to her chest as close as she could.
“Should I snapchat my friends and let them know that I’m having a bath in Bruce Wayne’s secret apartment?” Barbara said.
As she looked over with her one good eye, she spotted Bruce stripping out of his own clothes. There were fresh cuts and old scars across his torso. A purple welt the size of a softball on his shoulder. His suit was made of a new Kevlar. She knew that it was a splatter of bullet that hit him there that didn’t seep through the costume.
“They should call you Bruise Wayne.” Barbara smiled.
“You’re sure happy that you still have one good eye.” Bruce said.
“Oh, I’ll always have eyes for you.” Barbara gestured for him to get in. “You don’t get to tell me when I stop fantasizing about you. You just tell me when I can’t have my fantasy come true.”
“Is flirting a symptom of concussions?” Bruce said. “Because you aren’t usually like this.”
“You saved my life. Big time. Think my hormones are just going to stay stoic for the rest of the night.” Barbara said.
He entered the tub from behind. The bottom half of his costume still on, aside from the utility belt.
Sponge in hand, he put some military grade gel onto the sponge and focused on her shoulders. She leaned back, letting out a relaxing sigh.
“Is that a painkiller?” Barbara asked.
“Dr. Isley created it before - well, you know.” Bruce said.
“Oh. Is this an aphrodisiac as well?” Barbara said.
Bruce’s hands rolled past Barbara’s breasts and focused on the bruise on her ribcage. It was practically blue.
“If I ask you to widen your thighs, it’s just to rub this on you.” Bruce said.
Like the retired gymnast, she widened her legs. He placed some of the gel on his ungloved finger and rubbed over it.
She winced in pain.
“I’m going to find Harley. Then we’re going to take some time off.” Bruce said.
He wiped a tear off of her cheek. She was wearing mascara with her new costume now. She wanted that attention.
“Don’t over promise Bruce. That’s what my dad did and look at the issues I have from it.” Barbara said.
“Then what do you need?” Bruce asked.
She handed him a small towel. He slowly took off her cowl. Causing the 25 year old to be truly naked infront of him. He brushed it against her face. It was with grace that he slowly took off the ash, dirt, blood, then makeup from her face.
“Let me see what shampoo I have.” Bruce said. “I want to wash your hair.”
“I read the article in Vanity about you having a thing for redheads.” Barbara said.
“Bruce or Batman?” he grinned.
She pushed the bruised part of his shoulder and found the basket of shampoo on the ledge of the bathtub. Not overthinking it, she flowed it through her hair until it created a lather. Tipping her head into the water, massaging it slowly. Avoiding the weak spots where bruising occurred from Harley.
“How fast is that helicopter Leslie was in?” Barbara asked.
“You act like I’m a poor judge of time.” Bruce said.
“I’ve just never had anyone do this for me. Well aside from a hairdresser. But I didn’t even know those places existed until I was in college. Dad took me to the Police Academy Barber until I was 16.” Barbara said.
“Alfred gets jealous when I see a stylist.” Bruce said.
“He hates it when I bring outside food into the cave. It’s an insult to him.” Barbara said.
She turned around. He hadn’t shaved in a couple of days. She contemplated asking if she could do it, but she was too relaxed.
“He misses you not coming to the cave as much.” Bruce said. “When we ended things. After Dick came back. He knew that he wouldn’t see you as much.”
“What about you, Bruce?” Barbara asked.
“I want this with you. But one of us has to think about the steps ahead of this.” Bruce said.
She peeled off his mask to see more of his eyes.
“How long of a break could we really take?” Barbara asked.
“Maybe when your dad retires. I don’t know. There’s always going to be some orphan asking for Batman. Some day where Harley turns into something she doesn’t want to be.”
“But what about us. You’d want that?” Barbara asked.
“I’ve always known that you’re the one I can’t have because you’re the one I want the most.” Bruce said.
He finished her hair. It was now clean and recognizable.
“Then have me. You don’t think you deserve it?” Barbara asked.
“I just don’t want you to have my fate. To suffer over it.” Bruce said.
He slipped out of the tub. Tucking a towel around his large hips, he removed the bottom half of his suit. He offered one to wrap around her. Eyebrows raised, she was daring him to continue in the argument.
“Dick’s not here. Tim isn’t here. Leslie is far away from being here. Show me.” Barbara responded.
She gestured to the empty bed in the bedroom.
“You know I want you. But every doctor with a license in Gotham thinks you should be admitted for a week with these injuries.” Bruce said.
“This is how we heal, Bruce. I need you to be careful. I don’t need you to fuck me. I need you to make love to me.” Barbara said. “Because it reminds us that we’re different, but not alone.”
She walked to him and pulled off the towel from his waist. He grabbed her hand with martial arts skills, all he could do is bring her hands together. Press them up to his chest.
“I’m not ready for tomorrow.” He said.
She pushed him onto the bed. Her body splayed onto his broad form. Chest hairs tickling her freckled cheek.
“You don’t get it. It’s not even good sex with the others. I fake orgasms. I cry in the bathroom after. And you act like that doesn’t mean anything like a self hating masochist.” Barbara said.
“Say it again.” Bruce said.
“What?” Barbara asked.
He gently touched the small of her back. Her black eye watching him. Touching his abs.
“You have my permission. Say it again.” Bruce said. “I love you, Bruce.” Barbara said.
“Then I belong to you, Barbara. I love you.” Bruce said.
It wasn’t going to be pretty. Not like the other times. He had to look at her for advice on what position she could make it work. Missionary wasn’t a great option here, but it was the only one they had.
Nodding with anticipation, she sprawled onto the bed. Hips angled, and nipples pointing up high. He was warm from the bath, his hands knew where to go. The last thing she wanted to be was fragile, but he took things slow. And not in his normal, charming way.
Knowing she wanted passion, he nosed her belly. Kissing down her hip and then her thigh. He brushed over her clit with his lower lip. She jerked and winced, but still smiled wanting more.
He dragged up the moisture from her elegant cunt, his finger barely touching the bud. Her face was red. Flushed. She would slug him if he stopped.
It was impossible to ignore his muscular, toned body. Her hands explored his chest, her fingers tracing the lines of his abs.
His hands, carefully pushing her legs apart. He knelt between them, his fingers finding her wet pussy. He rubbed her clit, feeling her shudder beneath his touch. He then slipped a finger inside her, feeling her tightness. He added another finger, pumping them in and out, preparing her for his cock.
"Bruce, yes," Barbara moaned, her hips bucking against his hand. "I need you inside me."
Bruce obliged, positioning himself at her entrance. He pushed inside her, filling her completely. They both groaned, their bodies adjusting to the new sensation. Bruce began to move, his thrusts slow and deep. He reached down, rubbing Barbara's clit as he fucked her.
"Yes, Bruce, yes," Barbara cried out, her nails digging into his shoulders. "Harder, fuck me harder."
Bruce complied, his thrusts becoming faster, harder. The sound of their bodies slapping together filled the room, along with their moans and cries of pleasure. Barbara's legs wrapped around Bruce's waist, pulling him deeper inside her. Bruce's hands gripped her hips, guiding her movements.
"Oh, Bruce, I'm going to cum," Barbara moaned, her body tensing. Bruce could feel her pussy tightening around his cock, pushing him to the edge.
"Cum for me, Barbara," Bruce growled, his thrusts becoming erratic. With a cry, Barbara came, her body shaking with pleasure. Bruce followed soon after, his orgasm ripping through him. He filled Barbara with his cum, marking her as his.
They collapsed against each other, their bodies slick with sweat. They shared a tender kiss, a promise of more to come.