BATMAN: Black Mirror Vol. 2

Night 07: Reaper's Requiem

"I...I have to go. I've been away for too long..."

"There's nowhere you need to be other than in this bed."

"Selina--"

"No, you're going to listen to me for a change! I saw pictures of what those freaks did to you. They tortured you and god knows what else. When I found you, you have no idea how terrible you looked. It's only by a sheer miracle that you're still alive and for once in your fucking life you're going to do as I say and stay your ass in this bed."

     There wasn't any need for a fight, so Eli gave none. He remained silent, sullen and overall drained of his former pale coloring and spark. His eyes turned down to the sheets and his hands laid unfurled and lifeless. He just didn't care anymore.

"Look, I didn't want to sound hard, but you seriously scared the hell outta me back there. While you were asleep, I could've sworn you actually died a couple of times. I didn't know who to call, or what to do...you staying in bed is the only way I know how to make sure you're still alive and well." sighed Selina. The silence between the two of them spoke volumes. Eli refused to look at anything that wasn't his knees, his face placid and emotionless.

"I...I made you something to eat. It's nothing fancy, just some crackers and soup. If you want, I could boil you up some tea."

"Where's my sword Selina?" Eli whispered. Selina chose to at least come clean about something.

     "After you were taken, Batman appeared. He found your sword and...I guess he took it."

This news sparked a small reaction from the boy. His hands finally moved as he twitched his fingers. There was something different about Eli, Selina noticed. She had never seen him so quiet and still before. The experience left her feeling anxious, nervous and curious over what he intended to do. There was no way Eli had forgotten who's fault it was that he was kidnapped in the first place. Selina, though wanting to talk about it, prayed with all her heart and soul that he wouldn't bring it up. The tone of his voice and the chill he sent up her spine told her she should at least make an attempt to breach the subject.

"El, about what happened in the alley...none of this would've happened if I helped you with Zsasz. I froze when I shouldn't have and I'm so sorry."

"There's nothing to apologize for. I've went through worse." Eli shrugged halfheartedly. 

     "At least now I know who has my weapon and where to go to get it back."

Selina was about to ask how Eli knew where to find Batman, when the boy turned his back to bury himself under the covers. She didn't even get the chance to ask him how he was feeling, but judging from the look in his eyes, she was better off not knowing. 

"Yeah, you get some sleep. I'll leave the soup on the table just in case you get hungry." 

Selina quietly closed the bedroom door behind her and went into the wide kitchen. She reached for the cupboard above the sink and pulled out a glass, a bottle of wine and went to work drowning her frustrations in sweet blood red alcohol. It was just one date. One date with Bruce Wayne and everything fucked up. Of course she couldn't blame Bruce for what happened with Zsasz (at least, that's what she told herself while she was sober) but the further into the bottle she drank, the more connections she made.

     "Eating out in the open...so stupid." she cursed. "I mean, how cheap is the man when he could've invited me back to his place? His mansion! We didn't have to be seen at all and none of this shit would've happened."

Granted Bruce was quite handsome and charming. He had a smile that could charm the pants off of any woman ("and he has"), but now that Selina was alone and not in her preferred home, she began feeling he wasn't worth all the trouble. She wasn't a bad judge of character and had a feeling that there was something internally wrong with Wayne when she first saw his face on television. Everyone in Gotham knew the tragic story of the Waynes and their only surviving son and Selina knew for a fact no amount of money in the world could heal the emotional wounds and broken heart of a boy who watched his parents get gunned down right in front of his face. Selina knew it well: the two faces of abandoned children. One face was the outward appearance. The one that proved to everyone you were fine and that tragedy hadn't taken over your life. You were able to "move on". Then there was the other.