Willow

Bruce Wayne Dines With Duchess

...The prince of Gotham was spotted out and about in Robinson Park with adopted son, Dick Grayson, their dog Ace, Her Grace, Verity Iyer of Markovia, as well as her brother Vincent and Wayne's butler, Alfred Pennyworth. Mr. Wayne and Her Grace enjoyed a relaxing picnic near the amphitheater while the boys and dog played fetch on the lawn. This is the first sighting of the Duchess out in public since her unfortunate accident last month. We're all glad to see she's doing so well, but we can't help but speculate on the nature of her relationship to Bruce Wayne....

Three Weeks Later

With Verity slowly on the mend, the Iyer siblings returned to their house. The housekeeper - Mrs. Dobbs - had her things moved to a ground level guestroom so she wouldn't struggle with the stairs.

Silver came by every other day for a week to help Verity shower until she - and the physical therapist - deemed her fit enough to shower alone. Dr. Lang came up to the house on Tuesdays and Fridays, walking her through stretches and exercises. Her strength returned slowly; and some days she could only go as far as the bathroom and back to bed. Dr. Lang recommended she use a cane on particularly taxing days, but she often misplaced it - leaving it by her bed or in the bathroom or the library.

She knew she had been in a coma for a week. That she had survived severe hypothermia and three broken ribs. She thought it reasonable for her muscles and joints to be stiff and weak. She knew she needed to be patient. That recovery was a non-linear process taken one step at a time.

Her bruises faded from purple to greenish-yellow and the swelling went down. But the ache remained.

She and Bruce settled on taking things slow. There was still the matter of her betrothal to Frederick. And neither of them had any idea how having a soulmate worked aside from sharing a mark on their wrists.

But Bruce noticed it first.

How her mere presence calmed him. How cold and almost empty he felt without her around. It certainly explained why he took Ace to the memorial gardens. His soul searched for hers.

It was easy to tell when she was near. His body warmed from the inside out, starting at his soulmark and spreading through him the closer they were. As if someone were saying,

There! Her! It's her! It's always been her!

The manor felt colder without her there. Emptier. Quieter - despite Dick's constant chatter.

So on a wet and chilly afternoon in early March, he found himself driving over to the Iyer's to see if she might want to watch a movie or go for a stroll. Gotham traffic was bad enough when the weather was agreeable. And given that it rained six out of the seven days of the week, traffic was always nearly always at an infuriating stop and go.

Bruce drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. He almost took one of the motorcycles out. But his civilian bikes weren't meant for rain and taking the batcycle out in the middle of day as Bruce Wayne couldn't exactly be called a wise decision.

So he opted for the gunmetal blue crossover instead. Safe, comfortable, and mostly inconspicuous. Not the flashy sports or luxury cars the public expected from him.

And Verity didn't strike him as the type to be impressed by fancy cars. She liked substance more than style.

He'd gone shopping with her and Silver once - before her kidnapping. And while Silver bought anything that suited her fancy at that moment, Verity was more practical. Pragmatic, even. She looked for sturdiness and reliability.

He hoped he could be those things for her. Though the Batman Mission would, perhaps, make it difficult.

But Verity was sensible. And kind. And adorable. And... and...