ᵀʰᵉ ᵖˢʸᶜʰᵒ & ʰⁱˢ ᵖˢʸᶜʰᵒˡᵒᵍⁱˢᵗ ꪜꪖꪶꫀᦓᛕꪖ

(5) 𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙚𝙚

"So, ya gonna let me up or what?" Jerome asked dumbly, referring to her not so high up window.

"I—" Nova began, not being able to find the words to form, her mouth insanely dry, heartbeat skyrocketing by the second, all while her eyes searched her surroundings apprehensively

Jerome studied her, narrowing his crazed eyes. "Don't leave a guy hanging now."

Nova bit her lip forcefully, soon tasting the familiar metallic taste that coated her tongue. She internally debated with herself, not long after letting a soft sigh slip past her lips. "Just don't get caught. I am not going down for you."

Jerome could only scoff in response as he approached her window, climbing the tree which was right beside her window. He rose further up, leaping onto the wall ledge attached to her window — ever so slightly, brushing his back against the wall.

In that moment the girl took in all his features, watching the way his face scrunched up as he was concentrating and how his green eyes shined ever so brightly.

"Guessing you like the view, eh." Jerome chuckled, leaning closer, making their faces inches away.

Nova flinched back, startled by how close he now was, it seemed she was too stuck in her thoughts, too busy admiring — to have realised he already reached her window, resting along the ledge.

"Uh— This is the part where ya kindly invite me in." Jerome remarked.

Nova smiled mockingly, gesturing with her hands for Jerome to advance into her home, much to her concern.

He gazed at her with a huge grin and she could tell he was biting back his usual manic laughter. As he passed her, he pinched her cheeks jokingly.

Nova groaned and swatted his hand away. "Enough."

Jerome snickered, snooping around her living room, taking everything in. "No family?" He observed, seeing as she had no family pictures up.

"No." She replied, watching as something lit up in his eyes.

"Dead, huh?" He asked, waiting for her answer.

"Something like that." Nova replied, not wanting to speak of the topic as she promised to keep all that buried in the past where it belonged.

"No boyfriend or husband either?" Jerome interrogated.

"Not that it's your business, but no." She sighed, coming to the reality that she's sheltering a criminal, making her an accomplice.

"Ah." He hummed, a mischievous look on his face. "So, Nova. Need a roomie?" Jerome chirped, watching as the girls face scrunched up in confusion as she had never gave him her real name.

"How do you kno-"

"I read your file, that's how I know your address.
Lovely name, by the way." He grinned, exposing his front teeth.

"Creepy, but also the last thing on my mind right now, so let's skip the small talk." She resorted.

"Ah, you're so predictable, you know?" He sang out, making his way towards her couch, plopping down on it as he spread his legs.

"So i've been told."

There was a few minutes of silence before she spoke back up, suddenly flooding him with numerous, but valid questions, which Jerome only responded with. "All in good time, Novey."

Nova sighed, moving over to the window, looking out at the bright lights which reflected from building to building. The faint sound of tires screeching in the distance. Gotham was never this quiet, especially when dangerous criminals were on the loose.

[ THE NEXT MORNING ]

    Nova woke up with the feeling of someone's hot breath hitting her face. She slowly peaked her eyes open, only to see Jerome staring back at her with his big green eyes. "Morning." He grinned.

"What the hell." She mumbled, sitting up in a rush, not knowing if this was a dream or reality.

"What?" He huffed. "You look cute when you sleep." Jerome defended.

Definitely real.

"It's creepy, also I told you to take the couch." She grunted, pushing his head away from her.

"You're cute when your mad too." He teased, shifting his gaze to look up at the celling.

Nova shook her head, using all her strength to shove Jerome off the bed. She sighed in delight, hearing a heavy thud and a delayed groan.

"Not cool." He muttered, pausing. "Now, my turn."