I watched Ro every night as she sneaked out of the manor. She helped at Leslie clinic, at the orphanage, at the local shelter and studied in between. I admired from afar.
I stepped up into the light and helped her lifting up a trash bag off the ground. It looked heavy. She almost dropped it when I grabbed it.
"It goes...", I walked up to the nearby container and throw the bag in there. It was too heavy. There's no way she could possibly carried it around. "... there. Thanks Batman."
I turned and faced her in the street. It was just the two of us. We were alone, we could talk freely. I expressed my concern. "You shouldn't be doing this."
"Throwing the trash or sneaking out of the manor?"
"Both." I stared at the floor, thinking. I'm surprised how she didn't get into any trouble for doing it by now.
"Thank you for putting me into your schedule. I know Leslie asked you but I'm sure you have more important things to do then─"
"Not tonight", I cut her off softly, lifting up my gaze to meet her eyes.
She sighed and explained. "I want to help. And I had to get away from everything. Sometimes it's just too much. Heavy. It's not as if I'm going to do it for much longer. Being who I am and staying in his presence. I'll─"
"Your boyfriend?" I cut her off.
"... I'll have to find another way", she finished.
"There are so much we don't know about each other. I'm not sure if he would understand...", her voice trailed off, looking at the ground.
"You could... show him?" I suggested. She thought I wouldn't like, understand what she does for the people of Gotham. Truth is I couldn't be more proud of her and who she is.
She lifted her head up and smiled. "Perhaps you are right but for now... I'm still waiting for him to ask."
"I wanted to ask you something", I started feeling a bit nervous. We were having a dinner at the restaurant.
Ro put her hands together under her chin. "Yes, Bruce?"
My palms were sweating. I was feeling nervous. I haven't feel this way since forever. "I was thinking if I, I mean you..."
"Yes, I?" She smiled at my clumsiness. "I mean you. You wanted to ask me something?"
"I wanted to ask you if you would like to be my girl... ", my voice trailed off seeing Selina in the distance as she clung to someone else's arm. "... friend."
"I'm a girl and I'm already your friend Bruce", Ro joked as I looked at Selina. I was surprised. I didn't expect to see her.
"Bruce. Haven't seen you for a while", Selina came to my table. I didn't recognize the guy not it mattered. She's free to do whatever she wants with her life.
"You can go now", Selina shooed him away. Ro moved in her chair, feeling a bit uncomfortable by Selina's act.
"And... who you might be?" Selina turned to Ro who looked at Selina blankly not showing any emotions, no signs of worry not there was any.
"She's...", I started to entroduce.
"Ro. I'm just Ro." She moved her hands back, down to her body. I started to feel tense.
"Still adopting kids Bruce?" Ro is younger than me but not that much younger.
"I'm not a kid", Ro said a bit offended by her words.
"Then, what are you?" Selina looked down at her then back at me, rolling her eyes.
"You can't be serious." I grabbed Selina by her elbow discreetly, taking her away.
"That was rude Selina", I started once we were alone.
Ro was still sitting at the table. A waiter came and asked her something. "I always say what I mean."
"You should teach some manners."
"You never mind it before. You can't be serious about this one? She looks twice your age."
But she is not. "Are you dating kids now?"
Ro stood up from the table, about to leave and I muttered. "It's not your concern."
It was pouring outside. The moment I stepped outside I was soaked. "Ro wait!"
She was standing outside the restaurant and waiting for the limo. I had to yell for her to hear me. "I'm sorry I..."
"You don't need to apologize. I don't know what─" It was hard to hear her because of the puring rain.
"She's an old friend", I cut her off, trying to explain.
"I wish that's all it is but we both know it's not. You left me there. Alone." I couldn't argue about it. She was right.
The limo parked a few feet away from her. "You need to figure things out. Until then... This might be good for us both."
I stood there in the pouring rain and watched her go.
Rain.
It rained for a week now.
Alfred brought me some tea in the living room. It was getting cold outside. It was autumn. "I don't know if you heard Master Bruce but Miss Crown is quite popular now. It's the era of brunettes sir."
"I don't know what that means", I said flipping through the newspapers.
"You would know if you spend some time going outside and hanging out with people Master Bruce."
"I do hang out with people Alfred", I said a bit annoyed. Every night. On the streets.
Alfred shook his head in disbelief at my words. "Have you talk to Miss Crown and explained?"
"She's right." I put the newspaper down and stoop up from the sofa.
Alfred turned in my direction. "I don't follow Master Bruce?"
I headed towards the door, determined. "Selina and I. I need to end it once for all."
I went on patrol looking for Catwoman as she went inside the botanic garden looking for something or someone. I didn't know why Poison Ivy was there and what she has to do with Catwoman and vice versa.
I don't remember much that night. Except I let myself get distracted and Poison Ivy got away. Nothing was stolen. I didn't have the reason to chase her.
The next thing I remember is waking up in my room, in my bed, and I wasn't alone. "What are you doing here?"
"Remember. Last night?" I remember I said it's over. And I meant it. Every word. Selina got up from the bed, with my clothes on her. I was in my bottoms, nothing more.
"You shouldn't be here", I groaned as the daylight shined in my room.
"You didn't say that last night when you ask me to stay."
"What happened last night?" I asked half awake, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Isn't obvious Bruce? Just as the old times." I didn't quite believe her. There was something different in her tone.
I was feeling lethargic. I don't remember drinking last night not that I would let it get that far. "Why don't I remember anything?"
Selina let the door slightly open as she left my room. I heard sounds, voices coming downstairs, Selina's voice. "You again?"
"That ended well Master Bruce. You and Ms. Kyle?" Alfred asked me in the hallway. I came down as fast as I could. They were both gone.
I could still smell Ro's perfume in the air to know she was just here. "I don't remember what happened last night."
"You don't remember Master Bruce? I assumed you returned with Miss Crown. You have been calling her name and I didn't want to disturb", Alfred remembered.
Why would I call Ro if she wasn't there?
"I was surprised when I saw Ms. Kyle instead this morning", Alfred added.
It doesn't make much sense.
"What are you going to do Master Bruce?" Alfred asked.
The memories of the last night started slowly to flood back to me...
"You should made it stronger. It didn't work Ivy", Catwoman expressed her disconnect of Poison Ivy's new pheromones cocktail.
"It works. Perhaps he's out of love for you." I should have known. I didn't know Catwoman and Poison Ivy are... friends.
"That's not... possible", Catwoman's eyes widened in realization.
My eyes glowed in the dark as I watched them talk. "Next time I'll double the dose."
There isn't going to be the next time...
I narrowed my eyes and stepped into the light, reveling my presence.
"Nice job Batman", Commissioner Gordon congratulated, lighting up a cigarette on the street. Gotham's police couldn't find anything on Ivy but I know they were watching on her. I helped this time. She had a hidden stash of illegal drugs for her plants.
Commissioner suddenly threw the cigarette away and reached for his phone, taking it from the pocket of his coat as I watched a police car drove Poison Ivy back to Arkham. Enough for her to get arrested but not to keep her there permanently.
"I want to order two pizzas. One with extra cheese and no meat."
She is at Commissioner's house.
I immediately looked at Commissioner hearing the order and he explained. "One my girls is vegetarian."
I know.
"I don't know how she lives on vegetables. I eat meat. These muscles won't build up on its own. You eat meat, right? Aren't you... any chance─?"
"No", I replied. I eat meat. I eat everything Alfred cooks except for his sandwiches.
"That's what I thought, looking at us two." Commissioner glanced down at my armory chest.
"Muscles will not build on their own." Commissioner is tall and muscular almost like me but he is getting older and tired more each year of doing the job no one else wants to do.
"Don't tell the old hawk but when the first time I saw her, the first thing I thought about was do they feed her with anything in the manor."
"Williams's daughter?"
Commissioner nodded in confirmation. "You know about Crowns, right? I must forgot to mention it. She is in town."
I noticed something was bothering him. "You're worried. About her?"
"Some boy issues." My eyes widened at Commissioner words. "You know how girls are?"
I did but then I met her. Now I don't know anything anymore.
"This town doesn't deserve her and.... Wayne", Commissioner muttered. "I still don't understand what is she doing with Wayne? I know him, he is a good kid but he better treat her right or... I have a gun."
"Was that a treat Master Bruce from the Commissioner himself?" Alfred asked in my room later that night.
I was dressing up for tonight's party. "More as if warning."
I entered the party and found her standing with the major's daughter and other girls similar to her age.
"Isn't him handsome?" They started talking about me as soon as I entered. Usually I don't pay much attention to it but this time was different. Ro was there.
She didn't listen or seemed interested in their talks. She was quiet and distant, deeply in her thoughts. And... pale.
"Hey Bruce?" One of the girls waved at me. Ro flinched hearing my name.
"Is he seeing with someone Ro?" One of the girls asked her.
"I wouldn't know", Ro mumbled avoiding to look in my direction.
"Where are you going Ro?" Other girl asked.
I walked past them and one of the girls invited me. "Hey Bruce. Wanna join us?"
"Not tonight ladies." I excused myself charmingly and followed Ro outside.
I found her standing on the balcony, holding the railing. Hearing my footsteps, she asked me. "What do you want?"
"To explain", I started as she stared down, breathing heavy.
"It didn't take you too long." My eyes widened at her words. I realized my mistake. It took me too long.
She turned and kept avoiding my gaze, wanting to get inside. "You have nothing to explain. I made a mistake thinking there's something going on between us."
I grabbed her arm and stopped her, deadly serious. "There is something going on between us."
She slowly looked up at me. I missed the way her green eyes looked into mine. "I... Can't... Breath."
She fainted in my arms. I touched her forehead. She was burning. I swooped her in my arms quickly and carried her inside.
"A fever sir?" Alfred questioned in the kitchen, preparing his famous soup in the morning. First I told him she's sick and later I found out she has a fever. "Nothing my chicken soup can't fix."
"Alfred", I started uncertainly. I didn't know how to tell him. He put so much effort to it.
"Yes, Master Bruce?" But he forgot one thing.
"Chicken?" I reminded. She isn't going to eat it. She's vegetarian.
"Oh right sir. I forgot. I guess I'll throw it away. I wouldn't be the first time." Alfred walked up to the kitchen sink with the soup in his hands but stopped for a second as if he was waiting for something.
"Perhaps we can send it instead. To the ones who need... food", I suggested. We don't need to throw away. The food. Actually, I don't know what Alfred does with the leftovers. I was never interested to find out. Until now.
"To the poors sir? Nice thought Master Bruce. How come I think of it first sir?" I didn't know he was doing it all this years and I never thought to ask.
"Miss Crown's influence?" The doorbell rang and Alfred informed returning the soup back on the stove. "I'll see who it is sir."
"Mr. Eliot", Alfred greeted, letting him inside.
"Thomas?" I questioned in the hallway. I didn't expect to see him. I informed. "We'll be in the living room."
"Understood Master Bruce." Alfred bowed lightly and left.
We walked into the living room and Thomas turned in my direction and started." You didn't answer my calls."
"I'm sorry. I was busy", I replied using the same old excuse.
"Busy with something... or someone?" Thomas asked. I didn't like where that was going.
"I wanted to ask you about something." or someone. "Are you two dating?"
"No, we are just friends", I replied.
Is he interested in her?
"Do you know by any chance... if she's seeing with someone?" Thomas asked uncertainly.
He's interested in her.
"I don't think she is", I replied honestly.
"If you are─", Thomas started. Burton must have called him instead of taking Ro to the hospital. Eliots were also close to the Crowns in the past. And Thomas is a doctor.
"Go for it", I cut him off. I didn't realize my mistake until it was too late. And Thomas left.
Alfred entered the room and brought us coffee. He overheard our conversation. "You made a mistake Master Bruce."
You don't think I don't know that Alfred?
"You have to tell Mr. Eliot the truth before it's too late", Alfred advised putting coffee down on the table.