Mid-day Rendezvous [Bruce Wayne]

[Deleted]

She had to do this. There were 5 days left before she had to meet up with Nina, and more importantly, Shawty. 5 days. She had information, data...but no plan. That is where he'd come in. A he..that she'd have to go see at work. So as she took meticulous care with her appearance; the taylored grey suit, the dark purple blouse, the earrings, the shoes, the stockings, she knew there was no way this could go wrong. As she stashed her tablet and a few other odds and ends into her bag, she was ready. Even Liv had called ahead, and confirmed. He was in a meeting. Not that it would be a problem.

What -could- possibly be a problem was their date. Or the idea of her knowing who he was, and her not able to pinpoint if he knew. Or the fact neither of them had discussed it. So if he dared to think she was pulling something; let him contemplate. She knew it would drive him up a wall; she knew his mind, his body all too well. And he knew that as well.


So when the car pulled up, already given instructions on where to drop her off, all she had to do was enjoy the ride. Primp her hair a bit, and breathe. Then it was up to whatever-floor Mister Bruce Wayne had picked to settle on for this day, and she smoothly, nearly glided across the floor in her heels to his secretary. A slow-blossoming smile, and Selina checked her phone.

"I have a meeting with Mr. Wayne." she purred.

"Um," The blonde started. "I...Ms....Kyle...he's in a meeting already." she stammered.

Raising a brow, Selina casually put away her phone. "Well, we have a meeting. He told me to get here, as soon as I could extract myself. So either you can go and announce he has someone rather...important and exedite him to me, or I can go into that meeting myself; if you'd kindly show me the way." Selina could nearly chew the fear pouring off the girl. As she fumbled with a button, barely depressing it, then shifting to a half-stand, Selina smiled sweetly again. "Honey. If he fires you, I'll take you onto my own firm. And honestly, he'd be stupid to do so, considering you're already taking me to his boardroom, no?" Clearing her throat, Selina caught the eye of another passing boy, looking just as nervous as the blonde. "Double espresso, bit of cream if you wouldn't mind.." There was no reason to state where she'd be. He'd know.

"No doubt Mr. Wayne would make note of such...diligent behavior on your behalf..." Selina continued, her heels clip-clipping after the girl as the rather impressive Mahagany doors were shut before them.

The girl stuttered, fidgeting with her hands as Selina motioned to the door. "Did you want to go in, or should I?" She inquired sweetly. Or as sweetly as Catwoman deftly picked a lock.

The girl's eyes went wide, and Selina smiled at her, her thumb tipping the girls head up. "Don't forget to smile." Were her words, before the girl timidly went in and announced that Mr. Wayne had a visitor. There was some muffled voices, but she didn't care. Sidestepping the girl, Selina poked her head in, the rest of her finely tailored suit following.

"Mr. Wayne. If I could have a moment of your time." She didn't care there were several mouths gaping at her. Or several pairs of wide eyes. It didn't matter they were in some sort of board meeting or otherwise. She, Selina Kyle, had matters more important to discuss with Mister Bruce Wayne, immediately.

When one of the men started to wave his hands, and protest, Selina pulled out a chair sat down; much like she belonged there. "No worry, boys. I can wait while you wrap this up if need be." She quipped, not daring to look at Bruce; she already knew what she'd see. Ice blue eyes narrowed to slits, a pair of lush lips flattened to a mere line. And that lip twitch.


He'd be a fool to overlook her clout for this move.

[vigilant]

Bruce knew something was the matter the moment he heard the knob turn. Nevermind the wide, startled eyes and hiccuping tone. Nevermind the fidgeting and trembling and rigidly held spine. Nevermind the intoxicating smell of fear that he'd recognize anywhere, as Gotham's masked vigilante. She never interrupted his meetings. Not for his endless number of girlfriends. Not for some tie-sporting corporate junkie. Not for anything.

She knew better. This was Bruce's nap time. And Bruce hated having to wake up disgruntled.

Somebody was outside. And whoever it was, they had somehow managed to frighten his secretary into letting them through. Suddenly, the calm, collected woman he had hired for the sole purpose of maintaining his privacy (though most people attributed the reason to her good looks) seemed skittish and amateur. There were few people that could accomplish such a feat. One of which knew his identity and could charm and outwit anybody within a ten mile radius.

Catwoman.

So Bruce wasn't exactly shocked when the skirt-toting woman came prancing into the room. Purple skirt. What nerve. But his guests, businessmen twice his age and accustomed to his womanizing antics, couldn't possibly think Bruce Wayne, dimwitted Bruce Wayne, would be able to predict who came strolling through those doors. Or that it was Catwoman. So he acted shocked. Wide eyes, gaping mouth, startled into wakefulness in the middle of a nap.

Then the shock melted into a smile. The crooning smile of a billionaire who had bought his way into a woman's bedroom. He stood, ignored the other guests, and strolled excitedly towards her. Soon, he had an arm around her waist and could be heard whispering (rather loudly) into her ear.

"Not now, sweetheart. I'm busy. But we'll have this room all to ourselves later on."

[Deleted]

Oh, it was the act this time. And, she's woken him from a nap. Lovely. If only she could run her own company with such effortless ...skill. As the secretary watched them large-eyed, shocked, and soon enough scooted out of ear-shot so she wouldn't get chastized, Bat and Cat were left alone.

Or as much left alone as they could be, with an audience of people. She hadn't expected his hand to snake around her waist; so she played it up, a brow raising at his whsipered false promises.

Her own fingers went to deftly straighten and tighten his tie, patting his lapel, letting a finger linger for a moment on his chest.

As she pulled away, finally letting her eyes drift from his chest, to his neck, to jaw, to his mouth, she smiled.

"This can't wait, stud, It's about a few of my ....how about we say....peers, who are making some poor investments." She wasn't exactly going to say Crane, Eddie, and so forth were trying to blackmail and go after her friend. Who'd be able to more..than defend herself, but also...out herself as well.

Peeking over his shoulder, Selina smiled sweetly at the rest of the aged men sitting at the large meeting table.

"Would you mind if I ended this meeting early, and I'll put it on my company's tab if you all decided to go down to that fine Italian restaraunt, Il Vino? This is a rather...urgent matter."

To her it didn't matter she was bribing them, on her own dollar. She needed his brain, and she needed it now. No matter what it was going to look like. She had the money, the balls, and the urgent need to see him. Not for what they were contemplating, but...for once, someone else's well being.

[vigilant]

Bruce knew Catwoman. He knew her, as well as he knew the freckles scattered like stars across Selina's cheeks. So he knew the urgency of the matter at hand. He knew it even before she set foot in the room. Even before she dismissed his corporate stockholders with a bounce in her laugh and a lilt in her voice. Still, the nerve! He gave her a perverse leer, the kind that would be expected of him, womanizer that he was. In the eyes of the stockholders, Bruce had suddenly lost all appetite for business [if he ever had any], and grew disturbingly voracious for the carnal desires of the flesh. Even his secretary shifted uncomfortably, imagining the implications and unspoken promises of Bruce staring googly-eyed at Selina's neck and thighs, as though a single look was justification enough for all the things he wanted to do to her... and her body.

"Your... peers always seem to be making rather poor investments. They've been riding on my credit and goodwill for a long time. Maybe they need some new... advisors."

Suddenly, his body stiffened. Selina would find herself pressed against him. Soft body against a wall of muscle. His gaze was focused on her, and it was all Batman. There might even be a hint of barely restrained intensity, as his hand cupped her hip and drew it against his. Bump. The gentle impact of their pelvic bone that seemed so little, but meant so much. In the eyes of the stockholder, it was just Bruce, being raunchy and inappropriate.

"So you're going to borrow another hundred thousand? On my goodwill or your credit?"

There. He had done it. She had the nerve and audacity to come prancing into his office as though she owned the place. It was his corporate building! His territory! His turf! So he'd give her a taste of fire. He'd make her seem like a scheming vixen after his money. And that was exactly how the stockholders looked at her before they left in a huff, slamming the door behind them with a raucous boom.

"Now... What do you want?"

A growl. A deep, rumbling gravel and the razor-sharp intensity of ice blue eyes. Still, his fingers clenched possessively on her hip, as though he had forgotten they were there... as though they belonged there, and she belonged here, in his arms.

[Deleted]

"Their goodwill, and your credit." She'd murmur before the boardroom emptied, playing the part of a coy vixen to a T, slightly inclining her head to one side as if the proximity of Bruce Wayne, CEO was addling her brain.

Considering each and every man had nearly brushed up against their entwined bodies, Selina reached a hand out and locked the door with ease.


"You, apparently, Mr. Wayne..." Selina purred, her nose a hairsbredth from the vein in his neck, the bulging there only noticable to her. She'd irritated him, and kept it under control. Especially considering it was his cave, his toys, his ...playthings. Save for they were all in the day. So his office, his investors, his..board room.

"But, sadly, I can still say my peers are going to make bad investments, and you're going to have to put them in their place." She continued to speak lowly, her hand deftly making short work of each button in his finely crafted, tailored shirt. Just in case someone was watching.

"Someone might be watching-" She breathed into his ear, her finger pushing back some of his hair. "Need to make this..believable, if you're going to ruin my reputation and this lands in the Post, you know." She continued. "Bruce Wayne mid-day meeting with Selina Kyle! Scandal, possible newlyweds?! Or even them pinning me on stealing your money..." Pulling her lips away, she was now close enough to nip at his own mouth. Which more than likely had formed a thin, grim line, one she had seen before.

Her hand now was travelling along his exposed torso, a secret smile flitting along her lips as she traced this scar, or that. She knew where the barely perceptable wounds were. And the reasons, and causes for them. She even knew where the emblem lingered, even when he was in a different costume.

But she did come with legitimate concerns. One that had warrented her quite unruly behavior. Walking in like she owned the place [Something she knew other women weren't quite capable of; not with the finesse she excuded], and got what she wanted. And as she felt the distance between them close even more, her fingertip would finally press to his lips.

"I do have legitimate business here, Bruce."

[vigilant]

The sound of the door clicking shut sounded so distant. So faraway. At least, in comparison to her. Suddenly, the Wayne building, the four walls of this large, richly furnished office, all melted away. No corporate stockholders, whispering furiously outside. No secretary, gossiping with every single passerby about the day's events. The sun darkened and it became pitch black. Bruce - or was it Batman? - could feel the darkness close in around him, and for a second he thought he was drowning. But, like always, the heaviness cleared and he felt free; closer than ever to the man, the beast, he was deep inside.

"They aren't the only ones I'm going to be putting in their place, Selina."

There it was. That ferocious growl. The restrained cry of a monster locked behind this cage of bone and sinew. His grip on her tightened, breathing quickening. But at her mention of stealing, his lips did, indeed, form a grim line. A plethora of sensations exploded along his flesh as her fingertips traced the faded, barely discernible scars along his torso. It had been like this for years. She'd touch him, knowing exactly how to make him want more. Then she'd pull away, just as his body raged in a feverish haze, consumed by the wildfire of his desire.

Then, just as he found his discipline teetering, she stopped. Finger pressed to his lips, as though that was enough to restrain him. To keep him from launching at her and acting out the terrible scenes that played out in his head like the wildest imaginings of a sick, sick man.

Oh, how he hated that.

"Explain."

[Deleted]

If she could pout, she would. And she could, so she did. Perfectly rouged lips downturned for the briefest moment, as if she were dissapointed he had not pushed further, and that her bluff had been called. Had this been 12 hours later, in the dark, rooftops barely lit, their faces mostly obscured, their bodies clad respectively in tight fabric and even tighter held emotion, maybe, even possibly something would've happened.

Even with her realizing she had made a drunken fool of herself in China.

Even with her realizing that Batman was no-one but a scarred, scared orphan boy.

Even with him not knowing all of her own history.

Shit.

At least he could've kissed her.

Instead, she ran something else along his chest, tracing the invisible insignia on his chest.

"You need to look over this information. I have a friend, whom you are familiar with." Pulling her finger from his surprisingly pliant lips, she held up the tiny flash drive between forefinger and middle.

"My tech. But listen, first. I need your help. As...well, you know. Nina Stenet is my friend. She's been getting some unwanted attention from some of my, well, collegues, as you're quite aware." Clearing her throat, slightly, she didn't dare move from where he was gripping her.

"I went ahead and told her I'd meet with someone. You. And that I'd give her as much information as I could, and glean what I could from you for a very coherent, concise dossier. And that you would assign a..." Well, how could she put it without sending him off the deep end....Hm. "A security detail." Another pause, those big green eyes going to his hopefully not quite iced over ones.

"This information, presented by both you and I....offduty, along with this security detail, will hopefully deter her from doning her own identity." She had to be cryptic, and it was starting to fray her nerves. A brief frown crossed her lips again, and she sighed, the motion clearly bringing the two a bit closer once more.

As much as she didn't want to think about it, he probably had not dealt with her like this before. Frazzled, trying to speak, and yet still so unequivocally feminine. Her hand went to his upper arm, resting there, almost reassuring herself; even if she weren't quite aware of her actions.

Hopefully Bruce would either understand, as Batman, or ask a few more questions. And while she was willing to give him the information she had on all of the Rogues, it wasn't going to go without a price.

"So...we need to go over this, and talk a bit more. Maybe...over dinner? Maybe at my place, or yours?" She nearly whispered, the tug of wanting to keep Nina's gift a secret, as to keep Nina a bit more..pure.

Not that she didn't enjoy the life of her own doing. Nor did she doubt that Bruce did. But...Nina, Dr. Stenet...was something else. There was a fundamental....something, that she knew, and called her to keep it untainted. So even as these thoughts ran through her mind, Selina still lingered in Bruce's arms, finally meeting his eyes once more to gauge his reaction.

And she knew how Batman took these sort of things. Hopefully he would react a bit differently with her in his arms.

[vigilant]

The thing with masks is that when you're always wearing one, you never know when it's on or off. And the thing about wearing one too many masks [as if one wasn't enough!], is that you eventually can't tell one from the other. With the cape on his back and the mask drawn over his face, he was clearly and unequivocally Batman. There was no question about it. No unclear, vague, ambiguous lines. So here, donning a tailor-made Italian suit, with that too charming smile on his lips, he must be Bruce Wayne. But here she was, in a purple skirt, prancing into his territory under the mask of Selina Kyle, all the while making references to their night life. The Rouges. Nina Stenet.

It was just too much.

"So you want me to send one of my guys as security for someone seriously considering the idea of taking on a second identity, so he can keep her safe from your guys?"

Oh, yes. Bruce was more than just indignant. He was frustrated, angry, impatient... All the adjectives you can possibly throw together for a man that wasn't taking news well. In fact, that growl in his voice. He was Batman. Just as she expected [or hoped against], his eyes were iced over. Eyes reminiscent of the arctic ice. His brain went immediately into calculation mode. He made plans to visit Dr. Stenet himself. To put a tracking device on her. To watch her movements carefully and study every gesture under an inquisitive and distrusting eye.

Still, something made his eyes soften. Perhaps it was the gentle realization - a realization that came in the form of a slow trickle - that Selina was doing this, asking for his help, because Nina was her friend. Because she wanted to protect her friend from her other... friends. Her colleagues, as she had put it. And it made him consider, once again, just as he was forced to when he first discovered her identity, that underneath the mask, behind all the stealing, beyond the simple label of 'criminal', she was a real human being. A real human being capable of caring for somebody else's well-being.

It was not an epiphany that he needed. Not with The Mission still at stake.

"I'll come find you."

The tiny flash drive was already whisked from between her fingers and tucked away. He released her. His motions were stiff, almost robotic. One step back, arms returning to side. Stare. This was just all too odd for him. And plus, until now, he hadn't realized how true his statement was. He had said he'd come find her. Because he always does. Because one way or another, they always manage to find one another. [was it fate? coincidence? or a subconscious desire for...]

[Deleted]

"No." She returned just as cooly, if not ice cold.

"No." She said again. "Not just one of your guys. And no, you're not going to do..." She waved her hand to show she had caught the briefest hint of his plans already being put into play. "...whatever that is. This has to be a joint venture. Or things will not be going at all where your nocturnal mind is already headed."

As he whisked away the small thumbdrive wordlessly, she shook her head. Fine. If he wanted to just...snatch the data from her, then he could frustrate himself with the fact it was keycoded, and had a password. It's not like she'd just willingly hand over her friend's dirty little secrets, now would she?

No. Thrice no. Nina didn't need a security detail; she'd already taken care of that. Reverse engineered it, truth be told. She knew Eddie, Jon, and the lot well enough to know what they would, and could do. Him....and his....she could see the words now...was -not- going to help.

"No, Bruce, you're not going to ...stalk her or whatever your mind is thinking up right now and you damn well know it." She whispered hotly at him, words that could be mistaken for...something else, if they still had an audience.

"You know who is going to meet with her. And that will only happen AFTER you and I discuss this, and go over a suitable file for her to go over. Got it?" Selina paused, narrowing her green eyes to cat-like slits. He wasn't going to sit and tell her what she was going to do. Even if his hand was still splayed on her thigh, her hand still tangled in his hair.

Raising a brow at his final words, she nodded. "You have six hours. Seven and I'll be expecting a phone call. Maybe eight and a car sent to pick me up so we can go over this during dinner." No room for wiggle room. And she'd given him more than ample time to go over the document, go over the document a second time with a fine toothed comb, and compile whatever data he had, after he cross-referenced her own, and added it to his database. She knew how he worked. And there would be no questions asked.

Moving the few milimeters, her lips finally met his before he could pull away, or start throwing words at her in retort. Not that he'd been expecting it, anyway. Letting her own mouth linger at his for a few more moments, savoring the quiet [and non-brooding], she pulled back, hoping he'd release her so she could go on with her day.

She actually had a day job, just like him.

[vigilant]

"A joint venture?"

He sounded baffled. Absolutely shocked. The only joint ventures he'd ever partake in involved him giving the orders and his sidekick following them. Sure, there were those occasional incidents with the Justice League, but still... A joint venture, with Catwoman? Isn't once enough? And that particular joint venture had gotten her drunk, leaving him to rinse her gunk spattered body off. As though they had rehearsed it prior to this, his eyes narrowed into slits in perfect sync with hers. Bat-like slits, the fearsome look he'd give his enemies along Gotham's darkest alleyways. There was even a rumble in his throat, one that, had there been an audience [and there was], could be mistaken for the most feral growl of passion.

"You don't tell me what to do."

His fingers dug into her skin as they trailed down the length of her thigh forcefully, leaving red streaks in their wake. He was a trembling breath from closing his hand around her knee and yanking her into his lap. But even if he was Bruce Wayne right now, she would always be Catwoman. Catwoman. The woman he'd vow, since the moment they first laid eyes on one another, that he would never allow to tempt him from the Mission. His grip loosened, and his breath was harsh, ragged, like one of their particularly rough toss and tumble on Gotham's rooftops.

Then she kissed him. It was a brief, fleeting touch. A butterfly's kiss. But he was brought back to the rooftop when they shared their first. Her lips, insistent against his, their tongues, their teeth, their hands... It was a spark that, once ignited, exploded into an inferno. He pulled back, released her, and watched, stunned, as she pranced out of his office.

In a purple skirt.

Impossible woman.

[Deleted]

That look didn't work on her, and he knew it. Instead, she rolled her eyes at his remark. "Maybe. How about a you don't fuck with my friend, because your foes are going after her. Put it like that. Or she'll don a mask, and you'll never find out her gimmick." She breathed into his ear.

Selina honestly doubted any woman had told 'Bruce Wayne' what to do, and not ended with a door slammed in her face, herself on the wrong side. But he was shocked. And she savored every ounce of confusion muddling his rather handsome features.

"No, I don't tell you what to do. I tell you what I need, Bruce..." she said plainly, right before she left. He could call her. And he better. She'd guess, fifteen, twenty minutes tops. With that encryption, he'd especially need her. Danging a secret locked in a box worked on more than just kittens.


Right before she slipped out the door, she glanced over her shoulder, mouthing 'Call me,' with that ever obnoxious hand gesture, looking ever the naughty 'mid-day appointment.'



[exit Selina. TBC...]