Summary:Selina brings up her worries for the future, and discusses it with Bruce. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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It has not been a good night for Selina. Patrol went badly, resulting in her almost getting cornered by a group of thugs which would have surely resulted in a bad time. Sure, her suit is armored, a necessity in the line of work she chose for herself, but she has learned long ago that there are always chinks in armor, no matter how good it is. She was able to get away, thankfully, and made it back to the cave, where she is now.
The sounds of thuds and punches connecting to a training bag, those soon grouped with grunts, yells and all that. Sounds like she's taking out whatever she's got going on on the training equipment.
How does he always seem to know when things have gone badly? Or for that matter, when someone needs him to show up. Bruce had returned from his own patrol before Selina had, and waited and cleaned up while he let Selina start to work herself out on the training bag. It takes some time. Perhaps to just give her the moment to get over her intial frustrations and give her time to stew.
But finally, there's a voice that's behind her. "Rough patrol?" comes the question as if he doesn't already know. A towel is draped over his shoulders. Dressed in a Gotham U shirt and a pair of training sweatpants with tennis shoes, one would almost mistake him for another gym rat working on his dad bod to impress his girlfriend.
Almost.
"Want to talk about it or…" Bruce offers, a gesture towards the training ring. He lets the suggestion hang in the air, taking a moment to admire her body, if not her form.
Bruce almost gets swung at thanks to how he sneaks up on her, it only being the last second that she pulls it and misses him by a few scant inches. Blinking once, she stares at him, looking rather silly for how she does so owlishly. "Shi…" Clearing her throat, she blushes and looks down, taking a second to readujust the wrappings on one of her hands. "Oh. Sorry, Bruce." Grinning sheepishly by the time she looks up, she leans in to give him a kiss on the tip of his nose, trying to come across as playful even if she isn't feeling it at the moment.
Mulling over his question, now, she motions with a finger, gesturing to him and then to herself, inviting him to a sparring session as she speaks. "I'm just off my game," she admits with an easy, almost too casual shrug. "Had something on my mind and almost got my ass kicked because of it."
He didn't even flinch, having assumed that Selina would pull herself back at the last moment, though his amusement is scant after he realizes her fretting. The kiss on his nose is returned to one on her chin, and the look of concern is clear - to those that know to look for it. "Something you want to discuss?" he asks as he removes the towel to set on the nearby bench, and moves to the training arena to set himself on one of the ready lines, giving himself an idle stretch.
"It seems that the holidays always open discussions and thoughts and such." He's never really tried to do the family thing too much, but he's always enjoyed Selina's company since she decided to move in. "Or are you going to make me guess what's on your mind?" he asks her with a loft of a brow in a playful challenge to her as he raises his hands. Taking on the stance of a classic boxer, his feet shift into a defensive posture, ready for her to make her first attack.
Sel puts on a pair of sparring gloves, the kind that leave the fingers exposed and are a lot less padded than boxing gloves. She makes sure the velcro is tight, wanting that extra bit of support for her wrists, then she too moves to the mat. "I think you might be able to figure it out if you were to think for a second," she points out with a sigh, "but sure. We can talk about it." Bruce has done a lot better when it comes to communication that goes beyond barking orders at the family, and it is something she tries very hard to encourage.
Assuming her own stance, there is a noticeable difference in their training that can be seen. While Bruce is more the fisticuffs kind of fighter, Selina's been trained in martial arts more, giving her a fluidity to her moves and all that. "Above and beyond the thing with Talia, I've been thinking about our family. Not just us and Helena. Been thinking about all of us."
"Maybe for once, Selina, I don't want to assume." Bruce responds, a smirk pushing at his features. "After all, aren't you encouraging me not to be a detective all of the time?" he asks as he watches her approach, and when she strikes, he may not have her fluidity, he is able to tank, or deflect most of her hits towards more non-vital areas, just to keep Selina busy. He does allow her to get close - just mainly to reach out to tag her back when he sees the openings that present themselves. It's hard to peg down his fighting style, it's so jumbled from the various trainings he's gotten. Boxing, thai, karate, judo, akido, Brazilian ju-jitsu, if it's a style, Bruce has studied it at some point.
"So, all of us." he responds, "I know you had said you only wanted one child, Selina. Are you having second thoughts - outside of the ones we have taken in?" comes the question, "Or are you considering more your own ideas of family?" he asks, while moving to one side when she gets in close, grabbing her ankle when she kicks out to give her a light throw. "Tim and Stephanie have moved in together. Helena is considering an apartment so she can be closer to the SHIELD Academy. Damian is safer here at the house." Where he has him and Selina to keep an eye on him. "Jayce.. has gone underground again."
There are many openings for Bruce to discover. For as well-trained as she is, Selina's really not thinking about defending herself. No, this is nothing more than a good old fashioned case of her being pissed off at life and needing to get it out of her system. Unfortunately, it really isn't helping, each tap and the catching of her leg only adding to her annoyance. Recovering from the throw, she pauses, reaching up to swipe a bead of sweat from her forhead, that bit of moisture lingering on the vinyl glove.
Catching her breath, she can not help but to laugh, something Bruce said striking Sel as funny. "No, I think I am good with one kid. Besides, with how big our 'adopted' family is, it really isn't like we have just one, right?" After she's done speaking she jabs for Bruce's unprotected side, if there is one. "It just seems like we're all going our seperate ways, Bruce. Which is the way things happen, I get that, but…" Is Selina starting to suffer from empty nest syndrome? "Before we know it, Damian will be moving out on his own and it'll just be the two of us. Three, if you count the butler."
The butler won't be around forever. That much Bruce already knows. However, the direction that Selina is taking the conversation catches Bruce off-guard, and allows Selina to get in a tag on his side that knocks his breath from him momentarily. "I had assumed that you would want to stay after the others were moved out, Selina.." he admits as he watches her for a moment. There's a reason she's held off on flat out marrying him and in this long-term living arrangement and engagement.
This thought tugs on Bruce for a moment and he frowns as he settles back into position, a nod of his head to give Selina credit for scoring the hit as he reaches up to brush his hair back - pinning his ears back, as it were. "Are you going to be able to handle it just being the two of us?" he decides to inquire. "I have not tried to push on this…" Maybe he should have. "I had thought that our intimacy was well enough. And there is the mission." There will always be the mission.
"Are you looking for a different way?"
"I am not talking about leaving, Bruce," Selina is quick to assure him. "Nothing is changing betwen us. You are stuck with me." That gets a genuine smile to form as she says that. "I guess I'm just… not ready for things to change." It took her a while to get used to the idea of being a part of a real family, something she really never had growing up, and now the dymanics are shifting, something to be expected as kids grow up and move onto the next stage of their life but still not something she's handling well.
Stepping in close, she goes to bap Bruce lightly on the nose, looking at him. "Of course I can handle it, Mister Wayne. I will need help to get used to it just being us, but…" Shaking her head, she can not help but to kiss him, pressing against him not unlike how Talia had that night she came to see him. "Let's get married, Bruce. Not just talk about it. Let's do it. Soon. Now. Whenever. I am ready."
"Things are always changing, Selina. We have to adapt and improvise to them. It is not the same world as it was when we first met." Bruce responds with an ease of grace. "Not as many capes, for one." he points out, just before Selina is moving in close - and changing from sparring him in one way to engaging him in another. Unlike Talia, however, when Selina closes in, and Bruce gently tugs on her hair, it's to pull her closer, not push her away.
"Right now?" he asks with an air of amusement. "..Helena would probably want a little time to prepare. She has a whole book she's spent most of her life on what she wants our wedding to be." comes the response. But it's not a no. "After the New Year. Perhaps on it." he finally offers. A little time so that it's not a gut reaction to Talia's arrival. Or seen like that. And to give Helena the time to get over her recent heartbreak.
Returning her kiss, Bruce keeps her curves pressed up against him for several moments longer. "…though if you're wanting to get a preview on what life with just alone is going to be like.. The butler is out getting groceries, and we'd have the manor all to ourselves for the next few hours.." He points that out with a teasing smile, to gauge exactly how ready Selina may be.
Selina nods slowly, unable to disagree with Bruce. "I know. I just wish they'd stay the same for a while." She kisses him again, finally able to relax. For as volatile as their relationship has been in in the past, Bruce has this uncanny ability to help her calm down. "Not as many capes," she murmurs thoughtfully, then. "It is a shame. We need more heroes, not less."
There's a feigned sigh of resignment upon having Helena brought up, her eyes rolling as well. "Well… I suppose we should wait if only to make the kiddo happy, hmmm?" Chuckling, Selina hugs Bruce, putting her head on his shoulder. "And I wouldn't want to deny you the opportunity to see me looking damn hot in a wedding gown." There it is. That playfulness. Someone must be feeling better.
Bruce's suggestion has her arching a single, perfectly-sculpted brow at him. "Are you suggesting…" It's left open ended, that question. Bruce can fill in the blank there.
"You look stunning in everything, Selina Kyle." Bruce responds to Selina with a soft chuckle. "It wasn't just the leather that drew me to you, though." he admits. It was that she was damn infuriating, yet flirty, yet somehow.. vulnerable, and he wanted to know her better. "Staten Island is better off without them." And he's about ready to start on the whole thing with Spider-Man saying he's going to be showing up more often, when Selina's question…
…more like open-ended suggestion, leaves Bruce with the ball in his court.
And there's no words, instead, his hands drop down to her bottom, and grabs her firmly to pick her up off the ground. With every intention to carry her upstairs to their bedroom.
Whether or not they make it? That's a different story.