Warnings: mentions of violence, wounds, drinking, etc.
Masterlist || Part 9
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Early the next morning you were awake, getting together the morning steps or breakfast on your own in the kitchen. You quickly made your way through and served the guests in their rooms and then grabbed Bruce’s food, making your way as quietly as possible up to ensure people did not see how long it may take in case you needed to assist him with hiding damage.
You set the tray down and opened the heavy curtains, getting some light in the room. Bruce did not seem to budge at all and you came up to him to shake him slightly.
“Mr. Wayne,” You tried to nudge him slightly, he turned a little and you saw some marks across his back, chest and then face around bandages covered in blood
“-going to kill me-” He muttered and your brow furrowed.
“Who?” You tried to ask softly, waiting. Your eyes swept across him again and you blushed.
After another half a minute, “Y/N,” Was muttered softly. “Y/N is going to kill me for breaking this equipment.”
You broke into a grin, silently chuckling, Was that all? “Bruce-” You tried again, grabbing his shoulder.
His eyes opened, his attention snapping immediately towards you, “Y/N.” He sat up, directly towards you and you had to almost dodge back slightly.
“Are you alright? These look pretty painful…” You grimaced as you pointed towards a few as you pulled your hand away from his shoulder.
He immediately caught your wrist and kept you nearby, seemingly still waking. He held you where you were leaning over him for almost a minute before reaching up and tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, “You look exhausted.”
“So do you.” You answered without pause, looking him back in his eyes.
He must have finally realized he was holding you close and let your hand go but not before you thought you saw some pink come into his cheeks. You stood up, grabbing his food tray and bringing it over to him.
“Care to recap the events of last night, or will I have to wait until later to hear the tale of the epic adventure?” You placed the food tray in front of him and waited for his answer.
He seemed content taking some food slowly, nodding for you to sit on the other side of the tray. “I set up the last transmitter and checked in with the Asylum. There are a few more people broken out but I believe I have found evidence of the Joker in an area. I moved towards the area to canvas-”
“You mean rush in,” You state, giving him a smirk when he looked up at you with a slight wince. “Can be a good thing, you know but it can also get you into trouble.” He looked over your face, seemingly mesmerized for a moment, “Continue…” You pushed slightly as you waited for him to finish a few more bites of food after he finally stopped looking at you.
“Indeed I did go in,” He smirked slightly before continuing, “Where I found the White Rabbit. She seemed to be sitting at a table. Only at the other side of the table was the Joker who spun on me as I walked in.”
You frowned, clasping your hands in your lap and relooking over the wounds you could see all the way down his chest… Your eyes snapped back to his, trying to gauge.
He gulped, “If not for your equipment I would be dead.” He looked down, seeming to be upset enough to not eat anymore. “I started in a fight with him and halfway through she came in- I threw a smoke grenade and punched the Joker- but his face shaped around my fist, it was not Joker but Clayface.”
Your breath caught as your emotions ran through. You waited for him to finish his tale and he did, explaining how if not being able to get away quickly he would not have made it out, much less back.
“I am glad the upgrades helped you, Bruce.” You nodded and then he stood. He walked a step closer to you and held out his hand. You took it while meeting his eye, shaking his hand.
“I owe you a great debt, Y/N.” He pulled you up to him, slowly getting closer to you as your heartbeat picked up, going to racing as he got closer yet and you froze and stood absolutely still. His head slid over your shoulder as he leaned down and his arms moved around your arms as he hugged you. “Thank you for finding us. Thank you for finding me, Y/N.”
You waited for a moment before lifting a hand and slightly patting him on his back, “There is not a debt to be owed, sir-”
He snorts, “You save me time and time again and yet alone I am sir again.”
“Bruce-” You speak, your heartbeat almost near exploding and your cheeks a heavy red. “I do need to get back in case someone calls, Alfred is still asleep I believe.”
He takes another moment before pulling back and nodding, leaning his forehead against yours and you gasp.
“You’re burning up!” You exclaim, “Why did you not say something earlier?” You ask, slightly annoyed that he woke to speak so much with you.
“That’s my girl, asking those great questions again.” He smirks, his eyes slightly closing and his body wavering. You catch him, your arms supporting him as you help move him back to bed. You grab a cloth and some water and come back to his room, mentioning something to Alfred who was back in the kitchen.
“I can cover well enough if you can stay with him for the remainder of the morning.” Alfred frowned, “I did as best as I could with his wounds.” He lowered his voice, “Maybe I should rebandage-”
“I can grab the spares Alfred.” You gave him a soft smile, “I will change them.”
Alfred frowned, “They are covering his chest however-”
You moved closer and pat Alfred on the cheek, “Alfred, I will have to get used to it if either of us are expected to get sleep some nights. I will call you if anything looks to need additional help, I promise.”
He nodded, a little distracted but seemed to be content with you going up.
You grabbed the supplies you needed and made your way as quickly and quietly through the halls as possible, closing the door and locking it behind you back at Bruce’s room. You walked to his bed as you set the basin down and filled it with water, grabbing a cloth and wringing it before setting it on his forehead.
You worked through with another cloth and some new bandages to remove the ones covering his chest and cleaned the wounds, checking to make sure nothing new was bleeding. It looked to be overall taken care of, thanks to Alfred’s expert hand. You waited with him, leaning against the end table close by.
“Y/N-” A soft voice broke through and you shot up, Bruce half leaning over your body.
“I am so sorry,” You brushed your hair back, “How are you feeling?”
“Better. Do me two favors though-”
“Yes, sir.”
“Three favors, then-” He smiled, “Please go check the bolt on the door to be sure it is locked along with the window.”
You stood and moved to the door, verifying the bolt was locked indeed before nodding over to him and doing the same at the window, seeing the sun bleeding in- it must not have been noon yet.
“Draw the curtain on the window and on the bed on all sides.” You did, the room becoming darker but the bed becoming very dark as you pulled back a corner to ask if he needed anything else.
“The third and most important,” Bruce said, beaconing you nearer him and you obliged, “Do not call me sir while we are alone-” His face was serious, a look coming over his face as he placed his hand around your wrist.
“Sorry s-” You looked down, “Bruce… Habit.”
He nodded, his eyes seemed to be looking at you but it was hard to see again. “Now go to the other side of the bed, get some sleep.”
You startled at what you heard and pulled back slightly, him holding your wrist fast.
“Before you argue- we both know you need sleep as much as I do. You are still performing your job and with everything locked and drawn no one should be able to see you.”
“But-”
“And this is a large bed, I won’t even touch you. You have nothing to fear from me, Y/N- I hope you would know that.”
“Of course-”
“Then it is settled.” He let go of your wrist and gestured towards the other side of the bed. You slowly pulled back and pushed the curtain back down, slowly walking towards the other side of the bed. You moved the curtain after another few moments and shifted onto the bed, laying on the furthest edge you could, your head low as you roll your figure into the very bottom corner of the foot of the bed.
“You better not be doing anything ridiculous.” Bruce muttered before falling quiet again.
You stayed quiet, not sure of what to do. You weren’t uncomfortable necessarily but that’s what scared you. Something like this could ruin reputations, and not just yours. While Bruce was known as a playboy could you imagine the types of people that would apply for any hired help needed- people after his fame or money. You contemplated what could happen until you drifted off some time later.
You felt yourself waking before opening your eyes, shifting your hand under your head more as you realized you did not have a pillow. You snapped up once you remembered what happened and looked around in utter darkness. You tried to fall back and realized you were no longer on the far corner of this bed, you started to curse yourself under your own breath.
“Are you awake?” You heard from the other side of the room before footfalls and a curtain being drawn. Dim light poured in and you realized it was Bruce.
“You’re supposed to be in bed-”
“I’ve gotten enough sleep. You needed more of it though, after all you slept in an uncomfortable ball in the corner for who knows how long. I brought you to the middle when I got up,” he leaned in and his hand rested on your cheek. “Good, it seems your temperature has also gone down.”
“I am not the one-”
“We both need to be rested- forgive me.” He shifted, sitting next to you and looking down. He broke into a small grin looking over you.
You broke into one as well, “I probably look a mess-” You went to sit up and his hand brushed a strand of hair out of your face again.
“You’re absolutely beautiful.” He stated.
Your cheeks went immediate red and your heart raced again, trying to come up with something witty or a retort of some kind. “I appreciate the gesture but I believe you tell all of your visitors to this room the same.” You gave a small smirk, trying to play off the comment.
“It has been used, although rarely- I believe this is the first time I am using it to someone I believe I l...” His hand traces over you again, clearing his throat, “You are the most intelligent, forward thinking person I know, Y/N.”
A blush formed over you again, your heart racing. "I appreciate that Bruce…" you muster quietly. "I should go help Alfred." You start moving by and Bruce catches your hand, pulling you towards him and holding you in front of him.
Your heart raced even more as you start to look up into his face and he's closer to you than you realize. His breath is hot on your face and if you shift anymore your lips would meet with his.
"Will you let Alfred know I will be delayed in coming down to the cave tonight?" He states softly, slowly pulling back with a reserved look on his face.
"Yes, Mr.-" you stop yourself, "Bruce." You state softly, turning back to leave once again.
Once you were out of the room you turned down the hall and started making your way towards the kitchen.
You stop in your tracks, spotting a flash of white out of the corner of your eye in a room. You go to look closer at the door and hear some low speaking in the room between a female and male.
A figure came to the door and you tried to make it look like you were walking past, someone covering your mouth and pulling you inside.
You tried to scream into the hand and your eyes widened as you saw the White Rabbit, Ms. Hudson, without a mask talking to the Joker himself.
"Looks like Wayne's pet got in too deep," a low chuckle from Joker as he pulls out a gun.
"Wait," Ms. Hudson spoke, "she could be useful to get Wayne to come along nicely."
"Lucky you," Joker smirked as his gun came towards your head and you blacked out.
