[10:15]
the rain drizzled outside your apartment. the night was turning colder by the minute. the sky darker.
a knock on your kitchen's window knocked you out of your concentration on washing the dishes. you looked up to see a shadowed figure crouching facing the building across from yours. you knew who it was. turning off the tap and wiping your hands on the kitchen towel you unlatched the lock, then slid the window up. the batman turned his head to look at you.
you, in some home clothes, comfortable in your own place. the clean dishes now drying on the rack. "tough night?", you asked hands still on the window sill. he didn't say anything instead slipping inside, "you didn't answer my question.".
but he just walked past you, he took off his boots– remembering your no shoes policy. heading to your bathroom to take a shower. from the nights before, he made sure he had several change of clothes at your place. guess the night's not his. you let him be for the duration of his shower.
you were arranging a jug of hot turmeric tamarind tonic on the table with homemade snacks that you made before he came when bruce stepped out of the shower, no longer the bat, just him.
you turned to look at the opened door, the steam still coming out from the bathroom. he had hung his suit on the railings of the bathtub. his head bowed down, towel still slung over his shoulders, hair still wet. "early night" he grunts out, "don't want to go back.". you heard him, thought not giving him a response knowing that he still needed the space.
bruce rounded to where you were still going in and out of the kitchen. he stood in the junction, like a lost child, before asking whether you needed help on the arrangements. you told him to bring the bowl of meat stew and rice over to the table, and so he did.
once everything was complete, he dragged your chair out before you and pushed it closer to the table when you finally sat. he sat across from you waiting for you to take your portion of dinner first then getting his. it was the comfortable type of quiet that landed between you.
gathering the empty dishes he walked into the kitchen to put them down getting to work on the washing. when he came back he saw you snacking on what's left of the snacks. on the couch. watching the tv.
it's a sight he'd like to see everyday. every time he comes home. no ..scratch that, he just wants you.
he sat next to you on the couch his hands already circling the back of your shoulders. tugging you closer to him. "I did something bad," he starts, " I think.". he was just a new comer in this world of vigilantes trying to make gotham a better place without criticism coming from each and every direction. you scanned his face, the way his jaw clenched, his eyes adverting yours gazing blankly at the sitcom that you're watching.
"it's okay if you want to talk about it you know."
"let's save that for another day. right now, I want to waste the night like this with you.", taking the remote from your hand he turns the tv off. pulling you closer to his chest.
that night, you fell asleep until dawn broke. you woke up in your bed with a glass of water and a note on your night stand.
it's better if you didn't see me off, I'm on my way back – bruce
