gold rush - bruce wayne
chapter iii
chapter summary: in which carter comes to wayne tower to find that they already have met bruce wayne and alfred pennyworth
word count: 1.6 k
notes: hi everyone! sorry this took a while but i just got back to school but enjoy
playlist cast ao3 chapter i chapter ii chapter iii
Carter stood silently in the elevator. They fiddled with Lila’s dress and stared at their ripped-up sneakers. In their brain, they thought of what to say and what not to say to secure the donation. They couldn’t lose this. The kids needed this. Lila needed this. Carter, themself needed this. When the elevator dinged, Carter gave one last large breath as the doors broke open.
Standing in front of them was the same man that they had a discussion with last night about beer. Carter tilted their head, trying to figure out who he was and how he was connected to Bruce Wayne. In his eyes, Carter could see him, attempting to recognize them. His eyes widen once it hit him.
“Mx. Hume?”
His voice sounded familiar, and Carter recognized it from the phone call earlier today. Alfred Pennyworth.
“Like I said on the phone,” Carter smiled. “Carter is just fine.”
Alfred smiled before he held out his arm. “Follow me.”
He started to walk, and Carter followed. The two stopped in an open dining room and Carter stood near a circled dining table in the middle of the room. The windows let the light in. They overheard footsteps and turned their head toward the stairs in the corner of the room.
At the top of the stairs, a man stood. He wore a long, black shirt that went to his hips with matching dark pants and black sunglasses, covering his eyes. Carter tilted their head. He looked familiar to them, but they could place their finger on where they knew him from. At first, Carter thought it was from the newspaper, but they felt like they had seen him in the flesh before.
They heard Alfred beside them sigh and said. “Mr. Wayne, we are inside. You don’t need to wear those.”
“There’s too much light coming in.”
Bruce Wayne’s voice was soft but gruff and familiar. How did they recognize Bruce’s voice? He never did any voice or video interviews.
Alfred walked over to the large window and pulled a curtain over. The light disappeared and the only lighting in the room was the chandelier above them. As Bruce walked down the stairs, he took off the glasses. Carter recognized him from his tired eyes and the specs of black paint around his face like the man from last night. They held back their gasp in shock. Last night, when they ranted about the rich in Gotham, they ranted to the literal prince of Gotham. If they were alone, they would scream in annoyance. But they couldn’t. They had to get this donation; they couldn’t lose it. All they could do was fake a smile.
Bruce walked in front of Carter and stared them down. Carter did the same. Standing by each other, he was taller than they thought. He was about a head taller than them and stood straight.
“Bruce Wayne, Carter Hume.”
Carter put out their hand first for a handshake. Bruce stared at it first before slowly shaking it. Carter thought he wouldn’t have a strong grip, but he did. He squeezed it hard that it made Carter break from the shake a few seconds after. As Bruce walked to the other end of the table, Alfred slid the chair at the end of the table for Carter and they sat down. Bruce sat down while Carter thanked Alfred.
Alfred asked as he leaned over Carter’s shoulder, “Is there anything I can get you to drink, Carter? Beer?”
Carter laughed at the inside joke and responded back. “Um, no, I’m good without beer. Do you have coffee?”
“Yes.”
“Can I have a coffee with cream and sugar please?” Carter ordered.
“Yes.” Alfred responded before looking at Bruce. “Mr. Wayne?”
“Water.”
Alfred nodded and left the room. The silence grew between Carter and Bruce. Carter turned to Bruce as they watched him pick up the newspaper, trying to avoid their eyes. The front headline read “Batman Strikes” with a drawing of the vigilante under it. Like many of Gotham, Carter had never seen the Batman, only heard whispers. The kids that came into the center would discuss what they heard from the streets. He came from the shadows and disappeared into them.
Carter leaned over. “Sorry if I offended you last night.”
The silence came back except for the folding up of the newspaper. Bruce stared at them before speaking, “You didn’t. You told the truth.”
Before Carter could respond, Alfred walked back into the room with a glass of water in hand and a plate with a mug on it. He placed the plate in front of Carter which they thanked him for, and Alfred walked to Bruce with his water. Bruce nodded his head, thanking him. Alfred sat next to Bruce and started the conversation. “So, Carter, explain the center and how it came to be.”
Carter folded their hands, trying to look professional. They took a breath and straightened their shoulders. “I worked in Metropolis for a few years at their LGBTQ+ center and it was an amazing experience. After hearing about the flood, I felt it was right to come back to Gotham and create one with my colleague, Lila Pace. So, while the city was rebuilding, we were building the center.”
“Back?” Bruce repeated one word.
Carter tilted their head. “Hm?”
“You said ‘to come back to Gotham’.” He spoke. “Did you grow up in Gotham?”
Like the night before, he asked the question like he was interrogating them for an investigation.
They could just leave it in a small sentence like they did for everyone who asked. Yes, they did live in Gotham but left to go to college in Metropolis for a little. That’s all could they say. Lying came easy to Carter. Responding “okay” if someone asked how they were. They even lied to Lila which they hated but they didn’t want her to worry.
“Yes, I grew up in Gotham and then left to Metropolis for college and stayed there for work.”
Bruce stared more at Carter, trying to find something to catch them in a lie. Carter noticed his eye contact but fluttered their eyes and looked to Alfred as he said. “So, what does the center help to support Gotham?”
“Oh, well, we offer services including meals and beds. We have free menstrual and sex products. We are near the schools in Gotham so that in case they need to use our gender-neutral bathroom instead of dealing with the schools’ non-inclusive bathrooms. We also hold support groups where many people can talk about their feelings and build a community together. What your donation will do will allow for us to pay for the space and speakers for those support groups, continue to offer meals, and buy materials.”
Bruce stopped searching for a lie when Carter spoke. He listened to them and their passion. He could almost hear himself in their tone. Both wanted to fix and help Gotham not just for others but for their past selves. He could tell that there was something deeper that inspired them, he just didn’t know what. Carter though faced the people they helped face to face and helped them firsthand. He did that as Batman, not as Bruce Wayne. He was jealous of them being able to do that. For the first time in a while, Bruce gave a soft smile. Alfred noticed as he turned his head to see Bruce’s reaction. He smiled also before turning to Carter.
“We will be happy to make that donation. Would we make it out to you?”
Carter joined in with the smiling. “Thank you so much. It can be made out to me.”
Alfred took out a checkbook from his pockets and handed it off to Bruce. Bruce placed it on the table and wrote with a black pen. Once he stood up from his chair, he walked over to Carter and handed it to them. Carter knew it was rude to look at the amount on the check first, but they were curious. They had never seen so many zeros in their life.
Without even thinking of it, Carter stood up and wrapped their arms around Bruce. At first, they could feel Bruce jump at the feeling but then he slowly relaxed. Carter relaxed too. They didn’t know why they did but they felt comfortable in his arms, and he felt the same with them. Both of them needed a hug. They needed someone to hold them. Bruce was the first to break off. Bruce stared at them for a second before looking down. Carter looked at him for a second before ruffling their hair.
“Thank you.” Carter looked at Alfred and then back to Bruce. “The center, especially me, really appreciate it.”
Carter picked up their bag and threw it on their shoulder. “Come to the center anytime. The kids would love to see you.”
“Do you have to go so soon?” Alfred asked.
Carter said. “I’m sure you two have a busy schedule. I don’t want to intrude.”
“We aren’t-”
“Alfred.” Bruce said. “I’m sure Carter has to get back to the center. We don’t want to keep them-”
“I’m free.”
Bruce looked at Carter and they returned the look with a smile. “Lila is there, and I trust her, even if she almost burned down our apartment once because of microwaveable mac and cheese.”
They heard a small chuckle from Bruce’s mouth, but it stopped once they looked at him and he locked eyes with them. He coughed a little to cover his tracks, but the damage was done.
Alfred asked. “We were going to have sushi tonight. Would you like to join? We don’t get many visitors.”
Bruce stared at Alfred with his eyebrows arched and Alfred smirked back.
“I would love to.”