Poker Face | Bruce Wayne

fifteen

"Identity accepted: Meredith Elias."

The doors slid open to the meeting room in the Hall of Justice. Meredith walked through the entrance, heels echoing on the floor as a few Leaguers turned to her. She adjusted her blazer— today she wore a dark red pantsuit.

"Heya, Mare-bear," Green Lantern greeted with a two-finger salute.

She furrowed her brows. "Don't call me that."

He gave her a cheeky grin. "We're just going over some magic mumbo-jumbo mess. Stuff to do with John Constantine."

She nodded, slightly confused. Did he expect her to understand what that meant?

"Mind if I sit in?" She was going to regardless, but it seemed appropriate to ask.

"Saved a seat just for you, babe." He winked, gesturing to the empty chair next to him. She rolled her eyes. It looked like it was just Batman's seat, which was currently unoccupied as the man stood near the computer at the front.

Batman had stopped talking for a moment, but barely spared her a glance as he continued. She sat down in the large seat, Green Lantern to her right and Superman to her left. Clark gave her a small smile before putting his attention back on the Bat.

There was someone new sitting at the table: a blond man with sideburns down to his jaw and a tight orange suit. He was the only other person she'd seen with eyes so blue they rivaled Clark's. The blond gave her a nod, and she returned the gesture, puzzled.

She turned to the front. She'd do introductions later— right now, she needed to focus. From what she could figure out, it was a recap on a mission that had happened the week prior. Something about a "Dream Stone" and this John Constantine figure. There was a mention of another name, one that sounded more familiar— Zatanna Zatara. Wasn't she a big-time magician in Vegas?

Meredith kept her face blank as she stared at Batman, who was pointing at maps on the large screen. She could now get a clearer glimpse of him in the bright light of the computer— for the first time, she noticed his sharp abs defined by the dark gray spandex, and it didn't hurt that she could see his arms better either.

If she were someone else, she would admit that the pitch-black cape falling from the expanse of his shoulders was almost... attractive.

But she was not someone else, she was Meredith Elias, and Meredith Elias didn't find men dressed as animals good-looking. How could she even be thinking that? She couldn't see any part of him, especially now with the addition of a full cowl, because apparently "his face got cold." If anything, she should be thinking that about Clark "Golden Boy of America" Kent, and his perfect features and perfect body and perfect hair.

She briefly thought back to the way Batman had allowed her to fix his cape in her office. Up close, he was just so...

No, no no. Just no.

Meredith shook her head. She was delirious. This was business. She had never not paid attention in a meeting just to think about a man in said meeting. Especially not a man who literally looked like a fucking bat.

"So, we all clear on that?" Cyborg finally asked, standing a few feet behind Batman.

There were nods around the table in response.

Cyborg switched the computer screen to a familiar image of the League's funds. "Okay, next up, the operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Utilities are above what the UN cleared for funding— I was hoping Ms. Elias had another good solution to that."

All eyes turned to her as she cleared her throat and stood up, walking towards the front of the table. Enough... fantasizing (if that's even what she'd consider it) about a deranged man in a batsuit. "I believe there's a way to minimize the spending going forward, but I need another few days to have it figured out. I got a little distracted this weekend with some business at my company. In the meantime, I'll take care of the budget issue."