Bat Boys in Quarantine

Part 20 - Passionate Lovers Make Stubborn Ex's

Roy's POV:

          I lean against the railing on the rooftop while I wait. I wait until I start doubting that she'll actually show up. The wind bites at my neck and I pull my hood higher to try and keep warm. I guess I should be used to the Gotham weather by now. The rooftop is littered with crushed beer cans and burnt out cigarettes. Its probably the only break area for the mall staff. 

"You look like shit." She calls out from behind me, catching me off guard. 

"I didn't think you'd show." I admit, turning to face her, stretching my elbows over the railing bar.

"Don't trust me even after all these years?" Her eyes shine at me through the darkness as she steps closer, still a few feet across the roof.

"Should I?" I ask, holding my third cigarette between my lips while I reach for a lighter.

"I'm afraid the answer isn't that simple, Red." Her smile is faint, barely tugs the corners of her mouth up. But it's there.

"Nothings ever that simple with you Jade." I say through a breath of smoke. Jade, Chesire, villainess xtrordinair, my not-so-wonderful ex. She doesn't move any closer, I wonder if she's waiting for my move. Like a chess game. I always get the sinking feeling I'm a pawn when I play with her.

"Thought you quit." She gestures to my cigarette.

"I did. Only use 'em occasionally. Only when.. only.."

"Only when you get nervous?" She finishes for me while I stumble over my words, not sure how to say it without sounding like a wuss. Her eyes comb down my body. Resting on my shoulders before coming back up to my face. I try to bring them away from my ears. "Don't have to be nervous with me, Red. I don't bite. Not usually anyway."

"I'm more worried about your claws than about your teeth." I snicker. We fall back into our old routine so easily, its like no time has passed since we were together. 

"I'll be gentle." She leans her shoulder against the door that leads up to the roof. "If that's what you want." 

"I'm sure you remember how I like it." I try to ignore the heat in my cheeks. "Although we never did get to try everything on our.. 'hit list'." 

"Unfortunately no. Although maybe it was for the best. I'm not sure you would have been able to handle everything on that list." I hesitate in a response, somehow the heat raising to my ears now. She seems to enjoy it a little too much

"The pandemic." She says after a moment of silence. Suddenly turning from playful to serious. "That's what you called about."

"Y... yeah. I uh, I just got back to the country. Haven't had technology or news for months." She nods, shoulders suddenly seeming like they're carrying more weight than she cares to admit.

"I was in Asia when it happened. It was worse than any sickness I've ever seen. People lined up to get in the hospital, staff passing out in hallways from exhaustion, bodies lying dead for hours. They still don't know how to treat it. So many things are unknown.. So many people are.." She trails off, the brightness in her eyes fades.

"Come back Chesh." I say quietly. I take a step forward and she takes one back even though she's still at least ten feet away. I move back against the railing.

"Information is still limited. What they know is that it's transferred through contact and through the air. They're saying face masks could help."

"Like the medical ones?" I ask, blowing smoke through my nose. She nods, reaching in her green civilian jacket to pull something out and toss it to me. I take a look at it after I catch it in my hand. It's not one of those creepy looking hospital masks like I was expecting, instead it's a black cloth one with a small pink lotus flower embroidered in the corner.

"Anything else they're saying about it?" I ask, covering my childish grin with the question.

"Yeah. They're saying smoking stopped being attractive in the 40s." She catches me so off guard my laugh comes out as a snort. Her eyes crinkle in amusement.

"You got some place to stay?" I ask after I catch my breath.

"Few places. I can't stay in one place too long, it gets too familiar. I'm guessing you're on your way to Queen's?"

"How'd you guess?"

"You only smoke when you're stressed. I've seen what Queen is like, he lives up to his last name." I give a small laugh at that. She's not wrong. Her slight twist of a smile reminds me of the look Kori makes when she's trying not to show amusement when I do something dumb.

"I should get going. I have to finish a job tonight." She says, pulling out the band in her hair only to tuck it back up again. I guess she's still working in the private sector of targeted killing. "Take care of yourself, Roy. This sickness is worse than most people like to think it is."

"Yeah, I believe you." She turns to leave then pauses.

"You look good, Roy. Are you still..?"

"Two years, baby." I grin, swinging my keychain that holds my two year sobriety chip. Her smile reaches up to her eyes in the glowing way I rarely see. It's the same smile Kori wears when I help her make dinner, or when I wake up after falling asleep on her chest. It makes me feel warm.

Chesh is gone in one swift movement and I'm left alone on the roof. I grind the butt of my cigarette into the ground with the heel of my boot and put on the mask Jade gave me. I turn towards Star City. It'll be a long walk, but I think that's what I need right now.