I Bet On Losing Dogs

Bluebird

You barely sleep, tossing and turning. The bed is so plush, inviting you to sleep. Instead, you feel rude, not accepting the invitation, as your mind goes wild with what could have been. You finally rest when the dawn light fills your room. You know you didn't sleep long. You realize there's no clock to let you know the time, and you don't turn your phone on. The wooden floor is cool under your feet as you go to the bathroom of your room. Your makeup from the night before is smudged or cried off. You carefully wipe it off with a cool rag, but it doesn't hide the puffiness and redness. You go to your purse and grab your sunglasses before you slip downstairs.

Alfred is already at the table, drinking his chai. "Morning," He smirks, looking up from his paper. "Did you sleep alright?" You sit across from him and sigh. "As best I could." Alfred stands, going to get you a cup. You rub the bridge of your nose, feeling hungover even though you're sober. Maybe you should drink. "Spike it, please." You say as Alfred comes back. He shakes his head. "I don't think that's wise." He hands you the chai, and you frown. "Thanks." He sits down again and chuckles. "What?" You ask before taking a sip. He doesn't get to say anything more as Bruce joins you, also wearing dark glasses, scowling.

Oh.

He's in an all-black baggy lounge set, the top unbuttoned and revealing his chest. You don't stare; you try not to stare, at least. You take your glasses off. They clatter on the table as you set them down. Bruce does not, sitting next to Alfred. Your heart skips vital beats as you stare at him. You can't get a read on him as the glasses obscure his eyes, and he tilts his head forward, his hair covering them more. You want him to say something, anything, but he stays silent. You finally tear your eyes away as Alfred clears his throat. "Well. Last night was eventful." Bruce tilts his head in his direction but says nothing. "Your things arrived late last night. The housekeeper can put them away if you want. I told Gregory not to come in today and put the building on lockdown. Rachel has been alerted, but I doubt anything will happen to her on vacation." Alfred says before opening his paper again. He's not reading shit, you think as you feel his stare on you as you take another sip.

"Thank you. I'll put my things away later." You say as Bruce sits back in his chair. "Good. Master Wayne, how did you sleep? Did you see my notes from Batman?" Bruce sits a little straighter at the mention of your hero. "No. I don't believe I did yet." He mumbles, avoiding your gaze. "Ah, well. He wants you to stay in as much as you can while the city thinks you tried to kill the elite and..." Alfred looks towards you, "Be nice to your girlfriend."

Bruce scoffs, "I don't have a girlfriend."

Of course.

The corners of your mouth dip low, and you grab your glasses, putting them back on. Alfred lets out a disappointed sigh. "I'm gonna go unpack." You say quickly, trying not to get worked up in front of Bruce.

You hear Alfred start to chastise Bruce as you close your door, but don't strain your ear to listen. You feel like a prisoner in this fancy room. You guess Bruce gave you the brightest room in the mansion as you draw the blinds open before you get started. The dark oak shelves have some books on them, but you figure they removed the majority to give you space. The closet is the most enormous closet you've ever seen in person. Yet, you don't consider it a closet even, thinking it is another room. The clothes you brought can only fill not even one-fourth of the closet. If you're going to live here long term, you know you could fill it up in no time. You don't put more thought into it, though, not wanting to stay that long anyway.

You decide to get ready for the day, walking across the large bedroom to your bathroom. The bathroom. You're struck by the size of it as well. There's a dark floral mural on the wall with jewel-toned lilies and pastel peonies with built-in golden faucets with a white tub with golden leaf legs. You look up at the golden waterfall chandelier in the middle of the room before looking at yourself in the ornate mirror above the black and gold sink. A small golden table with dark green accents sits next to the tub with expensive oils and soaps. They're brand new. You wonder when Bruce had time to request all of this and if he knew something like this would happen. You sit on the dark gray shaggy rug and sigh as the water fills the tub with the aromatic oils and soaps, the smell rich and intoxicating. You haven't taken a bath in a while, always taking the shower option. There's a shower on the other side, a glass barrier between with long Sacramento green tiles. It's a sexy shower with the gold accents continuing, but you want to sit and think. You don't know what exactly. So much has happened.

There's a faint knock at your bedroom door as you stop the water. You crack it slightly to see Bruce without his glasses. "Can we talk?" He asks in a hushed tone. You haven't undressed yet, so you let him in. He smells the air and looks towards your bathroom. "I didn't mean to disturb." He announces. His top is now buttoned, and his eyes are slightly brighter than they have been. "You're fine. I was about to take a bath. Thank you for this, by the way," You start, knowing you would go into a spiel about listening to him earlier and going to his home when he asked you to, not when there were no other options. He puts his hand in the air to stop you. "It's the least I can do."

He closes the space in between you, pulling you into an embrace. You try to step away, surprised by the contact, but he holds you tighter. You keep your arms at your sides, confused. He's not hurting you with his grip, but you still don't like it. He lets go and sits on the ottoman storage in front of your bed. "I'm sorry." He apologizes softly. "I should have known, should have instilled that we are in danger." His gaze fixes on the floor in front of you, his hair hiding his face again. "Now you're here but because you were almost kidnapped." He sighs nervously and rests his lips on his chin. "You didn't deserve that." You sit next to him, not sure what to say. "Nothing can change what happened." You shrug, though you were already kicking yourself about the past, what you should have done. He sits up, touching your cheek. There's a tortured expression on his face as he brings your face closer. You close your eyes, hoping for a kiss. You don't know why you want to kiss him, like him to hold you and more. He tilts your head down and presses his lips on your forehead. "(Y/N), I'm so sorry."

He's genuinely sorry, not lying to make you feel better. You sit straighter, taking him in. "I don't know what to say." Since you do not say I forgive you, he rests his hands on your knee and upper thighs. His palms are so warm your skin tingles. "You can stay here as long as you need." You're a bit tired of him talking about how he couldn't protect you. You're not past it, but there's another half to it. "If I am not your girlfriend, not saying I need to be, but I don't want anything more, Bruce." He tenses, meeting your eyes.

"Why? Why does that matter?" His brow furrows. "Had those pictures at the bridge never come out, that word would not be thrown around so much, especially since you work for my foundation." He withdraws his hands, and you look at the shelves. "You say all these things to me. You want to take care of me, you think I'm beautiful, I'm yours, etcetera etcetera, but when I bring up how the public sees me, why I'm here, you act like I'm insane. I don't like that." You assert yourself for the first time, standing up to face him. He's silent, but his stare speaks a million words. "Relationships take time."

This time looking down at him, you see your power over him. "What do you call it when you know everything about me, but I don't know anything about you?" Bruce's eyes darken as you step towards him, his Adam's apple bopping.

"You're fucking insufferable." He states, his hands returning to your hips.

"I'm yours." You retort, slipping from his grasp. You close and lock the door to the bathroom before undressing and slipping into your warm bath.