UPTOWN GIRL, bruce wayne

the iceburg lounge

***

THE NEWS of the Mayor's death breaks early the following morning. Ivory watches the television in front of her, gnawing at her nails. The clip of the commissioner speaking plays on every screen in Gotham, and it's just a reminder to her that this killer is ruthless, and that her father could be next. She could be next. She doesn't want to think about it, but being cooped up in that damn apartment all the time has given her nothing to do but think.

She tunes out the voice on the TV, and turns to stare out the window, her foot tapping anxiously against the hardwood floor. Frankly, she never liked the guy, but that didn't mean she had wanted him assassinated. She felt ready to vomit at the news. If she woke up one of these morning to her father's picture on the screen, she'd never recover.

The sound of a female reporter speaking is what draws her back, and she feels dread creep into her stomach when she realizes the topic, because right in front of her is a clip of a younger version of Bruce, and both of his parents.

"This is certainly not the first time Gotham has been rocked by the murder of a political figure. In fact, in an eerie coincidence, it was twenty years ago this week that celebrated billionaire philanthropist Dr. Thomas Wayne and his wife Martha were slain during Wayne's own mayoral campaign. It was a shocking crime, and has not been solved to this day."

Ivory calls Bruce immediately after that, but he doesn't answer. She bites her bottom lip, and decides to drop a casual text, just incase he somehow hasn't seen the news and the mention of his deceased parents. The possibility is very unlikely, she knows how much he prefers to be up-to-date, especially with the extra hobby he partakes in these days.

"Did you hear what happened to the mayor?" Naomi asks around noon, barging into Ivory's apartment without even a knock. She sometimes regrets giving her a key, is what she's thinking as she watches her friend grow near to where Ivory is sitting. "Apparently the son found him and everything. It's so sad."

"I think everyone has heard by now," Ivory responds, though she honestly didn't have a clue about his son finding the body. That makes her heart ache for the family more-and she can't help but think about Bruce, too. "But yeah, it's sad."

Naomi eventually changes the subject to whatever the hell she's talking about, but Ivory can't seem to focus. She's anxious and quite honestly she is feeling reckless. It's only the first of November, but her dad has been gone for three days, and the murder of the mayor is only making her uneasy. She's about ready to go searching for him herself.

"Hey," Naomi says suddenly, looking at her phone. "Wanna go to an exclusive party? I just got an invite."

Ivory raises a slender brow. "Really? How are you not completely partied out?"

"Do you think God made the weekends for reading?" She demands in response. "No. He didn't. He made them for letting loose and having fun."

"There's nothing wrong with reading for-"

"Come on, don't be a complete loser," Naomi groans. "You're Gotham's sweetheart, and I know you need a distraction. And you don't really have any other friends besides me, so it's not like you're busy. So get slutty and let's roll. We can worry about your dad tomorrow."

"You said that last night."

"And my statement still stands! Go on, get ready."

"Fine," Ivory sighs. "Not because I want to, but because you need a chaperone. Oh, and God did not make the calendar, dumbass. The Babylonians did." She pauses at the entrance to her bedroom, head titled. "At least I think."

The club is extremely exclusive, Ivory will give her that. She hasn't even heard of it before. There was an intimidating bouncer at the door, and long hallway into the actual bar. She doesn't even want to know how Naomi was invited, or how she knows this place exists.

The music is blaring, and there's flashing red lights, Ivory doesn't think she'll ever be able to form another thought again if she keeps attending these places with Naomi. But, she's having fun. There's a group of men clustered around her friend, who seems to be enjoying the attention, but Ivory is busy sitting at the counter talking to a very pretty girl, who is telling her all about a trip she once took outside of Gotham, and how it's her goal to live there again one day if she can ever get the hell out again.

"Sorry," the nameless girl shouts over the music. "My break is almost over! It was nice chatting with you, I'd love to see you again."

"You too," Ivory smiles at her, but she can feel it slipping off her face in a matter of seconds, because she had just caught sight of a fight happening along the top floor, and she can swear she sees the two points of a ridiculous looking mask that she'd recognize anywhere. "Oh my God."

Luckily, the girl had already departed in time to miss Ivory's crisis, because now she's fuming. What the hell is he doing here?! Of all places-and after ignoring her all day. Was he too busy playing superhero? God, she could just go up there right now and smack him across the face.

"Ivory!" Naomi hollers, breaking her from the state of anger that had quickly overtaken her body, and making her head snap in the direction of the voice. "Come dance!"

She spares one last glance upstairs, but Bruce has already disappeared. Her stomach clenches, and if she hadn't felt like partying before, she definitely didn't feel like it now.

Ivory was pushed into a circle of sweaty bodies, and at one point she's sure she can feel an erection of the closest man pressing into her back. That is the final straw for her, because she balls her hand into a fist, turns around, and promptly throws it right into the guy's jaw.

The group scatters in shock, and the stranger is now holding his face, staring at her. Ivory is breathing heavily, and Naomi is apologizing profusely to him, while sending death glares in her direction.

"Why don't you go fix your tiny problem in the bathroom instead of waving it around like a chew toy and making everyone uncomfortable? Huh?"

"Ivory stop! I'm so sorry she is-"

"Everything okay over here?" One of the bouncers ask.

"Fucking perfect," Ivory manages to get out through her clenched teeth. "I'm going home."

"Ivory-" Naomi starts to protest, but Ivory is already shoving her way through the sea of people.

She only glances back once, and it's a huge mistake, because immediately she catches Bruce's eye. He doesn't know she knows-she never let on that she did. It was his personal business, and if she had given any sort of indication that she knew, she wouldn't be able to stop herself from telling him that his plans were stupid and he needed an extra set of eyes: which would be her. Then, they would argue, because Bruce was incredibly overprotective and would not allow her, then she'd get mad, and they would probably not speak for a week. The cycle would continue, which is why looking back was such a problem. Because now he knew.

She had wanted him to tell her at one point or another. She never wanted him to find out she knew accidentally, but she is too angry to attempt to hide the recognition that she's sure flashes in her eyes the moment they lock gazes. He looks almost as stunned as she feels, but instead of hesitating even longer, she pushes the door open and does not look up from the ground until she finds a taxi.

"Shit," she murmurs the second she's home, still pressed against the door. "Shit, shit. Shit."

***

authors note

praise hbo max for finally adding the batman!!! updates should be pretty consistent from now on lolz