𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆, 𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒂 | 𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐧𝐞 (𝙜𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙢)

𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟲

"Don't scare me like that!" Eularia scolded, her arms folded angrily. "I thought you were drowning or something! It would be terrible if you really were, because I can't swim at all!"

Bruce rubbed his neck sheepishly. "It's for training, like the boxing."

Selina seemed to appear out of nowhere. "So if anyone mugs you with a diving board, you'll be ready? Huh?" Eularia pinched her friend's upper arm, but it didn't do any damage.

"Yes. I mean, no." Bruce fumbled. "I'm developing self-discipline and willpower."

"Let's try doing that some other way than scaring me half to death, alright?" Eularia rolled her eyes. "I swear... It's almost like you're doing it for my attention or something. That's ridiculous." She joked, but Bruce didn't dare to meet her eyes.

"It's so I can be strong." Bruce explained. "I have to be able to protect myself... and those I care about."

"I get you. But it won't work." Selina replied. "Not on the streets. Not in Gotham."

"Why's that?" Bruce, though he was older than Eularia, was more innocent. He'd been sheltered practically his whole life, up until the very moment of her parents' deaths, and even then, he'd barely touched the surface.

"Out there on the streets, it's not enough to be strong. You gotta be mean. You gotta be ruthless." She was obviously speaking from experience. "Only then can you get what you want." She paused. "Do you even know what ruthless means?"

"Of course I do." Bruce said, a bit defensive.

"Yeah? Well, you ain't. You're a nice kid. Five minutes on the street, you'll be mincemeat. And holding your breath won't do a damn thing."

"No need to be so harsh, 'Lena." Eularia grinned. "Scared him enough, don't you think? Poor boy's gonna be running away from us now."

"I'll do it." Bruce blurted out. "I'll do it. Be mean, ruthless, strong. If that helps protect those that need it."

Eularia nodded. "You'll go far. I know it."

Selina chucked a donut at Bruce's face, making Eularia giggled when she nailed him in the eye.

"What was that for?"

"Bet you can't hit me." Selina taunted playfully, lying back on the sofa.

"I could." Bruce insisted. "Why would I want to?" Such a goody two-shoes.

"Try." Selina said.

"What for?" Selina glanced at Eularia, who had turned back to examining the details of the carvings in the walls and the paintings hung up.

"I can help you." Her tone was hushed. "If you promise to be nice to her."

"H-help?" Bruce's eyes widened. How did everyone know about his little crush before he was even ready to accept it himself? He went with playing dumb. "With what?"

Selina scoffed. "I'm not an idiot, Bruce. I can see it. Alfred can see it. Anyone that's glanced at you can see it. Everyone except for Lara herself, because she's oblivious to these kinds of things. Luckily for you and her, I'm not." And that was all it took.

Bruce immediately started throwing whatever he could get his hands on– bread, mini-croissants, small tarts, crackers– at her. They exchanged shots (which mostly consisted of food bouncing off of the couches) giggling and laughing. Eularia had turned back to see what all of the ruckus was. She gasped when Bruce broke the glass of orange juice, getting it everywhere. None of them noticed Alfred watching before he left, a small smile on his face.