The Many Loves of Batman

Buzzing at Night (Karen Beecher, aka Bumblebee)

In the quiet, snow-covered streets of Gotham, the shadows seemed to stretch endlessly right in front of him. The occasional flicker of a streetlamp only managed to draw his eyes to the location as he looked to different places each time he detected something. He could only sigh, perched on a rooftop while holding a steaming cup of hot chocolate. It calmed him down a bit, a rare moment that he took advantage of to just breathe. The bitter cold bit at his skin, but the warmth from the cup was a small comfort.

He heard the faint buzz coming from behind, yet his eyes never left the snow that fell over Gotham. He didn't need to look back to know that Karen Beecher, aka Bumblebee, was hovering right behind him thanks to the wings of her suit. The night was still young, and he had to stay ever so vigilant of his surroundings. But it did not mean that he couldn't drink a cup of hot chocolate to relax himself on this cold night.

"Thanks for the hot chocolate..." She let out a small flirty sound out of her lips, his ears catching the subtle tease as she gulped quite loudly. He could guess that she drank from her very own cup of hot chocolate, the extra one he had brought specifically for her. He only let out a small yet unnoticeable smile as he kept staring at Gotham City's streets. "It tastes amazing!"

"No problem..." He replied almost quietly, but he kept his voice controlled. His eyes still looked over the city, a city that was eerily quiet. He was surprised though, it was a stark contrast to the chaos that often plagued the streets of his city. He was happy that his job had finally delivered for once. That his personal sacrifice was finally paying off, that he could see a bit of peace in this dark city. It will probably never compare to other cities like Metropolis or Central City, but this night was at least free of crime.

Silence invaded the space between the two, his hand calmly moving the cup towards his lips once more. He could feel the hot sensation that perfectly contrasted with the cold wind blades of the snowy night. It was then that he finally looked back at her, his eyes looking at the tanned complexion of the female. Her curly hair wildly moved thanks to the cold breeze. He could feel his lips twitch up a bit, though he did not allow himself to actually show a small smile on his face.

"Bruce..." He could see just how she stared at him in concern, her brows furrowing slightly behind his cowl. He could notice that she was really worried about something, but he ignored it as he preferred to have all the details before even trying to even say anything else. Though he did take another sip as his drink, as his eyes never left her own. "After the chaos of the last few weeks, what do you think about taking a weekend off?"

"I don't know..." He muttered, glancing back to the city. This time, however, his eyes concentrated on the falling snow. He could admire the snow, yet all he could remember was the day he was kneeling in front of his parents' graves. And just like at this moment, all he could concentrate on was on the falling snow in front of his eyes. It was then that he felt a light nudge at his side, his eyes looking back to the female who was looking at him with a soft smile.

"I'm serious..." Her voice was gentle, but even he could notice the seriousness behind her words. He could see just how worried his fellow hero and friend is. He still doesn't trust most of his team, but he at least acknowledges that some of them actually worry constantly about him. So, in a rare showcase of appreciation, he gave out a small smile at her. And that seemingly was all she needed of him, because his eyes saw just how the female smiled a bit more. "The city won't fall apart without Batman for one weekend"

He thought it over, her words echoing in the back of his mind. He didn't quite believe her words, but there was also the fact that he was no longer the sole hero of Gotham. He had his family who could cover for him, and even other small time heroes who were there for the civilians as well. So, he really thought about Karen's words quite carefully.

"I guess..." He muttered, his shoulders relaxing slightly. He didn't even notice that he was tense, only noticing after he let his shoulders down a bit. He stared right into her eyes, searching for something that would get him to stay and keep on overworking himself. The weight of his responsibilities were always present and never ending. Yet in the moments that he kept staring at her, he could actually feel it vanish away. "Would you like to accompany me to a ski lodge and spa I know, just upstate?"

"I would be happy to!" Her eyes gleamed brightly at his proposition. He could even notice the slight mischief in her eyes, which only made him wonder what she was planning to do. But it was then that he noticed just how she was getting closer to him, a lustful smirk over her lips. He gave a soft and almost unheard grunt, which seemingly only served to motivate the tanned skinned female in front of him.

Their faces were mere inches apart, his skin actually feeling the breathing from her nose. It was then that her lips met his own, immediately battling for dominion. He could only keep on kissing the female hero, the world around them fading away as their moment was the only thing that mattered. And as the snow continued to fall, the Dark Knight found a glimmer of warmth and solace in the arm of Karen Beecher. A warmth that he thought he had forgotten a very long time ago, and one that, while he wouldn't admit it, didn't want to lose again.