Black Eyes

Chapter 2: Bruce Wayne

The bathroom was foggy and steaming from taking a hot shower. It felt so good to wash off the stink of the cab. Alfred had shown me to a guest room and said he would phone Bruce Wayne immediately about my arrival. I figured I'd see him at some point soon, but a much needed shower was in order first.

The mirror was all clouded so I jokingly filled in two spots where my eyes reflected. I dug through my makeup bag and pulled out my black eyeshadow and liner, getting to work filling in my cat eyes and black eyelids. I had a love-hate relationship with makeup. It was too powerful for a woman's own good.

I popped on some pearly chapstick and denied the blow-drier sticking out of my luggage. I'd let my hair dry itself this time. I pulled on some ripped jeans and a tight sweater. Despite being indoors it was quite freezing in here. I walked over to the TV and flipped it to the news, then made my way to the window sill and sat down. I had a perfect view of Gotham here and if I didn't know any better I'd say it looked like a wonderful city. The sun was setting over the horizon and the silhouette was astounding. Where was my sketchbook? I rummaged around and pulled out a sleek black, spiral bound book and flipped it open to an empty page. Ink would do nicely for this job.

I was just about finished getting the lit up windows just right in my drawing when I heard something odd coming from the television. I homed in and watched intently as a freakish clown figure appeared frozen on the screen. "-who goes by the name of 'The Joker' broke out of Arkham Asylum only hours ago. His whereabouts are unknown and no known threats have yet been made. Investigators-" I took in every detail of the guy from his green greasy hair to his purple suit and makeup. He definitely did look like someone who belonged in an insane asylum, I'll give him that. Yet he wasn't the only psychotic criminal who fed on disrupting the law and order in Gotham. I found that Gotham was a magnet for people like him. It was as if an evil loomed over this city like the devil himself cursed the place. I hated to admit it, but this might actually be a great place to start my criminal justice career. The opportunities here were endless. The guy on the screen: the Joker- he was the new definition of a criminal. The mobsters who supposedly ran this town looked like amateurs beside him.

I jumped when there was a knock on the door. "Come in!" I yelped, slamming my notebook shut. Alfred walked in.

"Master Wayne is waiting for you in the dining room, Miss. Wayne."

I despised having the last name as him. I didn't want anything to do with him and yet here I was in need of his help. I sighed in defeat and followed Alfred. I took a deep breath and made my way through the doors and to the dining room. There were already plates and silverware set up and Bruce Wayne sat waiting for me. I gulped and refused to look up, only taking my seat beside him. The table was extraordinarily long, probably because he always had so many guests, but I had to refrain from laughing at how cliche this set up was. At least he didn't sit me at the other end of the table. I half expected he would too.

"Hello." I managed to get out, staring down at my plate.

"Hi." Apparently that was all he was able to get out too. We sat in silence until Alfred cleared his throat. We looked up at him.

"I'll go get your supper." And just like that we were alone. I sighed heavily and decided to just get to the point.

"Look-" I stopped. We had said the same thing at the same time.

"I- go ahead." He blurted, gulping down a drink. I smirked at how anxious he looked.

"Aunt Jess..."

"I heard." His voice didn't sound very sympathetic.

"I know you don't care. You weren't at her funeral, but I care. She was like a mom to me. Unfortunately she didn't have anything to leave behind for me so... I came here."

"What makes you think I don't care?" He asked as I furrowed my eyebrows.

"I just said. You weren't at her funeral. A phone call now and then would've been nice too."

He clinked his glass against his plate in response. He really didn't care did he?

"I'll stay out of your way, since that's what you've always wanted. I know you don't want me here and the same can be said for me. I'll get a job so that I can move out as quickly as possible and it'll be as if I was never here. I promise." I stood up and made my way to the exit.

"Wait, Iris!" His chair scraped along the floor as he stood up too. I froze upon hearing my name. I had never heard him say my name before. It almost seemed... normal. Almost domestic. "Please, don't take my silence as an insult. Its just... you'd think after all of these years I'd have something to say, but..." He trailed off and we stood staring at each other in silence. "You look so much like your mother-"

"Don't." I held my hand up to stop him from saying more. "Just... just don't." With that I twisted my feet and exited the room.