Paralyzer [Gotham]

13

I don't remember falling asleep, don't remember having a dream. I just know that when I woke up, I was comfortable. If I didn't pay attention, I could feel myself falling back asleep, but I wanted to wake up. I just wasn't quite ready.

Since I don't remember falling asleep, I didn't remember where I'd crashed or at what point my brain shut itself off. I couldn't recall when Zsasz had left, but if the shift under my ankles and gentle weight on my calf said anything, it was that he hadn't.

I continued to breathe slowly as I peaked my eyes open, letting them adjust a moment before realizing he was sat at the end of my couch, my legs propped up in his lap as he read one of the anatomy books I had lying around. "How'd you sleep?" he wondered aloud, not taking his eyes off the book.

"You didn't have to stay," I yawned, curling further into my blanket. "Especially not tucked up under me."

"I couldn't bring myself to move you," he admitted, a dry smile on his lips. "You needed the rest." I nodded and closed my eyes a moment focusing on how his fingers ran over my blanket covered legs, small circles with just enough pressure to feel through the blanket.

"Thank you," I mumbled, my eyes hardly opening in time to catch his nod. Wanting to give him his personal space, I started pulling my legs back, but his hand flattened against my leg, silently asking me to lay still. I looked him over a moment before relaxing, sliding my ankles into a comfortable spot on his lap. All the while, his eyes never left the book, at least not that I saw.

I took a deep breath and started falling asleep again, not hitting the mark just yet but my whole body nonresponsive. It was odd how comforting his presence was, one wouldn't normally find themselves so relaxed around a hitman of any sort, let alone one of Zsasz's degree. I suppose he calmed me just as thoroughly as he terrified me, if that made any sense. "I didn't think you were one for domesticity," I prodded, trying to keep myself awake.

"No, but I am one for surprises," he commented. To my knowledge, he had yet to turn from the book, and it caught my dazed interest.

"What are you even reading?" I yawned, propping myself up on my elbows.

"Oh, I'm just updating my torture techniques," he eagarly informed. He finally turned away from the pages, turning the book to me for a minor inspection of a diagram of the internal organs. "This is detailed, but in reality, theres a lot more blood in the way of this stuff." Cringing both physically and internally, it was odd feeling everything in my abdomen clench up at the same moment, I pulled my feet out of his lap and moved to the kitchen.

"Thanks for that information I never needed or asked for," I muttered, starting the coffee pot and leaning tiredly against the counter as I waited.

"You're welcome," he loudly whispered back. My eyes closed with irritation, not even close to prepared to deal with his antics. A look at the clock told me it wasn't even seven in the morning.

"Aren't you tired? Or do vampires like you not need sleep?" I sighed, seeing as picking fun at one another was fair game now.

"I'm used to pulling all nighters," he shrugged, tossing aside the book and moving to stand near Andrew's door. "What if he wakes up and he's locked in?"

"There's a latch on the other side," I answered, irritated at how obvious the answer should have been. "If he does wake up, he'll be too weak to get very far. Muscle atrophy has well set in by this point of his coma." I turned away from him and started making my cup, surprised at the lack of some snarky remark.

It came, just a little late and not who I was expecting by any means. "Let go of me, freak!" I quickly turned around with wide eyes, finding Zsasz holding Selina by the back of her hoodie, far enough off the ground for her kicking feet not to do a damned thing.

"Hey," I intervened, my blood chilling at the look that came over him. "Let her go, she's just a kid." His narrowed eyes shot to me a second before releasing his grip, dropping Cat on her feet as she instantly moved towards me. She took me by surprise the way she wrapped her arms around me, she'd never been the most affectionate, but the wetness against my shirt gave me a reason for it.

I looked up to Zsasz and nodded to the door, returning her hold and giving him a pointed look. "Boss needs me," he excused, a bitterness to his expression. "Have fun with the girl stuff." I shook my head as he left, grabbing my coffee off the counter and leading Selina to the couch.

"What happened, Cat?" I asked softly, tucking my legs back into my blanket as she sat beside me.

"My friend Bridgit," she started, wipping at the tears on her face. "She, uh, did something really stupid. So stupid it got her killed." I took a deep breath and set down my coffee, pulling Selina into my arms and running my hand over her curls.

"I'm so sorry, Kitty Cat," I sighed. "I'm a bit of a mess myself." I thought it over a moment before dragging her goggles off her head, tossing them to the table and nodding her along when she glared at me with confusion. "We both need a day to just breathe, maybe take a nap."

Selina scoffed but kicked her boots off after a moment all the same, pulling back the blanket and shrugging off her jacket before laying on top of my chest and making herself comfortable. "That why the creepo was here?" she mumbled, half speaking into my stomach.

"He was here because I needed someone to be. Now you're here, and that's a much better alternative, even if you're all drippy eyed." I chuckled as I wiped at her cheek, feeling sleep nag at me once again. Despite having just made myself coffee, I could feel myself give in a lot easier than when Zsasz was here. "Just wake me up if you need something," I yawned.