Paralyzer [Gotham]

2

I no longer panicked when Victor randomly came through my house, the sound of a key proving to be more welcoming than a lock pick. I did panic, though, when several clicks sounded, the metal sliding on metal unmistakably a gun. I turned and took a deep breath as he looked down the sight of a rifle, grinning like a kid on Christmas as he admired it. "Have a good day?" I hummed, sighing as I relaxed.

"Oh yeah," he chuckled, holding the gun to his side as he met me at the counter and pecked my lips. "Wanna try her out?" I chuckled and shook my head, watching as he scanned the walls, sometimes holding up the rifle to better envision it.

"You're not mounting that on my wall," I informed, eying how giddy it made him.

"I'd feel a lot better if you had at least one large weapon stashed around here," he mumbled, hiking the gun up to his shoulder to check the scope once more.

"I'd prefer if you didn't hang it on the wall like some trophy," I pointed out, patting his shoulder as I walked past him.

"Have it your way," he sighed, resting the gun on the counter as he trailed behind me. I sat on the couch and waited for him to sit beside me before stretching out my legs across his lap. I closed my eyes as he rested a hand on my leg, content with the simplicity but honestly, I wanted more nights like the one spent at the Iceberg Lounge. Despite the fear it brought on in me, it also brought excitement.

Victor's hand trailed up my leg and I took an oppertunity, sitting myself in his lap and resting my head on his. His lips easily caught mine, his hands sliding over my hips and as they crept under the back of my shirt, I placed mine on his chest. He froze as he realized my intentions, keeping our foreheads connected but otherwise pulling away. I opened my eyes and met his frown, not moving a fraction until he met my stare.

I could see the argument building, could feel the denial at the tips of fingers, but he sighed and dropped his hands from my waist, turning his head to the side and effectively giving me permission. I leaned forward and placed a lingering kiss to his cheek as I started undoing buttons, his jaw clenched just below my lips. He helped pull the shirt down his arms but otherwise left me on my own to explore the additions to his collection.

He'd collected at least twenty more tallies since I'd last seen his skin, and that was just on his abdomen; he was starting to run out of comfortable space on his arms. Soon if he marked there, they'd begin overlapping. His reluctancy surprised me, after all I'd heard some of his goons speak of how he marked himself in their presence. If he could do that, why was showing me the results such a fuss? I avoided the fresh tallies, otherwise running my fingers over all of the ridges I could. I didn't care, if anything, it gave his skin some texture and turned me into a toddler in a toy isle: I wanted to touch everything. "I know what you did the other day," I informed softly, sliding my hands up to his neck.

"What're you talking about?" he hummed, watching me from his periphrials.

"You were showing me what happens to criminals without licenses these days," I explained. "Penguin didn't invite me, he even seemed surprised to see me." He turned his head back now that I wasn't focused on his pale, scarred skin, making me feel as though he were staring through my eyes, looking for any glimpses of leftover bloodshot.

"So what?" he grumbled, trailing his thumbs over my thighs.

"So, I want in." They paused a moment before continuing in slow circles, giving a short nod as he watched me with mild caution.

"Great, I'll tell Penguin--"

"No," I interjected, trying not to raise my voice. "I mean, I'll need a license, but not to be his medic. I want to be part of the excitement." I slid my hands around the back of his neck and traced the underside of his jaw with my thumb. "I liked being in the middle of it, I want more nights like that one." He scoffed, humor clearing everything from his face as he took hold of my hips and sat forward.

"That night was staged, all the way down to the 'whose piece is bigger' fight between Gordon and Cobblepot," he keyed in. I held my breath in an anticipation, Victor hardly ever gave me details, I usually got them from anyone else. "Normally, I would've dropped them where we found 'em, but the boss wanted to make a show of it."

"How reserved of you," I admired, breathing again when he chuckled. He studied me a long minute, reaching up and pushing a hand through my hair.

"If that happens, I need to make sure I'm not losing a step looking out for you," he decided, causing a grin to my lips. "And you're gunna learn how to use the new toy," he added with a nod to the kitchen. I nodded eagerly and met his lips, pulling back with baited breaths at the familiar feeling of him mapping out my body. Except for his hands, we hardly moved. We hadn't been this close in three months, maybe longer.

Noticing how his hesitancy played off mine, I pulled him forward enough to curl an arm around his back, baring my neck to him as to encourage him. None of my feelings towards him had changed, pre-virus. Afterwords, I was just left with twice the amount of curiosity, the spite hadn't stayed with me. I still wanted to know all him, only now worse than initially.

Honestly, I expected more, but he mostly drifted his fingers over my back, clear that he wasn't quite ready. I turned my head and rested it against his cheek. "I'm here for the long haul," I whispered. "I can wait for you to join me there."

"Mm," he hummed, "good doctor, where have you been?" He tilted my face up as I frowned at his words. "This city's been needing you." Victor's dark eyes scanned me over, looking for the flicker that had appeared in my words.

"She's not here right now, leave a message at the beep." I didn't intend on making the sound, but a short squeak left me as his hand tightened on my hip and pulled me impossibly closer to him. If it were within the realm of physics, I melted into him as his lips met mine. I knew what he was trying to do, unable to determine his success as all I could focus on was how much I hated how easily I got lost on him. He sent me reeling for our mundane life, but after having a taste of his side, I wasn't sure I wanted mundane.

No matter how he tried to coax me out, nothing would work, I had to figure out who the hell I was all over again.