The Justice League

Bruce
"Coming downtown without a fight would be a start." However improbable it was. Just looking at her reaction towards me felt like I had cornered a feral animal, as was usual with the standard felon. I stood seven inches taller than she, eighty pounds heavier - rumors around Gotham already adding to the image. "There are some charges against you currently pending..." I state and pause, removing my hand to show the one handcuff I already had on her.

Selina

Well.
That certainly complicated things.
"Is there really a need for handcuffs?" I asked, giving him my best pouting face. "I can be a good girl, I promise..."
As I spoke I slowly moved my other hand back, slowly as to try not to be seen. My fingers grasped the top of my whip, starting to pull it from where it was clasped to my side. This could get ugly fast, so I needed a new plan. That meant making an escape route instead of waiting for one.

Bruce
"I know your record of escaping," I say bluntly, noticing her movements despite her attempts at keeping them hidden. There weren't any reports or footage of conflicts to learn her fighting style. Acrobatics were an obvious skill of hers, but in an actual brawl I didn't have a clue whether it would be simple street fighting or actual technique. I stay at the ready, eyes on her for the first hint of an attack. A shift of footing, the tense of a lunge, the possible click of a gun? I had to expect anything from the woman...

Selina

Carefully keeping my pout from turning into a scowl, I sighed quietly, letting the whip drop down to my side.
"Well, it was worth a shot, wasn't it?" I said, shrugging a little.
At that moment I jerked sharply back on my wrist, figuring that'd work as a distraction before striking out towards him using the whip in the other hand. I just had to get him to let me go, and I'd be good...

Bruce

I hold up an arm to block the whip, having it wrap around my arm. She held surprising strength however, jerking her other arm out of my grasp. I keep my face hard and emotionless, though on the inside I'm scowling. I move to tug her whip away, or perhaps drag her closer to prevent her from escaping.

Selina

With one hand free I felt a bit of relief. I'd be getting away from here, definitely. My whip though... that was a problem. Perhaps I'd be able to pick up a new one from some friends. Hard to get, for sure, it was custom made. But... with the jewels from this job...
I'd have some free cash.
"It was fun, Bats." I said, letting go of the whip and backing up. "Unfortunately, I have places to be. We'll have to hang together some other time."
My hands found the rail behind me and I braced my arms. Quickly, before I could change my mind to see how far it was to the ground from here, I jumped, pushing down on the rail so that I could perch on the top of it. I would just have to grab a rail below to make sure I didn't hit the ground that hard. It was what... two stairs? I'd grab the one just below here. That'd brake my fall enough.

Bruce
She jumped from three stories, grabbing the railing one down to slow her decent to the ground. I simply react, jumping after her and not even thinking of the height. The memory weave fabric of my cape stiffens at a movement, acting as a parachute to the ground. Shes already running off, but I get a report from the police scanner of more pressing matters than a jewel thief. Next time, then...

Selina

I didn't stop to see if he was following, instead running through the allies until I was sure he wasn't. Only pausing for a moment to catch my breath, I soon started off again, a bit slower this time. Eventually I managed to make it back to the apartment, unseen for the most part.

"Hello?" I called out, immediately starting towards my room once inside. "I'm back."

Holly

My short blonde haired head pops up from squatting down, searching in the kitchen cabinets, and I pause before looking towards Selina's room grinning. "Hey, kitty cat. Want a pancake?"

Retrieving the pan I had gotten, I put it on the stove to go get butter from the fridge. Yeah, playing housemaid sometimes was a drag but I was living with of Gotham's most popular legendary cat burglar, and getting free lessons as well. What a change. Last year I was still auctioning myself off and getting beaten by Stan, just scrounging for some way to live. It was better than nothing, but this was definitely better than 'it'.

We had a thing going too, you know? Selina would do all the major night work, and I continued Catwoman's work into the day with minor pickpocketing and stealing watches right off people on the subway. Fancy business men with their Rollex watches go down to look at the time, and oh! It's a hair past a freckle for them. I had my cat hairclip even, just for Selina. After all, I had to pay towards rent too. The least I could do.

Selina

I paused, mask already off and on my bed. It was pretty nice having someone else around, definitely easier than living on my own had been.

"I'd love one. Thanks, Holly."

Quickly stripping down I pulled on a simple sweater and jeans before heading back out to the kitchen, bag in hand.

"How's the evening gone?"

Holly

"Pretty uneventful, boss~" I sing out slightly, putting in a good teaspoon amount of butter and watching it melt over medium heat. "News is still clueless. No cameras have yet caught sight of Gotham's rising pest problem" I imitate the gruff pompously voiced man from channel five, scrunching up my face like his. I hated those men in my services before. They were disgusting... Thinking about it now still gave me the hebie jebies. Hated men. Utterly despised them.

Selina

"That's good," I said, chuckling a little. "You'll never guess who I ran into tonight. Go ahead, try."

I couldn't help the grin that found its way to my face. After all, was it luck that I'd ran into him and managed to get free? After all... he was the Batman. While I'd been speaking I'd turned away from the kitchen, sitting down at the table so I could watch her but not get in the way.

Holly

"But I don't like guessing games," I moan comically, smiling at her as I pour the first pancake. Four in the morning...great time for breakfast. I didn't exactly like operating on a day/night schedule with Seline, just because she was always out when I was home and I was out when she was sleeping. Living with someone who cared enough to pull you out of a whore house, but still feeling alone sometimes...

But I stay because I owe it to her. She's giving me the better life, and I don't think there's much I could ever do to fully repay that. So I keep my chipper attitude, because life is difficult otherwise, and take care of the apartment, and only steal the easy things so as not to cause any problems. But I could be out there with her, I'm sure. She's been teaching me a year...

"Hmm... the owners? No, too simple... Riddler? Mad Hatter? Roxy Rocket?" I smile, flipping the pancake to golden perfection.

Selina

"Nope, none of those." I replied, stomach growling as I watched her. "The big man himself. Batman..."

Remembering only then I glanced down at my wrist, still holding the cuff around it. It'd been pretty hard to change with it on. I should get it off now.. while I had the time...

Holly

"Whaaaat?" I gape at her. "You're yanking my chain, Selina, no one gets away from that guy..." Getting a plate from the cabinet, I spatula the pancake off and go around to hand it to her. "You check for everything? Batman's gadgets have been the doom of quite a few..." I say concerned, going back to make my own breakfast.

Selina


"I did, I haven't managed to get this off just yet, though." I told her, holding the cuff up for her to see. "It's quite annoying. And no, I'm not kidding." Grinning even further I lowered my hand to pick up a fork. "He even talked, although not that much. "

Holly
I turn down the heat, going around and pulling out my lock picks that she gave me a while ago. Gently taking her hand, it's one-two-three and the thing pops off. "Some souvenir you decided to take for remembrance. Maybe he let you get away because he likes you..." I laugh, twirling the prize. "Is it going up on our wall as a trophy?"

Selina

I laughed as well, considering the cuffs before nodding.
"Can't think of a better place for them, after all, its not every day you get a pair of cuffs from the Bat." I paused for a moment, considering the other part before grinning even wider. "And wouldn't that be somethin', Batman having feelings for a thief. "
Laughing again I shook my head, turning back to my food.
"Thanks for getting those off, although I doubt that's why I got away. Seemed more like luck than anything."

Holly
Again, concern hit me as I went back to the kitchen to check on my breakfast. "Cat's gotta watch her lives..." I murmur, putting the cuffs on the counter for now. I get another plate, turning off the heat and going to sit with her at the table. "You did steal the whole secret identity and cat persona thing from his bat craze..." My eyes roll dramatically as I stab the first bite of my warm pancake.

Selina

"A good idea, wasn't it?" I respond, chuckling quietly to myself. "After all, cats catch birds. What is a bat but a weird bird that likes the dark?"
As I spoke I pulled some of the pancake away with my fork, taking the bite after I'd finished the words. My smile grew a bit bigger at the flavor as I began cutting myself another bite, Holly was a good cook.

Holly

I giggle. "What do I get?" A girl can dream, can't she...? Selina never stood for my desire to go out with her though. Didn't really mean I stopped insisting every now and again... But I knew the answer, and my eyes drift down to my breakfast to pick off another piece and eat it. It doesn't have taste. I still have my joking smile, though it gets no where near my blue eyes.

Selina

I stiffened, eyes immediately going up from my plate to her. For a moment I just watched her, trying to tell whether she was joking this time or not.
"...nothing," I said finally. "You know that... its too dangerous."
Suddenly I wasn't as hungry as I had been. My fork found its position against the side of my plate as I continued to watch her for a second longer. I couldn't imagine anymore what it would be like to come home to an empty house. It wasn't too much to say that I didn't want to lose her... was it?

Holly

I glance up at her fork, then back to my plate to eat another tasteless bit of pancake. Ruined it, like usual. Why does she even keep me around sometimes, if all I do is cause this? Right, free maid... My smile fades, and I don't look up at Selina still.

Why teach me then? All the thieving lessons, the acrobatics, the training with ex-WildCat...wasn't it building up for something better than little subway gigs for pocket change? Play as informant and get all the information from East Side, Old Town Gotham that she wanted? I could remember, back when she found me with that asshole. I could still feel the black eye and sting of blood in my eye, could still picture her going hand to hand with him. And when he was just as bruised as I was, she took my wrist and pulled me out of Hell. You're starting a new career.

But whenever I ask about the more complex stuff, she doesn't show me. Not yet, she replies. I might be fourteen, but what I know and what I've experienced makes me just as old as her.

Selina

Sighing a little I took one more bite before pushing the plate away and standing. The mood here was a little too tense for me.
"Thank-you for the meal, Holly." I said, pushing a smile on my face. "I think I'm going to go out for a bit, as me. You can tag along, or stay here if you want."
Perhaps a night out on the town would do her some good, although... I suppose she was a little young for it. I might be able to get us into places though... I knew people.

Holly
At two in the morning. "Sure," I say, looking back up at her with another little smile. Couldn't handle myself... I knew this town like the back of my hand and the people like family from my previous occupation. Going with her was better than being alone. Couldn't stand being alone...