[ He's always loved the warmth of Dick's gaze. Even after all of these years, it never feels like it's too much or too intense. Sometimes, it still had the power to make Bruce feel like he's the only person in the world that matters to Dick. That feels nice too.
But he can't bask in that warmth because Dick's bringing up Alfred and their disagreement and that makes him cold. ]
I'm not going to give him the chance to wipe us all out, Dick.
[ He has his hands in his pockets. There's a batarang there and he runs a finger over the sharp edges. ]
He's too dangerous. I can see that. Alfred can't.
[ he didn't have to agree. Bruce didn't need him to agree. He just needed him to help. ]
Party starts at 8. I'll be here to pick you up by 7. It's a long drive to Metropolis.
[ Dick hadn't meant for it to snuff out that little ember Bruce seemed to suggest, but his comment about Alfred chills Bruce's words and in turn, cools his own gaze. there's a motion somewhere in Bruce's pocket, and Dick flickers his eyes down before lifting up to Bruce's expression again, his own now defensive.
it would honestly be more surprising had Bruce not brought a weapon with him, but that he fidgets with it in his pocket concerns Dick. as always, when Bruce is set on doing something his way (which is all the time), he leaves no room for discussion. ]
Why do you wanna pick me up? I know how to get there.
[ Things in Bruce's life could be so transitory, nothing ever staying in one place for very long. Friendships, partnerships. People, places, things. But, the batarang is something solid. Part of an identity that has never abandoned him, or turned its back on him. Or tried to convince him he was wrong, not thinking clearly when he knew empirically that he couldn't be thinking any more clearly.
Dick's defensive and Bruce isn't doing much to diffuse it. He's used to it. ]
[ this one is on him, probably, that Dick pushes away and Bruce doesn't bother keeping him close. he should feel relieved for it, but he doesn't. instead, he just feels... ]
Sorry, wait. I think we should go together.
[ he shouldn't make this harder on any of them. he said he'd help, so he should help. ]
I'll be ready here. Then we can go through the plan on our drive over and iron out any last minute details.
[ It's easy to feel cut off from the people who care about him. He makes them push away from him. Maybe so they don't get caught up in the blast radius. Safe, but out of reach. It's by design, really. Bruce knows he's not an easy man to love. He doesn't make it easy. That's by design too.
He doesn't say thank you. Just offers Dick a nod. ]
I'll be here at 7.
idk if you wanna get into nitty gritty, we can skip ahead too!
[ When they're together like this? It's easy to forget that they were ever broken. It's easy to fall back into old habits when they bond remains in tact, even if it's stretched out of shape. Pushed and pulled and twisted, but still holding. And by the end of it, they've decided on a plan and agree on the parameters.
Luthor would never see them coming.
They're fashionably late to the party, the inside already swarming with guests. Outside they pose for pictures, though you couldn't really call a halfhearted smile from Bruce a pose. But it was all the bottom feeders could get out of him these days. Inside, as he and Dick separate to mingle. The plan is flawlessly executed with Alfred's guidance. He's able to get the tether on Luthor's system but finds it missing when he goes to retrieve it. He's stopped by Clark and the two have a spirited debate about the Bat vigilante. ]
Call my office if you want an interview, Mr. Kent. I need to find my plus one.
[ and he slips away to look for Dick, and trying not to be too agitated. ]
[ falling back into step with Bruce feels as natural as breathing. it’s easy to do, so long as he doesn’t think too hard about it.
Alfred and Bruce’s voices are both in his ear, and he carefully excuses himself from his riveting conversation after Bruce steps away from his. Dick finds him in the crowd, weaves to his side smoothly. ]
So you’re referring to me as your plus-one now?
[ it’s an easy quip with a wry smile, and he keeps his words quiet and voice low, looking like a simple greeting to anyone who glanced their way. as he steps closer, the amusement fades out of his eyes. ]
[ Bruce is grateful when Dick joins him. He lost sight of the woman and when he points her out, Bruce turns to meet her gaze and frowns. He's seen her before, he's pretty sure. Maybe when they came in? He doesn't say for sure.
[ Dick nods once to Bruce and quickly sweeps the room to once again take count of the exits (one into a service hallway, a few large operable windows that'll be too obvious to escape through, another into an alley, and a fire exit directly outside, hidden beneath thick drapery).
he'll post himself toward the entry into the room, and he starts to step away before a last note to Bruce. ]
Don't be shy to call for help if you need me, okay?
[ He spares Dick a wry smile before slipping away into the crowd to catch the woman before she could make a break for an exit. She likely did not want to draw too much attention to herself, considering she took the tether and did not bother to report what she'd found to Luthor or his security.
Luthor must have something she wants as much as Bruce does.
When he catches up with her, he pulls her in close, tucks her hand under his arm as they walk together and they speak in low hushed tones. She smiled at him and offered him... nothing before turning to make her way to the exit where Dick's set up.
He taps the ear piece to open the comm line with Dick. ]
[ Dick watches the exchange from the corner of his eye, noticing that smooth way Bruce always has about him in this role, the natural way he just sets her arm in the crook of his and dips his head so gracefully to speak.
Dick turns before Bruce’s voice is even in his ear and his posture sharpens just a little more than before. he’s bracing for something, but she walks right up to him like it’s nothing, so poised and composed with the faintest smile on her lips. she stops just close enough to reach both him and the comm. ]
You’re quite good at your job.
[ the words catch Dick off guard for how smoothly she says it, just as an observation, not a compliment. before he can respond, she steps in closer, brushes past with practiced ease and slips something into his palm. he spares but a glance down, but when he looks up again, she’s gone.
he blinks and darts to the door as it shuts behind her, pushing through only to catch the glimpse of her dress and heel disappearing into a black car.
fuck. ]
She’s gone, Bruce.
[ he turns over his hand. a card. ]
I think I got her number, though.
Edited (lordt excuse my grammar and typos) 2025-04-23 03:56 (UTC)
[ He could hear her voice in through the comm and knew the second she opened her mouth they'd lost her. Damnit. He would never have another opportunity like this. If they didn't recover that drive, his lead on the White Portuguese would dry up.
He glances back at the party, at the stairs leading to the server room. It'd been a risk the first time. A second attempt wouldn't be wise. It would take too much time. He would have to come back with the suit. Alfred is in his ear telling him as much. Their only chance would be to find that woman.
He slips back into the crowd, cutting through smoothly until he's close to Dick again. ]
[ damnit. tension pulls through Dick's jaw as Bruce approaches him, weaving through like crowd like it's not there at all. to anyone else, Bruce's displeasure might be invisible, but Dick sees it loud and clear.
he tucks the card into the pocket of his pressed trousers, folding in his hand after it. ]
I couldn't stop her. [ the apology hangs just on his tongue. ] Do you know her? How'd she pull that by both of us?
[ It wasn't Dick's fault. Not really. He wasn't trying to blame him. There'd just been something about that woman. Something Bruce hadn't quite figured out and it intrigued him. ]
No. I've never seen her before.
[ As for how she pulled this off? Bruce didn't have an answer. Frustratingly enough. ]
[ Dick doesn’t say anything to that. Bruce is clearly intrigued, he would recognize that frustrated curiosity anywhere.
and Dick isn’t sure how to really feel about it.
the car rolls up and they slip into the vehicle. Dick is already running footage on his device, pulling camera angles with Bruce watching over his shoulders until he facial recognition catches onto something. ]
[ They leave the party and Bruce doesn't have much to say. He's glad to be out of there and he begins pulling his tie free the second they're out of sight of the other partygoers.
Dick gets his attention and watches him as he runs through the security footage. He sees the woman through it all and watches her as she takes the tether and puts it in her purse. He sees her when she locks eyes with him and then makes her way toward the exit. It annoys him greatly.
He's glad there's a hit in the facial recognition software. ]
Diana Prince. She's a curator at the Louvre. There's going to be a showing at the Gotham Museum in a few weeks. I wonder if our mystery woman will make an appearance.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
But he can't bask in that warmth because Dick's bringing up Alfred and their disagreement and that makes him cold. ]
I'm not going to give him the chance to wipe us all out, Dick.
[ He has his hands in his pockets. There's a batarang there and he runs a finger over the sharp edges. ]
He's too dangerous. I can see that. Alfred can't.
[ he didn't have to agree. Bruce didn't need him to agree. He just needed him to help. ]
Party starts at 8. I'll be here to pick you up by 7. It's a long drive to Metropolis.
no subject
it would honestly be more surprising had Bruce not brought a weapon with him, but that he fidgets with it in his pocket concerns Dick. as always, when Bruce is set on doing something his way (which is all the time), he leaves no room for discussion. ]
Why do you wanna pick me up? I know how to get there.
no subject
Dick's defensive and Bruce isn't doing much to diffuse it. He's used to it. ]
Fine. I'll see you there.
no subject
Sorry, wait. I think we should go together.
[ he shouldn't make this harder on any of them. he said he'd help, so he should help. ]
I'll be ready here. Then we can go through the plan on our drive over and iron out any last minute details.
no subject
He doesn't say thank you. Just offers Dick a nod. ]
I'll be here at 7.
idk if you wanna get into nitty gritty, we can skip ahead too!
a quiet breath sifts out. ]
You wanna…come in?
[ they still haven’t made it past the entry, where Bruce sprung the invitation on him. ]
Go over the blueprints? Tell me where you want me?
I can skip ahead!
Luthor would never see them coming.
They're fashionably late to the party, the inside already swarming with guests. Outside they pose for pictures, though you couldn't really call a halfhearted smile from Bruce a pose. But it was all the bottom feeders could get out of him these days. Inside, as he and Dick separate to mingle. The plan is flawlessly executed with Alfred's guidance. He's able to get the tether on Luthor's system but finds it missing when he goes to retrieve it. He's stopped by Clark and the two have a spirited debate about the Bat vigilante. ]
Call my office if you want an interview, Mr. Kent. I need to find my plus one.
[ and he slips away to look for Dick, and trying not to be too agitated. ]
ty!
Alfred and Bruce’s voices are both in his ear, and he carefully excuses himself from his riveting conversation after Bruce steps away from his. Dick finds him in the crowd, weaves to his side smoothly. ]
So you’re referring to me as your plus-one now?
[ it’s an easy quip with a wry smile, and he keeps his words quiet and voice low, looking like a simple greeting to anyone who glanced their way. as he steps closer, the amusement fades out of his eyes. ]
The woman on your two o-clock. It’s in her purse.
no subject
He just keeps his voice low. ]
Cover the exit. I'm going to go speak with her.
no subject
he'll post himself toward the entry into the room, and he starts to step away before a last note to Bruce. ]
Don't be shy to call for help if you need me, okay?
no subject
Luthor must have something she wants as much as Bruce does.
When he catches up with her, he pulls her in close, tucks her hand under his arm as they walk together and they speak in low hushed tones. She smiled at him and offered him... nothing before turning to make her way to the exit where Dick's set up.
He taps the ear piece to open the comm line with Dick. ]
She's heading your way. She still has the tether.
no subject
Dick turns before Bruce’s voice is even in his ear and his posture sharpens just a little more than before. he’s bracing for something, but she walks right up to him like it’s nothing, so poised and composed with the faintest smile on her lips. she stops just close enough to reach both him and the comm. ]
You’re quite good at your job.
[ the words catch Dick off guard for how smoothly she says it, just as an observation, not a compliment. before he can respond, she steps in closer, brushes past with practiced ease and slips something into his palm. he spares but a glance down, but when he looks up again, she’s gone.
he blinks and darts to the door as it shuts behind her, pushing through only to catch the glimpse of her dress and heel disappearing into a black car.
fuck. ]
She’s gone, Bruce.
[ he turns over his hand. a card. ]
I think I got her number, though.
no subject
He glances back at the party, at the stairs leading to the server room. It'd been a risk the first time. A second attempt wouldn't be wise. It would take too much time. He would have to come back with the suit. Alfred is in his ear telling him as much. Their only chance would be to find that woman.
He slips back into the crowd, cutting through smoothly until he's close to Dick again. ]
Let's go. I want to look at that card.
[ But not here. Back at the cave. ]
no subject
he tucks the card into the pocket of his pressed trousers, folding in his hand after it. ]
I couldn't stop her. [ the apology hangs just on his tongue. ] Do you know her? How'd she pull that by both of us?
no subject
No. I've never seen her before.
[ As for how she pulled this off? Bruce didn't have an answer. Frustratingly enough. ]
But, I'll figure her out.
Oops totally lost this one
and Dick isn’t sure how to really feel about it.
the car rolls up and they slip into the vehicle. Dick is already running footage on his device, pulling camera angles with Bruce watching over his shoulders until he facial recognition catches onto something. ]
Here we go.
[ he looks up at Bruce to catch his reaction. ]
No worries!
Dick gets his attention and watches him as he runs through the security footage. He sees the woman through it all and watches her as she takes the tether and puts it in her purse. He sees her when she locks eyes with him and then makes her way toward the exit. It annoys him greatly.
He's glad there's a hit in the facial recognition software. ]
Diana Prince. She's a curator at the Louvre. There's going to be a showing at the Gotham Museum in a few weeks. I wonder if our mystery woman will make an appearance.