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Post by Wonder Woman on Apr 28, 2017 22:56:55 GMT
Timeline: Roughly 30 hours after Strange Tomorrows
Previous Threads: Strange Tomorrows
Characters Involved: Wonder Woman, BATMAN, @rex
Location: Chicago; clothing store, diner
Diana let him sleep. As Aurora set dawn's match to the distant horizon, Diana silently floated from her seat and made ready to move the Batmobile. While the Lanasarian disc would keep them hidden, cemeteries in major cities seldom found visitors lacking. Come sunrise, someone was bound to notice the slight distortion of light at the edges of the disc, or simply run into it. Besides, no good could come from evading capture to find sanctuary in a land given over to the dead. It carried the chill of a bad omen and she would rather risk another discovery than tempt the Fates.
It took time, but eventually she lifted the Batmobile as gently as possible. Her lasso had been pressed to service as a harness so she could carry the vehicle without tipping it or swaying dangerously as she slowly rose into the air. The golden lasso had been looped around her shoulders, back and waist, allowing her one hand to guide the heavy machine and the other free to hold up the disc, willing it to form an invisible sphere around them.
Now and then, she would glance down to make sure he still slept. She'd never seen him this exhausted before. In the League, he had garnered a reputation for never sleeping, inspiring a thousand wild theories as to how he managed it. Caffeine pills and the like were swiftly waved off as being far too mundane. More fantastical ideas and stories began to grow. Her favorite involved a hologram and a very cleverly trained orangutan. The thought made her smile. He did have a tendency to hunch over the keyboard and communicate in nothing but grunts after working too long.
The one thing everyone agreed on -- he never gave up. In fact, he seemed irritated by the natural limitations of his human body, almost resentful that it would override his will and force sleep upon him. Many saw that fierce will as bordering on obsessive, some kind of deranged vengeance that pushed him to the edge. Diana knew better, though. In him she saw a kindred spirit -- a warrior ready to battle without rest, driven by a noble cause far greater than himself. That was one quality, among many, she admired in him greatly.
A small smile tugged at her lips as she flew above the city, seeking a place to hide. It had just occurred to her that she could testify he did in fact sleep. Wally would owe her ten dollars once they got back to the Watcht--
The smile faded. Little hiccups in memory are often the most cutting. Like remembering a joke to tell a friend, only to realize that friend was gone. Home was gone. They were in an uncertain world with nothing but a fearful future stretching out before them.
As she gently lowered the Batmobile onto the roof of a sturdy building, she pushed the thought away. They were not safe here. No allies, no home, and most importantly, no knowledge. Yet they could hardly acquire that easily, not dressed the way they were. They needed to hide. Blend in. And maybe find a way back home.
With a flick of her wrist, the intricate harness around the heavy machine came undone, shortening up as she coiled it into loops again. Dawn was coming. It would be unwise to try her luck at reconnaissance now. Already more helicopters swept above the city, like angry wasps seeking prey. No, if she were to move, it would be with cover of dark.
And then, there was the fact she didn't feel comfortable leaving Bruce here alone, unguarded.
She slipped back into her seat, gently closing the armored canopy of the Batmobile over them once more. It blotted out most of the encroaching light and outside noise. In here, there was only the soft whir of unidentifiable machinery, muted sounds of helicopters overhead -- and the hypnotic rhythm of his breathing.
I will stand guard until he awakens. We cannot being parted.
She did not remember falling asleep.
***
Strange sounds wakened her. A mumbling, indecipherable. Rapid, harsh breathing. Diana blinked, straightening up in her seat. A slight blush touched her cheeks as she realized she'd been using Bruce's shoulder as a pillow. It shocked her to find the dusk already just leaving the sky. Had she slept the entire day away? Hardly surprising, dealing with the aftermath of an earthquake, then the pitched battle when they came here. Still they were fortunate to not have been--
A hushed sound interrupted her thoughts, drew her attention to Bruce.
He was having a nightmare. His brow was pinched with concern and he muttered unintelligibly, fingers and hands twitching as though swatting away a legion of foes. His breathing rasped again, as though frantic to thwart whatever shades haunted him.
Diana had known his history, of course. She was one of few that did. His past had been seeped in tragedy and blood. Most that found themselves in the hero community did but his more so than most. There were plenty of mistakes Diana had made in her life. Not all battles had been won. Not all friends were saved. But she had the great fortune to know her Amazon sisters were safe and protected by her Patrons, secreted away on Themyscira. Whereas his family strayed into the crossfire, beyond even his ability to protect.
Gently, she laid a her hand on his arm. Slowly, not knowing if he would startle awake violently at the touch. "Shhhh. It's alright," she whispered. "Let it pass. Let it fade. There. Good. Leave it behind."
His brow smoothed and the mumbling stopped as she continued to soothe with simple words. Soon, he had fallen back into a deep, rejuvenating slumber. Even with the cowl on still, he looked... peaceful. A rare sight indeed and she was blessed to have it. Smiling slightly, she simply took a moment to enjoy the moment. There had always been a deep trust between them. More than that, a great respect that went above just friends or colleagues. Always there but never acted upon. She liked to think he would allow no other to see him this way than her. She was content to stay here until he woke, wrapped in the safety and warmth of the vehicle and forget the rest of the world for a little while.
But time was never an ally. Sighing, Diana once more laid her hand on his. "I will return," she said softly. A quiet smile. "As always."
Once more leaving the Batmobile and the invisible dome around it, she cast one look back to make sure it was hidden, then vanished into the city night.
***
When she returned, he was still asleep, but lightly. His debt to Hypnos had nearly been paid off in full. The Amazon took one moment to make sure he had rested then she lightly shook him awake.
"Bruce. It is time to wake up. I let you sleep as long as I could. I have brought clothes for us both." She handed him a stack of neatly folded clothes, mostly in dark shades. "I did not know if you had any civilian clothes so I brought extra. Our images are everywhere. If there is a screen in this city, phone or ad board, it has our likeness on it."
Since there was nowhere else to go, Diana stepped away toward the front of the vehicle. She turned her back to him, setting the clothes she'd 'acquired' out on the hood of the Batmobile. Without further ado, she began to remove her armor.
At this angle, he could not see her teasing smirk.
Previous Threads: Strange Tomorrows
Characters Involved: Wonder Woman, BATMAN, @rex
Location: Chicago; clothing store, diner
Diana let him sleep. As Aurora set dawn's match to the distant horizon, Diana silently floated from her seat and made ready to move the Batmobile. While the Lanasarian disc would keep them hidden, cemeteries in major cities seldom found visitors lacking. Come sunrise, someone was bound to notice the slight distortion of light at the edges of the disc, or simply run into it. Besides, no good could come from evading capture to find sanctuary in a land given over to the dead. It carried the chill of a bad omen and she would rather risk another discovery than tempt the Fates.
It took time, but eventually she lifted the Batmobile as gently as possible. Her lasso had been pressed to service as a harness so she could carry the vehicle without tipping it or swaying dangerously as she slowly rose into the air. The golden lasso had been looped around her shoulders, back and waist, allowing her one hand to guide the heavy machine and the other free to hold up the disc, willing it to form an invisible sphere around them.
Now and then, she would glance down to make sure he still slept. She'd never seen him this exhausted before. In the League, he had garnered a reputation for never sleeping, inspiring a thousand wild theories as to how he managed it. Caffeine pills and the like were swiftly waved off as being far too mundane. More fantastical ideas and stories began to grow. Her favorite involved a hologram and a very cleverly trained orangutan. The thought made her smile. He did have a tendency to hunch over the keyboard and communicate in nothing but grunts after working too long.
The one thing everyone agreed on -- he never gave up. In fact, he seemed irritated by the natural limitations of his human body, almost resentful that it would override his will and force sleep upon him. Many saw that fierce will as bordering on obsessive, some kind of deranged vengeance that pushed him to the edge. Diana knew better, though. In him she saw a kindred spirit -- a warrior ready to battle without rest, driven by a noble cause far greater than himself. That was one quality, among many, she admired in him greatly.
A small smile tugged at her lips as she flew above the city, seeking a place to hide. It had just occurred to her that she could testify he did in fact sleep. Wally would owe her ten dollars once they got back to the Watcht--
The smile faded. Little hiccups in memory are often the most cutting. Like remembering a joke to tell a friend, only to realize that friend was gone. Home was gone. They were in an uncertain world with nothing but a fearful future stretching out before them.
As she gently lowered the Batmobile onto the roof of a sturdy building, she pushed the thought away. They were not safe here. No allies, no home, and most importantly, no knowledge. Yet they could hardly acquire that easily, not dressed the way they were. They needed to hide. Blend in. And maybe find a way back home.
With a flick of her wrist, the intricate harness around the heavy machine came undone, shortening up as she coiled it into loops again. Dawn was coming. It would be unwise to try her luck at reconnaissance now. Already more helicopters swept above the city, like angry wasps seeking prey. No, if she were to move, it would be with cover of dark.
And then, there was the fact she didn't feel comfortable leaving Bruce here alone, unguarded.
She slipped back into her seat, gently closing the armored canopy of the Batmobile over them once more. It blotted out most of the encroaching light and outside noise. In here, there was only the soft whir of unidentifiable machinery, muted sounds of helicopters overhead -- and the hypnotic rhythm of his breathing.
I will stand guard until he awakens. We cannot being parted.
She did not remember falling asleep.
***
Strange sounds wakened her. A mumbling, indecipherable. Rapid, harsh breathing. Diana blinked, straightening up in her seat. A slight blush touched her cheeks as she realized she'd been using Bruce's shoulder as a pillow. It shocked her to find the dusk already just leaving the sky. Had she slept the entire day away? Hardly surprising, dealing with the aftermath of an earthquake, then the pitched battle when they came here. Still they were fortunate to not have been--
A hushed sound interrupted her thoughts, drew her attention to Bruce.
He was having a nightmare. His brow was pinched with concern and he muttered unintelligibly, fingers and hands twitching as though swatting away a legion of foes. His breathing rasped again, as though frantic to thwart whatever shades haunted him.
Diana had known his history, of course. She was one of few that did. His past had been seeped in tragedy and blood. Most that found themselves in the hero community did but his more so than most. There were plenty of mistakes Diana had made in her life. Not all battles had been won. Not all friends were saved. But she had the great fortune to know her Amazon sisters were safe and protected by her Patrons, secreted away on Themyscira. Whereas his family strayed into the crossfire, beyond even his ability to protect.
Gently, she laid a her hand on his arm. Slowly, not knowing if he would startle awake violently at the touch. "Shhhh. It's alright," she whispered. "Let it pass. Let it fade. There. Good. Leave it behind."
His brow smoothed and the mumbling stopped as she continued to soothe with simple words. Soon, he had fallen back into a deep, rejuvenating slumber. Even with the cowl on still, he looked... peaceful. A rare sight indeed and she was blessed to have it. Smiling slightly, she simply took a moment to enjoy the moment. There had always been a deep trust between them. More than that, a great respect that went above just friends or colleagues. Always there but never acted upon. She liked to think he would allow no other to see him this way than her. She was content to stay here until he woke, wrapped in the safety and warmth of the vehicle and forget the rest of the world for a little while.
But time was never an ally. Sighing, Diana once more laid her hand on his. "I will return," she said softly. A quiet smile. "As always."
Once more leaving the Batmobile and the invisible dome around it, she cast one look back to make sure it was hidden, then vanished into the city night.
***
When she returned, he was still asleep, but lightly. His debt to Hypnos had nearly been paid off in full. The Amazon took one moment to make sure he had rested then she lightly shook him awake.
"Bruce. It is time to wake up. I let you sleep as long as I could. I have brought clothes for us both." She handed him a stack of neatly folded clothes, mostly in dark shades. "I did not know if you had any civilian clothes so I brought extra. Our images are everywhere. If there is a screen in this city, phone or ad board, it has our likeness on it."
Since there was nowhere else to go, Diana stepped away toward the front of the vehicle. She turned her back to him, setting the clothes she'd 'acquired' out on the hood of the Batmobile. Without further ado, she began to remove her armor.
At this angle, he could not see her teasing smirk.
