9019/Robin Hood or William Tell. Apple Anyone

Robin Hood or William Tell. Apple Anyone
Date of Scene:	31 August 2019
Location:	Interior - Wayne Manor
Synopsis:	Bruce talks to Talia while she takes archery practice
Cast of Characters:	Batman, Talia al Ghul

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Batman has posed:
Bruce doesn't so much sleep during the day as he takes short naps between the other tasks of his life that don't require a pointy-eared cowl. One such activity is maintaining cardiovascular health, which he does with a long run around the grounds of Wayne Manor. It's on that route that he spies Talia, her bow, and her arrows. His pace slows, jogging on the spot for a moment before he stops all together.

"Practice?" he asks, as though it weren't obvious, "I'd have thought with that sword Damian gave you, you'd be honing your swordplay."

He leans over, resting his hands on his thighs and stretching out his back while his head remains turned up to keep an eye on Talia.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Today finds Talia out back of the manor. The grounds are expansive enough someone would need a drone or satellite surveillance to find her on them. She's set up an archery target which Alfred provided her with. And somewhere she managed to come up with a quality compound bow.

She stands a long distance off from the target, wearing a pair of snug shorts and a dry-fit top that also clings to her form rather admirably. Talia picks out each arrow one by one, examining them. Most go back into the quiver. Others are discarded as being unacceptable.

Once she's finished going through the arrows, she takes the first in hand and fits it to the bow. She doesn't draw the arrow and hold it while she aims. It is all one smooth motion, drawing as she aims and immediately releasing. The next arrow is already on the string and being launched before the first one has hit.

Batman has posed:
Bruce watches as the arrow is let fly, tilting his head slightly at the speed and efficiency of each motion. He raises his eyebrows, rising to his full height and placing both hands at the small of his back. Stretching. He may be in tremendous shape, but the truth of it all is that he's a human being and he still needs to make sure he's loose and limber after a workout.

"Nice shot," he opines, knowing that it means precious little to her - she knows she is skilled, "Soon you'll be dressing like Robin Hood and moving to Star City."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia lets fly six arrows which end up together in a tight spacing in the bullseye, with only one in the ring outside of it. She looks over to Bruce and smiles to him. "There is only so much worthwhile someone can do by themselves with swords. Perhaps if I had a proper sparring partner?" she says, glancing over the billionaire playboy as if she can think of someone who might qualify.

Talia picks up another arrow and checks it, though she already had so she is just occupying herself for the moment while they talk. "Though perhaps Damian might go a few rounds with me as well," she says.

Talia walks down to retrieve the arrows to free up the bullseye again, and then returns. "I made him his favorite soup the other day. I wasn't sure if he would consider it patronizing. It wasn't meant to be. But he appreciated it. He had a couple of others with him. Young Drake. Are you done with gathering in orphans now? Who was the red-haired girl?"

Batman has posed:
"Carrie," Bruce answers, shaking his head, "Not an orphan. Damian's tutor. I decided she'd be of better service if we moved her into the house - it isn't as though there isn't enough room for her and ten others if the need arose."

He reaches up a hand to brush some sweat-damp black hair from off his forehead, the same hand falling to his shoulder as he rolls the joint in it's socket and winces slightly. Something pains him, but he doesn't say anything further on the subject.

"They're people who need help, Talia. If I can direct that fear and aggression into something that will improve their lives rather than ruin them? I owe it to them to try."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Back at the mark, Talia lets another six arrows fly. The results are much the same as the first batch, with only one arrow slightly outside of the bullseye. The beautiful brunette turns to Bruce after, looking at him thoughtfully before she shakes her head. "You fix one stray at a time when you could do so much more. And I don't mean opening soup kitchens or job programs. There's so much wrong with this city, Bruce. You know it more than the politicians and police out there," she says, pointing with a hand at the latter part.

"They keep trying to build on a crumbling foundation, strife with corruption. You could do far better. Sweep away the past here and then guide people into rebuilding. Gotham could be the next Metropolis, the next Hammer Bay," she says.

Batman has posed:
"You think I'd make a good petty tyrant?" Bruce asks, the corners of his mouth quirking into a frown.

"Gotham may be broken," he explains, wiping sweat from his palms onto the front of his shorts, "But it's in my blood. It's been who my family are for as long as there has been a Wayne Family. No matter what happens, I owe it to this city to find a better way. A way that doesn't require wholesale destruction and slaughter."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia walks over to where Bruce sits. "I know, my father's plans are sometimes less than... considerate of the people subject to that obsolete mechanisms of society he is trying to do away with. And perhaps that is a failing I have not paid enough heed to in my own actions," Talia says. She reaches over to brush her fingers over his arm.

"But I know you could succeed at it where he would fail. To bring about a better future, with as little harm as need be done. But such sweeping changes as are needed can't be accomplished without some mess," Talia says softly. She bites her lip, knowing that she's speaking openly. Does she think the honesty may help him to see the truth?

Batman has posed:
"Talia," Bruce begins, his tone quiet - almost sad - as he reaches out to take the hand brushing his arm, "We won't agree on this. We never have. It's not that I don't appreciate what you're saying. That I don't hear you. It's just ... a thing I can never do. The mess, you call it? That's ... it's antithetical to everything I've worked do do. Everything I swore I'd be."

He closes his eyes with a sigh, her hand still clasped in his though he does nothing to draw her closer or hold her in place if she tries to pull away.

"I didn't bring you here because I'd changed my mind. I brought you here because I love you. I want to try and make this life work. I owe it to you, to our son ... to myself. But it has to be this life."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia lets out a deep breath in a slow, loud-enough way to evince some frustration. But she moves in closer to Bruce. Pressing herself in against him as she hugs herself to his body. "Such a magnificent man," she says to herself, though with notes of frustration in the tone as well.

But not enough to stop her from hugging Bruce and resting her head in against his own. "You won't fault a girl for trying, will you?" she asks him quietly, looking over to him. Talia's lips curl in a slow, beautiful smile. The kind he never saw from her for many months when he first came to Nanda Parbat. Not until their first night together. After? They were frequently given, if mostly in private.

Batman has posed:
"Never," Bruce tells her, a smile of his own playing on his features, "If you didn't try, you wouldn't be you. On some level I appreciate that you do. That you think I'm the man that could do all those things. In some ways, I feel like if I ever could ... it'd only be with you at my side."

He slips an arm around her, drawing her close and resting his chin against the top of her head. He holds her there in silence for a moment, letting whatever is unspoken between them pass. After a moment, he murmurs to her with mock paranoia.

"You're not going to stab me with an arrow, are you?"

Talia al Ghul has posed:
The woman's large, soft brown eyes gaze at Bruce with such clarity and warmth. No innocence though. Never that. "I wasn't planning on it. Why, were you going to do something that deserves stabbing? You know I am quite selective on not wasting stabbings where they are not deserved, Bruce," she tells him.

Those sloe brown eyes gaze over Bruce's face. "You meant it didn't you? Make it work this time?" she asks him. Her hand moves to rest along his cheek. "My life seems to be fallen apart, but then you're here, offering me... another life," she tells him quietly.

She leans in to kiss him, letting her feelings for him wash over anything else she is feeling in the moment.

Batman has posed:
"I did mean it, and I still do," Bruce tells her, leaning into the kiss and letting it linger. Only after a long, drawn out moment does he let it break to look down into her eyes, "Whatever's after you? I'll find it. I'll stop it. It's going to be an adjustment for all of us, but ... you can stay here. I want you to stay. We'll make it work."

He wouldn't ask her to join him in the Family business. He's not sure she could, even if she wanted to. There's so many years of ingrained violence there that it may not easily adapt to his world. He leaves that unspoken, kissing her on the forehead.

"This will be a good life, Talia. I promise."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul sets the bow aside so she can use both arms to slide around Bruce as they kiss. When finally it breaks she leans her head in against him. "We'll make it work," she says softly. Her thoughts tumbling on just how to make it work. "Damian seems well. He is... more adjusted to life here than I would have expected," she says quietly.

Which might mean surprise that he isn't openly wanted for multiple stabbings by now. Or perhaps something else. Whichever, her hands brush slowly over Bruce's back as she rests in his arms. "I feared his reaction might be... worse."

Batman has posed:
"He had a hard upbringing, I won't deny it," Bruce answers quietly, "He was ... apprehensive about seeing you again, I'm sure. But on the same token, you're his mother. Everything you did to make him strong? It came from a place of genuine caring. He may struggle to understand that, but he's a bright boy - I think he knows."

He runs a hand down her back in turn, looking at the target now quilled with several arrows, "There'll be an adjustment period, sure. There's a lot to unpack here. But if you're willing to try? So is everyone else."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia closes her eyes to enjoy the feeling of Bruce's hand moving over her back. "I'm more than willing to try," she tells him. "Maybe this all will be a blessing I wouldn't have dared even hope for," she tells him.

Talia shares another soft kiss with Bruce's lips. Her skin beneath his touch is so soft one who touched it might be reluctant to believe she has lifted anything but a life of softness and luxury. Though she has a few scars to prove otherwise, though each is in an interesting spot, rarely seen by others.

Talia lets go of Bruce then goes to retrieve the arrows, returning with them, and picking up the bow and quiver. "What do you say we see what Alfred has for lunch? I think we might find ourselves in need of some... energy later tonight," she tells him, her eyes flashing suggestively.

Batman has posed:
Bruce nods his head in agreement, not moving to help fetch the arrows. He knows better than to get in Talia's way and help her with things like that - she is eminently capable, and he makes sure to let her know that through his lack of fussing over her.

"I was going to just have a shake," Bruce's nutrient shakes are as nutritious and filling as they are awful-tasting, "But he'd probably appreciate me eating some actual food at least once this week. Let's head up and see if he feels like cooking ... "