9444/Knightfall: You Seem So Serious Bruce. Serious Even For You

Knightfall: You Seem So Serious Bruce. Serious Even For You
Date of Scene:	05 October 2019
Location:	Gallery, Wayne Manor
Synopsis:	Bruce reveals to Talia what he has been obsessing over. Talia offers to help fill the void in Gotham.
Cast of Characters:	Talia al Ghul, Batman
Tinyplot:	Hunted Demon
Tinyplot2:	Knightfall

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Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul had been largely staying out of the way of Bruce's other responsibilities, whether they be business or caped. When he found himself with spare time during the day, Talia frequently appeared. When he would finish his activities in the wee hours of the morning, he would find her, up and obviously waiting for him but not seeming like she'd been kept waiting long.

Today is a little different. When Bruce finishes with his important tasks of the day and stops by his room, he finds Talia waiting. A table has been brought in and set, and a pair of covered trays are waiting. Delicious aromas are wafting. Talia is wearing a pair of dark slacks and a white blouse, the sleeves rolled up and a few buttons left undone, leaving her with a bit of a casual feel. "I figured you needed a good meal," Talia says when she sees Bruce.

Batman has posed:
The last weeks have worn hard on Bruce, and it has begun to show. Dark circles ring his eyes, he hasn't shaved in several days, and the scattered grey in his black hair seems more obvious and plentiful that before. As far as the wider world is concerned, Bruce Wayne has been on sabbatical and his duties as Chairman of Wayne Enterprises are being handled by proxy. Those closer to him know he has thrown himself into his work as Batman, spending almost every nighttime hour on patrol while his daylight hours are spent in training or working on some project in the secured workshop of the Batcave - a place no other members of the Family have access to save Alfred.

So, when he enters the room to find the table prepared, he is momentarily shocked. His routine had been to come up here, sleep for twenty minutes, and then head out on patrol. When he spots the trays of food he frowns, that spot between his eyes and at the bridge of his nose creasing. He wears the under-gear that goes along with the Batsuit - a simple black body glove that is remarkably durable for how thin it is.

"I don't have time," he says reflexively, placing a hand on the back of one of the chairs.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
"Of course you don't have time," Talia tells Bruce, moving over to rest a hand on the small of his back. "However I have time for the both of us, and have decided to loan you some of it," she says, pulling out Bruce's chair for him in a display of reverse-chivalry, motioning to the seat and not giving him a moment to put too much thought into whether her statement made any sense at all.

"Alfred made one of your favorites," she says, "And I've famished as well," she says. The Eurasian beauty looks to Bruce, one eyebrow arching a bit as if questioning if he is really planning to deprive her of the meal. As surely she'll go without eating otherwise to force him to sit at the table with her.

Batman has posed:
In the end, Bruce doesn't argue. He did have to eat, and it feels like an eternity since he ate proper food. Alfred had been trying, but he'd always passed it up for something like a nutrient shake or, in one case, an intravenous nutritional drip. It did the job, but it left his stomach growling - even someone with his level of control could not escape that.

He sits down in the offered chair, and despite his acquiescence he looks less than pleased about the whole idea. He looks at the trays, saying nothing of the meal as he regards it. After a moment, blue eyes flick back upwards to Talia and he speaks.

"I need to be ready to go in forty-five minutes," he explains, "the Ibanescus may be small time but they're punctual. I need to wrap up that case before - "

The words seem to come almost without warning or intention, and he closes his mouth quickly to halt them.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia removed the trays, revealing two steaks, done with a garlic butter seasoning, cooked shrimp with a spicier seasoning, asparagus spears and a bean medley. She moves over to take her seat, opening her napkin to drape across her lap. She gives no sign of having heard anything that Bruce didn't wish to speak of.

Until she's shaken a little sea salt into her hand and sprinkled it across the steak. "Before the thing happens that has been occupying your every thought and driving you to work yourself to the point of questionable effectiveness," she finishes for him.

The woman's beautiful, dark brown eyes lift from the food to see Bruce sitting there. "Forty-five minutes. Eat," she says, motioning to the food. "You'll have time to tell me what is going on between bites," Talia says, the words imbued with the force of her personality as she starts in on her own food, though her eyes spend most of their time on Bruce Wayne.

Batman has posed:
"I can't," Bruce tells her flatly, looking to the cutlery and picking up knife and fork, "You'll want to intervene. Talk me out of it. I can't let you - or anyone else - do that. This is too important. The only way."

It isn't unusual for Bruce to talk in riddles, but more often he chooses simply not to talk at all. But he seems unable to quite stop himself from at least touching on these points, bringing them up if only to tell Talia how he cannot bring them up. Discussing how he cannot discuss them.

He begins to cut his steak, the motions perfunctory - nothing about him savors the sight or scent. It is all fuel for the furnace. A moment later he plucks a mouthful from the end of a silver fork, watching her impassively across the table.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia takes a bite of her steak, her eyes on Bruce. Looking at the lines in his face that were not there weeks ago, and the grey in his hair that seems pronounced. It looks like whatever is going on is going to kill him. If it doesn't kill him.

Talia frowns slightly and says, "Very well. I will not try to talk you out of it. Nor stop you. So long as you tell me what is going and you allow me to assist in whatever way I am able. If not? Don't think for a moment that not knowing the topic will make my arguments talking you out of it any less persuasive. Or lengthy. Ohhhhh so lengthy," she says, looking back up to Bruce after delivering the promise. Backed by the mild threat.

"Now. What has you in this state, Bruce?" she asks him while she picks up her glass of wine and takes a sip, eyes still on his face.

Batman has posed:
"You can't help, Talia," Bruce answers with the faintest hint of frustration in his voice, "None of you can. When I put this strategy together, I knew it would always have to be me. Only me. Otherwise it all falls apart. There can't be other targets. Other avenues of attack."

He takes another mouthful and chews it ponderously slow, not speaking while he does so. He lets the silence linger, only the scrape of cutlery against plates breaking it. He doesn't speak immediately after he finishes it, lowering the silverware to the plate and waiting for a moment. Searching out the right words.

"Superman," he begins, "He's dangerous. More so than I've told the others. Or anyone. I need to stop him. That's what I'm preparing for. That's what all this is about - and that's why you can't help me."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia doesn't press Bruce when he pushes back verbally. They woman just keeps eating, and looking over to him. She's always felt she knew him. But these weeks together, the kind of time they've rarely had, has left her feeling even more connected to him.

Talia just remains quiet, believing Bruce needs to talk about this. And will if given the time. Finally he does, and the woman's jaw muscles tightening a little is the only reaction she gives to the news at first. "You need the battlefield clear of those you would feel a need to protect," she agrees quietly. Not trying to talk him out of it.

The woman seems calm enough, taking a bite of the asparagus. "What can you do to stand up to him? He has so few weaknesses. And his speed..." she says. Talia's tone isn't one of doubting the endeavor. It's the tone of someone expecting the other has the answers to share.

Batman has posed:
"He has a weakness," Bruce answers flatly, "Two, in fact. But the most important of them is that Superman is still in control. Whatever is doing this to him is an influence but it hasn't taken full possession of him yet. Despite everything, I don't believe he'll want to hurt me. He'll pull his punches. He'll try to talk me down."

Another long pause, though he eats nothing - simply staring past Talia and out the window to the gloaming sky beyond.

"He'll fail. I can exploit that."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
The sound of Talia sliding her chair back might or might not draw Bruce's gaze back to her. If not, he might not even realize until Talia is there at his side, pushing Bruce's own chair back enough that she can settle sideways into his lap. Her arms go about his shoulders, so ridiculously broad compared to the woman's svelte body.

"You'll need to be at your best. I may not be able to be there during it. But I can help you prepare. I'll take care of these Ibanescus, along with whichever of your cadre you think best. Meanwhile, you can get in a hot shower and at least two hours of sleep before you go back to work," she tells him.

Talia slides her fingers up into Bruce's hair and leans down to rest her forehead against his. "I need you at your best, Bruce. And you can't be at your best in this state. So I'll stay out of your way when it comes to Superman. But you let me help with the rest of it."

Batman has posed:
"They can't know," Bruce says of the other members of the Family without addressing them by name, "They won't accept this. They won't let me do what I have to do. Talia, if you care about me you won't tell them. Not until after it's done and - whatever happens - I hope you'll help them understand why."

He looks up at her where she sits, a hand resting on her hips. Her words seem to go unheeded for a moment, his expression blank and unreadable. But then, after a long moment that seems to stretch out into eternity, he nods his head.

"Alright. You're right."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
His lover only nods her agreement when Bruce speaks of how she cannot tell the rest of his family and entourage. She may try to kill him when things don't go well between them and they find themselves on different sides. But Talia accepts sacrifices need to be made and expects those whose duty it is to make them.

"Of course I'm right," she says, eyeing Bruce oddly that he thought that needed to be vocalized. Her lips pull back in the start of a beautiful smile though, shining it at him. She works her fingers through his hair again and brushes a soft kiss to his forehead. Then his temple. Then Bruce's cheek, and on towards his ear, whose lobe she gives a long, sensual nibble before finally letting it go.

"Now, as much as I enjoy being in your lap, I have 31 minutes left to eat," she says, not having needed to check a clock to know how long is left. She rises, with obvious regret, and moves back to her seat to begin eating her food a little more hurriedly. "Bruce?" Talia asks without looking up. When he responds she glances up. "I love you," she says, then looks back down to continue eating.

Batman has posed:
Bruce's eyes close slightly at the kiss, his breathing slows. He's eaten half of his meal, and as Talia rises to her feet so to does he. He rests both hands on the back of his chair, watching her as she moves around to settle back down at her plate. As she speaks he's already moving across the room.

When she turns to say she loves him, she finds him already asleep. Lying front-down on the bed atop the covers, head turned to one side. His eyes closed, his mouth slightly agape.

Sound asleep.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia smiles softly, watching Bruce for a few seconds before turning back to her meal. She has just a few bites more, not wanting to have too large of a meal before heading out to take care of the threat in Gotham. The rest of the wine is also left aside for cool water.

She rises and moves over to pull out the swords from Damian, and then the bow that she's been using with the archery targets. A well-made, compound bow that is collapsible. Talia gathers arrows and extra strings, then lays out her clothing for the night.

Finding she has ten minutes left, she moves over to join Bruce on the bed. Sliding in against him, body resting with his and an arm draped across his chest. And she lies there with him, until it is time to rise, and be on her way.