Raven

I awoke with a start, the knife wound on my chest starting to sear with pain and my ankle throbbing numbly. The room was still dark, the curtains only opened a crack to allow a small view of the sky. It was not yet dawn. I better be going.

I sat up, one hand over my stomach, trying not to wince and the other tying the strings of the loose bottoms CB had given me the night before. I couldn’t imagine him in anything other than the purple dress trousers that were his signature…but I guess he had to wash them sometimes? I laughed to myself at the thought for a moment, my eyes rolling slightly in brief madness. The shirt I had also stolen from him crinkled as I attempted to stretch and quietly I rose myself from the bed.

I froze as I suddenly noticed the breathing figure on the chair in the corner. I had believed he had moved rooms when I fell asleep, exhausted by the days activity and not even caring anymore I was in the presence of a masked villain as dangerous as I. It appeared he had not trusted me to leave me alone…but surprisingly had allowed sleep to claim him during the long night. His gun was still in his hand, his index finger subconsciously over the trigger. If he woke, he’d shoot me in a second without a glance. I admired his style.

I tip toed, ignoring my ankle to the door and picked up my bag. I opened the zip slowly, wincing at the sound but he didn’t stir which was odd. I would have thought he was a light sleeper. I tossed some wads of cash onto the bed. I rewarded hospitality, even if he was a bastard. But I felt something akin to a friendship, blossoming…a link in how we viewed things, how we had been hurt when we young, twisted into physcopathy. No-body would ever understand us.

I left, walking as swiftly as I could up the hall, and looked at the men asleep on the couch. I recognised one and hit Andy around the head, covering his mouth before he shout out. He stiffened when he recognised my black eyes, the contacts hadn’t slipped out whilst I slept, and though he was not relaxed in my grip, knew I wasn’t going to kill him…yet.

I nodded my head towards the door, and motioned for him to get up. “You’re driving me home.” I told him.

He sighed and then with an inaudible grumble he was afraid of me hearing, got up and dragged on his shoes. He stepped quietly as well, afraid of waking his boss and afraid of disobeying me. I had already gained an order around here. He should count himself lucky I had chosen him to be my wing man, in comparison to these other buffoons who seemed lethargic and too lazy for their own good, Andy seemed fit and healthy. He had his gun strapped to his waist at all times unlike the others who had tossed theirs carelessly on the tables and shelves around them. I made a mental note to tell CB to be more careful in his men, you couldn’t be careless when it came to decisions like those. One rogue man and a whole plan could go bust.

He chose well in Andy thought who despite being slightly green would make a good criminal. He was keen and bright eyed. Already, I felt a softening towards him and I hoped I wouldn’t have to be the one to kill him if it ever came down to it. I’d gladly kill any of the other snoring idiots. Waste of space.

I followed Andy to a dark van that was kept around the back, and with a nervous gesture, he helped me down the rickety porch stairs, and into the van. I gripped my bag, and waited silently as he started up the engine with a loud roar. I winced and looked towards the windows where I saw a curtain twitch and a white face look out. I looked away, I had left money for him.

The ride back into Gotham City was quiet, Andy turning on the radio. I giggled to myself as I heard the radio bulletin of the latest robbery by a new villain. “Identity unknown for now. Body not found.”

“We shall see.” I singsonged to myself, glancing at Andy who was smirking like only a criminal would at how I had led the police on a wild goose chase.

I gave him directions, allowing him to stop the van at the nearest corner. He glanced at me as I turned to him, and froze when the cold metal of my switchblade met his cheek. He hadn’t seen it hidden underneath the sleeve of The Joker’s shirt I was wearing. I purred at him like a cat, moving closer, my pupils dilating in excitement at being so close to murder again. I liked watching blood run a bit too much…especially men’s blood run. But I wasn’t going to kill Andy…he had too much potential.

I nicked his cheek, so a small dribble of blood ran down it, and then I smiled wolfishly, my eyes dark and haunting so I could see him gulp nervously, and his hands twitched in desperation for his gun. “Tell anyone what Raven looks like, or where I live…and I’ll hunt down every member of your family and kill them in front of you. Okay?”

His eyes widened and drips of sweat erupted on his brow. He nodded, “Yes,” he choked out and I moved the blade from his face.

“Good. See you around Andy, don’t mess up.”

I grabbed my bag and limped away, allowing my doorman to think I’d had a hot date.

~

The next day, my stomach was healing and my ankle was more bearable to walk on, and so I got up as the morning started, and went to work. Or I acted in my disguise.

I smiled sweetly at everyone who said good morning to me, stopping briefly as people inquired about my limp. I gritted my teeth as I repeated the story to Barry, and finally walked into my office, closing the door to the sweet relief of silence.

I rolled my eyes at the paperwork that awaited me, and quickly placed Raven to one side to work as Sparrow today. Too much work to get through to have to think about blood, and murdering…and clowns.

I twitched when I realised I was thinking about The Joker and hissed angrily at myself, switching on the television to distract myself from both thoughts of his antagonising face and the paperwork I hadn’t completed. I worked through my lunch break, not stopping for a coffee until a familiar news broadcast got my attention.

I looked up, as the familiar figure of myself as Raven flashed upon the screen. One of the police cars must have had a camera with them. I walked away from my desk, sitting down at the soft couch in front of the television, staring at the images of the motorcycle crash through the wall and plunge down into the river. My eyes watched my own body in the darkness, barely making my form out as I balled up and I flinched as I hit the water, remembering the icy shock and to remind me, my ankle twinged.

A gentle knock came at my door and I frowned, before getting up and opening it slowly. I allowed myself to turn my lips into a pout and leaned against the door, looking at Bruce Wayne under my eyelashes. He was leaning against the door frame in an expensive designer suit, twirling a rose in his fingers. He smirked at me, “May I come in?”

I looked away, and then back at him and could almost feel the searing heat between us. I nodded, turning around and allowing him to follow me in. He handed me the rose which I raised my eyebrows at but took gracefully, placing it in the penholder on my desk. I touched the fragile petals gently, marvelling at how soft they were. I sighed, leaning against the desk and taking my weight off my ankle. Bruce noticed and stepped closer to me, gesturing at my foot, “How did you hurt yourself?”

I placed my hand over my face briefly and then looked at him, smiling, “I tripped jogging. I’m afraid I don’t have a drama filled story of my injury.”

He laughed, stepping a little closer this time, and I felt my pulse quicken slightly. “You like to run?” he asked.

I smirked, “When there’s someone chasing me.”

He barked a laugh, shaking his head at me for a moment whilst I merely smiled, unfazed. I wasn’t surprised when his hand cupped my porcelain cheek nor when he finally reached over and placed his lips on mine.

It was warm and tender. I hadn’t received a kiss like that in a long time, if ever, and for a very brief moment, it shook me. The sincerity of it.

He pulled away and looked me in the eyes. His gaze was intense and I fought the urge to look away, “Go out with me? Tomorrow, 8 o’ clock, I’ll pick you up.”

“You’ll pick me up, or you’ll send a driver to?” I quipped, “your legend is known amongst many Mr Bruce Wayne.”

He chuckled, shaking his head, “Go out with me?” he asked again.

I paused, and then smiled, faking shyness. “Pick me up at half seven.”

He smiled broadly, his teeth flashing, his face unscarred. I fake smiled back, and sighed inside. I was already slightly antsy for another outing as Raven. I couldn’t let normal things like dates get in the way.

Bruce kissed me again, this time for longer and I allowed myself to fall into it, kissing him back, running my tongue over his lips and tangling it with his in a way that made him moan in the back of his throat and back me against the wall. It was becoming heated when I stepped on my ankle wrong, and pulled away, hissing.

Bruce smiled, “Take care of yourself, until tomorrow.” And pecking my lips, he left my office.

I looked after him, and then wiping my swollen lips, sat back down to finish the dratted paperwork.

~

I got home late, and my apartment was cold and dark. I switched on the lights, and froze…sensing something was different, or misplaced.

Someone had been here.

I walked into the kitchen, looking around and then the sitting room. Nothing. Bathroom, nothing. Bedroom…

I looked towards the open window, and shivered, closing it. No-one was here, but they had been, and left.

I looked at my bed, where upon the made up bed were the several wads of money I had left The Joker and which for some reason, he had given back. I frowned, picking it up, and then looking through each of the wads, making sure he hadn’t planted some explosive device in it. They were safe.

I looked at the playing card he had left behind, and flipped it in my hand before placing it on the bedside table where the cartoon jester of the playing pack grinned obscenely up at me. I looked away, finally picking up the black rose he had also left.

I looked at it strangely, admiring it as I had admired Bruce’s red one. The red one was for Sparrow…but this one, this one was Raven’s.

I smiled and then frowned, “I don’t know what you’re playing at CB but I’m not falling for it. I’m no fool.”

But nevertheless, I took my black rose and placed it in the clear skinny vase beside the red one where they stood out in difference, reminding me of the clean cut image difference between myself as Raven, and then as Sparrow…and of course, The Joker and Bruce Wayne.