Weakness

The group of five began to talk almost immediately once they got back to the compound, the rest of the soldiers having been keeping track of their success via the news and not truly needing any guidance for the time being.

Bane, Henry, Barsad, Mücher, and Roslyne all joined in the leader's workroom and started discussing future plans for Gotham.

"One of you will return," Bane stated, leaning on one of his tables.

Barsad, loyal to a fault, immediately stepped forward. "I'll go."

"No," both Roslyne and the mercenary said at the same time, causing the soldier to raise an eyebrow.

"You need to stay here," the girl stated. "You're his eyes and ears, not to mention, the best warrior we've got. If anything were to happen and there was a raid, he needs you on his side."

Bane only nodded in agreement, and Barsad set his jaw but stepped back just in time for Henry to speak, "Ros'll do it,"

"What?" She turned to him, as did everybody else.

"Yeah, and I'll go with, just to make sure she stays safe." The older sibling didn't even look at his sister, just stared at Bane, a certain determination in his eyes.

The masked man stayed silent for some time, his breathing the only thing that could be heard in the room until finally: "What makes you think you are right for the job?"

Henry shrugged, "It'll be easy for us to blend in. Roslyne can easily become a student and watch the youth's reaction to their falling environment, and I can line up a simple job for myself while being there to protect her."

"I don't need protection," Roslyne spat, glaring at her brother. Her fists began to shake at her sides. Whatever it was that he was playing at, she didn't like it. She didn't want to leave the compound.

She didn't want to leave Bane.

"Yes, you do, Ros."

She breathed out through her nose and stepped toward the young man, fully intent on showing him just how well she could defend herself when Bane's fingers wrapped around her bicep, pulling her closer to him and giving her a pointed look.

"Bane, you know it's not a bad idea. It's either us or Mücher, and you sort of need him to help control your soldiers."

"Without you, he's out of a techie, Henry."

"I can find another," Bane's mechanized voice interrupted, making the teenager look up at him and scowl.

"And, do I get a say in this?"

"No."

Roslyne's blood began to boil underneath her skin, and her body trembled. She didn't want to go back to Gotham. She didn't want to be the lookout and go undercover. She just wanted to stay at the compound and keep training.

Obviously, the decision wasn't up to her, though.

Stilling herself, she glared at everybody in the room, flexing her fingers, and grit out a simple, "Fine," then yanked her arms from Bane's grip and briskly walked out, passing the mercenary's personal quarters and making her way through the corridors to her old room.

She was seething, upset that her high from the heist had to be ruined by Henry and whatever little plan he had.

Two soldiers were in the room and looked up at her when she entered.

"Get out," she commanded boredly, and, unsurprisingly, they obeyed, legitimately intimidated by a teenage girl and the strings that she could pull.

She laid in her old bed well into the evening, skipping dinner and basically replaying her journey in the compound from day one, being brought in by Gillen and the others, learning about the other girls, training with Bane, reuniting with Henry, witnessing him kill somebody for the first time, and all the while, she was completely comfortable. It had become her home, something she hadn't had for years, and now, Henry just wanted her to uproot herself.

Sometime after dark, there was a faint knock on the door followed by its opening before Roslyne could tell whoever was on the other side to leave. She expected either Bane or Henry and was therefore extremely surprised to see Barsad walk into the room, clad in only boxers and a wifebeater.

"Can't sleep?" He asked, voice lilted with his accent.

The girl raised an eyebrow and sat up, bringing her knees to her chest so that he could sit down. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

He smiled and shrugged, "Suppose so."

She stared at him for a while, still not sure if she wanted company or not, but this was Barsad, and he had never wronged her and, in truth, had nothing to do with what had happened earlier.

"How'd you know I was in here?"

"Didn't think you'd want to be in Bane's room tonight. Plus, the men who are usually in this room are asleep in one of the rec rooms."

Roslyne spared a grin and shook her head. "Okay, then what exactly are you doing in here?"

The brunette thought for a moment before answering, "You were angry before, and it's better to get everything out rather than letting it fester." She nodded. "That, and I usually stay wired for a couple of days after committing organized felonies."

"Fair enough. What do you think of this plan, then, if you want to talk about it?"

Barsad leaned back onto his elbows and sighed, "You moving to the city or the takeover?"

"Both."

"I think it makes sense," he started. "There's going to be chaos, and somebody trustworthy needs to stay and watch it ensue. You are trustworthy, Roslyne, and Henry was right. It will be easier for the two of you to blend as young siblings than any one of us soldiers." The teen stayed quiet and let him continue. "Besides, it will give you a chance at a somewhat normal life for a while, just being a citizen."

"Yeah, while all of the lunatics I helped break out of Arkham run rampant," she snorted.

"You'll get to go to school, maybe get a job, make some friends--..."

"Oh please. Don't sugarcoat it. The likelihood of me making friends is slim to none, and you know it. Wherever I go, I'll be a freak. Except for here."

"Is that why you're so reluctant to go, out of fear of being an outcast?"

"No," she quickly defended, pulling her knees tighter to her body. "I can survive as an outcast. I did for eight years."

"Then, what is it?"

Roslyne could feel her walls begin to rise again, ready to shut down because she didn't really do the whole emotional thing.
But, it was Barsad sitting across from her, Barsad with his brown hair mussed and his blue eyes glazed over, Barsad who was as loyal to Bane as she was, Barsad who was there in front of her, ready to listen.

So, she shrugged her shoulders and said truthfully, though monotonously, "I'm just gonna miss this place. And, certain people."

"Bane," he stated.

"And, you, and Mücher, and Hester.

He smirked, "Charmed."

"Shut it. You asked."

"You'll have Henry, though."

The girl rolled her eyes and said in an irritated voice, "Yeah, well, Henry has a way of finding new ways to piss me off, so I don't know how well it's gonna work out."

Barsad chuckled, "I'm sure he's just trying to look out for you." She gave him a pointed glare that made him raise his hands in surrender.

Silence fell over the room, and Barsad looked around the blank walls while Roslyne stared at her kneecaps, mulling everything over.

"When do you think we'll be leaving?"

"Soon as possible. We discussed the details after you left. Bane and Mücher will get your finances sorted out. Henry's been looking at apartments, and he seems eager to get out, so I'm sure he's found one by now. I think tomorrow he's going to get you enrolled in Gotham High School."

Roslyne shuddered. "Ew."

"Just try not to get into too many fights or anything, yeah?" He winked and stood up from the mattress. "I don't think your brother knows how to deal with moody teenage girls very well."

"I don't think anyone does."

The man nodded and made his way to the door, calling out, "Good night, Roslyne, and walking out only to poke his head back in, hand on the doorframe and told her, "You should stay in Bane's room for the rest of the night. He seemed more uptight than usual after you left. I think he might think you're upset with him."

"I am," Roslyne stated.

Barsad smirked. "Well, he doesn't handle that very well that I know of, so I'd advise talking to him."

It was strange hearing the sniper talk about him that way, just because he made him sound human. Nobody else could do that. Nobody else saw him that way. Bane was a monster to almost everyone who came in contact with him, and hearing Barsad mentioning his feelings, telling her that he cared of what Roslyne thought of him-- it was enough to get her to stand immediately.

"Fine."

The two left the room, going separate ways. She didn't see anyone else in the corridors. It must have been later than she thought, but there was still a light shining from under Bane's door, not that it surprised her.

She knocked once before entering, shutting the door behind her and leaning against it.

Bane was sitting at a desk, slightly hunched over as he tinkered with the back of his mask. Two of the tiny cans sat in front of him, and he worked on getting the empty ones out of the mechanism.

"Here, let me," she said quietly, walking up behind him.
His hands dropped immediately, and Roslyne twisted one of the containers loose, hearing the supply of medicine shut off. She had a few minutes before the mercenary would begin to feel pain, but she still worked quickly.

"Are you... alright?" She tried, feeling a certain tension in the room that she guessed Bane wasn't going to address.

"I'm fine." Without the venom being pumped through, his voice didn't have the same sound to it. It was almost a normal man's pitch only muffled. The slight British accent remained, and it still held a mocking lilt, but it lacked the robotic edge, and in the end, it caused Roslyne's arms to prickle with goosebumps.

"Someone told me you seemed upset."

"Barsad," he stated.

"Don't get mad at him. He's just looking out for you." Her statement eerily reminded her of what the sniper had said about Henry, and she grinned to herself as she popped the other empty can out of the mask.

Bane moved to hand her one of the refills and breathed deeply before apparently thinking different and leaning out of Roslyne's grip.

"Bane, I can't--..."

"Wait." He stood up and walked to the mirror that hung on his wall, turning to the side as he reached behind his head again.

The girl frowned as she watched him, unzipping and unclasping for a solid thirty seconds before pulling the contraption from his face entirely and letting out a small groan of relief.

Roslyne's heartbeat quickened, jaw dropping as she stared at his profile.

It was... gone. It was off. Even if only for a few minutes. She took a hesitant step toward him, able to see the impressions that the mask left on the flesh of his cheeks, and then he turned to face her.

Any air left in her lungs rushed out in one huff, and she lifted a hand to her mouth, feeling moisture burn the backs of her eyes.

She had known him for close to two years, now, and never once had she seen him take the mask off. She had never even thought it was an option, and here he was, in such a casual setting, watching her with blue eyes that almost seemed brighter now.

And, she was speechless. It wasn't anything like she had expected. He had never said that he was deformed under the mask, but somewhere within her brain, she had still expected him to be.
He wasn't, though. Not by any standards.

His nose was somewhat long and straight, neither big nor small and complemented his cheekbones, and his mouth was absolutely sinful-- plump pink lips that were pulled up into a very small smile that only grew when he reached up to his jaw and stretched it a bit. His teeth seemed to be the only thing imperfect, impossibly crooked but somehow still fitting, and they managed to give the mercenary, the criminal, the killer, a look of innocence.

His skin was pale with only slight discoloration where the mask usually covered and was blemish free, completely smooth, and Roslyne had the overwhelming urge to brush her fingers across every inch.

He was breathtaking.

"I-... I don't even know... w- what to say."

Her heart was bludgeoning her sternum, and her hands trembled by her sides, and all she could really think was, There's no way I can leave him, now. There's no way he can send me off to Gotham.

Clearing his throat, he spoke confidently, in a voice all his own, "I wanted you to see," and one tear managed to escape from Roslyne's eye.

"You're, uh, ehem, not what I imagined."

His lips twitched. "What did you imagine?"

The girl laughed breathlessly and held her hands out. "I don't know. Not, not this. Like, a missing nose or a rash, or something."

Bane chuckled, sending shivers down her spine and walked back over to her, stopping mere inches away and peering down at Roslyne. "I am addicted to a substance, not mutilated."

"I know, I know. I just didn't think you'd be so... attractive?" She snorted at herself, feeling heat rise to her cheeks

His brows knit together, and Roslyne focused in on the bisecting scar as he muttered lowly, "Thank you."

It was a strange moment. Neither truly knew what to say, and time was running out, so they simply continued to stare at one another, Bane brushing a stray piece of hair behind Ros' ear only to have it fall in her face again.

"When, um, when am I leaving?" She questioned, frowning.

The massive man sighed and sat back down in the chair, and the girl felt her heart drop as he lifted the mask to his face again.

And, the moment was gone.

She reached for the full cans, deflating more with every movement, then zipped and clasped the mask back up, twisting the cans into place quickly before Bane could feel any level of discomfort.

When he spoke again, the mechanical aspect was back and any vulnerability was gone. "We should have the paper work and finances done by tomorrow afternoon. You and Henry will be departing on Monday."

That was the day after. So soon.

Roslyne couldn't help but shake her head.

"You are upset."

"Yeah, I fucking am. Why do I have to go? I mean, I get that Hen and I will be able to find a niche in society and all, but why? I like it here. I'm comfortable for the first time in years, and you're just gonna make me leave?"

Bane let her rant, watching her with calm eyes until she was finished, and then he told her, "I need your eyes in the city, Roslyne. I need your mind and your perception. I need your take on Gotham because yours is the one I trust." She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted, causing the man to smile so that she looked at the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Besides, I know that you can take care of yourself without me."

"And, if I don't want to?"

He got up again and paced over to the cot, sitting with his back against the wall and gesturing Roslyne over. She contemplated for a moment before slowly making her way over, arms still crossed as she situated herself between his legs, able to feel the steady rise and fall of his chest against her.

"Roslyne, my dear, this is not goodbye. I will see you again. For now, I need you to try to live a normal life while keeping tabs on the city. You will more than likely correspond with Barsad, and when it's time, we will move in."

She didn't respond, just continued to scowl and think about how much she didn't want to go, and that's how they sat for the remainder of the night.



"Are you gonna be like this the entire ride?" Henry asked from the driver's seat, chancing a glance at his sister who was glaring out the window.

"You're lucky if I'm not still like this next month, Henry. Now, shut your trap."

He sighed and shook his head, muttering a moody, "Whatever," and turned on the radio.

Saying goodbye hadn't been hard, but actually getting in the car and leaving was. She had only hugged Barsad and Hester, shaking Mücher's hand, and let Bane walk her to the suburban with a hand on the small of her back. When she had gotten situated in the vehicle, they exchanged a long look, making Roslyne remember what was underneath the mask, then Henry hopped in and everything was over. Bane squeezed her hand and walked back into the compound.

The ride to Gotham was spent thinking about how awful school was going to be and how awful acting normal was going to be and how fucking awful being away from Bane was going to be.

She cared about him to a painful degree. He was her Achilles heel, and if she was being completely honest, the main reason she didn't want to leave was because she wasn't sure she would actually be able to function properly without him.