Suffering Builds Character

Sido might as well have been a childrens toy, with the way Bane was moving her about, situating her hands and feet easily for better posture. His grip on her wrists and ankles was exceptionally gentle, despite their size and the need to knock her down so god damn much.
That was how their training went most days. Bane wanted her to use strategy, he wanted her to really think during their sparring. Of course, he would guide her, but only vaguely. And that's partly what kept her from succeeding in any of her attacks. He had no vulnerabilities, he was too fast, and even then, he was going easy on her. He was stronger, he was smarter, and he was infuriating. She would yell at him, throw a fit, and even slap at his chest if she was angry enough. Bane respected her lack of fear of him, though she was foolish for it. He knew she was well aware of the things he could do, she just wasn't afraid of him. She was reckless when she was angry. He could only hope she didn't push him too far.
She was fuming after one of their training sessions, ready to storm out of the office with no more than a glare, when a shelf over near Bane's bed caught her attention. She didn't know how she'd never seen it after all the time she had spent there. Curiosity quelled her anger and she went over to inspect the shelf more closely. It was filled with books. She could feel Bane's eyes on her, and could only imagine the pensive expression on his face as she looked over all the spines. One book caught her attention in particular.
"I wouldn't have taken you as a fan of The Great Gatsby," she said, glancing over at him as she traced the spine of the book lightly with a finger. His expression reflected the image in her mind perfectly.
"It is one of the many classics in literature. I enjoy it," he said, slower than usual, though his voice was still amused. "Do you read?" he asked.
"I spent a lot of my time in libraries on the streets. It was a good way to pass the time, and they kept me from getting in too much trouble. I like to read, yes," she answered. She could faintly hear the shuffle of Bane's feet as he approached her.
"We share a common interest, then. You may borrow a book any time you wish, Sidonie," he said. She turned slightly to look up at him.
"What do you suggest I read?" she asked, that challenging little glint touching her eyes once again. He watched her for a moment, once again pensive, before turning his dark gaze toward the shelf, skimming through the books. After a long moment of contemplation, Bane reached out his large, braced hand and pulled out one of the books in a fluid motion. Wordlessly, he placed the book into Sido's hands.
"Of Mice and Men? I haven't read this one yet," she said, turning the book over in her hands.
"And if I had chosen one you had already read?" Bane questioned, watching her closely. She turned her blue eyes up to his face.
"I would read it anyway," she said as if it were blatantly obvious. After a moment, she turned her eyes to the book and opened it. She only intended to graze the first few lines out of curiosity. Bane knew it too, but soon enough she was perched on the edge of the bed, becoming more engrossed in the pages with each passing moment.
Bane didn't mind her staying as she read the book. She was quiet, and didn't cause trouble, and Bane could work without having to keep an eye on her. That still didn't stop him from watching her, however. She was more or less lying down now, using the old pillows as a cushion for her back, but he could still see her face clearly, and he could see each emotion as she read. She made a conscious effort to keep her face from giving away her emotions, and succeeded, but that wasn't the case when she was reading. She was in another world while she was reading, the world the book set up, and she had no control.
All the shock, the sadness, the pity, happiness, all of it was painted on her face as she read. Bane found it almost calming. And, once he would catch himself staring for too long, he would tear his eyes away and grow frustrated with himself. He barely knew this girl. All he had done was taken her off the streets, where she had a chance to make a better life for herself. He had done it for all of his soldiers, granted they were mostly in it because all they knew was violence and it was good money. Why should she be treated any differently? What made him treat her with the patience and kindness that he did?
He knew exactly why, he just couldn't admit it to himself. He knew she was different the moment he first saw her. He knew the look on her face, the coldness of her eyes, all too well. It was the exact same look, the exact same coldness, that he once knew. She knew true despair, as he did. She had seen far too much in her life time, more than a girl of merely twenty, more than anyone, should ever have to see. Despair and hatred and anger was her reality. Why didn't he just let her take care of herself, the way he had to? Why should he show her any compassion when he received none?
Sidonie read well into the night, while Bane worked quietly. He watched her more than he worked. He wanted to see the emotions grace her face, before she left that world and came back to reality.
She shifted several hours later, when she was finished, and closed the book slowly. She turned her gaze to Bane, who was already watching her with an unfathomable glint in his hard eyes. It almost seemed as if he were fighting some mental battle as he watched her. He didn't look away when she caught him looking at her, only continued watching with that almost frustrated crease in his eyebrows, and stiff set of his shoulders.
"Are you all right?" she asked, furrowing her brows at his strange demeanor. He seemed to be pulled out of his mind at her voice, and sat up straighter, relaxing his shoulders and erasing the turmoil in his face.
"How did you like the book?" he asked her. She eyed him carefully for a moment, wondering for just a moment if she should address his odd behavior, but decided not to.
"It was miserable, to say the least. But very good. I liked it. I can see why it's your favorite," she said, replacing the book in the empty spot on his shelf. His head tilted to the side slowly.
"I never said it was my favorite book," Bane said slowly, carefully. She straightened up and looked at him.
"You didn't need to say it," she said. She could almost see the gears grinding in his head, but he kept his composure as stoic as always.
"Explain," he said, leaning back in his seat.
"When I asked you to suggest a book, it was a test, if you will. Naturally, if you ask someone for a suggestion, he's going to suggest his favorite out of whatever it is you're asking. In some cases, a suggestion is nothing more than a personal preference, and this was one of those cases. Not only that, but it's more worn than any of the other books up here. You've read it more than the others," she explained. Bane was quiet for a moment, as he looked up at her from his seat. Then, suddenly, she saw his eyes crinkle at the corners. It took her a moment to realize he was smiling under the mask. He was truly smiling.
"You are a very clever girl, Sidonie. You are correct, it is my favorite book," he said, a heightened sense of amusement touching his mechanical voice.
"It taught me a thing or two about you as well, Bane," she said, watching as his shoulders tensed again. She was treading into dangerous waters, she knew, but she had to. She wanted to push Bane's buttons. She wanted to know her limits.
"What did it teach you about me?" he asked, his voice lower. She smirked as she headed for the door.
"It taught me enough. You and I know something not many others do, and it is something evident in that book. Goodnight," she said, closing the office door quietly behind her.
Bane almost followed. He almost stormed out of his office after her, to grab her roughly and put the fear of God in her. He didn't doubt for a second that she was telling the truth, that she knew something about him, something personal. He wanted so badly to put her in her place, to snarl in her face and tell her she didn't have the right to make assumptions about his life, that she wasn't in any special position that gave her that freedom. He was gripping the door knob tightly in his large hand before he knew it, but stopped himself abruptly.
He couldn't blame her. She was smart, and clever, and it was inevitable with the way he'd been treating her since she came under his wing. They both knew hardships that very few others knew, hardships that Bane had only ever shared with one other person, and it was perfectly reasonable for Sidonie to put a few things together between them. Bane had to force himself to think reasonably, and released a heavy sigh as he wrenched his hand from the door knob and retreated stiffly back to his desk, sitting down and clenching his fists, trying to refrain from putting a dent the desk. He didn't succeed.