Miriam

Bane

I accompany him to the meeting with Bane. Crane’s masked, and I’m armed to the teeth. Something about having a gun in my hand is so very comforting. He talks as we travel there. He’s not quite Scarecrow, so I’m able to walk next to him safely.

“Don’t speak, don’t look Bane in the eye, don’t wander off, don’t let him get a hand around your neck,” he tells me.

“I’ve been in more than enough tense situations, sir. I’m sure I’ll be able to handle this,” I say, annoyed.

I’m here to protect him. He turns to look at me, tilting his head.

“I apologize, Miriam. I know how strong you are.”

I grin at him as we step into Bane’s base, which is underground, hidden by the sewers. Bane is waiting for us. His back is turned, hands folded at the base of his spine. His outfit is fairly military, except for the thick vest. I can hear his heavy breathing from where we stand.

“Bane,” Crane says, cracking his neck as he becomes Scarecrow.

Bane turns to him. My first thought is that it looks like a spider is devouring his face. I’ve seen pictures of him before, but it’s not the same. He’s huge. Every muscle bulges. I’ve seen large men before, but this is...different.

His eyes are the part I focus on, though. They’re dark, long-lashed, and glittering with a sharp intelligence. Almost pretty, if he wasn’t watching us like a shark watches prey.

“Scarecrow. Do you have what I require?” he rasps mechanically.

The sound grates along my spine and makes me shiver. I force myself to keep my eyes on him.

“Yes, I do.”

Bane nods and gestures to the side. A man scurries out, placing a metal box at Bane’s feet.

“Good. You may take your poisons.”

The air gets tense, making me realize this is a power play. Bane isn’t willing to serve Scarecrow by bringing the box to him, and Scarecrow feels the same. I sigh and walk over to grab it, careful not to touch Bane. Standing near him is suffocating, like the air before a thunderstorm. The box is cool against my skin.

“Thank you, sir,” I murmur, walking back to Scarecrow with my head held high.

Scarecrow drops a briefcase, nods at Bane, and leaves. We don’t speak of the incident.

Crane goes to his next appointment, the meeting with the Quinn girl, without me. He brings the mask, tucks dozens of needles neatly away. He’s balancing on the edge of Scarecrow and Crane, eyes shining with excitement.

“I’ll, ah, be back by morning, Miri. Don’t wait up for me.”

“Yes, sir.”

He darts in to kiss my cheek and runs out. I tidy the apartment, feed Bill, and complete a few jobs for Crane before I slip my tights off, sitting on the couch to watch TV on my phone.
I glance up as the door opens, see it’s just Crane, and go back to my show. Suddenly he’s on top of me, mask sliding off, exposing the edge of his jaw, hands slipping under my skirt.

“Miri, Miri, pretty Miri, such a good night, she screamed for me,” he mutters, voice rough.

“Crane...Jon...I...oh.” He fucks me with his fingers til I’m begging, blows my fucking mind when I come, then sits back, tugging the mask off to grin at me. I smile lazily up at him, letting my legs remain open. “Successful night, sir?”

“Very.”

“There’s nothing but experiments for the next few days. You’re planning to use the toxins you got from Bane.”

“Thank you. It’s late. We should sleep.”

“Yes, sir.”

Crane’s face softens, and he opens his mouth, then snaps it closed.

“Sir?”

“Never mind, Miriam. Good night.”

“Sleep well, sir.”

I watch him go before shrugging and leaving myself.

A few days after that, Crane leaves and comes back grinning. He grabs my hands, does a few dance steps, and spins me around before bending me backwards to kiss me. When we stand I’m actually giggling, a sound I haven’t made in years. People like me don’t giggle. Usually.

“Sir! What brought this on?”

He leans against the table, smirking lazily at me.

“Quinn...the girl, my toxin was still in her and she was seeing things. I was just at Joker’s base and she begged me for help, threatened me, actually.” His mouth twists for a moment. “I told her I gave her a cure, I put toxin in her blood, it’s not my usual.” I can see Scarecrow slip into place behind his eyes. “It’s something like the Mad Hatter’s teas, it’ll make her world turn sideways and twist inside out!”

I step away from him, biting my lip.

“I think you’re going to regret this, sir.”

He tilts his head slowly to the side.

“Why?”

I hesitate, knowing to choose my words carefully around the Scarecrow.

“Joker won’t be happy that you damaged the girl behind his back, if she belongs to him.”

I want to tell Crane that he was an idiot to do this, to be so intent on vengeance. Joker is stronger than him, stronger than anyone, and he’s going to retaliate. Scarecrow just melts back into Crane and smiles at me.

“It’ll be fine, Miri. That’s what she gets for threatening me.”

“Alright, sir.”
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The Scarecrow: You married your wife because you were scared of dying alone. You had children because you're scared you won't leave behind anything important. You go to doctors because you're scared of dying... need I go on?