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[likemichael]

[The phone comes on to a shaky feed and it's clear whoever is recording this isn't the main focus of the broadcast. Instead, it tilts up to show a man covered in blood and filth and wounds. He holds a strange weapon and it's obvious that Dean is wary, alert, and more than prepared to shoot or stab someone if they get in his way

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[adaptably]

[ There's a small step to the side to avoid the weapon, then a glance to make sure that no one is actually watching their exchange. She isn't the only thing that prowls around in the night in Mandalus.

Then her gaze goes back to Dean, watching how he moves and gauging how he speaks. It's obvious that he's different. She has no idea how long it's been for him when he left, but it's not just the instinctual reactions that make it obvious. Her expression falls at his words. She frowns and closes her eyes, balling her fists in the pockets of her coat.

There are plenty of remakes she can think of to upset him further to defend herself; to get her out of the situation she's in. Except she reminds herself that she's can be a different person. She doesn't have to be the same Selina Kyle who fought tooth and nail to live in Gotham. As strange and terrifying as it is for her, people care. ]

That's a first. [ It's a soft and bitter remark, more angled to herself than at him. She takes a deep breath and raises her head, looking over at him. She hesitates for a moment, but if he's going to share, then he deserves something in return. It's only fair. Fair. She didn't need to worry about being fair before. ]

Last time... [ she smiles to herself again and looks away. ]

[likemichael]

[He clenches his fists, pacing a little bit more, tense at all the noise of the city and close to just wanting to lash out. He can't move, he can't pack up and leave, and it's driving him crazy already. He feels caged in Mandalus in a way he didn't quite feel it as deeply before. In Purgatory, he could run, just as fast as he wanted, and he had to fight to stay alive. Here, he already knows he'll be crushed back into this normal life and it's making his skin crawl.

He glances at her at the bitter comment and grits his teeth. He knows it's more at herself but he still hates it.] Last time? What about "last time"?

[He glances around more and the stiffness of his bloody, filthy clothing makes the leather jacket creak as he moves.] I'm not someone else, Selina. I'm me. And if there's one thing I know about myself, it's that I never forget people and I never betray them. I don't like lettin' down the people I care about, so just suck it up and face it that I'm not gonna just screw around. We're friends-- dammit, we might be something other than that. Whatever it is, you're stuck with me.

[A loud noise comes, something Dean can't quite recognise initially, and it's only after he flinches that he realises it was just a car backfiring.] Son of a bitch.

[adaptably]

[ The backfire interrupts what she was going to say. She forces her shoulders to relax and the tension to meld away. It doesn't really mater to her if Dean is himself or trying to be a superhero. She's not looking for a shoulder to cry on or for someone to tell her it'll be okay. Life is rarely <>okay and part of her hates that Dean keeps insisting he's not going to betray her, forget her, however he wants to phrase it.

Selina reaches down and grabs the dufflebag and weapon, walking over to him. It's still obvious that she's angry and bitter, maybe even a little hurt, as she stares him down. She recognizes the look of feeling trapped without a way out, because it's how she's lived her entire life. She drops the two items between them and leans forward, thankful that the backfire broke some of the tension. ]

Last time, [ she repeats, but her voice quickly fills with the emotion she tried to push down. She tries again. ] He came back. Just like you did. He gave me a way out, and I asked him to come with me. [ Selina pauses and blinks a few times. The only other person she's told is Elizabeth. ] I told him that he didn't owe anyone in Gotham anything. He gave them everything already.

[ She blinks again and looks away, frowning in anger at herself for being upset about it still. It happened months ago for her, it shouldn't upset her. but she's still angry. She still hasn't forgiven him and she may never forgive him for it. ] I asked him, and he told me no, then he died.

[likemichael]

[He watches her move his stuff, he follows every movement, and he wonders for a moment why they're even arguing. He's not sure when they evolved into this, whatever the Hell they are, and while he doesn't consider himself in a relationship with her, he still feels like he did when he'd argue with Lisa sometimes. It's just a very different kind of subject and Selina is nothing like Lisa was. And, God, it'd been a long time since he thought about Lisa, but he didn't get as sharp a pang of guilt and loss as he used to. He supposed that was called "healing" after losing someone. It never happened when he lost Sam.

Listening to Selina, he watches her face, and as much as he knows he's a filthy mess he doesn't even consider keeping his distance. His hands come out to cup her face, his thumbs on her cheekbones.] Hey.

[He frowns a bit, shaking his head. Now is not the time to get upset about Batman dying, Dean.] I'm sorry that happened to you, but I'm not him, and if I die, I usually come back. I've done it at least a dozen times to my knowledge. A thousand times, if you ask Sam, but that's a long story.

[He sighs and moves his hands to her shoulders.] I'm not gonna just up and screw you over like that. It's not my style. I'm not a hero, I'm not gonna be out there, giving myself to some god damn city that doesn't care if I live or die. I'm gonna do my job, look out for my brother, and look out for my friends. You included, Kitty. So quit comparing me to him. I'm not him.

[adaptably]

[ They were arguing because she didn't want this. Whatever this was, she was terrified of it and didn't want to finally let someone in only to have them throw it away for something else. Selina knows his brother comes first, and she'll make sure that Sam does, but the more he insists on staying the more she wants him to stay. She was hoping that the argument, the walled attitude, and her act of pushing him away would make him leave. Except Dean Winchester is a stubborn bastard who has, for some reason, made it his goal to prove her wrong.

Her breath catches in her throat and she can feel the tears pricking at her eyes. Not that she's going to let them fall, because she doesn't cry. Her mouth tugs into a frown as she fights the urge to just cry. From the anger, the frustration, the hurt, and some amount of relief that Dean didn't leave. Selina is so tempted to just kiss him right there and then, throwing him a curve ball, but she decides against it. For now. ]

It wasn't just him. [ Bruce Wayne was just the newest one.

Selina looks away, then her gaze swoops down to the ground. Then she reaches up and takes his hands off her shoulders, covering them with hers, and places them back against her face. As much as she hates to admit it, she did miss him. ]

[likemichael]

Screw 'em. Screw 'em all. Your dad, whoever else it was, and him. I don't care about a lot of people-- I mean really care. I do my job and I kill what monsters need killing, because good people don't deserve to die, but I'd go a Hell of a lot further to have your back than almost everyone else.

[He smiles as she moves his hands and leans to kiss her head, deciding it'd be awful of him to kiss her mouth when he hasn't really bathed in a year.] Gimme a chance. I won't screw this up.

[He certainly had made it his goal to prove her wrong, to prove he wouldn't fail her, because he'd failed everyone else countless times. He failed Sam more than anyone, failed his parents, and Cas, Jo and Ellen, Bobby... even Benny and Cas all over again, and in Mandalus he failed Elizabeth. He wasn't going to fail Selina. He needed to prove it to her, but just as much (maybe more) he needed to prove to himself he wasn't going to fail her.

Dean didn't love her, not the way he loved Lisa or Cassie, or even maybe Anna, but he had feelings for her he couldn't always keep choked down and it frightened him to think about getting that way again with someone, so finally he pulled away, grabbing his bag and blade.] I need to shower, and I need to check on Sammy.

[adaptably]

[ An amused smirk crosses her face. He really did remember everything she said. She's not entirely sure if it stuck because she's "Catwoman" or because it was just that much of a sob story. Either way she's happy that he does remember. As much as she thinks it'd be easier if he had forgotten her? She knows she'd hate that even more.

Her eyes close and she tilts her head up, simply watching him. It's unspoken that Dean already has that chance by simply sticking around. Even if she thinks again and again that he isn't going to stick around. It's not love for Selina--at least not what she thinks love is. There's an attachment she's terrified of, but it's more of a desire (maybe a need) to be close and keep him near. That selfish part of her hates that Sam is always going to come first, but she understands it and accepts it. It's just who Dean is.

She raises her hand and runs her cold fingers down his jaw and over his chin. Just to give him that little bit of tease. This is what you'll be missing. ]

Lose the knife too. Someone might get hurt.

[likemichael]

[Dean grins as she touches his face like that, and he'll make sure to come find her later, but even as he thinks that he can feel his own mind warring with the fact that he doesn't want to get too close but he doesn't want to let her get away either. It's a conflict he knows is going to grow before he bothers to face it head on.

Walking backwards as he leaves, he spreads his arms to the side, blade in one hand, bag in the other.]

It's a kill or be killed world, baby, and I'm not goin' down with out a fight.

[Laughing a little, he turns to head off. He has a brother to fix, a best friend to check up on, and there's a shower to be had.]