RP for bruisedwayne

[rattle_thecages]

Her day at the office had been largely uneventful. Aside from going through some paperwork all she'd had to do was deal with one of Matt's less-than-pleasant clients. Rachel was up to the task in this regard. For her friends she reserved her playfulness, and kindness for strangers, but when it came to slipping into lawyer mode she was a cold statue

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[bruisedwayne]

Bruce knows how to create a smokescreen. He's a master at that. He plays his part well and his audience never needs further convincing. What you see is what you get with Bruce Wayne is the message he tries to convey. But it's one Bruce has failed to convey to Rachel for some time now.

You suffer the consequences of your actions, and through the years, Bruce has suffered greatly. In one moment of weakness, he'd allowed himself to believe that Rachel could save him from his choices; free him from his dilemma -- as soon as the weight of the truth fell heavy on his tongue, he'd let it slip out, revealing everything...

He'd had enough of the lies. He'd learned his lesson. You can't fight fire with fire.

But truth begets truth: Rachel won't save him. And Bruce can't expect her to. She believes in the Batman.

You play the cards you're dealt with.

Bruce knows how to create a smokescreen and he's a master at keeping up appearances.

"Fantastic. I had the best cup of coffee at Little Italy," Bruce took a seat across Rachel's desk and rested his forearms on the armrest. "I'm getting Lucius to install one of their coffee machines in our boardroom." His upper lip curled up into a crooked grin. "You should try their Mocha Latte. It's delish."

[rattle_thecages]

She was taken aback. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting from him. Maybe something a little more than conversation regarding coffee after months of non-communication and everything they'd gone through. His life of smokescreen and mirrors wasn't hers. She regretted she hadn't mastered the poker face he had, was unable to stop the evident way in which her face fell, however momentarily.

And then she recovered - she always did.

Something had shifted and she knew it was in part because of what she'd said during their last conversation.

Dropping to her own chair across from him, she shook her head slightly. "I'll pass, thanks."

Sarcasm aside, she cleared her throat a little, at a loss as to how to proceed. "How's Alfred?"

[bruisedwayne]

The intricate web of lies and deception he'd built for himself was one Bruce needed to fortify and maintain. He'd given it a great deal of thought; deciding that it'd be best if Rachel knew nothing more about it. Why pull her into a game he'd trapped himself in when he can leave her out of it?

She's in New York. She's safer here than she'd ever be in Gotham. Bruce wants to believe that. The less she knows, the less lies she'll have to make up to cover the truth. Alfred once told him that Batman can make the right choices, the difficult choices. This is one of them. He's going to keep her out because it's the only way he can protect her. Bruce has to face his demons alone.

He'd caught the look in her eyes; the disappointment there - so blatantly obvious but he chooses to ignore it.

"Alfred's fine. He's making sure that the suite is sufficiently stocked up with booze for the party." Ah. The Party. He'd neglected to mention that. He needed a reason to be in New York and that reason couldn't be Rachel Dawes. If the press caught wind of it and thought Rachel was Bruce Wayne's new object of interest, they'd hound her. And he couldn't allow the press to track her every move. The Joker would have something to gain from that.

"How's the job?"

[rattle_thecages]

"Party." She nodded her head, headlines already floating inside her head, black and white images of him and his pearly whites amidst an adoring crowd. "Of course."

Rachel's problem was she always looked back. It didn't matter how many times she walked away, or how long the road had stretched with every step she took. She looked back. And a part of her would always, always hope she'd see the little boy staring back at her, the boy she'd loved.

That boy was gone now.

Maybe it was easier to pull away.

"I like the job well enough," she said softly, fingers tracing the law book in front of her. "It's not the courthouse." Not that she'd been able to step foot in it since. It's not Gotham. "But this is who I am so. I filed a motion to practice here. I don't have to take the bar exam because New York has a reciprocity agreement with Gotham and - "

She broke off. "I don't want to bore you with the details."

[bruisedwayne]

He wasn't bored but he'd certainly managed to look the part as he played with the paper clips on her desk. She'd already begun to aid him on, and he was allowing her to do it.

"That's great, Rachel. I'm happy for you." He was losing her to New York but that was fine. He'd already lost her to Harvey Dent once and then to the Joker. And when compared to that last one, the Big Apple should be something of a relief.

"I'll have Alfred drop by to see you in the evening."

[rattle_thecages]

Her lips pressed into a thin line. She didn't know if he understood - if he really understood - how much she'd needed to see him. Her stomach coiled and churned and she realized it was because she'd been holding her breath from the moment he strolled into her office talking about coffee.

She missed him, in ways she could not express with mere words, but she didn't miss him like this.

"Is - " she lifted her gaze, "Is this how it's going to be from now on, Bruce?"

[bruisedwayne]

Trust Rachel to cause a crack to appear in the surface of his disguise. Instead of answering her, Bruce stayed silent for a long moment, continuing to stare out the window, watching the clouds in motion. It had rained all day.

"I told you I'd bring some of Gotham with me."

[rattle_thecages]

Please talk to me she wanted to cry out, but she didn't. The words remained lodged in her throat until she felt she would choke on them, until she felt all she could do was follow his gaze to the window.

Everything came with a price. She'd set her sights too high and this was all that remained, silences resting in between them. This was the price. Distance. Secrets. Regrets. And death. There was so much death.

"Yes." Her voice was light, barely wavered. "You did tell me."

Please talk to me she wanted to cry out, so she had to.

"Just...talk to me Bruce? Please?"

[bruisedwayne]

The plea had cut through him like a blade, and Bruce decided to close some of the distance between them. He perched himself on the edge of her desk and fixed his gaze on her.

"You were right, Rach," he said. "You were right all along. ... We're not meant to walk the same roads. ... Don't you think it's high time we both stopped trying to play catch up?"

[rattle_thecages]

She bit her lip, bit hard on it until she felt the taste of blood swirling in her mouth. There was truth in everything she had ever told him. She'd never wanted him to pin all of his hopes for a normal life on her. But whatever life had made of them - her a lesson and him a symbol - whatever he chose Rachel had always planned on being there. "I wouldn't know how it works," she told him, swallowing thickly.

She'd been missing Gotham something fierce and Bruce was Gotham.

Maybe you really can't go home again.

"If that makes it easier for you..." she closed her eyes briefly. "I didn't think we'd play catch up. I just wanted to be your friend and for you to be mine and have it be like before but that's-" she finally smiled at him sadly, biting down on her lip again to keep it from shaking, "-that's not possible anymore, is it?"

[bruisedwayne]

"We are friends, Rach. But if you're interested to know the details of my life, the National Enquirer covers the interesting tidbits. You could always subscribe." Bruce canted his head to the side, watching her for a reaction as he continued, "You never mentioned you were seeing someone."

[rattle_thecages]

It was a cold bucket of water. She laughed, though it held no mirth, cheeks red with the sting. "How very gracious of you, Bruce, I'll remember to sign up and ask if there's a package deal."

"Talks about Mocha Latte and Little Italy don't exactly translate to me wanting to talk about the more private aspects of my life." She looked away from him, blinking furiously. "But I am seeing someone. Just very recently. Sorry there's no magazine for you to subscribe to regarding the details of it."

[bruisedwayne]

Ah. There was the Rachel he knew. Any minute now she'd slap him and tell him to grow up.

"Come on, Rachel. Tell me who," he urged, curious to know. "I'd tell you who I was sleeping with only I can't remember their names."

[rattle_thecages]

Rachel's hand itched to do just that. Bruce made an irritating picture, perched on her desk, as unfazed as he'd ever been. She had done it only once before, slapped him - years and years ago - and she'd lived to regret it. For seven years she'd thought him dead. If I knew then what I know now.

And she knew now, but it didn't infuriate her any less.

Her eyes narrowed into tiny slits, and she stood to match his height. "I think I'll save it for some other time, when we're braiding each other's hair, reading Cosmo, and I'm feeling particularly like a twelve-year old," she said bitingly before she could stop it. "And here's a little tip. Black books are your friends. File away at least the first name next time you want to trade stories. But then again, I'll always have the National Enquirer, no?"

[bruisedwayne]

Lesson number one. Never argue with a lawyer. They had the sharpest, damnedest tongue.

"No," Bruce replied with a curve of the lips, attempting to feign nonchalance though he'd reached out to brush her hair back, and for a split second, he was Bruce again, Bruce without the mask, Bruce as Rachel knew him. "... You'll always have me. You just won't know it." The Dark Knight had been operating in the shadows for a while now. Since Gotham had denounced him, condemned him, he'd carefully played the part of the silent guardian.

Bruce straightened up and reached for his coat. "I should go."

[rattle_thecages]

Tears threatened to prick in her eyes when he tucked her hair back, so simple in its affection. Her face threatened to crumple but she braved past it. And she also looked past her anger enough to realize what he was doing. And that he was doing it for her.

But maybe he needed it just as much as she did. Bruce deserved some sort of resolution in his life.

Even if that resolution was her. Maybe it was fitting that this time he be the one to walk away from her. "I'm sorry I made you come all the way here," she said dully.