(Untitled)

[master_wayne]

Bruce enters the bar backwards, dragging a bag that's obviously extremely heavy. He also obviously didn't intend to wind up here, seeing as he nearly bumps into the bar before he realises where he is (apparently he really never did learn to mind his surroundings

Comments

[cutting_edgex23]

"Bruce," X says, from somewhere behind him and a foot or two to the left.

She has obviously overheard that last comment -- it would explain why she looks faintly puzzled.

"Bar did not leave you a note."

There is a fractional pause while she scents the air. Then --

"And there is no one else nearby."

Except, you know. Her.

[master_wayne]

He freezes and doesn't look round.

'X. Hi.'

As he turns to face her, the tabloid gets firmly closed and he almost, but not quite, manages to make it look like a fluid and natural movement.

The shifty eyes possibly don't help the situation much.

'No. There's no one else here. Except you.'

Smiling a lot will make things fine, yes?

'Hi.'

[cutting_edgex23]

X is not a sucker for a pretty smile. Even from someone she is dating.

It happens.

Her attention is caught, however, by the way he closes the paper. And, you know, the shiftiness in his expression.

"Hello."

Beat.

"You are doing research?"

[master_wayne]

'No. Just passing the time, hoping you'd be around.'

The smile is not working. So he stands up and leans in to kiss her on the cheek instead.

Not that he wouldn't have done that anyway. Because he would.

Just. Yeah.

He's learnt about diverting attention.

'Would you like a drink?'

[gorgonfondness]

This is a very familiar reaction. Goodness knows Mia's had that a few times when looking through certain periodicals.

"What's saying you did?" she asks in an understanding tone.

She's sitting at the bar a short ways away, holding a baby who's playing with a green kitten toy.

[master_wayne]

'Nothing!'

Oooh, a green kitten toy! And a baby!

Lalala.

Bruce has not yet started to think about such things as his public image vs his 'real' life. So he wasn't expecting to come across anything in the gossip columns, especially things so blatantly untrue.

'Hi.'

[gorgonfondness]

The baby is happily oblivious to his mother's discussion, enjoying his sweet little kitten toy. His half-brother made it for him, after all. He's softly babbling as he moves and pets the kitten.

"Hi. I'm Mia. And, if my guess is right, I know what you're dealing with. It'll pass, it always does."

But it's never pleasant and always takes longer than anyone would like.

[master_wayne]

'I'm Bruce.'

He looks at the paper and then back at her.

'Your guess?'

[isaysimplewords]

Yeah, Cal knows that feeling.

"Fucking tabloids." His tone is one of great sympathy.

[master_wayne]

'If the stories were true, I'd hold my hands up.'

He looks at the front of the paper.

'For that matter, if this paper was from my world, I'd hold my hands up. But I don't think it is.'

He does not sound impressed with this situation in general. But he does smile at the man, a little.

'Hi.'

[isaysimplewords]

"Mine usually were," Cal says easily.

As far as he knows, anyway. It's not like he was sober enough to remember most of the events the next day. But if they weren't true, they may as well have been.

He offers a hand to shake. "Cal Chandler, New York, 2008. 'This paper's from a different world' must be a nice excuse."

[master_wayne]

He takes the hand, the smile widening at the matter-of-fact layout of the information. And he responds in kind;

'Bruce Wayne, Gotham City, 2005.'

The paper gets another glare though.

'Nothing nice about it. Not if I have to explain it to the girl I'm dating.'

[morethanprops]

(OOC: This might be too late, if it is ignore it.)

Not too long after Bruce sits down, Moist starts his shift and turns when he hears the shout,

"Did not what?"

[master_wayne]

[OOC: Not too late, if you're still up for it!]

The gossip column is screaming a headline about Bruce Wayne's antics at a fundraiser the night before. Even Bruce thinks Bruce Wayne is a jerk, reading it.

'Nothing. It isn't about me.'

He waves his hand, like it's complicated. Because it sort of is.

[morethanprops]

(OOC: I am though I'll be around only a little tonight.)

Moist looks at the picture and back at Bruce,

"It seems like a rather good likeness of you, but then the wrong image can cause so much trouble."

[master_wayne]

[OOC: No worries]

'You think he looks like me?'

He turns the paper, trying to see it. OK, a resemblance perhaps but he doesn't get more than that.

'I'm pretty sure it's not a paper from my world because I sure as hell wasn't at some fundraiser throwing drinks around last night.'