Guardian Angel - NC17 - Chloe/Bruce - Chapter Ten
Title: Guardian Angel
Category: Smallville/Batman (Crossover)
Rating: NC17
Genre: Romance/Humor/Drama
Pairing: Chloe/Bruce Wayne
Word Count: 1,398
Summary: Her guardian angel was a dark man with a fetish for rodents. Figures.
Previous: Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine,
dhfreak
X.
"Should I wear the black or navy suit, Alfred?" he wondered, staring into his closet.
Hands behind his back, Alfred lifted a brow. "And where are you taking Miss. Sullivan, Master Wayne?"
"It's a surprise." He sighed, moving through his shirts.
"I'd go with the black sir; it'd match her dress better."
"Match her..." He turned around, staring at his faithful butler questioningly.
Alfred lifted a shoulder. "I met Miss Chloe for coffee the other afternoon. We happened to get a little shopping done."
"You went to the mall?" Bruce lifted a skeptical brow.
"Yes, it was... busy." He tipped his head. "I enjoyed an Iced Cappuccino."
He stifled a laugh, trying to imagine his butler with an Iced Capp in hand. "You've taken a liking to her."
"She's... different, sir." He smiled. "In a most pleasant way."
Bruce nodded agreeably. "Maybe a suit's too formal," he muttered to himself.
"If you'd tell me what it was you were doing, I might be of better assistance."
Bruce sighed, turning around. "You won't tell her?"
"You're picking her up in an hour, Master Wayne... Upon last inspection, I was not a gossip." He watched him with keen eyes for a moment. "Tonight really matters to you, doesn't it?"
He frowned. "Unfortunately."
"We aren't meant to stay alone forever, sir."
Bruce raised a brow. "You're alone."
"I have you," he reminded with a shoulder.
"We have each other."
Alfred shook his head. "No Master Wayne, you have a whole future ahead of you. Don't spend your life with your butler, good friend as he may be." He stepped into the closet and pulled down an outfit he found appropriate. "Perhaps Miss Sullivan is not the woman you'll spend your life with... And perhaps she is. One doesn't know until they take a chance." He handed him the clothes. "Take yours." With that, Alfred turned and left the room.
Sighing, Bruce nodded before changing into the night's outfit.
OoO
She should cancel. She paced the floor, back and forth. There was tons of work to do and she could be hunting down the latest news with Batman instead of going out on some sort of romantic thing with Bruce Wayne. What was the matter with her? This was probably the last thing she needed in her already entirely too complicated life. She bit her lip, taking a long breath and then letting it out. That was it, she was going to call and tell him something came up and she just couldn't go out with him. And then she'd get into something comfortable and warm and start looking for trouble.
Good.
Her decision was made.
She walked to the phone and picked it up, only to hang up when she noticed there was a message on her machine. Reaching over, she pushed play.
"I know you... Right now you're chewing your lip and making up excuses to cancel. Do not touch that phone, Chloe Ann Sullivan! Or so help me, I will book the next flight out there just to kick your butt for screwing us both over!" Lois's voice came through loud and clear. "I'm living through you, cuz. So you better go out there, have a fantastic time, eagerly enjoy some billionaire hottie sex, and then give me every tiny detail so I can pretend it was me and not you! I mean it!"
"Stop encouraging her, Lois!" Clark's voice could be heard in the background. "If she doesn't want to go out with him-"
"Stick a sock in it, Smallville. Just because you're a reborn virgin, doesn't mean we all have to twiddle our thumbs for a little fun!" She cleared her throat. "Now Chloe... Listen carefully... You're going to take a breath-"
Chloe inhaled.
"Let it out slowly--"
She exhaled.
"Lift your shoulders-"
She straightened her back.
"Grow a spine and get your freak on!"
Chloe rolled her eyes, smiling.
"Get to it, cuz! Call me as soon as you get in!"
"I can't believe you just-"
The phone cut out on Clark's complaining and she shook her read, returning the phone to its cradle before she pulled her heels back on and grabbed her purse. She was going to do this. It was going to be fun. Even if it didn't turn out to be romantic or sexy or any of that... At least she was doing something other than work, right? Right. And Batman said he was trustworthy, so on top of a laid back evening, there'd be no death threats! That was always a plus.
Good.
Her decision was made.
She was going.
She heard the buzzer alerting her somebody was there for her.
Oh god!
OoO
He couldn't count how many times he'd seen this precise building, but being here as Bruce Wayne felt different. He wondered if her taste in journalism was what had her living in this particular part of Gotham or if she just couldn't find any affordable housing in the less dangerous city area. He was distracted from his thoughts when he saw her walking towards him. Her simple black dress seemed to move with her in an entirely too attractive manner. His head fell to the side, eyes scanning her form from head to toe with agreeable pleasure. His brows rose as the front door opened and she stepped out.
She lifted a brow. "Do I meet your standards, Mr. Wayne?" she asked teasingly.
He cleared his throat. "You supersede them." Somehow, he knew she would. He held out an arm. "Ready?"
"As I'll ever be," she replied easily, sliding her arm around his.
They stepped down the stairs and walked across to the expensive car waiting for them. He held the door open as she slid in and then rounded the sleek, black Lamborghini to the driver door. There wasn't much traffic due to how early the city closed up and so it was a quick drive from one destination to the other.
"Are you going to tell me where we're going?" she wondered curiously.
His lips curled. "That'd take all the fun out of it."
She tipped her head, returning her gaze outside to try and figure out just where they were headed. It wasn't long before he pulled up to a private dock and her brows lifted with surprise. She climbed out of the car before he could get to her door and stared at the long white and black yacht lit up and waiting. He took her hand and began walking toward it, with her still staring wide-eyed before she shook her head. "What? Didn't feel the marina cut it?"
He smirked. "Somehow I think the drug dealers would disprove of my boat being there."
"Just a little," she murmured.
The crew he'd hired to man his yacht nodded hello to them as they passed them by. He took her to the main deck where it was lit with twinkling lights and faint classical music could be heard playing. She stuck close to him, her eyes wandering all over and her hand comfortably entwined with his. It was small and delicate, somehow fitting and contradicting the woman he knew. He was still wondering what it was he was doing. Nothing was meant to come out of this and there was a great liability in getting close to her. She knew Batman, better than most civilians, and she trusted him and his judgment. On top of that, she was a journalist, one who didn't take things at face value but instead dug deep into issues and brought them to light. And now here he was, tempting her curiosity and putting his duo identity on a platter for her to discover.
"Are you thirsty?"
She nodded, eyes still gazing around. "Yes, please."
He poured them each a glass of champagne and handed her hers.
"So, not that I'm complaining, but is there any food involved in this date? Because I haven't eaten since lunch..." Her stomach made a growl and she shrugged. "Okay breakfast."
He half-smiled to himself in amusement before he stepped back and motioned toward the table. The lights on the deck lit up brightly and she was able to see the platter of cucumber sandwiches waiting.
Her eyes lit up as she walked over gleefully. "You know my weakness, Bruce."
She had no idea that she knew his too.
[ Next: Chapter Eleven.]