Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven | Part Eight
Casual Encounters
Part Five
written by destinyawakened
fanart by hitokaji
Gordon and Jimmy were home for less than an hour when a deep black Lamborghini rolled up in the driveway. Gordon had secretly hoped that Bruce would have just not shown up and was just being nice. Whatever it was he had for Jimmy, Gordon wasn't sure he wanted it, he didn't need Bruce Wayne's charity. Books were one thing...but whatever it was he was pulling out of his car was another...
Oh. Dear. God. Gordon stared at the two boxes Bruce was carrying up the driveway. Gordon opened the door, standing in front of it to keep it open. Behind the two boxes the billionaire grinned like the Cheshire cat at him as he walked into the house. He placed the boxes down in the living room by the television. Gordon glared at him.
“Oh come on now, Commissioner. Kid's gotta have fun.” Bruce had squatted down and started to tear the boxes apart. He glanced up at Gordon. “I also want to apologize for Mister Stark today. He's been under a lot of stress with the, uh...”
Gordon cut him off with a shake of his head. He had been offended earlier, if anything he was a little shocked. The idea of Bruce Wayne interacting with Tony Stark – Iron Man – was a bit weird. And their companies supposed interaction with each other being for military purposes seemed less likely, given what Tony Stark did as a side job. Yet another part of Bruce Wayne Gordon was seeing; the part that did care about the rest of the world and not just himself. He was helping a “super hero,” and that was definitely something.
“Don't worry about it.” Gordon sighed. He walked to the boxes and stood over Bruce, arms folder over his chest, watching. He'd be damned if he was going to sit there and help the man put together the mind-numbing game. Jimmy walked into the room just then and froze.
“Hey, Jimmy.” Bruce said and motioned for the boy to come over to his side. “You want to help me put this together?”
Gordon groaned inwardly and took a seat on the couch to oversee the project and nothing else. Bruce glanced at him curiously but didn't say anything. Jimmy was tearing open the boxes and setting up the all the pieces. Gordon watched as a drum set, or what looked sort of like one anyway, emerged along with two guitars and a microphone. He was a little worried that his house on weekends would never be (quiet) again. Bruce set up the Wii and showed Jimmy how to put all the pieces together for the game.
“What game is this?” Gordon asked finally as he leaned his elbows on his knees.
“Rock Band.” Bruce said simply. “It's really good for improving motor-skills and hand-eye coordination.” As if that made the idea of the huge game pieces being set up in his small living room any better. “It's also a group activity.” Bruce winked at Gordon and Gordon thought for sure his heart nearly stopped. Bruce Wayne could not be serious. He couldn't possibly think that Jim Gordon, Police Commissioner of Gotham City, was going to play the drums in some silly little pretend rock band.
“Oh, no. No, no, no.” Gordon waved his hands in front of him defensively. “You and Jimmy can play your little hearts out. I'm going to order some take out.” He started for the kitchen but Bruce was suddenly on his feet, in front of Gordon, and turning him around back towards the living room. Gordon looked at him confused; how was it he didn't even see Bruce do that? The stealth and swiftness almost reminded him of...
No, Jim. Shut up. Stop jumping to silly conclusions.
“We can't play without you, Jim.” Bruce said. Gordon turned his head and glared him – since when were they on a first name basis? Bruce didn't seem to notice the sudden onslaught of annoyance from the commissioner and continued on, “Jimmy says he wants to be on guitar. I'm going to take drums. So I think you should take the mic.” Bruce held the microphone out to Gordon with a sly grin on his face.
“I don't sing.” Grumbled the older man, holding his hands at his side, refusing to take the item. Bruce took Gordon's hand and shoved the microphone into it.
“I think you're lying.” Bruce narrowed his eyes knowingly at the commissioner and then turned suavely around, turning the game console on. Bruce went to the drums, Jimmy picked up the guitar, and Gordon just stood, dumbstruck, with the microphone in his hand. Was he really going to let Bruce bully him into this game?
“Come on, Dad!” Jimmy begged, looking at his father with those big blue pleading eyes. It was almost worse than when Babs did it. He sighed and stepped next to Jimmy reluctantly. Thank God no one was here but the three of them to see this; if Montoya or Sarah found out he would never live it down.
“Fine, fine.” Gordon watched as Jimmy scrolled through a list of songs. Most of them were songs he had heard one too many times during his years at police academy. There were also some he'd never heard or just didn't like at all.
“Pick one your dad might like, Jimmy.” Bruce said from the left where he was waiting with drum sticks in hand. The sight of Bruce Wayne in a nice pressed suit, handling drumsticks made Gordon's inner child giggle profusely; he had the sudden urge to tell everyone of the sight he saw. Except, that would mean he'd have to admit to playing the game to begin with. No. He could control that urge.
Jimmy looked at his dad and shrugged, obviously not sure what to pick. Bruce started to point at a song. “That one!” Gordon glanced over at the screen to see what it was Bruce had picked: David Bowie's “Suffragette City”. Gordon rolled his eyes at the billionaire, but Bruce merely grinned. How the playboy kept guessing these personal things about Gordon, the commissioner would never know. It was a little suspicious and highly annoying.
Gordon and Jimmy were home for less than an hour when a deep black Lamborghini rolled up in the driveway. Gordon had secretly hoped that Bruce would have just not shown up and was just being nice. Whatever it was he had for Jimmy, Gordon wasn't sure he wanted it, he didn't need Bruce Wayne's charity. Books were one thing...but whatever it was he was pulling out of his car was another...
Oh. Dear. God. Gordon stared at the two boxes Bruce was carrying up the driveway. Gordon opened the door, standing in front of it to keep it open. Behind the two boxes the billionaire grinned like the Cheshire cat at him as he walked into the house. He placed the boxes down in the living room by the television. Gordon glared at him.
“Oh come on now, Commissioner. Kid's gotta have fun.” Bruce had squatted down and started to tear the boxes apart. He glanced up at Gordon. “I also want to apologize for Mister Stark today. He's been under a lot of stress with the, uh...”
Gordon cut him off with a shake of his head. He had been offended earlier, if anything he was a little shocked. The idea of Bruce Wayne interacting with Tony Stark – Iron Man – was a bit weird. And their companies supposed interaction with each other being for military purposes seemed less likely, given what Tony Stark did as a side job. Yet another part of Bruce Wayne Gordon was seeing; the part that did care about the rest of the world and not just himself. He was helping a “super hero,” and that was definitely something.
“Don't worry about it.” Gordon sighed. He walked to the boxes and stood over Bruce, arms folder over his chest, watching. He'd be damned if he was going to sit there and help the man put together the mind-numbing game. Jimmy walked into the room just then and froze.
“Hey, Jimmy.” Bruce said and motioned for the boy to come over to his side. “You want to help me put this together?”
Gordon groaned inwardly and took a seat on the couch to oversee the project and nothing else. Bruce glanced at him curiously but didn't say anything. Jimmy was tearing open the boxes and setting up the all the pieces. Gordon watched as a drum set, or what looked sort of like one anyway, emerged along with two guitars and a microphone. He was a little worried that his house on weekends would never be (quiet) again. Bruce set up the Wii and showed Jimmy how to put all the pieces together for the game.
“What game is this?” Gordon asked finally as he leaned his elbows on his knees.
“Rock Band.” Bruce said simply. “It's really good for improving motor-skills and hand-eye coordination.” As if that made the idea of the huge game pieces being set up in his small living room any better. “It's also a group activity.” Bruce winked at Gordon and Gordon thought for sure his heart nearly stopped. Bruce Wayne could not be serious. He couldn't possibly think that Jim Gordon, Police Commissioner of Gotham City, was going to play the drums in some silly little pretend rock band.
“Oh, no. No, no, no.” Gordon waved his hands in front of him defensively. “You and Jimmy can play your little hearts out. I'm going to order some take out.” He started for the kitchen but Bruce was suddenly on his feet, in front of Gordon, and turning him around back towards the living room. Gordon looked at him confused; how was it he didn't even see Bruce do that? The stealth and swiftness almost reminded him of...
No, Jim. Shut up. Stop jumping to silly conclusions.
“We can't play without you, Jim.” Bruce said. Gordon turned his head and glared him – since when were they on a first name basis? Bruce didn't seem to notice the sudden onslaught of annoyance from the commissioner and continued on, “Jimmy says he wants to be on guitar. I'm going to take drums. So I think you should take the mic.” Bruce held the microphone out to Gordon with a sly grin on his face.
“I don't sing.” Grumbled the older man, holding his hands at his side, refusing to take the item. Bruce took Gordon's hand and shoved the microphone into it.
“I think you're lying.” Bruce narrowed his eyes knowingly at the commissioner and then turned suavely around, turning the game console on. Bruce went to the drums, Jimmy picked up the guitar, and Gordon just stood, dumbstruck, with the microphone in his hand. Was he really going to let Bruce bully him into this game?
“Come on, Dad!” Jimmy begged, looking at his father with those big blue pleading eyes. It was almost worse than when Babs did it. He sighed and stepped next to Jimmy reluctantly. Thank God no one was here but the three of them to see this; if Montoya or Sarah found out he would never live it down.
“Fine, fine.” Gordon watched as Jimmy scrolled through a list of songs. Most of them were songs he had heard one too many times during his years at police academy. There were also some he'd never heard or just didn't like at all.
“Pick one your dad might like, Jimmy.” Bruce said from the left where he was waiting with drum sticks in hand. The sight of Bruce Wayne in a nice pressed suit, handling drumsticks made Gordon's inner child giggle profusely; he had the sudden urge to tell everyone of the sight he saw. Except, that would mean he'd have to admit to playing the game to begin with. No. He could control that urge.
Jimmy looked at his dad and shrugged, obviously not sure what to pick. Bruce started to point at a song. “That one!” Gordon glanced over at the screen to see what it was Bruce had picked: David Bowie's “Suffragette City”. Gordon rolled his eyes at the billionaire, but Bruce merely grinned. How the playboy kept guessing these personal things about Gordon, the commissioner would never know. It was a little suspicious and highly annoying.
Gordon and Jimmy were home for less than an hour when a deep black Lamborghini rolled up in the driveway. Gordon had secretly hoped that Bruce would have just not shown up and was just being nice. Whatever it was he had for Jimmy, Gordon wasn't sure he wanted it, he didn't need Bruce Wayne's charity. Books were one thing...but whatever it was he was pulling out of his car was another...
Gordon waited for the lyrics, at first singing the lines with not much enthusiasm, as he just wanted to get it over with. But the longer the song went on, the more he got into it. He was starting to remember high school days, listening to records in his parents’ basement with friends and getting up and singing to the songs. Before he knew it he was lost in his own memories and getting a little too into the song.
Jimmy was staring at him and Bruce was gaping with his mouth slightly open and eyes a little wider than usual. They had stopped playing sometime back it seemed, just when Gordon had started to get out of hand with the song and lose himself. Gordon straightened his posture and loosened his tie and gestured at the television with the microphone.
“Well, what's next?'
Bruce's surprised face dropped into a smirk. “Do you know Bon Jovi?”
------
An hour or so later there was a knock at the door. Gordon opened it to see Babs and Barbara standing there staring at his unkempt appearance. Gordon had thrown his suit jacket off, taken off his tie, undone the top four buttons of his shirt, rolled the sleeves up, and kicked off his shoes. It was highly unusual for him, especially considering the company he was keeping.
Gordon gestured the two inside and Babs' eyes lit up immediately at the sight of Bruce. He dropped the drumsticks, stood and walked over to Barbara and Babs. He took Babs' hand, kissed it and then proceeded to do the same to Gordon's ex-wife. Gordon rolled his eyes. He couldn't understand how a man could be so intelligent one minute and a complete idiot the next. One of them was an act, but which? It would hard to fake being smart or witty, but it wouldn't be so difficult to be fake stupidity.
Bruce was introducing himself to Barbara and then he glanced to Gordon as the commissioner assessed him. Bruce narrowed his eyes slightly and ticked his head a bit in question, but said nothing else.
“Jimmy, are you ready to go?” Barbara asked finally catching her breath back. Jimmy slumped his shoulders as he turned the game off.
“Yeah...” The boy had a frown on his face. He passed Bruce and looked up at him. “Thanks for the game, Bruce.” He whispered. Bruce ruffled the boy’s hair playfully.
“Next time we'll download some other songs your dad knows.” Bruce suggested. Gordon pinched the bridge of his nose at the thought of having Bruce Wayne over at his house again. It was bad enough that Gordon had let himself go this afternoon, showed a side of him that he showed no one else. He hoped Bruce wasn't the type to spread gossip or rumors.
Babs snorted back a laugh and Barbara stared at Gordon curiously.
“I should be going.” Bruce said as she walked between Barbara and Gordon. He patted Gordon on the shoulder and nodded his head slightly to Gordon's ex. “Don't have too much fun without me, Jimmy.” Bruce quipped as he offered a wave to Babs and Jimmy before sliding out the front door.
Barbara was staring at Gordon accusingly. “Rock Band, Jim?”
“I had nothing to do with it. Bruce wanted to -”
“Bruce? You're calling Mister Wayne Bruce, now?”
Gordon sighed. It was going to be another one of those talks, where Barbara talked down to him and reminded him of what a horrible father he was and how irresponsible his behavior had gotten since their divorce. She'd probably even bring up Batman, just as Sarah did, in hatred. Everyone blamed Batman for everything, even for the things that weren't his fault.
“– Mister Wayne wanted to get Jimmy something. He gave Babs all those books. He said he felt bad about it and didn't want the boy to feel left out of anything.” Gordon explained. Barbara's face seemed to soften. Mention Bruce Wayne being kind and people fawned even more over the billionaire. Even Gordon, he was even guiltier of that than anyone else.
“Oh.” Was all Barbara said.
------
Thursday morning, a new day and new start to forget the past five days. Today was day six and there was no possible way Jim Gordon was going to run in to Bruce Wayne. If he could help it. The run-ins at public places had become a little more than coincidental, and Gordon began to wonder if maybe the billionaire was following him, but even that seemed preposterous. Why would Bruce Wayne want to keep running into the Jim Gordon? They hardly had anything in common and Gordon's initial reaction to Bruce was to hide. He just couldn't see what the playboy saw in him if he had been tracking him down the last five days.
Hopefully it didn't happen today. He wasn't sure how much more of Bruce Wayne he could take in life. And yet, there was that curiosity in him that kept his thoughts open to the younger man. Gordon couldn't really help it, his mind wandered and he kept wondering just exactly what made Bruce Wayne tick. And why was he helping Tony Stark? So many mysteries that Gordon shouldn't have cared about, but they kept creeping back into his thoughts even after he'd finally gotten rid of them. The more he saw Bruce, the more he thought about it.
He'd just need to stay in his office today as much as he possibly could. If he stayed out of the public eye maybe Bruce wouldn't find him. You're being ridiculous, Jim. He isn't tracking you down. Stop being paranoid. Bruce Wayne had better things to do than to track the police commissioner around all week.
Come lunch time though, Sarah was in his office complaining about being hungry. She said she'd been craving Chinese food all week. They usually always had Chinese at least once a week, if not more; it was a staple in Gordon's diet since his divorce and Sarah had taken to it as well. So Gordon pulled out a menu and told her to order something, but Sarah refused and insisted they go out.
Out. That meant a chance of running into Bruce Wayne. No, no... that was just silly. There would be no way Bruce Wayne would eat at the same hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant that Gordon did. There were hundreds in Gotham City, possibly better than where he went, too. No possible way Bruce Wayne would be there. None.
So they went.
Sarah ordered Kung Pao Shrimp and pork fried rice. Gordon ordered what he always did, predictable as always: teriyaki chicken, chicken chow mein, and an order of eggrolls. Sarah laughed, she tried something new every time, even down to the chicken feet the place offered, and told Gordon to be a little more adventurous sometime.
They sat at a table eating, Gordon had his back to the door of the restaurant, but he had a very sneaking suspicion that someone was about to walk through the door. But it wasn't the feeling he was used to, he sensed the presence of someone completely different than the man who walked in. Bruce Wayne stood in the door way on his cell phone, and Gordon was none too surprised, but more confused as to why he would get that creeping, yet secure, feeling he got when Batman was just working his way out of the shadows. It was daylight for crying out loud, and Batman wasn't seen during the day.
Bruce stood at the door, his smooth voice carrying over the now quiet restaurant. Everyone was staring at him, but he seemed not to notice or care. “Oh no, tomorrow is great, Clark. We can meet Wayne Enterprises and go from there. Yes. Sure. Great. I'll tell Lucius. Yes, I'll let Alfred know. Okay. Yes. Talk you then.” And he punched a button on the phone, finally seeing everyone was staring at him in awe. Gordon ducked his head down and tried to cover his face with his hand.
Sarah laughed at him. “You act like he's a plague or something.”
“Or something is about right.” Gordon mumbled to her. “He's been showing up everywhere I've been this week. I think I'm being stalked.”
“Don't flatter yourself, Commissioner.” Came Bruce's voice next to him as he pulled up a chair to sit down at their table. Sarah raised an eyebrow. Bruce placed his phone down on the table as he stripped his suit jacket off. Gordon raised his eyes a bit to look at it and then to Bruce.
“I… uh. Well...” Gordon began, but he was too focused on the black sleek features of the phone, a little familiar to him, as if he'd seen it before. He wanted to reach out and look at it, scroll through the features and see the other man's phone book to find out who he talked to. Stop it, Jim. Who Bruce Wayne talks to is none of your business. Still, he was very, very curious.
Bruce seemed to see him eyeing his phone. “It's an iPhone. Helps me keep track of everything I need to do day-to-day. Appointments, meetings... you know, stuff.” A typical air-headed comment, but there was something else there, behind the voice, behind the facade that Gordon was starting to see through.
“Can I look at it?” Gordon asked casually. “I've been thinking about getting one.” A blatant lie, considering he'd just bought the phone he had now. Bruce seemed to be considering this, as if it were a life-or-death decision, and his eyes were assessed the older man a bit uncomfortably.
Bruce slid the phone over to Gordon. “Be my guest.” The billionaire's voice was almost daring, as if trying to tell Gordon if he looked at it he should be ready to know some really awful truths. Or maybe he was reading too much into it. Sarah was watching Gordon to see if he was going to do it. He reached out and took the phone, aware Bruce and Sarah were both staring at him; Sarah in a baffled sort of way, and Bruce in an “I warned you” sort of way. Gordon started to look through the programs on it, Myspace, Livejournal, Facebook, iTunes, nothing too exciting. He was tempted to go through the phone book, just as he wanted, but decided that maybe, from the way Bruce was staring at him, it wasn't such a good idea.
“Well, I definitely do not want one of these. This is too confusing for me to figure out.” Gordon said as he placed the phone back on the table and slid it to Bruce. The billionaire had a tight lipped, grim look on his face. Sarah had started to fidget a bit from the intense glare Bruce was giving. Bruce took the phone and slid it into his pants pocket, never taking his eyes from Gordon.
“If you really wanted one I'm sure I could show you how to work it, Jim.” Bruce said, his facial features lightened a bit and grin spread across his lips. Whatever it was he was afraid of Gordon finding out, Bruce must have known he didn't find it in the phone. Now Gordon was even more curious.
“No, that's alright. I did just get the phone I have. Just figuring out how to use it, no point confusing myself even more.” Gordon offered, pointing to his phone on the table next to him. A waitress came by and placed the food down in front of them.
“Did you want something too?” She asked in a thick Chinese accent.
“Oh, uh... whatever the house special is today.” Bruce answered without even batting an eye. House special was octopus and Gordon shuddered at the thought, he wasn't into fish, let alone things with tentacles. Bruce didn't seem phased.
Sarah was trying not to giggle. Gordon was going impatient. How was it that he even gave Bruce the impression that sitting with him for lunch was acceptable? Bruce didn't seem to notice that Gordon was unimpressed. Sarah and Gordon ate and Bruce talked about some party he attended the past weekend, something about Italian women. Sarah tried not to roll her eyes every time he mentioned a new woman. Finally Bruce's food came, and he had barely touched it when his phone started to ring, “Hip to be Square”.
Bruce pulled the phone from his pocket and pushed the receive button. “What now, Clark? No. Yes. Tomorrow night? Yeah that will work. Yes. Okay. No, I'm headed back to the office right now. No. I was having lunch. Jim Gordon. Yes, Commissioner Jim Gordon. Uh huh. Right. Yes. Tomorrow. Yes. Bye.” Bruce rolled his eyes as he hit the end call button. He put the phone down on the table next to him and continued to eat. Gordon and Sarah were both staring at him. Who was Clark?
Bruce had just put a noodle in his mouth and was attempting to slurp it up when he stopped short, realizing the other two were looking at him confused. He finished the noodle and sat up straight, placing his chopsticks down.
“Clark Kent.” He said. He didn't seem to mind telling them, as if it were big news anyway. Clark Kent, Gordon knew, was a well known reporter for the Daily Planet in Metropolis, often sent out of town to cover bigger stories. “He's writing a story on the Wayne Enterprises and Stark Industries working together. Tony and I have an interview tomorrow with him.”
So the two companies were actually working together, but military equipment still seemed unlikely to Gordon. On the other hand, he had no way to prove otherwise. Bruce glanced down at his watch and picked up his phone. He pulled out his wallet and placed a one-hundred dollar bill on the table. He shook Sarah's hand and patted Gordon, again, on the shoulder.
“I really have to get going. Board Meeting. I'll see you around, Jim.” Bruce slid his suit jacket back on. Sarah tried to tell him he left too much for his meal, but he merely brushed her off casually, as if it were nothing. Bruce left.
Gordon felt bewildered and Sarah looked a bit annoyed.
“I think he is stalking you.”
.
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven | Part Eight