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Casual Encounters
Part Seven
written by destinyawakened
Jim Gordon finally arrived back home around five that evening, seeing Barbara standing on the front porch with Jimmy and Babs sitting below her on the steps. Jimmy was playing his Nintendo DS and Babs was reading a book – one of the ones Bruce gave her last Saturday. Barbara looked all around pissed off and put out. Gordon could tell the reprimanding look without even having to hear a word come out of her mouth. There was definitely another one of those “responsible to your family” talks roaming around her thick head, and he could tell it was taking all her will power to keep it to herself until the kids weren't around.
“Sorry.” He muttered as he ran up the steps to the front door, slipping his key into the lock and pushing the door open. Jimmy and Babs walked in and Barbara stood by the door and waited for Gordon to shut it. Once he did she opened her mouth to speak and Gordon put his hand up in defense. “Let's not get carried away. I know your spiels backwards and forwards by now. So I ran a little late today, I had no idea. I'll make it up to you and keep them an extra hour on Sunday.”
Barbara glared at him. “You talk like it’s a chore or something.” She spat bitterly, her arms crossed across her chest, one toe tapping on the old, run down wood of the porch. Gordon felt the urge to smash her foot down with his heel, but restrained.
“That's not what I mean at all.” He explained instead, letting out a long sigh, mostly for his benefit, to keep his anger level down. After the miniature golf event of the day, he wasn't sure how much more bickering he would be able to stand. She only continued to glare at him. “I said I was sorry, what; what else can I do?”
“Nothing – apparently.” She huffed as she turned her back on him and walked down the steps to her car. He watched her drive off, shaking his head. He went back inside the house. Jimmy had Rock Band on and Babs was at the kitchen table finishing her weekend homework. Neither of them looked up when he shut the front door and stood looking between them. It was going to be a long night.
-----
Around ten that evening Gordon went outside for his end of the evening smoke. Jimmy was still playing on the game and Babs on the computer in her room. He hadn't gotten much conversation out of either of them, and he began to wonder just exactly what Barbara had been telling them. Or maybe they were just being teenagers.
Gordon pulled out a cigarette from the package he kept deep in his pocket, placing the stick between his lips, ready to light. He flicked the lighter open but a slight shift to his left and sudden gust of wind stopped him. He looked up at the rafters noticing Batman squatting there, Kevlar boots shining in the small porch light. This time though, there was a shiny pair of red boots floating next to the dark as night armor. Gordon felt the cigarette drop from his lips as his mouth dropped open uncontrollably.
The commissioner let his eyes drift from the red boots, to the blue spandex body suit covering muscular legs, torso strong arms, red hot pants (which Gordon always thought was really ridiculous, who did that on purpose anyway?), a giant red and yellow S, and a red cape. Gordon found he was more than surprised. It wasn't that he didn't know Superman was real, but the fact that Superman was in Gotham City with Batman was something all together... interesting. It was one thing to see Iron Man, knowing he was Tony Stark. But Superman? No one knew his identity – much like Batman. Gordon had a feeling, a very intense feeling he had been let in on far too many secrets that afternoon and that his mind was working way too hard to piece together a puzzle he didn't want to finish.
So he wouldn't. He would just block everything out of his mind.
Superman floated down to Gordon, hand outstretched, which Gordon took for a firm handshake. He felt the bones in his hands creak a little. “Commissioner Gordon. Batman has told me nothing but good things.”
Gordon wanted to say something about how he doubted that because Batman rarely said anything, but he had a feeling that maybe Batman talked more than he let on. “Wish I could say the same, Mister...” What did you call Superman? Mister Superman? Mister Man? Mister Super? Super? Supes?
“Just Superman, is fine.” The bigger man said as he touched down on the porch next to Gordon. “I hear through the grapevine you have a son who reads my comics.”
Gordon nodded slowly, still in a bit of awe. Batman was one thing for Gotham, and Gordon had pretty much grown accustomed to his abrupt nature and disappearing acts. But Superman was right in front of him trying to carry on a conversation. It was a strange and Gordon wasn't sure he actually liked it or not.
“Uh, yes. Yes he does.” And then Gordon got what it was the two of them were there for. “Let me go get him. One second.” Gordon shoved his lighter back into his pocket, opening the front door partially. “Jimmy! Can you come here for a minute, son?” There was a loud groan from the living room and the sudden loud noise from the game stopped as his son trudged over to him. Gordon wrapped an arm around his son's shoulder and pulled him further out onto the porch.
“Jimmy?” Superman asked. Slowly the boy's head moved to his left and his eyes went really wide as his skin became a lighter shade of white. Superman held out a hand to Jimmy and the boy, as if in trance, took it. “Hi, Jimmy. Batman says you're a bit of a fan of mine. I was in town on some business and I thought I would drop by and say hello to one of my biggest fans.”
Gordon heard a scoff from the rafters and could have sworn he saw Batman roll his eyes in annoyance. Jimmy was still in a bit of shock. Gordon moved over to the railing near Batman and let Superman and Jimmy take the front steps. Gordon nodded his head to Batman, who jumped down and landed next to him. Gordon gestured to Jimmy and Superman, and smiled a little.
“Thanks. He's been pretty down on the whole 'Batman is not a hero' thing. Seeing you with Superman will really boost his spirits about you.” Gordon said.
Batman did what Gordon thought was a little shrug. “He needs a real role model. I'm not a hero, I'm not –” Batman was searching for the words but Gordon held up a hand to stop him.
“Look, Hero or not, vigilante or not; you're still someone my boy looks up to. Bringing Superman here is not going to change that or make him change his mind. Superman did not save Jimmy's life. Superman did not take a bullet for him. Superman did not save his Dad countless times. You did. And Jimmy's not going to forget that.”
Batman was silent. Gordon noticed that Batman was assessing, trying to find out if Gordon had some explanation on how to get Jimmy to stop the hero worship. It was obvious that maybe Batman didn't like the attention, or didn't like being a role model to an impressionable teenager. Gordon gave the vigilante a sincere smile and shook his head slightly.
“I can't say the kid has bad taste. It's a lot better than him idolizing that Iron Man jackass.” Gordon remarked, thinking about the afternoon he had and Tony Stark's annoying comments and constant drinking. How did a guy like that become a hero?
Batman made a noise that Gordon had never heard before, it almost sounded like a held back laugh or a snort. Gordon eyed him. “Let me guess. You know him.” Of course though, it was Batman, and if Batman knew Superman of course he would know Iron Man. Don't fit it together, don't think about it, Jim.
Batman gave a curt nod.
------
Saturday's for the last year and a half had been slow days where Gordon, Babs and Jimmy would stay at home and play bored games and act like a family; but the last two weeks the kids had other things in mind. Babs wanted to go look at new laptops and iPods at the Mac store and Jimmy wanted to go check out games for his new Wii at the gaming store. Gordon didn't want to have to make a million stops, so he suggested the mall.
Fortunately Sarah Essen offered to come with him, as it would be apparent that the kids would run off on their own and leave their old dad by himself to wander the food court for hours debating whether to have a ice cream or a cookie, both of which he didn't really need. At least with Sarah walking a mall wouldn't seem so awful.
At least he didn't think so until the kids had gone their separate ways and Sarah blurted out that they should go to the Victoria's Secret store. Gordon groaned and stood firmly planted just outside the store, Sarah pulling relentlessly on his arm. He finally budged and allowed himself to be dragged into the bright pink store that smelled of one too many perfumes being sprayed. There were teenage girls hoarding in a corner looking at the new brightly colors panties – Gordon tried not to think about Babs doing this, as it made him just so uneasy.
Sarah kept showing him different little outfits and he kept nodding encouragingly, when the truth was he was just too damn embarrassed to be in here, even with her. Barbara never liked this stuff and when she did wear some for him; it was something bought from the department store and pretty generic. He didn't see the point of crotch less panties or thongs, the need for see through nighties when you could just take it off... but he let her go on and try them on anyway, her promising that he would get to see her in them if she bought any. He just nodded as she went off to the dressing room.
Gordon tried to find a good place to plant himself to look inconspicuous, out of the way, and less of an old perv. Except, there really was no where to hide. He leaned himself up against a wall with a mirror on it, which got him a few awkward – yet interested – glances from a few younger females in their mid twenties. He smiled at them politely and all three of them giggled as they walked to the fitting room to try on their chosen nighties. Gordon found himself blushing deeply and looking away before one of them could catch his eye again.
And that was when his heart skipped and he it felt like the breath had been knocked out of him. His ears had to be deceiving him. There was the rich sound of laughter coming from his right and his was nearly afraid to turn around. He slowly turned his head, eyes following as his gaze pierced right into the bold frame of Bruce Wayne. Now, Bruce in a lingerie store didn't seem that unlikely, and neither was the idea of his companion, Tony Stark(again) who had a lovely, young red head following him around and picking things up after him. Bruce had a black haired woman with him, caught on his arm casually. She had a few things in her hands, one being a black latex-looking body suit.
“Try it on. I'll be out here.” Bruce said to the woman, who let go of his arm and walked past Gordon, her deep green eyes catching his for just a moment and she smiled at him slyly and she gave him flirtatious little wave. Gordon looked back at Bruce when the woman disappeared around the corner of the dressing room. Bruce didn't seem to care that his lady friend had just thrown a pass at him, in fact Bruce seemed very placid.
Tony had turned to the red head at his side. “Why don't you pick something Ms. Potts and go try it on?” The girl rolled her eyes at him and shook her head. Then she said something quietly to him that Gordon couldn't quite hear, before she left the store completely.
What struck Gordon as odd was that even though Bruce Wayne had clearly seen him, the billionaire made no sudden move to greet him. Usually there would be a quip about Gordon being alone in a lingerie store, or something about kinks – he was sure of it – and how people shouldn't find this out about their commissioner, but it didn't happen. Bruce stood where he was, talking to Tony now as the older billionaire sorted through a table of thongs. Then they moved on to another part of the store.
Curiously, Gordon followed a ways back, staying around the corner and peaking around it. Bruce was holding something up, a red little number made of mostly lace and a few satin ribbons. Tony scoffed.
“Red is more my color, Bruce.” Tony said in a semi-serious tone. Bruce laughed and put it back and picked up something in black and laughed as he pressed it up to himself.
“Black better?” He asked with a big grin.
“What is it with you and black?” Tony asked as he took the item from Bruce and looked at it more thoroughly. “You think Pepper would like this?”
“If you mean, 'do you think Pepper will wear it for me?' The answer is clearly no.” Bruce quipped back at the older man, and Tony looked a bit annoyed with Bruce as he threw the item over the side of one of the racks. Bruce promptly took the item and placed it back correctly.
“What about this?” Tony asked again, picking up a satin bra with matching panties. “It feels really nice; I bet she'd like to wear that under...”
“Don't even continue that.” Bruce warned. “Miss Potts is not going to wear any lingerie that you buy her. Isn't there some employee to employer ethics code?”
“Whatever, Bruce. Then you buy it for her. She'll wear it if it comes from you.” Tony rolled his eyes in annoyance and then started to talk in a fake girl's voice. “'Bruce does this and Bruce does that. Why don't you treat women the way Bruce does'. Honestly, it's getting old.”
“Well, maybe you should.” Bruce said as he took the satin items from the older man and put them back on the rack again. “If you get Ms. Potts something, it should be a day off.”
“Ha. Ha.” Tony glared at Bruce. He picked up a pair of boyshort panties in gold, changing the subject again. “Think I should go the Supes route and change up my attire?”
Gordon couldn't bear to watch the two men pretend to try on lingerie, the thought of Bruce Wayne in lingerie made Gordon's brain break and he didn't like the thought at all. He turned back around the corner and waited for Sarah, who was taking her damn sweet time. He glanced at his watch and hoped Bruce did not turn that corner.
But wishing usually made things worse – usually made them happen.
And there was Bruce Wayne now walking up next to him but this time without Tony Stark. Gordon didn't mind, Tony was really not his favorite person. Then again, when did Bruce become any better? When you... No, no.. don't even go there, Jim. Bruce leaned up against the wall next to him.
“Here with Lt. Essen?” He asked smoothly.
Gordon nodded quickly. “Yes. I see you're here with a lady friend as well.”
Bruce shrugged. “She's a lady and she's a friend.”
“Usually someone buys a woman lingerie in hopes of getting to see her in it, Mister Wayne.” Gordon implied. He didn't care what Bruce did with the young woman he had brought in here, though a part of him was curious, just not blatantly so.
Bruce shrugged again and gave one those sheepish little grins that Gordon, unfortunately, was starting to find pretty darn cute. He scoffed mentally at himself for it. “Not always. Sometimes friends can help other friends out and give them a distraction from the things in their lives that might not necessarily be good... for them.”
Gordon wasn't sure he was following. He furrowed his eyebrow, about to say something more but Bruce's companion walked out of the fitting room carrying the items she had gone in with. She walked up to Bruce and he carefully took the things from her. Gordon watched as Bruce seemed to be taking a mental count, checking off the items in his head. Curious.
Finally Bruce seemed satisfied. “This all?” The woman nodded. “Alright. Why don't you acquaint yourself with Commissioner Gordon here while I take care of this.” Bruce walked off towards the checkout counter, Tony suddenly at his side showing Bruce another outfit and quipping something along the lines of “this would really show off your physique, Brucie.”
The woman was staring at Gordon now, smiling a bit uncomfortably. “So, Commissioner, is it?”
Gordon nodded. “That's right. You're name miss?”
She held her hand out to him, he took it into a firm shake. “Selina Kyle.”
Kyle... Where had he heard that name? Oh right, the animal right activist who had been doing some great fund raising events that Gordon never went to. “Ah, Ms. Kyle. How do you know Mister Wayne?”
“We've been friends a few years. We met at one of his parties, one of those auction events. He won a nice piece of art I had my eye on. He never did give it up though.” She had one of those fake grins that Bruce often used, as if hiding something but telling the truth in a riddle. Gordon hated that – he hated riddles.
“I see.” He said. Selina was getting rather close to him, as if checking him out, sizing him up and she looked about ready to ask him what he was doing later when Sarah walked out of the dressing room and stopped short, an angry scowl on her face. Obviously this looked bad for Gordon. Very bad. Selina seemed to catch on and she slowly backed off, shrugging and throwing an innocent little smile at Sarah. Bruce walked up then and pulled on Selina's arm.
Bruce looked at Sarah apologetically. “Lt. Essen, so good to see you. Jim said you were here.” He motioned to Selina at his side. “This is Selina, my...” He struggled with the word he wanted, not sure apparently what to call her. He had told Gordon she was a friend, but there was that sexual tension between that suggested they did a little more than just be friends every now and then.
“Lady friend.” huffed Selina, as if she had heard the term out of his mouth more than once.
“Right.” Bruce said. “Jim, it was good to see you. You know, we keep showing up in the same place, I think we should just set a real meeting one of these days.”
Gordon rolled his eyes. “Well, I'm afraid tomorrow is another family day, we're going bowling and I have to work all next –”
Bruce cut him off with a big grin. “Bowling? That sounds wonderful. I haven't bowled since I was a kid. I'll bring the limo by late tomorrow morning.” Gordon knew he shouldn't have opened his big mouth, really, really shouldn't have. And you didn't tell Bruce Wayne no. Sarah was glaring at him because he had told her just the other day she couldn't go because it was a family day. Oh, he was in so much trouble.
Bruce Wayne... Gordon wanted to be angry with him, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Everything that was falling apart in Gordon's life was his own fault; Bruce Wayne was merely showing him that.
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