Our Shadows [18+] Batman × Catwoman (TDT Pt 2)

Chapter 4

"Come on, darling. Let's get you cleaned up."
Bruce stood with a grunt before helping her up.

He led her into the bathroom.
Flicking on the light, which stuttered to life with a buzz.

He took in the bathroom.
Old yellowed tiles. Most chipped, many missing completely.

On the left was a sorry excuse for a shower. The faucet was coated in rust. Dripping incessantly. The shower curtain was old and discoloured.

On the right was an old porcelain toilet that had seen better days, alongside a cracked sink that looked as if it would break at the first opportunity.

He sighed. "I'm going to replace everything in this house. There's no way I'm letting you live like this anymore. I don't even care how much it'll cost. You deserve better."

Selina sighed. "Bruce, really, you don't have to. Everything's just old. It still works."

She walked over to the shower. Turning on the faucet, which groaned and spluttered to life.
She adjusted the temperature and stepped inside.

"That doesn't mean you don't deserve better. At least not broken."
Bruce added. Following her into the water.

Billionaire playboy or not, he knew she deserved better. Anyone did.

Despite the groaning pipes, the water was warm, and the pressure was decent.
He closed his eyes and savoured the warmth.

Selina stood naked under the water. Despite having sex with him twice now, she still felt intimidated and embarrassed to be naked in front of him.
It's not like he hadn't seen her naked before. His hands touching every part of her without abandon.

She sighed, reaching down for a wash cloth and a bar of floral soap. She lathered it up and started washing herself.
The soap bubbles helped to cover her.

Bruce reached out, and she paused.
She met his gaze and understood, passing him the wash cloth.
Something shifted between them as if they no longer needed words to communicate. As if they both knew what the other needed.

Silently, he washed her. The wash cloth passing over every inch of her skin with practiced efficiency. Despite his broad, scarred hands, he was gentle.
The way his eyes roved over her skin, as if she was the finest thing he'd ever seen, made her tummy fill with butterflies. Her cheeks burning.

He knelt down in front of her. Putting her foot on his thigh so he could wash her leg.
Bruce saw an old scar on her calf, and despite the soap and water, he pressed a delicate kiss to it.

She let out a sigh.
He knew how to treat her with passion and respect. He knew how to be gentle, how to love her.

Her cheeks warmed, and the initial embarrassment began to fade, instead replaced with love.
Selina hummed with delight.

His steel blue eyes flicked up, meeting her gaze. Satisfaction and something warm glinted in them.

He lowered her leg and stood. Dropping the wash cloth to the floor. All his attention was on her.

His hand came up to hold her chin gently.
"You're so beautiful, Selina."
He murmured before kissing her gently.
His lips pressed against hers carefully enough that Selina realised he was afraid to hurt her.
So many years he'd spent fighting crime. Getting into so much violence and vigilantism, that now he was afraid he'd hurt her.

A part of her heart broke to realise that. What else had being the masked vigilante for so long, done to him? What else was he afraid of?

Selina reached up and pulled him closer. Deepening the kiss.
Showing him she wasn't fragile. He wouldn't hurt her.
He kissed her back harder before, his hands carefully reached hers. Lowering them. Breaking the kiss.
He smiled gently, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
"I love you."

He saw right through her attempts.
"I love you too, Bruce." She said through a yawn.

"Hmm, come on, let's get out."
She was too tired to argue with him.
Her legs ached from how he'd made them shake.
Her lips twisted into a small smile at the thought.

Bruce quickly washed himself off before stepping out of the shower. Grabbing a towel from the rail, tying it around his waist before grabbing another for her.

He held it out for her, and she stepped into his embrace. Wrapping her in the warm towel.
He pulled her close. Kissing her forehead.
She hummed happily, and they stood there for a moment. Savouring the moment.

Bruce sat on the toilet lid and pulled her over. Drying her like a mother would her child. Quickly but with love and care.

It'd been many years since he'd been this close with someone.
She seemed so young in this moment, so innocent. Fragile.
She was just a woman behind the mask, just like he was just a man.
They'd both had so much bad shit happen to them at a young age. Yet despite everything, somewhere under the surface, they'd kept a fragment of their innocence.
It meant everything to Bruce that she shared it with him.
He'd do anything in his power to protect her.

When she was dry, he led her to the bedroom. A comforting, guiding hand on her lower back.

Selina didn't bother with clothes before crawling back into bed. The sheets still crumpled from before.

Bruce couldn't help but smile as he followed suit. Tossing the towels on the ground and climbing into bed beside her, ignoring the groaning bed springs.
She leant into his side and he pulled her closer.
She quickly fell into a deep sleep in his arms.

Bruce smiled to himself.
Despite everything this was the right decision. He was sure of it now.

The way she gave him everything and expected nothing in return. The way she loved him felt genuine. He'd known her long enough to know her tells. Know when she had an ulterior motive. But this, them? It was genuine.

He pressed a gentle kiss to her damp hair. Taking in her familiar smell - perfume and cat - before closing his eyes.
Finally, he allowed himself to relax.