Batman, Robin and Kitty

Chapter Five: Kitty

Kayden cursed quietly and dropped the needle to look at her fingertip. It hadn't broken the skin, but had still hurt. She sighed and picked up the needle, working at the fabric again. She had already known how to sew, had mended her costume many times in the circus. She'd made alterations as she grew and patched it when it grew worn.
After her talk with Batman, she had made up her mind, become the hero that Batman claimed to be but wasn't.
She had decided to keep the colors of her old costume, purple blue and black, and had told Bruce she had taken up sewing as a way to relax to get the supplies.
It had taken almost three months to get everything done. She had stayed up late most nights, sometimes all night, to get it finished.
After tying off the last stitch, she grinned and put the needle down, spreading her costume out on the bed. It was a black unitard, with a blue cape that only reached the back of her knees and a purple belt made out of one of the sleeves of her old costume.
She hadn't wanted to take it apart, but she needed a little luck from her old life for protection. She kept the purple boots from her old costume and had used the little money she had gotten from her parents to buy a pair of purple gloves. She had also bought one of those neck things that went over her nose and had the design of a cat's month and whiskers. It had given her the idea to call herself Kitty, like how her mother used to call her Kady cat, which led to her making a pair of black cat ears that she put on a black hair ribbon to keep her hair out of her face like a headband.
There was a knock and Kayden shoved her costume under her pillow, pulling a half finished dress into her lap. "Come in," she called, pretending to be focused on that.
The door opened and Dick came in, dressed in a tux with his hair a mess. "What are you doing?" He asked in the voice that meant he needed her to do something for him.
Kayden recognized the voice and put the dress aside, an amused smile on her face. "Come here," she said, standing up and crossing to her bathroom. "I'll fix your hair for your big date with Barbara."
"It's not a date," Dick said quickly. "We're just going to one of those stupid celebrity fundraisers. Not a date."
"Are you a sure about that?" She teased, picking up a brush and a comb. "You two seem awfully close."
"We're just friends, really," he insisted, standing in front of the mirror with Kayden behind him. "But why don't you date?"
Kayden shrugged nonchalantly, running the comb through his hair. "I guess no one's really stood out, yet," she said. "I'll start dating when someone does."
Kayden felt Dick watching her in the mirror and locked eyes with him. "Besides, the only man I need in my life is you," she said, leaning forward to kiss his cheek. She finished his hair and reached for the gel to spike it. When she was done, his hair was a bit spiky with his bangs brushing his forehead. "There you go. Have fun, okay? And remember your manners, okay?"
"I will," he said, turning to smile at her. "I gotta get going, Bruce's waiting. Are you sure you won't mind staying home alone? Bruce and I might just get a hotel room for the night and if not we'll still be out pretty late."
"I'll be fine," she said. "And I won't be home alone, Alfred's here. Don't worry about me, little brother."
"I'll always worry about you, big sister," he said, taking her hand to squeeze it gently. She squeezed in back and they pulled away.
"I'll see you tomorrow," Dick said, before leaving. Kayden followed him out to her bedroom and watched him go.
When the door shut, she sighed and moved to her bed, reaching to pick up the pillow, but another knock on the door made her jerk her hand back.
Bruce was standing in the hall in front of her room when she opened the door. "Hey, Bruce," she said. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, just wanted to see if you're still okay with staying behind," Bruce said. "I know parties aren't really your thing, but..." He shrugged.
"I'll be fine," Kayden said. "You and Dick go have fun. Don't worry about me."
"If you're sure," he said. "Alfred said dinner should be ready in a little while."
"Actually, I'm not that hungry tonight," Kayden said. "Do you mind telling him that I'm just going to go to bed early?"
"Are you feeling okay?" He asked, frowning slightly. "It's not like you to not eat, especially Alfred's food."
"Yeah, just tired," she said, giving him a slightly sheepish smile. "Too many late nights working on my outfits, I guess."
"Alright, I'll let him know," Bruce said. "Just make sure you get some rest, you do look tired."
"Of course," she said. "Have fun at the party."
"We'll see you tomorrow," Bruce said, before leaving. Kayden closed her door and leaned against it, letting out a tired sigh. She quickly folded her Kitty costume and tucked it into an old backpack, hiding it in her closet.
She would get some sleep tonight, and tomorrow would be her first night as the hero Gotham deserved.