Roxanne ☾𝐃𝐂 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐒☽

Chapter 8: Bruce Does Not Approve

Finally, the annual Wayne Family Christmas Party (which comprised of every important person in Gotham, so it was really a game Christmas party, was it?) arrived on December 1st.

As Helena mingled between guests, someone suddenly caught her eye. She rushed over and squealed-
"HOLLY!"
"Ah!" Holly Robinson, formerly Catwomen's sidekick and current informant for the Batfamily, laughed as Helena squeezed her tight.
"Hey Helena! How have you been? I know I'm a bit late, but congrats on being 18! Is it all you hoped for?" Holly asked as she had been away for a few months traveling aboard.
"Eh. I feel the same if I'm honest. I didn't expect you to come!"
"Of course I would come! You think I wouldn't? Selina invited me-I could not resist the invitation. I miss you guys." Holly said, pulling Helena into another hug.
"So, where are those bats?" Holly asks, surveying the room for Helena's siblings.
"Tim and Jason were in the kitchen last I saw them. I think Damien's up in his room avoiding the party and... well Violet might be up there with him now that I think about it."
"Haha! So where's Dick, then? I don't see him." Holly extends her neck up to try and see him in true crowd.
"Yeah... uh. He might not be coming." Holly then turns and blinks.
"Not coming? Why??" Helena bites her lip and feels bad looking at Holly's concerned face.
"Come with me." She says, grabbing Holly by the wrist and leading her upstairs.
"Is there a reason you can't tell me down there?" Holly asks as they reach the top level of Wayne Manor.
"I just... want to talk about it in private." Helena replies, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.
"Hey Holly." Violet greets deadpanned from her room without looking up as she and Damien play a racing game on the screen.
"Hey Vi! Hi Dami!" Holly greets as she past with a wave.

Finally, she and Helena reach the end of the hallway, Helena's room. She opens it only to find-
"Um... hello?" A couple, Holly and Helena's age, who were heavily making out stop and blink at her bewildered.
"Uh... yah?" The girl asks.
"You're in my room."
"Ugh, we just wanted a little privacy!" The boy complains.
"I don't care, dude! Get the fuck out of my room! Shoo!" Helena says, extremely annoyed. The two grumble as they exit but say nothing more.

Holly chuckles quietly and Helena sighs, exasperated, as she lays down her bed.
"Ugh! Some people!"
"You said it!" Holly agrees, as she sits on a purple beanbag chair.

It goes quiet as the two girls don't say a word, just listen to the laughter and chatter of the party. Holly looks outside for a brief moment before slyly glancing at Helena.
"So... what did you want to know about?" Helena sighs deeply, closing her eyes and then begins to explain the events that transpired eight months ago.
"So, I found Dick at the mall a few days ago and I met Roxanne and she was really nice and all her family lives in Star City and...I just felt bad for her, Holly. Was I wrong to do that?" Holly shakes her head without hesitation.
"No. That was very nice of you. I'm sure your mom was proud."
"She was. The rest... not so much."
"Mm. I figured. Your dad probably wasn't happy either-what is it?" Holly stops mid sentence as she sees Helena pale.
"I forgot to tell him." She says quietly and a silence falls between them as they realize the gravity of the situation.
"SHIT!" Helena curses as they both race out of the door, passing by Violet and Damien-in Violet's room-and the couple that were making out earlier, in the hallway.

Violet sticks her head out of her room.
"Where are you going??"
"No time! Roxanne! Haven't told dad! Gotta go!!" Helena shouts back as she runs down the stairs. Violet turns to Damien.
"I'm hungry-and want to see how this train wreck turns out. Want to come?" He shrugs.
"Sure."

*

"Excuse me, sorry, sorry! Pardon me!" Helena exchanges pleas tries as she pushed past the many, many and found her parents near the foyer. She practically slams into her mother, making Selina jump.
"Oh... good. You've uh... you've met Roxanne." Helena states, exhausted.
"Mm-hm. We did." Selina replied.
"Great, I uh... I thought dad would be mad-god my lungs hurt." Selina sighs.
"Roxanne, you of course already met my daughter. She's a good kid, just um... worries a lot."
"It's fine! I get it. Me and my sisters put my mom through the ringer a few times!" Roxanne replies and it makes Bruce crack a small smile.
"Well, I'm glad. I'm sorry, this is Holly. She's just returned, apparently, from France."
"Hi!" Holly greets and she and Roxanne shake hands.
"Nice to meet you, Holly. This is my best friend, Afia." They say their hellos.
"Hey Dick." Holly greets.
"Hi Holly. I had no idea you even left!" He tries to make it a joke but Holly isn't having it.
"Yeah... you might've known if you were around." She says, vaguely hinting at something that Roxanne and Afia didn't know about.