hell fire • joker + bruce wayne ✔️

I

"I CAN'T PRINT THIS."

"Yes you can," fired the young woman who was holding the manuscript in her hands. "It makes perfect sense and you know it."

"The fact that you have to convince me it makes perfect sense tells me you don't believe in what you've written, Miss. Carmichael."

The young woman tugged on a string of her caramel colored hair and inhaled deeply. She sat back down roughly and said in a small voice. "But I thought you wanted something new."

"Yeah, well, new means a socialites' secret or the next Gotham Gala location, not an article speculating the identity of the bat vigilante! This is Gotham Elite not the Gotham Daily."

Stephanie Carmichael leaned across the table and looked the editor of Gotham's biggest gossip paper in the eye. "I promise you no other paper will have this story."

The older woman chuckled dryly, "That's because no one's crazy enough to think that Bruce Wayne - charming, privileged, trustfund baby Bruce Wayne - could possibly be the Batman."

Stephanie bit her lip. When you put it that way, it seemed close to impossible.

"Until you have more concrete evidence, I can't print this. I'm sorry, Stephanie."

"It's fine," She said. Stephanie grabbed her handbag and the manuscript off the table. "I'll see myself out."

---- Δ ----

"How did it go?"

"I think if a volcano blew up in my face and buried my screaming ass under molten lava, it would feel better than getting rejected by a gossip site."

"Ouch. So I take it you're at a bar drinking your frustrations away."

Stephanie closed her car door.

"You know me so well, Layla. Did you want to come out? Have a little girls night?"

"Although I do miss your cute face, I can't. I've got company."

"Is it Chad?" Stephanie asked. "Layla-"

"Don't start," Layla squeaked. Stephanie heard the door on her side creaking shut. "I'm a weak bitch, ok?"

"He cheated on you!"

"Allegedly," She hissed. "He wants to change."