Re: Near the entrance: Bat/Cat
Selina kept watching over his shoulder until the moment when Harley straddled Robert's lap, mouth on his and his hand on her hip. Then she stopped looking altogether. She shifted her body so she couldn't see; she didn't want to see anything going on in that reception, and she really had no idea why she'd bothered coming here. They'd give her hell for not going in, and she would have to take it, and she didn't even want to think about it. She focused on what he was saying instead, how he cared about where he fit, and how this wasn't easy. And she knew he saw what she was feeling, but there was nothing to do about that. She gave him a wan sort of smile when he said she didn't have anything to be sorry for, because that was kindness, and she wasn't sure she could handle that kind of kindness from him. She was used to him looking at her with heat in his eyes, and she was used to him wanting her. Whatever else had been wrong, that had been there, but it wasn't now.
He winced. She died a little.
And he was right. She was going to go, leave him be, let him have his life in Italy with Iris. She watched his steps, turning when she heard him move, and she took the half-pursuit as what it was: guilt.
The smile she gave him was sad, and it lingered, and why bother with things that made things better now? Instead, she reached out a hand, tears staining her cheeks and eyes brimming over with them. She squeezed his fingers reassuringly, and wasn't that hysterical? Her needing to make him feel better? "It's okay, Mr. Wayne. You don't need to feel guilty for letting me see the truth. It's okay. You don't have to ask me to stay."
Because if he wanted her, he would have done something else, something different, something at any point in this conversation. "If you wanted me to stay, you would've said something, anything about wanting me," she continued, voice shattered, but resigned. "I think I said I loved you half a dozen times. I begged. I tried ultimatums. Even I know when something's hopeless, Br- Mr. Wayne. I understand. Don't feel bad." She slipped her hand from his. She was sobbing now.
"I'm sorry I made this so hard. I won't bother you again." She'd done that enough, and it was obvious she meant it. She wouldn't reach out again, and with that she turned. She left. She didn't look back, and she didn't break down until she was far away from those twinkling lights and crushed hopes.
Crushed, and she felt like she was dying. But maybe that would've been easier. Maybe it would've hurt less.