I Moderate (i_moderate) wrote in we_archive, @ 2006-05-18 22:39:00 |
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Entry tags: | bruce wayne, maxine gibbons |
i_assist Straightening a Few Things Out [Bruce... after the family dinner]
The dinner was over and it had, surprisingly, been a less than painful event. There'd been some awkwardness, but then, there was awkwardness at every family gathering, no matter how undisfuntional you actually were. So, perhaps this had been a success then.
"C'mon, Ace. Bedtime." Everyone was going home now and Max had said goodnight to the appropriate people. She was ready for bed herself. It'd felt like I long, long day, made even longer by being social for a better part of the evening.
Max patted her thigh, beckoning Ace over to the stairs where she was standing. He came over obediantly and pushed up to rest both front paws against her legs. The feeling was something of a reminder of how she really hadn't been spending enough time with him lately. They would have to go out for a walk the next day. Just her and Ace. The manor had expansive grounds, yes, but Max knew he was going to get bored of them eventually.
She reached down and petted him, scratching behind his ears and grinning.
From: i_crusade Date: 05/18/2006 20:14:25
Tugging off his tie and loosening his collar, he caught sight of Maxine and Ace the Wonder Dog, who seemed to be very friendly with her. This pleased him. Ace had good instincts, and if Maxine was his friend... Maxine was already 'trusted' but Ace's vote mattered too.
There had been something with Maxine at dinner, however. Something that felt off. He could not place it and guessing would lead nowhere. He needed more information.
"Maxine," he said from the doorway to the living room. "Might I have a word."
From: i_assist Date: 05/18/2006 20:21:35
She thought maybe he'd been talking to someone else, but then she realised he'd said her name. Max rested a hand on Ace's head, pushing him down for the time being as she turned around curiously.
"Um... yeah." She couldn't think of anything she'd done recently to garner much of Bruce's attention. She'd kept her promise to him before. She'd been good. "What's up?
From: i_crusade Date: 05/18/2006 20:35:21
There was no other person in the area. Even Alfred had turned in for the night. Nonetheless, his eyes sharply checked the area, his ears listened intently, and his hands closed the doors to the sitting room and to the library before he turned back to Maxine.
"Please," he said, his hand sweeping the air in the direction of the couch. "Have a seat."
Once she had taken her place (and once Ace settled at her feet), he sat down across from her.
"Correct me if I am wrong. I felt some tension between us tonight."
From: i_assist Date: 05/18/2006 20:40:18
Huh. Well, that was ominous. And, totally direct and straight to the point. Though, she shouldn't have expected anything else.
But then, she hadn't been expecting to talk about this exactly. "Tension?" She shrugged slightly. "Um... not really. Well... maybe there was. A little. It wasn't intentional, at least."
From: i_crusade Date: 05/18/2006 20:51:27
He held up a hand to forestall any apologies. He was not after that.
"You and I will be working very closely together. Trust is paramount. And although it is possible to work with someone when there are. Unresolved issues. at hand, it is not recommended."
He thought briefly of Dick, knowing that there had been something there, too. That was a conversation for later.
"What has happened between us that I do not know?"
From: i_assist Date: 05/18/2006 20:55:35
She blinked. "We're going to be... what?" Her hand came up and she scratched her head, furrowing her brow and feeling slightly confused.
She realised that Bruce couldn't remember certain events, but... not even feelings? Surely he had to remember their falling out and subsequent tentative and very awkward truce.
He wanted to work closely with her? Max cocked her head and bit at her lip. "You... you really don't remember the thing with the cave? Or Jack... or the doctor. Do you?" And if he didn't, wouldn't it be better to let sleeping dogs lie?
From: i_crusade Date: 05/18/2006 20:58:30
Something troubled passed over his brow. It was vexing in the extreme that none of what she said could be conjured from his memory. His hand closed tight over his knee, but his voice remained calm and neutral.
"I have said as much, Maxine," he reminded her gently. "Please - tell me."
From: i_assist Date: 05/18/2006 20:59:36
She shrugged, looking down slightly embaressed. "Well. You banned me from the cave." Seemed like a good place to start.
From: i_crusade Date: 05/18/2006 21:01:41
His eyebrows shot up.
"Banned--"
There was a reason. There had to be.
"That was. Unexpected. Can you tell me why I would do such a thing?"
From: i_assist Date: 05/19/2006 19:15:54
Max bit her lip thinking back to what had happened. She'd hashed this out with him before... sort of, in the car on the way back from the hospital. But if he didn't remember...
"Um, Jesse, my boyfriend, there was this guy from his world after him, The Saint of Killers. Jesse went out after him and sent me back here to stay safe. The Saint had grabbed Death's necklace, the one that actually makes her able to do her job, so he had to go get it back. I was worried, and I went down to the cave to monitor stuff and you came home... really Batman-y."
Max shrugged again, looking at him shyly. "You yelled, I cried. I kinda... left. It wasn't a great night."
From: i_crusade Date: 05/19/2006 19:25:57
He scowled darkly. But not at her. At his hands.
"You were right to come here. You were right to stay safe, and to watch over events as they unfold. As Barbara explained, it seems to be what you are best at."
Musing a moment more, he shook his head and looked at her intently.
"You have my apologies for what I have done in the past. It was out of line. As a part of our operation, you are welcomed there any time."
From: i_assist Date: 05/19/2006 19:39:32
"I..." she trailed off at first before tilting her head and thinking, trying to regather her thoughts.
Bruce appologising to her, even though he'd done it before, never ceased to make her feel weird, even if she did deserve it. He hadn't done it in her future and she'd never been expecting it. He hadn't even appologised that one time he'd gotten her arrested when they were looking for Terry.
A small smile quirked on her face when she thought of that, but she was still a little jumbled. "Thanks. It's just... easier being able to work from down there, instead of messing around with Babs' stuff and rewiring it.
"I mean, part of me leaving was, I guess... I was trying the whole independance thing," she said. "Which turned out not to be such a good idea in the end, but... yeah."
From: i_crusade Date: 05/19/2006 19:47:59
He remembered his 'independence' phase. He had learned a great deal, found teachers and trouble and torment, but nothing compared to what was at home, in Gotham.
His expression did not change from that stoic mask he had worn for so long that he did not know it from himself anymore. But there were things going on behind his eyes that altered his perceptions of Maxine.
"Do not allow yourself to be taken from the places where you can be the most of yourself. This is not home, this City. But while we are here, we must do what we know. And we must use what we have. You are a part of this," he said, vaguely gesturing around them. "A part of this legacy. You. Terry. Barbara. Dick. You can run. But you cannot outrun who you are. Or where you belong."
His mouth curved upwards in a wry smile, or what would be a smile, for Bruce.
"Even if a dark man casts you out, in his blindness."
From: i_assist Date: 05/19/2006 20:15:54
He was definitely a mellower thirty something than seventy something, that was for sure. Max matched his smile halfway and started tugging on her hair.
"It's okay, really," she said softly. "That night was bad, like I said. And, y'know, things happen. And I'm not gonna lie and say I made the best decisions afterwards."
Her eyes scanned around the room before resting back on Bruce. "You're right... the running thing didn't work. All I ended up doing was playing on Babs' stuff and then coming back here and wishing I could get back in. It was just the shock of the City, I think. And Jesse." Max paused for a moment. "But I'm ready to stay here. For awhile longer, at least."
From: i_crusade Date: 05/19/2006 20:20:17
The girl would stay longer than just 'a while'. They were all trapped here. If they must be, then they would do it together. Breaks in the front line did nothing but weaken. And weakness was death.
"As you say," he answered, standing. "Now that you are ready, do not fail."
He had never asked for anything but one's best. He expected no less, either. Her willingness went a long way with him; he hoped her desire would be enough.
For the night was long. And filled with darkness.