The crest of her eyebrow moved into a cheeky arch; lips pursed into a half smile, half irritated smirk. Barbara’s eyes rolled, shaking her head in a curt manner. There was never a stale moment between them and it was something she had come to appreciate, even revel in. It wasn’t as if the other aspects of her life were mundane – she did dress up in full costume and fly across Gotham’s rooftops for fun, but he had kept her on her toes. Kept her patrols fresh. Kept her curious. Kept her wanting more.
The flicker in his eyes briefly sets her heart fluttering, a skyward spiral she never wants to stop. There is defiant challenge hidden in his words, and she was getting very good at reading between the lines. Snatching the bag, she scoffed, opening one of the pouches and shoving the half-eaten cookie back in.
“I stood in line for hours for that crumbled pastry and you want bread?” She wet her bottom lip with the tip of her tongue, faux irritation rolling over her shoulders.
“Hey!”
His objection, mouth still full of cookie, came out distorted and hard to understand. He faked a pout, crossing his arms in mock anger.
“Man can live on bread alone, you know. Trust me. I was full on Aladdin as a kid.”
It was true, however sad it was. Years spent as a street rat, stealing what he needed to survive. He’d given Batgirl the basics, but she didn’t know the gritty details. Stabbing the security guard, Tom. How he’d stayed in the apartment with his dead mother’s body until food ran out. No one needed to know that.
He faked a smile, laughed, and then turned away from her, gazing out over the cityscape. He sighed, then quirked his mouth into a grin.
“I can show you the world, Batsie. Shining, shimmering-splendid.”
and all of this will never be the same again 