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A perfect vantage point	By : Kip Category: DC Verse Comics > Batman Views: 4302 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Batman series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-A perfect vantage point
- 2-Meeting
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The second visit was, if anything, even more frustrating than the first. Having made up his mind not to go there again, Bruce found himself slipping into the shadowed recess out of sheer habit.
The sound of the local church bell tolling midnight echoed out across the water. Warily, he glanced at the windows, finding them open but barred.
Good, at least she has the sense not to sleep entirely unguarded… Silhouettes on the small clothes line strung across the far end of the balcony reminded him of the other night.
She likes skimpy underwear… From what he was seeing he found himself definitely approving of her dress sense – at least in underclothes. The black set was very tasty! Though a few white lacy scraps pegged to the line showed that the young lady was apparently not a Goth. Which was good: flexibility was one quality that he admired in women, both the mental and the physical kind.
            Why the hell am I taking such an interest in this woman? I don’t even know her! He stopped himself from peering into the room only by a great effort. Standing there, in the outflow from the windows, he detected subtle hints of perfume. Inhaling silently, he tried to decide what it was… not one of the more expensive brands, he'd bought enough of those in his 'day job' to recognise most of them, but whatever the stuff was, it smelt good.
A sound from inside the apartment attracted his attention. Her bed… the springs creaked like an old barn door… So she was… Oh dear, knowing that, he had to look. The night vision lenses proved every bit as effective this time as on his previous visit, and the drape of the thin cotton sheet only enhanced the sensual curves to which it clung.
Lying on her side and facing away from him, she was fast asleep by the look of it. Which was good. Although he was beginning to seriously wonder what she looked like… Which wasn’t. From this angle the only way he was going to find out, was if she rolled right over…
            I wish… He hadn't even had enough time to complete the thought before, unexpectedly, his wish was granted. With a long sigh, the young woman shifted; rolling over onto her back and entirely losing the majority of the sheet in the process.
            Oh, Lord! The sight of full, generous breasts over a slender waist, slim well toned arms, and shoulder-length dark hair had him hardening in seconds.
            Jesus! What if she woke up now and found me standing here!!! Fleeing silently before he could make the situation any worse, he chastised himself all the way down to the car, although the discomfort of certain sensitive parts being squeezed hard in the armour was almost punishment enough.
Should have built in some more 'growing room', he told himself silently. Then again, how the hell would I explain that one to Lucius?
* * * * *
It took him two days to get over his embarrassment sufficiently to return to the balcony, although he wasn’t going to admit that – not even to himself. In the end it was curiosity, and a good Gotham downpour, that induced the man in the Batsuit to silently vault the railing and linger outside the dimly lit windows again.
The ancient air-con was plainly still not working and the casements were open once more; the thin scraps of net curtain fidgeting in the slightest hint of draft. Inside the apartment several small candles burnt at strategic locations around a neatly appointed living room. Was the electricity really that unreliable, or did she just like candles? Having not given any previous consideration to the internal décor, Bruce found himself examining it now, and finding it to his satisfaction: basic but serviceable.
The aroma of tomato and basil wafted out onto the balcony. From the subdued clatter of utensils dinner was either being served, eaten, or disposed of. A slight change of angle revealed a small dining table, with a single empty tumbler on it.
So, no boyfriend then? Or at least, not tonight. A Friday night – why isn't she out with her friends? Hypocritical much? Why aren't you out with yours? Mainly, he decided, because he didn’t have that many friends, at least not real friends, and those he did have were probably doing much the same thing that he was right now…
            Maybe not though – can't imagine Kal hiding on anyone's balcony… then again, being Superman he could just sit on the next building over and peek through the walls, couldn’t he? I doubt if amazon princesses do balconies either… Olly Queen? I could see him up here, no problem… Who else? Flash couldn’t possibly stay still for long enough, and J'Onn… he'd probably be pretending to be a large pot of geraniums… assuming he wasn’t too traumatised by all those candles…
Having privately amused himself at the expense of his absent friends, Bruce wondered yet again at the impulse that had brought him here. Then again, maybe it wasn’t such a mystery…
Inside the room, someone moved. Dressed in a snugly fitting white summer dress, the young woman crossed the room, reached up and selected a paperback book from the wall shelves, and settled on the sofa, bare feet on the cushions, knees daintily curled, the fall of shining dark hair providing only a tantalising hint of facial features.
Gorgeous… It was the first word that came to mind, and it fitted her every bit as well as that white dress. He still hadn't seen her face, but who cared? Bruce could surround himself with pretty faces wall-to-wall in his 'day job' if that was what he wanted, but he was always going to be more interested in the content than the packaging. Besides, the rest of the wrapping looks just fine…
Behind him the rain intensified, turning from the usual downpour into one of the unpleasant squalls that this time of year visited on the city.
Damn… There's bound to be lightning… Which meant that standing here wasn’t going to be a smart option, as he would become instantly visible. Unfortunately, sliding down a grappling line was likely to result in an even less pleasant outcome. Being electrocuted did not sound like the perfect end to this, or any other, evening.
Beside him the patio door slid open. The split second necessary to weigh up his options was a split second too long.
"Oh!" Silhouetted in the doorway, she stood and looked at him. Right at him. Her eyes were light, blue perhaps or maybe grey? Her face wasn’t in any sense disappointing, perhaps she wasn’t conventionally stunning but he'd long since wearied of mere glamour without substance in any case, although there was something about her… something appealing.
She's looking at you, you idiot, say something!
"Batman?"
"I do hope so," He admitted, "Otherwise I'm wearing someone else's gear…"
Thankfully that earned him a merry giggle.
"I'm sorry to intrude," Bruce said, recovering his wits and desperately trying not to either frighten her or incriminate himself, "Only,"
"Only, it's pouring down?" The young woman suggested. "Yes, it is turning rather horrid…" Casting a shy glance at him, she smiled. "Uhm, you're quite welcome to stay until it eases off."
"Thanks."
Stepping out onto the balcony, but keeping a small distance between them, she crossed to the front rail and leant on it, watching the rain curtains stretch out across the harbour. "Do you come here often?"
Said by anyone else it would have been the world's worst chat up line, but under the present circumstances he instead found himself wondering why she would ask. "Why?" The word was out before he realised how it might sound.
"Oh… it's just that I found a lot of footprints when I came out to clear up yesterday – over where you're standing now. I was quite worried that someone might be getting ready to break in, or something…"
Damn! So much for being subtle! This whole area was one of the grimiest places in the city, of course he would have left traces! He found himself impressed with how observant she was though, and privately he determined to be careful around her, in more ways than one.
"I've been staking out the loading docks for nearly a month now," He admitted warily, "This has the best view of the entire section, and there didn’t seem to be anyone home…"
"I've been staying at my sister's for a few weeks," She sighed. Turning, her eyes raked him, sending delightful shivers along his nerves. "I'm glad it was you."
"You are?" He wasn’t expecting that. Most people would not have been pleased to find him using their property as a lookout post. At her sister's? No mention of romantic other… Mmmm!
"Definitely." The shy smile changed her face from sweet and ordinary to quite delightfully animated. "In this part of town, you get all sorts of strange people."
So I'm not strange?
"Oh," She evidently had reconsidered her phrasing, "Not that I mean that you're…"
He grinned. More nerves than amusement, but a grin nonetheless. This was a lot harder than hunting down criminals, wasn’t it? He was used to being charming as Bruce Wayne, but the Batman didn’t do 'nice'… at least not until now.
"The thought is appreciated." He told her, earning a replay of that same sweet smile.
They both stood there for a while, neither speaking, until she cast a sideways glance at him. "May I ask you a question?"
Well, that was new! "I don’t see why not…" Since I owe you by now, even if only for not screaming, or instantly calling the cops…
"How heavy is that armour?"
Amused by the quirkiness of the topic, he told her.
"Wow… Don’t you get tired?" Her eyes were wide in wonder. "I mean, it has to get tiring, shifting that around all the time?"
"You get used to it," He said modestly.
"It's amazing," She was obviously impressed by something.
"What is?"
"The way it flexes when you move… Oh, I'm so sorry! That sounds like I'm staring at you, and I'm not…" She might have blushed a bit.
            As if she was interested enough to want to see more? He was starting to hope that might be the case, anyway.
"Well, I kind of am…" She added.
Bruce smiled back, finding her hesitation quite charming. "Quite alright, if I had found someone like me standing on my balcony, I'd be curious too."
Damn right… but I wouldn’t be anywhere near as polite as you're being…
"You have a balcony?" Her hand flew to her mouth, "Oh gosh! I shouldn’t have said that! I wasn’t trying to pry!"
"I didn’t think you were." He reassured her. "It's fine." He stretched a kink or two out of his spine. "Tell you what, you can ask whatever you like – if I don’t want to answer, I won't – how's that?"
            "Mmm."
            "Mmm?" He echoed, turning it into a question. What was going through her mind right then? And, just maybe, could it be anything like what had been going through his? I couldn’t be THAT lucky…
            "I need a coffee," She decided. "Would you like one?"
Coffee… That sounded good; in fact, nearly as good as what he'd been half-thinking about. Though not quite… But definitely a lot more sensible… at least on a first encounter. Even though, technically, this was not the first time he'd seen her. Not that she was ever going to know THAT part!
"Please."
            "Then you'd better come in," She smiled, turning and going back into the apartment.

Intrigued, he followed her. To his relief the place looked normal enough: no signs of incipient madness, phobia's, or addictions… A couple of well-loved art books on the side table, sketchpad and pencils on the floor by the sofa suggested one interest. "You're an artist?"
Her laugh was pleasant, floating out of the kitchen area, "I wouldn’t dare say 'yes' to that one… I've taken up life drawing at evening class, but I don’t get enough practice to be any good at it."
            "You'd like to be though?" From the things here, it looked like she was hoping for that.
            "I'd like to be a lot of things," She stood watching him from the small kitchenette. "Do you take milk? I don’t have any cream."
            "Milk's fine." He didn’t care. By this point in the evening coffee was coffee, and there was no room on the utility belt for a thermos…
He wandered over and watched her pour the coffee out, mainly for something to do but also because it would have been stupid not to.
Noticing his scrutiny, his hostess smiled.
            "What?" He had to ask.
            "I suppose you have to be very careful all the time? Being the Batman?" She handed him the steaming mug. "In case people have ulterior motives?"
            "Yes," Both cups had come out of the same batch so unless there was something in the percolator that she was already immune to, this should be safe to drink.
            And she would have had to know in advance that I was going to be here… He damped down on the paranoia. The stuff in the cup certainly smelt like coffee. Not that Alfred would have agreed. Alfred had very strong ideas about how Coffee should be made… But then Alfred had very strong ideas about a lot of things… Including what you did, and didn’t do, with nicely brought up young women.
            "You looked a million miles away then," She tilted her head and waited.
            "Just thinking."
            "No law against it, even in Gotham,” His hostess smiled.
            “True.” He decided that he liked her. The sound of the rain on the roof intensified, closing the world down to just this room and just the two of them.
What would it be like if, just for once, I met someone who wasn’t after something that I didn’t want to give them? Like his blood, priceless artefacts, or complete domination of the city?
            "Sit if you want?" Bruce’s hostess gestured at the sofa. "No charge."
"No kidding?"
"Unless?" She cast an appraising grin at the suit. "You CAN sit in that stuff, can't you?"
Chuckling, he showed her that he could. "So," He waved a gloved hand toward the sketch books, "What do you draw, or shouldn’t I ask?"
"Landscape and architecture mostly," She handed him the top pad. "I'm terrible at people… hence the Life Drawing classes – but a couple of hours once a week isn't really enough time to improve."
Flipping the book open, Bruce marvelled at the detail in the sketches, that was the Public Library, and here was the old Art Gallery, not that many people would have seen it from up there, but he had… every night for a month while Cat Woman was having another of her more crazy spells.
"You're good," He politely handed the book back. “Excellent handling of perspective.” Over on the other side of the room the clock struck a quarter to midnight. "I should be going."
"Batman…"
"Yes?"
"You're welcome to stop by again, you know?"
He was about to say that it wasn’t likely, but for some reason he found himself reluctant to completely renounce the possibility. "Thanks, I may just do that."

It was only when he was halfway back to the mansion that Bruce realised that he'd seen the young woman all-but naked, admired her underwear, talked to the woman herself for more than an hour, and even sat on her sofa drinking coffee with her…
And I still have absolutely no idea of her name…
"How much of that is the gear, and how much is you?"
Now that was a very interesting question, wasn’t it? Was that a hint? If it was, what was he going to do about it? Be flattered, obviously. How often was it that he went out in the suit and met someone who
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A perfect vantage point