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Lois stood outside the old cornerstore shop, just as she’d been instructed. She scratched her head, fiddling where she stood. The area was basically abandoned, save for the odd light or alley cat roaming around. Lois was pretty sure she was about to be murdered at this meet up spot.
Thanks Batman.
Yes, the one and only Dark Knight of Gotham City, the Batman, had agreed to meet with the scrappy and fiery reporter Lois Lane. How she scored such a thing, Lois would never know. Yet it was happening... apparently.
Luckily Lois wouldn’t be left to stew in her thoughts for much longer, as a SWISH and a THUMP led to a figure suddenly next to her, making the woman jump. After recovering she realised who it was. “Oh. You’re- you’re uh. Batman.”
The dark vigilante looked down at himself, then at Lois. “Yep. Looks like I am, Miss Lane. Coffee?”
The vigilante extended his arm; the cup an offering. It took Lois a second to process the fact frickin’ BATMAN was offering her a coffee. She took it, nodding her head and really hoping the man didn’t take notice her shocked shaking. “Uh, thanks... Batman.”
He gave a wide grin. “You’re welcome. Now, we have business, yes?”
Lois cleared her throat, activating business mode. “Yes we do, pal. I am gonna interview you, that’s what’s going to happen.”
Batman sipped at his own coffee. Lois was honestly freaking out inside. For all his mystery and horror, strength and violence, she was dawning on the chilling fact this Knight may very well be a mellow person.
After finishing his sip- which actually turned into chugging to Lois’s horror- Batman shrugged his shoulders. “You sound very sure, Miss Lane. I believe this’ll go well”, he commented jokingly- no, stop Batman!- throwing his cup into the closest bin.
Lois felt herself shrink a little with all this Batman confidence in her face. “Y-yeah? Well I am sure, so let’s do it!”
Batman shrugged again. “Okay.” Suddenly, he had an arm around the reporter’s waist, and was shooting a gun- for grappling obviously, Lois thought- into the sky. “Hold on”, the Dark Knight ordered not even a moment before they were zipping through the air. The next moment they were on top of a building, and Lois seriously needed a moment to get over that whole event.
“You’re mean”, she accused, pointing at the vigilante. He laughed- damn him- before apparently becoming more serious again. It was then Lois noticed the second figure. It was a woman, maybe an older girl, in a suit streaked with purple across its base black, with a lot of motifs very similar to the Batman’s. Oh, and she had a crossbow. Cool. “Um, hello. I’m Lois.”
The girl looked like she was about to wave, before stopping herself, putting on a neutral expression and crossing her arms. “Lois Lane. I am Huntress; the Batman’s protégé, the co-protector of Gotham.”
Lois took that in with what she hoped with grace. “Cool”, she awkwardly replied. Smooth one, Lois bitterly thought to herself.
Batman on the other hand, looked at his so-called protégé in surprise. “Did y- did you just make your voice deeper?”
And like that, the act was broken. Huntress sagged, throwing her hands up. “Oh come on, Da- Batman! You couldn’t let me have that?! I was practicing those lines all week!”
“And that’s why it isn’t badass”, Batman countered with a stuck out point. “But that was cool though. You come up with stuff like that on the fly, and the villains’ll really get spooked.”
“Noted”, Huntress muttered as she sat on the edge of the building. She let out a loud sigh. “Don’t mind me adults. Go do your interview or whatever. I’ll just... sit here, I guess?”
The Dark Knight looked like he was going to say something, but stopped himself, just throwing a look at the younger vigilante. Lois half-realised it was a pretty affectionate one. Her reporter senses told her Batman and Huntress’s relationship was probably much more personal than one would guess. Either way, she turned to the man, pulling out her notepad. “Shall we then?”
“Let’s go.”
“Alright”, Lois murmured, determined. “First question- basic one- how long have you been Batman?”
The vigilante looked thoughtful at that, looking down at his fingers. They wiggled around a little before he looked up again. “Eh, about ten years I’d say.”
Lois ‘hmmmed’ at that. “Next-- your least favourite villain to fight?”
“Starro.”
Lois flashed the vigilante an odd look before continuing. “What’s your recommended travelling snack?”
At that, Batman gave a completely confused look. “Okay, at first I thought this was normal but it’s definitely not. What weird interview are you conducting?”
Lois gave an awkward grin. “Sorry, I was just curious. Let me ask something more professional?”
The man sighed. “Yes. And I recommend muesli bars. Very useful to have when I have to go to a crime across the city after just beating six guys.”
Lois beamed, and then as promised, gave more professional questions. Or at least as professional they could be with a man dressed as a bat. “Which crime family do you think isn’t receiving enough heat from the GCPD?”
Now, as much as he respected the men and women in blue, Batman wouldn’t deny his occasional annoyances with them. Especially in the area this question hit. “Well that’s an easy one, Miss Lane. The Falcones- obviously, but I’d say Sionis and his crew are next. They’re more quiet and not as active, but Roman can be double the nuisance Carmine can be on a bad day.”
Lois made sure to write that as close to word for word as she could. That was an answer she intended to get out there as best she could. “Interesting. Okay, third question. Which district do you believe needs a focus put on it; crime or otherwise.”
The Dark Knight hummed. “That’s a little too political for me. But between you and me- OFF the record Miss Lane- I think that would be the Narrows. I’m always there few a few hours every night, and as painful as it is to say, I know I miss crimes even when I’m there.”
Lois put her head down for a moment, before raising and giving the vigilante a sympathetic look. “Yeah. I know what you mean. Are you sure you want this off the record? Maybe people would listen to Batman’s opinion, you know?”
It seemed to be considered for a moment before there was a shake of the head. “No. Sorry Miss Lane.”
She shrugged. “Nothing to apologise for. Want to get back on track?”
Batman seemed to steel while she said that, and gave a nod. “Yes, let’s continue, Miss Lane.” The reporter went to do that, but just before she did the man seemed to pause completely, before muttering something and sagging in his spot, sighing. “Ah, nevermind. It seems something has come up Miss Lane. We’ll have to wrap this up.”
Lois was surprised by that, her expression matching the feeling. “Hey, just wait a second-”
There was no response as the vigilante moved over to his younger ally, getting her to jump back to her feet. Lois found herself simply watching before catching herself. Just as the two costumed crusaders pulled out there grappling guns and got ready to fire, the reporter took a hold of Batman’s arm.
“I said to give me a second”, Lois lamely replied at Batman’s look. When he made no move to push her off and leave, she continued. “I was thinking you should take me along. It would be great for the interview.”
The Dark Knight was quick to reply. “Nope. No way, Miss Lane. This is though stuff. And no offense, but you aren’t... exactly as capable as Huntress or I. Plus our friend in need is kinda... a lot.”
Lois gave Batman her own look. “Really? That’s it? Pal, I deal with ‘a lot’ all day every day. And I’ll have you know, I’m more capable than I look.”Batman stood semi-frozen, his foot on the end of the building, the other still on the inner gravel, hand raised in the air. It looked like a dynamic pose or a comic cover to Lois. But she could tell the man was in heavy thinking. It was actually Huntress who broke the silence a moment later.
“Maybe we should give her a chance, Bat. Keep Lane far away of course. It might work well for your profile or whatever. Plus if we don’t get to Azrael soon you know he’ll start quoting Macbeth. It’s weird.”
Batman considered this, ending with him letting out a long sigh. “Fine. Hold on Miss Lane.”
Lois snuck a small grin to herself at the victory, holding on tight to the vigilante. As they zipped through the air she swore she heard him muttering something about ‘stubborn reporters’. Rude. About two minutes later, the trio dropped down in an alley, and it was instantly obvious to Lois how many bodies were around.
At her unconscious step back, Batman lightly held her arm, keeping her closer than originally planned. “Hey, it’s fine, Miss Lane. If Azrael knows what’s good for him, these guys will all be alive.”
“And they are”, a cheery, ye olde sounding voice said from above. Lois would admit she jumped, but didn’t see it on her costumed companions. Instead they sighed, Batman’s sounding more tired than Huntress’s excited one. The next moment a figure was in between them all; the white costume stuck out among the blacks, and the new man’s suit’s red highlights and hooded cape helped further it’s comparative design. “Good morrow, milady, I am Azrael, Agent of the Bat and former right hand of the Order of Saint Dumas. It is my highest honour to be graced by your presence.”
“Oh uh, thanks”, Lois said, ignoring her flattered blushing. “My name is Lois Lane, sir Azrael.”
Lois couldn’t help but grin at the knightly man’s surprised gasp, who waa excitedly slapping at Huntress’s shoulder. “My! Oh Lady Huntress, didst thou hear that?! You are instantly liked, Lady Lane.”
As Lois grinned at the praises, Batman stepped forward. “Azrael, what’s the problem?”
“Ah yes. That”, Azrael responded, his voice a mix of irritation and pleading. “It seems Sir Lawton hath reappeared in this city.”
Batman definitely groaned at that, and Lois already knew what was about to happen. Almost everyone knew the man called Deadshot was no joke. “Okay, now we’re done Miss Lane. There’s absolutely no convincing you could do to ride along on this. Perhaps we can continue another time?”
Lois saw no point in arguing. “Sure. Would tomorrow be okay?”
“Day after”, Batman replied, slightly grinning. “You pick the place. I’ll know.”
Of course you would, Lois thought with her own smile, watching as the vigilante trio grappled away. She had a feeling it wouldn’t be long until they met again.
...
Unfortunately, circumstances had got in the way of that interview rescheduling. Lois groaned in annoyance, flopping her head back on the hospital bed. Dumb, stupid appendicitis, she mentally cursed.
After a few more minutes of self-loathing the usual reporter sat up a bit more, idly flicking through the TV stations. That was just even worse- especially the news headlines she saw. Things like ‘Batman vs Polka Dot Man’ or ‘Batman and allies helped authorities stop criminal’s warpath’. Even if it was good these things were happening and being reported, it still saddened Lois. Where was her headline? It wouldn’t matter by the end of the week she guessed.
Suddenly, she heard a scraping at the window, and the next moment it was sliding open. Lois looked on in surprise and horror. If it hadn’t been for a groan and bat ears, she definitely would’ve called the nurse. As the figure- Batman to Lois’s joy- crawled through the open window, a giant smile stuck to her face.
“You’re here”, she simply stated in her half-stupor. Batman grinned at her, shaking his head a little. Lois quickly realized it meant he had a bad joke ready. Oh no.
“You know, Miss Lane”, the Dark Knight started still smiling. “When I said you choose the place, I wasn’t really expecting a hospital.”
Despite everything, Lois laughed at that of all things, even if the coughing after ruined it. Once she recovered she turned to the vigilante with her still-present grin. “You-you still want to do the interview? With me?”
“What, should I be doing it with someone else”, Batman asked, not hiding his smile. As Lois tried to stutter out a reply, the man moved around the room, pulling the hospital curtain along. At the strange look he received he pulled a face. “You think seeing Batman in a hospital will go down well?”
Lois ‘hmmphed’ at that. “Well now that you’ve said it...”
“Yeah. Exactly.” The two shared a silence for a stretch after those words. During it Batman came and sat on the end of Lois’s bed- to her complete surprise. He broke the silence just after. “So... shall we start, reporter?”
Lois gave a nod, reaching for the papers and pencil next to her bed. She propped them against her now raised thighs before looking back at the Bat. “Let’s do it, vigilante.”