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If Alfred ever got word that Bruce was walking around, even if it was a nice neighborhood, he would be so displeased. It wasn’t a matter of him being walking, but walking alone. Bruce, on the other hand, saw no problem in it. He knew a couple of friends who lived in the neighborhood – one of them being Jim Gordon – and was willing to say hello when a scene quite odd caught his attention.
“That’s not the price I gave you, give me the rest of my fucking money!” a small, very angry redhead girl wearing a green dress that, he noticed, accentuated her recently developed curves. Ivy was talking to a guy, a teen not much older than them who was much taller than her and looked a bit dangerous.
Had Bruce a little less tendency to do dumb things, he would’ve walked away, but that was Ivy Pepper and he could never shake the feeling that he owed her somehow, so he stayed in that sidewalk.
“You’re too expensive, Ivy, give me some credit.” The guy pleaded and Ivy’s posture changed with defiance.
“If you’re not gonna pay me the right price, I’m not giving it to you.”
“Ivy.” Bruce greeted, passing by them and the two other teens put their argumentation on hold.
“Wayne.” She replied, very much sounding like she didn’t want him there. “You lost?”
He shook his head.
“I was heading to yours actually.”
“Selina is out of town with Babs.” The girl said looking up at him with those piercing blue eyes of hers. He shook his head with a smile and she understood. “Of course you know it already.”
“You having any trouble in here?” he asked, changing the subject and the other boy straightened his back trying to seem taller than him. It wouldn’t work, Bruce had gained a good foot and a half the past year.
“Nothing that worries you… dude.” The boy said getting closer to Ivy. “V and I here are just discussing some business.” He tried to put his arm around Ivy’s shoulder, but she shrugged him off.
“Yeah, if you call holding back my money ‘discussing business’, than you’re right.” She said angrily and went to Bruce’s side. “And don’t call me V.”
“I already gave you the fair share and you’re being stubborn, give me the stuff, Ivy.” He pressed, this time sounding impatience. The boy looked up at Bruce. “And you can go, Wayne.”
“I think I heard the lady say that you didn’t give her the right amount, the one you combined previously.” Bruce said calmly, stepping between Ivy and the guy, who looked closer at him.
“Is it Wayne as in Lil Wayne? Because you’re not enough hood for that name, dude.” Bruce could almost roll his eyes, but he wanted to see every move this guy would make. “If I was you I’d step aside, fop.”
As soon as he said it, he dragged a knife from his pocket and Bruce sighed. So predictable. There was a guy trying to act tough to a guy who was being trained by some serious teachers. Although Bruce had only little more than a year of training, he had no effort in taking the knife from the guy, he twisted his arm and made him kneel in pain.
“It’s Wayne as in Bruce Wayne, you gangster-wannabe.” He answered. “And now you apologize to the lady and give her her money.”
It was an order and when the guy mentioned to not obey, Bruce twisted his arm a little harder, walking the bully line. Ivy was looking at him not annoyed anymore, but interested on what he was doing and where he was willing to go.
“Okay! Okay!” the guy whimpered, reaching for his pocket with the other hand and shoving the money in Ivy’s hand. “I’m sorry, V!”
Bruce let go of him and as soon as Ivy handed him the subject of the deal – a little box well wrapped that the billionaire decided he didn’t want to know what it was – the guy practically ran away.
They stood there in silence, just looking at each other and she raised an eyebrow.
“There’s no way I’m going to ask.” He said and she smiled.
“Okay. Good.” Ivy nodded and then added. “Thanks for that, even though I could handle him.”
“I don’t doubt that.” He really didn’t. Ivy was forged so strong he doubted if she’d ever break.
“It was kinda hot, though, that’s why I let you.” She said and Bruce shook his head in confusion.
“What?”
With no warning she stepped closer, holding his neck to bring him closer to her face and kissed him. It was far from the innocent kiss that Selina stole from him the previous year, because Ivy was a different kind of firecracker and damn. Damn. He didn’t even know when he started to respond to the kiss, but felt like they broke it too soon.
“Just once.” Ivy said in his lips and opened her eyes to look into his. “She’s called dibs on you already.”