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Daniel was at home, resting after he came home after his shift and ate some dinner. When his phone rang, the number was unknown. He picked it up with a curious ‘hello’.
“Daniel, hey, it’s Kelson.”
“Oh, yeah. Ted. How’s it going?” Daniel asked politely once he recognized his fellow officer’s voice. Ted was still pretty young—Daniel thought that when he wasn’t even thirty yet—and new to the police force. They hadn’t met much, worked together only once during patrol when Ted was covering for his usual partner Liza and then a couple times in the halls of the precinct.
“Good, good. Me and some boys were wondering if you had some free time over the weekend.”
Daniel’s brows rose up but then he shrugged one shoulder. Ted seemed alright even if he didn’t know him much. “Sure.”
“Do you know the club on the 15th Street? They’re under new management.”
“The Blue Forest? Hell yeah. I’ve wanted to go check it out for a while now,” Daniel said with excitement. He had been trying to get Liza to go with him for weeks now but she always said she was busy with her daughter or had a shift. He was beginning to suspect she just didn’t fancy a night out.
He had been to The Blue Forest when he was in his early twenties, when the club had been freshly opened and the new hot thing in that particular corner of the city. It hadn’t been anything special and was too overcrowded, the drinks too expensive for him back then. He hadn’t gone since.
Only the news was that the management changed and Daniel wouldn’t have cared, but he had heard that they had served free drinks to everybody with a flag during the Pride march. They also hosted a drag show two weeks ago on a night he had a double shift. Daniel had learned about it too late and couldn’t find anybody to cover for him on such short notice.
Now if only they had an Abba night in the club, he would be able to convince Liza to come with. Her wife would probably tag along too.
So hearing somebody mention the club? His hopes immediately went up.
“The new management, right?”
“Exactly! The things they do—I’m a big fan, you could say.” Daniel laughed lightly. He wasn’t necessarily in the closet at work, but he didn’t know Ted well enough to say he was gay openly.
“I’m glad to hear that. I’m meeting with a couple people there this Saturday. I thought you would fit right in.”
“Yeah? Who’s coming?”
“Matt, the guy from the lab?”
“Oh, I know him. Is it all people from work?”
“No, no. There’s also Leon, but that’s it. Then it’s a couple of buddies of mine.”
“Well, that’s fine. I don’t mind meeting new people. When should I be there?”
“We were thinking of meeting inside. I’ve reserved a booth at the back. Just tell the bouncer you’re with me and he’ll let you in.”
“Damn, man, okay. Guess I’ll see you guys there. Unless we run into each other at work, you know.”
Ted chuckled. “See you, Daniel.”
The call ended there. Daniel stared at the phone for a second, comprehending what had just happened.
He opened his message thread with Liza and typed out a short message. He told her he found somebody to hang out with at the club and a bunch of cocktail emojis.
She immediately replied with an eye-rolling emoji. Typical. Daniel knew she wouldn’t be upset that he was going without her—she was the one who didn’t really like clubs in the first place.
Daniel liked to go every couple months, not think about anything and just have fun for the night. Being a cop in Gotham could be stressful and this was a nice break.
He did actually meet Ted at work. They passed each other in a corridor. Ted was on the phone but he smiled and winked at Daniel as if they had some sort of a secret. Daniel laughed and waved at him.
He also met Matt, the lab technician at one of the crime scenes at night. Daniel’s job was to stand around and make sure nobody unauthorized got in, but it was nearing 2 am and everything was quiet. It was already Friday.
“So, looking forward to Saturday?” Daniel tried to make friendly conversation, knowing it would be less awkward the next day if Daniel didn’t pretend not to know Matt.
“Hm?” Matt didn’t look up from the blood drop he was inspecting.
“Saturday at the club? Ted invited me.”
Matt’s gaze snapped to him. Daniel leaned back in surprise. “H-he did? I wasn’t aware… that was your thing.”
Daniel’s cheeks heated. Did Matt mean it like Daniel was thinking? “I don’t really advertise it at work.” He chuckled. It was always weird dealing with people like this at work. It was work. He had to be careful what he said if he didn’t want to make the shift too long.
But Matt laughed at that, genuinely, so maybe Daniel had just surprised him. He and Ted didn’t give him the queer vibes, but Daniel didn’t want to judge. “Fair.”
Before he could say anything more, Matt nodded his head in the direction of the blood. “I gotta deal with these, but I’m happy to have another guy on board.”
That was a weird thing to say, but he didn’t really know Matt. Maybe he was just trying to be subtle. Daniel just nodded with a smile and returned to his post by the door.
.
Daniel had the whole weekend free. In the afternoon, he began getting ready for the night out. He picked his favorite leather trousers. They were comfortable and snug in all the right places without being too tight and restrictive. He put on a long-sleeved mesh top, knowing already that he would get cold, but he would look good. Hella good. It was worth it. He had a big ring on his pinkie and a thin golden chain around his neck. That one had been a gift from his aunt and uncle after he had finished the police academy. Real gold and exactly his style. He had a feeling his sister had helped them pick it out.
He had paid more attention to his curls that day when he took a shower. They were more pronounced and looked much nicer with all the special products. He finished his look with a thick line of golden eyeliner across his eyelids and some golden highlighter on his cheekbones.
Daniel was ready to have fun tonight. In more ways than one. He might have cleaned his apartment a bit.
He took a cab to the club and wondered whether he should wait in the line outside or go straight to the bouncer. Ted had told him they had a booth reserved and it was getting quite chilly outside at this hour so Daniel risked it and walked up to the bouncer.
“Get in line, pal,” the man said without sparing him a glance.
“Uh, sorry, I’m here with Ted? Ted Kelson.”
The bouncer looked at him now, his brows rising. He then shrugged and let him in. Daniel went in with a grateful smile and ignored the angry whispers behind him from the people still waiting in the line.
The place was packed full with people. Ted had mentioned a booth in the back, but the layout had changed a lot since the last time he had been there. Daniel went in blindly. He did manage to find the booths and then he spotted Ted coming to the table with a tray full of shots.
With a grin, Daniel headed to the booth where he saw Ted disappear with the alcohol. Seemed like they were ready to start the night. Vodka or tequila, whichever it was, it was a promising start.
He got there and immediately had to try to hide his disappointment. He was overdressed compared to them, but Daniel knew that as far as night clubs went, his outfit was more than appropriate. These guys were dressed like they were going to work.
They seemed just as shocked to see his getup, but they all rolled with it and Ted did the introductions. Apparently, Daniel had arrived last so they immediately got to the shots—tequila.
It burned down his throat but he endured it, knowing he would start to feel the effects soon. He would get a little tipsy and turn into a happy drunk. Overly friendly and chatty. Sometimes he wondered if that was the reason Liza didn’t like going to clubs with him, but was too polite to tell him that.
They chatted for a while about stuff Daniel didn’t know. Their mutual friends and girlfriends. Daniel soon realized that at 29, he was probably the oldest one there. He didn’t mind listening and asking questions, though. When one of the friends he had been introduced to but couldn’t recall the name of stood up for another round of shots, Daniel nodded along. He would have preferred a cocktail, something fruity and refreshing. He always got one, circled through the various options to keep it interesting, and then settled for beer for the rest of the night. He wanted to remember his nights out.
One more shot would be fine.
So they drank that and then Ted put his hands on the table as if he was starting a meeting. “Shall we get to the business, fellas? The bartender said the boss just got in.”
Daniel frowned. “The new club owner?”
“Oh, yeah, you’re gonna love what he has planned for Batman,” Josh, one of the friends, said with a cheerful voice as he clapped Daniel on the back. If he had that beer now, Daniel would have choked on it.
“What?” Daniel asked, now utterly confused.
He didn’t get an answer as something in the club shifted. He had to listen in fully and focus to realize that it wasn’t people cheering or singing, but screaming. And that it wasn’t music but shots fired. Only a few, but he recognized the sound. The music still played, a dance pop song he knew well. It made the whole thing a little surreal.
He didn’t react at first. Ted had been seated closest to the outside of the booth and immediately stood, searching for the source of the commotion. Josh barreled through Daniel, elbowing him in the ribs without much care.
Two of the friends followed Ted out of the booth. Matt didn’t seem inclined on joining them and even Leon looked like he would rather not. Daniel didn’t know what was going on.
Until Ted’s whole expression morphed into fear. He backed away and his two friends took his place, reaching to their backs and holding out guns.
Daniel’s eyes widened. He lunged at the closest one and attempted to take the gun from him. This guy wasn’t a cop like he, Ted and Leon. Why the fuck did he have a gun at a club?
“Are you crazy?” Daniel screeched as the gun fell from the man’s grip.
He didn’t get a reaction from him as Leon grabbed his top and pulled him back into the booth, just in time to avoid the dark shape that descended on the man and pretty much pummeled him into the ground.
Batman turned in an instant and delivered a high kick to the other guy before he could open fire in a crowded club. Daniel watched in shock and horror as Ted bent down to pick up his friend’s discarded gun. Batman saw him and spun under the fist from the guy and hit Ted with an uppercut punch before he could shoot. It sent Ted to the ground, conscious but disoriented.
The guy got an elbow in the jaw and another fist to the face when Batman turned around. To finish him off, Batman pushed his head against his raised knee. With blood pouring from his nose, the man went down.
Daniel realized Matt was now gripping the back of his shirt as if hoping Daniel could shield him from Batman. Leon rushed out of the booth with a shout that disappeared in the noise of the club. He had some training and held his own for a couple seconds, but Batman clearly had the upper hand.
He knew that in a minute, Leon too would be in a state similar to Ted’s friends. Daniel yanked himself from Matt’s hold despite his protests and scrambled from the booth too.
“Stop it,” he yelled out. To Batman or to Leon. He didn’t really know. “Shit, enough.”
Leon tried to dodge a fist to the face but only managed to cut his face on the spikes on Batman’s forearm. Daniel gripped Batman by the crook of his elbow and focused all his strength on holding him in place. “They’re cops! What the fuck’s wrong with you?” he shouted so close Batman had to hear him.
Batman froze for a second. The cold blue eyes turned to Daniel and then it was him who stood frozen.
Batman ripped his hand from his and finished off Leon still. Daniel couldn’t do anything to stop it. Matt still covered in the booth, now hidden under the table, as if that would help him. Batman was a man on a mission and a simple table would not stand in his way.
But there was still Daniel.
As Batman ignored him and made his way to the table, Daniel gripped his cape and yanked as hard as he could. He wasn’t weak, had quite the muscle. Batman stumbled back but it wasn’t enough to stop him—it didn’t have to, because suddenly, Daniel had all his attention.
Batman grabbed him by the front of his shirt and hefted him up by it, forcing Daniel to grip the wrist. Batman pressed him against the thin stretch of a wall between two booths, not exactly gently. Daniel felt the wind get knocked out of him and had to struggle for breath for a second.
“You’re part of this?” Batman said, low and dangerous. His nose was nearly touching Daniel’s.
“What?” he breathed out, still reeling from the whole thing.
“I trusted you,” Batman hissed and Daniel could hear the anger and betrayal mixing in his voice.
Batman trusted him?
Wait, why was he speaking in past tense? What the utter fuck was going on here? Nothing in Batman’s brain wouldn’t have suddenly switched and make him turn on the cops. Not after everything he had done the whole year after the flood. Their cooperation was getting better and better with each day and each crime scene they shared.
“We went clubbing. Why did you—” Daniel cut himself off as he glanced to the side at the guys on the floor trying and failing to stand up.
“Clubbing?” he hissed. “You think—” he didn’t get to finish his sentence because Matt had appeared behind him and slammed a half full pitcher of beer against Batman’s head.
Daniel had been still partially turned to the side and the force of it threw Batman forward. Their cheeks brushed, Daniel thought the part of the cowl that hid his nose scratched his cheek too. He felt an intake of breath across his jaw and then Batman was letting go of him and turning.
“Matt, drop it!” Daniel yelled when he saw that Matt had put the broken off glass handle in front of himself as if it was a knife. He wouldn’t be able to do anything against Batman, that much was clear. His hands were trembling so much he would soon drop it accidentally.
Batman recognized that too. He stared at Matt silently, his back to Daniel. Despite his claim of the lost trust, he didn’t seem to think Daniel would attack him from the back.
Matt was crying now. He dropped the remains of the pitcher. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he repeated and threw his hands up in surrender.
Daniel recognized the move as Batman’s hand went back, ready for a strike. Daniel ran around him and in front of Matt. “He’s no threat to you,” he said, pointing an accusing finger at Batman. There had been enough fighting already. Daniel turned to the side so he would see them both. “Can somebody freaking explain what’s happening here already or god help me I’m gonna call the commissioner personally!”
“They’re crooked. The club is owned by the mob.”
“Since when? Which one?” Daniel asked, nearly in hysterics.
“Does it matter?” Batman said, glaring at him.
Well, he supposed it didn’t.
Daniel stared at Batman, a little saddened now. So Batman had thought he had turned? After everything? It wasn’t like they were particularly close, but Daniel had worked countless cases with him. Surely Batman thought better of him?
“I didn’t know,” he said, voice imploring and softer than the club demanded. Batman’s glare eased.
“Why are you with them?”
“I really thought we were going to a club. Ted made it sound like— I didn’t know.” Daniel looked down at his outfit, the bunched-up shirt that had ridden up and got caught at his hipbones. He pulled it lower and smoothed the front. He cleared his throat. “Clearly, I misunderstood.”
Batman’s eyes were drawn to his hands as he righted himself. He looked him up and down, regarding him. Daniel felt like he was being checked out—not subtly.
Then, Batman seemed to have decided on something. He picked up one of the scattered guns and handed it to Daniel. “Watch them till the cops show up. Their boss’s here.”
Daniel nodded. He might have drunk two shots already, but his hands were steady as he held the weapon. Matt wouldn’t do anything and the others weren’t in any condition to fight back. Batman didn’t have to explain further—he was going to take care of the mob boss, the head of the operation.
The cops did show up five minutes later. They clearly knew what was happening, getting a little rougher when handling the gathered guys. After all of Gordon’s effort to clear out the GCPD, the new cops still turned out rotten. Nobody was too happy about this.
Daniel had to give a report. They weren’t expecting him. The others had been under surveillance for a while now, but Ted’s plan to recruit Daniel must have been too thought out.
He didn’t have much to say. He had thought Ted had invited him out with a couple guys from work and his friends. That was it. He knew nothing of their involvement with the mob.
Since the other officers found him holding a gun to the criminals, they didn’t suspect Daniel much. It was a clear sign that Batman trusted him and Batman didn’t usually miss facts. Daniel was also known around the precinct as one of Gordon’s favorites so the cops were more open-minded.
He was sent home. One of the cops he did actually know gave him a ride. Daniel wanted to see Batman again, ask him what this was all about, but well, it didn’t seem like that would happen tonight. He would have to settle for fishing out information from his colleagues on Monday.
It was pretty late by the time he removed the make-up and showered. He drank some water even if he felt pretty much sober at this point. A fight like that got his adrenaline pumping, then he had crashed on the ride back and nearly fell asleep, but the short walk in the cold back to his apartment and the shower had managed to keep him up.
The ringing of his bell woke him up. Daniel groaned as he saw the light seeping through his blinds. He would have to change those. They were terrible and always let the sun in when he wanted to sleep in.
He definitely didn’t get enough sleep, but he also knew how this shit went. The officers on the case probably had more questions for him or something. The first hours were vital.
Still groggy, Daniel walked into his living room and grabbed the sweater thrown over the couch. It wasn’t cold per se, he just didn’t fancy talking to his colleagues half naked. He didn’t check who it was and opened the door in the middle of pulling down the sweater.
“How ca— Batman?” Daniel instantly woke up.
It wasn’t that odd to see Batman out and about during the daylight, even if rare. Not since the flood and its aftermath. The odd thing was seeing him in Daniel’s apartment.
They only met at work—so to say. This didn’t happen. How did he even know where Daniel lived? Wait, no, he didn’t need to know. Didn’t want to know either. It was a stupid question.
Batman let himself in and pushed next to Daniel. He had noticed that Batman had never actually shouldered past him, even in the past when Daniel had been, regrettably, a little hostile.
He only lightly brushed against his shoulder, the touch softened by the sweater too big for him. It had stretched over the countless times he had washed it so Daniel only wore it at home now.
Daniel closed the door as smoothly as possible, not too eager to wake up his neighbors. He turned to Batman who was already looking at him.
“You’re not one of them.”
“Did you come to check?”
Batman didn’t answer him. Daniel sighed and leaned his back on the wall. He crossed his hands across his chest. “Ted wanted to go out. We’re not even really friends. More like acquaintances.” He shrugged. “We’ve worked together before. I didn’t think much of it. And I sure as hell didn’t have a reason to suspect anything.”
“Nothing?”
“Nothing.” Daniel nodded. “As I said, acquaintances. I don’t know them. And I don’t know why Ted thought I would be a good fit.” That was one thing that actually worried him. Daniel frowned slightly.
Batman picked up on it. “The mob was gearing up against me. I’ve lost them a lot of income. Kelson was under the impression you hate me.”
“I don’t,” Daniel was quick to correct. Too quick. Embarrassingly quick. “I don’t,” he said, slower. “I didn’t particularly like your methods way back and I might have been vocal about that. But that was way back, before Riddler way back.”
Batman stood still, considering. Then, he nodded.
Daniel let out a relieved sigh, not too sure why.
“I’ve met Matt on a scene on Thursday night. He was saying this… weird crap. I thought he was trying to come out without actually coming out, you know?”
“Matthew Blake?” Batman said, voice dripping with skepticism.
Daniel rolled his eyes. “Well, maybe your gaydar’s better than mine.”
Batman stared. Daniel would bet that his brows were raised under that cowl. Batman didn’t deny it.
Oh.
It left an odd fluttering feeling in his stomach.
On a second thought, no straight person would have come up with a costume like this.
“Do you want some coffee?” Daniel blurted out. It was too early and he wanted coffee. He also needed to shut up now.
“Yeah,” Batman said. Another surprise.