Chapter Text
Bruce had a never ending supply of social obligations. Whether he liked it or not, his calendar filled up quickly. He preferred the charity events, because at least he felt like he was contributing in some way. But keeping up the persona of Bruce Wayne, playboy/billionaire could be exhausting at times. He was happier when he was on his own in the streets of Gotham. Or at the very least, happier when he was working with the select few he trusted.
He usually found reasons to duck out of these parties early. He even had his excuse planned on the night of the charity ball held to benefit one of Gotham’s homeless shelters. He was even on his way toward the back entrance when he spotted a very familiar blonde. Her fire engine red dress dipped just low enough to reveal certain curves without being scandalous and had slits up both legs. He had his suspicions that the dress had been at least partially selected for ease of movement, there were plenty of eyes on those legs that weren’t assessing how much damage she could do with them. Not in that way, perhaps.
He knew personally that Dinah Laurel Lance was a force to be reckoned with in more ways than one. What he didn’t know was why she was here. Though she looked at home in the lavish surroundings and amidst the star studded crowd, this wasn’t exactly the place that one might expect a certain bird to turn up. Not since she’d divorced Oliver Queen at any rate.
He casually moved in her direction. Once he was close enough, he tapped her on the shoulder and held out a hand.
“May I have this dance, Miss… Lance, is it?” he threw her a charming smile.
The recognition flickered in her eyes as she turned toward him. She took the offered hand and allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor. Once there, she all but melted into his arms as he started to move. They hadn’t danced together, but they’d certainly fought side by side. As such, they moved nearly as one.
“It’s Ms. these days, Mr. Wayne,” she said with a wink.
He certainly knew that all too well. When she’d first arrived in Gotham after her divorce, he’d been concerned. Barbara had all but shouted him down at that. He’d kept his distance for the most part and allowed the Birds of Prey to do things their way. He didn’t always approve, but he’d learned that it was best to just stay out of their way, save for the occasions when he was needed.
As they moved together, he leaned in and pulled her closer. To anyone watching, he might look like he was whispering sweet nothings into her ear. They would appear like any other pairing out on the dance floor-flirty, gauging interest, making small talk.
“What are you doing here, Dinah?”
He was too close to see her expression properly, but he thought he saw a faint smile from her.
“Two women who are hangers-on in your circle have disappeared in the last month. Oracle thought that we should look into it.”
He wasn’t surprised, though perhaps he bristled ever so slightly at that.
“She could have asked me. If she needed a man on the inside…”
Dinah laughed, cutting him off.
“Bruce, she didn’t need a man. She needed a woman.”
It was what he’d expected to hear, but something about it bugged him, ever so slightly. He could all but hear Barbara in his head, pointing out that he never did like to let go of his perceived ‘territory.’ He had his reasons. Letting someone else risk their life when he’d already made a commitment to protect people was a bit of a sore spot. And yet, the Canary wasn’t one of his. She’d never been a sidekick, and he knew better than to treat her as such. She was one of the few people that he wasn’t sure if he could win a fight against her. It was rare to find, but he could give credit where credit was due.
“I was wondering about the dress. Red isn’t your typical color.” He paused to twirl her and then pulled her in close again. “You wear it well.”
She laughed softly again and swayed with him. “I figured that it was best to skip my usual colors. Better to blend in.”
He sighed. “You’re not trying to blend in.” They both knew as much. She was here as bait.
She shook her head. “Ever the detective, Bruce.”
The song started to wind down as she stopped dancing. She stood on tiptoe and placed a kiss to his cheek. Her lips left the faintest tingle of excitement as she pulled away enough to whisper in his ear.
“We’ve got this covered. I should go. I won’t catch anyone as long as I’m dancing with you.”
She pulled back and beamed up at him. He tried not to think about the last time she’d kissed him. That time had been an odd way of thanking him for acknowledging Helena’s hard work. And-he suspected-it had been a little bit of the Canary trying to throw him off balance. She did seem at least somewhat aware of the effect that she had on men. If he were honest with himself, it had worked.
He captured her hand in his and brought it up to his lips. His gaze held hers, silently wishing her luck and warning her to be careful.
“Thank you for the dance, Ms. Lance.”
“Oh, thank you,” she said. “And you can call me Dinah.”
She gave his hand a squeeze, and then her fingers slipped out of his and she turned to leave. His eyes followed her as she moved through the room. He was careful not to stare, but he did his best to track her movements throughout the night. He wouldn’t interfere unless he was invited, but that didn’t stop him from keeping an eye on the Canary. So long as she was in Gotham, he would always keep an eye on her.
And maybe, just maybe, he enjoyed watching her work her magic. She had a certain finesse that was wholly her own. A beauty and grace that concealed the sheer power hiding beneath the lithe frame. He might not have liked the way this operation was planned, but he could respect the women involved all the same. He kept an eye out for her, but kept his distance. He trusted that Barbara would call him if he was needed. Until then, he just held onto the hope that Dinah would stay safe. Even the best trained of heroes could end up in a situation where things go sideways. She was a force to be reckoned with, but she wasn’t bulletproof like some.
He’d only looked away for a few minutes while caught up in conversation with one of his business partners. When he looked around for Dinah, she was nowhere to be seen. He slipped his comm-link into his ear and stepped outside, tapping it to turn on the link with Oracle.
“A little busy, Batman,” she answered. “Don’t worry, this is all part of the plan.”
She sounded as calm as she ever did while coordinating a mission. He frowned, trying to quell his concerns over Dinah. Her getting taken as part of the plan wasn’t entirely a surprise, but that didn’t exactly put his mind at ease.
“So you offered your agent up as bait,” he said blandly.
“No. She volunteered. Huntress and Lady Blackhawk are on the case. I suggest that you go about your business. We’ve got it covered.”
If it were anyone else, he’d likely take over. He had a hard time letting go of things, particularly in his backyard. But this was Barbara. He sighed heavily. He didn’t have to like it, but he could trust the women enough to give them room to work.
“Call me if you need backp-up,” he said curtly, disconnecting the line.
It turned out that he wasn’t needed. That was confirmed the next morning when Alfred handed him the paper, emblazoned with a headline about the capture of a suspected serial killer.
“This is the work of Miss Gordon’s team, I presume,” Alfred said with a proud little smile.
Bruce unfolded the paper and couldn’t help but smile to himself. They’d done it. Dinah was safe and sound and the bad guy was locked up. His smile widened ever so slightly as the memory of that dance came back to him. Now that he was untainted by worry, he did have to admit that she’d looked beautiful and that he’d actually enjoyed himself at one of those functions for the first time in as long as he could remember. Dinah Lance was a unique woman, that much was certain.