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The glitz and glamour of the ballroom sparkled in the dazzling lights of the chandelier hanging overhead. People, dressed up in gorgeous, glittering costumes twirled around the room, laughing, half-drunk, half-dazed. It was a glorious sight, the richest of Gotham in the room, masks adorning their faces on Halloween. It made hiding the truth that much easier, the seedy underbelly of their deeds when all was said and done masked. Bryce was amongst them, laughing and smiling amongst them whilst fake-sipping champagne. She herself had joined in on the festivities, a cat mask decorating her face, one eerily similar to the famous cat burglar. Her black hair was tied up, revealing the strong jawline and highlighting her pursed red lips. Her dress was a leather-like material, paying homage to the beautiful Cat. It was almost as if she was calling out to her, asking for her attention.
She was waiting for her. Whoever she was. Bryce’s eyes flitted over the crowd, searching as she pretended to be engrossed in a conversation with a particularly flirtatious businessman whilst he droned on about stocks and bonds. Her eyes caught onto a curved figure in the distance, faced directly towards her. The woman across the room had a bat-like mask, the ears mixed in with her curled, short hair. Her bronzed skin perfectly complimenting the jet-black material, her dress all the way down to the floor, yet a silver bat necklace stood out even in the crowd of gaudy costumes and disguises. In all her irony, there she was. The Cat.
Bryce’s heart leapt into her throat, and with a curt goodbye to the now disgruntled businessman, she placed the champagne down on the table next to them and made her way across the ballroom floor. The music shifted into something slow, romantic as she did, as though it was the soundtrack to their impending interaction. She was drawn to her like a moth to a flame, and once she was right in front of her, Bryce cleared her throat, murmuring a “Hello, Cat.”
“Hello,” the woman replied in return, that familiar, melodic voice invading Bryce’s senses and making her heart jump.
“Fancy seeing you here,” the Cat purred, stepping forward to clasp one hand in hers, and wrapping her arm around Bryce’s shoulder as they stepped together in a slow dance. Bryce couldn’t take her eyes off of this mystery woman, entranced by her proximity and the intoxicating smell of her sweet, warm perfume.
“I come every year,” Bryce told her, her hand tightening around her waist in an effort to bring them closer.
The Cat just smiled, bringing her cheek close to Bryce’s, murmuring in her ear, “I came for you.”
Goosebumps spread over Bryce’s skin at the feeling of the Cat’s warm breath on her ear, and she blushed, “No ulterior motive? Just me?”
A low chuckle came from the Cat, “Maybe a jewel or two. A girl can’t help it. There’s so much… power in this room,” she warned her, and Bryce’s breath caught in her throat. Of course. It was all a game to her, as everything was. Bryce’s lips thinned to a line, and she replied in a warning, “Try anything–”
“Oh, relax, beautiful, with your watchful eye I’ll never get away with it. Right?”
“I’ll stop you,” Bryce replied, her breath ghosting the Cat’s ear, the gesture unbearably intimate for a threat.
“I look forward to it,” the Cat’s sharp nails scraped across the back of Bryce’s neck, forcing a shiver down her spine.
The air crackled with electricity as they swayed on the floor, the fabric of the Cat’s dress velvety under her fingers. The world faded away, the chittering of the patrons of this event reduced to nothing but whispers in Bryce’s head. The only thing that existed was her, and the thrill of knowing she could not identify her, though she longed to know who lied on the other side of the mask. She knew that the Cat longed to know as well, and as they danced, they both found that they could not bear to move apart even an inch, holding each other close as the gentle sound of the chamber orchestra played.
“Who are you, Cat?” Bryce whispered, “Why did you come to see me?” She longed to know the truth.
“The mystery is too fun,” the Cat purred, “And I’ve found… it’s hard not to think about you, though I loathe to admit it.”
The words sounded something close to vulnerability, Bryce realized, and a slow breath left her as she struggled to find what to say. This was nothing like her previous escapades. There was something undeniably real about it– about her feelings. The way she couldn’t get her out of her head, the way she moved, graceful and deadly all at once. They were enemies… right?
But this was not animosity. This was intimacy, all cloaked in masks and secrecy, as it always was. It was unbearable, the way she felt in Bryce’s arms, like it was meant to be this way, wrapped up in each other and only each other, everything fading around them as the world ended.
“You look… beautiful,” Bryce confessed, her hold tightening on the Cat, not even caring anymore about possible onlookers. She moved her face to be closer to hers, her lips finding purchase on her warm cheek, eyes closing as her heart beat faster. She heard the other woman releasing a soft breath at the action, her own grip tightening.
“So do you. I like the look… so feline. Was it all for me?” Cat asked, moving her face to capture the other’s lips for even just a moment before parting.
Bryce nearly fell through the floor at the feeling, so familiar, yet so different than before.
“Yes,” she admitted, the honesty just tumbling from her lips as they moved across the dance floor, “Yes, it’s for you. I wanted to see you… learn more about you.”
The Cat smiled at her, her smile warm and soft, not the same smirk that was trained at her on the rooftops of Gotham, but something real. Both of their hearts beat faster, all attention focused on the other.
The Cat, making a decision, slowly separated from Bryce, hands still intertwined as she lead her off of the dance floor, and into a dark corridor to the side. Bryce, automatically, gently pressed her against the wall, one arm on her waist, and the other resting on the wall. Not trapping her, no, just holding her there, needing to keep her close.
The Cat’s hands reached for her own face, and, in a slow motion, pushed the mask up and off of her face, revealing the gorgeous features of one Selina Kyle. Bryce’s breath was caught in her throat, the revelation flooring her, keeping her rooted to the spot. For all the technology in the world at her disposal, she never imagined this.
“Selina,” she whispered, and Selina replied, “Bryce.”
Bryce took a step back, suddenly, shock rendering her features, and Selina laughed, the sound melodic and beautiful, but Bryce was distracted by the realization that Selina knew. She was a master of disguise, of changing her voice, her demeanor, and yet…
Bryce took her own mask off of her face, and, in a moment of true honesty, found herself kissing Selina, not as the Bat and the Cat, but as Selina and Bryce. Bryce slowly pulled away, her breath ghosting her face as she asked in a shaky voice, “How?”
Selina only smiled, “I only just figured it out. But… it makes sense, doesn’t it? Billionaire with all the technology in the world, all the charm in the world… but that’s not really you, is it? You’re my Bat.”
Bryce smiled at that. My Bat.
She was, God, she was.