Chapter twenty seven- ice burgers

Harmony's POV:

I don't know what I'm doing anymore. To be honest I think I was pretending to be mad right now. Bruce called me hours ago and said to meet him at town square, nine o'clock, so I put on some warmer clothes, made myself look presentable and made my way to the center of Gotham city.

I was surprised to see that the people of Gotham were starting to emerge back from their homes, as the streets still looked as busy as they always did. Things like mass poisoning obviously didn't make much of an impact these days. I can't say I was even thinking twice before drinking a glass of tap water.

The national guard seemed like they were everywhere. Tanks and jeeps full of men in black suits filled the streets, a lot of them also wore body armor.

I gasped suddenly as a leather glove tapped on my shoulder. Relieved, I found that it was only Bruce who was standing behind me. He was so cute looking that I couldn't help smiling a bit before pretending to be mad again.

"What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I'm sorry."

"care to elaborate?"

"I had to run out because someone called me and said we were close to a cure for the happy juice poison, an antidote.  I don't know if you've heard the news but Waynetec figured it out and lives were saved."

"Well, that IS a pretty good excuse."

He took my hands in his own "it's not an excuse. How I treated you was wrong and to make up for it I've got dinner plans for us."

Oh great he was going to take me somewhere nice and I was wearing jeans, a T-shirt, and a thick wool cardigan. I was going to look like a homeless person compared to him in that business suit and tweed coat he was wearing.

"Follow me," he smiled ecstatically.

I dragged me down the street and to a brightly lit neon sign that said 'Mama Betty's Best Burgers'. Outside in the patio seating area there was a rose on a table and two plates full of fries, and a burger for each of us.

"I would have ordered you a milkshake but I wasn't sure you'd like it since your lactose intolerant?"

My heart fluttered, he remembered "I'll do fine with water."

"Sit down," Bruce guided me to the table and pulled out the chair for me. The entire time my stomach was doing flips, as a woman I couldn't deny that this was the cutest thing in the whole word.

"Harmony, I really like you and I want this to be an honest relationship so I'm going to tell you right now that I swear on my parents grave that I will not keep anything from you that effects you or your well being, or your feeling toward me, as long as you do the same."

I felt really guilty all of the sudden, I had to tell him about Batman. I had to tell him I had feelings and that I kissed him "Bruce, I have to tell you something."

"What is it?" He seemed genuinely concerned.

"I-I kissed another guy."

When I looked at his face for some sort of clue to what he was thinking I was upset to find that he looked for a split second kind of relieved. But right after he was disappointed.

"Who? When?"

"It's kind of hard to explain, it was late last night and I was so distraught over you and it just sort of came out of nowhere okay."

"Who was it," he spoke more demanding.

"It was um, it was Batman."

He raised at eyebrow and looked severely confused "batman? You kissed Batman?"

"Last night he broke into my house and was bleeding everywhere and then all of the sudden I was kissing him, I don't know what's wrong with me and I know I screwed up and I should be the sorry one for being so mad at you when I was also at fault. I was so selfish I mean.."

"Harmony!"

"... And you were just trying to help people..."

"Harmony, it's okay, I understand."

"You do?!" I shouted confused to why he would be okay with me pretty much cheating on me.

"Don't worry about, I told you to be honest with me and you were, which is greater than any apology I could give."

I looked at him in awe as I munched on my plate full of fries. How could I hate him for doing something good and he was willing to forgive me after I kissed a vigilante. He must think I'm some sort of whiny brat.

"look I really care about you and I understand that if you thought I was keeping something from you that you'd seek comfort, elsewhere..."

I gave him an apologetic smile "I don't know what is as thinking anyways, Batman! Like he's dangerous and weird, and I don't even know what his face looks like!"

I got this strange feeling in my gut that Bruce might actually have been more upset about me saying Batman was weird and dangerous, than me actually technically cheating on him.

I observed Bruce as he picked at his plate full of fattening foods he usually, probably avoided. Even though seconds before I felt as if we were getting somewhat back to normal, that is if there was even a normal in the first place, but now with the silence the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife.

He caught me staring at him and so he grasped my hand in his own, his warm leather gloves blending evenly between my fingers like puzzle pieces. He traced the edge of my thumb with his own, and the more he did, the more the tension lifted. I almost forgot what it was like to be around him. He made me feel warm inside, he made me feel like the whole world and everyone around me didn't matter as long as he was there.

As cliché sounding as it gets, I know he's made me a better person. I don't think I would have had the strength to get through what I have been through if I never met him. If I only lived another second I would be satisfied with my life.

"We can go somewhere nicer if you'd like?" I offered, seeing as he's hardly eaten a single french fry.

"No, no I'm fine, I just haven't had such flavorful food in a while, I'm trying to take it easy."

"I'm sure one french fry isn't going to make you gain ten pounds."

He smiled his hand still intertwined with my own "I'm afraid that if I start eating bad foods I won't be able to stop."

"I'm sure even Batman has his cheat days," I joked, not exactly sure how appropriate it was.

"I'm sure he does, I'm sure he does," he repeated and let go of my hand. Out of nowhere Bruce grabbed the burger and shoved his face into it, taking a bigger and messier bite out of it than I'd seen in a long time. It was like watching a little boy get kissed for the first time. He lost his calorie virginity.

"That's a damn good burger," he commented with a mouth full of food.

To follow the trend I as well picked up my burger and bit into it, trying to surpass his own massive chunk, and I can honestly say that I came pretty close. Bruce, out of nowhere, took his own burger and instead of taking another bite he shoved it into my face. Grease, mustard, onions, you name it, was all over my face.

"I see how it is," I spoke seriously.

I picked up his milk shake from his side of the table and poured it all over his head, creating a molten dripping chocolate mess all over his coat and face.

"You're going to get it for that one!" He stood up.

Bruce picked me up and carried me over his shoulder, the whole time I was banging on his back playfully trying to get him off me. Out of nowhere I started to feel really cold and I look up to see us headed straight toward an ice skating rink.

With food all over my face he dropped me down onto a bench, where people looked at us while trying to lace their skates. I happened to be a pretty decent ice skater myself. Though I suspect that Bruce would be an even better ice skater than myself.

"Are we going ice skating with food all over us?"

Bruce shrugged "I don't see why not."

He went and got us each a pair of skates. Just like Cinderella, he took off my boots and slipped on the skate, lacing it up, the entire time my body was tingling with excitement. Finally after he'd done doing mine and his own skates, he lead me to the ring.

I had the greatest idea in the whole world when I got on that ice, I was going to fake sucking at ice skating. It really couldn't get anymore cliché, but honestly, who wouldn't want to be holding hands with the guy of their dreams while they taught you how to ice skate.

Bruce pulled me into my arms as I purposely wobbled when making contact with the slippery ice.

"Is this your first time?" He laughed at my 'ineptitude'

"Not exactly," I said truthfully, trying not to give away that I really did know how to skate.

"Follow my lead," he instructed "just put one foot forward and then the other and glide."

I faked not being able to do it, and so he lead me to the edge of the ring and placed my hand on the barrier.

"I don't think I'm very good at this," I 'admitted'.

"well then I guess your just going to have to hold on to me," Bruce commented.

I wrapped my arms around his waist, and I thought I heard a wince but I brushed it off. He was warm and real. I felt like his bank account when I was in his arms.

He dragged me out to the middle, all the time I was wobbling, and then he detached me from his waist and held my two hands in his own. Since I was fake slipping around, I actually did start to slip, and in a desperate attempt not to fall flat on my face I squeezed onto his hands. His left hand immediately ripped from my grasp and this time I really did hear a wince, of pain. I went hurling forward and just missed crashing into him, instead I fell on the bare ice, face first.

"are you alright?" He smiled, leaning down to help me up.

"Yes I'm fine," I brushed myself off "the real question is, are you?"

"You just caught me a bit off guard, I'm sorry," he admitted.

I had a feeling something was up. He had insane reflexes, I know for a fact that if he saw me falling he would have been able to catch me. Maybe he knew I was faking and now he was trying to teach me a lesson.

"There's something I got to tell you," I said while he lifted me up.

"What's that?"

"I'm actually not a bad ice skater."

To show off I sped away from him and into the crowd of people, bobbing and weaving between them in a full circle before I stopped in front of him again smiling.

"is it me or did we agree not to lie to each other a few minutes ago," he joked.

"You said anything that effects our well being or relationship, your words not mine."

He shook his head and took my hand in his own, and then we skated for maybe half an hour, just standing next to each other with food in our hair and smiles on our faces. We didn't talk, but right when we got off the ice, the fluttery feeling I got when I first met him was tingling through my whole body, making me shake.

"Are you cold?" He asked me, observing the goosebumps and shivers.

I had only started to pull off one of my skates when I unexpectedly leaned forward and just kissed him.

The shivers went all through my body and then out the surface of my skin. Still within seconds I started to compare the kiss with the one I had earlier. Honestly, the two were incomparable, they were different people and their lips tasted different. Of course Batman didn't have food all over his face.

He pulled away from me "I wish my father could have met you. You would have loved him."

"I wish you could have met mine too."

"We're you close to him?" Bruce started to dig. I already revealed everything about me that he needed to know. My dad wasn't a part of that.

"He left when I was really young, if I didn't have a picture of him while I was growing up, I don't think I'd even know what he looked like."

"Would you ever want to see him again?"

"I wouldn't mind, but to be frank I think I would be a bit pissed off."

He brushed the conversation off before it got too serious by kissing me again.

"Harmony Jackson, I love you."

"I love you too Bruce Wayne."

"that's why I need to ask you something."

"Well, what is it?"

"Will you move in with me?"