#bruce wayne x bella réal

[wordsmithie]

She peers around the corner to see Bruce Wayne with one foot over the windowsill, one hand trying to hold open the window. The other holds a bottle of wine. 

“Ah.” He freezes when he sees her. 

They stare at each other long enough for the moment to stretch beyond awkward. 

“If you help me, there’s a bottle of wine in it for you,” he says, tilting it at her. 

“The whole bottle, really?”

He huffs. 

“Alright, half.”

a knight on his knees, a gotham rom-com

[moonlitdesertdreams]

Special guest

A/N: Hiii, here's some more Batman writing! Thanks for all the support, I can't tell you all how much it means to have people enjoy my writing <3 And since you all liked Gordon and the reader interacting with Batman so much in Take care, here is some more of that vibe :)

Summary: reading to the children at the Wayne Foundation Orphanage had become a staple since it first opened. Tonight, you managed to procure a very special guest for the kids.

WARNINGS: None, just a lil' fluffity fluff at the end.

Tags: Bruce Wayne x Reader, Bruce Wayne, Batman, The Batman, Battinson, DC Universe, fluff, Batman x Reader, Batman 2022, pattinson!batman, dc imagines, batman one-shot, Wayne Foundation, Wayne Enterprises

Word count: 2.6k+

The Wayne Foundation Orphanage was opened shortly after the flood waters were banished from Gotham’s streets and the seawalls rebuilt.

After years of encouragement from Alfred and yourself, Bruce had finally agreed to have someone handle his parents’ legacy. Read: their fortune which currently supported little more than Batman’s nightly escapades.

Hence, Wayne Enterprises was the new moniker being tossed around the headlines of Gotham news. Rumors of the reclusive billionaire investing his family fortune into technology and pharmaceuticals soon became true. Gotham’s initial reaction was cynicism- no one in power had done anything positive for the citizens in years, and you couldn’t blame them for their perspective.

Bella Réal, however, became an accepting, if not excited supporter after a few meetings with yourself and a very quiet Bruce Wayne. Alfred had tagged along to some, providing some historical insight into Thomas and Martha Wayne’s accomplishments and building a secure foundation for your newborn relationship with the new Mayor.

And six months after the Riddler demolished Gotham’s stability, it was regrowing like a weed through cracks in a sidewalk. People were supportive and excited when they heard stories of the Wayne orphan and his wife providing financial support to the public, technology for schools and backing for anti-corruption efforts in the criminal justice system. Not to mention the buzz as both of you continued making more public appearances as the days went on.

Bruce was hesitant at first, shy and begrudging in the face of cameras. He hid behind his hair and squinted sensitive eyes in the direction of flashing shutters. You were there for him to lean on, with soft touches and whispered reassurances the media couldn’t hear. While some claimed he’d done little for the city since his parent’s death, you witnessed first-hand his and Batman’s effect on the city. Whether they knew it or not, Bruce Wayne’s acts were some of the driving powers in the city’s renaissance.

Hope seemed to follow Batman, giving Gotham’s citizens some comfort as they walked home from work or enjoyed a night out in the city. As the streets grew less dangerous- well, less dangerous in the sense of Gotham- people wanted to enjoy the bits of beauty they could find.

And Batman allowed that beauty to grow.

It really hit you while reading at the orphanage on one of your days off. No meetings, no bookwork, and no political galas to attend. It was a Saturday night, and you took the short drive to the newly-refurbished building for their weekly book night.

Something you’d encouraged early on, ‘Book Night’ was an easy favorite for the orphanage residents. You had a range of people who would come by and read books to the young children and offer support to teens who were going through the throes of grief. Yourself, the Mayor, Lieutenant Gordon, Bruce, along with various police officers, firefighters and local celebrities had agreed to come and read books. The young kids were beyond pumped to see firefighters in particular, and nothing had outshined the actual reading like the fire chief pulling up outside the building in Gotham’s biggest fire engine.

But tonight was your night, and you entered the building- once a mob bank with apartments above it, in the downtown area- from remarkably dry sidewalks. Gotham was holding in her incessant rain tonight, something you could be grateful for. Inside, you were greeted by a few familiar faces.

“Wha’s up, Mrs. Wayne?”

“Ay, you’re back!”

You chatted with a couple of them while heading towards the library, topics bouncing back and forth between school work and relationships, sometimes even straying towards job applications. A warmth filled your chest as you did, happy to see so many whose lives had started in the Narrows beginning to blossom into adults actually happy to be going to school.

“Speakin’ of boys, when’s your husband coming back?”

You laughed aloud with the teasing, eventually bidding your farewells to the eldest teens when stepping into the library. Braced for an army of kids to knock you from your feet, you were surprised to find them- the normal crowd of about fifteen or sixteen- already huddled in a circle, some lounging in beanbags while others munched on snacks.

In the reading chair, sat Lieutenant Gordon in full uniform. His cap sat on his knee while the leather GCPD jacket was hooked over the chair back. You smiled and waved, determined not to interrupt the riveting chapter of The Mouse and the Motorcycle he was currently rattling off.

Tucking yourself into an unoccupied beanbag behind the group without disturbing them was admittedly difficult. Once settled, you fished your phone from the purse now lying next to you. Emails and notifications filled the lock screen, eliciting a huff that sent strands of hair blowing from your face.

Gordon kept reading, children obviously engrossed in his words as he described Ralph the mouse’s fall into the metal wastebasket. You took the opportunity to respond to a few texts and delete junk emails. Alfred has sent you three separate texts after you’d left the tower, and a pang of guilt hit you over his worry. Since the Riddler’s attempts on your lives, he’d grown even more protective of you and Bruce.

‘I’m at the Orphanage for reading night. Don’t worry- Gordon’s here too.’

It was when you were about to cram the phone back in your purse when it buzzed with another text message.

Bruce: arent you a lil big for beanbag chairs?

Your first instinct was to swivel, looking towards the door you’d entered. It would not be the first time Bruce had surprised you at the orphanage- one of the very few public places you actually felt like he didn’t mind visiting. A visual search came up empty, resulting in another text message.

Bruce: try again.

Gaze shifting to the only other place Bruce Wayne would be at night, it took a moment for your eyes to adjust to the darkness past the windows. After a few beats of staring at the adjacent building, you noticed the gargoyle-esque figure perched on a rickety fire escape.

Unable to help yourself, you tapped out another quick message, this one to Bruce.

‘Creep’

You bit your to hide your smirk. On the fire escape, you could’ve sworn you saw the glowing light of a phone. Sure enough, yours buzzed again a minute later.

Bruce: whats wrong with keeping an eye on pretty girls?

You looked back towards where you hoped his eyes were, rolling yours as far back as humanly possible.

‘If you’re gonna lurk out there, why don’t you come and join book night?’

Bruce: im good watching from here.

You blinked, biting back the devious grin pulling at your lips.

Though it was a joke, you mulled over the idea in your head. You were sure the kids would love a visit from their local crime fighting vigilante. Shit, they spent hours each night waiting for him to swing by.

In the same moment your plot began, Gordon must have finished his chapter. He closed the book with a flourish.

“Kids, it’s your lucky night. Looks like Mrs. Wayne has decided to join us after all.” A kind smile chased his words. You had been running behind that night, purely because of your own doing.

That however, was a personality flaw you were unwilling to address at this time.

An excited chanting of your name broke up the quiet room, and you were effectively tackled by a herd of elementary-aged children. Raucous laughter filled the library as you fell dramatically.

“Lieutenant! Help! They’ve got me!” You hollered, attempting to stand with kids hanging onto your arms.

“Looks to me like you’ve got a pretty good handle on the situation.” He remarked and stood upright, placing the police cap back on his head. The leather jacket followed suit.

To the kids, he spoke one last time. “Mrs. Wayne is going to be taking over from here. You’ve all been a great crowd tonight.”

While you freed yourself from the kids, now growing impatient to get back to their story- you’d never cease to be amazed by the attention span of children- your plan sprung back to mind. Checking to make sure the shadowy figure was still visible out the window, you called for everyone’s attention.

“Actually , I have a little surprise for you all tonight.” You spoke in a conspiratorial voice, motioning for them to all come close. Even Gordon was intrigued apparently, watching your movements with curious eyes. “Come close.”

Whispers shot back and forth across the group until you hushed them. “You guys have to be really good while I tell you, okay?”

A chorus of nods answered.

“I have a special guest for reading night. Have any of you ever heard of this guy called The Batman?”

Excitement overpowered them, and the squeals blew you back. Gordon chuckled, but said nothing as you edged towards the window. You fumbled with the lock for a moment before it freed. The window, in true Gotham fashion, was hard to open, and you had to nudge your shoulder to get it to budge.

Outside, you could now make out the whole shape of Bruce’s cowl. His head was cocked ever-so-slightly to the side, and you grinned.

“That’s right, guys. Our special guest tonight is Batman! Look over there, he’s already waiting!”

Waves and shouts erupted from the group.

“Woah, he’s scary.”

“Awesome!”

“Mrs. Wayne, is Batman gonna read to us?”

Voices overlapped, creating a hum that Bruce could no-doubt hear from his position. There was also no way he didn’t hear you, and you cocked a brow. His cowl tilted back straight, and you swore for a moment his eyes were visible.

“Batman might not read, but he can definetly say ‘hello’ to everyone.” You chirped, looking across the alley. “Isn’t that right?”

To you, it was like lightning that his arm shot up and fired the grappling hook upwards. His body followed, and the children all cried out in disappointment.

“He left?”

“Aw, I wanted to show him my bat stuffed animal.”

Amidst the complaints, you drew your cell phone back out from its place in your pocket and sent another text.

‘Bruce Thomas Wayne, if you don’t get your happy ass back here I stg I’m not touching you for a week.’

The read receipt popped up right away, and you watched the typing bubble appear and then disappear. It was that moment you knew you’d won. There was a distant clatter before a hulking mass of black landed on the fire escape in front of you.

“It’s the Bat-Man.” One boy squealed with a childish pause, tottering to your side. “Hi, Mr. Batman”

You stepped away from the window, allowing him to clamber into the library. Bruce’s eyes met yours, exasperation and anxiety clear in them, though he was quickly distracted by all the kids flooding around him. Gordon even looked surprised at your apparently well-planned book night surprise.

“Kids, this is Batman.” You gestured between them, “Batman, these are the kids.”

“Can you turn into a bat?”

“Did you get bit by a poison bat?”

“Show us how to fly!”

“Do a flip! Please!”

“Yeah, do a flip!”

Black as night and looking almost out of place in the lights of the library, Batman surprised you by kneeling to greet the kids. Gordon raised his eyebrows, nodding towards the guest.

“Impressive feat, getting him here.”

You could only nod. “Yeah, it was a lot of string-pulling on Bruce’s end, but we made it happen.”

The Lieutenant seemed to consider your words a moment before sharing a very manly wave with Batman. He glanced between you both and headed for the door. “Have a good night, Mrs. Wayne. You too.”

A goodbye slipped off your tongue, and you turned back to the kids who were all gathered in another circle around Batman, asking questions and chattering excitedly. His cape was a favorite, and two of the youngest were tugging on the ends as you approached.

“Alright guys, whaddy’a say we keep reading?” You picked up The Mouse and the Motorcycle. “Maybe Batman will help?”

-

In the end, Batman didn’t help read, but he did linger for quite a while. By the time you’d finished the book, most of the children were asleep or very near it, fighting to keep heavy eyelids open. You helped get them all to bed, tucking them into blankets.

Back in the library to clean up, you found Batman perched languidly on the fire escape. His normally solid posture was lazy, on leg dangling over the edge of the platform. You eyed him while you tidied up, eventually shutting off the lights in the room and making your way to the window. Climbing through it, you used his shoulder to steady yourself. There was enough room to squeeze in next to him, so you sidled up to him and sat down, arms leaning on the lowest railing while your legs hung over the edge.

“Hope you enjoyed book night.” He rasped.

The cool breeze caused you to shiver. “I did. Thanks for… cooperating.”

Bruce shrugged. “Not much I could do. Police scanner was slow tonight… plus I didn’t want to get mobbed by children for trying to leave.”

He must have noticed your shiver while another breeze drifted by, and lifted his cape in an invitation. Sliding across the metal fire escape, you huddled into his side and allowed him to drape you with the fabric.

“Thanks.” You dropped your head to rest on an armored shoulder. “But really- the kids have never been more excited.”

A chuckle escaped his lips. “I can tell.”

After a few seconds, he continued. “This is good. What we’re doing here.”

You tilted your head to look at his face, chest tightening at the conflict you found there.

“It is. You’re their hero. With and without this.”

One of your hands lifted to tap his cowl for emphasis, and he leaned into the hand you allowed to linger.

“You’re their hero. Not Bruce Wayne.”

Tittering your disagreement, you traced the edge of his cowl, tucking a strand of hair back underneath.

“Whatever you wanna think, honey, it’s the truth.”

Bruce suddenly tensed under your touch, and you assumed something interesting had come up on the earpiece you knew was planted in his left ear. His jaw tightened and you felt his heartbeat pick up underneath your hand.

“What is it?” Curiosity got the best of you, and you inquired up Gotham’s latest crime.

Bruce shook his head. “Nothing.”

You rolled your eyes and nudged his shoulder with yours. “Go. I’ll be fine getting home.”

“It’s alright.” He said, as if you hadn’t been in a relationship for years.

“God, you’re a bad liar even with the mask.” You stood, dusting off your pants. “I’m headed inside. Batman needs to be headed towards whatever scene you’re hearing about.”

Bruce hauled himself to his feet, catching your wrist in rough leather gloves. “Be careful driving.”

“I’m always careful, Batboy.” Pulling his wrist away, you leaned a hand against the building. “Now go on.”

In a dizzying motion, he pulled you to his chest and pressed a hard kiss to your mouth. “See you later?”

Maneuvering so you were back inside looking out, you dipped your head. “Of course. Be safe.”

In a mockery of your own words, he quipped. “I’m always safe.”

You were unable to respond before he was gone. His shadowy figure swung to the top of the next door building before darting off to wherever he’d left his bike.

Staring out over the shadowy streets of Gotham, you could only smile.

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[wordsmithie]

and the way bella's resilience and determination when it comes to saving gotham despite how corrupt it is, contrasts bruce's(initially) tired, hopeless crime fighting? they are FOILS. she's one of the people who gives him HOPE.

[wordsmithie]

There, on the roof of a building on the opposite side. Batman. A dark silhouette against a flickering, neon billboard. He’s just standing there, watching. 

chapter 2

a knight on his knees, a gotham rom-com