NotValentine's Day, or, Let's Have Some Fun!

[gotham_knocking]

Alex and Rapunzel left the Bar for Gotham on April 13, 1990. A Friday. For most of that Friday and good chunks of Saturday, they dove into the neglected mess that was Alex’ one-bedroom apartment in West Gotham Heights. To her credit, Rapunzel never once commented about the layers of debris, the empty pizza boxes and beer cans that have been a hallmark of bachelor living since time immemorial, or even the girlie magazines that would pop up every so often. To his credit, Alex helped as much as he could, let Rapunzel use her superior skills at organizing, and acted rather abashed at the state he let his place fall into. Though truth be told, he never minded it at all

When they weren’t cleaning, Alex would take Rapunzel for walks, showing her the working class neighborhood he called home. First stop was Barney’s, the men’s store of choice for men with money, where one finely tailored Armani suit was to be found. (They ran into a couple of Alex’s high school classmates, who couldn’t take their eyes off Rapunzel.) They stopped at a cheesy souvenir shop and got Makita a Gotham City Police t-shirt and Wayne Tower snowglobe. They got dinner from a Chinese takeout, lunch from McDonald’s – which she assured him was on her world as well – and videos from a local chain. (He offered to watch the Mets game with her Friday night but she politely and firmly passed on it.) And of course, they caught a moment or two of affection her and there.

Oh, and she also borrowed four Hawaiian shirts.

It had been years since anyone stayed in Knox’s cramped place. It was cozy and not unpleasant at all to have her around, but he looked forward to the move, and to having a place where there was room for guests. He promised himself he’d keep the new place clean, but knew deep down that unless Rapunzel made regular visits and insisted on him keeping it clean, he’d fall back on old habits.

Saturday arrived. Valentine’s Day at the Bar, just another windy April day in Gotham. But a day that would lead to the Top of the Nines, and to seeing just how old Gadfly would react to the Countess. As night fell, the cleaning ended, and Knox and Rapunzel showered and put on their best finery…

“How do I look?” he asks as he puts on his Armani suit jacket and then his gold watch.

Comments

[longlonghair]

"Thank you. Alex told me that you were in on the joke, and I was only too happy to help. People like that Gaddis need to be reminded that poor behavior isn't the way to make friends and influence people."

She likes the other woman already.

"Alex is a gem, isn't he? He's very fond of you, and respects you and your work a great deal."

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

Vicki gives a nice smile, the kind that beguiled both Alex and Bruce.

"He's a great reporter, so it's nice to hear that he thinks highly of me. He brought me back here, in fact, with his stories about Batman, and he's really helped me settle back in. He's a good man." Vicki goes quiet for a bit.

"He really hasn't said much about you, and I'm not going to pry. We all have our secrets. But he's never seemed more..." Mature, she thinks, but that would imply he was immature. Which he was. "...thoughtful. I'm not sure if that's because of you, or if you just met him at the right time. But either way, things seem good for him, and I think you had something to do with that."

[longlonghair]

There may be tinge of color to her cheeks at the compliment.

"I would love to take credit for any change in him for the better, but I pretty much found him this way. I think he was a a sort of crossroads, career-wise when I met him, and was thinking of taking the plunge to being a columnist. I just encouraged him to go with what his heart told him to do."

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

"Really now?" That makes Vicki really smile. "Then someday all of Gotham might owe you something. He's got it in him to be a great columnist.

"Just don't tell him I said that. It would go to his head.

"But it's nice to see him this way, no matter how he got there. And it's nice to see him with someone who can see through him. Just be careful, though. For all his Gotham Tough Guy act, he's a softie." Her way of saying, perhaps, "treat him gently or I won't be happy."

[longlonghair]

She probably will tell him, because he deserves the praise.

"He's going to make a real name for himself, once he gets his column going."

Not a trace of doubt in her voice that this might not happen.

"I haven't seen too much of the Tough Guy, though I can see that it's there in his passion for his work and for the city. He really cares, and that's why he's going to be great."

She smiles and amends her last statement to: "Well, others will know he's great."

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

Vicki is pleasantly surprised by Rapunzel's confidence in her man. Maybe is a lot more to Alex Knox than she ever guessed. Then again, there's a lot more to Bruce Wayne than anyone would ever guess, isn't there.

And across the room, at the bar, Bruce and Alex order the drinks.

"I hope you didn't mind that we send my car for you. Vicki likes the joke and all, but this must be costing you two a fortune."

"Wait...that was your limo?"

"Um, yeah. I have five or six."

"And the driver was...Alfred, right?"

"Yeah. I have one of him."

"How did you get here?"

"I have five or six other cars. I drove. I like to drive. It's relaxing."

Alex is a bit surprised. Shocked. A tiny bit annoyed. "We can afford it, Bruce. We're both doing rather nicely."

"Don't worry. So am I. Think of it as a my contribution to the joke." Bruce seems only absently interested. But then, he always does. "She's quite attractive, Alex."

"Rapunzel? Oh, yeah. I really lucked out."

"I can tell. Not many women would play the heiress just for laughs on a date."

"It was her idea, actually. I just found the patsy."

"Hm. Interesting." Why did Knox feel like this was a test? Like Bruce was paying attention to something no one else could see? Weird. But then, Wayne could be weird.

"Alfred is at your disposal as long as you want, Alex. Just don't use up all the gas. It's not cheap." There is a very small smile on Bruce's face as the drinks arrive and the men return.

"Here we go, ladies."

"

[longlonghair]

Rapunzel gives Alex a brief searching look as the men rejoin them, and takes her wine with a murmur of thanks.

She isn't sure if the show is mostly over, of if they'll run into more people that Alex isn't expecting, but she's game.

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

The two couples settle back in at the table. Alex's glance at Rapunzel tries to say "Wayne is a strange one, I'll fill you in later." But the glance passes fast as he sips his screwdriver.

No sooner does everyone sit than Alex is gazing out the window again.

"Now THAT is something you only see in Gotham, Raps!"

The Batsignal.

[longlonghair]

She follows his gaze, and narrows her eyes to better make out the image projected on the clouds.

"That's odd...is it a picture of a bat? What does it mean?"

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

"That means that Commissioner Gordon wants the Bat, my lady. It's how they call him. His gift to the city. Guess he doesn't own a phone." Alex looks at Vicki for a moment. "Now if this were six months ago, we'd be racing out the door, right, Vicki." Though he really does wonder what's up, and if it weren't such a special night, he might beg off dinner (but still take Rapunzel).

"I have to admit, Alex, I'm still curious," Vicki replies. And so, apparently, is Bruce, whose attention seems quite divided.

[longlonghair]

Rapunzel notices the interest in both of the others, and looks to Alex. She can picture Alex rushing off in search of a story in her mind's eye, and headlong into adventure. Being a columnist probably won't be as action filled, and she wonders if he's missing it already.

"What a unique way to call someone. It's really hard to miss, isn't it?"

She reminds herself to ask Knox about cell phones in Gotham, but has a feeling they're probably even further off here than laptop computers.

"However, just because you've no reason to rush off to see why the Bat is needed, doesn't mean that Vicki has given up her pursuit. I imagine photos of such an elusive figure in action are in high demand."

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

Vicki smiles, a bit coyly. "Actually, they are. And while I've almost given up hope of getting one, maybe there's time to get to Police Plaza and give it one more try. Bruce, do you mind?"

"No, not at all. Alex, Rapunzel, I really do wish we could stay but...well, you know about this better than I do, Alex."

"Go ahead, folks." Truth is, he does miss it a little, especially since he just spent a week back on the news beat. No reason to make Vicki miss it, too. (Besides, he really doesn't mind having Rapunzel to himself.)

"I'm glad we got to meet, Rapunzel. Next time you're in town, call me and we can hit the shops."

[longlonghair]

"That sounds like fun."

She's surprised to find that she means it. She takes Alex's hand and gives it a squeeze.

"I didn't mean to say that you couldn't go, too, if you wanted."

After all, he was the one who originally broke the story.

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

He leans into whisper. "One, I'm not on payroll anywhere right now. Two, I think that she wanted to bring Bruce. Three, it's Valentine's Day and I am not going any place without you. And four, we are going to have the time of our lives tonight." And five, though he doesn't say so, he's sure that Vicki and Bruce wanted to go for some reason that had nothing to do with photos. But he can't say why he thinks that.

Bruce and Vicki vanish into the elevator, Bruce's pager aparently going off as they do.

[longlonghair]

"I'm not objecting, I just didn't want you to think I was trying to tell you what you could and couldn't do."

She smiles leans close to place a slightly less than chaste kiss on his lips before sitting back. They are in public, after all, and she is supposed to be a proper woman of class. No make outs at the table.

"Let them go chase mysterious costumed crime fighters, while we have an excellent meal and bask in the glow burning off Gaddis's very red face."

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

"I would never think that," he says after the kiss. And it's one of the things he really does appreciate in this woman.

"And what would my lady wish to dine on?" He studies the menu, and notes with some delight that for the first time in his life, the prices don't scare him.

[longlonghair]

"The salmon looks lovely," she says, studying her own menu.

When was the last time she'd dined like this? Ever? Her hair usually prevent such things. Speaking of which...

"If you would excuse me, darling, I think I'll go and freshen up. Would you be a dear and order for me, with a suitable wine to go with?"

She picks up her small handbag, which has a small pair of shears inside along with her lipstick and powder.

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

"Of course." He smiles, thinks how nice it is being called "darling," and studies the menu a bit more before deciding on a steak for himself and a bottle of a fine red wine (hoping that his choice of steak means his food dictates the color the wine). The waiter soon arrives, and the order is placed.

While waits for Rapunzel to return, Alex looks out the window again as the signal shines for a while longer.

[longlonghair]

She returns to the table a short time later, hoping that it's not noticeable that her hair is now four inches shorter.

She leans in to kiss Alex's cheek before being seated again, and smiles.

"There we are, all ready for a fabulous meal."

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

Before long, dinner arrives, and the service that goes with it is elegant and almost unnoticed. The salmon is cooked to perfection, and the steak is soft and the closest thing to the ideal medium-rare Knox has ever had.

Over dinner, the couple slides back into their roles as heirees and kept man, Alex regaling his lady with tales of Gaddis and other reporters from the old days and Countess Overbrook maintaining that certain detachment from the whole thing even as she is paying attention. Only briefly does Alex break character when he tells Rapunzel about Bruce and the limo. He's really puzzled as to why Bruce did that, if not ungrateful. "There is something about him," he admits, "that I still don't get. Like he's in on a private joke and can't ever share it." But he lets it go.

By the time dinner is done and the dessert cart rolls around, Alex is intoxicated. Not drunk - though he's had a good deal of wine - but feeling giddy and elevated and good. It's Rapunzel, of course, and the glamour of the restaurant and the view. But it's also the game they're playing. It's silly and outrageous and a bit naughty and a bit exciting. In short, he's having the time of his life.

[longlonghair]

Rapunzel can't remember an evening she's enjoyed more in a long, long time. Alex never ceases to interest her with his bottomless well of information and keen observations about Gotham and the people who live there.

It's almost a pity when the meal is finished, and the game almost over.

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

They share a rather large piece of Black Forest cake and take two cups of Cafe Au Lait as the hour grows late. The check arrives, and the Countess pays with her American Express Platinum card, leaving a very generous tip. It's much more than either has ever paid for a meal in their lives, but it was worth it.

"Shall we return to our suite, my lady," Alex says as he rises and then mvoes to help her from her chair.

[longlonghair]

"Indeed," she agrees, standing and threading her arm through his. "The meal might be over, but evening certainly isn't."

Her voice still holds an accent, but the promise behind the words is genuine enough.

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

They ride down in the elevator and to the limo, Alex pulling Rapunzel close for a quick kiss before the doors opens.

Alfred is waiting, and lets his passengers in. "I trust the meal was satisfactory, sir?"

"Indeed it was, Alfred. And my apologies for not recognizing you before.

"No need to apologize, sir. I'm just a humble servant, and I do enjoy a night outside the mansion." Alex isn't sure but he thinks Alfred is being a little sarcastic.

"Alfred, take us home, through Centennial Park."

"Very good, sir." They into the limo, and it pulls away.

Not far away, there's a commotion at the Federal Reserve Bank. Something involving men in clown masks and cops and a certain costumed crimefighter. Alex couldn't care less.