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]

"Fabulous!" she assures him, straightening his tie unnecessarily.

She finishes fastening a sparkly diamond and sapphire earring, and turns in a circle for his approval. She's wearing a deep blue gown, high heeled sandals, and an understated, but undeniably expensive matching earring and necklace set.

"Do I look like an heiress?"

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

He smiles very appreciatively. "Not that I'm an expert or anything, but I think that really does the trick, Countess Overbrook.

"The limo should be here in about ten minutes. Anything we need to go over?" He's never done much acting, but has a natural instinct for reviewing the script.

[longlonghair]

"I think we're ready...I've kept my hair long so it's rapid growth won't be as noticeable, and I can excuse myself to the ladies room to trim a few inches off once or twice during the course of the evening. As long as I keep moving it around, no one should be suspicious."

She's talking to convince herself as much as anything.

"They won't be looking for anything odd like that, so it'll be fine."

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

"No, probably not. And I think they'll be so busy looking at your body and smile that no one will ever notice." He also knows that in Gotham, you could probably run naked down First Street yelling "the Redcoats are coming" and no one would pay attention.

"Shall we go downstairs and wait?"

[longlonghair]

"Sounds perfect...Allie."

She uses her British accent, and gives him a wink as she takes his arm.

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

It's too early in the evening for him to melt at that accent. But he's sure she can tell that he's enthralled all the same.

"Funny that you called me 'Allie'," he says as thy ride down in the rickety old elevator. "People ussed to call me that all the time till I got to the Bar. Never Alex or Al. Heh."

[longlonghair]

"You'll always be Alex to me, I think. It suits you. But Allie is a good name for a kept man, I think."

She keeps the accent in place, enjoying the pretense.

She lifts the hem of her dress as they step off the elevator at the ground floor, and smiles when she turns to him.

"Remember, we're in this to have fun."

She kisses him warmly.

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

"Kept? I prefer to think of it as merely in thrall to a social superior." He returns the kiss. "And fear not, I'm having fun already."

Outside, it's not that bad for mid-April. A black Cadillac limo awaits, and the driver gets out.

"Good evening, sir, madame. I am told we're going to the Top of the Nines?"

There's something very familiar about the driver. Where has Alex seen him before. "Yes, my good man. My lady wishes to see Gotham first, however. Can we take the scenic route?"

"Of course, sir."

[longlonghair]

Rapunzel smiles at Alex and allows herself to handed into the limo.

She notices a small bar set into the paneling, with champagne chilling and grins.

She waits for him to join her and takes his hand.

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

The driver closes the doors and returns to his seat, and as Alex settles in, they are off.

"May I, Countess?" He lifts the bottle. "I see you have spared no expense. Lafitte Rothschild...1949." He didn't order that. Clearly, this limo firm goes all out.

[longlonghair]

"Naturally. Why should I?"

She has no idea that it isn't his doing, and rolls with it.

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

With a surprising amount of skill and luck, Alex removes the cork. He doens't slam it off a window, or Rapunzel's forehead. There is only a little foam over the sides onto a towel. And the limo doesn't hit any bumps.

He pours two glasses and hands one to the Countess.

"Ah, see that?" He's looking out the window to the left. "That's City Hall." The gargantuan gray concrete building is hard to miss. And ugly as any building there's ever been.

[longlonghair]

"A bit gloomy, isn't it?"

She catches herself using her regular voice, and slips back into her role.


"This city could use a makeover, darling. Charming as it is, it needs to be modernised, don't you think?"

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

"Oh, it needs that badly. But no one wants it invest, my lady. All the money flows to Metropolis. All the sewage comes to Gotham.

"And the crazy thing? Some fool got City Hall declares a landmark ten years ago. You douldn't tear it down if you gave the city half your fortune." He isn't happy about this, but tonight in't the night for politics.

"A toast, Countess, to better days?"

[longlonghair]

"To better days," she agrees.

She touches the rim of her flute to his, and sips.

"One could always hope for a very specific earthquake to strike and reduce it to rubble."

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

Alex can see the driver making a very appalled face in the rear view mirror. Well, they wanted to be outrageous.

"Ah, fine champange. As suits you, my lady." He takes a look out the window now. "We're passing Wayne Tower (http://cgi.ebay.com/Batman-474-D-C-1992-NM-Destroyer-Anton-Furst_W0QQitemZ6631701508QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting). One of the few buildings with any style." (Unfortunately, there is no Batman in sight.)

[longlonghair]

She leans toward the window to get the full view and smiles.

"Now, that is a tower."

And she would know.

"Modern, but with a Gothic feel to it. Impressive."

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

"Wayne's grandfather commissioned it, before everything got out of hand around here. One of Anton Furst's finest works, I'm told." He says this with that odd civic pride only Gothamites can have. "It reminds you of home?" To the driver, that could merely mean England, but sometimes words have two meanings.

[longlonghair]

"A little."

She takes not of the street signs...Finger and Broome.

"Finger Street? Does it point to something in particular?"

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

"Just to more streets. The names here are quite old. Not as old as those in England, but they go back to the Revolutionary War. Though I think in this case, it's just named for someone." He really don't know, but wants to sound knowledgeable.

And now Kane Plaza, surrounded on all sides by identical bland box-buldings, comes into view.

"Ah, there is it, my dear. 99 Kane Plaza."

[longlonghair]

"Let's go give them something to talk about, then," she murmurs for his ears alone.

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

He just smiles, as the car pulls into an underground garage, and as the driver pulls up to an elevator clearly marked Top of the Nines.

The couple emerge form the limo, looking remarkably elegant. The elevator arrives, and Alex sees the driver get back into the Caddy as the doors close.

"I promise, Countess, you will love this place. One of the best views in Gotham, and a fine menu. It's were all the right people dine."

[longlonghair]

"I'm sure I won't be disappointed. I already see something yummy I know I like."

She keeps her face bland as she gives his bottom a quick pinch, but her lips are definitely working not to twitch.

[gotham-knocking.livejournal.com]

"Thank you for saying so, my lady. YOu know I live to please." He's not doing too well with a straight face, either. But he'll manage. And he can't say he doesn't find all this to be rather intriguing.

The elevator opens on a well-appointed, dimly lit large dining area. There is a maitre'd immeidately outside the doors, studying the couple.

"Do you have a reservation?" Clearly, he's not impressed by anyone.

"Yes, my good man. For Countess Overbrook and companion?"

"Ah, yes. If you will follow me." The maitre d' leads Alex and Rapunzel to a table by the window, even as Alex scans the room.

[longlonghair]

And companion? She keeps a straight face, and acts just as unimpressed as the maitre'd. Then she sees the view and she eyes widen with appreciation.

She just barely remembers to keep her accent.

"Very beautiful, Allie."

She finds it a bit odd to see dirigibles hovering in the distance, used for law enforcement, but it's really cool at the same time.

"Every bit as impressive as you described."