Bruce thought about things he’d rather not and it was often that this occurred, but always, someone managed to help bring him back to reality. He wasn’t at all surprised; rather, a small smile touched his lips. He stared outside for only a second or two longer before he turned his head and allowed his eyes to rest upon the woman who had approached him. He wasn’t quite sure if she had even known he was Bruce Wayne, but that wasn’t his main concern.“It must be boring then, or else you’d be back there, wouldn’t you?” He asked in a nonthreatening tone. There was a sort of calmness to his tone and his expression was gentle, but he also appeared to be a tired man at the same time. It was just the many faces of Bruce Wayne.
He sighed, glancing behind her and at the people chatting about within the main room of the party. He really did not want to return, but he had to wonder what had sent her running away. The party itself, a man or woman; it was beginning to bother him, because he figured this was a party normal people would enjoy.
“No matter,” He finally added. “I think it’s boring, too. They should have a serious discussion with the host.” He paused after the light joke to take a step or two closer. “So, you are?”
A small smile parted her lips as she looked down at the floor for a brief moment. He was right, after all. If she wasn’t so bored, she wouldn’t be there and, instead, mingling more with the others. But it was all the same, and she needed to get away. Or maybe she just needed some air before returning. She wasn’t so sure anymore, but something about the man she had wandered into made her feel less uncomfortable about wanting to ditch the party all together.
She shrugged slightly before her eyes moved to look at him again. Meeting a stranger at a party was something she was used to, but usually, it would end at an apartment somewhere. However, tonight, she just felt like talking. Talking to someone who didn’t want to be there either. Perhaps, that would make her feel better - chatting with someone who wasn’t biased, and had no connections to anything that she did.
Whatever it was, she was glad to have met someone as disinterested in all of it as she was. Helena laughed softly at his comment, amused in thinking how terrible it would be to tell Bruce Wayne that his parties were more boring than watching paint dry. She watched closely as he stepped toward her, and for a moment, she was on the defense again. But after a small breath, she offered him a genuine smile and extended her hand.
“Helena DeLuca,” she said softly, as if trying to hide from her name. “And you?”
”It is not who we are,
but what we do that defines us.”beautifulmaneater has come to the party
Bruce Wayne may have been the center of attention during tonight’s party, but he most certainly did not want to be there, even if he was the host. He greeted people he didn’t actually know, but pretended to know. He smiled, shook hands, but like always, he was faking it for the sake of his alter ego. You don’t necessarily have to host a party - Alfred had told him. In my opinion, you need a break from both yourself and the Batman. Even the wise words of his greatest friend and caretaker could not stop Bruce from following through with this party he didn’t actually care about.
He was surrounded by business men and although the topic of conversation was set on some building to be added to Wayne Enterprises, something Bruce wouldn’t particularly agree on if he had been listening, he was focused on something else. He didn’t usually do this, make it so obvious that he was elsewhere, but the week had been rough for both him and the Batman. So, no conversation about money that did not need to be spent was going to hold his interest. Someone said his name and he blinked, coming to with an embarrassed laugh.
“Excuse me, gentlemen.” He clapped one man on the shoulder and stepped away, disappearing into the crowd of people who passed him smiles and waves of both admiration and adoration. He never looked a single one in the eye.
Now, he was alone, standing near an exit as if he was debating leaving. Oh, if only it was that simple. He had a wineglass and although he told himself he wouldn’t be away from the party for long, he started to mold to the quiet. He drank his wine in the silence, mind wandering into a place he wished it wouldn’t.
Helena had become so used to the quiet life - staying in and enjoying the peacefulness without all of her family’s business - that when her father notified her of another party, courtesy of Bruce Wayne, she practically threw a fit. As if she were a child. She complained through the entire thing - fitting for a dress, getting her hair and makeup done, the ride there. This was not something she wanted to do anymore.
She had grown quite tired of swimming in riches she didn’t earn. Even if most of her father’s ‘hard earned money’ bought her the things she had grown comfortable with, it was starting to bother her. The things he did to get it, how he treated the men under him - not to mention the other families - and just how he treated her when she even thought about going against his word. It was be disloyal of her to leave the family, it would mean she would be cut off and never have any contact with them again. She couldn’t bare that.
So, she attended the party - as dull as it was. Helena was not escorted in by anyone, nor did she recognize any of the faces in the crowd. That was a good sign - her father had eased up on protecting her. Perhaps that was his way of trying to reel her back into everything. He didn’t have to do anything, really, except threaten her with their own family. That was really all it took.
Opting out of having any drinks while attending the party made things even worse. A drink in her hand was enough of a distraction, usually. She would swirl around the liquid, stare into her glass, ignoring the people around her - and they usually ignored her as well. But now, with nothing to hold on to, she found herself thrust into conversations with people who seemed to have more money than the rest of Gotham, but begging to have a meeting with her father - for financial stability. She couldn’t blame them. Her father made it seem as if it was the easy way out. When in all honesty, it was the worst possible thing any person could do.
Helena had been instructed to stay until the very end, but she was so tired of everyone asking for favors they could never repay. So very tired. Once she was sure she could, she slipped away, ignoring the few men who were approaching her. An exit was in her sights and she planned on running out and back to her apartment - where she belonged. But she was stopped in her tracks when she noticed someone who, by the looks of it, was contemplating doing just what she was about to.
After a moment of going unnoticed, she cleared her throat, “The party is back that way, you know…”
[text] I could think of a few ways.
[text] But I’ll let you figure that all out on your own.
[text] Yeah, but the girl who did it is someone you don’t want on your bad side.
[text] Trust me.
[text] I wouldn’t pry into it too much, if I were you.
[text] You finally found those pictures, didn’t you?