The Wild Card

Waking up early in the morning usually was peaceful for Wayne. He'd yawn, stretch, freshen up in the bathroom and then greet Alfred in the kitchen, where the two would share breakfast and ask how the other had slept. It was routine, and Bruce loved his routines. Some people thought it was dorky, or even weird that he spent so much time with his guardian, but it mattered little, because to Bruce, Alfred was his best friend. A typical day for Bruce was getting up for breakfast, doing schoolwork, fighting lessons with Alfred, and going over Wayne Enterprises recent dealings. He was, the head of the company after all. 

This morning, was nothing like Bruce's typical mornings. Bruce slowly sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he searched the room for his companions. Selina was no longer fast asleep on the divan, instead, a blanket crumpled into a ball rested on top of the spare pillow she used. He smiled at that, he knew Selina didn't mind leaving messes, so the fact that she at least made an attempt to make his divan look tidy brought him a boyish sense of joy.
Bruce made the mistake of looking over to his other companion, whose face was buried in his pillow, it'd been clear Jerome had been tossing and turning, making Bruce feel a bit guilty. It seemed he was trying to shield his eyes from the sunlight, the rays illuminating the gingers hair, different shades of red and blonde reminded Bruce of fire, the few dark strands of Jerome's hair like embers. 
Bruce felt that joy again as he regarded Jerome, but didn't know what to think of it. Perhaps it was best not to.

Wayne buried all wayward thoughts and feelings for Jerome down and ran a hand through his own unkempt hair. Softly he got out of bed, feet slowly touching the floor as not to disturb Jerome. Bruce didn't care about him or anything, it was just polite. Normally he'd make his bed after waking up, as to save Alfred the trouble of doing so. He looked at the sleeping teen again and bit his lip. Letting out a breath, he abandoned his bed, and moved to the bathroom, intent on taking a quick shower and starting his day. 
Looking at the blinds, Wayne thought of shutting them but quickly shook the thought out of his head. Jerome would be fine, and Bruce had more important things to do.

Bruce entered the bathroom, only to let out a small yelp, startled to see Selina in the bathroom, who was leaning over the counter picking at her face. She also jumped back startled.

"Geez, pervy much? Learn how to knoc-" Selina was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Jerome, his also a mess like Waynes. He'd rushed to Bruce's side, seemingly woken up by Bruce's yelp. He took a step in front of a shocked Bruce, looking for the cause of Wayne's fear. Jerome cocked his head to the side, looking at Selina who laughed at Jerome, causing him to throw her an agitated smirk.

"My god, could you two idiots try to keep it down? Some of us are tryin' to sleep here." Jerome said annoyed, he turned to Wayne, throwing him an eye-roll, and made his way to the abandoned divan, flopping onto it and yawned. Selina walked to the doorway and huffed in annoyance, eyeing the divan.

"Sorry for disturbing your beauty sleep, Prince Jerome. Won't happen again." She mocked, trying to get a rise out of Jerome.

Jerome chuckled. "I don't need beauty sleep, some of us just look like this-" he gestured to himself "naturally. I know that's a hard concept to grasp, especially for someone like you." Jerome said with a giggle. 

Well so much for a shower, Wayne put some cold water on his face, and made an effort to make his hair look orderly, he stepped out of the bathroom, comb in hand, ready to defuse the situation if needed. 

"Would you like something to eat? I sure I can make us some breakfast." Wayne asked, hopeful to distract Selina who was glaring at Jerome. She nodded, making her way to the door. Jerome sat up and stretched, scratching his head and getting up as well.

"Count me in too, Brucie. Can't miss the most important meal of the day!" He said with a grin, only to yawn again and rub at the dark circles under his eyes. Bruce clenched his jaw and sighed, he was hoping to spend some time with Selina alone, who was clearly annoyed by Jerome, no longer waiting to walk down the stairs with Wayne, she sauntered on and went down herself, heading for the kitchen. Jerome followed languidly behind as Wayne brought up the rear. 

Selina sat on a stool and folded her arms onto the kitchen island, looking at Bruce expectingly. Bruce gulped, the young billionaire didn't have many culinary skills or well any culinary skills. It wasn't from lack of interest, Bruce had shown an interest in cooking when he was younger. His mothers laugh had always echoed loudly in the kitchen, but Bruce never minded. Bruce turned to the breadbox, hoping Alfred had a leftover sweetbread of some sort. 

Jerome opened the fridge, whistling as he did so, he ducked down and clapped, pulling out a carton of orange juice. He shook the jug and shrugged, opening it and drinking it straight from the carton. "No pulp! Good choice Wayne, nothing beats fresh OJ first thing in the morning!" He said, sitting on the stool next to Selina much to her chagrin. 

"How come he gets to drink from the carton, but when I do it, I get nothing but nagging?" Selina said dryly. Bruce turned away from the breadbox, staring inside of it wouldn't make any bread magically appear. He shrugged, walking over to the bananas on the counter. 

"Alfred isn't here at the moment to nag you. I don't really have any issues with it, I can always buy another carton." Grabbing two bananas, he gave one each to an unimpressed Selina and Jerome. "Speaking of Alfred," Wayne glanced at his watch, "I expect he will be discharged today" Wayne glanced at Jerome, who sucked in his lips in thought. Wayne quickly looked away, not wanting to get caught staring at the maniacs lips.

"Good, can't wait to see the guy! Think he'd make me breakfast when he gets back? Because there's no way this crap," he gestured to the banana, "is gonna fill me up. Not that I'm not impressed by your dish, Chef Wayne." Jerome said winking. Bruce blushed in embarrassment, while Selina snickered into her hand. 

Bruce's expression hardened again, his mouth a firm line. "Now isn't the time to be joking, Jerome. I have no idea whether or not Detective Gordon will come to check up on Alfred and I when he returns." Jerome furrowed his brows at that, confused.

"Jimbo just comes and goes whenever he pleases? Didn't know he pushed around rich folks too. Good for him, annoying, but at least the guy is consistent." He smiled, unwrapping the banana and taking a bite.

"Jim is a friend," Bruce defended. "He care's about Alfred, and is just as concerned about him as I am," Bruce stated firmly, his irritation growing at Jerome and Selina both rolling their eyes.

"Gordon cares about you cause you're rich, Wayne. You think he's vowed to get justice to every other orphan out there like he's done with you? If it's not your money, then maybe he just wants to get on your good side, so when you get older you'll give him and the GCPD wads of cash." Selina said bitterly. "Trust me kid, as soon as you mess up and stop being a goody two shoes, he'll treat you like he treats the rest of us." She finished, looking away from Bruce, staring into nothingness.

Jerome sipped from the orange juice carton, taking his gaze away from Selina and looking at Wayne. They both shared a glance, unsure of how to respond to Selina's statement. Jerome put down the carton and smiled, his eyes shifting back o Selina. "Sound's like someone's jealous." Jerome laughed, taking another gulp of orange juice. Selina looked at Wayne, anger clear across her features, expecting him to step in.

Panicked, Bruce said the first thing that came to mind. "I think the term you meant to use, is 'envious.'" Bruce said, which was obviously the wrong answer, as a now pissed off Selina looked like she wanted to tear off his head as Jerome let out a loud laugh. He coughed, trying to stop orange juice from coming out his nose as he sputtered. Selina chucked her banana straight at Wayne's head, who dodged it easily. 

Selina stood up, her chair scraping across the floor. "I'm leaving. Call me when you've got info on the missing kids." She spat out, Bruce opened his mouth to stop her, only to close it as she harshly bumped into him as she left the kitchen, much to Jerome's dismay.

"Bye Sandra! I'll miss you!" He said waving goodbye, Selina turned around and flipped him off, earning another laugh from the ginger.

Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose and turned to Jerome, who was grinning at him gleefully. "You know kid, you're not as much as a stick in the mud as I thought. Keep it up, and we might just end up friends." Jerome said with a cheeky grin.

Bruce rolled his eyes. "Well, with so much to lose, I guess I'll keep that in mind." He said grinning, as Jerome chuckled. He grabbed a granola bar and placed it in his pocket. "I guess we'll seek out Selina later, or she'll come back on her own." Bruce frowned. "Hopefully," he said pouting. Jerome sighed, annoyed by Wayne, who looked like a kicked puppy at the moment.

"Bruce, buddy, chill out. Your girlfriend will be fine. Trust me, I know women, she'll come back, they always do." Jerome winked, as Bruce flushed. "She'll probably come back and kick your ass though. " He laughed, "Heck you might even like that. You two seemed to enjoy that little dance on the rooftop a little too much. Kinda weird, but, whatever, who am I to judge?" He grinned, Bruce sighed, thinking of a way to change the subject.

"It seems we have some time to spare, considering Detective Gordon hasn't called yet." Bruce sighed, turning to the elder teen. "We've already agreed, outright attacking the court of owls would be disastrous. Especially with Alfred still in the hospital. Do you have any ideas?" Bruce said. Jerome raised his eyebrows at that, intrigued by the billionaires' sudden willingness.

"I know a couple a guys with contacts in Gotham if the Court is as big as that creep said it was," he said referring to the assassin, "Then someone has got to know something. But," He paused, giving the younger teen a hard gaze. "I have a solid lead that could lead us to one of the missing kiddos your girlfriend was talking about." He stated, leaning against the counter and watching Wayne's expression carefully. 

Waynes' eyes widened in surprise, he hadn't actually expected Jerome to be really useful in this investigation. Not that he doubted Jerome's capabilities, Jerome was an extraordinary individual, one that he had to be careful not to underestimate.  But Jerome had been frozen solid for a long time, much had changed in Gotham after Theo Galavan had killed him at the Charity Ball. 

"Whats the catch?"  Wayne asked, not bothering to correct Jerome on his relationship status with Selina, which seemed to operate like a light switch. Jerome was no longer smiling, instead, he maintained eye contact with Bruce.

"We do this my way," Jerome made a sound of disapproval, he held a finger in the air as Bruce opened his mouth to interrupt. "I've been really lenient so far, buddy. I followed you around, even let your girlfriend get involved, who let's face it, " He smirked, "would probably sell you out for a good price. I'm even trusting you to meet up with good ol' Gordy later! Maybe the three of you go out and get some scones, and talk all about whatever it is you talk about." He said, growing disinterested he waved it off. "I'm trusting you to not sell me out, again and again. In return im not asking for much!" He gestured, "Trust me, like I've trusted you, and let me take the reigns for once." He finished, holding out a hand, "We gotta deal?" he asked, eying Bruce expectingly. 

"On one condition," Jerome raised a brow "I will not assist, nor will I commit a murder," Bruce said firmly.

Jerome chuckled and held his hand out, Bruce hesitantly shook it, noting how warm Jeromes hand was. They weren't smooth and small, like Selinas and Silvers. His hand was slightly bigger than his own, with a couple of rough callouses. His grip was firm, to which Wayne returned. After all, a weak handshake did not leave a good impression. He wondered why his mind had wandered to such thoughts, before exiting the manor and calling a cab for Jerome and himself.

Jerome's attire wasn't that great of a disguise, but it somehow managed to fool every person they had come across while walking the Narrows, save for one woman who did a double take, she didn't have a look of fear, and instead her eyes had lingered on Jerome's form. Jerome whistled at the woman, making her blush fiercely and Wayne groan. Jerome had actually seemed to enjoy himself, the morning sun now, gone, only to be replaced by the cloudy atmosphere that seemed to surround Gotham permanently. They walked sided by side,  Bruce catching a couple of stares himself, mainly from amateur pickpockets who'd taken note of his costly attire. 

"Care to tell me what the plan is, Jerome?" Bruce asked, his eyes shifting, keeping alert of their surroundings. 

Jerome turned is attention back to Bruce, throwing an arm around his shoulders before leaning down to whisper in his ear.
"You need to relax. Down here, someone like you walking around looking anything but nervous is out of the ordinary." Jerome's breath was hot, and tickled Bruces ear. "Try to at least look gullible, kay? Can't have you blowing our cover." He said leaning away.
Bruce smiled widely, his lips stretching in what Wayne hoped was a gullible expression. He turned and looked over at Jerome, the arm that had held Wayne close now back to his side, hand in his pocket. Wayne gestured to himself, seemingly for approval.
Jerome let out a genuine laugh, then he coughed into his fist, when passerbys started to stare at him. He cleared his throat, and grinned. "Yeah, maybe work on that, buddy. That was really bad. You looked like a psycho, and thats coming from me!" Jerome giggled. Despite himself, Bruce couldn't stop his own grin from forming. Jerome bumped Wayne's shoulder, a small smile on the gingers lips. "Now that one," he said quietly, "Not so bad," Jerome said, causing Bruce to smile wider and look away shyly, wondering why his heart had started to race again. 

"Now," Jerome clapped, bringing Bruce back to reality. "The plan, drumroll please," Jerome gestured to Wayne, who just stared back, Jerome sighed. "You ever hear about the Free Mens Gang?" He asked, Bruce, shook his head, and Jerome continued on. "They used to be a minor gang, a guy I know Vince, was the unofficial head of it. They're mainly overglorified drug dealers, but that's besides the point," Jerome waved it off "Apparently, they work for Falcone now. And they're hiring kids, which might be a lead as to where these missing kiddos are." Jerome said.

Wayne looked at him, perplexed. "How do you know this?" He asked, his eyes narrowing.

Jerome paused, then looked at Wayne and grinned. "I know a guy whose a unoffical 'leader' of the gang. He's a decent guy, his name's Vince, but everyone he knows calls him Vinny. His buddy owns some shit apartment complex, which is where most of the buisness happens. They crossed the street, Jerome walking backwards so he could face Bruce while Wayne sighed, now keeping watch for Jerome's sake so he didn't bump into anyone, or worse, get hit by a car.

"I figured you could go in, ask Vinny for some xannys, the guy loves the stuff and hordes the shit like gold, but for you," Jerome pointed at Wayne. "He'll sell it to you no problem. Just act dumber than you are and play up a rich snobby kid act. He'll take you for a fool and overcharge the shit outta ya, and probably wanna keep you as a client." Jerome stopped walking, as did Wayne. At the end of the block sat a rundown apartment complex, The sign's lettering completly faded, not that it mattered, graffiti had covered the sign anyway.

"Just go to the office, and say you're looking for Vinny. He's not too bright, so he shouldn't give you any problems. All you'll have to do is let Vinny take you to his apartment, and distract him until I'm done breaking into the safe in his office. He'll probably show you all his paintings, the guy thinks he's fucking picasso or something." Jerome rolled his eyes. "Then, when I'm finished I'll slam the backdoor, Botta bing, botta boom, then bam, you're out, and we'll meet up back here. Any questions?" He asked.

Bruce nodded. "Just one, were you a client of his?" He asked carefully, testing the waters. Jerome's expression turned strained, but he didn't stop smirking. 

"Well well, aren't you the detective," He laughed, this time not bothering to cover it up, as Bruce looked around nervously. "Come on, we dont have time to waste, kiddo! Vinny's a bald, big guy, complete teddy bear though, so try not to get scared." He said mockingly.

Bruce's jaw tightened, annoyed at Jerome, who was back to acting like a jerk again. "I'm not scared, Valeska. Let's go." He charged ahead, and ignored Jerome's cackle. The two parted ways, Jerome walking over to the side of the building, giving Wayne a thumbs up before disappearing, making his way to the back. Bruce sighed, and walked up to the door, cautiously opening it, hoping it didnt fall of it's hinges.

Bruce was greeted by a foul odor, he wrinkled his nose, not being able to place the smell, hoping that it wasn't a busted sewage pipe. The paint on the walls was a mustardy yellow, and was chipping onto the outdated green patterned carpet, that definetly had seen better days. Stains littered it, along with what Bruce guessed was rat droppings. Bruce unconsiously wiped his hands onto his pants, and made his way to what he assumed was the office, It was the only door on the floor that had a glass panel, whith was also cracked, and looked to be one good slam away from shattering completly. Bruce wondered if Jerome would be able to stop himself from slamming this door, as opposed to the back one, he smiled, then knocked on the door, schooling his expression into that of some business men he'd met at countless charity balls and meetings at Wayne Enterprises.

A tall man opened the door, he was smoking a cigarette, his build was average and he had oily brown hair. The bags under his eyes stood out harshly, making him look older than he probably was. If Wayne had to guess, he'd say he was in his thirties, but wouldn't of been surpised to learn if the man was twenty five, at the least. his eyes flicked Wayne up and down. the pupils dialted, to which bruce assumed was because he must of ingested drugs recently. The man looked Wayne over curiously, but also with a level of suspicion.

"I'm looking for Vinny." Bruce said, breaking the silence. He held his head up high, and waited patiently for a response. The man looked unimpressed, his eyes dragging up and down Bruce's frame, which caused Bruce to wonder if he was being sized up for a fight. The man made no threatening moves however, and instead crossed his arms.

"Vinny been in the clink for a couple of months kid. Who are you?" He asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Bruce wanted to sigh. He tried to think of the best way to approach this, embracing the rich boy persona, he stood up straighter, and wrinkled his nose at the man before him.
"I'm the guy with the money for xanax," he said slowly, "I dont care if its you, or Vinny. As long as i still get a good deal I'm good to go. Now are you going to make me a deal or am I going to have to take my business elsewhere?" He said haughtingly, hoping he hadn't overdone it.

The man stared at him and then laughed, he stomped his cigarette out on the carpet. and closed the office door behind him. "Alright, just follow me sweetheart, what'd you say your name was?" He asked casually. 

Bruce, bit his lip, the less the man knew the better.

"I didn't, actually." He said, looking away, as if the man wasn't even worth looking at. The man glared at him, but then relaxed.

"Well, my name is Dave. And since you won't tell me your name, I'll just call you princess." He said smugly. Bruce rolled his eyes, he wasn't insulted by the nickname by any means, and if it kept 'Dave' off his back, then he really didn't mind having to be called princess.
They made their way up the staircase, to what must of been Vinny's apartment, door 2B. Dave opened the door and gestured for Bruce to go in first, putting the young teen on edge. He walked through quickly, putting some distance between Dave and himself. He looked around the apartment, the only furniture being a old bedset and mattress, and a small safe next to the bed, which he'd assumed was where the xanax was kept.
Dave locked the door, and made his way into the room slowly. Bruce tried not to show his discomfort, instead, he turned to the paintings on the wall. They weren't actually that bad, Bruce had no idea what any of them were supposed to be or represent, but the wild colors blended together nicely, showing that Vinny at least knew basic color schemes.

"So what deal does Vinny give you?" Dave asked, as he opened the safe. Bruce snuck a glance, glad to see that nothing save for a couple of bottles of xanax was in it. Bruce turned, trying to think of something to keep the conversation going, since Dave didn't seem to be interested in talking. 

"Why? So you can rip me off?" He said haughtingly, as Dave just stared, his expression unreadable.

"I'm just interested in offering you a better price, princess. Wy don't you calm down, and sit on the bed?" He said, as he walked over to Bruce, who took a step back. Bruce wanted to run, knowing that this was not heading in a good direction. But he knew if he did, he'd surely get Jerome caught, and then this was all for nothing.
He didn't want to fail Jerome, it wasn't often that people put faith in him to handle himself in a potentially dangerous situation. Alfred didnt allow him to get into dangerous situatiions, period. Selina, who often came to Bruce for help, didn;t believe that Bruce could 'get down and dirty' with the 'common folk,' but Bruce found that arguing with Selina was typically a lost cause, and knew that one day he'd prove that he could do all that and more. If he could just prove it to one person, even if that person was Jerome Valeska, maybe he'd be taken more seriously. So Wayne walked slowly to the bed and sat down.

Dave followed him, leaning down in front of the safe again, which also happened to be right in front of where Bruce was sitting. Bruce cleared his throat, uncomfortable by the proximity, but Dave either didnt take the hint of didn't care. 
"Princess, do Mommy and Daddy know you're here?" He asked mockingly. Bruce grit his teeth.

"Obviously not." What was the hold up, why was this guy playing with him? Dave smirked, and lightly placed his hands on Bruce's knees. Bruce stiffened, his focus entirely on Dave now. Why hadn't Jerome finished yet? Did he leave him here on purpose? He could have easily stolen from Wayne, and just called it a day. Did he plan this? Leaving Wayne off to the wolves while he made a run for it? It didnt make any sense, but neither did Jerome. He was unpredictable, and Wayne wanted to kick himself for ever trusting him in the first place.

Then, miracously, They both heard a door slam and jumped. Bruce had to hold back a grateful smile before moving to get up, only to be stopped by Dave, who had an iron grip on his thighs. Bruce looked back at the man, confused, was the door slam not a concern to him? Dave leaned up, now partially leaning onto Wayne, the stench of his breath and smell of cigarettes causing Bruce to look away. Dave leaned in, his breath hot on Bruce's neck, causing the young teen to recoil. 
"Mommy and Daddy are gonna notice you stealing their cash, princess." He purred, Bruce refused to look at the man, anxiety starting to fill him. "How about this one time, you do me a favor and I give you a bottle free." his lips now touching the sensitive skin of Waynes neck.
Dave didn't wait for Bruces answer and instead placed a wet kiss on his neck. Bruce felt frozen, in shock at the situation. He felt overwhelmed, he'd never had to deal with something like this before, and just couldn't accept the reality of it all. Daves hands slid up Bruce's legs, causing him to jerk back to reality. He pushed Dave off him roughly, knocking him to the floor. He grabbed the forgotten bottle of Xanax and hurled it straight at the mans face. The man sat on the ground, stunned and looking wide-eyed at Bruce. 
His heart racing, Bruce ran to the door, quickly unlocking it before slamming it shut and running down the stairs. His hand shook, and he ran out the back door, racing away from the building, half expecting Dave to follow him. He made his way around the building, only to see Jerome at the corner, looking at Bruce confused. Jerome had started to walk toward Bruce, but Bruce sprinted up to him, his hands shaking he stopped, and shifted from foot to foot in front of Jerome.

"Did you get it?" He asked out of breath, bending over he tried to catch his breath, before standing up to face the elder teen. Jerome stared at Bruce and wordlessly showing him the documents. Bruce took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay good, good. You ready to go? I'm sure the Detective is gonna call any minute now-" Jerome cut off Waynes nervous rambling, his focus all on the teen infront of him.

"What happened in there?" Jerome asked. His green eyes boring into Bruces bluish-gray ones, he averted his gaze, a feeling of shame creeping over him. Bruce felt the sudden regret that he hadn't attacked or retaliated at all against Dave. To admit that he ran away, to someone like Jerome who would of surely fought back, was not a option Wayne was willing to take.

"Nothing." He said, not wanting to look at Jerome directly. Jerome didn't let up, and instead said Wayne's name again, causing the younger teen to look up and Jerome, furious. He swallowed, a lump stuck in his throat.
"Nothing! I guess I'm just shaken up. I've never been to this part of the city. It's rougher than I thought it would be." Wayne lied, hoping it''d be enough to get Jerome off his back. Jerome just folded his arms, and continued to stare into Bruce eye, as if he could see right through him. Bruce clenched his jaw and mirrored Jeromes stance, he didn't care if Jerome believed him or not, he just wanted to go home.

Bruce half expected for Jerome to push him again, and try to start a fight like he did in the alley. He was half tempted to do just that, but he knew if he gave into his aggression, it'd just make Jerome laugh, and make things more complicated than they already were.
If Jerome's expression was anything to go by, he looked as if he was ready to fight aswell. He lifted a hand to his face, and started to laugh. The manic laughter spilled between his fingers, reminding Bruce of the Jerome he first met at the Charity Ball. 

"This-this just keeps getting better doesn't it?" Jerome laughed, the laughter escalted, as Bruce looked around nervously. His body shook, as if he was trying to contain hi laughter, but was losing the battle.
"Jerome please-" He tried to interrupt, only for Jerome's laughter to drown out his plea.

"I've never felt like this, you know?" He said, his smile cruel as he looked at Wayne. Bruce looked confused, causing the elder teen to laugh harder. "Yet here you come, like a hurt puppy! And it's actually working!" Jerome said, he removed his hand form his face, instead he had his arms wrapped around his torso, slightly bent over as the manic laughter spilled out of him. Bruce took a step back, wondering if Jerome was even talking to Wayne, or merely thinking out loud. 
"You really are something else, Wayne. But, you know that don't you?" He laughed, his eyes boring into Waynes, his smirk stuck in place. Bruce just looked at him bewildered. He wondered if he should respond, or try to shake Jerome out of...whatever this was. Jerome sucked in a deep breath and stood back up, his face animated he pivoted, he looked at the apartment building, he clasped his hands and giggled.
"Vinny Vinny Vinny. Y tu, Brutus?" He laughed, "A kid, what is it with old guys and kids? I guess there really is no rest for the wicked." Jerome laughed again, and reached into his pocket, flicking open a butterfly knife. Bruce had no clue what was going on but knew that Jerome was very close to falling off the edge. He held out his hand and placed it on Jerome's bicep, distracting the teen momentarily.

"Jerome. I want to go home." Jerome giggled, "Please." Bruce said quietly, the maniac stopped laughing and stared at Bruce, his expression blank. He gave one last look to the building, and turned a relieved Bruce following quickly behind.

"I did agree to not breaking our deal. No worries though! I promise ya kid, justice will be swift and absolute!" He laughed again. Before Bruce could ask what Jerome meant,
they both jumped at the sound of a phone going off, Bruce quickly retrieved it from his pocket, seeing Detective Gordons name flashing across the screen.
Bruce cleared his throat. "Hello, Detective." He said, hoping he sounded normal, and not at all like he was out in the city, with a barely sane individual.

"Hey Bruce, just wanted to give you a quick update, Alfred is fine, we're discharging him now and taking him to the GCPD for further questions. He should be home around dinner, alright?" Bruce furrowed his brows, it was just past afternoon, why would he be kept that long? Alfred had been a victim, and instead of allowing him to go home, he was to be questioned by the GCPD, again. 

Having had enough for one day, Bruce snapped.
"I'd like to speak to Alfred, Detective. It's ridiculous that you'd detain and question Alfred further, considering he's a victim and has a head injury, to which I still have not been given the details of. Let me speak to Alfred or I'll call my lawyers." He said, his voice indifferent but firm. The line was silent for a couple of seconds, before Gordon answered.

"Alright, Bruce. Hold on." The line went quiet again, and Bruce looked up at Jerome who looked impressed. He gave Bruce a thumbs up, and Bruce rolled his eyes, starting to relax slightly.

"Hello Master Bruce, are you alright? How have you been? I have been worried sick about you, everyone says your fine but-" Bruce cut him off, his lips upturned, he felt relieved at the sound of his voice.

"I'm fine Alfred. I'm excited for you to be home." He said, his eyes becoming blurry. Jerome let out a soft 'aww,' Wayne glared at the redhead, who turned away from Bruce, and tried to contain a giggle, making sure no one on the other line had heard him. The line went silent again for a moment, causing Bruce to look at Jerome confused, who only shrugged. 

"I'll be home soon Bruce, I just have to help with the investigation a bit more, alright? When I get home I promise we'll have a long talk. I gotta go now, be safe Master Bruce." He said quickly, as if he was being rushed off the phone.

Bruce deflated, all feelings of content gone.
"Alright."He muttered, Alfred must have sensed Bruce's foul mood, even over the phone and sighed.

"It's gonna be okay Bruce," He paused, "I love you, get some rest now, you hear me?" he said, concerned. Bruce nodded, then realized Alfred couldn't hear him he found his voice again.

"I love you too. I'll see you at dinner." Bruce hung up, and looked up at Jerome, who had a curious expression on his face.

"That was oddly intimate." He chuckled, Bruce rolled his eyes and turned from him, they continued walking side by side in silence. Jerome kept sneaking glances when Bruce wasn't looking, which confused Bruce, if he hadn't known any better, he'd say that Jerome almost looked concerned. Bruce let his mind aimlessly wander, staring at the sidewalk or the occasional tree. It didnt matter what Bruce thought, he knew that Jerome wasn't concerned, if anything Jerome was probably bored, and waiting for a chance to get the billionaires attention and make fun of him.

But that didn't happen, and as they sat in the cab, some random pop song blasting through the speakers, Bruce wondered what was going on with Jerome. He know looked bored, and occasionaly sang along to whatever song was playing. The more time spent with Jerome, the more questions the young billionaire had about him. He decided to give it a rest, and leaned his head against the window, staring at the passing buildings. He idly thought about Selina, and hoped he hadn't upset her too much. 

It was odd, hanging out in the manor alone with Jerome. At night he could just fall asleep, and ignore the fact that a man who had tried to kill him was now his ally. Now, as they sat in the sitting room playing chess, he couldn't get over how normal it felt. Jerome was actually doing really well, Bruce thought someone with Jerome's energy and temperment wouldnt be patient enough to play the game, but again, Jerome proved him wrong and was actually on the verge of beating him. Jerome couldn't hide his cocky grin, which only grew wider as Bruce's poker face began to crumble.

They were in a stalemate, both of them unwilling to lose the battle. They'd been playing for two hours, Bruce leaned up and sighed, while Jerome ginned at him.
"You giving up Brucie?" He said teasingly, his hands folded in front of his face. Wayne

"No. I'm just more interested in finding out what you found in Vinnys safe." He stated, Jerome, cocked his head, regarding Bruce curiously.
"Thought we were waitin' on your girlfriend to come up with a plan," He said, smirking. Bruce looked away, not wanting to explain his motives to the maniac in front of him. 

"Selina will be involved whenever she decides to return to the manor. I can't wait for her and risk more children going missing." He said, even if it wasn't the whole truth, Bruce truly believed in helping the missing children no matter what. If he could avoid involving Selina, and keep her safe, then that was just a added bonus.

"True, plus you got too worried about, I dont know, being murdered." Jerome chuckled, then he leaned toward Bruce slightly, his voice dropping into a whisper. "Speaking of, where is the butler? Is he involved with the league of nobodies?" He asked. Wayne recoiled, eyes flashing in anger he stood. 

"How dare you. Alfred is my family, he would never betray me!" Bruce said his voice rising. Jerome sent him a sour smirk, his eyes devoid of any warmth.

"Oh buddy, you really are naieve, arent you? Everyone's got a price, anybody can be bought, especially hired help. What if Gordy is apart of the court? Him and all his goons at the GCPD, and now they're recruiting old english muffin Alfred." Jerome laughed, "Wayne, you might think I'm the biggest threat you've ever had to deal with, but the real threat is the so called 'friends' around you. At best, their liabilities, and at worst, they're the ones who stab ya in the back." He let out a harsh laugh. 
"It's impressive really, that a kid like you would make it this far." He grinned.

Bruce really wasn't in the mood to deal with this right now. Questioning Alfreds intergrity was ludicrous, and quite frankly insulting. He wanted to argue further, but fights with Jerome had never ended well in the past. Maybe a direct approach would prove useful when dealing with Jerome. He swallowed down any feelings of anger, taaking a deep breath, he met Jerome's wild green eyes, his own face a smooth mask.

"Jerome, if you have a point please get to it." He said dryly. 

The flames from the fireplace cast shadows on Jeromes face, the gingers own grin brighter than the fire itself.
"Straight shooter, nice. I respect that Wayne, I really do." He gestured to the billionaire enthusiasticly. "That mindset, very effective, gets the job done, you know? Dangerous, but effective. But I'll roll with it, at least for now," he winked, "considering you did such a good job today, I think a little honesty is earned here." He laughed lightly.
"My point, the point of all this-" He gestured between the two of them, "is us. We gotta start trusting each other buddy. I trust you, but you keep hesitating! I've done nothing but respect your wishes, my only crime was trying to kill you!" He laughed, then coughed cutting it off short.
"Trust isn't easy to find in Gotham, Wayne. And believe it or not, you're my best shot at, well, I haven't really gotten to that yet-" He laughed again, his expression one of glee. "But that's the point! I need a purpose, and for some reason, fate keeps drawing us back together. I dunno if thats a good or bad thing, but here we are." He said, the room growing quiet, save for the occasional crackle of the fireplace. 

"Why me?" Bruce asked, his mask falling, showing a look of pure disbelief. "Why should I put any amount of faith in you?" He asked.

Jerome sat quietly, opposite of the younger teen. Shadows crossing his face, his fingers twitching slightly on the couch beneath him. He had a contemplative expression, and almost at a loss for words.

"I dont know. Ever since I've been dethawed, I've thought about killing you. Thought it'd clear the decks, you know? But I saved you. Thats gotta mean something. right?" He asked, whether the question was for himself or Bruce, the biliionaire didn't know. Jerome grew quiet again, trying to focus inward.

"You have a lot of potential, Wayne. We could do great things together, and not to toot my own horn or anything, but I'm you're best shot too. You want your girlfriend to be safe, right?" He paused, staring at Bruce. The brunette slowly nodded, causing Jerome to grin slightly before continuing, "She doesnt need to be involved. Same for your butler, whether hes crooked or not, he'd just be caught in the cross hairs. Me though?"
He pointed to himself, "If I die, get hurt, its all a plus for you. My heads all scrambled, and for some reason I wanna help you." He grew quiet, then laughed again. "Which would be really valuable, you know? I've been to the other side and come back! I'm not scared of dying again, for me, death is only temporary." He smiled.

"You don't have to admit it aloud Bruce, but you and I both know, using me is the best option. Not only for you, but for those around you. If I wanted to kill you, I could do it whenever I wanted." He looked bored and gestured to Bruce carelessly. "Best to accept this offer, while it still remains." He smirked.

"Are you threatening me?" Bruce asked, gripping the arm of the couch under him.

"No." He smiled again, his grin like a sharks. "I think that our paths have come together for a reason, and until I find out that reason, you're safe with me. The ball is in your court, Wayne. I'm yours to use as you will, if thats good with you of course." He laughed again.

Using the maniac, although morally reprehensible, could prove to be quite useful. He bit his lip, considering the consequences of allowing Jerome to grow closer to him. Allowing or rejecting such a partnership would surely end in disaster. But Bruce had to put his morals aside, the Court of Owls was a unknown force, ruling the city that he loved. By using jerome, who was a force to be reckoned with all on his own, might be what was best for Gotham. 

Before he could give a answer to the maniac, they heard a pair of footsteps slowly making itsway up the stairs. Jerome jumped up, as did Bruce. Wayne held a hand out to  stop the ginger from making any sudden moves, putting a finger to his lips.

"Alfred?" Wayne yelled out, his voice echoing through the empty manor.

"Bruce?" answered a familiar voice, Bruce grinned, relieved before looking back to his companion, who was looking at him as well, the situation dawning on Wayne that Jerome needed to be out of sight. Bruce ran to the door, with one last glance to the ginger behind him, he slammed it shut running to the top of the staircase. 

"Bruce, are ya alright? Why are you running?" Alfred asked he assumed a defensive stance, eyes searching for a threat behind the teen. The butler was wearing a nice suit and looked the same as ever if it were not for the bandage wrapped around his head. 

Bruce ran toward Alfred, almost launching himself into the butlers arms, instead he settled for a tight hug, Alfreds laugh bringing the billionaire joy. Having Alfred in the manor brought Wayne a indescribable happiness, the empty mansion suddenly feeling more like a home. The hug was slightly awkward, the billionaire not used to having more height over his guardian, but there wasn't really nothing to be done about it, considering they were hugging on a staircase.
"Nice to see you too Master Wayne, I hope you didn't worry too much lad. Just a wee concussion is all. Im glad you're alright Bruce." He said, giving Bruce one last squeeze before breaking the hug.
"I'm glad I've caught ya in a good mood, Master Bruce, because I got some news your not gonna like." He said, folding his arms behind his back. Bruce wanted to groan, it never ends.

"What is it?" He asked, praying that nothing was horribly wrong with the man he considered to be his family.

"You're going back to school. No more of this online business for you Bruce, you're re-enrolling in Gotham Academy, and I want no arguements about it, alright?" He stated, Bruce looked at him dumbfounded. "Now come on, I'm sure I can whip us up something to eat, I'll make it something light, considering the late hour. How about some good old fashioned chicken noodle soup?" He said, turning back down the staircase.

Bruce turned back, and looked at the door shut behind him, before following his Guardian down the stairs, hoping that this all wouldn't end in disaster.