outfoxing (outfoxing) wrote,
@ 2012-02-19 02:03:00

Sarah had been in Gotham for far too long. She had done everything asked of her to the best of her ability too and it still was not enough. After her last meeting with the person she was forced to work for she was hit with a deep wave of depression and helplessness.

Which is why she hadn't gone out to scare up some trouble. Instead she was well into her second bottle of wine and still taking a bubble bath trying to feel better. It really wasn't helping. She just kept getting more and more blue feeling the longer she sat there in the still hot water.

Slowly she stretches and drains off some water so she can not only add more hot water to the tub but she needed to rinse her hair again.

It was because of that she din't detect someone finding their way into the darkened safe house.

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outfoxing
2012-02-20 03:51 am UTC (link)

Physically.... okay no. Her knuckles look a mess because she had been so hard on herself. The heat from the water probably hadn't helped them and she had a few bruises from various trouble she'd gotten involved in since the last time he saw her.

And her elbow wasn't looking happy. She had very nearly gotten herself in hot water with her 'boss' when she got upset. One of his enforcers had grabbed her too roughly when she had blown up. at him. That hadn't been good at all.

"Not exactly. I've had a really bad day."

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	cantkeepmeout 2012-02-20 03:54 am UTC (link)
	"Did you...want to talk about it? Or was there anything I could do?" He knows she won't ask him something he can't do, be it let her get away with something or the like, but he thought that maybe he could be a small help. Because she really sounded like she needed it. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	outfoxing 2012-02-20 04:01 am UTC (link)
	"I don't know," she admits. "Everything is just...." She feels like she's been kicked in the gut. "Nothing's going to fix things right now. I'm just.... Stuck." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

cantkeepmeout
2012-02-20 04:06 am UTC (link)

"I doubt you're stuck. If there's no way to fix things then...find a new goal I guess."

He can't believe he's saying this next part. But being doing what he did meant more than stopping crime, it was about helping people too. And she needed it it sounded like.

"Sarah...I-I can help you get unstuck." He offers because this didn't seem like something as simple as a theft gone wrong. There was something more and, as multiple hints she's let slip have told him, it was serious.

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	outfoxing 2012-02-20 04:10 am UTC (link)
	"I can't just..." She shifts again. The water sloshes around her when she does that. She's trying to not get mad at him. Robin isn't the bad guy here. He's trying to offer her help. "I can't do that Robin." And she's afraid to just ask for help. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

cantkeepmeout
2012-02-20 04:14 am UTC (link)

He notices that she hadn't said he couldn't help her. So it was something that he would have to say no to. Then why...

"Why can't you? I'm useful, and you know that whatever it is I would have probably found out eventually. This just saves you time."

"Tell me Sarah?" He's not pleading but he's trying to be soothing as he can. She's hurt and clearly needs some kind of help, even if she won't ask for it.

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	outfoxing 2012-02-20 04:18 am UTC (link)
	"I'm being black mailed." There. She said it. "For the past few years I've pretty much been an indentured servant as far as being a thief goes. No matter how hard I work they won't give me what I want and if I leave Gotham for good I lose everything that's actually important to me.... and this is just killing me." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

cantkeepmeout
2012-02-20 04:27 am UTC (link)

Robin freezes and his fists clench tightly and shake with rage until a sharp pain forces one open. He'd forgotten that he'd taken out a batarang to help break in and hadn't yet put it away until just now. It's gone through the glove and deep enough that he's bleeding a decent amount, but he can barely register it now. They were blackmailing her.

Damnit that shouldn't make him so angry. But to force anyone, and for some reason especially a thief, to do something against their will...no. Just no. He wouldn't allow that. His mother had said she stole because she could and because she wanted. For Sarah to be forced to...

That's it. "I'm coming in okay?" He gives her a fair warning before making quick work of her lock and shoving the door open. It's clear he's mad, from the shaking fists to the eyebrow that can't stop twitching, it's very clear. But he's not mad at her.

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	outfoxing 2012-02-20 04:33 am UTC (link)
	"All right." She made sure to hide her elbow under the still thick suds of the water. Her knuckles were still kind of visible. Funny thing is she's probably not going to get looked at too closely. He should be at least amused to see the remains of an ice cream bowl plus the empty wine bottle and the still open second bottle. This is how she sulks. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

cantkeepmeout
2012-02-20 04:39 am UTC (link)

He takes in the sight of the wine bottles and ice cream bowl which normally would get her an amused smile, right now they just serve as a reminder that he needs to calm down. Taking a deep breath to try and relax and figure out what this was all about, he sits down beside the tub so that they're eye level.

That this position makes it less obvious that she's naked also helps. It wouldn't do to be distracted now.

"What happened to you?" He's refering to her knuckles and the few bruises he can see. He'll ask about the other stuff soon.

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outfoxing
2012-02-20 04:44 am UTC (link)

"This punching bag got really mouthy, you see so I had to show it who was boss," she tries joking.

She's glad the tub has very high sides. It helps make her feel less exposed. And she can press against the hard surface without worry that she might flash him by mistake.

"Seriously,. before I ate and tried drinking myself into a better mood I was.... trying to be angry."

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	cantkeepmeout 2012-02-20 04:48 am UTC (link)
	"Well if your fists look like that I'd hate to see it's face." He makes the effort but the smile isn't there. "How did that work out for you?" It probably wasn't a good idea to ask about this blackmailing thing straight out. Let her get there at her own pace. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	outfoxing 2012-02-20 04:53 am UTC (link)
	"Not well. Just.... Yeah. Made it worse," she mutters looking away. "Trying to tire myself out didn't work. So I went for comfort food and alcohol. At least I have good taste in wine." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	cantkeepmeout 2012-02-20 04:56 am UTC (link)
	He picks up one of the bottles and glances at her, "Well I guess that's true. Must have been really good..." "What got you so worked up Sarah?" Because being blackmailed wasn't a new thing for her. Something must have set her off. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	outfoxing 2012-02-20 05:03 am UTC (link)
	"I..." How much could she say? "I tried to demand proof that what I'm working for means something on my end. They denied me that and.... I kind of lost it a bit. They were horrible about it. I've been so good. Loyal even... and they're treating me like less than dirt right now. I don't get it and I'm mad." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	cantkeepmeout 2012-02-20 05:09 am UTC (link)
	He grinds his teeth and carefully puts down the bottle to make sure he doesn't do it any damage. That they had refused was...despicable but also suspicious at the same time. It's not a good sign. But first thing's first. "Did they hurt you?" He already looks pissed, and if they had it'd just make it worse. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	outfoxing 2012-02-20 05:14 am UTC (link)
	She bites her lower lip "Kind of. An Enforcer grabbed by arm when it looked like I was about to hit someone. He didn't want me to get in trouble I guess. But he was rougher than he needed to be or I jerked my arm," she admits. That probably sounds bad. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	cantkeepmeout 2012-02-20 05:19 am UTC (link)
	Without stopping to think, his hand shoots out to pull her arm out of the water to see exactly what they'd done to her. He really hopes that blood now swirling in the water is his. "Sarah..." It didn't look good that was for sure. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	outfoxing 2012-02-20 05:28 am UTC (link)
	"It's just a bruise," she points out. It didn't look very happy against her skin. At least she isn't very fair skinned so it didn't look nearly so bad. "It just hurts. I'll be okay. They were just trying to stop me from hitting someone." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

cantkeepmeout
2012-02-20 05:36 am UTC (link)

"Still..." They had hurt her, and yes it had only been to stop her from digging herself deeper but she'd never have been in the situation if they'd just...this was frustrating.

Drawing his hand back, and thankful she wasn't bleeding, he gives her a look of concern, "And why do you think they wouldn't show you...proof?" He can't figure out what they have on her, but he'd be damned if it stayed that way.

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	outfoxing 2012-02-20 05:47 am UTC (link)
	"They..... may not have what I want anymore." That just made her want to curl in on herself. Instead she just let the side of her face press against the edge of the tub. She probably did look pretty sad. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

cantkeepmeout
2012-02-20 05:52 am UTC (link)

Although he knows that's the most likely reason he needed her to say it. If only to realize that she needed help with this. "Sarah, we'll find out if they have it okay? Then work on getting it to you. Alright?"

He doesn't think twice about including himself in this mission. It was a given.

But still, she looked so sad. He carefully leans forward to put an arm around her shoulders, making sure not to smear any blood, and gives her a hug. Well as good a hug as he can give in their positions.

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outfoxing
2012-02-20 06:06 am UTC (link)

"Thanks." The tub sloshes a bit more as she shifts. If she could she would be cuddling right into him.

Finally after a long silent moment she decides she needs to get out of the tub.

"Robin, can you hand me a towel?..... I think I'm drunk enough to need to not stay in a bubble bath all night. And I'm wet enough that I'd rather towel off before putting my robe on."

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	cantkeepmeout 2012-02-20 06:12 am UTC (link)
	Pleased that she's not trying to reject his help, he pulls her a little closer. "Ah yeah. Sure," he realizes once more that she's naked in a tub and he should probably find clothes for her. Getting up, he hands her the towel with his uninjured hand while holding her bathrobe, careful to not bleed on it, as he waits. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

outfoxing
2012-02-20 01:41 pm UTC (link)

"You could make use of my supply closet," she offers finding her words are slightly slurred from the wine.

"For your hand." And he has no idea where it is. "It's just outside the bathroom."

And she doesn't even think getting up and turning as she does so to avoid flashing him is a bad idea. Of course the towel probably covers enough. He still might get a hint of her backside when she does this.