After all, his former employer was injured. For both professional and personal reasons, Lance decided to pay him a visit.
He swore to God it was not just to mock Bruce Wayne.
"Pfft…"
Standing by Bruce's hospital bed, Lance held a half-peeled apple, his shoulders trembling with suppressed laughter.
Bruce opened his eyes with a weary expression and let out a long sigh.
"Is it really that funny? Are you actually here to visit a patient?"
"Where's the patient? Where?" Lance glanced around, then fixed his gaze on Bruce and burst out laughing again.
"Pfft, hahaha… Bruce, is this the 'reward' that lovely lady gave you? Your love life is certainly… distinctive," he said with thinly veiled sarcasm.
"Stop laughing," Bruce said. "I need you to do me a small favor."
"Me?" Lance pointed at himself, looked at Bruce lying in bed, then shook his head without hesitation.
"I know what you're thinking. Forget it," he said. "I'm a lawyer, not a hired thug on Wayne Enterprises' payroll, and certainly not a bounty hunter. Let me remind you, catching thieves is the police's job."
"I'll pay extra."
Damn rich people.
Lance's attitude shifted instantly, and he put on a warm, courteous smile.
"What would Master Wayne like me to do?"
"At the Diamond Museum tonight, help me stop someone. Don't let the gemstone on display fall into her hands," Bruce said.
"I really don't understand you young couples," Lance muttered. "What am I, part of your roleplay? I stop her, and then what?"
"There is no 'then,'" Bruce replied. "The rest is my business."
"Fine." Lance shrugged. "But I can't guarantee I'll be able to stop her."
"You can," Bruce said with confidence. "After all, haven't you been telling me you're omnipotent?"
How could anyone take a lawyer's boasts seriously, Lance thought.
But it did not matter. For the sake of those delightful dollars, he was willing to give it a try.
However…
"Have you really fallen for her?" Lance asked.
Bruce fell silent.
His mind filled with the image of that girl, holding a gleaming gemstone, wearing a sly, knowing smile.
At the same time, reason and emotion clashed within him, violently opposing one another.
How could you fall in love with a criminal?
The rational side of him, the Batman, seemed to be pointing a finger in accusation.
But…
The emotional Bruce answered quietly within himself.
When I met her, when I fell for her, this is who she already was.
They had met while Catwoman was in the middle of a crime. She had flaws, yes, but they were minor. She had never committed anything truly heinous. She was not one of those irredeemable criminals.
This was Gotham.
Bruce found himself defending her in his own thoughts.
By Gotham's standards, she was already exceptional.
And yet, the problem remained.
He was Batman, and the woman who captivated him was a thief.
A vigilante should not fall in love with a criminal.
At least, by Bruce's own standards, it was wrong.
After a long silence, he spoke, his voice uncertain.
"I… I don't know how to explain it…"
"I like her. No, I love her. But… I don't understand how I could fall for a criminal. It's ridiculous… not just ridiculous, it's dangerous… I mean…"
"Alright, enough."
Lance raised a hand, cutting him off.
"You're Batman, and the person you love is a thief. So what?"
"It's not right…" Bruce said weakly.
"There's nothing 'not right' about it," Lance replied. "You're the one cornering yourself."
He leaned forward, locking eyes with Bruce.
"Let me ask you something. What made you Batman?"
"Many things."
"Then what made the woman you love a thief?"
…
Bruce fell silent.
Faced with Lance's question, his usually sharp mind went blank.
Lance smiled.
"See?" He spread his hands. "You've fallen for this woman, and knowing you, you've already investigated her. Yet you have no idea what kind of past pushed her onto this path. You're denying it for the sake of denial, and now you're sitting here brooding over it."
"So, forgive my bluntness, but I seriously doubt your intentions."
"Do you actually like her, or are you just chasing the thrill of a one-night stand?"
"I haven't even slept with her," Bruce said.
"And?" Lance sneered, his gaze drifting to Bruce's side, carefully wrapped in bandages by Alfred. "Should I applaud your restraint?"
"She stabbed you before you even got that far. That makes me a little concerned for your life."
"Should I talk to her?" Bruce asked.
"How many times do I have to say this?" Lance waved his hand impatiently. "Whether you talk to her or not is your business. You don't need my opinion."
"She's the woman you like. If you don't go talk to her, what, are you going to talk to me instead? Do you like me?"
"To be honest, if I were her, I would have stabbed you too," Lance went on.
"The two of you have been running around Gotham together for days, everything going smoothly. Then out of nowhere, you start lecturing her like some self-righteous idiot. I know you have your reasons, don't rush to argue, but from her perspective, you're just another bastard."
"In short, you handled this terribly, my friend. Hard to believe our charming playboy is this inexperienced when it comes to a woman he likes."
"Pfft… sorry, that was just amusing."
"…Fine. I'll talk to her," Bruce said after a pause.
"So you still need me to play the villain tonight?" Lance asked.
Bruce considered it for a moment, then nodded.
"You really are a complete bastard," Lance said, shaking his head. "Well, what can I do? Your money has me on a leash. I suppose I'll just follow orders and go break that girl's heart."
He stood up and shoved the mangled apple into Bruce's hand.
"Wait here for the good news. I'll make your girl cry."
"Oh, right."
Before leaving, Lance turned back, looking at Bruce lying in the hospital bed.
"In relationships, there's no right or wrong. Only choices."
"You chose the path of Batman," Lance said. "So you have to bear everything that comes with it, including falling for the wrong person. But if you look at it from another angle…"
Lance smiled faintly.
"Maybe it's precisely because she's 'wrong' that you love her."
___
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