(For chesstotem )

[gcpd]

It was a few days since the night he got beat up. The Batman was all over the news and it was the hot topic. Had he really returned? Hadn't he died? Those were the questions people were asking, but they obviously weren't going to get any answers. John arrived at her hotel just as he said he would. After parking in the underground parking lot, he took the elevator to the lobby and then another elevator to her floor. He was still pretty bruised up along with his cracked rib but his face was getting better.

When he got to her floor and walked down the hall, he knocked on her door.

Comments

[chesstotem]

She slipped her arms around him carefully. "Stay the night?" she asked.

[gcpd]

"What time is it ?" He asked.

[chesstotem]

"Um." She shifted a little to look at the clock on the bedside table. "Almost ten. Why? Don't tell me you have another late-night errand to run."

[gcpd]

He sighed. "I gotta go." John curled his hand around her jaw.

[chesstotem]

She reminded herself firmly that he wasn't under any obligation to stay. They were friends who had sex sometimes, that was it. He didn't need a reason, he didn't owe her anything. She nodded, and leaned in for another kiss. "All right. Call me. We can get lunch or something this week."

[gcpd]

"Sure. It's a plan." He needed to come up with some kind of cover. He couldn't just leave without some kind of explanation. He didn't need her to get suspicious. Slowly, he pulled away from her and got off the bed to get dressed.

[chesstotem]

She sat up on her knees to watch him, and beckoned him closer to help button his shirt. "You're sure you have to go?" she couldn't help but ask. "We could have some more fun if you stay..."

[gcpd]

He stood in front of her at the end of the bed so she could button his shirt. John laughed a little. "Very tempting but I've got some business to attend to."

[chesstotem]

Ariadne looked concerned. "At ten o'clock at night?" The last time he'd gone out on 'business' in the middle of the night, he'd gotten the crap kicked out of him.

[gcpd]

He had to come up with something quick. "It's a job alright? It's the graveyard shift at a warehouse by the docks." That sounded legit enough.

[chesstotem]

"Oh. All right." She finished buttoning his shirt and leaned in for another kiss. "Good luck, then. And be careful, the docks are kind of sketchy." She didn't need to tell him that, but she was still worried.

[gcpd]

"I know." He gave her a small smile before kissing her and then going to find his jacket.

[chesstotem]

She burrowed back under the covers, and watched him go.

[gcpd]

"I'll see ya later, alright?" He asked, poking his head into her room.

[chesstotem]

"You'd better," she murmured with a little smile.

[gcpd]

He smiled before quietly closing her door and then exiting her apartment.