Klavdiya.

•The fastest girl alive

•Has been in Gotham for two months

•Violet hair and golden eyes

•Russian

•Previously a protégée of Flash

•Weaponises micro-tech whip

•Recently altered uniform

•Seventeen years of age

•Has an affinity for Ariana Grande

•Previous member of Vermillion's gang, the Twisted 12

•Associates with the assassin Vermillion, vigilante Gleam and cyber terrorist Fantasy

•Knows the identity of Batman and associates

•Murderer

•Lives in upper-class apartment in Bridgeton

•Medium medical knowledge

•Has an affinity for Game of Thrones

Damian taps his drawing pencil against the notepad, trying to think of more. Not a single thought he conjures is appropriate to make note of anymore. Not after their night.

He was supposed to save this book for his drawings but had decided to dedicate the page to Klavdiya, mostly out of concern that Dick or any of the others might see it in the programming. They'd open it and use it to their advantage.

So, an old-school list it is.

It truly shocks him that this is all her knows about her. Not her last name, her family, her history, just these things mentioned here. Yet last night he spent an hour watching Game of Thrones with her, an hour kissing her and an hour trying to say goodbye.

It should have felt like being with a stranger, but instead it felt like being with someone he's known forever.

How many times has he said that now?

Just as he's about to take his phone in hand and compose a text to her (which will be approved by Colin first) there is a knock at the door.

"What?" He snaps, annoyed. Instead of getting a response, the door opens, a sheepish looking Grayson peaking through the door.

"Hey, babybat."

"What do you want? I'm busy," he bites back, slamming his notepad shut and jumping to his feet. Dick smiles at him and closes the door, slipping his hands in his pockets to look as casual as possible.

Damian is not stupid. He knows that exterior. It's the one Dick uses to diffuse tension.

"How are you?"

"Don't patronise me, Grayson. Spit out whatever it is you have to say. I have things I need to do."

Damian isn't sure which part of his response earns the change in exterior, but Dick loses the act, sighs and folds his arms over his chest.

"You were out last night."

"Yes I was."

"Where?"

"What concern is it of yours?"

"You didn't bring your phone, or anything that-"

"What? That you can track?"

That shuts him up.

The last thing Damian wanted was Dick showing up at Klavdiya's apartment. He wanted her to trust him, and his brother busting through the door whilst they're making out on her sofa would not have done much for that.

"You have no right to shove your nose in my business. If father accepts it, you must. You don't know her, either," he says, collecting his phone, hat, glasses, bike keys and jumper.

"It is my right if it's going to get your killed," Dick argues as Damian shoves past him, leaving his room for the hallway.

"I have no response for such a stupid remark."

Dick gives up as Damian enters the lift to the cave. The younger glares at him just before it drops.

◊◊

He lost his confidence. Also, he has his phone, risking being tracked.

So he decides to take a walk through the bustling Gotham streets.

It has always been strange to him. At night, as he scales the roof tops, the city was gloomy and empty of good people, only populated by scum. Seeing smiling faces, families and happy couples reminds Damian that this is actually a city and what he is protecting, every time he puts his life at risk.

Though he is technically hiding to avoid people pointing at him and shouting his name. Hood up, glasses and hat on, he's managing to stay concealed as he walks through the busy streets.

Perhaps he should buy her something? A gift, for their next date? Is it too early?...Or is it too late? Was he supposed to get her something for their first date?

Just as the thought crosses his mind, he can't believe his eyes.

Stunningly purple hair catches his gaze through the glass window of a clothing store nearby. No one in Gotham has hair that colour but her.

Not even thinking of any consequences, Damian ducks off of the street and into the store. A bell twinkles when he steps in, hit in the face with heater air. The lady at the counter gives him an uncomfortable look, obviously wondering why a young man is walking into a women's boutique.

Klavdiya is sitting down with her back to him on the other side of the store. She is watching another girl, obviously older, spinning around in a large fur coat.

"What do you think?" He hears the other girl ask. She's tall and lanky, with dark skin and a deep, heart-shaped face. When he's close enough he can see she has dull grey eyes, almost haunting.

"It's pretty but it's real fur. Don't buy that. It's gross."

The remark makes him smile, and that's when the girl in the coat looks up at him, standing a few feet behind Klavdiya. Her face contorts into a judgemental frown, prompting the lilac-head to turn around as well.

When she meets eyes with Damian, the way her face lights up sends his heart into a frenzy.

"Milashka!" She grins, jumping to her feet and rounding the sofa. Damian's arms automatically open as she crashes into him, pressing her face into his chest.

"Klavdiya, who's this?" The girl says immediately, looking at Damian with one long eyebrow arched in disapproval.

"Arjana, this is-" Klavdiya starts as she draws back, leaving one arm around Damian's waist. So he does the same to her.

"This is?" Arjana says. She has an accent that Damian can't pinpoint.

"Damian Wayne," he says, feeling Klavdiya press her hand into his side almost painfully.

"Damia-...Klavdiya, what the hell?"

"You should go now, RJ. You said you missed Nairobi right?"

"Don't try that with me, Klavdi," the girl snaps, throwing the fur coat on the sofa and walking towards them. Damian moves for his bow staff concealed in his jumper, but Klavdiya catches his hand first.

"Go on, rat me out to my sister. It doesn't matter. You can't tell her anything Rowan hasn't already."

Arjana watches sourly as Klavdiya picks up a few items from where she was sitting.

"She still won't like it. I'll tell the Seer. I'll tell him you're disobeying his or-"

Damian is drawn away from watching Arjana by Klavdiya's hands on his face. She turns his head towards her, golden eyes staring at her friend.

Then, she leans up, mischief and deviance cut deep in her expression, and kisses him.

He nearly doesn't hear the annoyed sigh Arjana does, the blood rush too loud and the feelings too overwhelming. His skin tingled when Klavdiya gently scratches her nails over his jaw.

When she draws away she's grinning at him. He can't help but smile back.

"Ignore her," she says with a cute little shrug, throwing a satisfied smirk at the spot where Arjana had been. Damian stares at the suddenly empty place in surprise.

He does a 360 spin, not finding the woman anywhere.

"Where-"

"Teleportation, flight, camouflage, energy projection, chronokenesis, transformation. Just another trick of hers," she responds, winking at him before turning around and walking to the counter where the lady still looks very uncomfortable.

When she sees the two approaching, her smile brightens with the shine of commission.

"All done?" She asks brightly.

Klavdiya doesn't say anything, just smiles and places several items on the counter. Damian observes them from behind her. Though he does not know much about women's fashion, he senses something is off.

"These clothes are not very acquitted to your taste," he comments. She turns around and looks up at him with a small smile that makes his cheeks flush (even more).

He wasn't wrong, he's sure of it. Right now she's wearing a plain, dark blue, long-sleeved shirt cut at the waist with lacy black shorts and knee-high boots.

What she is paying for is conservative, silks and cashmeres in greys and browns.

The cashier excitedly exclaims the insane cost, but Klavdiya doesn't bat eyelid, taking her purse out calmly.

Wait.

"Let me," Damian says, slipping a hand into his jacket and grabbing his wallet.

"Next time. I like paying for my own things," she says, giving him a tighter smile.

"No, really-"

Without the cashier seeing, one of Klavdiya's dainty hands move to Damian's wrist, concealed in his jumper. He blushes at the intrusion, but also when he feels long, fake nails seize his hand and lock his fingers in hers. She pulls their hands out.

"Really," she smiles sweetly, leaning up to kiss his cheek, "it's fine."

It's a threat.

"Alright," he responds calmly, yet every other aspect of his physicality says the opposite. She smiles and happily pays the ridiculous sum.

Before they leave, she lets Damian help her put her coat on and carry her bags. It makes him feel a little bit better.

"Who was that girl?" He asks, when they exit the store back to the busy streets.

"No one," she smiles, waving it off. She slips her arm into his, cuddling up to him. He's drawn to the warmth she provides and knows she doesn't even need the winter coat she has on.

Speedsters give off more warmth naturally.

"So, as an answer to your question; my sister is coming to Gotham soon for a business trip and expects me to attend some meetings. She gave me a clothing criteria I had to follow."

Damian just nods. He wonders if he'll meet her? He met Vermillion, after all. Her sister is Gleam. That will be interesting. From what Damian understands, Dick does not know Gleam's real identity.

He has doubts his father doesn't know.

"Will she have dealings with Wayne Enterprises?" He asks. Klavdiya looks up at him, and before she can answer Damian asks another question, "Will she and you be attending the company's latest soirée?"

When her expression shifts, he knows he has crossed the line. What was he doing, asking about such a thing?

"I didn't think of that. Everything is going to become pretty clear, isn't it?" She murmurs, more to herself than anything.

They reach her apartment and move up onto the doorstep. Her weary expression changes to her usual smile, maybe because she's home. It eases some of his panic.

"Please tell me," she begins, sliding one hand up into his hair, "that you'll get red this way every time something happens with us?"

Damian scoffs, turning his head to the side to get out of her grasp.

"I will get used to it and it will stop," he states stiffly.

She chuckles, "I hope not. It's cute."

I'm not cute, he wants to say, but she's already kissing him again, taking his hand and pulling him into the complex.

"You're not taking the fire escape?" Damian asks, following in a daze.

"I like being normal sometimes. It reminds me how lucky I am," she responds, taking her time to press the button for her apartment. Damian finds it endearing.

Hell, he finds everything she does endearing.

When the doors open, Klavdiya dashes in, moving towards the kitchen at the speed of light. Damian takes the initiative to take her bags to her bedroom, carefully placing them on the blue and pink covers before returning to the lounge room.

"Do you want coffee?" She asks, already eating a packet of...marshmallows.

"No thank you. I can not stand the drink. Drake consumes it constantly," he says, leaning on the opposite side of the bench from her.

Klavdiya briefly stops throwing marshmallows in the air and catching them in her mouth, to stare at Damian.

"Timothy Drake?" She asks curiously, clenching the packet tightly in her hands.

"Yes, why?" Damian asks, sounding irritated.

Klavdiya realises why and dashes over to him, cheeky grin on her face.

"Are you jealous that I asked, milashka? Have I not proved you are the only one?" She asks playfully, slipping her hands around his waist.

Damian sighs in an attempt to calm down, but it hardly works with her head pressed right against her chest.

Slowly, his arms move around her as well, connecting behind her back. It's probably the warmest hug he has ever had, inside and out, with no comparison.

Perhaps he was afraid of this affection. Perhaps that fear comes instead from the question on whether or not he'd ever receive it. Would he ever be loved, if even his own mother could not?

She moves slightly when he rests his cheek on the top of her head, turning so it's her cheek against his jumper.

"Do you...want to know everything?"