Batgirl Begins (dbspock/WendyTheRed)

“Yes, Sara does like to keep this a secret. Probably best your dad doesn’t know. “ John agreed, then blinked with confusion as she refused his offer of money. Hadn’t she just said she needed some? “Sara said I was supposed to help you. “ he said when she explained her reason, understanding all too well not wanting to get Sara mad, but he didn’t think it would happen here.

“It won’t. “ he promised her, then cocked his head a bit. “At least, I don’t think so. “ he held her bra up again. “Can you tell me what this is for? Sara has a lot of them, and the labels don’t make a lot of sense to me, and I could never figure out how to ask her about it. “
 
She nodded to John. "Yes, definitely. It's also why he doesn't know I'm here. I told him I'd be staying at a friend's. I'll have to figure out ways to make this happen. Maybe if Sara and you don't mind we could add it on to the end of my work shifts and I could tell him I'm staying late to work out in the gym. It'd certainly explain me coming home tired looking and stuff."

She saw his blink of confusion and wondered about it. She'd already suspected he took things literal but he also seemed naive as well. She realized she could probably have him wrapped around her finger if she wanted to be manipulative. Though that'd eventually result in a late night visit from Sara, she had no doubt. Luckily, she wasn't the type but she also wondered, was this part of her training in its own way? Was Sara testing what kind of person she was? "I'll tell you what, if you are truly offering me some money, I'll take it on the condition that you tell Sara and I won't spend any of it unless she agrees to it. And please let her know that that was my condition. I don't want her to think I'm taking advantage of you." She smiled at him then. "I won't be able to use it to help my dad directly since he'd want to know where it came from but I could use it to spend on other expenses I think I'm going to have." She turned back to the shower and casually said. "Bullet resistant outfits aren't cheap you know. Nor are customized escrima sticks to even the playing field when I face bigger and stronger opponents." She said in an even more casual voice. "I'm sure Wayne Enterprises can help me with both of those." The truth was, she had no idea how much either would cost and she'd be shocked when she did a bit of research later.

She looked back over her shoulder and her jaw dropped at the question. He was even more naive than she had first guessed and she blushed slightly. "Well, you saw it on me when I stripped. It's to uhh..provide support for breasts. Keep them from, you know, bouncing around and stuff. Which reminds me, I'll need to buy a sports bra for when I'm eventually allowed to be dressed during training." She couldn't help wondering how he had seen Sara's bras and she nearly asked but decided not to open that can of worms.
 
John nodded. “I’m supposed to pick you up after work today, so your story is actually true. “ he informed her, then shrugged about her condition about the money. “I’ll tell Sara. “ he promised, then shook his head. “You won’t need money for that. “ he promised her when she mentioned outfits and weapons. “They’ll be supplied in training when it gets to that point. “

He nodded when she said it provided support for the breasts, and recalled how hers had bounced as they sparred. So that part made sense at least. “So what’s a sports bra?” He persisted when she seemed willing to answer his questions. “And what do the letters and numbers mean?”
 
She looked surprised. "I see. Well, I'll have to call my dad later and tell him I'm using the provided gym at Wayne Enterprises after work or something. I also need to call my friend later who was going to pick me up after training. I should do that sooner than later actually so she doesn't start freaking out and getting scared I got kidnapped or something." She blinked in surprise at his next words though. He'd just confirmed something she hadn't dared hope. "I see. Is it just for training or is it for..." She tried to think of how to ask what she wanted to know. "For when I put my training to use later? If it is for the latter, I'll want to customize it at some point." She nodded to her t-shirt on the sink with its Bat logo and grinned. "It's not like he's got a trademark on it."

She blushed as his curiosity continued. "A sports bra is more supportive and tighter. It sort of holds my chest tighter so it doesn't, you know, get in the way." She looked away. "And the numbers and letters are just size stuff. You know, like the tag inside your shirt? The numbers are uhhh..inches, a measurement that basically goes around the ribcage to wear the bra sits. And the letter is uhh...well, they call it a cup size." She blushed even deeper and looked away from him once more.
 
“Your phone is still in the van. You can call whoever you like. “ John pointed out. It was a bit unusual, but there was no rule against calling people he was aware of. And her statement of using a Wayne Enterprise gym after work was technically correct, though he didn’t point that out.

He blinked at her response to the uniform offer and tried to make sense of her convoluted question. “There will be field training later. Not much point in having a uniform if you don’t use it. “ he finally replied. He didn’t have to follow her gaze to know what she was talking about. “A trademark would be hard under the circumstances. “

“Ah. “ John looked at the tag on her bra and then at her chest as he tried to make the connection between the two. “Shouldnt they all be the same size then?”

“Would you like some help with your back?” He asked next. He’d shot her there, and the scrubbing she was doing on her torso didn’t help much.
 
She nodded when he said she could call someone. Truthfully she wasn't sure how secretive this all was. She raised her eyebrows when he mentioned fieldwork and tried not to get too excited about it. "Fieldwork? Like uhhh...fighting some criminals or something?" She grinned at him. "And you didn't say I couldn't customize it. Good."

She shrugged at his question about how the measurements worked. "Honestly, I've never really thought about it you know? Somebody, probably a man, decided that was how it should be done and that's how it is."

She blushed when he asked about her back but she could feel the paint there and it was awkward trying to get to it so she nodded. "Yes, thank you." She said quietly.
 
“Yes. Or something. “ John confirmed without going into specifics. Truthfully whenever Sara sent him out in the field he never knew what that would entail. “And of course you can customize your gear into what works best for you. “ he wasn’t sure that included a Bat emblem, but he hadn’t heard of a rule against it either.

He frowned at her answer to his question of measurements as it didn’t quite answer his question. “No. I mean..,all my shirts have the same size. But Sara’s bras…some match and some don’t. Her chest doesn’t change, so why does the size?” Babs seemed willing to talk about it, so he wanted to get an answer to a question that had bugged him for a while.

John just nodded when she accepted his help with her back. He stepped forward, trying to avoid the spray, and took the washcloth from her before he knelt down and began scrubbing her back, getting closer and closer to her ass as he did so.
 
She raised an eyebrow at the 'or something'but decided not to comment on it right now. She nodded when he confirmed she could customize her gear and began thinking about a dark purple and yellow color scheme perhaps. "Good to hear."

She nodded. "Ah. It's because there's not really a standard between companies. So sometimes you end up with different sizes because you bought from different companies. I'm starting to wonder why you're so fascinated with Sara's bras..."

She bit her lip when he knelt down and began to wash her back. She couldn't help noticing how close his hands were getting to her hips and she was very nearly holding her breath now. Embarrassingly her body was reacting to the situation with her nipples puckering again and even a slight dampness between her thighs. She felt the heat in her neck and cheeks and wondered if she would ever stop blushing.
 
John blushed a bit when Babs called him out for questioning Sara’s bras, and he realized he’d pushed it as far as he could. Thankfully she had answered most of his questions about them. “She has a lot of them, and is very specific on how they are laundered. I was just curious as to why. “ he offered by way of explanation.

From his position, he didn’t notice her reaction to his removing the paint from her, so he saw no reason not to move down to her left buttocks and wipe off the specks of paint there as well. “I think that does it. “ he announced as he rose to his feet.
 
She raised her eyebrows at that reply and looked at him curiously. "You do her laundry? Are you her Alfred or something? No questions about panties too?"

She tensed slightly when his hand caressed her butt, not because she was upset but because of the sensations it sent through her. "Oh...uh...Thank you. I'm more or less done I think. Just need to dry off and get dressed."
 
“No one could do what Alfred does. “ John said with conviction. “And her classes cover more than fighting techniques. And her panties were all the same size. “ he claimed, looking at her with a puzzled look on his face, not quite sure what had motivated her questions, but honoring his agreement to answer them.

He nodded when she said she was done, then stepped back to take the towel when she was done so he could put it in the laundry.
 
She nodded her agreement about Alfred. "I didn't mean to imply that anyone could. I just meant how he takes care of a lot of Mister Wayne's needs and even seems to know them before he does if my guess is right." She bit her lip and nodded her understanding. "Well, here's hoping I don't end up doing her laundry too."

She dried as quickly as she could and ran her fingers through her hair. Luckily, she had a hair band in her purse so she gathered it into a ponytail then quickly got dressed. When he came back she was in a thoughtful mood as she motioned for him to lead her to the van. "So, what lesson do you think Sara had in mind for you by assigning you to teach me?"
 
John wasn’t sure how much he was allowed to talk about Bruce and Alfred…not much he’d wager…so he let that comment pass with just a nod. He did look at her quizzically when she mentioned laundry. “Do you not know how to do laundry?” He asked curiously. Somehow he thought it was something she’d done before.

John watched her curiously as she fixed her hair and dressed. “Why do you wear your hair so long?” He finally asked her. “And how long did it take you to figure out how to wear…that?” He gave a broad gesture at her bra before she asked her own question.

“I don’t know. “ he admitted honestly. “But it wouldn’t surprise me if she had multiple reasons, such as making sure I had the lessons straight in my head so I could teach them. And how to adapt to unexpected circumstances. “ Babs had certainly thrown plenty of those his way. “And she was probably testing you as well. Seeing if you were too cocky to accept a lesson from a student rather than her. “
 
She smiled at him. "I do know how to do laundry." She frowned a little. "I used to do my mother's and step-dad's laundry." She shook her head as if to clear it. "I just meant...I hope she doesn't decide I need to do that kind of thing to learn a lesson or something. I don't know...it's..." She tried to find the right word. "I already know what it's like to have to take care of someone else. That's all."

She was a little surprised by the question and smiled at him. "I don't know. I just like it. I'm not a vain girl I like to think, but I do like my red hair." She laughed at his continued interest in bras and shook her head. "It's not that hard to learn John. Though most boys are more interested in how to get them off than how to get them on."

She nodded, seeing his point about how it may have been a lesson for her as much as for him. "True. I know I'm nothing special but I can understand why she wanted to test me." She grinned at him. "I bet part of it was patience too. For you I mean. I think I tried your patience several times."
 
“The laundry thing wasn’t a punishment. “ John tried to explain as they left his room and headed back for the van. “At least, she didn’t explain it that way. Sara doesn’t need anyone to take care of her, I think she wanted me to know how to take care of myself. “

“It looks nice. “ John tried to explain. “It just…also looks like a lot to take care of. And a liability in a fight. “ for the first time, he pulled back his hood and displayed his own close cropped black hair, sure he didn’t need to remind her how he’d used her hair against her earlier. He then frowned at her explanation, or lack thereof, of bra clasps. “I couldn’t figure it out. “

“She tests everyone. Most don’t make it past the front door. “ he told her, then shrugged when she said she tested his patience. “I hadn’t noticed. “ he claimed, though he wondered if it might have been different if she hadn’t distracted him with her body.

“So did you want to sit up front this time?” He asked.
 
She nodded her understanding. "I didn't mean it was a punishment more like I thought maybe she thought it'd teach you a lesson. Maybe humility or something. Just speculating."

She nodded at his explanation about her hair and his thoughts about it. "You're not the first one to notice it and I know it's a liability. But I won't change myself just for that. I'll learn how to deal with it." She raised her eyebrows at his reply and smirked slightly. "Where you trying to take off a girl's bra? Or put one on?"

She considered his reply and nodded. "Well, I'm glad I did." She looked thoughtful. "I asked him to train me. He said no. But now she is. I wonder if it's with his permission or if she just sees something in me." She doesn't say who 'he' is but she suspects he will know. "Yeah, I have clothes on now. " So saying she climbs into the front seat then remembers. "Oh, I didn't grab that money ypu gave me. Well I wanted to give you a chance to run it past Sara anyway."
 
“I think the only lesson she was trying to teach me was how to do laundry. “ he said with a shrug. “Not everything has an ulterior motive. “

“Yes, you will. “ he assured her with a smirk, then shrugged again. “Just trying to be prepared. “

“I don’t think Sara asked your dad’s permission. “ John stated as he climbed into the drivers seat, then glanced over at her. “If she didn’t see something in you, you wouldn’t have gotten the chance to be here. “ he couldn’t resist smirking when she mentioned her clothes when she climbed in beside him. “That could be remedied. “ he teased her, then smiled broadly as she mentioned the money. “Check the pocket of your hoodie. “ he told her, and if she did she’d find a small wad of bills there, but as they were hundred dollar bills, the amount was still over a thousand bucks.

John pressed a control on the dashboard, and the garage door opened so he could pull out. After he did so, he paused for a moment to make sure the door shut before heading for her house…without asking for directions.
 
She nodded thoughtfully. She had assumed it was a lesson because she thought their relationship was strictly student and teacher. "So, if it's not a lesson, then why do you do her laundry? I'm just trying to understand. Like, if dad asked I might do his laundry sometime to help him out or something but he's my dad. At most it'd be a chore he'd ask me to do like washing dishes or whatever."

She looked over at John in confusion then nodded with an 'ahh' sound. "I didn't mean my dad John." She motioned to the Bat logo on her shirt. "I meant him." She had hoped by being subtle that John may let something slip but now, well, now, she was practically saying it and daring him to confirm or deny it. She blushed as he teased her about her clothes and cleared her throat, shaking her head. "Uhh...no thank you." She blinked at his instructions and sure enough, she felt the money in there. "John, you didn't have to give me money. I wasn't asking for money from you."

She noticed he didn't ask directions and just started driving. "You know where I live?" She wasn't sure what to think of that and she took out her phone sending a text to Chloe. --All is well. I'm getting a ride from the guy I trained with to come by and change into my work clothes then a ride to work. Sorry I didn't text earlier, the training was long and intense.--
 
John frowned as Babs asked about the laundry again. Hadn’t he already explained it? “I did her laundry so I could learn how to do laundry. “ he repeated, not sure how else to explain it. “And yes, she taught me how to wash dishes as well. “

“Oh. “ John said when she gestured at her shirt, but if she hoping for something more than that she’d be disappointed as he just smirked at her reaction to his dare to strip. Disappointing, but he’d expected nothing less. He shrugged when she talked about the money. “You said you needed money. “ he said simply, and it was that simple to him.

“I do. “ he confirmed, not sure why that was a surprise. She had to have known Sara would have had her checked out before allowing her in the dorm, and that John had been briefed was only logical.

Almost as soon as Babs sent the text, Babs phone began to ring, and the caller ID indicated it was Chloe. Clearly she wasn’t going to be satisfied with a simple text message.
 
She shrugged. "Alright. Are you still doing it or did you just do it long enough to learn?" She was starting to wonder if John was Sara's unpaid servant or something but then she remembered the money he had so casually given her. Ok, maybe not unpaid after all.

She decided to take the 'oh' for what it was worth. If nothing else he didn't react with disbelief which in itself told her something. She also realized she needed to dial things back, she was treading far to close to the line and she fully intended to keep Bruce Wayne's secrets even if he hadn't officially shared them with her. "Well, I said I wanted a job to help my dad out. But there are things I will eventually need money for I think. I don't know...I feel guilty for taking your money. You seem so casual about it though."

She was still somewhat red as the drive continued and he confirmed he knew where she lived. She was a little uncomfortable at the thought but then again, she'd woken up with Batman standing over her only a couple of nights ago, so she might need to get used to this kind of thing. She jumped when her phone rang and gave John an apologetic look when she answered. "Chloe? I'm sorry if I woke you up, I just wanted you to know I was fine."
 
Why was she so transfixed on Sara’s laundry? It was a weird question, but he’d promised to answer her questions and had no reason not to. “Sometimes. “ he admitted. “I have to do my laundry anyway, so it’s not hard to do hers at the same time. “

He took a quick confused glance at her before turning his attention back to the road. “You aren’t blackmailing me or anything. “ he pointed out. “You said you needed money, I have money. Problem solved. “

John didn’t notice the look she gave him when her phone rang, and he didn’t react at all to her conversation. Despite the fact she mentioned him, it had nothing to do with him.

“Woke me? I drop my friend off in one of the worst parts of town and don’t hear from her for hours and you think I’m asleep?” Chloe tried to tease her, but the tension in her voice was obvious. “But be careful coming home. Your dad has one of those weird quiet mornings and hasn’t left for work yet. “
 
She could tell he was a bit weirded out by the laundry questions so she just let it drop. She just wasn't sure why he was doing Sara's laundry but perhaps their relationship was different than what she pictured. She smirked at his next reply about the money. "I think trying to blackmail you would be the dumbest thing I could do. I have no desire to wake up in the middle of the night with Sara standing over my bed." She muttered. "Already had that experience thank you very much..."

She winced at Chloe's reply. "I'm sorry. I should have contacted you hours ago. I wasn't really by my phone for most of my training and I was afraid to text in the middle of the night and wake you up. I'm really sorry you were worried Chloe. But I was safe, don't worry." She glanced at John, remembering how he had intercepted those muggers or whatever they were then spoke again. "Hmmm...considering I'll be pulling up in a van in front of your house that might be an issue. I'll ask my...uh...trainer to drop me a bit away and I'll walk to your house." She looked at John to see if he overheard and was fine with it. "Don't want Captain Gordon wondering why his daughter is in a van with a strange man after all."
 
John smirked a bit at the image of Sara paying a late night visit to Barbara. “Been there to. “ he muttered, and it was a startling experience. He was a bit surprised Sara had visited Babs in the middle of the night, he’d thought they met at the gala, but he wasn’t the keeper of Sara’s social schedule by any means, so he didn’t pursue it.

Chloe rolled her eyes a bit when Babs said her dad still being home was an issue. That’s why she’d mentioned it. She shook her head at Babs suggestion as well. “Oh, and he won’t wonder why you’re walking around this early in the morning, dorkface?” Chloe was still annoyed enough at Babs for leaving her hanging all night she gave voice to the name she was thinking. She then took a deep breath to calm down. “Why don’t I just grab the clothes you picked out, and meet you at Wayne Enterprises?” Chloe suggested, trying not to get too excited at the prospect of having an excuse to enter the building.

John wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but the van didn’t offer much privacy. He got a skeptical look on his face at Babs suggestion, but he didn’t object. He did give a slight nod at what he heard of Chloe’s suggestion though.
 
She misunderstood what he meant just as much as he misunderstood her. She gave him a startled look then and very nearly asked but at the last moment her brain made the connection and she smirked slightly. "It wasn't Sara..." She didn't say anything else, let him think what he wished and be curious about it.

She pursed her lips when Chloe called her dorkface. The name didn't bother her it was just so silly it took her off guard for a moment. "That's true." She was wracking her brain for a solution when Chloe offered one. She blushed as it immediately occurred to her she couldn't exactly go into Wayne Enterprises in her 'civies' and change in the bathroom or something. That'd leave only the interior of the van to change in. "That's a good idea Chloe, thank you. I really appreciate it." She gave Chloe a description of the van and after asking John which lot they'd be in, told Chloe that as well before she got off of the phone.

"So uhhh...I think I'll need to change in the back of the van." She didn't know why but that idea made her blush worse than being nude earlier had, perhaps because it wasn't related to training at all.
 
John did glance at her curiously when she continued her strange conversation gambit, but when she didn’t volunteer any more information about her late night visitor, he concluded she didn’t want to discuss it (so why bring it up?) and dropped the matter.

John had planned to just drop Babs off at the door, so he had to think for a moment about where he would park now. “The employee lot. “ he finally decided, not entirely comfortable with Babs giving out a description of the van, but he couldn’t come up with a strong enough reason to object.

He nodded when Babs said she’d need to change in the van. This was getting too a lot more complicated than the drop off Sara had tasked him with, but he supposed it still fell in the parameters. “That’s fine. “ he finally decided. “And there’s a parking pass in the glove compartment if you wouldn’t mind getting it. “ if Babs looked, she’d discover several parking passes, a handicap tag, and placards saying they were on official FBI or GCPD business, but sure enough there was also a valid pass for the employee lot.
 
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