Work Text:
He watches Hal sleep, his brown hair sprawled against the rough surface of the dirty rocks beneath the Gotham overpass. Hal’s brows are furrowed, his hand pressed between his head and the rock. The overpass was a blessing, Bruce can hear it being beat with rain. Soft patters. It reminds him that just past that rain is nothing but stars. As much as he’d like to lay out here with Hal and search for constellations, he knows the rain is just as much wanted as the overpass.
The rain grounded the police choppers. It threw the dog’s sense of smell off.
Bruce had been on watch just since the last chopper passed overhead. When the rain started he slacked a bit. Letting the ache of restlessness seep into his body. The campfire was warm, inviting him to sleep even. At the slightest creak from the trees or shake from the road as cars passed over, Bruce remembered why he needed to stay awake. Getting caught was not the problem. It was being separated. There was no doubt in Bruce’s mind that he’d go to Blackgate and Hal would be extradited back home. If living like this was the only option they had, then Bruce would stay on the run for the rest of his life.
The thought crosses his mind, the separation, so he gets up and quietly settles beside Hal, his back leaning against another dirty rock. He nudges Hal awake, and hides his smile as Hal looks at him with all the anger in the world.
“I hope the Police are over there because I was having one hell of a dream.”
“You looked uncomfortable. I was going to tell you to lean on me.”
“Oh,” Hal laughs softly, sleep still trailing in his voice. He moves, his clothes scraping across the dirt, and lays his head on Bruce’s chest. The thumping of his heart blocks out the rain.
They stay quiet for a moment. Nothing can interrupt how close they feel. How the whole world is after them and yet they still have time for this. It feels like their own world, past the hunger in their stomachs, the fear of the future, they find happiness in the stolen time. They were fugitives after all, stealing time only seemed fair.
“What do you think will happen when they catch us?” Hal asks, his fingers twisting the hem of Bruce’s shirt. “Because, I’ve been in trouble with the Air Force and it’s never pretty. With the things we’ve done, I don’t expect it to be.”
“I don’t think they’ll catch us.”
“Bruce, We’re not going to be as lucky as all those other guys. One day, we’ll get tired and we’ll slip up. Maybe not the next five years but what about ten? Can you promise me they won’t find us then?”
He can’t. He stays silent but leans up. He ushers Hal to look at him before he presses his lips against his. Bruce pulls away but rests his forehead on Hal’s. “Even if they do, I’ll put up a fight. Just like I promised.”
Hal grins, his hand going behind Bruce’s head and pulling his lips back on his. He had seen the fight in Bruce before, the thought of it excited him.
In the midst of their kissing, they don’t hear the car doors above shut. They don’t hear the jingle of handcuffs with the officer’s slow, cautious steps as each officer descends onto the ground. Nor do they see the overpass lit in red in blue, surrounding the lovers on each side.