#Bateman Begins

[youvebeenlivingfictional]

Bateman Begins Part 44

Previous Part | Masterlist | Last Part

Notes: Shorter chapter this time. Also, one more chapter after this one, kids

Pairing: Nathan Bateman x Reader

Rating: M

"You got answers for me?"

Nathan's mouth, which had been open to talk to Gordon about this clown business, hangs open in silence for a moment

There's not much he can answer from the facility—well, not anything Gordon would know about or would like to hear

He could tell him that he finally pinpointed the technical issue that's been shutting his power down

He could even move on with the lie he concocted, that the public's idea of Nathan Bateman had something to do with the rising popularity of the clown gang that he's seen on the news

But—

"Answers?" Nathan repeats.

Gordon groans on the other end of the phone, spits, "Fuckssake! You can't keep going dark like this. And what the fuck were you thinking, busting up one of Marone's meetings in broad daylight? The hell has gotten into you?"

"That wasn't—"

"Don't even think about telling me it wasn't you. I saw you on the footage. I though bats were nocturnal."

"I'm not a real bat."

"Thanks for the reminder."

Gordon draws in a deep sigh, and Nathan takes the moment of quiet to let his mind zip through the possibilities

He has plans to return to Gotham later that week

He knows for a fact that it is impossible for him to have busted up anything having to do with Marone, let alone in broad daylight

"I had to act fast," He fibs, "I was afraid they were on to me."

"Well don't pull that shit again. You got anything else for me on that clown business?"

Now he could launch into his disappearance—

"That last tip you gave me turned out," Gordon adds, "Got us a good ear to the ground on those freaks."

Again, Nathan can't help but fall silent

That last tip?

Not only is someone impersonating him, but they're apparently doing a good job of it

When Nathan finds this little identity-thieving brown-noser—

"Still working on it," He fibs. He could still pretend that his disappearance has something to do with it, but—

"Anything on Bateman?"

"...No."

"Alright," Gordon says, "See what you can do. Like you said last time, the ransom theory is out. Kidnappers would've asked for the cash a long time ago. None'a the bodies that turned up in the river this week were his."

"Hm."

Nathan hears chatter in the background, the call of Gordon's name before Gordon offers:

"I gotta go. Get better at answering your phone."

He hangs up before Nathan can get out another word

Nathan leans back in his seat, cradling his chin in his hand as he runs the conversation through his mind again

Whoever got into the mansion is using his gear and managed to find a way to communicate with Gordon, to kick theories back and forth, and is apparently managing to make a dent in the problems that Nathan left behind

It's been a long time since Nathan has had anything resembling foolish hope, but he's positive that there's only one person who could successfully be pulling this off

Screw returning to Gotham later that week

He's going to find a way to get back there tonight

Tag list: @blueeyesatnight ; @massivecolorspygiant ; @foxilayde ; @danniburgh ; @brandyllyn ;

@missredherring ; @the-feckless-wonder ; @ew-erin ; @xocalliexo ; @youngkenobilove ;

@chattychell ; @lorecraft  ; @thembosapphicclown ; @kmc1989

[s8tnn]

christian bale icons

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american psycho icons here and here

[thescreenking]

My Top 10 Favorite Slashers 🔪🩸

[jakegyllenbaalz]

christian bale as bruce wayne (the dark knight, 2008)

[balesgirl]

how can a man be so beautiful

[your-local-chaotic-cryptid]

Christian really looked at the artist girl with blue hair and pronouns, and thought she’d like him

[luvriablack]

I CANT ANYMOREEE😭 JUST LOOK AT HIM AHAHSJJSHS

[bigboyluddy]

thank you christian bale for selling your soul to my combo thing

Thank you papa for buying disney hulu max combo

[donoteatwingsoutapussy]

Whoever made this clearly doesn't understand Batman like I do, he would absolutely want that deep down. I would know

I'm Batman

[anaamaya]

Happy Birthday Christian Bale! 🖤😎🔥🩵

[iloveplayrehersal]

I just got reminded that American Psycho 2 exists so I had to cry and watch the original

[youvebeenlivingfictional]

Bateman Begins Part 43

Previous Part | Masterlist | Next Part

Notes: I’m aiming to have 2-3 more chapters before wrapping this up.

Pairing: Nathan Bateman x Reader

Rating: M

"You're late."

You are. That had not been the plan.

In fact, for most of the evening, nothing has gone to plan.

The modulator had been such a finicky little fucker to get right.

You had spent so much time fiddling with it to nail Nathan's pitch and timbre.

His tone and pace, that was down to you to get right.

The kevlar had also been more difficult to manipulate than you'd anticipated.

It's lighter and more flexible, just like you wanted, but conforming it to your body and needs is so foreign to you.

And after all of the time that you had taken to get the voice box right—

It doesn't matter.

You're finally there, hugging to the shadows as you eye. Commissioner Jim Gordon standing at the other end of the roof.

You've seen him on the news all day, and you'd had some inkling that Nathan was working with the cops while you'd both been in Gotham.

"I've got questions," Gordon takes a step closer, and it's a fight not to just turn and run.

Instead you tip your chin up, the night splitting with Nathan's voice: "I came here for answers. You said your information was too sensitive to send."

"Where the hell have you been?"

And isn't that the million dollar question.

"Busy."

"Look, I know we don't exactly have a solid relationship, but you can't just disappear on me like that, man. We've been drowning without you out there."

"...Information," You reiterate. "Who, where, what. Details."

Gordon shakes his head, huffing.

"You've seen this clown shit?"

"Here and there."

"Well, it's all over the fucking place."

"You said you had a lead."

"The name Jack White mean anything to you?"

Not a damn thing.

Gordon's eyes narrow at your silence before he fishes into his pocket, drawing out a USB stick.

He holds it out, and waits.

But you don't dare get any closer, not as you are. Not like this.

"...Look, I don't know what the fuck is going on with you," Gordon says after a moment, "Or with Bateman. The department's up my ass about it. Once we clear up this clown gang, if he hasn't resurfaced and if you don't volunteer that information...It's not looking good for you."

"Nothing to volunteer."

"Why were you at his manor, then?"

"...Had a tip."

"About what?"

"Can't say."

"Christ," Gordon hisses. "I thought you were a shit before. What's crawled up your ass?"

"Give me the information. I do my job, you do yours."

Gordon huffs a flat laugh, tossing the stick just enough for you to catch it.

"I'll see what I can find," You add.

"Work fast, and keep your head down. Anyone in the department catches you with that information, it's both of us on the line."

"I understand."

--

You shouldn't have taken it.

You stare at the USB drive, damning yourself as the screens flicker in front of you.

You can't look into this.

Your thing is the tech, Nathan's thing is the digging.

At least, it was until Vicki sunk her claws into—

No, no. Not now.

You know that Nathan has access to a vast array of information.

You won't go after the guy, you can just...Give Gordon some insight on his leads to get him off your back.

And then you can dig back into whatever the hell happened to Nathan.

You heave in a deep breath, straightening up with a groan.

Getting home had been hell.

You'd doubled back to make sure Gordon wasn't following you. It had taken you four times as long to get back to the mansion.

It's nearly three in the morning, and you don't have Nathan's stamina.

Alright.

You'll take a short nap, have a snack, and then get going on this.

--

"Activity report, Master Bateman."

Nathan doesn't answer right away.

It's been like this for the last week and a half—Alfred running at half-power, focusing on security tasks as Nathan tries to identify the faulty wiring that's causing the facility to lock down.

He's been running as his own skeleton crew, working at half-speed and half-power as he tries to pinpoint the problem.

Whatever it is, wherever it is, it's giving him a helluva runaround.

Every time he thinks he's got it nailed, something else rears its ugly fucking head.

And with Alfred running at diminished capacity, Nathan has narrowed his task focuses mean—namely activity reports for the properties connected to his systems.

"Go on," Nathan waves a hand before returning both to the keyboard.

"Facility occupants: two."

"Technically one," Nathan mutters.

"I take umbridge with that. Manor occupants—"

"None, I know, move on—"

"One—"

"What?" Nathan twists in his chair, brow furrowing deeply. "The fuck do you mean, one occupant in the Manor?"

"Entry, exit, kitchen, and Blue Room sensors have been triggered repeatedly."

It can't just be the police, there's no way they'd start sniffing around there after so many weeks, let alone take up residence.

It could be a wild animal that's gotten in, is enjoying having the run of the place.

"Cave sensors?"

"Triggered."

His stomach swoops.

"Why the hell didn't you start with that? How many times?"

"Nine times in the last forty-eight hours."

Nathan twists back to his laptop, minimizing his work.

"Is that the only activity for the cave?" He asks.

"The sensors have been triggered routinely for the last week."

Nathan's hands curl and flex over his keyboard, fingers beginning to tingle with nerves.

Vicki had been on his trail when he left town, but he didn't think that she'd gotten that close.

Could she have found the cave, worked out how to get in?

And if it is her, what the fuck is she doing, going down there, over and over? Taking photos? Collecting evidence?

Nathan hisses a curse as he receives an error message for the cameras at the Manor.

Son of a bitch—it can't be that the power had been shut down, or off.

If that was the case, the sensors wouldn't be working.

He considers for a few moments, eyes searching the error screen.

"Alfred."

"Sir."

"How many times have the sensors in the Blue Room been triggered?"

"In the last forty-eight hours?"

"In the last week."

"Fifty-three, sir."

Nathan's mind zips to a place it shouldn't go.

You're in Metropolis. You're in a shitty apartent with your grass-green avocados and stubbornness.

Even if you are back in Gotham...No.

Nathan shakes his head, swallowing thickly.

He's been toying with the idea of a return, first as Batman, and then as himself—an ease back into public life coupled with an excuse that things had gotten too chaotic, that he didn't plan his little break to cause such a stir.

But if someone is in his Manor, sniffing around the cave, poking around his truths—

Hell.

Nathan is going to have to get back to Gotham—the sooner, the better.

Tag list: @blueeyesatnight ; @massivecolorspygiant ; @foxilayde @danniburg ; @brandyllyn ;

@missredherring ; @the-feckless-wonder ; @ew-erin ; @xocalliexo ; @youngkenobilove ;

@chattychell ; @lorecraft  ; @thembosapphicclown ; @kmc1989

[l0kis-mvse]

Made some bots. Me and my bestie @mooncalledcallisto came up with the ideas (they’ve made some Mortal Kombat ones)

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[the-brainrot-central]

*discreetly slides this across the table to you* pspspsps here. Eat.

I UPDATED YAY

[balesgirl]

I love him

[kubrik-was-a-c-nt]

Patrick Bateman and Bruce Wayne are both the exact same character and complete opposite characters at the same time.