#I keep thinking about heist y/n looking a little younger than the captain

[lostinreveriefiction]

The Vicious Few [Nathaniel Barnes x Reader] {1}

A/N: A while back a lovely person ( @cutebutpsycho83 ) sent me the idea of creating a several part Captain Barnes story based on the idea that he was an undercover cop who hung out at a bar and his partner was a younger girl who worked at the bar. He finds himself drawn to her and ultimately hates himself for it. I’ve switched things up a little in terms of him not really being familiar with Gotham, and he’s been sent there to help bring down a gang. Instead of hanging out at the bar, he’s become the new bar manager (but not really, as it’s his cover.) So, I hope you all enjoy it! Captain Barnes really needs some more love in the reader fic community. 

Looking to his badge, Nathaniel sighed and tucked it neatly into his duffle, before zipping it up and slinging it over his shoulder. ‘Do this, and the Captain title is sure to be yours,’ he remembered his Captain’s voice ringing his in head as a reminder that this was a good thing – even if he hated the idea.

‘Gotham? Really?’ Nobody wanted to end up there, and anyone who did was either lying or carrying delusions of grandeur. Still, that’s where he was headed for a special undercover mission that would put him on the map, at least in his Captain’s eyes.

As he sat on the train, making his way to Gotham, Nate read over the case file for the 100th time (at least it seemed that amount to him) and laid it all out in his head. He would go in, undercover, at a famous criminal watering hole. The bar in question was a famous criminal go-to for all the Gotham leeches to drown their sorrows, but also plan their next heist. Nate would be the new bar manager and attempt to get into all the business of said criminals, while reporting back to his bosses. This was the big case he was looking to nail, and the gang he was looking to nail – The Vicious Few – were also frequenters of the bar, and heavily trusted the staff. If he was to work there, he’d have to get used to sucking up to criminals, while firmly keeping his nose in their business.

The real manager of the bar was in on it all. She agreed that things with the gang had come to a head, but the rest of the staff did not have a clue about the whole thing. It was both for Nate’s safety and the safety of the staff, after all it wasn’t common knowledge on who was actually loyal to the gang.

After arriving and getting acquainted with all of the staff- except one – he took in the surroundings before calling it a night and brushing up on his work and role he would play, while sitting up in bed. It wasn’t going to be the hardest job in the world, compared to his police work it was a breeze, but it was different, and that was why he wanted to be the best at it – to give a real illusion to those he was serving and working with.

The third day on the job was when he met you, and that was when things started to get really interesting for him.

“What are you doing?” You chimed, stopping him as he made his way across the bar with a tray of drinks in his hand.

“Delivering table 9’s drinks,” he replied, taking note of your name badge and realising that this was your first meeting. “I’m your new bo-“

“Yeah, I know who you are,” you interrupted, taking the tray of drinks from him. “But no one in this bar delivers drinks to that table unless you’re me, or Vince Lanza, himself.”

“Vince Lanza?” He asked, recognising the name from the case file.

“Yeah, good looking bad boy with the scar?” You replied, motioning to the table.

Nate looked over and half smiled – The Vicious Few were finally there and he could monitor them closely.

“So why you?” He asked, and you counted the drinks.

“I know them. They know me – they trust me,” you replied, before walking off and delivering the drinks.

Watching as you went, Nate admired how smoothly you dealt with the villains at the table but couldn’t help but question your affiliation with them. Surely you weren’t a part of their team? Probably not, but if they trusted you enough, then maybe just maybe, he would have to get to know you before he tried to even touch them.

“If you have to deal with them, just come find me,” you informed him before walking over to the bar to plop the tray back down.

“So why you?” Nate asked again, leaning on the bar next to you and trying his best to supress the cop in him that wanted to come out and have a full blown interrogation with you.

“Look, I’ve been here for a long time. It didn’t just happen overnight you know. There’s a lot of ground work you have to lay down with guys like them.”

Looking back at them, you watched as they chuckled and tossed beers back, probably celebrating another sickening victory. As much as you valued their custom – you hated their methods. Honestly, you disliked your job greatly and it was entirely to do with them. When you had heard about the new manager, you were more than pleased – something told you that he’d get rid of them. But when you saw just how clueless he was about the gang, you couldn’t help but feel completely disheartened. However, that would soon change.

After working at the bar, with Nate, for a couple weeks you couldn’t help but notice just how out of the loop he was when it came to the job at hand. He’d question you more on the Vicious gang rather than make sure that the mixers were stocked. Something didn’t add up in your head. And so, while watching him rifle through his bag, one night, you waited til he left the room and quickly moved in yanking the bag back onto the table and quickly sifting through his things. Your hand fell on what you thought was his wallet, but you pushed it to the side when you caught sight of the yellow pocket folder with ‘…POLICE DEPT’ printed across the front of it. Swallowing hard, you pulled it out and quickly skimmed over what was there, your heart racing in case Nate came in. The file held notes upon notes on the Vicious Few and a couple speculations about you.

“What are you doing?” Nate barked, causing you to jolt slightly, your heart now in your throat as you tried your best to play it cool.

“You really ought to lock up your things. Anyone could’ve found this,” you replied, holding his badge up. Nate stormed across the room and grabbed it from your hand before shoving it swiftly into his bag.

“I ought to fire your ass for this,” he warned and you sat at the edge of the desk.

“I can help, you know,” you offered, and he immediately began disagreeing. “I mean, a lot of hat you have on them is close to being right, but a lot of it is also way off. Like, uh, Vince and I were never a thing.”

“It was just a speculation,” he argued, raising an eyebrow to you.

“But the docks is right. They have a hideout there, but it’s not on Pier 9.”

“Then where is it?” He asked and you smiled.

“Let me help you out from now on and I’ll tell you.”

“Fine,” he surrendered and you offered a hand which he took firmly, and shook.

“Ok, so it’s totally Pier 9,” you admitted with a smile and he rolled his eyes. “And pier 10, 11, 12, 13…pretty much all of them. But Pier 6 is the one you want.”

“What’s on Pier 6?” He asked, attempting to hide the fact that he was in complete awe of you.

“Your promotion is on Pier 6,” you smiled and Nate stared at you for a moment, as if to will more information from you. “Everything that goes down, every heist of theirs begins at Pier 6.”

“Wait! Wait,” he contested, holding his hands up to you. While you were speaking, he had had time to think, or in Nates case, overthink. “How do I know you won’t just go running to them and tell them everything? I can’t do this (Y/N), it’s too risky for me and the whole case.”

“I work with the GCPD,” you finally admitted and Nate, once again, raised his eyebrow to you. “I’m an informant, ok? No one knows, except me and the Captain. It’s too dangerous otherwise.”

“Really?” He asked, looking you over before you smacked his arm, which made him jump slightly.

“Yes, really,” you argued, and he chuckled. “I may not look like the most law abiding citizen but I have to play the part.”

“No, no! You look great,” he announced, before silently chastising himself.

“You’re not too bad yourself,” you replied, winking and fully enjoying the new shade of pink his cheeks had taken. It was almost adorable.

Clearing his throat, he shook his head slightly and avoided your eyes. “I was going to go down to the pier tomorrow and scout out a few locations, but since you’ve basically told me where they hide out, I supposed it narrowed my search.” Nate looked to you in mild annoyance and you shrugged at him before thinking of something you would call ‘genius.’

“I’ve got it!” You began, clicking your fingers at him. “There’s no way you can go to the docks by yourself. If they see you skulking around, they’re gonna know something it up. So! How about I come with you? That way if they see you, I can say I’m showing you around town? I can be your little fake tour guide?”

Nate’s furrowed brow softened slightly when he realised that the idea actually wasn’t all that bad. He walked around the desk and put his bag in the sfae before returning to your side.

“Meet me here tomorrow at 11am sharp. If you’re late – I’m going alone.”