"You're—!"

"Catwoman? Thank you for noticing! Now, how am I going to get you away from this place?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well if you're meeting me then you're clearly in the East End. And you clearly don't belong here." She declares before jumping down to the ground to land feet first in front of Kei.

"I suppose you're right." Kei admits, keeping her distance. Selina saw no reason to do the same however and bent down to observe the papers Kei had just dropped, along with the folder.
"You're a reporter? That's...surprising."
"Yes, I am." Kei says, deciding to let her curiosity get the better of her, "why is it surprising?"
"You're very earnest. Not many of them are like that in this city." Kei couldn't help herself and chuckled.
"It was my first day. I think I still have to 'improve'." She points out sheepishly and there's a twinkle in the cat's eye.
"I like you. What are you researching?" Selina asks and it surprises Kei that she's interested.

"I'm working on a story to prove if The Court of Owls are real." Kei explains and Selina stares at her like she just suggested that she stick her head into the jaws of Waylon Jones.
"...you're serious?"
"Yeah. I...know it's nearly impossible—from what I've been told—but I want to try, at the very least." Kei replies.

"You're very...determined." Selina observed.
"Thank you...I think? Is that a compliment?"
"Take it as you like." Kei found it a bit frustrating, how elusive Selina was being, but she supposed the woman had to keep up an act.

"Well, anyway, can you help me get out of here?" Kei says, changing the subject back to their original topic. Selina nods.
"Yes, I can."
"Great because I need to get back to my bus stop and—shit!" Kei curses aloud as she stared at her phone screen.
"What is it?"
"The bus is probably gone by now. It's 5:20."
"Ah, I see. Will you be walking home then?"
"Maybe...unless you have a suggestion?"
"You're asking me?" Selina asks, not making an effort to hide her shocked tone.
"Yeah well...I'm a bit desperate at the moment and I don't want to walk for an hour." Kei explains with a helpless shrug as she reorganizes her papers into the folder and returns her phone to her coat pocket.

"I'd suggest calling a cab." Kei mentally slaps herself for not thinking of it earlier.
"Of course! I should've thought about that. Uh...thanks, Catwoman." Selina shrugs.
"It was nothing. By the way, I didn't get your name?"
"Oh...uh...it's Kei." Selina stands to her feet and gives Kei a once over.
"I look forward to seeing you again soon, then, Kei." She says and soon she's gone, off onto one rooftop or another and into the night.

✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩

Kei didn't expect to see the cat burglar again after that night. But fate had other plans, it seemed.

A couple of weeks of research and sorting through witness files, Kei finally got one of them to agree to a meeting.

Unfortunately, it was at the Iceberg Lounge and Kei was told by her boss to bring someone along as to not be suspicious.

But who exactly was she going to bring on such short notice.

That's when she remembered just the person and rushed to the East End at 5pm.

✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩

"Don't tell me you got lost again?"

Kei looked up from some of the cats she was petting to see Catwoman in her full garb with a container of cat food in her hand.

"Oh um...no. Not this time. I uh...came looking for you." Kei stammers out, attempting to hide a blush that was appearing on her cheeks out of embarrassment.

"You were for looking for me?" Selina repeated, looking even more confused as she opened some of the cans to feed the cats on the rooftop.

"Yeah. I figured you'd be here since you know cats," Kei shrugs and seeing the way Selina eyes her suspiciously makes her get straight to the point. "I have a meeting. With one of the supposed victims of The Court of Owls? She wants to meet at the Iceberg Lounge and my boss is suggesting that I take someone with me and...well I don't know anyone else." Kei blushes more as she finds herself clambering for a way to convince The Cat.
"You're known there right? I just thought it was the logical choice, you know?" Kei bites her tongue to stop herself from talking.

Selina stares at her with a neutral face, seeming to think it over and consider it.

"Alright. I'll help."
"You will?! Oh, that's uh...that's really great, actually!"
"Don't get too excited. I have a favor to ask in return." Selina explains, her tone serious.
"Ok...fair enough. What is it?" Selina looks impressed by Kei's pragmatism.
"I need you to write an article in the paper about me. Something to put me in the good graces of the public. Do it after or before you finish your investigation, it doesn't matter to me." Selina explains, beginning to stroke one of the cats with one of hands that wasn't gloved.
"Alright. Fair enough. I'll do it."

Selina briefly smiles and it looks genuine.

"Lovely. I'll see you soon then?" Kei nods.
"Yes. Oh, it's this Friday."
"Perrfect." The Cat purrs with a twinkle in her eye and Kei tries not to laugh.
"Well, see you then, Kei." Selina ends their conversation, winking at the reporter before disappearing as she did weeks before.

"Goodbye, Cat."

Author's Notes

I noticed earlier that Midnight Visits has gained a lot more traction than this book has. There's nothing wrong with that but if you all could hype it up or something I'd appreciate it :3

I was struggling to find a way to get them to go on the investigation together and you can probably tell that I just kept digging myself into a hole lol

That's why it was a little late actually, I couldn't think of a way for the two to get together.

(Also, ironically, both Bruce and Kei said goodbye to their love interests at the end of chapter 2)

Anyway, hope you all enjoyed! I like writing Selina this way, elusive and playing hard to get, it's fun (though not for Kei, obviously!)

BatgirlGeek❤️