[open] I am wrecked. I am overblown.

[shadeofviolent]

Who: Helena Bertinelli and Stephanie Brown
What: Chatting about stuff
Where: Helena's home in Bonetown
When: Tonight
Notes: None
Warnings: None thus far

After that debacle with the Militia several months ago, Helena had stuffed her costume into the very back of her closet and hasn't taken it out since. They'd struck too hard, too fast, and her identity had been much too close to being revealed... and she wouldn't have minded, except that if she's threatened, so is her son. And that's unacceptable.

So she's been lying low, building up her reputation as miss Helena Bertinelli, tutor to a small horde of the neighbourhood's children, and mother to a darling baby boy. Why, that delicate little lady couldn't possibly defend herself if someone took it upon themselves to attack her, much less throw the first punch in a fight.

It's necessary.

It's a drag.

She'd never recognized how much she depended on Huntress to be her stress relief. It's a lot easier to be sweet tempered during the day when you can take your anger out on thugs at night with your fists. It's not so easy when you have to bottle it up for days and weeks on end.

One of her only outlets nowadays are the visits she gets from Batgirl. Stephanie. It's awkward, because Helena has never gotten along well with Bats, but at least she has one person to talk to who she doesn't have to lie to. Without that, she'd probably have exploded by now.

Speaking of visits -- currently, Helena is sipping tea at her kitchen table and glancing at the clock. They'd arranged to meet up tonight, and Steph generally drops in around this time...

Comments

[controlledvariable]

Indeed she does. But tonight she's running a little late, thanks to the fact she's coming by a different route tonight and had walked past a toy store and - well. Helena's kid is cute, and Steph can't resist spoiling cute kids. She's also got a box of fudge, but that's for Helena, since Steph feels a little guilty coming over to a friend's house without bringing something for them (she has no idea where she picked that up from; probably Alfred).

Even with the slight detour, she still makes good time from work to Bonetown, and ten minutes after she was due, Steph is knocking on Helena's door.

[shadeofviolent]

Helena checks the peephole before answering the door, due to caution that's morphed into habit over time. When she sees Steph's face, she smiles and opens the door.

"Hey! I was starting to wonder if something had happened to you."

She doesn't reach out for a hug or anything like that, but there's a warmth to her welcome that's more genuine than most people get.

[controlledvariable]

Steph smiles back as she steps inside, "Only if you count getting lost in the stuffed toy aisle at a store," Which is a warning for what's to come. Not that she actually got lost, she just has a secret fondness for stuffed still and therefore took a while to pick the perfect one for Benito.

[shadeofviolent]

As she locks the door back up (she's invested in quite a few) Helena laughs.

"I see someone is pushing for the title of 'favoured auntie'."

Not that she minds. It pleases her to know that other people love Benny as much as she does... that there's someone who'll protect him if she falls.

"Luckily for you, he had a good nap today, so he won't be a cranky pants when you come say hello."

[controlledvariable]

"I've already added it to my business cards," Her non-existent business cards, but silly things like the truth aren't going to get in the way of a joke.

She digs around in her bag to pull out the fudge, offering it to Helena. It's apparently quite fancy, judging by the box. "I'm also planning to add 'Helena's favourite' on there as well. How do you think my prospects are looking?"

[shadeofviolent]

"You've definitely made it to top five, although getting to be ultimate favourite's pretty hard. You have to duke it out with Benny for that one, and ever since his teeth started coming in... well. You already know he's a biter."

Helena waves the box in her hand for emphasis before setting it down, on her way to Benny's bassinet to see if he's awake for company.

[controlledvariable]

"That's okay, I'm a biter too and I know kung fu," Apparently she's seriously considering how a wrestling match with Benny would go down, because that's the sort of thing responsible vigilantes do.

She follows Helena to the bassinet, getting out the soft toy in preparation for Benny, if he's awake (if not, she'll just place it nearby for when he is). It's not, actually, an animal from Earth. Rather, it's got four legs with hooves on the end, spikes along it's back and a head a bit like a lion's.

It's also purple.

[shadeofviolent]

"Mm, but can you withstand his tidal wave of drool?"

Her dry tone of voice is softened by her smile as she lifts her burbling child out from his cradle.

"Tsk. Don't be cranky, topolino. Zia Stephanie is here to say hello. And look! She brought you a new friend!"

Benny is not exactly enthusiastic about waking, dribbling grumpily onto Helena's shirt as she sways him on her shoulder. He smiles, though, when he sees Steph. Well, rather, he smiles when he sees the stuffed toy in her hands, waving his arms out to snatch at it for a closer look.

As an aside, Helena flicks a smirk at Steph. "And by the way, I approve of your colour choice. Very appropriate... we ought to come up with a colour-themed nickname for ourselves."

[controlledvariable]

"If I can deal with a tazed-into-unconsciousness Arkham inmate drooling on me, I can deal with him."

She holds the toy just out of his reach for a second, giving it a little shake to make it even more interesting, before handing it over with a smile. A smile that falters, just slightly, when Helena mentions a colour-themed nickname.

Because Kate is another purple themed superhero, but Steph doesn't even know where they stand right now. She won't let those thoughts ruin her mood entirely, though, and buys herself some time by wiggling her fingers at Benny and saying hello to him. Eventually she goes with, "I think I heard someone call me the Eggplant Avenger once." So Helena gets a bit of a silly aside, instead of a real comment on her suggestion.