milliways_bar | (no subject)

It's possible Renee's had enough Shakespeare at this point.

With a friendly 'Kiss? What Kiss?' smile, she unfolds and turns over to sit on the rock.

"Haven't seen you in a while."

That would be the kiss that Helena can't stop thinking about, right? The one she screwed up big time?

"I've been busy back home," she says with a shrug. "I'm not sure how long it's been here, but it's been a few months out there.

Besides," she adds, "I don't get to choose when I come here."

"Wasn't trying to make you guilty," Renee says, with the faintest wince. "Just an opening gambit along the lines of 'how have you been?'"

Right. She realises she's getting her hackles up again and going on the defensive - something which never ends well with Renee. Or anyone, really.

She takes a breath and tries to relax her shoulders.

"... I've been busy," she repeats, attempting a smile to try and lighten the atmosphere.

"You?"

"Mmmmm not so busy," Renee admits. "Well, busy when I go back. Got myself a website now. I't very twenty first century."

"A website? What for?"

As a hero who goes to great lengths to keep her persona in the shadows as much as possible, the idea of advertising on the internet is just a little bit confusing.

"Can't people trace you through the internet?"

If not people in general, then Oracle certainly could.

"Yeah well, that's the point," Renee says. "Sometimrs, when people need help, they don't have access to a giant modified search light. Sometimes all they have is a computer and a modem."

Edited 2012-11-03 01:42 (UTC)

"You think I don't know that?" Helena scowls. "Do I look like I wear Bat ears and only answer calls for help when they're made on giant modified searchlights?

"I meant they might trace you, personally. Renee Montoya. You'll have to forgive me for being concerned that Joker or Two Face or God only knows who might find out who you are and where you are and come after you."

Renee frowns slightly at the scowl.

"I think Tot knows how to set up an untraceable IP," she says after a second.

"Who's Tot?"

"A friend of Charlie's," Renee says automatically before she corrects herself. "...of mine, now. He handles the technical side. I handle the getting-the-crap-beaten-out-of-me side."

"So he's like Oracle?"

Except he's a guy! Helena is oddly relived about that.

"Apart from the whole no-real-name shadowy-mastermind wooing strangers with roses deal," Renee clarifies. "I guess he is like Oracle, if Oracle is a fussy scientist who has more opinions than are good for him."

"Not quite. Oracle is more like an anal retentive computer nerd who thinks she knows better than other people what's good for them."

Renee smirks, correcting her pronoun without comment.

"I heard you and she were working together these days."

Helena shrugs.

"It's early days. I'm still not sure if it's gonna work out or not."

Renee presses her lips together, miming zipping them closed.

"I promise no spoilers."

"Which implies you know how it's gonna turn out," she says, smiling wryly.

"Don't worry, I won't press you for details."

Renee doesn't offer it, but it makes her happy, that Helena's found Oracle - and, she guesses, Black Canary. She knows nothing except that they work together for a while, but that's a stability she suspects will be good for Helena.

And the possibility of Helena being happy makes Renee happy.

Stretching an arm behind her head, she can use the action to distract from her smile.

"What else have you been up to?"

Yes the new pose is very, very distracting indeed...

'Um...' She says, forcing herself to look at Renee's face and not her body.

What has she been doing? Besides teaming up with Oracle and Canary and having an epiphany about her feelings for Renee?

'I'm teaching again.'

"Really?"

Just when you thought Renee couldn't get any happier for her, her grin breaks wider.

"That's great! I think. It's good, right?"

"It's more than great!" She says, grinning back.

"After how my last job ended... I thought I'd never teach again."

"How did your last job end?"

Does Renee remember that? She doesn't think she should. They haven't really talked about it.

Her face turns serius. This isn't a part of her life she particularly likes thinking about.

"I got fired. I was being framed for murdering some mafia guys, one of whom was my cousin. I had the cops and Batman after me so I went on the run.

"Turns out schools don't like it when teachers turn up on a regular basis covered in bruises and then disappear for months at a time without letting them know. Go figure," she adds with a shrug that tries to say 'it's no big deal' and doesn't quite manage it.

Renee offers the most rueful of smirks.

"Well, the new job is obviously good for you. You look great."