You Had to Get Cute, Didn't You?

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"Who?"

Damon answered casually.

"The perfume on you. Whose is it?"

"There is perfume on me? I showered. Maybe I picked it up afterward."

Damon sniffed himself and did not notice anything.

At certain times, a woman's nose was sharper than any police dog.

He hugged Felicity and smiled.

"I supervised Laurel's training this morning. In the afternoon, I helped someone get away from her family bodyguards and hitched a ride to Central City. I just got back."

He handed the sonic device to Felicity.

"This is the sonic gear I got for Laurel. Check it and see if there are any problems."

Then he kissed Felicity on the cheek.

"I'm going to shower again. Is there anything to eat? Make me something. I haven't eaten yet."

Watching Damon walk toward the bathroom as naturally as if nothing were wrong, Felicity stood there blankly and answered without thinking.

"Sonic gear?"

Looking down at the device in her hand, Felicity went to the kitchen first and heated something for him. After that, she returned to the living room and examined the device.

The more she checked, the more impressed she became.

The design was compact and sophisticated. It was small enough to carry, and the sonic output had several settings. Used against someone unprepared, it could have a powerful effect.

"How is it?"

After showering and eating, Damon came over, hugged Felicity from behind, and asked.

"It is an impressive design. I do not see any flaws in the structure."

Felicity paused.

"There is one issue. The user will be affected when it activates, so they will need preparation in advance."

"As long as there is no tracker. We can solve the problem you mentioned with sound-dampening earplugs."

Damon did not take it seriously.

"Right."

Felicity nodded.

Professional equipment required professional tools and materials. Felicity could probably make earplugs that met the requirement, but even the cleverest person could not cook without ingredients.

No money.

No equipment.

No materials.

So Damon planned to let Laurel figure it out herself.

He had Felicity find Talia al Ghul's phone number.

The next day, Damon arranged to meet Laurel at the same small motel as yesterday.

Conveniently, it was even the same room.

"Do we have to meet here?" Laurel asked awkwardly.

"What? Afraid someone will see you?"

Damon smiled.

"I do not have enough money to get rooms with you every day," Laurel said resentfully.

"Then earn some. If you want to become a hero who protects the city and punishes crime, you cannot do it without money."

Damon took out the sonic device.

"Here. This is the gear I kidnapped someone to get for you yesterday."

Laurel froze.

"You kidnapped someone again?"

"You do not like it? Then stop me when you are strong enough."

Damon explained how to use the device, then said, "You cannot use this thing yet. Not until your foundation is solid. All right, stop dragging your feet. Start today's training."

"Conditioning and strength this morning. This afternoon, I teach you combat."

Laurel had reached the bleak kind of acceptance people found when fighting back was not an option. She did not know whether Damon's behavior counted as force in every possible sense, but she could only endure it.

Silently, she removed her outer clothes.

When Laurel saw Damon lie back against the bed again, she could only grit her teeth and continue.

Just like yesterday.

To avoid being shocked, Laurel trained with intense focus and precision. Even so, by the end of the morning, she had been shocked several times. If this went on, she felt she might become immune to electricity.

She showered, rested briefly, and did not eat.

The afternoon combat training began.

Laurel had no foundation in martial arts, so Damon picked several styles that could use her physical advantages. Muay Thai and Savate formed the core, supplemented by kickboxing and Taekwondo.

Wing Chun would have been useful too, but unfortunately, Damon had not copied anyone who knew it, and he was too lazy to learn it himself.

He could wait until Batman returned.

These styles were enough to keep Laurel busy for a while anyway.

The idea of going easy on someone seemed not to exist in Damon. If it was time to hit, he hit. He did not hold back because Laurel was a woman, or because she was an undressed woman.

By the time training ended, Laurel's originally fair body was bruised in blue and purple patches.

"Go home and rest early. Same time tomorrow. Do not be late."

Outside the motel, Damon spoke to Laurel.

"I might not be able to come tomorrow," Laurel said hesitantly.

"Something going on?"

"I'm moving out. Tomorrow is moving day."

"Living alone? That is fine. More convenient later. Then we will continue after you finish moving."

"Okay."

Laurel answered and limped away, exhausted.

Damon walked around the nearby streets until he found a public phone booth.

Then he called Talia al Ghul.

"Hello."

He had barely greeted her when Talia's cold, furious voice came through the line.

"You."

Damon laughed softly.

"Impressive. You remember my voice that well. Does Bruce Wayne know?"

"What do you want?"

Talia's voice was icy.

"I want a suit made with the same material Batman uses. I will give you the measurements and requirements. Write them down."

"You are blackmailing me?"

"..."

Damon paused for a moment, then laughed softly.

"Yes. I am blackmailing you. If you do not do it, I expose your identity and release the little photos I took. How is that? Are you scared? Do you think I am shameless? Do you want to kill me now? You know exactly what position you are in, so why are you getting cute with me? You just had to mouth off, didn't you?"

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