"Bʀᴀᴠᴇ" ʙʏ Sᴀʀᴀ Bᴀʀᴇɪʟʟᴇs

       Ivy Pepper was fine with keeping her and Selina Kyle's relationship a secret. Perhaps it was because of the romance hidden in a forbidden love story. She wasn't sure. But Selina didn't want anyone to know and she was fine with that.

      Until six months passed. At this point, Ivy was beginning to grow impatient. She wanted to go out in public and hold Selina's hand, kiss her, dance close to her. But the younger girl kept refusing.

      "Now's not a good time." "Later." "Maybe later." "Lets wait a lil longer." All things Selina said but never gave Ivy an explanation to. It was bothering the plant-like woman so much, negative thoughts beginning to fill her head on why Selina didn't want everyone else knowing, including their friends.

       Ivy was quiet when Selina finally came to the garden after another heist, hearing her kick off her boots. But she didn't say anything. Didn't dare turn around to say hi to her. She just continued water her plants with her back to Selina.

      "Hey Red." Selina said, wrapping her arms around Ivy's waist, pressing her cheek against her back. But she didn't move or speak. Her lover froze, noticing Ivy's silence. "Ivy? What's up?"

      She sighed quietly before finally turning around to face Selina. "Barbara's having another party in her club tomorrow night since it's the first day of pride month. I think it's time for us to come out."

      Ivy felt the smaller girl stiffen before pulling her arms back, sighing. "Ivy, I told you, it's not the right time yet."

      "How could it not be the right time? It's pride month, it's the perfect time!" Ivy insisted, putting down the vase she was using to water her plants, crossing her arms over her chest.

      "It's not. Okay? Just...a little longer." Selina said, turning her back to walk to the opposite side of the garden.

      The redhead couldn't take it anymore. "What the hell is going on with you?!" She demanded. "It's been six months and you refuse to say anything to anyone! Are you ashamed of me? Is that it? You ashamed of dating someone like me?!"

      "Shut up, Ivy." The curly-haired teenager said stiffly, not turning around as she stared at the grassy ground below them.

      "No! I'm not going to this time! What the hell is so wrong with me that you can't even tell our friends that we've been dating for over half a year?! Why are you so ashamed of me?! Why won't you tell them the truth?!" She exclaimed, stepping toward the thief.

      Selina suddenly spun around, glaring at her. "I'm not ashamed of you, Ivy! I'm ashamed of me! That's it! Me!"

      This made Ivy freeze, blinking a few times in confusion. She was ashamed of herself, and not Ivy? "What...what do you mean, Selina?"

      Selina went silent again, slowly sitting down on the grass. They both didn't move or speak. Ivy waited patiently, concern beginning to fill her light green eyes. "I..." the thief started, licking her lips quickly, "I've never...told anyone...that I'm...bi. I only told you...you're the only one who knows."

      As the redhead stood there, it slowly began to dawn on her. Selina had been so deep in the closet, she fooled everyone around her. Even Ivy, who had a very strong gaydar, never realized Selina was bisexual until the latter admitted her feelings to the former.

      "I wanted to come out...trust me I did. But...I sometimes just hear my mom's voice in the back of my head, telling me that it was...wrong for someone of the same gender to be in a relationship. I was so young and didn't understand...it didn't hit until I realized I liked girls too."

      At the mention of Selina's manipulating and abandoning bitch of a mother made Ivy clench her teeth and almost snarl. Selina deserved so much better than Maria Kyle and god help Maria if she ever came to Gotham and Ivy got her poisonous hands on her.

      But right now, Ivy didn't have time to focus on her anger. She slowly sat down in front of her lover, gently taking her hands. "Oh Cat...I wish you told me this. I-I never realized...if I'd known, I wouldn't have kept pushing you to tell everyone. I'm sorry."

      Selina squeezed her hands, their green eyes meeting. "It's not your fault. It's just my stupid head. I'm already an outcast and I don't want us to backlashed or anything. But it's so hard for me to keep running and holding my tongue."

      "Then don't." Ivy suggested with a shrug of her shoulders. "Selina, I love you. You're beautiful and amazing, and so damn brave. Baby, I wanna see you be brave. But I know coming out isn't easy. So if you want to wait a little longer...than that's fine with me."

      Selina shook her head before leaning in and softly kissing Ivy's lips and pulling away. "No...I need to stop hiding. I'm gonna get out of the cage and let the light in. I can't keep hiding, it's not fair to you. Tomorrow night. I promise."

      Ivy grinned, helping her stand up before pulling Selina closer to her. "Alright, Kitty Cat. I believe in you. Now, let's find something cute and sexy for us to wear!"

      The next day came by and the plant-like woman could see how nervous the curly-haired woman was getting. Ivy was worried that her girlfriend might back out. And if she did, Ivy was fine with it. She just wanted her Selina to be comfortable and happy.

      But at the Sirens Club, Selina grabbed the redhead's hand and intertwined their fingers together, making Ivy's heart jump and skip a beat, unable to fight the grin growing on her face.

      They danced close to one another, their arms around each other and Ivy saw Barbara Kean in the corner, smirking proudly before giving her a thumbs up. Ivy smirked back and looked down at her shorter lover, only to be captured in Selina's loving and passionate kiss, right there in the middle of the dance floor.

      God, how Ivy loved just how brave her Selina was.