When in Gotham...

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Arius' Adventures in DC

Chapter 10: When in Gotham…

-Joe Johnson(Random Mook)-

He moved quickly through the shadows of the ruined cityscape, clutching a small vial in his gloved hand. His heart raced, not from fear, but from exhilaration because for years he did thankless work at Cadmus had finally paid off. He glanced at the crimson smear inside the vial, a sample of blood from the alien warrior that killed Darkseid.

Honestly he didn't expect to survive the events that had unfolded chaotically. Arius's brief encounter with the assumed Kryptonian had launched the massive man across the country and when he got back he had spit onto the ground, leaving behind a golden opportunity for someone keen enough to seize it.

Joe had been lucky enough to be nearby in the outskirts of the city looking for any leftover alien technology under the guise of cleanup operations as Cadmus always had people stationed, ready to capitalize on moments like these.

He couldn't keep the grin off his face as he slipped into an unmarked black van parked in an alley. The vial which he carefully sealed and placed into a reinforced container was secured and he still couldn't believe his fortune. The alien's genetic material was worth more than some countries GDP because it could unlock power beyond imagination. If the calculations were correct, Arius's cells surpass those of Kryptonians.

"This is it," he muttered to himself, "Years of grunt work finally paying off. Little Joe Johnson is going to be moving up in life."

The drive to the Cadmus facility felt like it took hours, though it was only minutes before Joe arrived in the hidden base. As he entered the secure underground lab it buzzed with activity as scientists and operatives hurried about and some stopped when they saw him stride in with the container. He felt their eyes on him, a mix of confusion and skepticism, but after today those big wigs in their fancy lab coats would be bowing down to him and he would be the center of attention.

"What is that?" A Cadmus supervisor asked him with a condescending look that infuriated him, but soon he would wipe that smile off his face. 

 "Arius's blood. Verified and not even an hour old." He said holding up the container, his grin widening as the look of shock comes across the field supervisor's face.

As the supervisor's eyes lit up, he ushered Joe into a heavily guarded elevator without another word. The doors closed with a loud click and the elevator began its descent. The deeper they went, the more Joe's excitement grew. He had heard rumors about the lowest levels of Cadmus where only the most elite projects were carried out, but he never could have imagined that he would be led down there one day.

His heart was beating in anticipation and when the doors finally opened, he stepped into a sleek, high-tech laboratory that seemed leagues above the upper floors. He couldn't even speculate what a majority of the equipment on the floor could do, and after being led down another hallway he was buzzed into a room, his supervisor having to wait outside.

And there standing at the center of it all, was Lex Luthor. The billionaire genius was not someone Joe thought would be the mastermind behind Cadmus's operations and as he approached Luthor turned his piercing green eyes locking onto the container in his hand, even without powers Joe felt more nervous in front of the billionaire then near Arius.

"Is this it?" Luthor asked, his voice smooth yet commanding.

"Yes, Mr. Luthor!" Joe shouted in nervousness trying to keep the tremor out of his voice, "A sample of Arius's blood. Pure and untainted."

The billionaire extended a hand, and Joe carefully handed over the container. Lex Luthor opened it and examined the vial, his expression unreadable and the longer he stayed quiet the more nervous Joe became, but then, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"Well done, Joe Johnson! You've done Cadmus a great service today." Lex Luthor said, his tone laced with approval and Joe felt pride swelling within himself. Risking his life wasn't for nothing, he was getting the recognition he'd always dreamed of and it was only the first step, because soon everyone would respect him when he got a promotion.

"Thank you, sir. I—" Joe started, but before he could finish, there was a faint click. Looking around confused he eventually spotted a silenced pistol in Luthor's hand and the realization hit him too late as the pain began to set in.

Another shot rang out as Joe grasped at his chest, staggering for a few steps before falling over as the light fading from his eyes as he collapsed to the cold metal floor.

-Lex Luthor-

Not flinching, he called in Mercy, his secretary and handed the container to her while looking down at the body, "Run every possible test. I want the results within the hour and clean that up."

Not bothering with words she simply nodded, carefully taking the container before hurrying away as he spared one final glance at the lifeless form on the floor before turning to leave.

"Loose ends," he muttered under his breath, "are bad for business."

Later on in the day back in his office Lex Luthor leaned back in his leather chair, the cityscape of Metropolis gleaming behind him through the expansive windows of his office. His holographic communicator projected the blurred figures of the other members of 'The Light', an alliance of the most cunning and influential masterminds in the world who worked behind the scenes to control the world economically and politically.

"The sample is genuine," Lex said, his voice measured and confident, "Arius's DNA represents an opportunity the likes of which we've never seen before. It will be integrated into Project Cadmus to ensure we create the perfect weapon."

The faces on the hologram nodded in agreement, but Ra's al Ghul's sharp voice cut through, "It's good that you understand our desires, now make sure it is done within the day and do not mistake this as a suggestion, Luthor. It is an order."

Lex felt his jaw tightened almost imperceptibly, but quickly regained his composure, "Of course, I already had the integration process underway with the lead scientist informing me that it will prolong the gestation period of the weapons by months." he replied smoothly.

"That's acceptable and with the alien's genetic material, our weapon will be unstoppable. Ensure there are no mistakes, Luthor." Vandal Savage added, his deep voice carrying authority which added to his irritation, but he'd been a CEO long enough to not show his true emotions.

"I always deliver. You know that." He stated confidently as the call ended, and the holograms dissipated one by one leaving the office silent except for the faint hum of his desktop computer and Lex's smile disappeared instantly as he glared at the camera.

'Ordered. By them.' The thought churned in his mind, fueling his irritation, because while the partnership with The Light was mutually beneficial, being commanded like a lackey was beneath him.

He drummed his fingers on the desk, considering his options and after a moment, his irritation gave way to inspiration, and a sly grin crept across his face.

He arrived back at the Cadmus base and used his console to bypass security systems, looping the surveillance cameras across the Cadmus base with a few quick commands. The lab was monitored with scrutinizing precision and any tampering would even get him killed.

Rising from his chair he stepped into the elevator that took him even lower into the Cadmus labs. He approached the station where the genetic integration process was being prepared. On one side of the setup, vials containing Arius's powerful DNA rested in pristine containment chambers. On the other side the DNA of Superman and the human donor that was meant to serve as the foundation for Project Cadmus's "perfect weapon".

With a few swift motions, Lex swapped the vial of human DNA with one bearing his own genetic material and sealed the container, ensuring the transition was seamless and undetectable.

Lex lingered for a moment, staring at the hybridization chamber. The thought of a being with the combination of Superman and Arius' DNA at his command gave him chills. A superweapon, not bound to The Light's agenda, but to his will alone. One capable of overpowering any being and likely the entire Justice League single handedly when he shaped the world to his vision.

Lex Luthor chuckled softly, imagining the faces of his so-called allies when they realized they had been outmaneuvered. Of course, they wouldn't know until it was too late and the being produced followed his every command. They would all see him as their better like they should've since the beginning. He would have the ultimate ace in the hole.

"Perfect," he muttered to himself, his lips curling into a triumphant smirk. Turning away, he strode out of the lab, the faint echo of his footsteps the only sound and by the time the cameras were back online no one would be the wiser and the process would already be underway with Lex Luthor already plotting the next phase of his masterstroke.

-Arius-

Arius gritted his teeth, his muscles flexing as he narrowly dodged a spinning kick from Diana. Despite not using any form of Ki enhancement his base strength and speed were still above Diana and that alone should ensure his victories, but she wasn't like most beings. She was precise, disciplined, unrelenting and it showed as her skill and experience shone with every strike.

When he tried to gather himself a sharp jab caught him in the ribs making his hunch slightly which was followed by an elbow to his jaw and then a sweeping kick that sent him stumbling.

As he staggered back, his pride stung more than his body and he raised his arms to block a follow-up punch, but Diana feinted, pivoted, and landed a vicious combo to his midsection. The impact forced him to exhale sharply, and for a brief moment he felt the rare sensation of being overwhelmed, but Arius wasn't one to back down and he wasn't afraid of pain.

Instead of retreating like most would, he surged forward through the pain leaving himself open to more attacks which the amazon princess didn't expect and he grabbed Diana's ankle in a flash. Her eyes widened as he swung her effortlessly from side to side, slamming her into the ground with enough force to shake the arena. Each impact shaking the ground and sending dust flying. The cracks in the training floor grew wider with every slam.

Diana however recovered quickly and twisted her body mid-air making Arius' grip slip as she was flung upward. She steadied herself with the grace of a ballet dancer and crossed her arms just in time to block the fiery mouth beam Arius unleashed. The Ki beam collided with her bracers, sending a cascade of light and sparks across the battlefield, but negated the energy altogether and eventually he let up, letting her land.

"Break," Diana called, raising a hand for him to pause turning around and giving him her back even as he charged up more Ki blasts. The show of trust felt good and he just nodded as they had been at it for hours.

Breathing heavily as he wiped the sweat from his brow Arius sat on the ground with Diana joining him soon after handing him a water. She sat close while maintaining her usual poise and the two shared a comfortable silence. The air filled only with the chirping of birds and the sound of their breaths returning to normal. Chugging the rest of his water he leaned back, looking up at the clear blue sky.

He had officially been on Earth for two months and he couldn't be happier. He had access to the food he'd missed for a decade when he was living on Vyragos, mountains of it cooked to perfection by private chefs when he didn't feel like cooking.

He lived in a villa gifted to him by Batman that was the pinnacle of luxury, compared to anything he could have afforded in his first life and on top of all that he was getting paid to beat up villains and fight alongside Diana. The memory of a furry who called herself 'Cheetah', was something he found hilarious, smirking at the memory of the cat-themed villain trying to claw him before realizing she couldn't hurt him and fleeing in terror only to get leashed by Diana who found it just as amusing.

But as much as the material comforts satisfied him, what truly surprised Arius was how much he valued something he hadn't realized he missed, companionship. Vyragos had been a test of endurance and survival and it was a lonely one.

Diana had been assigned as his 'Earth diplomat', which at first was really just a glorified babysitter because he got along with her the best and as time passed she had become more than just a guide or even an ally. She was his first real friend. They sparred with each other, laughed with each other, and shared quiet moments in comfort, her presence made Earth feel more like home and knowing he would spend his day with her made his own day better.

Taking a deep breath he glanced at her, taking in the way the afternoon sun highlighted the strands of her dark hair and the serene expression on her well sculpted face, the beads of sweat adding a hint of charm. She was becoming someone he trusted and it felt good to have someone like that.

"Earth's pretty great," Arius said, breaking the silence, his voice low but content as he never looked away taking in all of her features to memorize them.

"The world of man has its moments, but I agree Earth is amazing and so are you. That was an amazing sparring session, I didn't expect you to push forward and grab my ankle." Diana turned to him, a small smile playing on her lips that made her look even more stunning.

Arius chuckled, leaning back against the fresh grass to cool his thoughts, "Moments like this, yeah, but I've never enjoyed sparring that much or ever felt as comfortable just sitting around like this. It's the person more than the activity."

Diana raised an eyebrow but didn't respond immediately. Instead, she laid next to him looking over to make eye contact once more, "Perhaps… You're very pleasant company as well Arius and I'm glad that you arrived on Earth." She said with a simple smile before closing her eyes as she relaxed.

Arius looked at her for a few moments as a small smile worked its way to his face and his chest swelled slightly with an emotion he couldn't quite place and as they laid there together, the memories of the past months ended as he settled for enjoying the moment. For the first time in decades, Arius felt truly content with the life he was building. No more revenge and only minor anger issues.

-Diana Prince (Wonder Woman)-

Diana basked in the quiet tranquility, her heartbeat steady as she laid beside Arius. She had patrolled early in the morning and there was no pressing threat, no mission, just the two of them sharing the silence. She was enjoying the silence with Arius by her side, her thoughts drifting until she heard a familiar voice echo in her mind, her mothers.

'Diana, you are needed in Themyscira. The Gods of Olympus request your presence.' The words stunned her because the Gods rarely summoned anyone directly, choosing to relay their messages through dreams, so whatever the reason it had to be important.

A surge of excitement coursed through her veins as she sat up her mind already racing with the possibilities, "I'll be there," she whispered back knowing her mother could hear her.

Turning to Arius, Diana saw his sharp features softening when he noticed her sudden shift in demeanor, "Something's come up. I've been summoned to Themyscira by the Gods. I'll be gone for a few days at most." She explained.

Arius' face, which typically displayed a neutral expression or brimmed with confidence, shifted with a flicker of unease and irritation. His lips pressed into a thin line, and he looked away briefly while nodding, "Do what you have to," he muttered, though his voice lacked its usual vigor.

Diana was stunned never having expected that reaction and she couldn't help but find it endearing because over the past two months, she had grown fond of the Saiyan warrior. His unyielding determination and warrior's temperament matched her own and the days passed they had developed a bond that she hadn't anticipated. He understood her in ways that the other League members couldn't as both of them were warriors, unafraid of taking lives when absolutely necessary.

And seeing him visibly upset at just her leaving for a few days tugged at her heartstrings in a way no man had before. Acting on impulse, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him in a warm embrace, "I won't be gone long," she assured him and before she could second-guess herself, she placed a light kiss on his cheek, her lips brushing against his warm skin.

Arius froze, his eyes widening slightly in surprise as he slowly relaxed his arms encircling her in a return hug. "Fine, but don't take too long." he said, his voice softer than she'd ever heard as he squeezed her body against his own.

Diana smiled, feeling her cheeks warming, "I'll try not to, especially since I have someone waiting for me to come back, but in the meantime could you continue patrolling? Crime doesn't take a vacation and my absence will give them unfound confidence." She asked knowing the Saiyan didn't like bothering with criminals as they annoyed him.

Nevertheless he still nodded, still not letting go of the hug, a smirk working its way onto his face, "With me on patrol I don't think anyone would even jaywalk." he said.

With her departure settled, Diana made her way to the Watchtower and informed the League of her summons and after some deliberation on which heroes would pick up the slack and when someone suggested assigning another member to accompany Arius during her absence, she quickly intervened.

"That won't be necessary. This is a good opportunity for him to establish some independence and to show that we are starting to trust him more because we can't have someone shadowing him 24/7 and over the past few months he's learned from me and I trust him to look after himself without causing a grand spectacle." she said firmly.

After some debate, the League held a vote and despite Superman and Batman voting against it which surprised her, the others agreed with Flash also speaking up for the Arius saying that he would stop by daily to check up on the Saiyan and with the matter settled, Diana departed taking her invisible jet toward Themyscira.

As the jet entered Earth's atmosphere Diana found herself chuckling softly as she recalled the memory of Arius accidentally bumping into the invisible aircraft during one of their first missions together, his head snapping around in confusion as if an unseen foe had attacked him.

The more she thought about Arius, the more she realized just how much she enjoyed his presence. It hadn't even been a few hours and she was already missing him.

'I'll finish this quickly. I want to get back to him.' she resolved, her lips curling into a small smile as she contemplated her future with him.

-Arius-

It had been hours and he had already tried eating, but that quickly became dull and after switching to video games they seemed to lose their appeal, so he could only sigh as he leaned back on the couch, flipping through channels on the massive television in the villa, but that too lost his interest so he turned it off and the silence felt deafening without Diana around and her absence left him with an uncomfortable feeling in his chest. She always seemed to have something for him to do, someone to fight, or a lesson to teach him. Now, alone and restless, he decided to distract himself.

"Patrolling it is," he muttered, standing and stretching. He pulled out a tablet, a gift from the Flash, and searched for a list of places with the highest crime rates because the crime rate in Washington DC had plummeted with him and Diana patrolling it daily and after a few moments he discovered that Gotham City lit up the screen like a neon sign.

The last time he was there it didn't notice much crime, but then again he didn't really care about his surroundings and now the dark, crime-infested city seemed like the perfect way to pass some time. So without hesitation, he flew over and stopped above Gotham in mere minutes.

As he floated high above he took a moment to observe the city below as multiple sirens wailed across the city. Knowing that the city was under protection of Batman he expanded his Ki sense, but didn't sense the man, so he expanded his senses more before locking onto Batman who was currently in space, most likely in the watchtower.

Seeing that Gotham didn't have a hero at the moment and violence was erupting on nearly every corner he looked, he decided that he would help the man who paid his bills as he descended to the streets below.

And for the next few hours, Arius hunted down criminals with ease. His strength and speed ensured that they posed no challenge and since he was alone this time he tried dozens of methods to subdue them without causing harm and eventually settled on the simplest one. He just wrapped his massive hand around their faces until they passed out from a lack of oxygen. It was efficient, and more importantly, it didn't leave any lasting damage to the squishy humans, so by the time he was done, there was a small mountain of unconscious criminals in the lobby of the Gotham Police Department.

Bored and feeling his stomach rumble in hunger, Arius decided to get a bite to eat and after sniffing the air he flew to where it smelled best which happened to be a pizzeria. He ordered dozens of pizzas paying with cash he'd earned from the League. However when he sat down to eat he kept getting interrupted by people who wanted an autograph or photo, so he just gathered his boxes and flew to the rooftop of a nearby building that didn't have an easily accessible roof.

As he devoured slice after slice, he noticed people gathering below, their curious and awestruck gazes fixed on him. "Can't even eat in peace." He scowled slightly and just ignored the murmurs and camera flashes as he continued his meal.

Near the end of his feast he was debating on what to do next as while it was dark he wasn't tired and as he looked into the distance something caught his attention. A figure moving with superhuman grace across the rooftops which confused him as Arius didn't sense any people with power in Gotham.

Squinting he continued to observe the figure from a distance as they swung and leaped and while at first he thought it might be a superhero from the league he didn't recognize them, so he locked onto them with his Ki sense and was confused to discover that they were just a regular human similar to Batman. Bored, he finished his last slice, dusted his hands, and launched himself toward the mysterious figure.

Moments later, he landed on a rooftop in front of her, his arms crossed as he observed her up close. She was dressed head-to-toe in a black, skin tight leather outfit complete with cat ears and a whip that she coiled at her hip when her movements came to a sudden halt as she skidded to a stop, her eyes narrowing as he blocked her path.

"Well, this is a surprise. I usually meet the big, brooding types on Gotham rooftops. You must be new." she said, her voice smooth and playful and Arius tilted his head, examining her curiously as even now he didn't know how she had the strength to clear the distances between buildings as a human.

"You're not enhanced, yet you move like someone with powers. Who are you?" he asked curiously, making note that beyond her slightly elevated Ki signature she wasn't special and even her costume seemed regular.

"Name's Catwoman. And you are?" The woman smirked, placing a hand on her whip as she cocked her hip to the side in a way that grabbed his attention in a way that made his brain feel fuzzy.

"Arius. What are you doing here? You don't look like one of those criminals I just took down, so are you a member of Batman's team?" He asked, thinking back on how Batman was still on the Watchtower and would likely have someone fill in to keep the criminals in check. It would be the smart thing to do and what Diana asked of him in her absence.

Catwoman chuckled, her gaze sweeping over him, "Took down criminals, huh? That explains the chatter over the police scanner." She stepped closer, her confidence unshaken, "But no, I'm not like the heroes either. I'm… let's say more of an independent contractor." She said which clued him in that even if she wasn't a hero she was associated with them similar to how he was, because who else would dress like a cat and listen to a police scanner during the night.

"Independent contractor, huh? So you're like me. Did you also make a deal with Batman and he asked you to watch over Gotham while he was on watchtower duty?" Arius asked with a raised eyebrow, his curiosity piqued at meeting someone in a similar situation to himself minus the powers obviously.

"Well I've worked with tall, dark and handsome a couple times over the years and I get paid well for my jobs, but I go where the thrill takes me and right now I just got a hefty payday. Speaking of which…You're not supposed to be here, are you?" She replied with a sly grin as her eyes flicked over his frame and that settled it in his mind because how else would she get paid unless she was on the League's payroll.

"I'm here because Wonder Woman asked me to patrol. She's… away and this city has the most crime. It helps that I also get paid to do this by the league." Arius replied bluntly not hiding anything because he wasn't doing anything wrong and as long as he didn't cripple or kill anyone he doubted the Justice League would give him anything beyond a slap on the wrist.

-Selina Kyle-

Selina Kyle, better known as Catwoman, perched on a rooftop, her leather-clad figure illuminated by the moonlight after a successful heist. An infamous cat jewel shaped like a crouching feline and encrusted with emeralds now dangled from her hand. The job had been suspiciously easy as Black Mask's goons, while great in number, weren't as great when it came to IQ. They were predictable and she couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment at the lack of excitement.

Still, a win's a win and tonight she was on top. The jewel was hers and she intended to celebrate her success with a bottle of wine and some caviar. As she began her journey home, her thoughts wandered to the information she overheard while stealing the jewel, Arius, the alien warrior who had arrived on Earth just two months prior who was currently in Gotham cracking heads and was the reason why the Black Mask goons didn't use guns, in fear of drawing the man's attention, similar to how criminals in Metropolis felt.

And honestly the thought was laughable and she couldn't help, but smirk to herself at the idea of someone in Superman's tier of power bothering to come and play hero in Gotham when other super villains were causing trouble worldwide and the thought of Bruce sharing his turf sounded like a bad joke.

That smirk quickly faded however when she landed on another rooftop and came face to face with Arius himself proving herself wrong. He stood there, his arms crossed with an unreadable expression on his face. His towering figure was more imposing in person then she'd seen on camera and his sheer presence radiated raw, untamed power. His form in the black 

'What is he doing here? Did someone tip him off?' Selina froze for half a second, her mind racing, but she shook it off and worked her natural charm relaxing as he didn't go to subdue her immediately. Because really the notion of Arius coming to Gotham specifically for her was absurd, so she flashed him her trademark sly grin and began to work her magic.

She threw out some small talk, taking slow steps forward as she adjusted the satchel with the jewel behind her. She now knew that the Black Mask goons were telling the truth and from also she overheard Arius wouldn't be as forgiving as Batman when it came to criminals and she didn't plan on getting choked out tonight.

However after some more small talk and learning that she was an unknown to Arius she didn't know if she should feel offended or not, but the fact that he didn't know her at least meant that he wasn't here for her which made her relax and seeing that he didn't seem to suspect her of being a thief despite being the textbook definition of a cat burglar.

She figured it was simply because he was naive and filed that information away for later. He was nothing like Bruce, who always seemed to know her every move before she even made it and always assumed the worst and now was the perfect time to get the inside scoop, which he gave without hesitation that further her thought of the big man being too trusting, but then again if she could throw hands with the top tiers she wouldn't worry much about being deceived either.

"I'm here because Wonder Woman asked me to patrol. She's… away and this city has the most crime. It helps that I get paid to do this by Batman." Arius answered, shrugging casually as he stretched doing things to his muscles that she didn't think were possible.

'Oh, so he's unsupervised,' Selina mused, her grin widening and the knowledge that he seemed to be on patrol at Wonder Woman's request and the thought of him being the amazon's boy toy was hilarious. As they continued talking, she tested the waters, dropping hints about the jewel and her escapades of the criminal kind, but to her surprise and amusement Arius didn't pick up on a single one.

It was refreshing, in a way, to meet someone who wasn't constantly scrutinizing her every word and move. Her mood darkened briefly as her thoughts once again wandered to a man who would.

A couple of weeks ago, she had learned that Bruce had a child with Talia al Ghul of all people?! The woman who was still very much a villain and it infuriated her because Bruce constantly rejected her, claiming it was her lifestyle and moral ambiguity that were too much of a risk for him to start a relationship. Yet the man had no issue impregnating the daughter of the man who controls the League of Assassins, whose past and current crimes far outweighed her own and the hypocrisy burned so much that she couldn't shake the bitterness.

Looking at Arius, a plan began to form in her mind. He was powerful and undeniably attractive with a body that she could wash her clothes on and if the billionaire crusader couldn't decide on his own Wishy Washy morals then decide for him and she just so happened to find someone who would and was in a position to rub it in Bruce's face even if unintentionally and was powerful enough to get away without any significant backlash. And if she could secure the jewel while feeling a little vindicated in the process, that would be even better.

So she turned on her charm batted her eyes and flaunted her goods as she took another step closer to Arius and at this point her bosom was lightly pressed against his abs, her emerald eyes locking onto his, "You know, patrolling Gotham must be exhausting and you've been at it for hours, so why don't you take a break? You can come back to my place, have a nice warm meal." She asked running her arms along his chest feeling the way his muscles coiled like steel beneath the costume.

"What kind of food?" He asked with raised brows clearly intrigued and at this point she didn't know if he was truly that innocent or if it was an act, but she was leaning towards the former based on their interactions so far and the thought of corrupting him gave her a certain thrill that the heist from earlier hadn't given her, because cucking both Wonder Woman and Batman was something she was curious to see.

"Whatever you want," she said, her voice softening as she racked her head for what dish would tempt him the most and she recalled the online posts about his first outing with Wonder Woman in Gotham getting ice cream, "You've been running around, cleaning up this city's mess and must be a bit warm, so we can take a break, go back to my place and we can eat some ice cream or I can whip us up so fish." She offered seeing the flicker of interest in his eyes when she mentioned ice cream.

'Jackpot' she thought, cheering internally and led the way.

Once she was back at her apartment, Selina poured them both a drink, subtly placing the cat jewel in a hidden compartment as Arius sat awkwardly on her couch, his large frame looking almost out of place in her normal sized apartment.

She joined him, sitting close enough to brush against him. She felt a sliver of guilt as the alien didn't seem to realize he was being used, but the bitterness toward Bruce outweighed her reservations and it wasn't like Arius wouldn't enjoy his time with her, so she tossed away any guilt.

"You know," she said, her voice soft and sultry, "the ice cream was a bit too frozen, so I put it in the fridge to thaw out, but in the meantime I have something way more fun and satisfying in mind."

"Fun?" Arius blinked, looking at her with a mixture of confusion and curiosity.

 "Oh, you'll see." Selina leaned in closer, her lips curling into a mischievous smile.

'Sorry, big guy, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do and it's not like you won't enjoy it.' she thought, her fingers lightly tracing his arm.

AN: I couldn't resist the sauce that is known as catwoman. Anyway she won't be the main love interest, but I decided to include this to fuel some more one sided dislike from Batman to Arius, who is constantly monitoring Arius because he's paranoid, but sees that the Saiyan isn't inherently evil.

Anyway, the next chapter is going to be the lemon between Arius and Catwoman, so stay tuned because I was reading up on some smut to get a better idea on how to write the steamy scenes.

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