Chapter 25

"You look like you had fun." Terry said as he walked together with Rose.

"I did." Rose replied as she was all smiles.

They were headed to the main door of Wayne Manor where Rose was currently staying. Alfred, the owner of the house gave her the passcodes to enter.

"Hey, Rose. How long do you plan on staying with Gotham?" Terry asked

Rose looked at him. Terry was worried about what she was going to say.

"I originally planned on staying here until we captured my father," Rose said and Terry frowned. She smiled and walked up to him. She put his arms around his neck and tiptoed so her face could be close to his. "but I plan on staying longer now." She said before kissing him."

Terry was surprised but gladly received it and kissed her back.

Rose pecked Terry's lips one more time before turning around and entering the passcode to the main door.

"Alfred~" She called as soon as she entered.

"Oh. Welcome back." Alfred said as he turned his head while sitting on the couch in the living area. "Terry's here too."

"Hi, Alfred. I'm just here to drop her off."

"I see." Alfred said as he turned his back on them.

Terry was about to turn around and leave but Rose grabbed his arm. He looked at her and she was smiling as she put a finger on her mouth.

He was taken aback. Of course, he was happy, but Alfred saw them. He looked at Alfred who had his back turned on them as he was reading something.

Terry pointed at Alfred with a worried face towards Rose.

"Let's go before he looks back." Rose whispered.

Rose pulled Terry and Terry let himself be pulled towards the stairs. They ran quickly.

Alfred flipped a page of the book he was reading then smiled. "Ah. To be young." He said.

He already knew that they were dating after the meeting they had in the batcave earlier when they had breakfast together. So, he just let them sneak away even after noticing them. He felt like the house he's living in is turning lively again.

----

Beep beep beep.

"Hrmmm." Terry groaned as he woke up to the sound of his alarm on his smartwatch.

He reached for it on the bedside table and turned it off. It took a moment for his blurry vision to clear up and see the day. It was monday.

He widened his eyes. "Oh shh-!!" Terry looked around and scanned the place he was in. It was obviously not his room. He looked beside him and saw the only woman he knows with silver hair. Rose Wilson.

"Hey, Rose?" Terry shook her gently and tried to wake her up.

"Hrmmmm" She groaned.

"Can I borrow your laptop real quick?"

Rose just nodded her head.

Terry kissed her cheek and said "Thanks."

Rose made a thin smile and continues sleeping.

He quickly got off the bed to find his clothes.

Not only was it a weekday, It was also time for his finals. Terry had too much fun over the weekend with Rose and even played hooky with his training. Although, their nightly activities were enough to maintain his muscles because they did it with such exuberance, but he didn't get to improve either.

After putting on his clothes, he immediately started the laptop computer and logged on to his university's server.

Because he diligently studied all school year, he managed to get by without studying this time. The exams are immediately graded afterwards. Thankfully, he passed.

Terry waved his fist in the air to celebrate.

Suddenly, someone's arms wrapped around Terry's neck. He knew who it was immediately, he only got startled a little bit because he thought he was celebrating on his own.

"What are you doing?" Rose said as she rested her chin on Terry's head.

"My final exams. I just finished it."

"Did you pass?"

"Yup!" Terry said then he turned his head to the side and readjusted Rose's head and pulled her in to kiss her.

Terry turned his seat around to face Rose and he grabbed her waist. His hands slid downwards to Rose's legs and pulled them to carry her.

Eeeek. Rose screamed as she got lifted by Terry. They continued to kiss until Terry threw her back to bed.

Rose laughed. "What are you doing? Don't you have work?"

"I usually arrive here for work in the afternoon anyways." Terry said as he smiled and took off his clothes again.

Rose welcomed Terry into her embrace as he dived in.

----

Because Rose didn't want to see Terry working alone, she helped him do his work. Terry refused at first but Rose insisted because she said that she didn't want to live here for free. Alfred thought it was reasonable and so he agreed.

She even tagged along during his training.

"Now, just because we're dating, that doesn't mean you get to hold back. If you hold back, I'll hurt you for real." Rose said with a smug smile as she warmed up before they start sparring.

"Sure." Terry made a smug smile of his own.

A few moments later...

"Uah!" Noise came out of Terry's mouth. He just got thrown onto the ground.

Now, he's seeing a fist coming right at his face.

Thud.

The punch didn't land on him but on the floor.

He looked at Rose who was making a smug smile.

"I told you to not hold back." She said as she offer her hand to help him up.

Terry furrowed his brows and didn't accept her help. He rolled to the side and pushed himself off the ground.

"I'll be serious this time." He said in a different tone than earlier.

"You better." Rose said then she took a stance and taunted him to come at her.

Terry hopped around before doing a full dive into a handstand. He spun masterfully like a top with his legs spread open.

"Capoeira. Pretty, but useless, unless you know how to use it." Rose said then ducked and spun around with one of her legs extended. She tried to sweep Terry's hands.

Terry saw it coming and jumped using his arms and landing on his feet behind Rose. He kicked her while she was on the ground. Rose blocked it with her arm and dove backwards and did a cartwheel from a very low position showing her athleticism and flexibility like Terry did earlier.

There's distance between them again. They both smiled because they were having fun now that Terry was serious.

After multiple bouts, they ended up in a draw. They scored themselves by the rounds that they won and it they ended with four wins each.

Both of them were sprawled on the floor as they both gasp for air.

They looked at each other and laughed. Their faces automatically drew close as they shared a kiss.

Rose put her leg on top of Terry and proceeded to mount him as they continued to lock their lips. Their atmosphere was getting hotter and heavier but Terry opted to stop.

"What?" Rose asked.

"I can't tonight. I've already not gone home thrice. Plus, I still have another set of exams tomorrow."

Rose laughed at him "Lame." she teased.

"You're the one who decided to date someone who still has homework." Terry said with a smug smile.

Rose rested her chin on her hands "You're right." she said seductively. She drew her face towards Terry and pecked him on the lips then rolled her body to the side and got up. Terry followed.

After that, he got home. He looked at the house that he grew up in. Somehow, it looked strange all of a sudden. He brushed his thoughts and went inside the house.

"I'm home~"

"Terry." His mother, Mary McGinnis was in the living room on her phone. She put her phone down and stood up. "You're making it a habit of not coming home every night." She teased.

Terry just laughed nervously.

"It's fine." She said as she put her hand on her son's face. "Pretty soon you'll be moving out." She said with a wistful smile.

Terry furrowed his brows. "We already talked about this three years ago."

They talked about Terry staying with them to help pay the bills and take care of his little brother.

"Terry, that was before I got this job. Your brother can more or less take care of himself now. He's just like you at that age." she smiled proudly.

"Still..." Terry looked downcast.

"You don't have to worry about us anymore." Mary put both of her hands on Terry's face. "We can take care of ourselves." Then, she pulled him closer to kiss his forehead then hugged him.

Terry frowned. He finally understood why the house looked different earlier. He hugged his mother tight. He knew himself that it was bound to happen but he did not expect it too soon.

His eyes scanned the interior of the house. His memories of their family's house flooded his mind, good and bad. His eyes started to water. It was then that he found his little brother on top of the stairs.

Terry lifted his chin up from her mother's shoulders as he stared at his little brother. Mary turned around as she noticed Terry looking at something and her face distorted.

Matt was frowning. He must have heard their conversation. He ran towards his room.

Terry wiped his eyes, "I'll go talk to him" *sniff* then he ran upstairs.

Knock knock knock.

Terry knocked on the open door to his little brother's room. "Hey."

Matt was lying on his stomach and playing video games.

-Ratatatata

He didn't reply to Terry.

He must be upset.

Terry decided to leave him alone for a while. But as he was about to turn around...

"So, you're leaving." Matt said.

"... Yeah."

"Good."

Terry made a wry smile. He decided to sit next to his brother and watch him play.

"I'll still be here for a few days, maybe a few weeks." He said.

"Whatever. I don't care."

"I'll still be around, you know. It's not like I'm leaving Gotham."

The corners of Matt's lips twitched. "Like I said, I don't care."

Terry smiled and patted his little brother's head. Matt paused for a while but he didn't reject his big brother's hand.

"You'll take care of mom when I leave?" Terry asked.

"Of course, I will."

"Right. You're a man now."

Matt thinly smiled.

Terry grabbed a controller and they played together like they've always done before as brothers.