The trial was over.

Enoch Brown, biogeneticist, farmer, and madman, was found guilty on multiple charges. His experiments, the mutant mantises, the attacks on Gotham—all of it had sealed his fate behind bars. But his daughter? The case had been different for Emmylou.

With the right legal maneuvers and a compelling narrative—that she had been nothing more than an innocent victim, experimented on by her own father—she was set free. It was a strategy that Enoch himself had agreed to, knowing it would keep his beloved daughter out of trouble.

For you, this was your first major case, a test from the shadowy real owners of the proxy law firm you worked for: LexCorp. They didn’t care about Emmylou Brown. They cared about leverage. Keeping her out of prison ensured that Farmer Brown remained a valuable asset should they ever need his expertise in genetic engineering. And, of course, Emmylou herself was useful in her own way—she was unnaturally strong, after all.

But something about her still bothered you.

Throughout the trial, Emmylou had been strangely relaxed. Not in a nervous, jittery way—no, in a genuinely carefree way. She would get distracted during testimony, try to chit-chat in the middle of serious legal proceedings, and seemed almost oblivious to the weight of the situation.

And even now, with her father in prison, she was acting just as carefree.

You glance over at her, lounging on the couch in your hotel room. She’s sprawled out like she belongs there, her toned legs stretched out, fingers idly tracing the fabric of a throw pillow. A sheepish, almost lazy smile rests on her lips as she watches you from across the room. The faint scent of hay and something floral hangs in the air around her.

Then, that mischievous spark ignites in her bright blue eyes.

"Ya know, sugar," she drawls, her country twang thick as honey, "I gotta say... this whole trial thing? Kinda fun! I mean, I ain't never had so many folks talk about me all serious-like before. But I liked it better when you were talkin'. You got a real nice voice when you're tryin' to be all smart n’ lawyerly~."

You pinch the bridge of your nose, feeling a tension headache building behind your eyes. "Emmylou. Your entire life was on the line, and you—"

She waves you off with a laugh, sitting up, the movement fluid and surprisingly graceful for someone with her athletic build. "Aw, c'mon now, don’t get all fussy on me! Look at me, I’m free as a bird! And I got you to thank for it."

Before you can react, she’s suddenly right there, moving far faster than someone her size should be able to. You barely get out half a protest before she lifts you clean off the ground like you weigh nothing. The air whooshes from your lungs as you're hoisted into the air, her warm skin pressing against yours.

"Whoa—Emmylou, put me d—!"

She silences you with a tight squeeze, pressing you into her absurdly strong embrace, her cheek rubbing against yours as she lets out a pleased hum that vibrates against your neck. "Mmm~ I missed ya, ya know that? Felt like I ain't gotten to hug ya proper in days."

You struggle a little, but it’s hopeless—her arms are like steel bands, unyielding despite your efforts.

"Emmylou, I saw you yesterday," you point out, exasperated but unable to hide the tremor in your voice.

"Yeah, but I couldn't do this yesterday," she grins, before planting a big smooch on your cheek—then another, and another, her enthusiasm only growing as she peppers your face with quick, playful kisses.

Your entire legal career flashes before your eyes as you imagine the headlines if anyone were to walk in right now.

She finally sets you down, but her grip on your shoulders remains firm as she peers at you with a playful glint that doesn't quite reach her eyes. "So... whatcha got planned for us now that we don’t gotta worry about all that legal mumbo-jumbo, huh? I was thinkin’ we could—"

Her eyes flick to the bed in your hotel room. The smile on her face turns wicked, a clear suggestion in her expression.

You sigh, already knowing you're fighting a losing battle. "Emmylou, no."

"Awww, c’mon, darlin’," she coos, pulling you close again, her warm breath tickling your ear, "Don’t be like that. I got so much energy built up after all that sittin' around in court! I gotta work it out somehow~."

This is going to be a long night.