katikat | Dec. 24th, 2012

"Clipped" by Menirva | Post-movie | Blake/Bane/Barsad | While Talia dies trying to bring Gotham's reckoning, Bane recovers from his wounds. This leaves a broken protector with no one to protect. John Blake is just trying to give Gotham hope. Barsad just needs someone to worship. | ~58.000 words

Then Bane was there. His hands were rubbing his shoulders, his chest, and they were warm, more soothing than a monster’s had any right to be. He shivered from the coldness as they left his chest and rested lightly on his stomach. Bane was right. He would never be alone again, and that should never be a comfort, it should never feel like a balm over his heart to hear those words.

What a dark, twisted, sweet, cruel, beautiful story. Hello, Stockholm Syndrome! I liked the first half better, the second felt a bit too mushy and indulgent - but as a whole, it's a really fascinating tale of how Bane twisted John Blake into what he needed Blake to be.