Birthday Bash

[Olivia Hale]

((Set after all current threads))

Olivia was quite pleased with herself. She had told Harvey that she couldn't get the afternoon off of work and that he needed to go do something constructive. So the birthday boy had gone down to the shooting range and Olivia had gone straight to work on his party.

She'd baked him a cake in the wee hours of the morning and had stashed it in the back of the refrigerator. As soon as he was out the door she'd pulled it out and iced it. The icing job was kind of horrendous but Harvey wouldn't care.

Bruce and Suzume would be showing up soon to help set up. Olivia had picked Mardi Gras as the theme and had bought loads of silly decorations using her last paycheck. She had bought him a light up tiara decorated in Mardi Gras colors. Hopefully he'd find it amusing.

Since cooking was not Olivia's strong suit, she'd ordered food from a local Cajun restaurant. After some pleading and the promise of a very large tip, they had delivered.

Yes, she was quite pleased.

[Bruce Wayne]

Bruce drove slowly along the street where Harvey lived. He scanned each building carefully as he passed. Satisfied he parked and walked up to the building. Moving past the door man, who he always tipped nicely since being Harvey Dent's doorman had to come with it's risks, he entered the building and made his way up to Harvey's floor. Coming to the door he paused and took a deep breath. This could get awkward. He knocked.

[Olivia Hale]

Olivia opened the door and sighed in relief. "Oh thank God. I was worried Suzume would get here first and I'd be alone with her." She gave him a slightly awkward one-armed hug and ushered him inside.

"Come on, you must be freezing. Would you like something to drink?"

[Bruce Wayne]

Bruce smiled as Olivia appeared in the door way. Entering the apartment he took off his coat.

"A drink would be fine."

He made his way toward the center of the apartment, casually looking around. He was shocked to hear that Suzume would be here. He had read up on her in his investigations of Harvey's less legitimate work. She was violent. Extremely Dangerous. Not someone he would want expect to see, or want for that matter, at a birthday party. He let trace of his surprise slip through.

"Who's Suzume?"

[Suzume]

Suzume had been most displeased when she had received a phone call from Olivia. The woman could die in a fiery and painful car wreck and Suzume would be extremely happy.

Harvey's birthday was not something she wanted to miss so she decided to suck it up and go. Harvey's present was tucked under her arm and she didn't bother knocking. She entered the apartment just as a man questioned who she was.

"That would be me." She said, eying him suspiciously. "You must be Bruce Wayne. I was surprised when Olivia said you would be here. I did not think that billionaire playboys did anything other than have sex with whores. I'm actually quite surprised you and Olivia still have your clothes on."

She tossed the package onto the couch and then sank down next to it. "These decorations are stupid. Otousan is not five."

[Olivia Hale]

Olivia poured a glass of wine for Bruce and herself. She'd been about to answer his question when Suzume entered in her normal subtle style.

Olivia turned bright red at Suzume's attacks on Bruce and herself. She really wasn't sure how to respond so she handed Bruce his wine and looked at him helplessly.

"Uh, Bruce, this is Suzume. She's...Harvey's daughter." Her eyes flicked nervously between the pair. Olivia hadn't wanted to invite the young woman but knew it would make Harvey happy.

Olivia perched on the arm of a chair and took a sip of wine, resisting the urge to down it all in one go. "Suzume, please try to be pleasant. Bruce is one of Harvey's oldest and dearest friends. Let's all just pretend we get along for him."

[Bruce Wayne]

Bruce almost choked on his wine. That information was knew. He had assumed she was one of Two-Face's play things, not Harvey's daughter. He regained his composure and sat on the couch.

"Daughter? Funny. He hadn't mentioned that to me."

He looked over to her.

"Well. Nice to meet you. As you've so aptly pointed out. I'm Bruce Wayne."

He gave a smile and a wink.

"And they're not whores, they're dancers. Russian dancers."

[Harvey Dent/Two-Face]

Harvey opened the door to the flat. He was still troubled by his meeting with Joker but he pushed it way for later consideration. He didn't want to worry Olivia. "Ollie, I'm home!" he called.

He was still getting used to the novelty of calling a greeting when he got back, even if some days he couldn't sayit because his work kept him out until the early hours of the morning. Still, on those nights he could creep into bed beside her and wrap his arms around her sleeping form and feel her warmth aas he drifted off to sleep.

He hung up his coat and opened the door to the living room.

[Suzume]

Suzume ignored Olivia and Bruce and picked at the hem of her shirt. When the door opened, her face broke into a genuine grin and she leapt to her feet. Her excitement overwhelmed her normal sense of propriety and she practically tackled him in a hug.

"Tanjoubi omedetou, otousan!"

[Bruce Wayne]

Bruce stood as Harvey entered the room. He was going to go over and give his friend a hug but was cut off by Suzume. He didn't think she would be so...attached.

"Happy Birthday Harve! What are you like 18 now?"

[Olivia Hale]

Olivia blinked in surprise as Suzume raced toward Harvey. She hadn't expected such a strong reaction from the young woman.

Still, she stood up and walked to stand next to Bruce. She gently placed her hand on his back as she waited for Harvey to be available and shot him a significant look. Hopefully he'd be able to see the trouble Suzume would bring Harvey.

She remembered something and hurried over to pick up the silly tiara she'd bought Harvey. "Happy birthday, babe." She said, offering it to him. "I bought you a present!"

[Harvey Dent/Two-Face]

Harvey was suddenly hit by a flurry of someone with dark hair and felt himself being hugged fiercely. He smiled as he heard his daughter's voice. "Suzume! What a lovely surprise." He hugged her back and planted a kiss on the top of her head. "I'm guessing that means happy birthday."

Harvey looked round at the room, smile growing even wider as he saw Bruce and Ollie standing close togther. "Ollie, this is amazing. Did you arrange all this while I was out?"

He kept one arm around Suzume's shoulders as he drew Olivia in and kissed her briefly. "Sweetheart, you're incredible. I've always said it and now I know it."

He looked up at Bruce. "Bruce, always lovely to have you." He hugged his friend tightly. "Has Ollie told you the big news? She moved in last week. Can you believe she almost managed to get Two-Face to load the dishwasher the other night? Like I said, she's incredible."

He glanced to Suzume. "And the other big nes of course is that there's a mini-Dent. Meet my daughter, Suzume."

Harvey took the tiara and jokingly set it on his head. "How do I look?" He glanced in the mirror at the tiara and laughed. "Oh Lord, no." He took the tiara off and placed it on Suzume's head instead. "Much more your colours. Or maybe Bruce's."

[Suzume]

Suzume beamed up at her father. "It does, otousan! I am so very happy to be here for your birthday. It is truly an honor."

She shot Olivia a filthy look as Harvey kissed her. Having dinner with the other woman and Bruce was irritating. She wanted it to just be her and Harvey.

When her father looked at her again, she plastered a smile on her face. "We've met. Bruce was telling me about his Russian dancer friends before you got here. It was most fascinating."

Suzume's face scrunched up when he placed the tiara on her head. "I am not sure this is my style either. It's much too...flashy." She shot a quick glance up at Harvey's face and, seeing the joy there, covered her irritation. "It is wonderful to see you so happy! Olivia-san was most kind to pull this together."

[Bruce Wayne]

Bruce's spine tingled at Olivia's touch. He glanced at her, just catching the look she gave him. He smiled as Harvey hugged him. At Harvey's word's his heart almost leaped out his chest. He kept his demeanor warm and friendly.

"No! She hadn't. That's great Harve. I'm happy for the both of you."

He smiled at Suzume. He needed to keep focused. He couldn't let the pang he felt at the news about Olivia interfere with his time here.

"As for this one. Well, Olivia just told me. Given her age....I'm going to guess. College? I feel like I vaguely remember you pouring your heart out one very drunken night about some girl who had left you. I'm happy for you though. She's got your....spunk."

[Olivia Hale]

Olivia smiled against Harvey's mouth. "I can be sneaky when I want to, handsome. You deserve it."

She stepped back to keep distance between Suzume and herself. The young woman unsettled her.

When Harvey announced that they were living together, Olivia briefly closed her eyes. This was not how she had wanted Bruce to find out. She'd been wanting to tell him in private. The pair had quite a lot to discuss.

She gently rested her hand on Bruce's arm, trying to keep it casual. "I meant to tell you sooner but everything got a bit busy. Sorry."

She squeezed his arm before releasing it. She laughed as the tiara was passed from Harvey to Suzume. "Come on, Harv! You've got to have it on for at least one picture. Speaking of pictures, I need to go get the camera and get us some drinks. Bruce, want to give me a hand?"

Without waiting for his answer Olivia slipped out of the living room and into the kitchen. She rubbed her temples before grabbing two more glasses. She could already tell that Suzume was going to make this evening very difficult.