Two and a half hours later, Axel climbed out of bed and stepped over the wreckage scattered throughout the hotel room.
The room had been reduced to ruins. The bed was barely recognizable, and most of the furniture had been destroyed during the battle that had preceded everything else.
Near the door lay the body of a hotel security guard who had foolishly charged in with a gun, hoping to interrupt Axel and Diana.
Axel casually searched the man's pocket, pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, then lit one for himself.
After taking a long drag, he returned to the remains of the bed and lazily sat down.
Beside him, Diana's wounds had almost completely healed. The sword that had once pierced her body was gone, leaving no trace behind.
Even so, she lay motionless, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Only her eyes moved.
They were fixed on Axel.
Meeting her gaze, Axel shook his head before bringing the cigarette toward her.
"Want one, my dear?"
"..."
Silence.
Axel took another drag himself before pinching her chin and forcing her attention back to him.
Diana coughed lightly as smoke reached her lungs, and a faint spark of life finally returned to her expression.
Moments later, she weakly pushed against his chest.
"I will kill you, sooner or later."
"Sure, I believe you. You've already tried more than enough times."
Axel laughed.
"But what can I do? You're too beautiful."
His grin widened.
"If you were some old guy like Kent, you'd already be dead."
Diana's eyes narrowed with hatred.
Axel simply found it amusing.
"You were screaming like you were dying earlier. At this point, I might as well assume you've already died once."
The moment he finished speaking, Diana bit down viciously.
Axel only laughed.
"You can try harder. I like the effort."
"I will kill you..."
"You've said that all day."
Axel leaned back comfortably while Diana glared at him.
She hated him.
That much had never changed.
Unfortunately, reality had forced her to accept something she despised.
A few days ago, she had been capable of overpowering Axel.
Now, the gap between them had become overwhelming.
No matter what she tried, no matter how viciously she attacked, she could not truly harm him.
Every ounce of hostility she possessed had become meaningless.
Eventually, the passage of time became the only thing either of them paid attention to.
By the time darkness fell outside the hotel, media vehicles and reporters had already gathered around the building.
Looking out the shattered window, Axel clicked his tongue.
Then he pulled Diana to her feet and lifted her into his arms.
"You know, you're the first woman I've met who completely shuts down afterward."
He smirked.
"Where's all that determination? That courage? That unbreakable Amazon spirit?"
Diana didn't answer.
Axel carried her into the bathroom.
Ironically, it was the only part of the room that remained intact.
Given their strength, it was a miracle anything had survived at all.
Warm water soon filled the bathtub.
Axel carefully washed away the dirt and blood covering Diana's body.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Then Diana finally raised her head slightly.
"I will definitely kill you."
Axel laughed.
"That has to be at least the four hundredth time you've said that today."
Diana suddenly drove her fist into his abdomen.
The impact sent water exploding from the bathtub.
Only Axel's psychic power prevented the entire room from being flooded.
He wiped water from his face and chuckled.
"See? That's more like it."
Diana's expression remained cold.
After a moment, Axel wrapped an arm around her shoulders and sighed.
"You know, we're surprisingly compatible."
"Shut up."
"No, really."
He shrugged.
"You hate the way I live. I hate your saint-like attitude. But life is full of disagreements."
Diana turned to glare at him.
"What kind of twisted mindset lets you say things like that?"
Her voice trembled with anger.
"Do you actually think any of this changes what you've done?"
She clenched her fists.
"I hate you. I hate my own weakness even more."
For the first time in a while, Axel didn't immediately joke.
Instead, he looked at her thoughtfully.
Then he spoke.
"Love is overrated, Diana."
His voice was unusually calm.
"What interests me is something else."
Diana frowned.
Axel leaned closer.
"If we end up having a child, I should probably start learning how to be a father."
Diana froze.
For a brief moment, her mind went completely blank.
"A child...?"
The thought alone was enough to shake her.
She couldn't even begin to imagine what such a future would look like.
Seeing the panic in her eyes, Axel smiled.
Sometimes people created their own problems simply by imagining possibilities.
And right now, Diana was doing exactly that.
"It's possible," Axel said casually.
"You and I aren't exactly ordinary."
Diana looked away.
Axel continued anyway.
"Besides, you've always been special."
He grinned.
"Remember when we first met on the Gotham Skyrail?"
Diana immediately regretted letting him continue.
"You looked at me like a grandmother looking after a child."
"If you're actually under thirty, then you are a child."
Axel laughed.
"So you admit you picked a fight with a child?"
"Get lost."
Frustration flashed across Diana's face.
"I've never met anyone as unbearable as you."
"That's great news."
Axel nodded seriously.
"That means I left an impression."
Diana looked like she wanted to hit him again.
Axel ignored her reaction.
"Believe it or not, I like you."
His expression softened slightly.
"That's the reason you're still alive."
Diana's eyes narrowed.
Before she could respond, Axel stood up and lifted her from the bathtub.
After drying her off, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
Then he looked directly into her eyes.
"I'll take you home."
Diana immediately sensed trouble.
"And while we're at it, I'll meet your family."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Absolutely yes."
Axel grinned.
"I don't have anywhere else to stay tonight, so I've decided I'm spending the night on Themyscira."
Diana's expression darkened.
Axel's grin only widened.
"And before you say anything, remember that refusing me might result in your island having a very bad day."
He snapped his fingers.
"Decision made. Let's go."
===
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