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Jim thinks that he should probably react with more surprise at the shield sliding across his desk. It comes seemingly out of nowhere, out of the shadows, and lands perfectly in the middle of the file he's been working on.
But after a while, surprise entrance and shadows that suddenly become something more than shadows become less surprising and less sudden. Besides, Jim had been expecting this ever since the sky started to darken and the shadows lengthened, deep enough to hide someone dressed in all black.
"I've been meaning to ask, how you do that?" Jim asks curiously, taking off his glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose. He's tired, much more than he expected, but apparently the doctors hadn't been kidding about taking things slow for a few days. "Sneak in when the cleaning crew is in and hide in the cupboards? I could swear the window is bolted, and you didn't come in through the doors."
There's no answer from the Bat, unless you count the pointed silence to be your answer, and with Batman you probably should. Jim sighs.
He reaches out to pick up his badge, turning it in his fingers. It's slightly dented and bits of mud are caked over it. Jim runs a finger across the metal, brushing the dirt away.
"The gurney ran over it," Batman mutters, and it sounds like a reproach.
Well, that might explain it. "Thank you," Jim says, gesturing with the shield. "For retrieving it. Requesting a new one is a drag, and I have enough of forms to deal with as it is, I…" he doesn't finish. He also doesn't see Batman move, he never does, but Bat's there, kissing him, pulling him up from the chair which rolls away with the squeak of the wheels.
Jim's forehead smacks against the cowl a bit painfully, but he doesn't mind. Batman's gloves are rough against his neck, just slightly unsteady as they tug at Jim's tie, bringing him even closer.
It's a heady feeling; to have shaken Batman, of all people. But it's also worrying, and not what Jim wanted, not really. It was hard to fight this, the way they were thrown together and drawn to each other, but it wasn't exactly safe, not for either of them.
"You shouldn't be here," he mutters.
"Well, neither should you," Batman says dryly, stepping away for a brief moment, possibly so his glare has some chance at having an effect on Jim. It doesn't, really, not after they've just been kissing like that. "But heaven forbid the commissioner stayed in his office and not in the field."
It's an old argument, started soon after Joker's first take at terrorizing the city, time when it stopped to be safe for Batman to be by Jim's side. "I'm in my office now," he points out, knowing Batman will snort at that.
"Yes, when you should be at home."
Jim nods slowly, making a show at looking at his watch. "I thought it was getting late, I might as well get going."
Bat looks at him suspiciously, as if surprised how easy that went. "That's what it takes?"
Jim reaches out, his fingers gently tracing Batman's jaw. "That's what it takes tonight. Maybe some other days, but don't push your luck," he adds wryly.
Batman turns to walk away, melt away in the shadows as he is wont to do. Jim clears his throat. "I did thank you, didn't I?"
"For finding the badge," Batman mutters, not moving an inch. "That's all you have to thank me for, you know that."
Jim nods. "Other people to thank, though. Wayne Enterprises really put a rush on the antidote. I do wonder how they even knew so fast."
"I find that some questions are better left unanswered," Batman says after a longer moment. Jim smiles slightly.
"That's what I thought, too. Well, nonetheless, thank you," he says casually.
This time, there's no answer. Jim doesn't mind.