"Why are you here?" Batman growled low, without preamble. He sat perched on a corner of the cement rooftop, cape covering the whole of his armor and shielding him from the cold and wind.
"I know you've been in my city," he continued, not quite accusing. His gaze flicked once over the intruder, calmly assessing.
Clark nearly fell off the spotlight, he was so startled. As it was, he floated up and landed on the ground in front of the dark shape that had to be Batman. It was bizarre to actually see him; all the times he and Harvey had met here, and the Batman had never once made an appearance.
"I'm Superman," Clark said, crossing his arms. "I've been wanting to talk to you."
Batman paused, considering, before moving effortlessly from the roof wall to the ground. He drew up to his full height, meeting the Kryptonian's gaze fearlessly.
"If you know who I am, then you also know that I work alone."
He turned his back on Superman, more for effect than anything else.
"I think that I can help you," Clark said, undeterred. "And I'm not the only one, either. Harvey Dent wants to talk to you. You're a popular guy."
He paused, unsure about if what he was about to say would make Superman seem weak. He'd found out quickly that part of being a symbol was appearing infallible, at least in public. But then again, this meeting wasn't exactly public.
"If you're as good as they say you are, I wouldn't mind your help, either. Metropolis and Gotham are sister cities. There's no reason we can't be allies."
Batman paused and turned almost imperceptibly back towards Superman.
"I don't need your help. If you need mine you can contact me through Jim Gordon. As for Dent... You can conduct your meetings elsewhere."
It was as good as an offer to work together as anyone could really hope to receive from the vigilante. He didn't trust-didn't even know-the man standing before him, but was nonetheless willing to lend assistance if it was needed.
"This is my city. Metropolis is yours. If our paths cross, so be it. But Gotham doesn't need you right now."
Clark knew a dismissal when he heard it, and in this case, he wasn't going to argue the point further. He had a feeling it wouldn't get him anywhere with the Batman. Instead, he closed his eyes for a moment and memorized the pattern of his hearbeat, the crackle of his synapses. If there was an emergency, Clark would be able to find him again.
"All right," Clark said. "I'll back off, if that's what you want. But if there's some kind of emergency that I know one person can't stop by himself, I'm not going to just sit back and watch. All right?"
Silence, and then the barest of acknowledgments: "Understood." Batman nodded, striding to the edge of the roof and nimbly jumping up onto the cement supports.
"Stay out of my way and we won't have a problem. Undermine my work and we will."
Batman privately hoped that the stranger would take his words for what they were: a tentative agreement, not a flat refusal. He turned his back to the city so he could meet Superman's bold gaze.
"Do what you think is necessary, as long as it's also what's right." He added, as an afterthought, "Using the signal isn't necessary."
"Fair enough," Clark said, smiling a little. He tilted his head, looking up at Batman, then added, "Harvey Dent is a good man, you know. Braver than a lot of the people that've held his office in Gotham. He and his people are going after Sal Maroni. He could use all the help he can get."
"He's trying to protect your city," Clark said, narrowing his eyes. "He's fighting the same people you are. He's an ally, and how many of those can you honestly say you have in this city?" Clark softened his tone a little.
Clark watched Batman go, vanishing into the shadows seamlessly.
"Friendly guy," Clark remarked to no one in particular.
As if on cue, it started raining, and Clark winced a little as the first drops hit him. With a sigh, he floated over to the spotlight and turned it off. He flew upwards, hovering over the police station for a moment and locating Harvey, who was still in his office. He'd need to tell the D.A. what had happened, and they'd work out what to do from there.
Even though he knew it was unlikely, Clark could swear he felt eyes watching him as he soared away.
"I know you've been in my city," he continued, not quite accusing. His gaze flicked once over the intruder, calmly assessing.
"What do you want?"
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"I'm Superman," Clark said, crossing his arms. "I've been wanting to talk to you."
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"If you know who I am, then you also know that I work alone."
He turned his back on Superman, more for effect than anything else.
"I have work to do. And so should you."
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He paused, unsure about if what he was about to say would make Superman seem weak. He'd found out quickly that part of being a symbol was appearing infallible, at least in public. But then again, this meeting wasn't exactly public.
"If you're as good as they say you are, I wouldn't mind your help, either. Metropolis and Gotham are sister cities. There's no reason we can't be allies."
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"I don't need your help. If you need mine you can contact me through Jim Gordon. As for Dent... You can conduct your meetings elsewhere."
It was as good as an offer to work together as anyone could really hope to receive from the vigilante. He didn't trust-didn't even know-the man standing before him, but was nonetheless willing to lend assistance if it was needed.
"This is my city. Metropolis is yours. If our paths cross, so be it. But Gotham doesn't need you right now."
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"All right," Clark said. "I'll back off, if that's what you want. But if there's some kind of emergency that I know one person can't stop by himself, I'm not going to just sit back and watch. All right?"
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"Stay out of my way and we won't have a problem. Undermine my work and we will."
Batman privately hoped that the stranger would take his words for what they were: a tentative agreement, not a flat refusal. He turned his back to the city so he could meet Superman's bold gaze.
"Do what you think is necessary, as long as it's also what's right." He added, as an afterthought, "Using the signal isn't necessary."
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"With Maroni behind bars, the mob will be out for blood- Dent's blood."
"He's your... ally, and your responsibility. I won't protect him unless I know of a specific threat."
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"Just...keep an eye out for him?"
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"I will. It's my job to know what Gotham officials are doing with their time."
He cocked his head slightly in acknowledgment, stepping back into the shadows and disappearing noiselessly into the night.
He'd wasted enough time as it was.
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"Friendly guy," Clark remarked to no one in particular.
As if on cue, it started raining, and Clark winced a little as the first drops hit him. With a sigh, he floated over to the spotlight and turned it off. He flew upwards, hovering over the police station for a moment and locating Harvey, who was still in his office. He'd need to tell the D.A. what had happened, and they'd work out what to do from there.
Even though he knew it was unlikely, Clark could swear he felt eyes watching him as he soared away.
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