Fic: Announcement I: The Ready Room (1/1)
I've already posted this story to the BatmanAndSuperman mailing list so some of you have probably already read it, but I was encouraged to post this story also to World's Finest. I shall do so soon! :) Right now I'm just happy to get the darned thing on my own journal!
Title: Announcement I: The Ready Room (1/1)
Author: BradyGirl
Pairings/Characters: Clark/Bruce, Dick
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Spoilers: None
Summary: A press conference makes Batman nervous.
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em, DC does, more's the pity.
Date Of Completion: November 21, 2006
Date Of Posting: December 21, 2006
Word Count: 662
Notes: After the Modern Era dawned, I discovered after trying to read the ‘new’ DC that I preferred the Silver/Bronze Age of DC, with a liberal sprinkling of Golden Age in the Earth-One/Earth-Two stories and lovely reprints. Frankly, I was appalled at the changes DC made in 1985. I think what hurt the worst was simply wiping out my beloved characters and their pasts out of existence. Sort of Bobby Ewing in the shower, y’know? So I stopped reading the comics but I never stopped loving the wonderful characters I’d known. Doesn’t mean I don’t like darkness in their souls sometimes. There was plenty of that, especially in the Bronze Age. This ‘polar opposite, antagonistic’ Superman/Batman was a sad remnant of the close friendship the two enjoyed before the Modern Era. Of course they had conflicts, as all good friends do, but there was a warmth and affection between them that even Batman couldn’t deny! :) So since my interest is in the ‘best friends’ of a long time ago, that’s what I write, not to mention what the next step of that friendship is in my evil little mind. That’s my comics universe now! :)
And, finally, I came up with this little ficlet in a fit of madness. Enjoy!
The room was a typical ‘ready room’ for press conferences at the Superman Museum in Metropolis. Light green paint on the walls, deeper green couches and chairs and an oval coffee table set on a royal-blue carpet. A leafy green plant in a blue vase was placed on the coffee table. The whole room was supposed to be a very relaxing atmosphere.
Bruce flexed his fingers, picking up his glove from the table. He was feeling anything but relaxed. Clark was standing a few feet away, arms crossed and a small smile on his face. He was looking incredible, as usual, but Bruce had to try one more time.
“Do you really think we should go ahead with this?”
Clark’s smile remained. “We could cancel, but that doesn’t change what we found out about that imminent announcement.”
Bruce sighed. “I suppose not.” He began tugging his glove on, turning his head as the door opened. A smiling Dick poked his head in. “You guys ready?”
“As we’ll ever be,” Bruce sighed again.
Dick walked in, closing the door behind him. He went to his mentor, adjusting his cape. “Aw, c’mon, Bruce, it won’t be so bad.” A raised eyebrow caused Dick to snicker.
“Besides, Bruce, think of this way. It could help.” Clark’s voice was almost jovial.
“Help?!” Bruce’s voice was nearly a squeak. “I don’t see how acknowledging that I’m in a gay relationship with Superman with help me with the criminal element of Gotham. If anything, I’m going to lose my ability to make them fear.”
“Not really.”
“Oh? They’ll be contemptuous at best, mocking at worst.”
Clark’s arms were still folded in his classic Superman pose. “Well, to be honest, Bruce, this will work in a lot of ways, different for you and me, as always.”
“How so?”
“You’ll be even more of the Other, the strange, the out there because of this. People hate those different from them. For Batman, it’ll work just great. As for me, well, I can help the gay community out there.”
Bruce simply stared.
“That’s right, Bruce!” Dick chirped, almost like a robin. “Just think! Imagine what a boost that will be to the gay community to have Superman as one of them!”
Bruce looked at the two of them as if they had lost their minds. “You do know that now Superman will be politely and not-so-politely asked to stop becoming involved with certain charities or causes, right?”
“I do. But I’ll be a role model for gay youth. They have the highest suicide rates. If I can help them in any way, it’ll be a bonus. Same for adult gays and lesbians. And maybe attitudes can be changed. After all, if I wanted to represent the U.S. military, I can’t because of their ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy. Maybe that will change when people see how absurd it is. And as for gay marriage in any place other than Massachusetts in America, well…” Clark leered. “Maybe we can plan our own wedding and change some attitudes there, as well.”
Bruce nearly laughed. “You’re crazy. Are you sure red Kryptonite isn’t in your cape pocket?”
“Nope.” Clark’s smile was cheerful.
“What about you?” Bruce asked as he turned to Dick.
“What about me?” Dick was looking particularly bright in his Robin costume. Bruce merely waited. “Okay, maybe the rumors about us will be killed since you’re going out with Big Blue.”
"Or maybe this will ratchet up the rumors about us?”
Dick’s smile was pure sunshine. “Bruce, if all our truths come out eventually, will it really be so bad?”
Bruce simply sighed for the third time and Dick patted him on the back.
Clark looked at the clock on the wall. “Time to go, Bruce.”
As the World’s Finest trio walked out, Bruce could be heard saying, “Clark, are you sure that Lex is planning to release that video he shot of us in the alley?”
The door closed behind them.
(this counter installed 9/2/10)
.
Title: Announcement I: The Ready Room (1/1)
Author: BradyGirl
Pairings/Characters: Clark/Bruce, Dick
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Spoilers: None
Summary: A press conference makes Batman nervous.
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em, DC does, more's the pity.
Date Of Completion: November 21, 2006
Date Of Posting: December 21, 2006
Word Count: 662
Notes: After the Modern Era dawned, I discovered after trying to read the ‘new’ DC that I preferred the Silver/Bronze Age of DC, with a liberal sprinkling of Golden Age in the Earth-One/Earth-Two stories and lovely reprints. Frankly, I was appalled at the changes DC made in 1985. I think what hurt the worst was simply wiping out my beloved characters and their pasts out of existence. Sort of Bobby Ewing in the shower, y’know? So I stopped reading the comics but I never stopped loving the wonderful characters I’d known. Doesn’t mean I don’t like darkness in their souls sometimes. There was plenty of that, especially in the Bronze Age. This ‘polar opposite, antagonistic’ Superman/Batman was a sad remnant of the close friendship the two enjoyed before the Modern Era. Of course they had conflicts, as all good friends do, but there was a warmth and affection between them that even Batman couldn’t deny! :) So since my interest is in the ‘best friends’ of a long time ago, that’s what I write, not to mention what the next step of that friendship is in my evil little mind. That’s my comics universe now! :)
And, finally, I came up with this little ficlet in a fit of madness. Enjoy!
The room was a typical ‘ready room’ for press conferences at the Superman Museum in Metropolis. Light green paint on the walls, deeper green couches and chairs and an oval coffee table set on a royal-blue carpet. A leafy green plant in a blue vase was placed on the coffee table. The whole room was supposed to be a very relaxing atmosphere.
Bruce flexed his fingers, picking up his glove from the table. He was feeling anything but relaxed. Clark was standing a few feet away, arms crossed and a small smile on his face. He was looking incredible, as usual, but Bruce had to try one more time.
“Do you really think we should go ahead with this?”
Clark’s smile remained. “We could cancel, but that doesn’t change what we found out about that imminent announcement.”
Bruce sighed. “I suppose not.” He began tugging his glove on, turning his head as the door opened. A smiling Dick poked his head in. “You guys ready?”
“As we’ll ever be,” Bruce sighed again.
Dick walked in, closing the door behind him. He went to his mentor, adjusting his cape. “Aw, c’mon, Bruce, it won’t be so bad.” A raised eyebrow caused Dick to snicker.
“Besides, Bruce, think of this way. It could help.” Clark’s voice was almost jovial.
“Help?!” Bruce’s voice was nearly a squeak. “I don’t see how acknowledging that I’m in a gay relationship with Superman with help me with the criminal element of Gotham. If anything, I’m going to lose my ability to make them fear.”
“Not really.”
“Oh? They’ll be contemptuous at best, mocking at worst.”
Clark’s arms were still folded in his classic Superman pose. “Well, to be honest, Bruce, this will work in a lot of ways, different for you and me, as always.”
“How so?”
“You’ll be even more of the Other, the strange, the out there because of this. People hate those different from them. For Batman, it’ll work just great. As for me, well, I can help the gay community out there.”
Bruce simply stared.
“That’s right, Bruce!” Dick chirped, almost like a robin. “Just think! Imagine what a boost that will be to the gay community to have Superman as one of them!”
Bruce looked at the two of them as if they had lost their minds. “You do know that now Superman will be politely and not-so-politely asked to stop becoming involved with certain charities or causes, right?”
“I do. But I’ll be a role model for gay youth. They have the highest suicide rates. If I can help them in any way, it’ll be a bonus. Same for adult gays and lesbians. And maybe attitudes can be changed. After all, if I wanted to represent the U.S. military, I can’t because of their ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy. Maybe that will change when people see how absurd it is. And as for gay marriage in any place other than Massachusetts in America, well…” Clark leered. “Maybe we can plan our own wedding and change some attitudes there, as well.”
Bruce nearly laughed. “You’re crazy. Are you sure red Kryptonite isn’t in your cape pocket?”
“Nope.” Clark’s smile was cheerful.
“What about you?” Bruce asked as he turned to Dick.
“What about me?” Dick was looking particularly bright in his Robin costume. Bruce merely waited. “Okay, maybe the rumors about us will be killed since you’re going out with Big Blue.”
"Or maybe this will ratchet up the rumors about us?”
Dick’s smile was pure sunshine. “Bruce, if all our truths come out eventually, will it really be so bad?”
Bruce simply sighed for the third time and Dick patted him on the back.
Clark looked at the clock on the wall. “Time to go, Bruce.”
As the World’s Finest trio walked out, Bruce could be heard saying, “Clark, are you sure that Lex is planning to release that video he shot of us in the alley?”
The door closed behind them.
(this counter installed 9/2/10)
.