Fic: A Certain Thought that Lingers - (3/20) (Clark/Bruce)
Title: A Certain Thought that Lingers
Pairing: Superman/Batman
Rating: R
Verse: DCU/DCAU
Word Count: 13,439
Summary: The decision to use a telepathic link to allow the Justice League to communicate during battle backfires, creating a special bond between Superman and Batman. Batman finds the situation...unbearable.
III.
Two days later, a little past eleven o’clock on a dark night when the moon was obscured by cumulous clouds that promised snow by morning, Batman was on the roof of the Gotham Public Library. He was crouched behind a gargoyle, watching the deserted street below, idly bemused by the calm that had descended on his city over the last few days, like the quiet before the storm. He didn’t even bother to look up when the obnoxious Boy Scout in blue tights flitted down out of the night sky like an angel in a piece of particularly bad poetry.
“What are you doing here?”
“I thought we-”
“Don’t think. Just go,” Batman growled. “I’m sure even you would agree we’ve had enough of each other to last the week.”
And that was the crux of it. With the inception of the Justice League, the two of them were forced to spend an inordinate amount of time together. They had known each other for years, both being the most recognizable crime fighters in their respective spheres of influence; they had worked together when necessary, but it had been quite clear from the beginning that their methods and ideologies differed drastically. Consequently, they had maintained an appropriate personal and professional distance at all times, a distance that had effectively been eroded by their current status as “teammates”. The new level of tension between them was…distracting.
“I-”
“Are you still here?” Batman said, straightening. “I have work to do.”
Superman turned, looked out into the night, on the streets of Gotham. “It’s quiet,” he said, his voice taking on a slightly pleading note that was somewhat surprising when Batman was so used to his teammate’s constant ill-conceived belligerence. “Surely you can spare-“
“What is it, then?” Batman snapped.
“I-”
“Yes, we’ve established that,” Batman interrupted dryly. “Can you cut to the chase?”
“Would you stop it?”
Batman scoffed, low in his throat, at the way Superman seemed to bristle, the way his eyes glared red. Serves him right, Batman thought, for continuing to float out there, forcing me to look up just to speak to him.
“I just want to talk to you.”
Batman shrugged. “I can’t imagine what could be so important you’d need to come to Gotham. We have a League meeting next week-”
“It’s not about League business, well, not exactly.” Superman bit his lip. Was that a habit? Batman was surprised he had never noticed it before, but he added it to his mental file on the Kryptonian, for future reference.
“It’s about you,” Superman paused. “And me.”
The Man of Steel was still floating in the air, off the edge of the roof, almost as if he were afraid to set feet on solid ground, almost as if by floating, he could assure himself a quick getaway, but he had slowly descended from his loftier angle; Batman could now look him in the eye without having to crane his neck.
“I-”
Batman waited silently. Superman took a deep breath.
“I-”
“If you don’t get to the point-”
“Okay,” Superman snapped. “Alright.” He took another deep breath. “Batman-Bruce-”
Bruce? Since when had they evolved to a first name basis?
“Bruce, I-”
Suddenly, Batman was swept up in the night, engulfed by shadows, wrapped in arms that stilled his instinctive struggles; he was being kissed.
It lasted an interminable length of time, but, finally, it...ended, leaving him agog, amazed, sputtering like an appalled cat.
“What the hell are you doing? Are you insane?”
Superman was running his hand through his hair, looking abashed and apologetic. Batman simply stared at him, waiting for an explanation-for something so completely inexplicable.
“I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time,” he said, sighing. “This new telepathy we’ll be using-I didn’t want you to find out about how I feel some other way.”
“How you feel?”
Superman nodded slowly. “I’ve…felt this way about you for ages, Bruce. There was never a right time…you…don’t make it easy.”
This had to be a dream, a nightmare. “Batman,” he said. “I’m Batman, not Bruce. And you’re Superman.” Not Clark. “And you’re being absolutely ridiculous. I don’t even like you.”
“Oh, okay, then,” Superman said, with a small, embarrassed upturn to the corner of his mouth, a tilt to the head that had him looking anywhere but directly at his teammate. “I thought-I just wanted you to know. I’ll leave you to your work.”
He was floating high again, turning away.
“I’ll see you at the meeting next week, Batman.”
Batman stood at the edge of the rooftop, staring out over his city. The sky was a wash of stars. It seemed the clouds had dispersed, the moon shone down on everything in all its brilliance and the night in Gotham was, for once, as clear as day.
Pairing: Superman/Batman
Rating: R
Verse: DCU/DCAU
Word Count: 13,439
Summary: The decision to use a telepathic link to allow the Justice League to communicate during battle backfires, creating a special bond between Superman and Batman. Batman finds the situation...unbearable.
III.
Two days later, a little past eleven o’clock on a dark night when the moon was obscured by cumulous clouds that promised snow by morning, Batman was on the roof of the Gotham Public Library. He was crouched behind a gargoyle, watching the deserted street below, idly bemused by the calm that had descended on his city over the last few days, like the quiet before the storm. He didn’t even bother to look up when the obnoxious Boy Scout in blue tights flitted down out of the night sky like an angel in a piece of particularly bad poetry.
“What are you doing here?”
“I thought we-”
“Don’t think. Just go,” Batman growled. “I’m sure even you would agree we’ve had enough of each other to last the week.”
And that was the crux of it. With the inception of the Justice League, the two of them were forced to spend an inordinate amount of time together. They had known each other for years, both being the most recognizable crime fighters in their respective spheres of influence; they had worked together when necessary, but it had been quite clear from the beginning that their methods and ideologies differed drastically. Consequently, they had maintained an appropriate personal and professional distance at all times, a distance that had effectively been eroded by their current status as “teammates”. The new level of tension between them was…distracting.
“I-”
“Are you still here?” Batman said, straightening. “I have work to do.”
Superman turned, looked out into the night, on the streets of Gotham. “It’s quiet,” he said, his voice taking on a slightly pleading note that was somewhat surprising when Batman was so used to his teammate’s constant ill-conceived belligerence. “Surely you can spare-“
“What is it, then?” Batman snapped.
“I-”
“Yes, we’ve established that,” Batman interrupted dryly. “Can you cut to the chase?”
“Would you stop it?”
Batman scoffed, low in his throat, at the way Superman seemed to bristle, the way his eyes glared red. Serves him right, Batman thought, for continuing to float out there, forcing me to look up just to speak to him.
“I just want to talk to you.”
Batman shrugged. “I can’t imagine what could be so important you’d need to come to Gotham. We have a League meeting next week-”
“It’s not about League business, well, not exactly.” Superman bit his lip. Was that a habit? Batman was surprised he had never noticed it before, but he added it to his mental file on the Kryptonian, for future reference.
“It’s about you,” Superman paused. “And me.”
The Man of Steel was still floating in the air, off the edge of the roof, almost as if he were afraid to set feet on solid ground, almost as if by floating, he could assure himself a quick getaway, but he had slowly descended from his loftier angle; Batman could now look him in the eye without having to crane his neck.
“I-”
Batman waited silently. Superman took a deep breath.
“I-”
“If you don’t get to the point-”
“Okay,” Superman snapped. “Alright.” He took another deep breath. “Batman-Bruce-”
Bruce? Since when had they evolved to a first name basis?
“Bruce, I-”
Suddenly, Batman was swept up in the night, engulfed by shadows, wrapped in arms that stilled his instinctive struggles; he was being kissed.
It lasted an interminable length of time, but, finally, it...ended, leaving him agog, amazed, sputtering like an appalled cat.
“What the hell are you doing? Are you insane?”
Superman was running his hand through his hair, looking abashed and apologetic. Batman simply stared at him, waiting for an explanation-for something so completely inexplicable.
“I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time,” he said, sighing. “This new telepathy we’ll be using-I didn’t want you to find out about how I feel some other way.”
“How you feel?”
Superman nodded slowly. “I’ve…felt this way about you for ages, Bruce. There was never a right time…you…don’t make it easy.”
This had to be a dream, a nightmare. “Batman,” he said. “I’m Batman, not Bruce. And you’re Superman.” Not Clark. “And you’re being absolutely ridiculous. I don’t even like you.”
“Oh, okay, then,” Superman said, with a small, embarrassed upturn to the corner of his mouth, a tilt to the head that had him looking anywhere but directly at his teammate. “I thought-I just wanted you to know. I’ll leave you to your work.”
He was floating high again, turning away.
“I’ll see you at the meeting next week, Batman.”
Batman stood at the edge of the rooftop, staring out over his city. The sky was a wash of stars. It seemed the clouds had dispersed, the moon shone down on everything in all its brilliance and the night in Gotham was, for once, as clear as day.