(Upload) A Better World
I wrote this before the writer's block came by, and hadn't posted it because I'm not so sure I like the end scene. At times it looks like it needs fleshing out, at times it doesn't. But I know I fiddle too much with fics before posting, and there's another two stories that need to be corrected and posted, so I'm getting this one off my back. I'm starting to think these are turning into a series and need a name...
This is not a happy story, but Bruce is deluding himself with happiness again by the end.
Fandom: DC
Pairing: Implied Bruce/Clark and Bruce/Lex
Rating: PG-13
Summary: You want to know what happened with Bruce's plan after Unconventional Mechanics? It's a familiar tale.
AN: Set after 'Unconventional Mechanics'. Spoilers for the JL episode 'A Better World'. Beta by sasha_anu
Word Count: 763
Started at 10:11 pm on July 6th 2006
Finished at 11:10 pm on July 6th 2006
A Better World
A few months ago, Batman had a plan. It was a well thought out and meticulous plan, but it has fallen to pieces.
He has gone over what went wrong a million times, trying to understand how almost a year of detective work was completely destroyed. He had known better than to underestimate Lex. He had taken care of Mercy, had worked his way inside Lex’s life.
The plan shouldn’t have fallen apart before it started. He grits his teeth as he takes down another man, Diana doing the same not far from him.
It doesn’t matter, though, not anymore. It doesn’t matter how carefully he had planned, how much work he had put into it, how much of himself he had invested in taking Lex down.
Wally is dead.
It changes everything. All his schemes to systematically take LexCorp down and destroy all that was Lex’s are now useless. Wally is dead, and there is no time for subtlety or corporate games. No time for Batman to bring this man to Justice the right way, no way to expose all his crimes.
Clark will never know now, and maybe that should make him happy. Clark won’t hate him for destroying Lex and taking him away forever, since it seems that Superman is going to be instrumental in bringing Lex down. Clark won’t have anyone to hate but himself. Maybe it should make Bruce happy, but it doesn’t.
He looks around, searching for the signature the red and blue uniform of the hero, his friend; the man he used to sleep with, the man he can’t stop loving. He’s nowhere to be seen, though he was supposed to wait for them.
A soldier tackles him, and another joins them on the floor. Batman easily gets rid of them, and Diana appears by his side, offering him a hand to help him stand up. Batman reaches for his communicator to ask Superman where he is, but a part of him already knows.
Something is wrong, and he can feel it. “Do you smell something?” Batman asks Diana. He sees her eyes grow wide as both recognize the smell.
They both run towards the Oval Office, and what they find should surprise him, move him in some way, but it doesn’t. Lex is dead, his body smoldering over the desk.
Bruce knows this will change things. He had a plan, months ago, and he was ready for change. This was not what he intended to happen. All he wanted was Clark, and a chance to build a better world. Instead, Wally and Lex are dead. This is not what he intended to happen at all.
He stares at Lex’s body, wondering why he doesn’t feel anything. He should be angry at the brash actions of his coworker; he should be horrified by the murder. He should be sad about losing Lex. He should be happy about not having to ultimately lose Clark. He should be preparing to confront Superman in case he has gone rogue, or thinking about the future of the country now that Superman has assassinated the President.
Yet all he can think about is that with Lex out of the way, there is hope for both Metropolis and Clark. And if he can learn from this, maybe there’s hope for Gotham, and maybe for himself, too. Maybe this is where The Mission was leading him. He can taste the acre smell of burnt flesh in his mouth
“Well, it had to be done,” he says, testing out the words. Yes, maybe it did have to be done.
This is not the way he planned for things to turn out, but how many times has he failed Gotham by now? How many people? His parents. Harvey.
Wally. Lex.
Maybe he can learn from this and stop failing.
Diana walks up Superman. He’s facing the window, and Batman can only see the reflection of his face. “Are you ok?” Diana asks. Batman can hear the doubts in her voice, but it doesn’t matter. He will have a talk with her later to explain why this needed happen.
Superman turns around and looks straight into Batman’s eyes, ignoring Diana, a slow smile taking over his lips. “I’m great,” he says, his voice low and dangerous. Hungry. It makes Bruce’s breath catch in his throat; Batman has never been the subject of Clark’s lust.
Things will change, but Bruce will survive. He doesn’t know if he will like the man he will become, but it looks as if Clark might.
And that’s all Bruce really wanted.
This is not a happy story, but Bruce is deluding himself with happiness again by the end.
Fandom: DC
Pairing: Implied Bruce/Clark and Bruce/Lex
Rating: PG-13
Summary: You want to know what happened with Bruce's plan after Unconventional Mechanics? It's a familiar tale.
AN: Set after 'Unconventional Mechanics'. Spoilers for the JL episode 'A Better World'. Beta by sasha_anu
Word Count: 763
Started at 10:11 pm on July 6th 2006
Finished at 11:10 pm on July 6th 2006
A Better World
A few months ago, Batman had a plan. It was a well thought out and meticulous plan, but it has fallen to pieces.
He has gone over what went wrong a million times, trying to understand how almost a year of detective work was completely destroyed. He had known better than to underestimate Lex. He had taken care of Mercy, had worked his way inside Lex’s life.
The plan shouldn’t have fallen apart before it started. He grits his teeth as he takes down another man, Diana doing the same not far from him.
It doesn’t matter, though, not anymore. It doesn’t matter how carefully he had planned, how much work he had put into it, how much of himself he had invested in taking Lex down.
Wally is dead.
It changes everything. All his schemes to systematically take LexCorp down and destroy all that was Lex’s are now useless. Wally is dead, and there is no time for subtlety or corporate games. No time for Batman to bring this man to Justice the right way, no way to expose all his crimes.
Clark will never know now, and maybe that should make him happy. Clark won’t hate him for destroying Lex and taking him away forever, since it seems that Superman is going to be instrumental in bringing Lex down. Clark won’t have anyone to hate but himself. Maybe it should make Bruce happy, but it doesn’t.
He looks around, searching for the signature the red and blue uniform of the hero, his friend; the man he used to sleep with, the man he can’t stop loving. He’s nowhere to be seen, though he was supposed to wait for them.
A soldier tackles him, and another joins them on the floor. Batman easily gets rid of them, and Diana appears by his side, offering him a hand to help him stand up. Batman reaches for his communicator to ask Superman where he is, but a part of him already knows.
Something is wrong, and he can feel it. “Do you smell something?” Batman asks Diana. He sees her eyes grow wide as both recognize the smell.
They both run towards the Oval Office, and what they find should surprise him, move him in some way, but it doesn’t. Lex is dead, his body smoldering over the desk.
Bruce knows this will change things. He had a plan, months ago, and he was ready for change. This was not what he intended to happen. All he wanted was Clark, and a chance to build a better world. Instead, Wally and Lex are dead. This is not what he intended to happen at all.
He stares at Lex’s body, wondering why he doesn’t feel anything. He should be angry at the brash actions of his coworker; he should be horrified by the murder. He should be sad about losing Lex. He should be happy about not having to ultimately lose Clark. He should be preparing to confront Superman in case he has gone rogue, or thinking about the future of the country now that Superman has assassinated the President.
Yet all he can think about is that with Lex out of the way, there is hope for both Metropolis and Clark. And if he can learn from this, maybe there’s hope for Gotham, and maybe for himself, too. Maybe this is where The Mission was leading him. He can taste the acre smell of burnt flesh in his mouth
“Well, it had to be done,” he says, testing out the words. Yes, maybe it did have to be done.
This is not the way he planned for things to turn out, but how many times has he failed Gotham by now? How many people? His parents. Harvey.
Wally. Lex.
Maybe he can learn from this and stop failing.
Diana walks up Superman. He’s facing the window, and Batman can only see the reflection of his face. “Are you ok?” Diana asks. Batman can hear the doubts in her voice, but it doesn’t matter. He will have a talk with her later to explain why this needed happen.
Superman turns around and looks straight into Batman’s eyes, ignoring Diana, a slow smile taking over his lips. “I’m great,” he says, his voice low and dangerous. Hungry. It makes Bruce’s breath catch in his throat; Batman has never been the subject of Clark’s lust.
Things will change, but Bruce will survive. He doesn’t know if he will like the man he will become, but it looks as if Clark might.
And that’s all Bruce really wanted.