trista_zevkia (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
trista_zevkia) wrote2011-02-14 08:32 pm
trista_zevkia) wrote2011-02-14 08:32 pm
Entry tags:
Let the Mystery Be
Title: Let the Mystery Be
Chapter: 2/2
Fandom: Comicverse
Characters/Pairing: Clark/Bruce
Rating: PG-17
Summary: Detectives have a hard time leaving a mystery alone, so don't give them one without expecting it to get solved.
Disclaimer: All monies made will be sent to the Wayne Enterprise approved Charities
Author's Notes: Previously posted on World's finest. I don’t know what dark corner of my psyche this one crawled out of, you have been warned.
Chapter 1
Preoccupied with his thoughts and unexpectedly busy during the day, Bruce didn’t get a chance to talk to Alfred about it. He planned on doing that before going out on patrol, only to find the JL emergency signal required his attention. He knew Clark would be there, but had to respond. Kal’s nocturnal visits had never interfered with their work before, and hopefully today would be no exception. Though Bruce was fond of the old phrase, hope for the best but expect the worst.
One of Toyman’s giant robots was headed for Metropolis and the first JL members on scene hadn’t been able to slow it down. When Batman’s plan was defeated before they could even get to the second step, he found a shadow to blend into and took stock. Toyman must have found a way to tap into their communications signal, which is why he waited until J’onn was off planet before attacking. His telepathy would have allowed them to talk without Toyman overhearing. But just how prepared was Toyman? Batman thought about it and gave Superman a series of commands in high Mongolian. A few seconds for translation and the robot moved in anticipation of Superman’s next move. Batman had a plan, and he had access to a language the software wouldn’t be able to translate. Every fiber of his being told him it was a really bad idea, but the robot was too close to densely populated Metropolis for further delays.
“Crap.” Batman realized he said that out loud when it echoed back into his JL earpiece. It was extremely tame compared to the words he’d have like to fill the airways with. Had he found any Kryptonian cuss words in his studies, he would have used them. With no choice he gritted his teeth and spoke. Superman stopped attacking the robot to turn and stare down at the shadows. Batman checked his pronunciation and repeated the Kryptonian words. “Kal-el, the metal seam on the left butt cheek is a weak point. Attack and enter through there.”
Superman turned and did as instructed, fingers finding the weak spots and ripping the plates of metal away. Judicious use of heat vision inside and the Toyman ejected as flames consumed the robot. Batman moved toward the robot, hoping to figure out how the Toyman had tapped into the communication system. A strong arm around his shoulders pulled him to Clark’s side as Superman spoke to the confused leaguers. “If you could just grab Toyman and give him to the cops, that would be great. I have a few things I have to discuss with Batman. See you later!”
A cheery wave and they were in the sky, headed North Bruce figured. “Clark…”
A firm hand over his mouth and Clark growled into his ear. “Don’t you talk to me right now.”
Bruce sighed and let Clark take him to the fortress. A Clark this angry probably didn’t want Bruce to live forever, so locking him in the fortress wasn’t a priority. Once inside, he was tossed into the bedroom that was kept warm in case of his arrival. Bruce turned off the JL comm. and tried to warm up. Clark threw his comm. onto a desk and started pacing.
“How long?” An angry Clark demanded.
“Long enough.” Bruce was calm, accepting of his fate.
“How long?” Clark was responding by getting angrier and louder each time he spoke.
“Two visits from Kal-el long.”
“Two! When were you going to tell me?” He was now pacing so fast Bruce couldn’t see him properly.
“I tried last night, but you left in a hurry.” Bruce was going for accurate and reasonable, but was pretty sure he still sounded accusatory. He wasn’t the only one at fault in this situation.
“Shit, Bruce!” When Clark got angry enough to cuss like that, buildings tended to get demolished. Bruce was trying to accept it as Alfred suggested, but that wasn’t his nature. ”Why couldn’t you just leave it alone?”
Out of patience with the anger coming his way, Bruce let Batman take control. “And what part of our history had shown that I let things be?”
“You need to learn then!”
“And you need to learn control!” Clark stopped pacing to hone in on the increasingly soft Bat-growl.
“Control! I am always in control, least I destroy this fragile little planet and the fragile little things on it. Sometimes, I just need to be completely me, with all my abilities in use. Can’t you understand that?” Clark was glowing, and probably floating a little. Batman maintained eye contact instead of looking; he dare not give a sign of weakness.
“Yes! Do you have any idea how much I would like to turn Batman loose on those insipid board meetings? But I don’t, because I have control, always. Every time you lose control; it’s harder to get back, isn’t it? And people’s fragile little lives depend on your control. If you can’t care enough about those lives to ignore what you want, then get the hell off my planet!”
“Don’t be so sanctimonious. You’re just pissed because I took it out on you.” Clark was defiantly glowing now, it made his eyes so dark when he did that.
“Not really. If you had to go nuts, I’m fine with bearing the brunt of it. I just had to understand and you wouldn’t explain it. But I don’t exactly bake cookies for a living, do I? I’m going to die before you and you threatened to use that as an excuse to destroy this planet. What’s the point in giving my life for a city when my death will result in its destruction? I was happy to believe it was just stress talking, but the urgency in Kal’s voice is too convincing.” Batman was cataloging the changes that turned Clark into Kal as they talked.
“I could keep you here, you know.” The threat was growled out in Kryptonian as Clark let Kal take over.
A hand moved to Batman’s utility belt, but stayed on the outside. Bruce kept Batman from digging anything out just yet. Batman confronting Kal was a bad idea; they needed to bring Clark back. Without looking away from Kal, Bruce removed one glove then the other. The removal of the cowl broke the eye lock and allowed Bruce to see that Kal was confused but triumphant. He thought the removal of the armor meant Batman was giving in.
Once free of the chest armor Bruce sat on the bed to work off the boots. Kal came to stand over him, naked and half aroused with his victory. Taking the pants off while leaving the belt on was awkward and Bruce felt ridiculous, but he wasn’t parting with it just yet. Kal licked his lips as he waited for Bruce to remove the belt, the last symbol of a defiant Batman. Bruce scrambled back on the bed so he could lay spread eagle on it. As his left hand started stroking his penis, the right removed a marker from the belt. He traced a crude version of the House of El shield over his heart while staring at Kal.
“Just there, Beloved, mark me as your own. Claim me, own me. I deify you no longer.”
Kal growled before his eyes turned red. The burning had Bruce biting his lips to keep the sounds of pain inside. When the heat vision stopped the pain lingered but Bruce thought he was over the worst of it, until Kal landed on top of him. His hot tongue licked the wound and made Bruce cry out. The noise only made Kal harder, so he started to position their bodies. It seemed hurting Bruce wouldn’t bring Clark back after all, so he let Batman loose.
Kal was just about to push into an unprepared Bruce when the Kryptonite ring smashed into his face. Kal roared his anger and reached for Bruce’s throat. But Batman was a better fighter when Superman was stripped of his super abilities. He wasn’t there to be throttled when Kal reached for him. A backhand to the face, a kick to the stomach and knee to the nose drove Kal to his knees, bloodied and confused. But he was thinking with more than his dick and remembered where he was.
“Computer, anti-Kryptonite function!” A bare foot connected with the side of his face, breaking the jaw.
When Batman spoke he was completely calm and doing a good job of impersonating Clark’s normal voice and human accented Kryptonian. “Computer, cancel last command.”
The yellow light that had just flickered to life, extinguished before Kal could figure out how to speak around the pain in his jaw. Batman glowed from the light of the Kryptonite ring as he snarled down at Kal.
“So tough, so perfect, so much better than me and the little people on this little planet. You want to protect me, save me, own me. But you can’t even protect yourself from me! I own you. You were smart enough to figure that out but stupid enough to tell me. Your need made you forget how dangerous I am. You lost control and forgot just who you were fucking with. Yes, fuck. A word too crude to be translated into your precious language. The people of this planet, to crude to deserve your love. But do you deserve our love, or mine? Would I still be your beloved if I let you lock me away? Kill us all, put us out of our misery and you will find only fear greets you from the rest of the universe. If my life is yours, then your life is mine. And I’m demanding, controlling, but also forgiving to the deserving. I will give you a chance. Repeat after me. Bruce will die.”
Met only with silence, Batman had no choice but to remind Kal of who was in charge here with a backhand. “Repeat. Bruce will die.”
“Bruce will die.” The words were slurred out through the swelling of the jaw.
“Batman will die.”
“Batman will die.” Kal’s blood vessels turned green and swelled like they were trying to leave his skin.
“Bruce will die, and I will do nothing.”
Kal whimpered, the beginning of panic in his eyes. Batman grabbed his jaw with the hand wearing the ring, but relented a little.
“Bruce will die, and I will do nothing to the innocent.”
“Bruce will die, and I will do nothing to the innocent.” That was something Kal could promise, instead of the vague ‘nothing.’ Maybe it was the kryptonite, but Kal’s glow seemed to be gone.
“I am with Bruce.”
“I am with Bruce.” The harsh voice was softening, the eyes brightening.
“Bruce is with me.”
“Bruce is with me.”
“I have marked his heart, but do not own him.”
Panicked eyes glanced at the shield burned onto Bruce and the throat had to swallow before it could speak. “I have marked his heart, but do not own him.”
“Only with Bruce am I allowed to lose control.”
“Never again Bruce, I don’t want to hurt you anymore.” Clark was finally back, but Batman knew he couldn’t relent just yet.
Batman squeezed the jaw and growled. “Say it.”
“Only with Bruce am I allowed to lose control.”
“When Bruce dies, I will maintain control forever.”
Clark closed his eyes, either to fight back tears at the dismal prospect or hide his shame at what he had done. “When Bruce dies, I will maintain control forever.”
“I solemnly swear.”
Clark’s eyes opened and locked with Bruce’s before he spoke past his pain and sickness. “I solemnly swear by all I hold dear, including my Beloved.”
Batman accepted what he saw there, so he shoved the ring back into the compartment and let Bruce heal Clark. Bruce heaved Clark over his shoulders and set off for the sunroom. The subzero temperatures bit into naked flesh but Bruce managed to get Clark onto the sun-table before collapsing. His lips were numb and he was shivering too much to make the words the A.I. would respond to. He reached up and grabbed Clark’s hand, so it was an exhausted Clark who ordered the A.I. to warm up the room and turn on the sun lamps.
Bruce felt drained, like he was the one who had his life force sucked out by a glowing rock. It was all this emotional crap he had worked so hard to excise from his life. He’d almost reached that goal when Clark had shoved it right back into him. The smart thing would have been to tell the A.I. to warm up the corridor and room, but he had been too focused on Clark to do the smart thing. Right now, he knew he should return to the bedroom and take a hot shower before climbing into warm sheets. Yet he couldn’t let go of Clark’s hand. Had to be here when he awakened, making sure he hadn’t permanently hurt Clark. He felt guilty for hurting Clark but had no other ideas what to do about Kal’s unreasonable demands. Maneuvering into a more comfortable position, Bruce pushed the guilt, fear and remorse aside. As those emotions tried to get back into his thoughts, Bruce meditated himself to sleep.
sBSbBs
Bruce only stirred a little when a mostly restored Clark picked him up and carried him to the bed. Clark examined the angry wound on Bruce’s chest and found the first aid kit he had bought when Bruce had started visiting the fortress regularly. Gently applying the burn cream, he tried to push past his feelings and figure out what had been going through Bruce’s mind. Letting Kal mark him just to beat him up! Why not skip the marking and go straight for the kryptonite? What other damage had he done to Bruce’s fragile body?
Kal had been in the wrong with what he was doing to Bruce, but Clark was far worse. Clark allowed Kal freedom, knowing what he was doing to Bruce. Maybe he wanted to get caught; maybe that was why he couldn’t stop talking to Bruce in Kryptonian. His hand rested below the red skin and allowed him to feel Bruce’s steady heartbeat. Batman had been correct when he said allowing himself to stay in the fortress forever would have lessened Clark’s love. What he hadn’t realized, was even if his love reduced he would still need Bruce, and have kept him in the fortress. But the Bruce who refused a wasteful immortality was the one he would hold in his heart until he died.
“Clark,” Clark froze, afraid the slightest movement would hurt the awakened Bruce. “the spot you normally lubricate is further south.”
Clark frowned. Did Bruce seriously want sex at a time like this? Words came before Clark could censor them, but so soft they wouldn’t hurt the ears of his beloved. “I’m sorry, Bruce. I knew what Kal did to you and I let him out anyway. I’ll lock him away, so he can never hurt anyone again. From now on, I’ll just be Clark Kent or Superman. Kal-el is going to wither away and die, I promise.”
“No, Kal is part of you. All your negative emotions you don’t like to face, maybe. He, or you, has or have needs that aren’t being met. You, both, just need to find a healthy way to express them or whatever. Look who you’re asking! I dress like a bat, I clearly have issues. So, for pities sake, find a shrink or something!”
Clark felt dizzy, so many emotions tried to crowd into his heart at one time. Bruce would make him pay, through mind games and submissive sex, but he had forgiven him. And Clark secretly enjoyed it when Bruce made him pay like that, so it wasn’t like the price would be too high. Bruce was secretive and held things close but he’d accept whatever Clark would give him. Like lightning directly to the brain, Clark suddenly had an idea what Kal might need. Now he just had to talk Bruce into it.
With the lightest touch he could manage, Clark traced a tightening spiral around Bruce’s right nipple. When it was nice and hard, he moved down the chest, across the abs until Clark had to break contact. Bruce still wore the utility belt, as Clark had no idea how to get it off of him. Below the belt, he used both hands to encircle and tease his target. Bruce was trying for hard to get, had his eyes closed and was controlling his breath. But even as he tried to direct his mind away, Clark’s hand began doing the things he had learned would drive Bruce crazy. When Bruce was nice and hard, Clark straddled his legs and started making love to that hardness. Kisses and licks and a gentle nibble on the underside, so Bruce was just about there when Clark began to speak.
“So, Bruce. You know how the Fortress is out of normal time and space?”
“Tessera ract.” Bruce almost managed to get the word out, so Clark just had to nibble him just there. It was so sexy when he could drive Bruce to stumble like that! “So?”
“If I sealed us in…” Bruce was sitting up on his elbows and daring him to say the wrong word. Clark hid behind Bruce’s erection and sent his best puppy dog eyes up at him. “Just two weeks, then we pop out like we just left the fight with Toyman!”
He could see Bruce considering it, but Bruce also knew when Clark was bribing him with sex. Clark leaned forward and wetly licked the shaft before him. As he spoke, he made sure warm air danced across that wet trail. “It would do me a world of good.”
Bruce was so close, that wonderful edge just there, it had to be effecting his judgment! He still found the control to make it sound like he was granting Clark a huge favor. “Fine, Clark, if it will help you.”
Clark expressed his thanks by swallowing what was before him and applying just the little bit of suction that had Bruce shooting off. Bruce was still shuddering when Clark released him and spoke. “Computer, seal the fortress and enter the tesseract. When two Earth weeks have passed, inform me and bring us back to this time spot. Emergency exit from the tesseract will be only by my verified voice commands. The rest of the Fortress should be brought up to human comfort levels, including nonessential areas.”
Bruce had recovered and was just watching him now. Bruce accepted he had agreed to be trapped here and wanted to know what Clark had in mind.
First, Clark had a gift to give him. “From now on, all voice commands will only be accepted if spoken by me, or Bruce. Do you need a sample of his biorhythmics?”
“Negative, Kal-el, previous files include such information.”
Clark floated up to lay on Bruce’s right side, careful not the hurt the burn on the left side. “From now on, the fortress will only respond to me or you. A precaution I never put in place because no enemies knew about this place. But it’ll make you happy, so I’ll do it. All parts of the Fortress are open to you now. Maybe, if Kal shows someone the remains of his world, he won’t feel so alone. You were right, as usual. A misplaced negative emotion drove me to hurt you. I was so lonely before I found you and I’m so afraid of being that way again, when you die.”
Narrowed eyes studied him until he started to get nervous, but he held out for Bruce to say something. “Kal-el, what you just did to my anatomy? Do that again and I will give you something to remember me by for eternity.”
They both felt Clark grow hard at the words, so he blushed even as he trailed fingers over Bruce. “Beloved, how far shall I go before asking the questions that need answers?”
A moment of confusion before Bruce spoke. “Which questions?”
Clark let his hand rest under the red skin as he asked. “Why, Beloved Bruce, why?”
“I was trying to show Kal the difference, so I could get through to you. He marked my skin, and his mark will fade over time. You marked my heart, that will never fade.” Bruce gave a one shoulder shrug and reached for Clark’s erection.
Clark floated out of reach and stared down at his lover. “That’s really profound, Bruce.”
Bruce glared at Clark’s floating form before turning to face the ceiling. He bent his knees and spread his legs before he started to touch himself. Once he was hard, he started moaning and wiggling, every action pulling Clark closer. Clark fought to close his eyes, ask the questions he needed to know and Bruce turned to face him. “Such a waste.”
Clark couldn’t take any more. A gob of spit for lubrication, and Clark was impaling himself on Bruce. He was frantic, as if it had been years since they had last done this instead of hours. The practiced rhythm had them both coming at the same time. Once he recovered, Clark started to wipe them up. As he did, he tried to remember the questions that had been burning in his brain before his body started burning. As he settled next to Bruce, he decided that if they were important, they’d come back. A new question had him whispering in Bruce’s ear. “One more question before you sleep, beloved.”
“If you must, Kal.” The exasperation only just made it past the sleepiness.
“How do you feel about learning to talk dirty in Kryptonian?”
“On bring it, big boy.”
Clark grinned himself to sleep. If Superman wasn’t perfect, it was nice to know his lover wasn’t quite perfect either, just pretty damn close.
Chapter: 2/2
Fandom: Comicverse
Characters/Pairing: Clark/Bruce
Rating: PG-17
Summary: Detectives have a hard time leaving a mystery alone, so don't give them one without expecting it to get solved.
Disclaimer: All monies made will be sent to the Wayne Enterprise approved Charities
Author's Notes: Previously posted on World's finest. I don’t know what dark corner of my psyche this one crawled out of, you have been warned.
Chapter 1
Preoccupied with his thoughts and unexpectedly busy during the day, Bruce didn’t get a chance to talk to Alfred about it. He planned on doing that before going out on patrol, only to find the JL emergency signal required his attention. He knew Clark would be there, but had to respond. Kal’s nocturnal visits had never interfered with their work before, and hopefully today would be no exception. Though Bruce was fond of the old phrase, hope for the best but expect the worst.
One of Toyman’s giant robots was headed for Metropolis and the first JL members on scene hadn’t been able to slow it down. When Batman’s plan was defeated before they could even get to the second step, he found a shadow to blend into and took stock. Toyman must have found a way to tap into their communications signal, which is why he waited until J’onn was off planet before attacking. His telepathy would have allowed them to talk without Toyman overhearing. But just how prepared was Toyman? Batman thought about it and gave Superman a series of commands in high Mongolian. A few seconds for translation and the robot moved in anticipation of Superman’s next move. Batman had a plan, and he had access to a language the software wouldn’t be able to translate. Every fiber of his being told him it was a really bad idea, but the robot was too close to densely populated Metropolis for further delays.
“Crap.” Batman realized he said that out loud when it echoed back into his JL earpiece. It was extremely tame compared to the words he’d have like to fill the airways with. Had he found any Kryptonian cuss words in his studies, he would have used them. With no choice he gritted his teeth and spoke. Superman stopped attacking the robot to turn and stare down at the shadows. Batman checked his pronunciation and repeated the Kryptonian words. “Kal-el, the metal seam on the left butt cheek is a weak point. Attack and enter through there.”
Superman turned and did as instructed, fingers finding the weak spots and ripping the plates of metal away. Judicious use of heat vision inside and the Toyman ejected as flames consumed the robot. Batman moved toward the robot, hoping to figure out how the Toyman had tapped into the communication system. A strong arm around his shoulders pulled him to Clark’s side as Superman spoke to the confused leaguers. “If you could just grab Toyman and give him to the cops, that would be great. I have a few things I have to discuss with Batman. See you later!”
A cheery wave and they were in the sky, headed North Bruce figured. “Clark…”
A firm hand over his mouth and Clark growled into his ear. “Don’t you talk to me right now.”
Bruce sighed and let Clark take him to the fortress. A Clark this angry probably didn’t want Bruce to live forever, so locking him in the fortress wasn’t a priority. Once inside, he was tossed into the bedroom that was kept warm in case of his arrival. Bruce turned off the JL comm. and tried to warm up. Clark threw his comm. onto a desk and started pacing.
“How long?” An angry Clark demanded.
“Long enough.” Bruce was calm, accepting of his fate.
“How long?” Clark was responding by getting angrier and louder each time he spoke.
“Two visits from Kal-el long.”
“Two! When were you going to tell me?” He was now pacing so fast Bruce couldn’t see him properly.
“I tried last night, but you left in a hurry.” Bruce was going for accurate and reasonable, but was pretty sure he still sounded accusatory. He wasn’t the only one at fault in this situation.
“Shit, Bruce!” When Clark got angry enough to cuss like that, buildings tended to get demolished. Bruce was trying to accept it as Alfred suggested, but that wasn’t his nature. ”Why couldn’t you just leave it alone?”
Out of patience with the anger coming his way, Bruce let Batman take control. “And what part of our history had shown that I let things be?”
“You need to learn then!”
“And you need to learn control!” Clark stopped pacing to hone in on the increasingly soft Bat-growl.
“Control! I am always in control, least I destroy this fragile little planet and the fragile little things on it. Sometimes, I just need to be completely me, with all my abilities in use. Can’t you understand that?” Clark was glowing, and probably floating a little. Batman maintained eye contact instead of looking; he dare not give a sign of weakness.
“Yes! Do you have any idea how much I would like to turn Batman loose on those insipid board meetings? But I don’t, because I have control, always. Every time you lose control; it’s harder to get back, isn’t it? And people’s fragile little lives depend on your control. If you can’t care enough about those lives to ignore what you want, then get the hell off my planet!”
“Don’t be so sanctimonious. You’re just pissed because I took it out on you.” Clark was defiantly glowing now, it made his eyes so dark when he did that.
“Not really. If you had to go nuts, I’m fine with bearing the brunt of it. I just had to understand and you wouldn’t explain it. But I don’t exactly bake cookies for a living, do I? I’m going to die before you and you threatened to use that as an excuse to destroy this planet. What’s the point in giving my life for a city when my death will result in its destruction? I was happy to believe it was just stress talking, but the urgency in Kal’s voice is too convincing.” Batman was cataloging the changes that turned Clark into Kal as they talked.
“I could keep you here, you know.” The threat was growled out in Kryptonian as Clark let Kal take over.
A hand moved to Batman’s utility belt, but stayed on the outside. Bruce kept Batman from digging anything out just yet. Batman confronting Kal was a bad idea; they needed to bring Clark back. Without looking away from Kal, Bruce removed one glove then the other. The removal of the cowl broke the eye lock and allowed Bruce to see that Kal was confused but triumphant. He thought the removal of the armor meant Batman was giving in.
Once free of the chest armor Bruce sat on the bed to work off the boots. Kal came to stand over him, naked and half aroused with his victory. Taking the pants off while leaving the belt on was awkward and Bruce felt ridiculous, but he wasn’t parting with it just yet. Kal licked his lips as he waited for Bruce to remove the belt, the last symbol of a defiant Batman. Bruce scrambled back on the bed so he could lay spread eagle on it. As his left hand started stroking his penis, the right removed a marker from the belt. He traced a crude version of the House of El shield over his heart while staring at Kal.
“Just there, Beloved, mark me as your own. Claim me, own me. I deify you no longer.”
Kal growled before his eyes turned red. The burning had Bruce biting his lips to keep the sounds of pain inside. When the heat vision stopped the pain lingered but Bruce thought he was over the worst of it, until Kal landed on top of him. His hot tongue licked the wound and made Bruce cry out. The noise only made Kal harder, so he started to position their bodies. It seemed hurting Bruce wouldn’t bring Clark back after all, so he let Batman loose.
Kal was just about to push into an unprepared Bruce when the Kryptonite ring smashed into his face. Kal roared his anger and reached for Bruce’s throat. But Batman was a better fighter when Superman was stripped of his super abilities. He wasn’t there to be throttled when Kal reached for him. A backhand to the face, a kick to the stomach and knee to the nose drove Kal to his knees, bloodied and confused. But he was thinking with more than his dick and remembered where he was.
“Computer, anti-Kryptonite function!” A bare foot connected with the side of his face, breaking the jaw.
When Batman spoke he was completely calm and doing a good job of impersonating Clark’s normal voice and human accented Kryptonian. “Computer, cancel last command.”
The yellow light that had just flickered to life, extinguished before Kal could figure out how to speak around the pain in his jaw. Batman glowed from the light of the Kryptonite ring as he snarled down at Kal.
“So tough, so perfect, so much better than me and the little people on this little planet. You want to protect me, save me, own me. But you can’t even protect yourself from me! I own you. You were smart enough to figure that out but stupid enough to tell me. Your need made you forget how dangerous I am. You lost control and forgot just who you were fucking with. Yes, fuck. A word too crude to be translated into your precious language. The people of this planet, to crude to deserve your love. But do you deserve our love, or mine? Would I still be your beloved if I let you lock me away? Kill us all, put us out of our misery and you will find only fear greets you from the rest of the universe. If my life is yours, then your life is mine. And I’m demanding, controlling, but also forgiving to the deserving. I will give you a chance. Repeat after me. Bruce will die.”
Met only with silence, Batman had no choice but to remind Kal of who was in charge here with a backhand. “Repeat. Bruce will die.”
“Bruce will die.” The words were slurred out through the swelling of the jaw.
“Batman will die.”
“Batman will die.” Kal’s blood vessels turned green and swelled like they were trying to leave his skin.
“Bruce will die, and I will do nothing.”
Kal whimpered, the beginning of panic in his eyes. Batman grabbed his jaw with the hand wearing the ring, but relented a little.
“Bruce will die, and I will do nothing to the innocent.”
“Bruce will die, and I will do nothing to the innocent.” That was something Kal could promise, instead of the vague ‘nothing.’ Maybe it was the kryptonite, but Kal’s glow seemed to be gone.
“I am with Bruce.”
“I am with Bruce.” The harsh voice was softening, the eyes brightening.
“Bruce is with me.”
“Bruce is with me.”
“I have marked his heart, but do not own him.”
Panicked eyes glanced at the shield burned onto Bruce and the throat had to swallow before it could speak. “I have marked his heart, but do not own him.”
“Only with Bruce am I allowed to lose control.”
“Never again Bruce, I don’t want to hurt you anymore.” Clark was finally back, but Batman knew he couldn’t relent just yet.
Batman squeezed the jaw and growled. “Say it.”
“Only with Bruce am I allowed to lose control.”
“When Bruce dies, I will maintain control forever.”
Clark closed his eyes, either to fight back tears at the dismal prospect or hide his shame at what he had done. “When Bruce dies, I will maintain control forever.”
“I solemnly swear.”
Clark’s eyes opened and locked with Bruce’s before he spoke past his pain and sickness. “I solemnly swear by all I hold dear, including my Beloved.”
Batman accepted what he saw there, so he shoved the ring back into the compartment and let Bruce heal Clark. Bruce heaved Clark over his shoulders and set off for the sunroom. The subzero temperatures bit into naked flesh but Bruce managed to get Clark onto the sun-table before collapsing. His lips were numb and he was shivering too much to make the words the A.I. would respond to. He reached up and grabbed Clark’s hand, so it was an exhausted Clark who ordered the A.I. to warm up the room and turn on the sun lamps.
Bruce felt drained, like he was the one who had his life force sucked out by a glowing rock. It was all this emotional crap he had worked so hard to excise from his life. He’d almost reached that goal when Clark had shoved it right back into him. The smart thing would have been to tell the A.I. to warm up the corridor and room, but he had been too focused on Clark to do the smart thing. Right now, he knew he should return to the bedroom and take a hot shower before climbing into warm sheets. Yet he couldn’t let go of Clark’s hand. Had to be here when he awakened, making sure he hadn’t permanently hurt Clark. He felt guilty for hurting Clark but had no other ideas what to do about Kal’s unreasonable demands. Maneuvering into a more comfortable position, Bruce pushed the guilt, fear and remorse aside. As those emotions tried to get back into his thoughts, Bruce meditated himself to sleep.
sBSbBs
Bruce only stirred a little when a mostly restored Clark picked him up and carried him to the bed. Clark examined the angry wound on Bruce’s chest and found the first aid kit he had bought when Bruce had started visiting the fortress regularly. Gently applying the burn cream, he tried to push past his feelings and figure out what had been going through Bruce’s mind. Letting Kal mark him just to beat him up! Why not skip the marking and go straight for the kryptonite? What other damage had he done to Bruce’s fragile body?
Kal had been in the wrong with what he was doing to Bruce, but Clark was far worse. Clark allowed Kal freedom, knowing what he was doing to Bruce. Maybe he wanted to get caught; maybe that was why he couldn’t stop talking to Bruce in Kryptonian. His hand rested below the red skin and allowed him to feel Bruce’s steady heartbeat. Batman had been correct when he said allowing himself to stay in the fortress forever would have lessened Clark’s love. What he hadn’t realized, was even if his love reduced he would still need Bruce, and have kept him in the fortress. But the Bruce who refused a wasteful immortality was the one he would hold in his heart until he died.
“Clark,” Clark froze, afraid the slightest movement would hurt the awakened Bruce. “the spot you normally lubricate is further south.”
Clark frowned. Did Bruce seriously want sex at a time like this? Words came before Clark could censor them, but so soft they wouldn’t hurt the ears of his beloved. “I’m sorry, Bruce. I knew what Kal did to you and I let him out anyway. I’ll lock him away, so he can never hurt anyone again. From now on, I’ll just be Clark Kent or Superman. Kal-el is going to wither away and die, I promise.”
“No, Kal is part of you. All your negative emotions you don’t like to face, maybe. He, or you, has or have needs that aren’t being met. You, both, just need to find a healthy way to express them or whatever. Look who you’re asking! I dress like a bat, I clearly have issues. So, for pities sake, find a shrink or something!”
Clark felt dizzy, so many emotions tried to crowd into his heart at one time. Bruce would make him pay, through mind games and submissive sex, but he had forgiven him. And Clark secretly enjoyed it when Bruce made him pay like that, so it wasn’t like the price would be too high. Bruce was secretive and held things close but he’d accept whatever Clark would give him. Like lightning directly to the brain, Clark suddenly had an idea what Kal might need. Now he just had to talk Bruce into it.
With the lightest touch he could manage, Clark traced a tightening spiral around Bruce’s right nipple. When it was nice and hard, he moved down the chest, across the abs until Clark had to break contact. Bruce still wore the utility belt, as Clark had no idea how to get it off of him. Below the belt, he used both hands to encircle and tease his target. Bruce was trying for hard to get, had his eyes closed and was controlling his breath. But even as he tried to direct his mind away, Clark’s hand began doing the things he had learned would drive Bruce crazy. When Bruce was nice and hard, Clark straddled his legs and started making love to that hardness. Kisses and licks and a gentle nibble on the underside, so Bruce was just about there when Clark began to speak.
“So, Bruce. You know how the Fortress is out of normal time and space?”
“Tessera ract.” Bruce almost managed to get the word out, so Clark just had to nibble him just there. It was so sexy when he could drive Bruce to stumble like that! “So?”
“If I sealed us in…” Bruce was sitting up on his elbows and daring him to say the wrong word. Clark hid behind Bruce’s erection and sent his best puppy dog eyes up at him. “Just two weeks, then we pop out like we just left the fight with Toyman!”
He could see Bruce considering it, but Bruce also knew when Clark was bribing him with sex. Clark leaned forward and wetly licked the shaft before him. As he spoke, he made sure warm air danced across that wet trail. “It would do me a world of good.”
Bruce was so close, that wonderful edge just there, it had to be effecting his judgment! He still found the control to make it sound like he was granting Clark a huge favor. “Fine, Clark, if it will help you.”
Clark expressed his thanks by swallowing what was before him and applying just the little bit of suction that had Bruce shooting off. Bruce was still shuddering when Clark released him and spoke. “Computer, seal the fortress and enter the tesseract. When two Earth weeks have passed, inform me and bring us back to this time spot. Emergency exit from the tesseract will be only by my verified voice commands. The rest of the Fortress should be brought up to human comfort levels, including nonessential areas.”
Bruce had recovered and was just watching him now. Bruce accepted he had agreed to be trapped here and wanted to know what Clark had in mind.
First, Clark had a gift to give him. “From now on, all voice commands will only be accepted if spoken by me, or Bruce. Do you need a sample of his biorhythmics?”
“Negative, Kal-el, previous files include such information.”
Clark floated up to lay on Bruce’s right side, careful not the hurt the burn on the left side. “From now on, the fortress will only respond to me or you. A precaution I never put in place because no enemies knew about this place. But it’ll make you happy, so I’ll do it. All parts of the Fortress are open to you now. Maybe, if Kal shows someone the remains of his world, he won’t feel so alone. You were right, as usual. A misplaced negative emotion drove me to hurt you. I was so lonely before I found you and I’m so afraid of being that way again, when you die.”
Narrowed eyes studied him until he started to get nervous, but he held out for Bruce to say something. “Kal-el, what you just did to my anatomy? Do that again and I will give you something to remember me by for eternity.”
They both felt Clark grow hard at the words, so he blushed even as he trailed fingers over Bruce. “Beloved, how far shall I go before asking the questions that need answers?”
A moment of confusion before Bruce spoke. “Which questions?”
Clark let his hand rest under the red skin as he asked. “Why, Beloved Bruce, why?”
“I was trying to show Kal the difference, so I could get through to you. He marked my skin, and his mark will fade over time. You marked my heart, that will never fade.” Bruce gave a one shoulder shrug and reached for Clark’s erection.
Clark floated out of reach and stared down at his lover. “That’s really profound, Bruce.”
Bruce glared at Clark’s floating form before turning to face the ceiling. He bent his knees and spread his legs before he started to touch himself. Once he was hard, he started moaning and wiggling, every action pulling Clark closer. Clark fought to close his eyes, ask the questions he needed to know and Bruce turned to face him. “Such a waste.”
Clark couldn’t take any more. A gob of spit for lubrication, and Clark was impaling himself on Bruce. He was frantic, as if it had been years since they had last done this instead of hours. The practiced rhythm had them both coming at the same time. Once he recovered, Clark started to wipe them up. As he did, he tried to remember the questions that had been burning in his brain before his body started burning. As he settled next to Bruce, he decided that if they were important, they’d come back. A new question had him whispering in Bruce’s ear. “One more question before you sleep, beloved.”
“If you must, Kal.” The exasperation only just made it past the sleepiness.
“How do you feel about learning to talk dirty in Kryptonian?”
“On bring it, big boy.”
Clark grinned himself to sleep. If Superman wasn’t perfect, it was nice to know his lover wasn’t quite perfect either, just pretty damn close.