Batman/Superman fic: Flowers in August
Sep. 25th, 2008 12:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
seriousficTitle: Flowers in August
Fandom: The Dark Knight/Superman Returns
Rating: PG
Word Count: 560
Characters/Pairings: Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent
Summary: “Kal,” Bruce said, “do you ever think about Krypton?”
Even when the line was encrypted, Bruce waited for the hitch in the other man’s breathing as realization came (the caller ID would say he was a cleaning company), waited for the terse “Bruce” that was not the question of Kent but the statement of Superman.
“Kal,” Bruce said, “do you ever think about Krypton?”
The reply was as serious-minded as the question. Bruce pictured how Clark must look, jaw tightened, probably taking his glasses off to rub at his eyes or pinch the bridge of his nose. “You know I do.”
“Do you ever think of how many people you’ve saved on Earth compared to how many died back home?”
“What are you talking about?”
Bruce sighed, then wheezed like he wanted to chuckle. “You shouldn’t listen to me. I’m in the process of immunizing myself to a toxin and it’s making me a bit… funny. But have you ever thought that hundreds of millions of people died to bring you to Earth. How many people will you have to save to make it all worthwhile?”
There was a long pause as Clark’s throat constricted. “I don’t think about that. It’s in the past and you can’t change the past.”
Bruce persisted. “You would if you could though, right? That’s why you went back to Krypton, right?” he spat bitterly. “Because you hate it here so much?”
“I don’t--”
“That’s alright, Kal. I hate it too… If you could meet the person you would’ve been, what do you think they would be like? Like, if you were just a run-of-the-mill Kryptonian scientist, do ya think you’d have time for a wife? Kids?”
“I’m just doing the best I can with the cards I was dealt.“ Clark’s voice made it clear he was tired of this discussion.
But Bruce pressed on, an avalanche growing ever-larger as it descended. “I’ve thought about who I would’ve been… a better person than I am. There are things I’ve done… do… did that they wouldn’t approve of. But things that need to be done. I can’t… hit on what’s more terrifying: If their deaths were for the greater good… a goddamn beneficial act for the world, Kal… or what if it really was pointless? What then?”
“Do you want me to come over?”
“Why? So you can leave again?” His father had had good taste in brandy. It burned just right when Bruce drank it.
“Bruce, I know what today is. If you want to talk about it, you don’t have to…”
“You had Jonathan and Martha. You never even knew the parents you lost.”
“I never got the chance to. You got eleven years with yours. And you have no idea what I would do for just one day of what you had. If you keep focusing on what you lost, you’ll lose focus on what you had.” Lois’s name was thick on his voice. “I know I did.”
***
He wouldn’t have expected Clark to show. Obviously, Clark was busy. But that night, when he stopped at Crime Alley, there were two small flowers. Crystalline, alien. Kryptonian. Bruce set his own bouquet down next to them and went back to work. In a few months, he would do the same at Rachel’s grave. Some day, he’d do it for Gordon. But tonight, he could make sure no one else had to.
Fandom: The Dark Knight/Superman Returns
Rating: PG
Word Count: 560
Characters/Pairings: Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent
Summary: “Kal,” Bruce said, “do you ever think about Krypton?”
Even when the line was encrypted, Bruce waited for the hitch in the other man’s breathing as realization came (the caller ID would say he was a cleaning company), waited for the terse “Bruce” that was not the question of Kent but the statement of Superman.
“Kal,” Bruce said, “do you ever think about Krypton?”
The reply was as serious-minded as the question. Bruce pictured how Clark must look, jaw tightened, probably taking his glasses off to rub at his eyes or pinch the bridge of his nose. “You know I do.”
“Do you ever think of how many people you’ve saved on Earth compared to how many died back home?”
“What are you talking about?”
Bruce sighed, then wheezed like he wanted to chuckle. “You shouldn’t listen to me. I’m in the process of immunizing myself to a toxin and it’s making me a bit… funny. But have you ever thought that hundreds of millions of people died to bring you to Earth. How many people will you have to save to make it all worthwhile?”
There was a long pause as Clark’s throat constricted. “I don’t think about that. It’s in the past and you can’t change the past.”
Bruce persisted. “You would if you could though, right? That’s why you went back to Krypton, right?” he spat bitterly. “Because you hate it here so much?”
“I don’t--”
“That’s alright, Kal. I hate it too… If you could meet the person you would’ve been, what do you think they would be like? Like, if you were just a run-of-the-mill Kryptonian scientist, do ya think you’d have time for a wife? Kids?”
“I’m just doing the best I can with the cards I was dealt.“ Clark’s voice made it clear he was tired of this discussion.
But Bruce pressed on, an avalanche growing ever-larger as it descended. “I’ve thought about who I would’ve been… a better person than I am. There are things I’ve done… do… did that they wouldn’t approve of. But things that need to be done. I can’t… hit on what’s more terrifying: If their deaths were for the greater good… a goddamn beneficial act for the world, Kal… or what if it really was pointless? What then?”
“Do you want me to come over?”
“Why? So you can leave again?” His father had had good taste in brandy. It burned just right when Bruce drank it.
“Bruce, I know what today is. If you want to talk about it, you don’t have to…”
“You had Jonathan and Martha. You never even knew the parents you lost.”
“I never got the chance to. You got eleven years with yours. And you have no idea what I would do for just one day of what you had. If you keep focusing on what you lost, you’ll lose focus on what you had.” Lois’s name was thick on his voice. “I know I did.”
***
He wouldn’t have expected Clark to show. Obviously, Clark was busy. But that night, when he stopped at Crime Alley, there were two small flowers. Crystalline, alien. Kryptonian. Bruce set his own bouquet down next to them and went back to work. In a few months, he would do the same at Rachel’s grave. Some day, he’d do it for Gordon. But tonight, he could make sure no one else had to.
