When talking to Yu-Gi-Ah, I realized I haven't written anything Season Two, thus nothing with Superman X. I haven't decided yet whether or not to leave it as is. I suppose it depends on what people think of it. ENJOY! And have a Happy New Year in 2008!
When?
At first Superman X did not trust Brainiac Five. He knew what the history files said about the android, who he was descended from. He let his distrust, his dislike, be shown straight from the beginning.
He didn't know why he was, internally, surprised when Brainiac Five was equally open in showing his distrust and dislike right from the beginning.
Perhaps it had been that eager smile Brainiac Five had when the 'S' first came into view? Or the way the excitement fell the moment Superman X fully came into view? Had Superman X really expected a different reaction?
There had been no time to consider it. Imperiax had to be stopped. The Legion came with him, Brainiac Five a bit grudgingly. None of them seemed to like Superman X, especially not the ever critical, know-it-all, Brainiac Five.
But it didn't matter. Superman X didn't need them to like him, especially not Brainiac Five. All he needed was to get the job done.
The job was not done. Brainiac Five had made it worse. Now Superman X was fighting the old battle on a new, unfamiliar, battlefield without the constant of his creators behind him, creating the plans. Now it seemed he had to relay on Brainiac Five for the plans, even though his previous one had failed.
He still didn't know why he hadn't left the android behind to be erased from existence, instead of grabbing hold of him on his way into the wormhole into the 31st centaury. History would be better off without him, but Superman X knew he was not the one to decide how history came to be.
Superman X tried not to think of the way it felt in those 15 seconds where he had his arms around Brainiac Five's middle, the android's back against his chest. He tried to forget that small smile Brainiac Five gave him when they separated. It meant nothing.
Then came Superman, the man he had been created from. It had been Brainiac Five to retrieve him from even further back history, smiling as if everything that had happened had made it worth it for this task.
Superman X would be lying if he said meeting the original hadn't made him nervous. This was who his existence would had been impossible without. The image still idolized by millions in his time, greatly trusted and liked by the Legion in this time. What would the original think of his existence?
A blink and Brainiac Five, still smiling, had returned with the original. The smile, confidence and optimism had done nothing but annoyed him. Then the original had tried to talk to him alone and compared him to Batman, a image still awed over and feared in his time. He wasn't sure if he was insulted or complimented.
Then Brainiac Five called for 'Superman' and they both answered. Superman X didn't know why he was so annoyed that Brainiac Five said it didn't matter which one. All he knew was that they knew where Imperiax was.
It was Brainiac Five that came after him, saving him from nearly dying at Imperiax's hand. It was Brainiac Five that went with him in the Legion Cruiser after Imperiax, and saved him again from it's explosion by pulling him close enough so he could be protected within his force field.
Sometime between their first encounter and that moment Brainiac Five had somehow earned some of Superman X's trust. Before he never would have allowed himself to be pulled towards someone, especially not in a moment where death was a strong possibility.
It had been a while since then and Superman X didn't know whether or not Brainiac Five returned any of his trust. He had the feeling that Brainiac Five trusted him not to get anyone killed, to stay focused on his mission to destroy Imperiax and not to do something really stupid but not in anything else. It somehow seemed unfair.
Superman X hated seeing Brainiac Five with Superman. Hated to hear Brainiac Five talk about Superman. And he really, really hated how Brainiac Five had went from hating Shrinking Violet for replacing Superman on their mission to stop Imperiax from absorbing the energy in that cloud to trusting and liking her more then Superman X who had all of the powers of Superman. It seemed like Brainiac Five trusted and liked everyone more then he trusted Superman X. It was driving him nuts!
Still, why did he care? That was the question that kept Superman X up at night, what lead him to walk around the space craft that Chameleon Boy's Dad had leant the Legion. There had to be a easier way the figure it out without loosing sleep and walking around aimlessly when it was the night shift.
Walking by a open door, Superman X stopped and walked back to it. Getting a better look, he was surprised to find Brainiac Five slumped over a workbench.
Did he dare go in?
Superman X scowled at the thought. The android didn't scare him!
Strolling in, Superman X went straight to the workbench. He wasn't sure what he had planned to say, but whatever it was self terminated the moment he got a decent look at the smaller boy.
Brainiac Five was fast asleep with his head resting in his folded arms. The project he was working on, unidentifiable by Superman X, was resting just before him, forgotten.
At first Superman X was taken back by the fact that Brainiac Five actually slept. He had thought that the android just worked all the time, plugging himself into the wall whenever he ran low on energy. Sleeping almost made him seem alive.
Superman X immediately felt ashamed at the thought. Brainiac Five may have been some sort of machine, but he was alive. He was a person. Thinking otherwise would not only reflect badly on himself, but smear the memory of his robotic parents.
Trying to clear himself of the guilt, Superman X wondered what he should do. Should he wake Brainiac Five? No. He knew the android well enough that if Brainiac Five woke up, he would probably go right back to whatever he was working on.
Should he just leave Brainiac Five the way he was? No. Staying like that all night would probably hurt the android's back. Then there was the possibility that he would wake up on his own and just go back to work.
Should he take Brainiac Five to his room? That would require touching him again. He hadn't so much as shook the genius's hand since the day they first met.
The idea of touching Brainiac Five suddenly made Superman X nervous. He couldn't understand it. He'd just be picking him up, carrying him and then putting him down. No big deal. It wasn't like he was defusing a bomb.
Perhaps he should just try a simple touch first? To see if he could handle the extended contact of carrying him?
Not sure of why, Superman X began to remove his glove. Not many people knew his suit wasn't a solid one piece. The arms separated from the hands when the blue met the red. It was hard to remove the gloves, the reason why he didn't do it very often. His hands were sensitive, since they were rarely exposed to the air.
Reaching out Superman X, without thinking, touched Brainiac Five's hair. His hand tingled and he almost pulled away. Not one to be deterred, however, he stubbornly buried his hand into it. He was amazed by how soft it was.
His hand drifted out of Brainiac Five's hair and against the side of the equally soft face. What was he doing?
Suddenly the sound of someone coming reached Superman X's ears. The term, 'oh shit' ran through his mind and his hand went flying back into his glove. He stepped away from Brainiac Five just as the footsteps reached the room.
Superman peered into the room curiously. He glanced at Brainiac Five and then turned to Superman X with a question clear on his face.
"He's sleeping," stated Superman X, but the stare continued. He returned it with his own question. "What should we do?"
"Take him to his room," said Superman as if it was the easiest question imaginable. He smiled and went to Brainiac Five's side. Without hesitation, he picked Brainiac Five up bridal style.
Not noticing the move, Brainiac Five slept on, his head drifting to the side so it was resting against Superman's chest.
All Superman X could do was stare as Superman wished him goodnight and walked out of the room with Brainiac Five in his arms.
After that Superman X began to observe Superman and Brainiac Five when they were together. Granted there weren't many opportunities. Whenever they were together he was usually away and when he was there Superman was usually elsewhere. The only time all three were in the same place was when there were no missions to be had. That was a very rare occurrence.
Luckily it didn't take much observation to realize what was going on. Brainiac Five was head over heels in love with Superman who was oblivious to this. While that part had been easy, Superman's feelings were harder to figure out. He wasn't sure if Superman just cared about Brainiac Five in a friendship way or if he was just as much in love with Brainiac Five and just didn't realize it.
Either way it made Superman X angry. And he still couldn't figure out why.
Brainiac Five walked by him, but walked back as if he hadn't noticed him in time to stop the first time around.
"Could you help me with something?"
Nodding Superman X stood to follow Brainiac Five. Did this mean he had earned more of Brainiac Five's trust? They went to the engine room where there was a large looking device. He recognized part of it as being what Brainiac Five was working on the night he found him asleep.
"What's this?" asked Superman X.
"It's an adaptation to the engines. Hopefully it will help us go faster the next time we find Imperiax. Superman helped me get it in here before he had to go with Lighting Lad and Cosmic Boy, but I'd like to get this finished so I can do the tests to make sure it works before we need it," explained Brainiac Five, wondering why Superman X's scowl suddenly deepened. He ignored it, assuming it was because of his hatred for Imperiax. "Could you lift it to that junction and hold it there until I can fasten it?"
"Sure," said Superman X lifting it as easily, if not with more ease, then Superman could have. He flew up and put it in place, watching as Brainiac Five flew up with him and changed his hand into the tools he needed to fasten the adaptation into place.
Once they were done they flew back down and Brainiac Five inspected it from below before pressing a few keys on the console.
"It seems to have taken hold," said Brainiac Five. "Just need to run a few tests to make sure it stays once the engines are in full use. Thanks for your help."
Superman X wanted to say "no problem" and leave but the words didn't come out. He watched Brainiac Five continue to type away at the console, wondering when he had realized why he cared.
Stepping forward Superman X wrapped his arms around Brainiac Five's middle, unsurprised when the smaller boy froze and the typing ceased.
"Wha-" began Brainiac Five.
"-I look like Superman," interrupted Superman X. "I have all of his powers. I have more then all of his powers. If you had met me first, do you think you could have loved me instead?"