Improbable Possibility
Disclaimer: Batman Beyond doesn't belong to me, but DC, Warner Bros., and whoever else owns it, the list is way too long.
A/N: Warnings and whatnot. SLASH with a crazy age gap, violence, and I'm completely ignoring the Epilogue ep of JLU, so this is not incest. I think that's it, but it's Batman, c'mon, that's a warning in it of itself.
Prologue: Yours is Now Mine
...
This was an impossible relationship from the start.
But –
Batman was beyond the possible.
Spread haphazardly against Bruce Wayne's expansive bed laid Terry, slumbering while tucked against Bruce's side.
Despite initial impressions, Terry was quite the tactile individual, especially after he realized that Bruce was not immune to his irresistible charms, especially after his near decade of self-exile in the mansion.
Terry was nothing but an opportunist, as he would touch Bruce, his fingers gently skimming the older man's weathered palms, his hands firmly squeezing his shoulders, unraveling the knots from a full day's worth of negotiations with board members while pressing the length of his body against the other's broad back.
- both would be silent as they reveled in the closeness, the warmth that they harbored greedily amidst the cold, broken city that was Gotham.
On more than occasion, everyday at this point, Terry would take a step forward into the old man's space. Before leaving to patrol Gotham City, Terry would lift his mask until his mouth was revealed and he would upward to leave a kiss – as fleeting as Batman's shadow – on Bruce's mouth, an impish smile on his face as he waved good-bye and promptly disappeared into Gotham's shadows, as if he'd never been there in the first place.
"Mmrg." Despite his better wishes, Terry's body automatically lifted from the bed at the faint sound of his communicator – hooked up with the Cave's mainframe – a warning of potential foul play.
Ace woofed his discomfort of the early awakening in his little corner of the room, one eye staring critically at Terry before he closed it and slumbered on once he realized it was not dire.
Terry sat up, ready to hop out of the warmth of the bed before a surprisingly strong arm wrapped itself around his waist. He chuckled, his fingers gently massaging the other's wrist, his fingernails delicately scraping against the skin in reprimand, "I'll be fine, Bruce."
A small smile erupted from his face as those fingers twitched against his hips, "Go back to sleep, I'll be back soon. It's probably the Jokerz. The losers don't have any sense of propriety."
Clear blue eyes opened and narrowed in a glare, his arm still wrapped around Terry's bare waist reluctantly slackened, "Be careful."
"Chill, old man," Terry jokingly chided, leaning down to press an affectionate kiss onto the corner of Bruce's lips. He coyly licked the edge, nipping at the skin, "I need you to save your energy for when I come back anyway."
Terry smirked, sliding out of the bed, comfortable in his nudity, as he grabbed his back and disappeared into the hallway into the Batcave.
The trip ended up being longer than he thought it would be.
In a warehouse, the Jokerz guffawed, their chests puffed out in glee over their latest heist.
Although they didn't know what exactly they stole from that top-secret, heavily guarded heavy rig, they knew they could get something for it from the market.
That is, until Batman appeared, grinning toothily in front of them two Jokerz already unconscious at his feet before the full realization of his presence hit them.
Batman spoke low, his voice gravely with the hint of a private joke, "Didn't mommy ever tell you not to take other people's toys?"
As with any villain, they did not go down without a fight. Terry honestly doubted they would ever learn, but at least it kept him toned, he morbidly rationalized.
During the scrabble, one of the Dee Dee's was knocked into the machine, activating it.
"I-I- what's happen-?" Dee Dee shrieked, the globe on the machine suddenly spinning – faster and faster and fast –
Batman shoved her away.
-but not quick enough until he was engulfed in the light, his presence gone as quietly as he came.
…
This was not one of his better landings.
Terry landed flat on his ass.
And it hurt.
Even with the suit on.
"Where am I?" Groaning, Terry leaned against the hard brick wall of the building behind him, quickly doing a mental assessment of his body and the suit. Everything was…normal.
He frowned; the suit was saying it couldn't connect with the Batcave's mainframe. Something must have been knocked awry during the fall. He would fix it once he got back to the Cave.
Terry powered the suit down before he looked around to examine his surroundings. It was inconspicuously…darker.
Quieter.
Slowly standing up, Terry silently jumped up on a ledge for a bird's eye view of his new location.
His eyes widened.
The normal tall mega-towers were gone. They were replaced with buildings that could have possibly only been a third of their height.
Clearly, he was not in Gotham City.
They looked vaguely familiar…
The faintly familiar ringing of a security system emanated in the air as a culprit sprinted away, slung across his shoulder was a large sack.
Instinct took over and before he realized what he was doing, Terry was already moving in the direction of the criminal; Bat instincts on full throttle as he his disappeared under the guise of the night. The burglar was looking behind his back when Terry snuck in front of him, slamming his knee into the robber's stomach, and effectively knocking him out for the evening.
That.
Was too easy.
At a quick glance, nothing was off.
He didn't see any animal characteristics on the perp's body from the get-go – no splicing.
Something glinted in the distance as a car drove past.
It was… a gun.
He'd seen a gun like that before.
In the Gotham Museum…
Who would use that to rob a –
Terry mentally sighed; of course.
A memory.
Often, when both had time to spare, they would situate themselves in Bruce's study, Ace curled alongside their feet. Terry would sprawl over the couch, his papers messily spread around his form as he worked on his homework from Gotham U. Sometimes, Max would be with him, contributing to his notes from classes missed and often times, she wasn't.
One evening, while flipping through his history books of old Gotham from nearly half a century ago, one of Bruce's old photo books to supplement the lesson, Terry remembered sliding his finger down the old pictures, marveling at the dull picture of the old Wayne buildings and how…light, friendly almost, Gotham City used to be.
"Schway," he murmured, his eyes landing on another picture –
Of the Mansion back when the owner was infamous for his playboy ways versus his reclusiveness.
Over his shoulder, Terry could sense Bruce's eyes flit over the picture.
"Miss it?" Terry asked quietly. He looked up, only to stare in Bruce's eyes.
"Yes," was the immediate reply as a hand, rough and callused, slid underneath his chin to cup his cheek, moving Terry forward until they kissed one another, their breaths intermingling with one another as they both reluctantly pulled away for air. "And no."
Bruce told him then that he shouldn't dwell in the past, but to adapt for the present.
Terry continued to look at it fondly. Later, he would make a copy of it and tuck it carefully in his wallet.
He wondered what Bruce would say if Terry's present was currently Bruce's past?
Speaking of –
"You can come out now," Terry said aloud, folding his arms together. He peered upward at a patch of darkness – the spot that was too still, too quiet.
"I prefer it up here," came the bodiless reply. "Although I would like to know why you're wearing the bat symbol on your…uniform."
Terry grinned, his smile wide and unnerving to possibly bystanders. Bruce said it was one of his most endearing qualities, as did the Joker, although both didn't say it like that in so many words.
"Not telling."
"Have it your way," the other said, just before a projectile flew toward Terry with unerring accuracy.
Metal met with brick.
Terry whistled low and in admiration while crouching low on a ledge, "Your aim is way schway."
"How did you – " the other growled, jumping from his hiding spot and aiming a fist toward Terry.
A flash of blue.
Ah…he remembered this suit.
Nightwing.
Terry caught the swing, mentally wincing. He was trying to preserve the suit's battery, and the powered down suit was stronger than most of the newest tech in Gotham. Of course it would be better than whatever technology Gotham city of fifty years past could afford. However, Terry could still feel the power of Nightwing's blow.
"Trade secret," Terry gritted as he immediately lunged gracefully onto another ledge, out of Nightwing's range. "You should know all about that."
Nightwing huffed, the slits of his domino mask narrowed, "Who are you?"
"Batman," Terry replied simply, earning him an enraged roar.
"You're no Batman, imposter!"
"You're just jealous." Terry chuckled low, the same one he used with Joker, as he melted into the darkness, his grin the last thing to distinguish him.
Nightwing lunged forward, his hand swiping against empty air.
SS: I have a plan for this. I think. Kind of. Um. Yeah. haha Review and tell me your thoughts! Hopefully it caught your attention well enough.