Disclaimer
The characters used in the story are the property of DC Comics and Warner Bros. I don't own them. However I have used them to in this story which is entirely a product of my own imagination
A cold winter night...
"Hello Superman! Lois or Bruce, choose one. The other will die within 24 hours. If you don't choose within 5 min, both will die! Make it fast!"
Clark opened his eyes with a start. He found himself in the same room, in his same apartment. He looked at himself – he was Clark Kent, not Superman.
Bad dream! – he said to himself and closed his eyes again. It had been a hard day and he desperately needed sleep.
"You haven't made up your mind yet, Superman! Time is running out!"
This time he sat upright abruptly. He rubbed his eyes and ears, tapped his head and made sure he was wide awake and there was no one else in the room, except for Lois, his beautiful wife, who chose not to disturb her husband and snug into the sheets to the other side of the bed.
"Glad that you finally decided to wake up! You have 2 min more. Make up your mind!"
Clark strained his eyes and looked around the room. No one!
He used his x-ray vision, heat vision, and other 50 different kinds of vision he possessed – No one!
"Don't bother to look for me! I am a God, and I am invisible. But my warning is true to the word. Choose one. You have 1 min more!"
Clark shivered. He wasn't sure if he was fully back into conscious. He looked at Lois. She yawned and turned around, and became aware that her husband was awake!
"Go to sleep hubby!" she groaned sleepily, pulling him back into the bed and cuddling into his chest.
Clark smiled at her sleepiness. "I love you, Lois!" he planted a small kiss on her forehead. She smiled in her sleep and drew even closer to him.
"Last 10 seconds, Superman!"
Clark could think of no one else. "Lois," the name slipped from his lips as he wrapped his arms around her.
"You have made your choice. Bruce Wayne shall die within 24 hours."
Clark wasn't listening. He was too busy...
"Wake up, sleepy head! We need to get started if we have to reach Gotham!"
Clarke's eyes felt heavy. That was one heck of a sleep. He rubbed his eyes and reached out for his glasses, as he saw Lois packing his clothes.
"Where are we going?" he asked, stretching himself.
"Ah, mud brain! Don't you remember? We have to join Bruce and Diana on the cruise to Bahamas.
"Ah, private party!" he muttered, as he made his way into the bath room. Bruce and Diana had been married for a little over 3 months now, and they wanted to make their first holiday season special. Bruce would've preferred some quality time alone with her, but it was Diana's idea to invite Lois and him to tag along. Bruce couldn't refuse.
"Now get ready soon, we need to leave in 15!" she ordered as she picked up the sheets.
9 AM, breakfast time in the Wayne manor. The doorbell rang
"I'll get it!" Diana rushed even before Alfred could put his serving plate on the table.
"Hello, Diana!" Lois embraced her with a cheerful smile, although the height difference did create a problem.
"Hi, Lois! Hey Clarke! So glad you decided to come. What took you so long?" Diana escorted their guests to the breakfast table.
"Mr. Sleepy head here didn't wake up! We almost missed the train!" Lois complained.
"Ah, comm'on!" Clark protested, "You know train was not the only means of transportation we had." He winked.
"In the broad day light, no way!" Lois brushed his hand away.
"All right! Guilty is charged! Now, Diana, don't tell me Bruce is awake!" he raised his eye brows. Alfred had served them breakfast.
"Well you will be disappointed, Clarke!" Diana smiled, "Bruce is up and all ready!"
In the meantime, Bruce emerged out of his room, talking fervently on the phone, almost cursing the other guy.
"Not in good mood, is he?" Clarke remarked.
"Must be that animal rights activist!" Diana sighed, "He had been giving him one heck of a time with his chemical factory."
Clarke nodded, and they resumed their breakfast.
A violent crash startled them. Bruce lost his balance on the steps and came rolling down. He tried to regain composure, but the fall had taken more out of him than he thought.
"Strike one!"
Clarke heard the voice, again, as tried to get up from his chair. He remained frozen, while Diana and Lois helped Bruce to the couch. Bruce wasn't bleeding, but he certainly had a concussion.
The pieces began to fit. It wasn't just a dream. He had put Bruce's life at stake for Lois.
Clarke got up abruptly from the chair, but instead of approaching Bruce, he ran out of the house, into the garden, leaving the others perplexed.
Once in the garden, he immediately changed into his super hero self and flew straight up, towards the sun.
"Who are you? What do you want? Talk to me?" Superman yelled once he made sure that his voice could be heard by no one on the earth."
"I wanted to test your integrity. I wanted to know if you still gave importance to others over your own life. Turns out...you don't. Hence, your best friend, Bruce Wayne aka Batman will die within 18 hours now."
"Show yourself!" Superman demanded.
"Not possible! I am a God and I don't show myself to mere human beings. He shall die, before your eyes. If your will is stronger than the God's try and stop it! Strike 2 is about to commence, and this is not the place you need to be if you want to save him. I have spoken."
"Wait! Are you here? Don't go away!" Superman begged earnestly, but no reply could be heard.
Bruce! – he muttered to himself and dashed towards the manor.
Bruce was lying on the couch. Diana and Lois had gone into the kitchen to get some cold water. Alfred had gone to fetch the doctor.
"Clarke! Where have you been?" Lois yelled as she saw him enter the manor, with his shirt torn.
"Lois! I need to tell you something - "but even before he could finish.
"You are not to tell anyone anything about this. Or, your friend shall die in an instant."
Clarke froze. Lois nodded, encouraging him to continue. But he couldn't speak. He went to the couch on which Bruce was lying, half unconscious. He took his hand into his' and patted it.
Suddenly, the chandelier got loose and plummeted towards the couch. Clarke was quick enough to move him out and away.
Diana ran out of the kitchen and stared in horror. It was twice in less than 20 minutes that Bruce faced certain death.
She ran to Bruce and hugged him, caressing his head. Clarke let go off him and joined Lois.
"Bruce something doesn't seem right today. Let's postpone our trip." She pleaded.
"That is preposterous, Diana!" Bruce remarked, gently disengaging from her with a slight show of embarrassment. "I am fine! It was a fluke accident."
Diana's lips formed into a small pout. Bruce just had to heed.
"All right, dear! If you say so." Bruce said, pecking her.
"I am sorry, Lois, Clarke!", Diana said apologetically, turning to them, "But you do realise my apprehensions."
"It's all right, Diana!" Lois patted her with a smile. "Just take care of him."
"How about you two stay here for the day?" Bruce proposed. "If everything works out fine, we can leave tomorrow!"
"Gee, Bruce, I don't..."
"Yeah, sure! Why not!" Clarke added abruptly, even before Lois could complete. She squinted at him.
Although Bruce really meant what he said, he did not expect Clarke to be so eager. He remained stunned for a while, but recovered soon enough to not look indifferent and smiled.
"Alfred! Please show them the guest room!"
Alfred who had just entered the mansion with was relieved to see his master in good humour again. Although he was stunned by his sudden mention to him did stun him for a while, he was too trained a Butler to show it on his face.
He readied the guest room for them and showed them in. Lois, who desperately waited for some privacy with her idiotic husband, broke out suddenly as Alfred left and Clark closed the door behind him.
"What were you thinking? Bruce offered us the stay out of courtesy and you readily accepted it! In fact you were too eager…" She waited for Clarke to explain, till this point.
"Comm'on Lois, we just got here. I just thought it would be a waste to go all the way back to Metropolis, if we're leaving tomorrow!"
Lois did not buy that.
"All right, mister, listen here. I know you can be stupid under some circumstances but you are not so stupid as you look and don't try to convince me you are. I know you had something to tell me, perhaps related to this charade, and may be you didn't want to tell me before them. What is it?" she demanded.
Clark knew he couldn't tell her. He opened his mouth anticipating he would be able to cook up something, but was interrupted by a soft knock on the door.
"Diana!" he whispered. He had used his x-ray vision.
Lois got up self consciously and opened the door. It was Diana indeed.
"Hey, just wanted to see if you're comfortable here. I hope I'm not disturbing!" she said, in a genial voice.
"Not at all," Lois chuckled, "In fact we're sorry for troubling you with our impromptu stay, thanks to Clarke!" she threw a sharp glance at him, and Clarke avoided it.
"Oh, not at all, Lois! In fact I'm really glad Bruce thought about inviting you to stay. It was such a waste to go all the way back to Metropolis if we're leaving tomorrow. If Bruce hadn't, I would've suggested it myself."
Lois threw another not so sharp glance at Clarke, and this time he could reciprocate it with his own - Told You! Glance.
Diana walked in and seated herself in a chair beside the bed. Lois sat on the edge of the bed, beside Clarke.
"How's Bruce doing?" Clark asked, trying to sound casual.
"Leslie says he's fine! I hope he really is. He even got the clearance from her to go out on the patrol tonight!" she sighed.
"And I think you'll accompany him!" Lois smiled.
"If he lets me. And I don't think after all that happened today, he will not. He doesn't like to exhibit weakness, you see!" she shrugged.
Clark was about to say – He will not change, when he suddenly heard the voice again.
"Patrol! Of course!"
Clarke shuddered. He did not hear the words of Lois– Clarke, are you all right! .
Dinner at Wayne manor was calm, more sombre than ever. Diana expected some lightness in the mood with Lois and Clarke around. While the ladies tried hard to indulge into girl talk, the men were completely lost in themselves. Bruce carefully sipped his soup, probably plotting his itinerary for the day, and Clarke was chewing on the roasted chicken, although he was chewing on something big in his mind.
The meal was done with, and Bruce would leave for a short nap he could allow himself before the patrol. Clarke finally blurted out the question which had been nagging him for a long time now.
"Can I come to the patrol with you tonight?"
Bruce, who was about to raise turned his head sharply ay him. The anticipated reply would be a blunt – No, but he was genuinely surprised by the offer.
"Why" he questioned instead.
Clarke wasn't prepared for this, but he hoped not to lose the opportunity.
"I thought you need to be in possession of all your faculties today." He was unsure if that had struck the chord.
"I am!" Bruce said, angrily, but then lowered the tone of his voice, for Lois and Diana were there too. "Why do you say so?"
Clarke was ready to play his card.
"I think you are under some kind of pressure. You were never so careless to allow yourself to fall like that. If something is bothering you and you buckle under its pressure, then I think you'll do yourself a considerable harm."
Bruce grunted his teeth. He was certainly going out of control.
"I don't let my personal life interfere with my professional life." he muttered through his teeth.
"I think you should let him go with you, Bruce!" Diana suggested, with an air of authority.
"I don't need him!" Bruce protested.
"But it won't hurt you to have me!" Clarke said, calmly.
"What are you driving at, Clarke?" Bruce snarled. He did not mind Lois' presence now.
"I just thought that as long as I'm here, I'd rather be in some action than simply sit here in the manor. That is the least I can do." he shrugged.
"You know that I don't like you interfering with Gotham!" Bruce tried one desperate card.
"That won't bother me. And if it bothers you, don't worry! I am there!" he said, solemnly.
"You are going with him, Clarke, whether he likes it or not! If not, I will!" Diana was resolved.
Bruce would not let Diana come with him. He finally yielded.
"All right, but do as I say, and stay away from me!" he sighed heavily.
"Deal!" Clarke smiled, so did Diana.
The patrol was uneventful as the dinner itself. No one seemed to be in the mood to trouble Gotham. The city was sleeping peacefully, except for the two capes who crouched on the terrace of a tall building.
"I guess that's it! We can go home!" Batman declared, in his gruff voice.
"Wait! We'll go home after 3 AM." Superman suggested, rather forcefully. Batman was taken aback.
He recovered soon enough to protest.
"You don't order me, Superman, not here!" he growled.
Superman did not seem to hear him. He glanced nervously at the watch. It was 2:30 AM already. Just half an hour to go for the completion of the 24 hour mark. He was staring at the sky. Batman grew impatient at his friend's indifference.
"What's going on?" he demanded.
Superman did not answer. He gestured him to wait. Batman sat down in exasperation. 15 minutes had passed.
"So you are here!" Superman heard the voice again.
"Where are you?" Superman shouted.
"I am right here, you idiot!" Batman replied, exasperated.
Superman did not pay attention.
"What do you want?" Superman shouted again.
"I am going to have what I want! 12 minutes more and Batman will crumble for no reason whatsoever!"
"Please! Stop it! What do you want from me? What should I do to avert this?" Superman sounded desperate.
Batman glanced curiously from the sky to Superman to the sky again. He could neither hear nor see anything. He was tempted to ask him what it was all about, but he knew he wouldn't anwer. Something was bothering him.
"There is nothing you can do now!"
"Please, I will do anything! Give me another chance!" Superman pleaded.
Silence prevailed for a while.
"All right then. You have 2 minutes to go! Prove it to me that you love your friend as much as you love your wife!"
"And how the hell am I supposed to do that?" Superman cried.
"How does one express love to someone one loves!" A tinge of naughtiness sounded in that last words.
Superman widened his eyes – No way! He said to himself.
"Do you mean…" he did not finish.
"Yes, I do! And you have 1 minute more!"
The building seemed to be shaking all of a sudden. Batman thought it was an earthquake. Little did he know that it was orchestrated for him.
"Superman! Looks like a quake! Let's go!" he shook Superman who was stony.
"30 seconds to go!"
Superman snapped back to senses and faced Batman, who looked puzzled and concerned at the same time.
"20 seconds"
"This is for your own good, Bruce!" he said, as he yanked his mask off, revealing an utterly dumb founded Bruce Wayne with an almost square face, sea blue eyes and dark hair. Superman felt his heart racing. The building began to shake even more violently.
"10…9…8"
And then, without a word of warning, he cupped his face in his palms and even before Bruce could realise what was going on, pressed his lips against his', deep and engaging.
It lasted for about 10 seconds but felt like forever. Bruce struggled all through, but couldn't break ou of the clutches of the man of steel. The building stopped shaking, and everything looked to be normal. Once Superman sensed that, he disengaged.
Bruce fell to the floor, panting, struggling for air. Superman wiped his mouth, and looked up back into the sky. – May be I never even kissed Lois with such intensity! - he said to himself.
He expected to hear the voice again, but instead, he saw two little flying animals emerge out of thin air before him. As the features intensified, he realised one of it was dressed in his costume and the other was in Batman's costume!
"Bat – mite!" Bruce shook his head.
"Hey batz! And this is my worst enemy, Super – mite, of course!" the creature squeaked exuberantly, pointing to the other.
"You know this…thing!" Superman said, pointing to Bat – mite.
"I'm afraid I do!" Batman said, raising up to his feet, "Were you talking to him all the time?"
Superman shook his head. "I don't know. It was a bolder voice!"
"That was mine, all right!" Bat-mite spoke in that bolder voice.
"What is this all about?" Batman demanded.
"Well! We had a bet! There is a notion in our world that one of you two is…gay! "
Both frowned.
"Of course, we know that you're not, I mean none of you is! But that doesn't matter. One of you had to be proved to be so. SO, I started off, trying to make Superman kiss you against your will, thus proving that he is the one, to our world! And as it happens, I succeeded." It chuckled and nudged the Super – mite, who looked dejected and completely disappointed by Superman.
Superman was enraged.
"I will crush you into a powder!" he threatened. But Batman held his hand and pulled him back.
"They are magical creatures, you cannot do anything! They can be a bigger trouble if you try to. Let go!" he spoke in a toneless voice.
"He played with me! He said he'd kill you if I didn't. He played me into…" Superman protested.
"I understand, Superman! But there is nothing we can do now! Just forget it. It never happened!"
Superman turned to bat-mite in fury. "What would you have done if I hadn't succumbed?"
Bat-mite squeaked thoughtfully. "Well, I'd have lost the bet and it would be his turn to prove the other way!"
Batman's eyes widened. He must've thanked his stars that it didn't have to go that far.
"Good night, fellas! And thank you for your cooperation!" Bat - mite squeaked merrily and both the mites disappeared.
The two stayed there in silence for a while. Neither dared to look into other's eyes. Finally, Batman set his mask back and said – "I think we should get going now!"
Superman was clearly lack with humiliation. He had clenched his fists, as if he was holding the crumbled remains of the bat-mite in it. Batman patted his back.
"This never happened, Clarke! Don't worry! And I really appreciate your concern for me! I am sorry you had to go through all this. I would've warned you, but didn't know what was bothering you. I am sorry!"
Superman brushed his hand off his shoulder. He let out a sigh and turned to Batman.
"I guess you're right! It's time to go home! Although this memory will haunt me for the rest of my life!"
"Me too! But we must try to forget it!" Batman said.
They set off, back to the Wayne manor. Once in the bat-cave, Superman finally asked.
"Bruce! Are we still up for the cruise tomorrow?"
Bruce frowned a bit, and then smiled.
"Of course! But not a word of all this to our partners!"
"Not at all!" Superman returned the smile.
And, they were off to bed, in their own rooms, of course!
Author's note: I never thought I would write a piece like this. I don't believe they're gay, they are the best of friends. But if there has to be a circumstance where Superman has to resort to such an action, it can only be to save the other's life.
I hope at least some of you would like this. I am actually planning a sequel too, but will go for it, only after seeing the response to this one.
Once again, no offense! They are perfectly normal, the World's finest!