Gotham seemed to never cease in its noise. It was continuous and about the only thing that anyone could count on the damned city to actually be. Never mind safe or polluted, but always noisy seemed to come to the dark knight's mind. Sirens went down one street, and Gotham's protector couldn't help but wonder where they were going.
Batman's shoulders sagged under the invisible weight of responsibility as he scanned the littered and still crowded streets below, illuminated by the blue-green lights of the skyscrapers – or should he call them night-scrapers?
A small smirk tugged dangerously at the corners of the masked man's mouth. In his insomnia, humor seemed to lurk around every corner, and while he didn't voice them, Batman had dreamed up plenty of jokes that one day he mused telling the Joker about.
The detective mentally slapped himself, forcing his mind to stay focused. Not sleeping for ten days made the brain fogged, but Batman hardly had the time for that, he realized, gritting his teeth.
A soft rustle of cloth. Barely perceptible, but still there. Batman whipped around, drawing out three baterangs, all snug between his gloved knuckles.
"Hey, Bruce, it's only me."
It was like being slapped, that gentle but so powerful voice. It instantly matched the face of Superman as he stepped out from the shadows of the roof top. Batman gave a low growl, putting the weapons back away again with a grunt.
"What are you doing in Gotham?" Batman asked, eyeing the Kryptonian closely, watching for anything in those cerulean orbs to give away the reason for the impromptu visit.
"I…" Clark's brow knit together for a moment in muddled confusion before he shook off the expression. "Just figured that I would stop by. Say hello. Maybe see if there was anything I could help out here."
"No, besides, won't Lois be mad that you're deserting her?" Bruce shrugged, the tiniest bit of humor reaching his tone. Superman's smile was obviously forced.
"I don't think she'll mind much." The man of steel seemed quick to change subjects. "Didn't Joker escape a few days ago?"
Clark could instantly see the small frown pulling on the dark knight's lips. He had become a master learning how to read the other man's feeling just by the slightest twitch and movement.
"I'm sorry, I just thought-," Superman was cut off.
"I have the situation under control. Go back to Metropolis."
Superman crossed his arms over his muscular chest and glared at his old friend's back, intently. Batman cleared his throat loudly, almost awkwardly.
"You're doing it again," the caped man hissed, moving away from the intense gaze. Only then did the Kryptonian notice that smoke was curling up from Bruce's cape.
"Oh…sorry," he apologized for the second time that night. A heavy silence fell over the two.
Socializing has never been this hard, Superman thought to himself, watching his companion, but then again, it is Bruce after all.
Batman's shoulders tensed as he felt the Kryptonian's stare settle on him yet again, however there was a comfortable lack of heat vision.
Why would Clark bother coming to Gotham? Unless Luthor was planning something…but why wouldn't he have just called? Batman racked his brain for more excuses. After a moment, he was left with nothing. It can't really be that he just wants to…what?...hang out? The idea seemed just plain foolish to the caped crusader. But knowing that country bumpkin, it's entirely possible.
"You know-,"
"Bruce, I-,"
Both paused, now staring at one another. A goofy smile fell over Clark's face as he motioned Batman to go first.
If anything, Bruce looked almost nervous, but at the very least uncomfortable, very uncomfortable.
"Clark, you know that if something's wrong," Batman ground his jaws together and spat the last part out almost grudgingly, "you can always talk to me about it."
Superman snorted a laugh, and the tension seemed to lighten, just enough.
"Bruce, I only came because well, I don't know, I missed this? I missed being friends like we used to be. I mean, it's been nearly four months since I saw you last and…" Superman trailed off, feeling stupid for even insinuating that they were friends.
Bruce smirked, barely, back at the alien and crossed his arms as well.
"Okay, forget what I just said and um, I'm going to go back to Metropolis and I'll uh see you around? Yeah, so goodbye," Superman stumbled almost sheepishly as he turned gain to fly off. A light jerk forced him to meet those blue, blue eyes from under the cowl.
"Clark."
It was simple that way Batman said it, and if it had been anyone else, perhaps they wouldn't have heard the slight raised tone, the way his eyes glinted just so slightly with confusion but also the want to understand, but it was Superman he was talking to – no Clark Kent, who'd been friends with the man for years. He landed hesitantly and Batman released his grip on the Kryptonian's cape.
Batman opened his mouth to say something else, when suddenly an explosion from behind the two interrupted him. The dark knight hissed a curse word before turning back to the other hero.
"Go back and wait for me at Wayne Manor, okay?"
Batman didn't wait for a response – he didn't need one – before grappling off in the direction of the fire ball that began to dissipate into the clouded midnight sky.
Sure Bruce, send Superman to go wait for you back at your swanky little mansion while you risk your neck because you're too stubborn to ask for just a little bit of help. Superman could have taken down the whole building he was standing on simply because of his growing frustration.
Forcing his anger back down, and running a large hand through his curly hair, Superman sped off as fast as he could toward the outskirts of the city, where the mansion was waiting for him.