"Betrayal"
"Tim…" out of breath, he succumbed to his knees and hit the floor with a dry sound.
"…Jason" spoke quietly, most likely only being able to be heard by a very powerful ear. He was in shock, he knew that. All his body frozen, and yet, the breathing and heartbeat were off normal charts. His chest with the Bat symbol going fiercely up and down, as he felt the numbness race through all his being. With every second that went by, the scene in front of him was recorded in his memory and soul; with every second, the horrifying details were embodied in his memory and he knew that they would never leave him now. Just as it had happened with his parents.
"Damian… Dick!" and it hit him: his four pupils, dead in front of him. Murdered without mercy, all their bodies covered in their own blood. Died in a battle that should have never even take place to begin with. Their lives, most of the times full of pain, but in the end, they were on the right path and with their beloved ones.
His sons, his kids had been taken away from him once again, but now forever.
Batman's body started shaking abnormally, the blood was boiling in his veins and the strength that had left him to his knees came back in a rush of adrenaline. With a single move he was back on his feet again and looked everywhere, until the figure he was looking for came down from the sky. The Dark Knight gave his back to his former sidekick's bodies with the one of the most painful feeling he had ever experienced, and turned to face the Man of Steel.
"Bruce"
"Why on Earth would you do this?" He yapped aggressive. "Are you out of your mind?" continued, as he began to walk slowly but firmly towards the kryptonian. With his right hand reached to a pocket on the right flank of the belt and after releasing some security locks, pulled out the green kryptonite ring.
"Bruce, I don't want to do this. Please, you're not being rational." Asked Superman sincerely, but without any real hope of his friend listening.
"YOU JUST KILLED MY SONS!" screamed as he probably had never done before. With the ring now on his middle finger, he quickened his pace.
Since Clark never moved from the spot he had landed in a few meters away, Bruce was close enough now and threw a hard right punch to Clark's face, but the kryptonite hadn't done its job yet, so he easily stopped him form the wrist and took advantage of the move to bring Batman just a few centimeters from his body.
"Please, Bruce, you must understand, I did this for you" As Batman tried and fought to free himself from him, the kryptonian stood still. "I did this because I love you".
That look on his face was the one belonging to someone who's truly worried. While sincere, even at the state of instability and pain Batman was in, he could tell that Superman had gone completely out of his mind.
"Believe me… If in any way I could had possibly avoided this, if this hadn't be extremely necessary, this wouldn't had happen." Kept on talking; his breath landing on Bruce's masked face. "But you won't need any of them anymore. I was not about to let you keep this going. Do you want to know why I did it? Cause they endangered yourself. Aside from putting yourself at risk for people in general, I knew that you would go further away for all of the Robins. I know what they meant to you, I know the burden you carried for each and one of them, but Bruce, you don't have to carry that anymore. You won't need anybody, as I'll be always by your side, watching over you, loving you." with his free hand he gently stroked the Bat's face. "The world won't need Batman either, as I will stop everyone who would be a reason for him to even exist. Bruce, be completely mine, and I promise you nothing will ever happen again".
It was the truth.
It was Clark Kent's insane truth. There wasn't a single word he did not mean. He had thought it through, and as he realized his whish could be granted, he went ahead and did it. How could this had happened? Did this sick love of his really turned the Man of Steel into a paranoid and schizophrenic lover?
The kryptonian's eyes were finally turning green by the effects of the ring. He only quickly blinked once and tried to hide his increasing weakness, but nothing could escape the trained eyes of the Batman. With a quick twist of his hand and wrist, the Bat freed himself and threw a punch directly to Superman's left cheekbone. He fell a couple of meters on his back and instantly tried to fly to safety, but the Dark Knight's reflexes were faster and better, and with the Batclaw trapped Superman's feet together and threw him into the ground again. In a second Bruce was next to him and started to hit him with all the strength adrenaline had given him, and in all the spots he knew would cause more pain.
Clark tried to say a word, but Batman furious fists would just not allow him to. Horrified, he looked how the love for him that once existed in Bruce's heart was completely gone, leaving him with all his emptiness and coldness Bruce had always lived with. Lead by anger, Bruce would not think of anything else but what has always be the fuel of his life.
"Revenge…" barely whispered the kryptonian.
The word froze the Dark Knight with his fist back up in the air. An emotion other than anger cut through his stomach and chest.
"All you do, over and over again, all you live for" started Clark, recovering himself a bit "is Revenge".
Batman was still extremely angry, but doubt was taking over his mind and body. Was he losing himself to avenge once again?
"Enough, Bruce."
Causing great damage and pain on his body, Superman used what was left of his energy and with his heat vision destroyed Batman's kryptonite ring. Even when he almost fainted, he knew that soon enough would get his strength back.
He looked straight into Batman's eyes, through the mask, and spoke with his insane and madly in love heart.
"You can't keep doing this to yourself, Bruce Wayne. I will not allow it" slowly, as he gained energy back, he stood up and stayed right in front of the Bat, less than a meter from each other. "You've done enough for Gotham, and for the world. It is not healthy that you keep on going with this. I'll do it for you. I will take care of you and your city; I will take care of this world, as long as you're by my side".
Bruce had already bring both his arms to his flanks and left them there, without moving while he listened to his 'friend'. Making a little pause, Superman slowly and gently removed the Bat's mask to be able to face him directly, and continued.
"You no longer see me or think of me as Clark Kent, do you? "said patiently" That's fine. That is actually better, as so far you had been the only one with whom I've been able to be my true self. I can be Kal-El with you. No human, no kryptonian, just Bruce Wayne's lover".
Very few times had Bruce not been able to speak or to react. He was stock there, listening to Clark's nonsense. Superman's voice and look was as sweet as it could had ever been. He was doing nothing but declaring his profound love for Bruce and the commitment to it. His eyes reflected nothing but pure and twisted love, and of course, that he believed all of that was right.
"Would you stay by my side, Bruce?".
He needed to react, he needed to do something. To say something.
"Would you let Batman die and stay with me?".
The color on Clark's eyes was changing again. The green was losing the fight against the intense blue of the Man of Steel's eyes.
"Would you?".
That was not right.
Was it?
"Would you keep loving me? "insisted, as he held out a hand.
Bruce was lost.