There would always be a sense of uneasiness between them. It wasn't because they were distrustful of each other but rather that they were so different in methods, personality, and style that they would never fully click. And yet, there was no one on Earth that could understand Batman better than Superman and vice versa.
When Batman did something crazy it was usually Superman that people looked to for an explanation and he usually had one that he could give. But this time was entirely different.
Superman and Flash had been walking down the corridors of the living sector when the alien had caught the sound of something muffled. He understood what the sound meant and he was wholly unsurprised that it was coming from Batman's room. However, he was surprised at who it was tied to a chair and gagged in Batman's personal quarters.
Commissioner Gordon looked thoroughly exasperated and it was plainly obvious that he had been trussed up at some point.
"He's gone crazy, hasn't he?" Flash whispered and Superman knew without asking that he was referring to the Batman and not the Commissioner. Superman stepped over and removed the gag from the prisoner.
"Where is he?" he seethed. "I'm going to shoot him."
"I don't know where he is," Superman replied as he removed the ropes with a flick of his fingers. Then he broke through the zip-ties and handcuffs. Batman clearly hadn't wanted the Commissioner getting loose anytime soon. The older man rubbed at his wrists while Superman worked at the several layers of rope around his ankles, thighs, and torso.
"Why would Bats tie you up in the Tower?" Flash asked. Commissioner Gordon shrugged.
"He thought it was necessary for me to leave Gotham," Gordon snapped. "I disagreed, so he did this." Superman held up one finger and pulled his Justice League communicator, opening up a private line between him and Batman.
"What?" Batman answered in his typical gruff and buff way.
"I found something in your room."
"Yes, I know."
"Really?' Flash asked before he could stop himself. "How?"
"You tripped my censors."
Superman rolled his eyes. "Why exactly did you kidnap the Commissioner?"
"Did you already let him go?" Batman asked, suddenly switching languages. The first time he had spoken to Kal-El in Kryptonian, he had been so shocked he'd barely been able to form a coherent response. Apparently, Batman had been using his access code to the Fortress to get into Superman's files on Krypton's history, culture, and language, never leaving a trace that he had been there.
"Yes," Superman responded, switching language as well. Flash was so used to them doing this that he only gave an annoyed huff and helped the Commissioner to his feet. The man had been sitting so long that he was rather wobbly on his feet.
"You need to keep him in the Tower," Batman said. "He's not safe here."
"I can't hold someone against their will, B. You know I can't. If he wants to leave I won't stop him."
There was silence for a long moment before a rapid burst of gunfire caused them all to jump slightly as the sounds punctured the quiet in the room. Batman cursed in Kryptonian and then there were sounds of an armored fist hitting flesh. Superman simply waited it out knowing once the shooter and his friends were down, Batman would continue the conversation.
"Stop, stop, stop!" someone shouted and then screamed in pain. Superman winced. There was more gunfire, more shouts, some threats, and finally Batman returned to the matter at hand.
"I don't care what you're morals are," he snapped. "Keep him there. If he leaves, he'll be killed."
"Isn't that just part of his job?" Superman asked. "What's going on down there?"
Batman grunted, clearly unwilling to say much of anything else.
"Batman?" Superman probed. "What's going on?"
"Just a temporary problem."
"You know I could turn on the news and get a quicker answer."
"Then do it," Batman snarled but Superman didn't move to do so. He knew Batman too well and he knew that with just a little work he could get the information he wanted.
"Do you need help?" Superman asked, knowing it would make Batman grind his teeth together in agitation. This routine was tried but true and whether it happened over communicators or in person it always amused Superman to no end.
"What do you think?"
"I think you want to say yes but don't know how to without losing face," he replied, smirking. Flash and Gordon were both giving him strange looks, unable to understand what they were saying but knowing that Superman's relaxed shoulders and smirk were not proportional reactions to freeing your best friend's kidnapping victim.
"How about I just shoot you with Kryptonite?"
"How about you just give me your coordinates and I'll be right over?" Superman countered. Batman grunted again and cut the line.
"What did he say?" Gordon asked.
"He said to detain you," Superman told him and Gordon eyed him warily. They had never really worked together before and Gordon had no reason to trust him. "However, I'm not interested in being an accessory to kidnapping. You're free to go."
"Really?"
"Yes, of course," Superman said politely. "However, while I am not sure what's happening in Gotham at the moment I can say that Batman would not have stashed you here if he wasn't truly worried about your safety."
Gordon eyed him critically as if trying to figure out if Superman could be taken at his word. After a stretch of several long moments, Gordon eventually shook his head.
"I have a job," he said. "I took an oath. I have to go back."
Superman nodded and led him to the transporter. Gordon hadn't been gone two seconds before Superman's communicator dinged with a private message. He opened the message and was unsurprised to see a set of coordinates. Mere seconds later, he was in Gotham taking in the fires, screams, gun shots, panic, and riots.
00000
Superman was sitting on the roof of some abandoned building in Crime Alley watching as the sun began to rise. The fire department were still dousing many of the fires that sprung up during the riots and the police were still getting the city under control. But Superman's job had been finished for a while. Apparently, the underworld had decided that they had had enough of Commissioner Gordon and his policies.
Anyone and everyone with a grudge, compliant, or axe to grind had taken to the streets looking to hunt him down. Dozens of cops were dead or injured and hundreds of civilians were jammed into emergency rooms with injuries of varying kinds. The biggest threat had been the criminals of Arkham who had rioted along with everyone else.
The Joker and various other big names were still missing. Superman had arrived just in time to stop Bane from killing everyone in his path. He hadn't seen Batman or any of his people all night, sticking to the sector of the city that had been assigned to him.
And now he was watching the sunrise, preparing to leave as if he had never been there. He heard the distinct sound of a grapnel, a cape, and a landing. He tuned into the person's heartbeat instinctually, identifying the person immediately.
"You could always turn your head to see who's behind you," Batman told him as he walked across the roof. Superman smiled softly.
"That's not nearly as fun," he said. When Batman reached him he put a hand his shoulder and used Superman to steady himself as he sank down to sit next to him. Batman must have been really hurting to show such weakness. Superman resisted the urge to ask, afraid that if he drew attention to the openness it would stop. He would rather support Batman's weight than confront him about it.
"Gordon is still alive, no thanks to you," Batman said, although he didn't sound too angry about it.
"If you didn't want me to find him you shouldn't have put him in your room at the Watchtower."
"I did want you to find him, just not that soon."
"Well then, I'm sorry for ruining your carefully sculpted plan."
"Apology accepted."
They sat together, watching the sun rise for the next twenty minutes, a companionable silence surrounding them. These were the moments when Superman was certain that his friendship with the notoriously cold Batman was real. If Superman had been anyone else, Batman would have already told him to leave and disappeared. He had heard enough stories to know that the relationship between them was different than the relationships Batman had with other people.
Batman may like those other people and he would always come to their aid when everything was falling apart, but Superman was the only one who seemed to warrant visits and conversations during the good times as well as the bad times. He wouldn't call it hanging out-no one hung out with Batman-but it was definitely something different, something more.
They been apart of each other's lives for so long that Superman could pick out his heartbeat from half-world away. While Batman wasn't the type of friend that Superman could introduce to his parents, go to football games with, or even have casual conversations with, there was a well crafted friendship there.
Flash was fond of saying that if there was anyone who could be Batman's friend, it was Superman. Unfortunately, Flash wasn't very guarded with his assessment and it had made it's way into the press more than once. Always accompanied with a lot of speculation.
It wasn't long before Batman left without another word. Although he did turn around at the edge of the roof to nod at Superman. It was the only thanks he was going to get so when Batman disappeared over the edge, Superman went back to the Watchtower to fulfill his monitor shift. He was then questioned vigorously by Wonder Woman who had heard all about the kidnapped Commissioner Gordon from Flash who had apparently told everyone he'd run into.
Superman was neither surprised nor annoyed. After all, the only person who didn't think Batman was finally losing his mind was Superman. There was bound to be talk and all Superman did was nod, hum noncommittally, and maintain that Batman was as sane as he always was.
No one was particularly comforted.