It was a warm day—beautiful—trees were blowing in the soft wind, birds were humming all through the sky and over the electrical currents, flowers were growing, the sun was shining, and it was the most delightful spring the city of Metropolis ever had.

Though of course, the only reason it was like that was for the efforts of little Superman, Batman, Wonderwoman and the rest of the Justice League team. Superman threw his hands in the air and proceeded to fly—off the couch—landing straight on his stomach and crushing his face in the process. Wonderwoman and Hawk girl giggled at their friend's inability to keep with his mouth—his persistence that he could fly was simply outrageous. He sure knew how to show it too. Flash stopped racing around the house just in time to see Superman on the floor trying to keep his emotions in check and it didn't take long for his laughter to seep through as well for he was aware of Superman attempts—several times—throughout the course of their friendship. They all were. His laughter quickly died down though and he continued to race on forward as Martian Hunter attempted to disable him and take back his alien plushie. Cyborg was flat over the ground, staring at the ceiling as he pretended to fire pretend rays through the roof and Green Lantern was too busy ogling Hawkgirl from where he was to join the insanity.

The only quiet one—ironically not the oldest in the group: the first being Martian Manhunter and Cyborg aged thirteen—was a boy who sat among the high kitchen counter. He was laced in a black cowl-grey suit attire that fit his body perfectly. In his hands laid a book of "Psychological Advances" by Dr. S Sterning, a widely known medical professional in the United States, which he was in the process of reviewing. Six-hundred pages, two-hundred more to go. Batman was one of the most prodigical twelve-year-old one would ever meet in their lifetime—one of a kind, his genius' exceeded more than the average IQ. It was probably with all those books he surrounded himself with.

Batman turned a page from his book, and read through the first line until he heard his name being called. Annoyed, he looked up at Flash who finally gave up and threw Martian his beloved plushie back and was now situated with his hand over the side blocking the kitchen doorway. "Ay, Bruce-" He called to him, "Why don't you put down that book and play with us? Come on, reading is for losers!"

A blank look crossed the features of Batman's—AKA Bruce's—face as he stared at him before he shook his head and turned back to his book. "Unlike you West-" He mumbled bitterly under his breath, "I take pride in the knowledge of the human mind. And I guess reading is only fit for people who can read."

Flash blinked and opened his mouth to speak before it clasped shut. He took a few moments to feign a reaction but by then, his arms were folded over his chest with a large pout placed over his lips. "Man Bruce, you're a meany!"

"Leave me."

Batman twitched slightly as Flash's mouth opened again until the sound of Martian Hunters wail—"There's bitemarks over Mr. XaxyPants tail!"—came and Flash, in a surprisingly rapid speed for a nine-year-old—made himself disappear with a quick jog up the stairs and under the bed to hide. Batman sighed in relief and turned back to his book grateful that he could enjoy the amazing piece of literature in peace.

But peace was only in the clouds as Superman dragged himself into the kitchen and towards the sink. Batman—noting amusingly to himself—that he was slightly limping and holding his arm. He thought of just leaving it be, and continuing with his book—six-hundred pages, two hundred and one more pages to go—but at the rate of the sound Superman was emitting from himself, he probably wouldn't even be able to concentrate. With a sigh, he plopped the book down beside him and jumped off the counter as he walked towards him—"Kent." He questioned, ".. Are you crying?"

Superman blinked and turned to him slightly before quickly looking towards the running sink where he was, at the moment, placing his hand over the rushing cold water in hopes that it would disable some of the pain that arised from his earlier flying incident. "Ugh.. guh, no I'm not!" He mumbled, his hands shrugging a little closer to his neck as he tried not to look at him. He kind of felt.. ashamed to cry, especially in front of Bats who was one of the most unemotional kid he ever met. Seriously, even Sasuke Uchiha from the great Naruto series had more emotions than this guy!

".. You are." Batman grumbled under his breath, "Was this another opportunity you took to completely humiliate yourself again?" He asked quietly; Superman wondered if he was joking or being serious but considering his tone, his expression, and the overall situation, he was unable to tell.

"I.. I was just nervous okay!" He yelled, rubbing his eyes against his other arm harshly in anger to wipe away any forming tears that may call him out. "I can't fly when I'm nervous!"

"You can't fly period Kent. Humans can fly."

"Can too and can so!"

"No."

"YES!"

"No."

"YES!"

"No!"

Superman frowned and thrust his hand ontop of the sink grabbing the towel from the oven rack before turning towards him. "Why don't you get back to your books?" He grumbled under his breath. "Especially if you know more about that fantasy world than people themselves!"

"My research is based on the human mind and reality—I don't waste my time on a petty fantasy episode unlike you!" Batman scowled, his arms folding over his chest in an arrogant manner.

"Well at least I don't spend more time with pieces of paper about humans rather than real humans!"

"Well if they're any consolation with what you are then I'm gladly fine with that."

"Jerk!"

"Fake!"

"Bat!"

"Dog!"

"Co-"

"AHH!" Both Batman and Superman blinked as the sound interrupted their ongoing name crusade—the creek of a door and a scream from a woman. They looked at each other then quickly moved towards the hallway to peek and take note of the events.

Ma Kent had her hands over her cheeks, staring in horror at the top of the stairs where Martian proceeded to drag Flash's legs down the steps who was struggling to get away. Green Lantern, in his attempts to impress Hawkgirl, had leaned against a large old grandfather clock and in the process caused it to fall to its side with a possible concussion. Hawkgirl was too busy in a fit with Wonderwoman to really care and Cyborg had fallen asleep with large amounts of drool forming around the expensive bear-rug he was laid out on. She would never go to the shop again! As she turned, her eyes fell on Superman who was delighted to see his mother before she looked over the arm he was holding with a towel and she swore her blood-pressure was downlow.

And it didn't help that Martian finally succeeded.

"Thank you for coming." Superman greeted politely to Wonderwoman and Hawkgirl whose mothers were waiting for them at the car. Hawkgirl giggled and gave him a big hug—jumping off the porch and waving her wings around as she ran towards the car. Dazed, Superman moved slightly back until he felt himself being forced into another hug by Wonderwoman who advanced with a kiss over the cheek and a "Hope you get better Supes!" before she too ran off. Superman blinked silently and stood there for a few moments before he shut the door and turned around just in time to see Batman staring at him or rather the cast around his arm. Superman too, looked down and began walking towards the kitchen to him. He hadn't wanted to disrupt his mother who was already on the urge of fainting and was now situated on the couch with a blanket placed over her and a portable ice-pack over her wrinkled forehead.

Batman backed up a bit with his hands still secured in place and watched as Superman walked passed him and around—

"It's weird how far their rivalry tends to go, isn't it?" Superman asked him, obviously forgetting about their heated discussion from the last hour in order to focus on the adventures of Wonderwoman and Hawkgirl. "We're kind of like that, aren't we?"

Batman paused, "Well one of us is definitely acting like a little girl- "

"… When is your ma coming again?" Superman asked blankly, as he turned his back towards the counter where Batman's book laid and yet didn't sit. He couldn't reach.

"…" Batman thought about it. She should have been there before everyone else's parents came. ".. She's running late I guess."

Superman nodded, he hoped she was going to be there soon. He wasn't so enthusiastic about being alone with Batman—of course, he could just leave him alone to his book—but being raised in Small Ville by ma and pa taught him that leaving your guests unattended for your own gain was rude. Of course, if he stayed there, Batman would have thought it rude either way.

Ugh, this was irritating!

"Ughm…" Superman began, catching the boy's attention. "I'm.. sorry about what I said Bats.. You are a human…"

"You didn't say I was?"

"I was .. kind of implying it."

Oh. Batman rolled his eyes, and shrugged his shoulders in response. Nothing else.

"So.. ughm.." Superman started, and yet no reaction, ".. Don't you have anything to say to me?"

"I don't think so."

"Why you inconsiderate pedistol—!"

"What's your problem now?"

"You're my problem! I just apologized and you won't even acknowledge it nor say it back! You know it took a lot of guts for me to say that!"

"Yes, I'm sure it took a lot of guts for you to say one little word. And besides, I don't see a reason why I have too."

"I take it all back!"

Batman rolled his eyes once again like a merry-go-round and motioned him at the back. Superman blinked and turned, grabbing the book and throwing it at his face. Batman caught it with his two hands—his two hands, he was mocking him!

"I'm going to wait outside for my mother." Batman noted as he turned and walked outside without another word. Superman attempted to dislouse him, which slowly integrated in a guilty conscience as he heard the door shut behind him.

Did he hurt his feelings?

Batman silently continued his book, sitting among the porch of the Kent Family residence which consisted of a middle-average house in the middle of Metropolis. Superman's words didn't really affect him as much as it intended too though he wasn't going to deny the overall tone of his words. He wasn't as comfortable with human contact or rather humans per say as he led on—which he didn't really do. He would always sit alone under the white-tree at recess, and would note that not a lot of people would go by unless they had too. And once more, he was actually okay with that.

He blinked slightly as he heard the door open behind him and let out a small groan knowing that it indeed wasn't over—but surprisingly or not, Superman had simply moved to sit beside him. No strings attached.

Or was there? "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings.." He heard, and he almost choked. Batman's attention drew away from the words as he looked at Superman as if he went crazy. He opened his mouth to speak, before he turned and sighed under his breath.

"You didn't." He told him, "I.. guess some of it is kind of true."

Superman rubbed the back of his neck—he felt kind of awkward. "Ugh.. not all of it. I mean.. err.. you're not a cow."

Batman rolled his eyes and moved to look at his book again, but Superman quickly swiped it from his hands. "Okay, okay!" He said, "You're a good friend!"

This made Batman furrow an eyebrow. Friend? Woah, woah, woah, when did it come down to this? He snatched his book back from Superman's greasy hand and placed it over his lap.

Silence.

"… And what about me?"

Groan. Batman rolled his eyes and turned away, causing Superman to pout on impact. A few minutes went by before Superman mumbled under his breath,

"You know.. We all like you Bats." Superman started, "But.. you hardly ever hang out with us and you make it seem like you're better than all of us!"

"Am I not?"

"You see!" Superman held his hands up in the air in retreat before he began to make his points, "Rule number one: stop thinking you're better than anyone else. You come off as a hardbutt when you do that."

"I don't think I should take advice from a boy who thinks he's a bird."

"Rule number two: stop insulting everybody! And you're practically wearing a birds costume!"

"A bat is a mammal, not a bird."

"Rule number three: no more smart-alack remarks like that!"

"I don't think I like where this is going."

"Come on Bats, you should try it! You should see how many friends I get!"

Batman thought about it for a moment, ".. If you mean by acting like a total imbecile like yourself, I decline."

"What does rule number two say Bats?"

"Shut up Kent."

Superman began to sulk, holding his cast closer to his body as he looked down to the paved steps.

Batman sighed, "And besides, who says I want all that?"

There was a pause between the two. Batman blinked. Superman was thinking something over which made him slightly deter. You could never expect his next move.. well except his notion of wanting to show people how he can fly by falling off random objects—now that was a daily occurrence.

"Bruce." He heard his name. He blinked once more and turned to him in confusion only to be met by a soft—slobbery—pair of undergrown lips. He was startled, his book practically fell out of his lap— Six-hundred pages.. six-hundred more to go.

Superman moved back and sent Batman a small mischievous smile—and opened his mouth to speak yet he was interrupted by a sudden punch over his cheek.

Rule number four: when someone kisses you, don't punch them.

Clark blinked and placed his hand over as Batman turned away and he began to sulk quietly to himself. They both did.

"… So ..ugh.. do you want it?"

Batman's face was practically reddened. What the hell was Kent thinking? Oh, he was going to tell him what he wanted alright—but as he turned, he noticed from afar the figure that was moving closer to them. Superman turned his head with his hand still resting over his cheekbone, first at Batman and then to the man who was coming forth with a liter of shopping bags.

"Hello Bruce. Hello my boy! what's with the arm? Don't tell me you tried to jump off the roof again!"

"Pa!" Superman yelled, standing on his two feet as one hand dropped to the side. "… Come on, I told you I was trying to fly!"

"Right.. so what happened to your cheek?"

Superman blinked and placed his hand back over his forming bruise. By then, Batman snatched his book back from the ground and stood up beside him diligently.

"He fell off the couch, head first." Batman excused and rather lied bluntly under his breath - surprisingly uncanny. Superman blinked and looked at him then back at Pa and nodded quickly.

"Aw man, well it looks.. pretty bad.. Did you cry son?"

"Ugh… no.. "

"Hah, that's my boy!" His father raised a hand, and using his left hand, Superman clasped knuckles with his Pa. They both laughed. Pa Kent looked back at Batman,

"Oh and by the way Bruce.. Your parents called a few hours ago, it seems you'll be sleeping here tonight."

Batman blinked and looked at him in confusion. There was.. something odd about the way he spoke. Superman, alwhile, was beginning to pale. Was he safe? Considering what had just transpired by the two, he was sure he wasn't going to make it past his eleventh birthday!

And yet Surprisingly, Batman turned to him and then back towards the house as he began to walk "Let's go Kent." Superman blinked and followed him up to his room.

Rule number five: never fall asleep around Batman.

And neither one forgot that day. And especially not the day after that.