I've only just got into the Legion of Superheroes, one of my first superhero cartoons I've ever got seriously obsessed with (sad, I know, but before this Superman just never quite cut it for me; he's such a stereotype whore) and I am IN LOVE with Brainiac 5. Even more so, Brainiac 5 and Invisible Kid. Never having read any of the comics is irrelevent! Besides Brainy and Superman (which is straight-as-arrow CANNON, by the way), Brainy and Invisible Kid for the win!
This takes place in a super-awesome AU where they actually made a season 2 and Invisible Kid joined the Legion. That means Brainy is human, and Superman is out.
Disclaimer: The day I claim to own super-awesome stuff like this is probably the day I will cease to be a slash-addicted idiot. Not happening.
Brainiac 5 rerouted the wires within his small sonic transmitter, expertly screwing them into their rightful spots and reaching gracefully into his back pocket to retrieve a tiny dataclip. Placing it between his teeth for safekeeping, he replaced the wires back and delved deeper into the machine to gently reach in with one hand, and open the inner data board circuits. Narrowing his eyes in concentration, he placed the equipped screwdriver in his mouth next to the chip.
Normally he wouldn't be putting anything in his mouth, but since he was hanging upside down on his exercise bar, casually fixing a sonic transmitter, the only other option besides dropping it was his mouth. Not that he minded much when he was hanging. It was great practice for both his mind and body, and the challenge helped him focus.
Taking a deep, soothing breath he switched the transmitter to his other hand and grappled for the screwdriver back, the dataclip slipping from his teeth at the slight movement and dropping quickly.
The tiny piece of machinery stopped suddenly in mid air, appearing to float near Brainy's head. Brainy continued to work as if nothing happened, his eyes fixed solemnly on the transmitter balanced in his hands.
'Lyle,' he said evenly, finally glancing briefly toward the floating dataclip, his expression unimpressed. 'What are the rules I have clearly reinstated to you again and again?'
A brown haired man dressed in black and white appeared, his handsome grinning face right next to Brainy's, who jerked back at the sudden intrusion of his personal space. The man leant closer and produced the dataclip right next to Brainy's hand, grinning. 'You only let it drop 'cause you knew I was here. Damn, you're good. How do you do it?'
He smiled brilliantly at Brainy, the usual expression he wore when he faced Brainiac 5. His voice was deep and rich, yet cheeky and filled with amusement; a high contrast to Brainy's smooth and serious tone.
Brainy's green cat-like eyes narrowed and he stared coolly at Lyle until he moved back, still grinning and patiently holding the dataclip out. Brainy snatched at it. 'It is quite hard to concentrate when someone is watching you, whether they are invisible or not,' he shot at Invisible Kid, feeling the childish urge to poke his tongue out.
Invisible Kid ignored that last jab and resumed doing what he had previously been doing invisible; watching Brainiac 5 work. Now discovered, he stayed visible and leant against the nearest worktable, shoving a neurologic scanner that had been neatly arrayed on it to the side. Brainiac 5 growled at this, before turning back to his transmitter. He was almost done.
They fell into their usual routine, with Lyle comfortably observing him work, with Brainy ignoring him for the most part, often including him depending on his mood or what he was working on. Lyle was just happy being around him, which Brainy found secretly flattering and slightly cute, but that was mostly overridden by his usual annoyance at Lyle's overenthusiastic demeanor and natural need for peace and quiet.
As usual, after a while, Invisible Kid found it hard to stay still. It happened when Brainy switched positions on his bar for the second time, this time swinging up to land lightly on one foot on the top and balancing there, the other leg balanced precociously yet elegantly folded to the side.
'How do you do that stuff upside down?' He asked, starting to fidget in record time. 'Isn't it kinda hard?'
'Not really,' Brainy answered. 'It is the challenge in focusing.'
'Bah,' Lyle yawned as Brainiac 5 finished installing the dataclip and placed the small grill back on the transmitter, screwing it in. 'There's no point to it. It only distracts you.'
'So says the brilliant scientist who focuses best with rock music and greasy processed food.' Brainy smirked slightly at Lyle's annoyed 'I've-been-beaten' pout, twirling the fixed transmitter on his finger before throwing it at Lyle with all the ferocity he could muster.
Invisible Kid's hand shot out and caught it expertly before examining it as Brainy leapt off his bar, grabbed onto it with his hands and swung around a few times to loosen his muscles. 'Bit of an amateur job here, Brainy,' he tsk-tsked. 'The vibration of the long range core is too deep; you let the onset connect for too long, and—' '—which is perfectly correct in the design of this one, considering it is Cosmic Boy's and his powers are known to upset the magnetic force of most transmitters he uses,' Brainiac said in his patented know-it-all voice, now smirking fully at Lyle, who grinned back at him.
'Still as sharp as ever,' he complimented, cocking a hand on his hip.
Brainy hit the floor next to him and nodded. 'As sharp as you will never be,' the Brainiac said, stretching. 'I believe that is your quota for the day. I still need to check the schematics for the base security. Cosmic Boy believed there are glitches in the system from the League of Villian's last attempt at hacking it; I need you to retrieve the information from him,' he fired off at Lyle, walking to his bench and picking up his current clipboard list of things he was required to do. 'And, I need you to give this to him while you are at it,' he said, looking down at his clipboard while offering the transmitter with the other.
Lyle raised an eyebrow with a disapproving pout, but took it nonetheless. 'Since when did I become your errand boy?' he asked sulkily. Brainiac 5 discreetly rolled his eyes; here it was. Time to turn on the charm.
He looked up and smiled sweetly at Lyle, tilting his head almost cluelessly to the side with a cute blink. 'Would you do it for me?' he asked simply, knowing Lye would be struck.
It almost hurt to use Lyle like this sometimes, but he always made up for it later. Always. And Lyle was not a fool; he knew when he was being played. But he was also smart. He knew Brainy owed him after these little trips, and never hesitated to use the "I owe you's" when it suited him. Kell (and Clark, for that matter) were the only others he would bother using his charm on that were completely clueless, and those two never stood a chance.
'Don't worry; I got it,' Lyle assured Brainy cheerfully. 'Where will Cosmic By be? Down near the barracks?'
'Yes; I believe he was training some new recruits,' Brainy answered, the charm firmly off now that his goal had been achieved, and he glanced back down at his clipboard. 'Hurry up.'
'Yeesh, I'm going, crankypants,' Lyle said with a roll of his eyes, before he grinned saucily at Brainiac 5. 'You know, I've been doing quite a lot of things for you lately. Soon I'm gonna have to call you on them.'
As Brainiac 5 rolled his eyes, Lyle stepped closer, waggling his eyebrows. Brainy pretended not to notice, already anticipating the request; the same one he got from Lyle on a daily basis.
'Dinner, tonight?'
And keeping with their daily ritual, Brainy fixed Invisible Kid with a bland gaze. Lyle laughed, as usual, never the one to give up. 'C'mon, I'll pay. My treat.'
Brainiac 5 shook his head, unable to stop the small smile from slipping onto his face. 'I am afraid I will have to turn down your kind offer,' he said. 'There is still much to do, and I am in doubt your company over dinner will help my sanity.'
Invisible Kid laughed, not deterred in the slightest. Just because this was the answer he always got didn't mean anything. He would bring a small dinner around that night, usually pizza or a pitiful attempt at his own cooking, and Brainiac 5 never turned him away, as usual. And as usual, he would persuade Brainy to drop whatever he was doing and eat with him while they talked about the Legion and the current projects they were chasing and anything else they could. When this happened, Brainiac 5 would relax, and would display a rare and charming side of him that only Lyle saw. One that Lyle loved.
The invisible scientist wouldn't have it any other way. It was just his new goal to get Brainy out on a actual date; one where they weren't always in danger of choking on the cooked food. But that would come in good time. Both him and the Brainiac were enjoying themselves enough just in the lab.
Grinning, Invisible Kid threw a casual 'Then I'll see you tonight!' as he grabbed the transmitter and walked past his eventual boyfriend, grabbing at the Brainiac's ass. Brainiac 5 gave a shriek, and whipped around, but Lyle was already invisible and out the door, and laughing his own ass off.
As the black and white hero made his swift exit Brainy shook his head in disbelief, yet extreme fondness.
Trust Invisible Kid.
This is pretty much how I'd expect their daily interaction to be; cute, fluffly and to the point. They're so in love it's sad.
And having never read the comic, only a few small scanned pages, I have no idea what the real reason is as to why Brainy hangs upside-down while he works, and he seems to do it a lot. They should have included that in the cartoon: it would have melded well with Brainy's human character.