Warning: The plot get darker in later chapters. However, please be assured that this is not a child pornography fiction. All interactions between Kal-El and child Bruce Wayne is platonic. Just to clarify, this story is not fitted for those with weak mind. You are being warned.
"Kal-El."
The Kryptonian snapped out of his daze. Kal turned his head.
His eyes met Diana's. The woman gazed down at the piece of paper in his hand. It was a black and white picture of a twenty-nine week old fetus.
"I didn't know you still kept it." Her hand reached out to hold his. Their fingers intertwined together as she laid her head on his shoulder.
"Well," Kal feigned a smile. "It's the only memento of him I was left with."
Diana noticed her lover's façade. The gradual change of Kal is easy to see through ever since the day he lost Lois and their unborn child. It pained her to see him staring at the picture. His gaze was always filled with agony. It was as though Kal thought if he stared long enough, he could turn time back to how things once were
It took the loss of an entire city, his beloved woman and his unborn child to make Kal realize the cruelty of the world. His naiveté was crushed on the day when Joker destroyed everything he cared for. The rage within him couldn't be dissipated even after he'd killed the insane clown.
What angered the Kryptonian more was how the one he thought he could depend on the most—Batman—decided to turn his back on him.
"Is the portal finished?" He pulled his gaze away from the photo as he placed it back in its rightful place. It was the drawer on the right side of his desk, which could only be opened by his handprint.
"Yes." Diana pulled her head from Kal's shoulder. "All that is left is your orders now."
"Good." He rose from his seat and turned towards the view of Earth behind him. "I'll make sure to change everything for a better future."
Kal walked past the portal. The quiet surroundings impressed him. It was not common for crime-filled Gotham, to be silent as a cemetery. Even thirty years ago, Gotham had never been a peaceful city. Kal took notice of the arriving footsteps: three humans. Two adults and a child. The trio was noisy. Most of the sound came from the child, who was over-excited from the movie he had seen.
Kal knew where this scenario was going.
It didn't take long for another figure to appear. The happy atmosphere of the family dissipated upon noticing the presence of another person. There was the clinking sound of a gun being pulled out. A few quick footsteps go on before a loud gunshot was heard.
It was followed by the second and third gunshot, before he heard the agonized cries of a child who'd witnessed the death of his parents.
Kal had chosen the wrong second to step forward with a clearer view of what was happening because when he moved to watch, he was met with the gaze of a young Bruce Wayne.
The pair of blue eyes begged for his help. Kal could have ignored the stare. He found his body reacted on its own as he moved out of his hideout. He grabbed Joe Chill by his neck before the mugger could shoot Bruce. Kal's eyes started to glow red. The scream echoed through the alleyway.
Grey clouds started to gather and lumped together. The rain poured down heavily. The raindrops washed away the blood of the lifeless bodies lying on the ground. Kal opened his eyes lethargically. He was standing before the lifeless bodies of the Waynes. His nose was filled with the scent of burnt flesh. His eyes widened in shock to see Joe Chill with a burnt hole on his forehead.
Warm blood was dripping down his knuckles. The only heartbeat he could hear was the rapid pulse of the child kneeling next to his dead parents.
Why?
The question wavered through Kal's mind. He threw away the corpse he was holding. His attention settled on the boy who had witnessed his every action. His original plan was to kill the young Bruce Wayne from existing in the future. Joe Chill was making Kal's job easier. The man was going to do the dirty work for him.
Yet why did he rush out and kill the murderer of the Waynes instead?
There was no one around.
Kal could fix his mistake by crushing the child's skull. Right here, right now.
He didn't. Kal slowly landed on the ground. He approached the child with hesitant footsteps. Bruce was crying with his head buried his mother's chest. Squatting down in front of the small figure, Kal tilted the child's chin to meet his eyes.
He stared. Bruce's shoulders trembled under his harsh grasp. Kal expected himself to give the boy a brutal death. However, all the grudges he held towards the child's future self was gone. Just like thin air.
"Don't be afraid." He wrapped his arms around the small figure, pulling the cold body into his embrace.
Bruce was so small and fragile. Kal could have crushed his bones with a tight squeeze. He didn't.
Kal ran his fingers through the boy's wet hair. As if trying to absorb his warmth, Bruce wrapped his arms around the adult's neck.
It was hard to believe this timid child would grow into a dark vigilante in the future.
But maybe— just maybe —he could change the boy's future.
If he nurtured Bruce from childhood, he would grow up to become the right-hand man he had always wanted. The human's intelligence and detective skills were the talents which Kal was always impressed at.
He could change things back, to the way they were supposed to be.
No deaths.
No betrayal.
No Batman.
"I won't let anything happened to you, my Bruce."
The first things he noticed were the gazes of the Regime members. From his first steps out of the portal, everyone was shocked to see the small bundle in his arms. There were whispers. No one dared question their leader about the small human. The pair of blue eyes, the familiar appearance—everyone could recognize Bruce Wayne through the child.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Diana was the only one who had the courage to stand up against the Kryptonian. The woman's fiery eyes glared at Kal. However, he seemed unfazed by her heated gaze. "You were supposed to kill him! Wipe away his existence in this world! Why did you bring him back to our timeline? You're going to mess things up!"
"I know what I'm doing." Kal walked past the furious Amazon. It was impossible to interact with Diana when she was angry. Moreover, he'd rather not use violence while the child in his arms was still conscious.
Bruce could hear each and every word the woman said. Loud and clear. A shiver ran through his spine as he realized that she was talking about him. He had also noticed the unfriendly gazes from the crowd around him. With a light whimper, the child buried his face in the crook of Kal's neck.
"I'll investigate this child by myself," Kal announced. His eyes narrowed to a stern glare at the people who had threatened his human with their eyes. "No one is given the permission to hurt him. Be it physically or mentally. Everything is going according to the plan. I hope there is no objection towards my decision.'
No one spoke up. Everyone knew the consequences to face if they decided to go against their leader. With a satisfied nod, Kal made his way towards the exit of the lab. A simple question from Diana stopped him in his tracks.
"Don't tell me... you still hold feelings towards him?" She didn't bother to hide her disgust. "You told me you despised him, Kal. But could it be the opposite? Could it be the feelings you have are more than just close friends?"
"What sort of foolish question is that?" He turned his head over his shoulder. His brows were raised to show his confusion at her accusation.
"You didn't deny my statement, Kal."
"Of course not." He answered in an instant. His tone was cold and serious. "How could I love a betrayer? Someone who was part of the reason I lost everything I loved?"
"I hope so." Diana scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Nightwing isn't going to agree with your sudden change of plan easily. You know that attitude of his. You can threaten all of us not to hurt that thing ," She gave a menacing glare to the bundle in Kal's arm. "But you can't stop that teen's hatred. You know he would throw his own life away just to drag him along to hell."
"Then he would have to go up against me first." He frowned. "I have to teach him to learn his place around here. I am his leader, and he'll follow my orders."
There was no conclusion coming out from the meaningless discussion. Diana was too stubborn to give in, and the same went for him as well. Before Kal stepped out of the room, he stopped again.
"He isn't a thing, Diana." His gaze was cold as he looked at her. "He has a name. I hope you will start addressing him by his name."
Upon placing Bruce on the bed, Kal realized how tightly he gripped on his cape 'till his knuckles turned white.
"Bruce, you're safe now." He whispered in the boy's ear. His palm rubbed soothing circles on the small figure's back. Kal tried to pry Bruce's fingers from his cape. However, no matter how he tried to convince the boy, he was too stubborn to obey. With a defeated sigh, Kal took off his cape and allowed Bruce to keep it.
Once the cape was off, Kal went to the washroom. In a quick minute, he came back with a towel soaked in a basin of warm water. His sleeves were pulled up as he squeezed the towel. With a tender touch, Kal wiped Bruce's cold cheeks. His other hand trailed up to the boy's ear. He brushed the messy black locks away. A sense of achievement reached him when Bruce finally showed a tinge of reaction towards his touches.
"Does the cape make you feel safer?" A smile curled on the thin line of Kal's lips when the child hugged his cape tighter and nodded. "You can keep it." He pressed his forehead against Bruce's. In such a close view, he took notice of how blue the boy's eyes were. He never realized the pair of eyes were as blue as the ocean until this very moment.
Bruce's facial appearance gave off tranquility, as it gave off sadness. It made him wanted to touch him. To embrace him and took him into his warmth. He could imagine the hopeful future which awaited him. A dark knight which is two decades younger than him. However, the promised loyalty is worth of the age gap and long wait.
A voice within himself asked why he wanted such a future. Batman allowed Joker to kill Lois and his unborn child. His foolish 'no killing' rule caused the deaths of millions and Metropolis was wiped off the map. Kal should detest the boy before him.
The future won't change. No matter how much he tried to change Batman, the vigilant will always try to rebel him.
Right?
The loving expression on Kal's face dissipated. It was quickly replaced by a frown due to his thoughts. Batman was the cause of his misfortune. Bruce was his younger self. Unless the child could prove his innocence, Kal had every right to kill him.
"You stink." Kal pulled away from the contact as he stood up. "Take a shower before you sleep. I don't like the idea of you making the bed-sheets stink. You should be able to do everything by yourself, right?" He knew the child couldn't. But he could care less about it. "I have chores to do. You can stay in this room tonight. Tomorrow, I'll get a new room for you."
Before he could walk away, he felt a hand lightly tugged on his pants. Kal glanced down. Bruce wrapped his fingers around the fabric of his pants and locked it in a tight grip. Those eyes were starting to tear up again.
"S-Stay...?" It was the first word which the child managed to voice out ever since the accident. Kal was shocked to hear the plea. As much as he wanted to gather Bruce in his arms, he reminded himself of his hatred towards Batman. Unless he could change Bruce Wayne into someone who would never rebel against him, he shouldn't show any hint of affection towards the boy. Pulling the child's fingers away from his pants, Kal averted his gaze to the wall.
"I can't." His words were simple and cold. "Tuck in the sheets when you sleep. You might catch a cold if you don't."
He knew the reason why Bruce sought his company. However, his inner sadist told him not to give what the child wanted.
"Good night." Without giving one last glance, Kal closed the door.
He couldn't sleep. Not even a glimpse. Kal stood beside his desk. His eyes were focused on the reports and unsigned paperwork. Despite having his gaze fixed on the documents, he couldn't concentrate on his reading. He tried to make sense of the words in the papers. However, his mind constantly drifted towards the image of Bruce looking at him with eyes full of tears.
He had never seen the human in such a fragile state. Helpless, lost and pitiful—acting like a stray that was afraid to be abandoned again.
Kal was the only person he could trust in this world.
He is the only one Bruce felt comfortable around.
The only one.
The truth slowly unfolded in his mind.
Bruce is not Batman. He is not the evil human who destroyed his everything. He is just a helpless child who lost everything on one bad night.
Right now, his attention was set on Kal.
Only Kal.
He is everything for the child.
If he trained Bruce from now on, he would have Batman for his own. The boy would stand beside him. He would help him and fight against the other Batman who had betrayed him.
Everything would turn back to the way it was.
He couldn't bring Lois or his child back to life. However, he could stop Bruce from becoming rebellious. Kal used to think of Batman as one of the important people in his life. He could still be. As long as he started to lead the child to the right way starting from now on.
He didn't manage to finish any paperwork. Without a destination set in his mind, Kal wandered through the series of openings and closed doors. He stopped when he reached the room where he'd left Bruce.
He hesitated. It didn't take him long to press his palm on the recognition pad. The system instantly recognized him and the door slid open. Kal walked in. His gaze was set on the bundle laying on his bed.
Without making a sound, he sat on the right side of the bed. He pulled the sheets away. Bruce was still in his dirty clothes, wrapping himself in the cape he left. It was at the moment Kal realized he had forgotten to get a set of clean clothes for the child.
Bruce was sleeping. His face looked peaceful. However, there were tears brimming at the corner of the boy's closed eyes.
Soft, choked whimpers escaped through the pair of sealed lips.
'He must be having a nightmare.' Kal thought. His hand caressed the child's cold cheek. In the past, Richard used to tell him that Batman was nothing more than an identity to protect Bruce from his fears. Kal had a hard time believing it.
Batman is always standing tall, full of pride and fearless. However, he finally saw what Richard tried to tell him. Behind the cowl, Bruce is nothing more than a broken human who had lost his happiness at the age of five.
He wanted to calm the child down. However, he didn't know what he could do. Hesitantly, he wrapped his hand around Bruce's. He hoped his warmth could chase the child's nightmares away. His tiny fingers were freezing cold against his touch.
"I know what you're dreaming about, Bruce." With his other hand, he tousled the child's hair. "I've been there. I know how painful it was." Kal laid down on the bed. His eyes watched the small features on Bruce's face. "I'm sorry if I hurt you. My anger blinded my thoughts. I realize that you are nothing like Batman. You're not him. I don't hate you." His thumb trailed down to wipe the tears from the boy's face. "You are safe now. I am here. Starting from now on, I would protect you. You don't have to live in fear again, Bruce."
To be continued.