Chapter 9: Coast City

Clark woke up with the most uncomfortable feeling of all: he was coming out of a more than erotic dream and felt his erection harden as he emerged. He had spent the night with Bruce and in their sleep, both men had moved against their will. It wasn't like the time at the Watchtower, where each had stayed on his own. They had never spoken of that night again.

He stayed put, listening to Bruce's slow, deep breathing. He had to recover and for that he still needed sleep. The dark-haired man was sleeping on his back and had his face turned toward Clark, his head resting on his arm. There were a few strands of hair falling over his face and the Kryptonian burned that image into his memory, promising himself to put it on paper one day.

Trying to do it as gently as possible, he recovered his arm so as not to wake up the Bat and got off the bed as gently as possible, putting on his pants and looking for his shirt for a few moments, before remembering the fate it had. He then took in his bag a t-shirt and left the room, covering the Bat in the passage not to make him cold.

The hour was little advanced in the morning and he took advantage to be alone to leave for Smallville. He had become accustomed to going back and forth and hesitated for a moment, in front of Shelby, if he should take it or not. He wouldn't be there during the tornado and he couldn't leave his dog alone. Logic would dictate that he bring Shelby back to Metropolis at the same time as his leave was ending, but if he kept coming and going to the Mansion... He was going to have to settle down eventually.

He'd taken advantage of being at the farm to get everything taken care of before the storm. Already, the wind was blowing so hard that he'd had to re-strengthen in places and get their equipment under cover. He had time to see his neighbor, who had been relieved by the work he and Bruce had done and was now well taken care of. He showered and dressed there, retrieving a pair of glasses. He ordered Krypto back to the Fortress and taking the things he needed to take care of his border collie, he loaded up his pickup and made final arrangements for the house before leaving for Metropolis.

It took him most of the morning, and as he flew between Metropolis and Gotham City, he prayed that Bruce wouldn't take his departure badly. He had wasted a lot of time on interventions left and right between his trips. But he got his answer quickly when he arrived at Wayne Manor, when it was dead silent and he went to check on the room. Bruce was still sleeping.

Clark went back down to the kitchen: this time he used what was there to make lunch. He decided to cook stir-fried rice with vegetables made with the vegetables on board, but he kept to the method he had learned one day while in Thailand. The advantage of having traveled a lot in his life was that he discovered a rather diversified cuisine.

The advantage of preparing such a dish was that if Bruce didn't wake up when he was done cooking everything, he could reheat the dish without a problem. While he was busy cooking, he allowed himself to think back to the day before, to what had happened between him and Bruce. That line they had both crossed and that other line they had almost crossed. The words Bruce had said had implied that he had wanted him for a while. He had noticed that, it was true. But he'd doubted it was true. Not anymore. Now he felt a little more assured, but it stressed him just as much.

He was interrupted in his thoughts when he heard a noise outside the room and he turned to face the Bat. At least, not really. Their reaction happened at the same time:

"Clark ?! "

"Tim ?! "

The teenager in front of him had dark circles under his eyes and was shirtless, the crease marks from his pillow still visible on his cheek. Clark hadn't even heard him in the Manor.

"Aren't you supposed to be in New York ? "

"I just got back. I thought the mansion was empty... there was no noise. "

He must have arrived while he was gone.

"Why are you back ? "

"I'm not breaking any rules, okay ? Our training was interrupted by Black Canary, so I came home. "

Clark nodded. He could easily guess why. Tim walked into the kitchen and went to the dish he was preparing, grinning slightly.

"Will you save some for me ? It smells so good. "

"I promise. Go get some rest. "

Tim waved a yawn and was about to leave the room when he bumped into the Bat, his face still drowsy. The two men were definitely a pair, each emerging from their sleep, both shirtless.

"You look like shit, Bruce. "

"So do you," said the Bat in a tone that was meant to be cold but was pasty with sleep.

He accompanied his sentence by running his hand through Tim's hair, who went up to his room. He made himself some coffee before turning to Clark, who so far had said nothing. He had suspected that Black Canary must have sent him a message to warn him of Robin's arrival. She probably didn't want to risk the safety of their apprentices. He let his gaze trail over Bruce's body, first for an inspection of his ribs, then also to enjoy the view.

"These bandages work wonders, apparently. You should use them more often. "

The Bat just grunted, staring impatiently at the coffee pot. Clark couldn't help but smile. He saw the Bat leave the room, heard him ranting several dozen feet away, and then came back and went to the entrance. He returned with a stack of mail in his hands and reached into two different drawers to retrieve a knife and open the envelopes. This amused the reporter greatly.

"Are you aware that I know your kitchen better than you do ? I've been wondering how you manage your life as a billionaire and a superhero, but lately I've come to understand! "

"I have Alfred. "

Clark turned his attention back to his dish for a few minutes. In the room, all that could be heard was the rustling of paper and the cooking of vegetables in the sauteuse.

"Coffee ?" Bruce asked without looking up from his mail.

"No thanks, I'm fine. Are you hungry ? "

"I can wait. I have to make some phone calls. "

And with that, the Bat disappeared from the room, taking his mail and a cup of coffee with him.

Clark was alone again in the kitchen, finishing his meal. The situation between them seemed more than a little strange to him, he had the impression that at the same time everything was going normally but also that everything was tense between them. Or maybe he had the latter impression because he was worrying too much. Damn, what he wouldn't do to know what Bruce could have in his head! His behavior left the Kryptonian completely without bearings and he didn't know what to do with him.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when his phone rang and he saw his mother's name appear. They talked for about fifteen minutes before Clark received a call from Diana on his personnal phone. He picked up, leaving the kitchen and heading outside. He could very well enjoy the grounds of the Manor and make the call.

"Hi Diana," he answered, picking up the phone.

"Hi Kal. I was just checking in. Anything new from yesterday ? "

"Nothing at all. No news of our attackers, nor of the stolen equipment. Whatever they're up to, we're going to have to be really careful. "

"Definitely. I saw Steve and apparently they had a whole shipment of alien hardware stolen. Kryptonian weaponry technology. A classified project. "

Clark didn't like the information at all. He knew the ARGUS had kept the wreckage of Zod's spaceship, but he didn't think they could create weapons from it. As he remained silent on the other end of the line, Diana spoke up again.

"You have to be careful, Kal. This could be anti-Superman weaponry. "

"I know. But I wouldn't hide because there's a risk. "

He heard Diana sigh heavily. Clark knew the conversation wouldn't end so quickly. He walked into the rose garden and sat down in the same spot he had the first time he came.

"Are you feeling any better ? "

"Diana, I'll be fine. Stop mothering me. "

He was aware that he had answered perhaps too curtly. He was sure that this way he had not convinced the Amazon.

"Someone has to do it. I doubt that between the events of Doomsday, the problems with your powers, and Kara, it's going as well as you say it is. I can only imagine how you feel, but know that we're here if you need us. You can't carry everything on your shoulders. "

He didn't answer. He could read between the lines. And Diana had hit the nail on the head. He thought about the Fortress of Solitude, and Kandor. The responsibilities he had as the last Kryptonian with the power of the yellow sun. If Kara still had his knowledge, she couldn't handle the Fortress if anything went wrong, nor the beings living inside. Now he had to take action if something happened to him. If one day he was gone. He took a deep breath as Diana waited for a reaction from him.

"You're right. But I'm trying to make it better. "

There was a short silence before the Amazon was satisfied with the answer. Then she changed the subject.

"Hal has returned. He wants to rebuild Coast City. He's asked Guy, John and Kyle for help, but they'll tire soon. John offered to come along, so you can join us if you want. "

Clark nodded even though Diana couldn't see him. He vaguely heard a distinctive noise behind him, but paid no attention to it and replied:

"I'll come. Maybe in the afternoon. Shall we meet before then ? "

"Sure, should I pick you up in Metropolis or Smallville ? "

"I'll meet you in Metropolis. "

"I can swing by Smallville, I don't mind. "

"No need. I'm not there. "

"Oh. Let me guess, you're in Gotham ? "

He'd thrown himself into the lion's den. He needed to end this conversation as soon as possible before it became awkward.

"Yes. I'll send you a message. I'll see you later. "

"That's it, see you later", he heard her say in a petty tone before hanging up.

He hung up and stood up to the newcomer, who was in his usual posture when he was wearing his suit, arms crossed over his chest. But this time he was in civilian clothes and had a surprised expression on his face.

"Hi Clark! I confess I didn't expect to find you around, let alone in the garden. "

"Hello, Barry. Neither did I, to tell you the truth. Why are you here ? "

They both walked towards the entrance of the Manor.

"I had to talk to Bruce urgently, according to his message... "

The blond man glanced at the Kryptonian beside him as they walked through the door.

"You're here... for the same reason ?" Flash asked hesitantly.

Clark let out a wide smile and pushed his glasses up on his nose as they walked to the main lounge.

"Believe it or not, I'm just cooking. "

"At Bruce Wayne's Manor ?! "

Anyone who knew the billionaire from near or far would have been more than surprised. Especially those who knew Bruce's reclusive and withdrawn nature and his constant bad temper.

"You've come to the right place, Barry. I'm glad you came so quickly. "

Bruce's arrival was as quiet as ever. Without even looking at him, Clark could tell that he had just gotten out of a quick shower: the smell of his shower gel filled his nostrils. The Bat greeted his colleague and guided him to the hidden entrance of the Cave. He had put on a white shirt and suit pants and the reporter guessed that he would soon be leaving the Mansion.

Clark decided not to follow them, because he felt that if Bruce wanted him there, he would have made it clear in some way. So he left a note in the kitchen before heading back to Metropolis, his cape on his back.

He returned late at lunchtime, finishing buttoning the sleeves of his shirt. His little tour had taken him from intervention to intervention, so that he had found himself in South America very quickly. And he'd spent a lot of time there. Bruce had gone upstairs and Tim had since gotten up. The two of them were chatting quietly in the small main lounge and from the sound of it, they were discussing gadgets. Clark rolled his eyes, mentally insulting himself for thinking for a second that this could be a normal situation. They stopped when they caught sight of him.

"Clark! Yes, we can eat!" exclaimed Tim.

Clark rubbed the back of his head with some embarrassment.

"Sorry, I didn't see the time. "

"It's okay, we can wait, it was your cooking or pizza. Until Alfred comes back. So I prefer to wait! "

Tim walked past him and headed for the kitchen. Clark then turned to Bruce, who was watching him with that disturbing impassivity.

"When is Alfred coming back ? "

"In three days. "

Clark chuckled to himself as he thought that eating pizza three days in a row might indeed be too much. Even for Tim. He turned around and went to join the teenager. He heard the master of the house follow him after a short hesitation, then they sat at the table, choosing to eat in the kitchen.

"Did Barry stay a long moment ? "

"No, I just wanted to see with him the complete list of Star Labs equipment and what they had wanted to steal. He preferred to have this conversation face to face. "

The Kryptonian nodded.

"Have you managed to track down their trail ? They made quite a fucking big mess! I guess they're the reason Canary sent us back. "

"How do you know ?" asked Bruce.

"Watch your language," Clark said spontaneously.

Tim smiled broadly:

"TV, Bruce. You've been on at least five news channels! "

The Bat grunted in response and Clark sighed, raising his glasses. It wasn't the best image of them they'd been able to give the day before.

"We've got nothing. They haven't shown up again," Bruce replied.

"And the ARGUS has failed to follow their tracks, according to Diana. "

"ARGUS ? "

Clark knew he had piqued his fellow vigilante's curiosity.

"I got Diana on the phone. ARGUS has had some top-secret, heavy weaponry stolen. "

"What kind of weapons ? "

"Superior technology, Kryptonian in origin. "

Bruce remained impassive, but Clark could see Bruce's knuckles turning white on his fork. He decided to change the subject.

"She also informed me that Hal had returned. He would like to rebuild Coast City. I'm thinking of going to help him with Guy and John. Diana will be there too. "

"I think there's a way Wayne Enterprises can set up shop in Coast City. "

"You and your buy-it-all habit..." Clark commented.

"The advantage of being a billionaire. That and the gadgets," Tim chuckled with a broad smile.

"But the downside is the socializing. A waste of time," added Bruce.

The reporter almost choked.

"I'm going to feel sorry for you, Mr. Billionaire," Clark said with a smile.

"Surely, compared to a career in journalism..." Bruce replied sarcastically, a slight smile on his face.

Clark frowned.

"I can't handle the champagne baths. "

Bruce widened his smile.

"You do prefer mud baths, I hear they're good for the skin. "

"I hear that cooking yourself is good too. "

"Why waste my time cooking when someone else is doing it for me? "

Bruce grinned with satisfaction as Clark hesitated about what line to throw back. Until both men heard Tim's little laugh and turned to him. The latter waved his hands in front of him:

"Oh, pretend I'm not here! "

The two adults grunted at the same time, under the teenager's laughter. Seeing that they were not going to restart their little verbal joust, the teenager allowed himself a comment as he got up from the table.

"Dick would have paid a lot of money to see that! "

And with these last words, he left the room with an even louder laugh, which Clark heard for a long time. The two men then looked at each other in awe, before the Kryptonian got up from the table to start clearing away. That got the conversation going again.

"You have to be careful," Bruce said in his usual firm tone.

Clark began to wash the dishes as Bruce picked up a dish towel to wipe them down. He replied with a smile.

"Have you and Diana been talking? I'm a big boy, I can take care of myself. I may be a superman, but I know I'm not totally invulnerable. If these weapons are going to hurt me, I'll protect myself. "

Bruce put down the plate he was wiping and the dish towel and looked at Clark.

"That's not what I meant. Not entirely. "

The reporter rinsed off the last of the cutlery before turning to Bruce, staring into that clear gaze that had the ability to charm him.

"So what were you referring to? "

"What you don't say, what you hide from everyone. Your dreams betray you. "

Clark blushed suddenly. He thought back to the erotic dream that had made him get out of bed and turned his head away. He didn't have much of an explanation, except that Bruce had a dream body and was driving him crazy. He felt a hand rest on his shoulder and turn him around. He was going to have to explain himself.

"You were screaming, Clark. "

"I... what?! "

Bruce's words took a while to work their way into his head. It wasn't like him to scream in bed, and he remembered even less about doing it in his dream. In front of him, Bruce wasn't lying. It had the effect of a cold shower on him. The Bat noticed his change in demeanor.

"Don't you remember? "

The dark-haired man nervously ran a hand through his hair. No, he didn't remember that. But he knew that in his sleep he could get very agitated. And have very bad reflexes.

"Did I say or do anything in particular? "

"No. But whatever you keep to yourself turns into anxiety. "

And that anxiety, Clark could feel it. There was this sort of feeling, this pressure that was currently compressing his chest as if he were in an invisible vise... he was afraid that one day, rather than saving humanity, he would be a danger to it. And now that he and Kara were moving in different directions, he no longer had a point of reference, nor people similar to him. He was moving alone on an uncertain path. Then there was Kandor, too, and the whole Kryptonian legacy for which he was responsible.

He felt Bruce's hand slip from his shoulder, and the Bat headed for the room's exit.

"If you ever need to talk, or anything, I'll be here. "

The dark-haired man watched him leave the room. He didn't want the Bat to leave. Not now. He caught up to him in super speed in the hallway. He didn't want to talk, but he needed him. Clark blocked his path and the two men exchanged a look. This time, the reporter thought about taking off his glasses. He put them on the dresser next to them.

Either Bruce understood what he wanted, or he gave in to his wishes. But either way, the Bat came closer and, grabbing him by both sides of his shirt, kissed him. His hands automatically framed the Bat's face, deepening their kiss this time, letting out a sigh of ease.

All at once, Clark felt lighter, more relaxed. The smell and taste of Bruce, his heartbeat, his short breaths, everything about this man soothed him and drove him crazy at the same time. And this simple realization made him ask himself a question, which he stated to Bruce, forcing them to separate.

"How did you manage to calm me down without me reacting badly? "

"I held you close. "

Bruce moved his head closer again to kiss him hungrily. If the billionaire kept devouring those lips like that, he wasn't going to give a damn about their clothes. Once again, Bruce had the gift to animate in him his strongest desires.

He grabbed the Bat by the shirt and tackled it against the nearest wall. He heard the ripping of fabric in the process and the cracking of buttons. But neither of them seemed to mind. Clark kissed the Bat's neck, inhaling deeply of the scent that drove him so mad. Tracing a line of kisses along his jaw, he moved up his neck to his ear, nipping at Bruce's ear in the process. Bruce grunted slightly, but didn't push him away. So Clark did it again, just to test his reactions.

This had the effect of making Bruce grunt again, and he pushed him back against the opposite wall, sticking his body to his, putting pressure with his pelvis on both their outstretched cocks. The pressure aroused a light sigh from their part. Without mercy, Bruce almost ripped off his plaid shirt and pulled up his shirt to slide his hands underneath.

The move drove Clark even crazier. Bruce's shirt was torn to shreds and his hands nervously reached for his pants. He felt the Bat's hands brush against his nipples and as his mouth came dangerously close to them, they heard a cry of delight. Tim's cry of joy.

Clark and Bruce separated so quickly it was as if they had burned themselves. Clark used his super-speed to pick up the pieces of their clothes while Bruce buckled his pants and, suddenly shirtless, tried to look his usual impassive self. Then Clark sighed.

"He's playing the console, he didn't hear us. "

The two men exchanged a guilty look. For a moment they had forgotten about Tim. He turned red with embarrassment at the thought that Tim might have caught them, and even more so at the thought that Bruce's image integrity would have taken a hit. The latter looked at the pieces of his white shirt in the reporter's hands.

"It was a custom-made Italian shirt. "

Clark felt embarrassed. He retrieved his glasses and put them back on.

"I'm sorry. "

They looked at each other again, Bruce hesitating about what to do.

"I'm going to get dressed. I have a business meeting in Gotham. "

"And I'm going to Coast City. "

The dark-haired man headed for the door as Bruce turned to go up the stairs. They didn't even greet each other. As soon as he was outside, Clark flew out.

Superman didn't wait long for the Amazon to arrive. She had come without a sword or shield and had only her lasso. Her hair flew in the wind as she approached him, a few strands passing her eyes.

"What did you want to talk to me about, Kal? "

Clark looked down at the small object in his hand. Made of Kryptonian crystal, Kara's key was thinner and smaller than his, but bore that same El family symbol, his symbol.

"I have a request for you. If anything should happen to me, if I should disappear or be unable to do anything, I would like the Fortress to be looked after. That Krypton and its legacy don't disappear with me. Since Kara can no longer do this, I would like to entrust you with the second key to the Fortress of Solitude. "

Diana approached him.

"Kal... "

"I know it's a big responsibility I'm putting on you. But I am now the last one able to go to the Fortress and deal with the creatures there, in addition to Kandor. It may take a lot of strength. But I can't think of anyone else I can trust with the task. You are a leader. You know what it's like to have a people rely on you. The Kandorians haven't woken up yet, but they are here. I don't want them to disappear along with me. "

The brunette nodded her head in understanding. She retrieved the key.

"It's an honor. I will take care of it and protect it. "

"I'm sure you will. "

Clark came over and hugged her. They held each other for a few seconds before parting.

"Why do I get the feeling you're not telling me everything, that there's something other than our conversation this morning that led you to do this? "

The Kryptonian smiled at her. She knew him well.

"My powers don't evolve the same way Kara's do. I don't know what it will do. "

Diana nodded.

"Are they changing fast? "

"No, I've only felt slight fluctuations. "

"Okay. If you need anything, don't hesitate. "

Clark nodded. After that conversation, they both took off from the roof of the Daily Planet and flew to Coast City.

Clark lifted the last beams of the last building of the future residential area they were building. In one afternoon, they had completed a titanic construction job. John Stewart, a fastidious architect, had drawn up the city plans according to Hal Jordan's indications, wanting to reproduce the city as it was before, but modifying certain things in places. Hal wanted this city to be beautiful and lively again, as it once was, before it was completely destroyed by Mongul.

So they had laid the groundwork in the morning and continued for the whole city, starting a huge construction site step by step. When Diana and Clark arrived, Hawkman, Cyborg and Flash were there, along with the Green Lanterns. Clark and Barry had engaged in a bet during the day about who would finish the foundations of their building first. While Barry won the first bet, Clark won the second, on the installation of the overhead subway train. It all came down to speed and ego. The stakes were beyond ridiculous, but they amused everyone, including Hal.

Clark and Diana had been quite the construction duo for most of the day, and they'd discussed Jordan a bit among themselves. Everyone knew he'd been through a lot lately, with the war against Sinestro and the Yellow Lanterns, and his possession by Parallax. Hal had been through a nightmare, but he didn't talk about it. He wanted to get back to his normal life as a pilot and space cop.

The Kryptonian came out of his thoughts when he joined John Stewart and Diana. The group of superhero builders met up in a few minutes. Hal was back in his civilian clothes and walked among them, a smile on his lips.

"My ring is still discharged and I'm completely out of it. Thank you all for your help. We've made a lot of progress. "

"That's what a league is for," Barry replied, patting him on the shoulder.

"And friends," John added.

They all greeted each other and left the huge construction site, each heading back to their own city, even Superman.

INDEX

Green Lantern Corps : The universe is based on emotions, represented by emotional spectrums of color: Green = Will; Yellow = Fear; Greed = Orange; Indigo = Compassion; Red = Rage; Purple/Pink = Love; Hope = Blue; Black = Death; White = Life.

The Green Lanterns, guided by their will, are charged by the "Guardians of the Universe" to protect the worlds they are responsible for, through rings powered by their strongest emotion (that of the Body). A ring has a limited duration of energy, and users can only recharge their ring by reciting their Green Lantern oath. These rings allow their wearers to materialize their thoughts, limited only by their imagination and strength of will.

Guy Gardner : He is an other human Green Lantern. He could have been the first human Green Lantern instead of Hal, but circumstances decided otherwise. Guy is a guy with the worst personality of the human GLs, but he's very heroic and does what's right for others. He has a reputation as a jerk (and it's true). Fun fact : He is the only one who has a social life and who's happy in his life.

Hal Jordan : He is the first Green Lantern of the Earth. He got his ring because the ship of another Green Lantern, Abin Sur, crashed and died. Hal Jordan is known to be the biggest and strongest of all the Green Lanterns. Unfortunately, before that, he has had a lot of trouble, where he caused more harm and couldn't save lives. Before he was a Green Lantern, he was an airline pilot.

John Stewart : John is technically the 3rd human Green Lantern. He replaces Guy Gardner, when he and Hal were no longer the guardians of Earth and its sector. John is known as the wisest and calmest of the human GLs. Before being selected, he was a sniper in the army and then an architect. Like Hal, he lives with his own demons, and the weight of guilt for not being able to save an entire planet.

Kyle Rayner : Kyle is the last and youngest GL on Earth. He received the last ring of the GLs from a Guardian of the Universe (The Big Boss of the Green Lanterns and creators of the rings) . For a while, he becomes Ion, the very antithesis of Will (the pure source of the Green Lanterns' energy).

Mongul : He is an alien enemy of the League and especially of the Green Lanterns. With the help of Cyborg Superman, he destroys Coast City. Following his inability to protect his city and its inhabitants, Hal Jordan will go mad and, possessed by the entity of Parallax (Fear itself, enemy of the Green Lanterns), he will destroy the entire GL Corps.

Yellow Lanterns : Their leader is Sinestro, a former Green Lantern contaminated by Fear. The Yellow Lanterns draw their strength from Fear (whose entity is Parallax) while the Green Lanterns draw their strength from Will (whose entity is Ion).

Sinestro was Hal's former mentor. The Yellow Lanterns and the Green Lanterns are complete opposites and regularly go to war with each other.

So, uh, yes, I am a fan of the Green Lanterns comics. So if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them and share them with you !