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"And He's yet to do anything?"

Hermes shook his head. "No. From what I can tell, He's just observing him."

They all pondered on that. It didn't make sense. He'd vanished millenniums ago. Why would he be back now?

What was he planning? Was he planning anything? So far He'd done nothing but watch but they didn't really know a lot about Him. He'd only come around once a few years ago. To check up on things He said. But He hadn't stayed long.

Which was good.

Athena sighed, resting her head on the palm of her hand. "We should tell them of His return."

She was right.

But Zeus didn't really know if he should. Most likely the Justice Leaguer's wouldn't even know what to make of His return. One of them would probably be filled with awe and wonder, when they really shouldn't because His return didn't really promise anything good.

Not really a fair judgment, and the King of the Gods knew that. Just because He'd vanished...

Because He abandoned His people...

Didn't necessarily mean that He was out to do harm. However, there was this feeling in his gut that kept telling him otherwise, and judging by the anxious looks the others were sharing, he wasn't alone.

Athena was right. They should tell The Justice League.

"Not right now." Herra stated, sensing her husband's conflicting emotions. "Let us wait and see what He does. He may just be 'checking up on things' again. There's a good chance He'll simply leave after a few days like last time."

They looked over towards Zeus, not really agreeing with his judgment...

He nodded in agreement. "If He starts trouble...then we'll tell them."

...but knowing that they'd have to concede. Zeus word was law.

Didn't mean they had to like it though. And Athena certainly did not.

()

Alfred thought he knew Master Bruce rather very well. He'd raised the boy after all. He was included in on every one of the Master's decisions. Well, the major ones anyway. The ones that mattered. He was there through thick and thin.

Sometimes he had a feeling that he knew more of what was going on in Master Bruce's life than the Master himself did. He was always one step ahead of the Master, had to be, unless he wanted to be left behind. He'd learned long ago not to let anything shock him. And after all this time, very little did these days. He felt like he'd seen it all, the good and the bad.

So when Clark had called the mansion, telling him to shut down all appliances, lights and televisions, he'd complied, not the least bit surprised. Confused, maybe. But he figured all would be explained in due time.

And he figured right.

However, never in a million years, did he ever imagine this.

Master Bruce becoming...mated...to a Martian.

A Martian. Mated. Never, did Master Bruce mention any sort of romantic feelings towards the alien. He'd mentioned a few things about Diana, perhaps. But never J'onn. So the suddenly being mates thing...

Well you could have knocked him over with a feather.

And Bruce figured that if nothing else good came from this, other than the fact that he'd managed to finally throw Alfred for a loop...that he'd be happy.

Even if the loop he threw Alfred for only lasted a few minutes. Still, he relished in those minutes like a little kid. Until Alfred got a hold of himself and nodded, saying softly, "Alright then. If you're in love then I suppose..."

Then it was Bruce's turn to be floored. "Love?"

The butler fell silent yet again. "You...do love him, do you not Master Bruce?"

An uncomfortable silence followed, as Bruce shifted in his bed. He was the Batman. Batman fought people like the Joker, Killer Croc, Two Face. So why, why was it so hard for him to face Alfred? My one weakness, He thought wryly, before saying, "Ah...well..."

"What was your first date like?"

A flinch, as Bruce took in the slightly sharp tone. Surely Alfred didn't think he'd keep something like this away from him, did he? Did he think that he and J'onn had like this huge romantic romance thing going on in private? No! "It happened rather...suddenly...Alfred."

"So you're telling me that you managed to become mated to J'onn without so much as a date? A kiss?"

Color flushed his cheeks. "Uh...well...we did more than kiss..."

Saw Alfred's eye twitch and had to fight the urge to hide under the covers. Trying to tell himself that he wasn't a kid anymore; that he could handle Alfred.

"So you had intercourse and then proceeded to become mates?"

A cough. "Actually the intercourse led to the mating..." He could handle Alfred. He could!

"Are you a teenager Master Bruce!?"

The urge to take cover was choking him with it's intensity. Alfred was yelling at him. Bruce winced, feeling like he'd just murdered someone. Worse. He felt like he'd just disappointed his butler. Who's opinion really mattered. No matter what Bruce tried to tell himself.

"It wasn't my fault!" Aware that he was almost whining but couldn't help it. Alfred made him feel like a kid again with that reprimanding stare of his. "There was this smell and the heat and then...we woke up and they wouldn't stop staring and then J'onn LEFT because I didn't use the matches. And Flash and Green Lantern wouldn't stop trying to talk about it so now I owe Lantern seventy grand. And then Clark discovered he was a perverted racist and J'onn was on the moon so I had to burn the chocos and then J'onn threatened me and Diana wouldn't set me on fire! So then J'onn comes in and tells me we're mated and then I almost die and those blurs tell me they're strengthening the bond and now my senses are going haywire and Flash has thoughts about me and lubrication--LUBRICATION-- and Diana kissed me and I think J'onn knows because he's been avoiding me lately and there was this woman hanging over my bed! MY BED!"

He fell backwards onto his mattress, feeling utterly spent. But he'd said his part. So now Alfred couldn't be mad at him.

The butler looked down at Master Bruce, closing his eyes as he absorbed everything that been said at really high speeds. Until it all sank it. "You promised Green Lantern seventy thousand dollars if he let the subject drop?" A sigh. Sometimes the Master acted just like a spoiled child. "Never mind that part." He tried to soften his voice, aware that Bruce was more sensitive than normal. "Master Bruce, love is not something you simply jump into. It takes time. Effort. You two haven't even been on a date. Yet you're already mated?"

Bruce closed his eyes, groaning. "I really screwed up, didn't I Alfred?"

The butler gave him a soothing pat, pulling his hand away when he flinched. Sensitive, right. "Nothing that can't be fixed, Master Bruce. Just leave it to me."

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If you guess correctly now, about who's back...it doesn't count. Cause you didn't get it on the first try. But I'll still think yer uber smarts!