I couldn't help myself from writing this chapter (Tried, but ended dreaming with it all night long .)
IMPORTANT: In case someone didn't realize it, the end of last chapter was the beginning of the 4th episode of LoSH (Fear Factory), reason why this chapter starts at the end of that episode.
In a side note, I saw this music video that someone made of SM/B5 with the song Todo Cambio in youtube, if you understand Spanish you should take a moment to watch it, it's pretty good.
Thanks for the comments Storm Uchiha, Devilbunny, tradess5 and Enchantress257 ^^ I really appreciate every one of them X3
Beyond Logic
Chapter 4
Lighting Lad couldn't help but to see himself in Superman's actions; the worried expression, turning every moment to the screen that monitored the progress, even the walk from side to side that started after 44% of the data has been restored was the same.
All of Superman's actions remembered the Legion's leader of the first time he had seen Brainy in need of using his back up disk.
As it was for him back then, it all ended by when the transference of data finished. The Winathian couldn't help but to give an open smile to Brainy as he woke up.
The legionnaires took turns in explaining what had happened during the incident, Superman leaving with a tired look after explaining his part in the adventure for second time that day.
--
The hero from the past opened the bag he used to bring with him when they needed to be in the ship. From it he took one of the few things he had been able to bring with him to the future, a portrait with the picture that his parents took when they found him.
He stared at it for a long time, feeling nostalgic after facing the hologram that Quavermass 12 had used against him
Without expecting it, the homesick feeling was replaced by guilt, the guilt he felt for what he had done to his best friend.
Superman couldn't remember ever feeling something like what he felt at the thought of losing Brainy forever. Nothing, he couldn't even remember something slightly close to how it was.
Minutes later, some beeps took him out of his thoughts as the door opened to let Brainy enter.
The conversation that followed made Superman feel slightly better for what had happened, and with the thought that some reality television may help him, he followed the Coluan.
Walking next to Brainy, Superman remembered something some steps before entering into the lounge.
"Brainy, wait!" He took the Coluan's hand with his. "I have a surprise for you."
"Superman?" The Coluan asked as he was dragged back by the Kryptonian.
"It will only take a moment." Superman responded without stopping.
At the answer, Brainy let his friend walk him back to the room that had been assigned for the red caped hero when in the ship.
"Cover your eyes." Superman asked after opening his bag. "Please?" He added with a smile after seeing Brainy frowning.
The Coluan, realizing he couldn't deny something to that smile, did it.
Superman stood close to his friend after finding the box. He placed it in front of Brainy's eyes.
"You can see now." The Kryptonian gave a chuckle as Brainy looked in confusion to the box. "I bought this sometime ago, but with all what happened I didn't have the chance to give it to you."
After receiving the box in his hands, the Coluan shook it near his ear. "A puzzle?" He asked before answering his own question by opening the box and finding hundreds of pieces inside.
"Yeah… I thought it would be more fun to do one of these in the old way." Superman couldn't help but to wonder why he was blushing. "D-do you like it?"
"I do." Brainy took another look into the box full of pieces. "Can we do it now?"
"Weren't we supposed to be in the lounge?" Superman questioned.
"I think we have had enough of Bouncing Boy's classics for one day." The Coluan left the box in the table that was further into the room. "I'll go tell them not to wait for us."
The red caped hero found it entertaining to see his friend trying to contain a wide smile on his face as he left.
By when the Coluan returned, Superman was kneeling in the floor with the box next to him.
After an explanation of how much fun was to do it that way, the young genius knelt next to his friend as the pieces were poured in front of them.
The Kryptonian laughed for a long time when Brainy placed several backward pieces together, thinking it was part of a wall and trying to find it in the example picture from the box.
It didn't take long before the two of them got the hand on the subject, starting to appreciate how the images were gaining sense.
The two legionnaires spent a good amount of time putting the pieces together. Brainy found it oddly entertaining to be doing it with those carton pieces instead of using digital pieces in a screen. Superman was glad to see that, enjoying himself with seeing how much fun the Coluan seemed to be having.
After a pair of hours, the Kryptonian gave Brainy the last piece to complete the puzzle. He wished he could have a picture of the smile his friend showed after finishing it.
The two of them looked to the box's picture and to the puzzle, just to check everything was in place. The picture was the one of a lake surrounded by a vast area of trees and some species of animals Superman had never seen before.
Brainy observed the image in the completed puzzle with curiosity. "I don't think I have the data of where this image belongs to."
"The vendor told me it's a forest fro- Brainy?" Superman called as he felt the weight of the Coluan's head on his shoulder.
For a moment he was worried that something had been wrong after the back up, but he got relieved after realizing his young friend had simply fell asleep, tilting his head to Superman's shoulder.
Superman smiled as he played with a lock of hair from Brainy's forehead, his thoughts being focused on how calm and relaxed the young genius looked.
For some reason he didn't understand, his sight focused on the Coluan's lips. Something was wrong. He felt something inside of him that wanted to feel those lips against his.
Without noticing it himself, Superman had been playing with the young boy's hair for a long time already.
The room's door opened and Lighting Lad crossed it, being greeted by Superman's expression of a kid who had been discovered breaking some rule he wasn't supposed to.
The red caped hero's mind raced in possible explanations to the scene his leader had encountered with.
"Did he fall asleep?" Lighting Lad asked as he knelt to stroke Brainy's hair.
Superman was surprised that Lighting Lad had guessed it right. "How did you know?"
"He tends to fall asleep after some hours of using his back up disk." In a swift move the Legion's leader took Brainy in a bridal hold. "Can he use your bed?"
The red caped hero nodded with some confusion still on his face.
"Don't worry." Lighting Lad turned as he tucked Brainy up on Superman's bed "He is only tired for the process."
"So… I guess it hasn't been the first time this has happened" Superman asked with a serious tone.
"…it has happened sometimes." The Winathian's face got a dark expression. "Enough as for us to get used to it."
"I must have looked weird for you all." The Kryptonian chuckled trying to cover his embarrassment.
"I think we all were that worried when it first happened." The Legion's leader closed his eyes as he remembered. "I know I reacted in the same way until the 4th time."
"I hope I won't need to see him in that situation again." Superman dropped his sight to the floor. "At least not if it's my fault…"
Lighting Lad placed his hands on Superman's shoulders. "You and I." He said when the other looked at him.
Wondering if his leader meant what he thought he did, the Kryptonian looked at him as he walked to the door.
"You better get some sleep too. It has been a long day." The Winathian opened the door. "And Supes… try not to be so dense." He left.
'Dense? On what?' Superman thought as he returned to the side of his bed.
Kneeling to see him better, Superman felt that sensation of kissing him appearing again. He shook his head in disbelief of the thoughts he could have for his best friend.
Feeling like if his head would drown him with the thoughts, the hero decided to satisfy some of that desire.
Superman slowly approached his lips near the Coluan's face. He stopped at a few inches before nervously kissing the young genius' cheek.
"Good night, Brainy." The hero from the past whispered with a smile.
I guess I'll see how comfortable can be the lounge to sleep, he thought as he made sure his friend would be comfortable in the bed.
As he was standing to leave, Superman felt a tug on his cape. Brainy had taken hold of it, gazing at him with sleepy eyes. The man of steel felt some irregular bumps from his heart.
"Clark… don't leave me, please…" The Coluan's eyes shut closed as he fell asleep once again, his hand somehow keeping his hold on the cape.
Superman wondered if he needed to make someone check on his ears. Did Brainy just call him by his name? More important, did he really hear that?
He pulled from his cape, trying to make the Coluan release it. After a few times doing it, Superman took it off; highly doubting the young genius would release it.
Thinking on what his friend had just said, the Kryptonian took his pajamas out of his bag and entered in his bathroom to change into them.
When he walked out in his pajamas, the sight of the Coluan hugging the cape against his chest surprised Superman.
He stood there for a moment, fighting with the idea of entering in the bed. It certainly seemed big enough if both of them slept to the side, which Brainy was already doing.
Superman took a deep breath as he entered in the bed, trying not to wake his friend up. He remained still for several minutes before crossing his right arm to hold the body of his friend, his mind thinking that in that way the Coluan wouldn't fell off the bed if he rolled while dreaming... who did he want to fool with that thought? Brainy was in the side of the wall! Even if he rolled to the side he wouldn't fall.
The Kryptonian faced it; he did that only to be closer to the Coluan as they shared his bed. Some guilt accompanied the thought, but he knew it would be a unique occasion. And anyway, Brainy seemed to be smiling after he did so.