How can I ever apologize for leaving this story in the shadows for yet another year… College life sucks, but I made myself the goal to try to write and upload at least a chapter per month. I doubt any of my first reviewers will still be following this story, but I hope I can get at least a few people to keep me with the will to continue.
This chapter goes for everyone who left a comment at least once and specially to Wolfworrier911 and SillyMonth, whose comments made me regain the will to keep this up.
P.S.: I'm also working on a YJ story, which I hope to upload soon.
Beyond Logic
Chapter 6
"So yet once again you let the moment slip through your hands." Lighting Lad rolled his eyes as the Coluan finished venting on him.
"Do you even know how high are the probabilities of a worst case scenario happening?"
"Oh please, Brainy." The Winathian was starting to wonder if rolling his eyes so often could be bad for his health. "What is the worst thing that could happen? A bond broken? A bone broken? A sentence of death? A restriction order?"
"..." Brainy shivered at the possibilities. "Thanks for the mental images."
"Seriously, don't you think it's worth the risk?" He snickered. "You can't let some crazy equation stop you. After all, love goes beyond logic."
"It isn't that easy to separate logic from your mind when you are an android."
Brainiac 5 knew that every time he used the word 'android' when referring to himself it would end in an argument with most of his comrades, but today he didn't have time for it. He was supposed to meet with certain caped hero for a patrol shift.
"Though I would like to continue with this talk, I must be somewhere else."
"No one here thinks of you that way, Brainy" Lighting Lad got to say before his friend could leave. "Keep that in mind"
–
It hadn't even been an hour since they started to patrol through the city, but it was obvious for the Coluan that something was wrong with his partner that night.
"You seem to be distracted" Brainy pointed as he waited for the Kryptonian to catch up with him for the 4th time that night. "More than usual."
"Is it that obvious?" Clark blushed, wondering if the reason for it was his lack of professionalism or the view of the green skinned boy in front of him.
"If you can't focus we can always stop for the night and return to the base."
Brainiac 5 fiddled with his arm computer while waiting for a response
"Sorry... I just... just seem to have something going on in my mind."
"No use on forcing yourself to continue." The Coluan closed his arm computer. "Timber Wolf and Phantom Girl will replace us."
"I thought they were on a date" Superman asked with a hint of confusion.
"They are." Brainy responded with a mischievous grin. "but Phantom Girl still owes us for covering up with her mother."
The caped hero couldn't help but to grin back. "I hope you are ready for the consequences of interrupting a date."
"I believe she'll be thrilled to combine both dating and patrolling... though I can't assure the same for Timber Wolf."
After communicating the change of plans to the other two legionaries, the former patrolling team for the night started their way back to base.
"I'm sorry, Brainy." Superman apologized as he flew besides his friend. "You can add another patrol shift with me to my tab."
"Though the idea sounds appealing, I'll refrain from putting you on patrol shifts until you can get whatever you have on your mind figured out."
Superman sighed in relief as he noticed his friend smiling instead of the grumpy face he had been getting used to for the last days. He certainly had missed that smile on his Coluan... yeah, he couldn't let anything take that smile away from him again.
"Superman...?" The Coluan reacted as his partner got hold of his hand.
"Maybe I can make it up to you in other way, not only with a patrol shift." The Kryptonian pulled Brainy to an stop and pointed to an area apart from the city. "Besides, we are free for the rest of the night, right?"
Brainiac 5 could think of hundreds of productive experiments, investigations and analyzes he could use that night for... but nothing of it mattered to him at that moment. He simply nodded, more than willing to sacrifice his genius time to get some more time along Superman.
The caped hero guided his friend to an entertainment park out of the urban areas of the city. He was glad the line for tickets was practically empty, after all, he doubted he could make a line worth of two hours of wait let him pass through as Alexis had done when she invited him to the park.
"So you are not bringing that lovely lady with you today, uh?"
Superman turned to check on Brainy. Smile still there, which meant the boy probably didn't hear what the ticket seller commented on.
"I don't think you'll see her around for a long time" The Kryptonian answered in a bitter whisper as he paid for two tickets.
"Interesting place." Brainy commented as he surveyed the area.
The two legionnaires walked around the attractions, neither of them daring to break the peaceful silence they shared. It was a nice change after all the personal conflicts both of them have been dealing with during the last days.
Superman was the first to disturb their silence, asking if any attraction had caught the eye of the Coluan; it surprised the caped hero when his partner chose the spinning top hats, he had been expecting his friend to choose something more scientific like.
Brainy couldn't hide his glowing smile as they left the ride several minutes later. Even if he didn't want others knowing about it, those silly rides used to trigger the few happy memories he had from Colu.
Clark tried to comment on his partner's smile, just to be interrupted by the seller of a cotton candy stand near them.
"Hey boy, I see you got a friend with you this time." The seller nodded in a wise manner. "That's good. You shouldn't let any girlfriend monopolize you away from friends."
"Alexis was not my girlfriend!" Superman shout, accomplishing his attempt of making the seller retreat, but getting the attention of several people around them at the same time.
"So... that's how you know of this place?"
Brainy hid the bitterness on his voice, partially succeeding, the hurt expression on him giving him away.
"Y...yeah..." Superman admitted in defeat. "We could go somewhere else if you want to."
"You already paid the tickets, we may as well use them."
The Coluan repeated mentally a mantra of 'Alexis is in prison. She won't steal him from me-. from the legion again I mean.'
"Anyway, I'm sure that I'll enjoy this place with you way more than what I thought I enjoyed it with Al-" Clark corrected himself before doing more damage. "You know who."
The secret mantra helped Brainy to relax again, though maybe the arm that had been placed around his shoulder had more to do with it than what he thought.
Once the ties between Alexis and the park had been forgotten, the young Coluan let himself enjoy of the different attractions that Superman would drag him in; between them was the roller coaster, in which the Coluan had to use all his willpower to maintain his cool and avoid screaming as the ride got to its maximum speed.
Afterward, both legionaries set themselves in a competition to see who could get more prizes in the different stands around the park; Superman excelled in the test of strength, but Brainiac 5 got to out stand the older hero in the stands that would require more brains than muscle.
By the end of the competition Brainiac 5 had defeated Superman by "rescuing" 3 more stuffed animals than the boy of steel.
"You know, I don't think we'll be welcome here again." Superman stated as he walked with a basket that contained the proud mountain of prizes they both have gathered during the last hour.
"Maybe next time we should go to a park designed for metas." Brainy looked down at his feet with innocence. "That's if you ever want to do this again..."
"I would be glad to." Superman smiled as he got hold of the Coluan's hand. "Come, we can't leave a park without going to the ride where we met."
After all that had happened since they traveled to the past, Brainiac 5 had almost forgotten the ferris wheel was where it all started. He recreated the events in his mind as they waited for their turn in line.
"I didn't expect the capsules to be this small in the future."
The capsule had only two seats, one in front of the other, but the space was so reduced that their legs had to interlace and Clark had to crouch so much that his forehead was only at mere centimeters from Brainy's.
"I must agree, this is the smallest ferris wheel's capsule I've seen." Brainiac 5 said as the door closed, the air inside starting to warm up for the closeness of their bodies.
Both young heroes gave their best to avoid the blood to accumulate in their cheeks. Brainy started to talk about past missions as they enjoyed the view outside, hoping it would help to keep his mind on focus.
As they reached the peak of the ride Superman turned his body to get a better view, resting his hand on Brainy's tight by mistake.
The Coluan reacted by looking up to his partner, forcing a gaze that charmed both legionnaires, forcing them to remain silent, hand unmoved and the blood flowing up to their faces.
"Brainy…" Superman could feel his brain fighting against his instincts, but he couldn't care less, he slowly shortened the distance between his lips and Brainy's. He could always blame it on the confined space.
"I hope you enjoyed the ride." Was the voice heard as the capsule's door opened.
Superman cursed as he pulled from the attempted kiss to exit the capsule, followed by a blushed and confused Brainy.
"That was rather short." The older of the heroes commented with some despise as he picked up the basket with prizes.
"Nether less, it was enjoyable." The Coluan responded as the blush started to fade from his face.
Clark avoided looking at his friend's eyes a they walked, guilt from what he almost did starting to hit. "We better head back, it's getting late."
"How delightful to see you again, android."
The Coluan turned to the voice. It was man dressed as an Scavenger, pointing at him with one of the weapons they have confiscated.
"You didn't think you got all of us, did you?" The Scavenger said calmly as he shot the weapon.
Superman released his hold on the basket to protect Brainy with his body. After being pushed to the floor by the impact, he rolled without loosing his grip on the Coluan, the scavenger continuing on his attempt to shoot them.
It didn't last long though, they heard the scavenger cry in pain. The caped hero stopped rolling as the shots ceased. They both looked at their foe, panting in pain while holding what only could be the damage of a laser on his hand.
"Good timing on your heat vision." The Coluan panted as he accepted his friend's help to stand up.
Superman shook his head. "I didn't do it."
Both legionnaires looked at each other in confusion, unaware of a figure hiding in the shadows that smiled at the view of an unharmed Brainiac 5.