Okay, so these would be my version of Superheroes. There won't be too much of action. I would say, just sit and enjoy, if you don't, you can drop, no need to fume over the story, I am writing it for my guilty pleasure, and then I thought, if I am enjoying it so others might also. Just being honest, I get shy, so do have a tendency to run into my bill with the story. It takes me time to gather courage to write, so yeah, just letting you guys know, thanks.
She was fuming, just absolutely fed up. Pissed off at her goody-two-shoes brother, pissed off at her pain-in-the-ass teacher, pissed off at the whole damn world. She just couldn't wrap her head around it. Why did people always have to be so weak? Why did they keep getting themselves into trouble, expecting someone else to bail them out? But what really got her was how she had to be the hero. And she sucked at it. She'd let her people down big time. She'd thought she'd be the one looking out for her baby brother, but it ended up being the other way around—him saving her, the so-called adult. Now, she couldn't even play the big sister role right. Instead, she was the one getting schooled and shown the way.
"Ughhh," she grunted, lost in her thoughts as she trudged forward. But her distraction proved costly when she collided with someone, sending them tumbling to the ground.
"Oww"
'Shit', that made her feel guilty. She hoped she didn't hurt the other person badly.
Peering down, she spotted a tousled mop of auburn hair slowly rising. Damn, he was a real heartthrob. His messy auburn locks framed golden brown eyes, a chiseled jawline, and Asian features that added to his allure. Even his shoulder bones were visible beneath his clothes. His long black lashes drew her attention, and she couldn't help but wonder if there was a hint of white in his eyes. As she stared deeper into them, she sensed an unfathomable depth, like they held an entire universe within. And his hair, darker than any redhead she'd ever seen, seemed to blaze like fire. What was she doing, getting lost in the looks of a stranger? But he did have that vibe, like he walked straight out of one of those vampire or werewolf romance stories.
Slowly, he rose to his feet, giving her a clearer view. Dressed sharply in a black shirt and navy blue pants, he looked even more captivating. Suddenly, a word popped into her mind, one that seemed to perfectly sum up his seductive yet enigmatic aura. Without much thought, she blurted out,
"Huh, Actually Satan"
The boy grumbled in response to her comment.
"Oh, come on now, why do people always compare me to him?" His words were barely a whisper, but nothing escaped her super hearing.
"My apologies. Well then, I'll be on my way." With that, the guy turned his back on her and began to walk away.
Wait a minute. He was leaving, and why was he apologizing? After all, she was the one who had bumped into him, causing him to fall and likely ruining his clothes. And then there was the matter of her comments. Why couldn't she just keep her mouth shut? How could she be so rude to someone she hadn't even met before?
She hurried after him and reached out, grabbing his hand from behind. "Sorry!" She genuinely was.
The boy looked surprised as he turned back to look at her, his expression one of disbelief. Finally shaking off his bewilderment, he simply waved his hand. "It's fine," he said dismissively.
But it wasn't fine. 'Of course it isn't fine. All she's done is be rude to him.'
"No, it's not fine. Let me make it up to you," she insisted.
"It's fine, really. I'm not someone you need to concern yourself with." The way he said those words, it was as if he was naturally self-deprecating. That troubled her because this guy, whom she didn't even know, seemed more troubled than her. Like she was the one supposed to be having an existential crisis.
"No, it isn't, and let me make it up to you."
"It's fi-"
"Nuh uh uh uh uh. You don't get to say you're fine," she interrupted him.
"No, it'-"
"Nope, nope, nope, nope, I don't hear you."
That finally elicited a sigh from the guy.
"Fine."
'Finally, victory is hers,' she thought with a grin.
"Kara Kent," she introduced herself, extending her hand for a handshake.
The boy glanced at her and then at her hand. For a moment, she thought he wasn't going to shake it. But then he took it, rather lightly, and shook it in a formal manner.
"I'm Saijo Luca."
"So, Saijo, let me treat you as an apology." For a moment, he looked confused. 'Is he slow?' Then he scratched the back of his head.
"Oh, sorry. Saijo is my family name. My name is Luca, and thank you for the offer." He tilted his body in a very formal manner.
'Ohhh, I read about it when being introduced to cultures of Earth.'
"Say, Luca, are you Japanese?" she asked, though in a more assured way.
"That would be correct," he replied. 'That confirms her doubt, though if it wasn't for his eyes, she would have doubted that. His hair color and his height make him seem to have more of a European ancestry, probably a mixed race.'
"Well then, let's get going. I know a great place." With that, she took his hand and dragged him along, ignoring any protests the guy might have.
After plopping down in a booth at the diner, Kara wasted no time in ordering herself a jumbo hamburger, fries, and a large milkshake. She figured she might order more later, but what's the point now if it's just gonna get cold, right? Meanwhile, Luca sat across from her, going for the cheapest burger on the menu. 'Talk about being frugal.' Throughout the ordering process, he hadn't said a word. Seemed like she'd have to be the one to get the conversation rolling.
"So, what's your deal?" she asked, leaning in with curiosity.
"I'm studying Law at Metropolis University," he replied, with his formal demeanor. 'Ahhh, so they're both students there.'
"Cool beans. I'm over there too, studying Robot Mechanics and Intelligence," she said, noticing a glint in his eye when she mentioned robots. Maybe he was into that stuff too.
"Sounds interesting," he said, genuinely intrigued. Surprisingly refreshing, he hadn't fibbed once, and he seemed genuinely interested in her interests. She hadn't met many folks on Earth who were this real, except for her family and League members. It was a breath of fresh air, making her feel more at ease. Maybe bringing this guy along wasn't such a bad idea after all; she was already feeling more relaxed.
"So why Law?" she asked, genuinely intrigued. 'If he's into robots, why the switch to Law?'
Luca paused, thinking for a moment before meeting her gaze with a serious expression. There was something in his eyes, something she couldn't quite put her finger on but knew was real.
"Because in this crazy world, where heroes are busy busting villains left and right, the real bad guys—the ones pulling the strings—often get away with it. People like corrupt politicians, people like Lex Luthor, people like Bruce Wayne."
Kara did a double take. Did he just call Bruce Wayne a villain? Now she was curious. She had to know more.
"Hmmm, why Bruce Wayne though? I get the politicians and Lex Luthor, but Bruce? All he's done is help out Gotham, taken in kids, and funded every charity in sight." She may not be a fan of him, but she had to admit, his kids were alright. Heck, Barbara (even though not his) was still her best bud.
Luca just scoffed.
"Well, of course he would. If he won't even do that much, then the media and journalists will chew him alive. Who do you think is paid to maintain all the hospitals in the city? In case of a disaster, who do you think gets all the contracts? Who do you think gets the funds to run the Arkham Asylum?" Luca's questions were genuine, and Kara found herself intrigued. She took a sip of her shake, giving Luca her full attention.
"Who do you think funds the lawyers that save those psychopaths from facing the law, proving them mentally insane and getting them into Arkham Asylum? How many projects do you think Wayne Enterprises has proposed to rebuild the city, yet none of them reached completion because of the antics of some criminal or other? And where do you think all the money raised for these projects from the government and other philanthropists ends up?"
"The answer to all those questions is Bruce Wayne. By keeping a cycle of death and destruction going on, he ensures that Wayne Enterprises' wallet is always lined with cash. Heck, he even funds the Justice League and the Watchtower to keep himself in the good books of superheroes."
Kara could see the sense in his words. While she knew he was wrong—after all, Bruce Wayne himself was a superhero—from the perspective of a civilian, it did sound like Bruce was the bad guy. Hearing that one of her fellow League members was secretly a supervillain who also had a chip on his shoulder against her was certainly interesting.
"And you know what, I wouldn't be surprised if Batman is in cahoots with him." Now Luca was painting even Batman as a villain. She was going to have a lot of fun teasing Batman the next time he called her incompetent or a wrecking force of nature.
"Like the guy dresses like a bat, tries to scare the thugs, yet they keep on coming back. And you know what? He goes the extra mile to ensure that even if they are subdued, they don't die. Heck, he even saves them—saves people like Joker, who will again get out and then go on a rampage, killing hundreds. And you know who makes billions out of it? Yes, that is Bruce Wayne. So either Batman himself needs therapy, or Bruce Wayne and Batman are actually the same person."
That made her choke. She couldn't stop herself from spitting out all the milkshake she had in her mouth, staining his clothes and face.
'Damn, she finally did it. She's definitely gonna scare him off. No, wait, rewind. This guy has figured out the secret identity of Batman in a twisted yet totally logical way. Forget Batman, this guy is the real greatest detective on Earth.'
Back to try and compose herself, she couldn't shake off the embarrassment.
'Oh my god, what has she done? He's never gonna talk to her again.'
"I am so sorry," Kara hurriedly took out her handkerchief and got up, moving towards Luca to wipe his face off.
"No, it's fine," he casually waved her off, taking out his own handkerchief to clean his face.
"Stop with the 'fine'," Kara practically stomped towards him. Why did this guy reject everything she said? Now he was just getting on her nerves.
"No, it's okay," Luca said, trying to scuttle back inside of his stall, as if trying to avoid her.
Now he was just pissing her off.
"Just let me clean your face," she emphasized her words.
He struggled not to let her, but she overpowered him, making him fall on his back while she was on top of him. 'Damn super strength'. Then it hit her.
'What sort of rom-com moment is this? Am I in a sitcom story? And damn, those eyes aren't supposed to be that pretty. She could feel heat rising up on her cheeks.'
While all he did was look stupefied.
"I am sorry," Kara hurriedly got off, hiding her face with embarrassment. Why did she ruin everything? She couldn't stop feeling dejected.
Then she heard it.
"He, haha"
He was laughing now.
'I guess it's still salvageable.' And she joined in the laugh.
"It does sound absurd, doesn't it? Bruce Wayne being Batman."
He was scratching his back when he said that, and Kara couldn't help but notice the subtle tension in his movements, as if he was trying to avoid her gaze.
"When you explain it like that, maybe not so much," Kara replied. After all, this guy did figure out Batman's identity, so he wasn't entirely wrong.
He finally wiped his face clean, and Kara felt a sense of relief wash over her. Despite the awkwardness of the situation, she was grateful that Luca seemed to be taking it all in stride. Maybe this wouldn't be such a disaster after all.
She was about to say something when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. Pulling it out, she saw it was from the League—apparently, Toy Man was causing trouble again.
She didn't want to go, but duty called. Looking at Luca with a bit of a sad smile, she realized he had been nothing but gracious to her this whole time, and now she was going to leave him hanging.
"It's a message from my job. Some emergency came up, and I would have to leave. Maybe we could meet again?" she asked hopefully.
To this, Luca simply smiled.
"Of course," he said, and there was something reassuring in his tone. With that, she rushed out of the diner and into an alley, taking off her glasses to change into her superhero costume. It was time to be Supergirl.
As Supergirl soared through the sky towards the distant figure of Toy Man and his menacing giant robotic toy, a pang of frustration hit her. She realized she had forgotten to ask for Luca's number. How was she going to get back in touch with him now? The thought soured her mood, adding an extra layer of determination to her already steely resolve.
With a burst of speed, she closed the distance between herself and the robotic monstrosity. Her eyes glowed with a fierce determination as she prepared to take down the threat.
Before Toy Man could even react, Supergirl unleashed a barrage of punches and heat vision blasts, sending the robot tumbling and causing chaos all around. Within moments, Toy Man was thrown from his mechanical contraption, landing hard on the ground below.
As he struggled to regain his bearings, he looked up to see Supergirl standing before him, her expression a mixture of anger and disappointment. She wasted no time in hoisting him up by his shirt, her grip firm and unyielding.
"That's for ruining my date," she declared, her voice tinged with frustration. Though deep down, she knew it wasn't really a date—they had just met, and she had dragged him along without even properly getting to know him. But in this moment of adrenaline-fueled confrontation, it felt like the right thing to say.
All Toy Man could do was gulp
It was later, and Kara found herself at Clark and Lois's residence in Metropolis. She still hadn't found her own place close to campus, so she was crashing with them for the time being. Fortunately, they had an extra room.
Here she was, lounging upside down on the sofa, legs swinging over the headrest, while she watched a show on the history channel about heroes of old. She heard the door open, signaling Clark and Lois's return.
"Hey Lois," she greeted without turning her gaze from the TV.
"Hey Kara," came the reply.
"Clark isn't with you?" she inquired, already guessing he was probably off handling something important.
"Had to meet up with Batman, concerning a few things," Lois answered, prompting a snicker from Kara as she remembered today's events.
"Someone seems to be in a good mood, did something good happen?" Lois asked, taking a more normal position.
"Well, I met a guy today," Kara admitted, still trying to contain her amusement.
An eyebrow raised from Lois's side.
"And he had a few interesting things to say about Batman?"
"Nothing much, just how Batman and Bruce Wayne might be the same person who's secretly a supervillain," Kara explained, struggling to stifle her laughter.
That made Lois pause, realizing the potential implications. If some civilian had figured out Batman's identity, it could be troublesome.
"That could be risky," Lois remarked, concerned.
"Oh, don't worry. I was careful, and throughout our conversation, he didn't lie once. In fact, he seems to be on the side of justice, wishing to be a lawyer to put criminals like Lex Luthor and Bruce Wayne behind bars," Kara assured with a smirk.
Lois couldn't help but feel intrigued. 'Okay, from the description the guy seems fine if just somebody who would go after her husband's best friend, but that is something which would have to be fought lawfully, and there is still a lot of time for the guy to graduate, though there is something more interesting that she needs to know.'
A mischievous smile spread over Lois's face. "Well, I bet he must be one of those nerds if he spends so much time just digging into the superheroes to figure out their identity."
This remark triggered Kara, making her sit up in a more attentive way. "Absolutely not," she declared firmly, though Lois's casual demeanor made her feel like she needed to protect Luca's image.
"I will let you know he is very good-looking, he has auburn hair, a very well-maintained physique, golden brown eyes," Kara began, her words taking on a more imaginative tone. "And his eyes seem to hide a complete world. He's tall and looks as if out of one of those vampire stories, but unlike them, he is very kind and—" She abruptly cut herself off, realizing what she had just revealed.
"It seems that Kara has gotten her first crush," Lois teased, her tone full of amusement.
Those words filled Kara with horror. She quickly grabbed a pillow to block Lois's view and dashed to her room at superspeed, hoping to avoid any further embarrassment.
Meanwhile, Superman slid through the window to enter the apartment. Unlike Kara, Clark always controlled his super hearing to avoid eavesdropping on personal conversations.
"Why was Kara in a hurry?" he asked Lois.
"Oh, nothing, just girl-to-girl talk," Lois replied cryptically, heading to her room to freshen up.
All Clark could do was shrug and follow her to change his clothes, unaware of the playful teasing unfolding in his own home.