returning to the topic of Bruce as a real bat from this post
an alternative scenario, in which the Waynes are not vampires, but bats-shifters
let's say there are very few people like them, so they keep it somewhat secret
so let's imagine that young Bruce doesn't sleep for several nights in a row because of a difficult case, and when he closes it, instead of resting, he gets business matters in Metropolis, which prevent him from even dozing off during the trip
So in the evening, finally leaving the conference room of some business center, Bruce goes out onto the balcony for just a couple of minutes to get some air, hoping that this will allow him to hold out a little longer
But instead, he subconsciously turns into a bat and clings to the ledge under the air conditioner, immediately falling asleep
remember that slightly smaller than usual battinson bat? I like the idea that maybe Bruce is a little smaller than average in animal form due to age and other circumstances
so Clark returns from his own patrol and accidentally hears this high-pitched sound that humans can't hear
as a guy who already rescues cats from trees, of course he finds this cute sleeping bat in an unusual place and starts to worry because this is definitely not a place for hibernation and anyway, aren't bats supposed to have a colony or something?
Clark tries to hear similar sounds, but without success, and he just can't leave this little winged puppy whose nose sticks out so cutely between its wings
So, before any of the building's employees notice, Clark carefully picks up the bat (wondering why it doesn't wake up), puts it in his cape pocket, and flies away
Bruce wakes up so well rested that his body feels numb and pleasantly tingly, he has probably never slept so well before.
So his first problem is that he is in someone else's apartment
The second is that he is wrapped in Superman's cape, and for some reason this stupid rag feels nice to the touch
Batman and Superman have met before, but they had a very cool and distrustful relationship at the time, so Bruce is going through a particularly intense personal crisis when he sees the familiar reporter coming out of the kitchen without his glasses and with those annoying curls falling in a cascade over his forehead
and then Bruce also realizes that he cannot turn into a human in front of him under any circumstances
and the bigger problem is that Bruce cannot just fly out the window
due to the early death of his parents, Bruce never learned to fly
there was simply no one around who could teach him
So, when Clark approaches the cute little bundle wrapped in his own cape, reaching out with a gentle smile and saying “Hi-” Bruce has no choice but to hiss loudly, twitching his ears and staring menacingly at the man
For some reason, Superman is not frightened by the fiery gaze of the huge black eyes, and his smile doesn't disappear, even though he withdraws his hand
“If I was wrong and you're okay, I won't force you to stay, of course”
Bruce snorts, as if a real bat could understand all this politeness
But Clark carefully unties his own cape
and Bruce just as aggressively falls from the sofa to the floor and crawls along it, clinging to the old carpet with his claws
The open window is close enough to reach, but Bruce can't quite get to it
so he hides under the dresser standing under that very window and plans his escape as soon as the man leaves the room or at least turns away
His head is buzzing from the noise of the city, the noisy people around him, the neighbors in the apartment next door who seem to be getting divorced, the crying of a child from another apartment on the side, the noise of the TV from the apartment above
There was not a single familiar sound around him, or anything to divert his attention, and somewhere in his chest, the desire to curl up into a ball was burning
Suddenly, he is distracted by the quiet clatter of a bowl of strawberries and bananas landing on the floor nearby, along with the man who patiently sits down and smiles again
“I guess all this noise is too much for you. I think I can understand when hearing too much seems like a curse”
Bruce wants to hiss again, but the man's quieter, lower baritone somehow vibrates pleasantly in his ears
Bruce hates even more that he hasn't eaten since morning, and the sight of the fruit offered makes him even hungrier
So Bruce gets stuck with Clark for a while, because the man absolutely refuses to just leave the animal in trouble and therefore takes a couple of days off and takes the bat with him everywhere, hiding it inside his clothes when necessary
Bruce refuses to admit that this is not the worst situation he has ever been in
Superman, as expected, does everything he can to save the puppy he found, and to Bruce's horror, seems ready to even help it “hibernate” if necessary and release it in the spring
When Bruce tries to contact Alfred using Clark's phone left on the couch, the man finds a bat staring charmingly like 🥺 at the smartphone screen, clicking its claws at it to no avail
Of course, Superman quickly notices that his bat cannot fly, so he carefully examines Bruce's wings, placing him on his lap and spreading his wings with both hands (Bruce hisses, bites, and whines, promising to put kryptonite right on his claws)
So, one quiet night, Superman takes the bat with him and unexpectedly teaches him to fly, catching him every time he falls
When Alfred finally appears at the doorstep of the reporter's apartment with a completely impassive expression and the phrase, “I'm afraid, sir, you've found something I have to collect, Bruce is lying on Clark's head and thinking how bold it would be on his part to return to this apartment every evening before patrols
just to keep an eye on Superman, nothing more
definitely not to sleep on his huge chest in the starfish position
and definitely not to steal the young man's pies
and certainly not just to listen to his pleasant baritone voice
And when Bruce is ready to reveal his identity, he can call Superman with this specific bat-like voice that no other person can hear
except Clark🥺