superman crashes onto earth as an adult. with the grief of a dead planet fresh in his heart, he latches on to the first person who shows him kindness: batman.
batman is not exactly pleased, but he intimately knows the pain of losing everything that you hold dear, so he tolerates kal-el's clinginess and accomodates as best he can.
the justice league finds it hilarious. the sunny, smiling alien really dampens the whole scary, brooding, creature of the night effect batman has going on. but, since kal-el clearly isn't comfortable with anyone else in the league, batman has to look out for him. and he seems to have a crush on the dark knight. it's icing on the cake, really.
but then batman gets injured in battle and kal—with resurfacing memories of his destroyed home and dead family—goes absolutely insane. he dispatches the attackers with terrifying precision, barely restraining himself from killing all of them, if only because he knew batman would disapprove.
the league isn't laughing anymore when kal, with burning eyes and rubble caught in his suit, reaches for batman and earnestly asks if he's all right.
bruce, meanwhile, can't seem to stop the race of his heart, the pulse heavy in his gut. he swallows thickly as he takes kal's outstretched hand, thanking him and avoiding his eyes, if only to hide the desire blazing in his own.
























