Krypto-Knight (Batman x Superman)

Chapter 14

Clark's POV:

When Bruce walked in, I couldn't fight the urge to run to him. I was tripping over my own feet.

I leapt into his arms and squeezed him tightly. He opened his mouth to say something, but I stopped him.

"Don't. I forgive you whole-heartedly. I don't even need to hear a long drawn out apology. I am just happy that you are safe."

Bruce grinned and pulled me in for another hug, this one longer.

"You are an amazing person, Clark." Bruce said, his cheeks turning pink.

Soon we heard footsteps behind us, and Alfred joined our conversation.

"What did you find?" He asked, getting down to business.

"I...well..." Bruce struggled for a moment. I placed my hand on his for comfort, and he jumped. We went over to the couch and took our seats.

"I went to Commissioner Gordon for help. He helped me solve the puzzle but...he now believes that I'm suspicious too because he doesn't understand my relationship with you. But I have some things, and--"

"--wait, wait. Relationship?" I asked, my heart starting to race. What exactly did he say?

"I didn't reveal your identity. I couldn't do that without your permission you know." He explained, and I felt myself calm down.

"And what did you find?" Alfred asked again, growing impatient.

"When we...went to the site of the bomb...we found...um...Clark?" Bruce still couldn't finish a single thought. Something must have really shaken him.

"Yes, Bruce?" I responded, squeezing his hand.

"Are you okay with...hearing this?"

"Yes. I'm ready. There is no more hiding, no more running. I want to get this over with."

Neither Bruce nor Alfred said anything to this.

"Oh come on guys, do you not believe me? I...I can't be that pitiful can I?"

"No, of course not. We just want to protect you." Alfred said, looking over at Bruce who still stared down at his hands.

After a few moments, Bruce reached into his pocket and pulled out a bag full of what looked like pieces of a newspaper. I knew immediately what it was after seeing one word.

"God...that isn't what it looks like you know, my boss Perry White made me write this. He is kind of obsessed with me. Well, Superman." I said, reaching for the bag. Bruce pulled it away, still not making eye contact with me.

"I figured. That's not the part that worries me." He said, opening the bag slowly and pulling out the pieces. He slid off of the couch and laid them out across the floor.

"Somebody wanted us to see this. They chose these specific parts of the newspaper on purpose, probably to discredit Superman."

"How do you know?" Asked Alfred, pushing up his glasses. "Could not not just be a coincidence? The wind could have blown them around or...the explosion could have..." Alfred's voice trailed off and he glanced at me, being careful with his words.

"It's not a coincidence. Because of this." Bruce said matter-of-factly, and then turned the pieces over.

My heart stopped. LUTHOR IS COMING was written is bright red letters across the backs of the pieces, along with a phone number.

There was silence among us for a long while until I said finally, "If whoever did this chose these pieces of the newspaper, and then wrote a message on them, then...that means that they placed them there after the explosion."