stole this from my twitter ! // superbat, fantasy au
bruce wayne, former prince of gotham, getting usurped and exiled by his subjects after his parents were murdered
years pass and he learns how to live off the land on the outskirts of a nearby city, only sneaking into town when he needs new horseshoes but quick to leave, always paranoid he'll be found out. there's a significant warrant out for him, and someone will get a hefty sum for him
so bruce lives in the forest, under a waterfall in a cave. its dark, damp, and defeaning, but its home. no one comes here.
except... one day, while he's washing his laundry by the banks, he glances up just in time to witness a man being stabbed and shoved over the crest of the waterfall, to plummet to his death
bruce runs for him, with no doubt that he wont make it in time, but trying anyway
the man lands, heavy, at the base of the waterfall and doesnt resurface. when bruce glances up, the perpetrators are gone and all thats left is the roar of the water and the heat of the sun simmering the back of his neck as he dives in after the man.
bruce finds the body and resurfaces somewhere down the river, the current too swift for him to swim against with such a large man acting as a dead weight.
but he is--blessedly--not dead. just unconscious. bleeding from a stomach wound that surely must be stinging, in definite need of first aid
bruce carries the man 'home'. he's dressed like a noble. brilliant white trimmed with gold, and a heavy ripped cape the color of rubies.
but right now he's just a man, one that needs help, so bruce helps.
when kal-el, prince of the kingdom of krypton, wakes up he thinks he's being greeted by an angel. brilliantly black hair, stormy grey eyes, and gentle hands that lift him to help him drink water.
his heart throbs in time with the wound in his belly in an instant.
"careful," the angel hums. "i'll take care of you."
and kal believes him with all his heart
kal learns that thomas, the angel, made a home here after his family sadly perished from the plague. he can't stand to be around people, kal also learns, but he's always gentle when he speaks with kal, so maybe he's just shy.
above all else, he's as beautiful and brilliant, and kal wants to bring his saviour with him home, to krypton. thomas refuses.
the first dozen times kal-el waxes poetic to him, about how his home is beautiful and safe. about how thomas would fit right in, how kal would give him all the treasures and protection he could ever want
thomas always always refuses, citing that he's happy here, alone and forgotten in a forest.
after a month of being with thomas, kal tries something else. its a full moon when he steps out of the cave, his wound mostly healed if not for the dark veins sprouting from it-- poison, thomas had told him. he'd gotten most out, but kal will need a more advanced healer to recover the rest of the way.
on the full moon night, kal drops to one knee as soon as bruce emerges from a meadow, a basket full of vegetables for dinner at his side.
"dedicated," kal responds, softly. "allow me to prove myself to you. you saved my life and i want to repay you."
"a partnership. more, later, if you allow. but protection nonetheless."
"and what makes you think i need protecting?" thomas says, brushing past
"because youre the lost prince of gotham," kal says, stopping bruce in his tracks.
"your kingdom is in shambles without you."
"... they didnt want me. nor need me." bruce keeps walking, and kal follows. theres a resigned cut to his shoulders, and a tremble in his hands
kal-el reaches out and lays his palm against bruce's back.
"i want you," kal whispers. "anything you have to offer."
"you dont /know/ me." bruce's voice goes sharp, but he doesnt pull away from kal's touch.
"i know your heart. thats enough. just... think about it?"
ANYWAY this was supposed to be horny and they fuck in the cave and kal gets all lost in bruce's eyes before he realizes they look familiar and it turned out bruce was betrothed to him when they were both kids LOL but i got distracted with fantasy superbat tendernism....
something something kal is still an alien but its a well kept secret and the people who stabbed him are a secret society trying to plot the downfall of krypton
something something bruce detectives his way through the mystery and kicks ass + horseback cuddling, starlit sex, probably them flirting with eachother in a tavern and having semi-public, semi-drunk sex out back LOL
(bruce having a conniption being around so many people at once and its Too Loud and!! he hates it!!!! so kal, who accidentally got a lil too drunk off wine, just takes him and kisses him silly in a dark booth at the back of the inn until he calms down mmm mm m mmm)
ANYWAY im never writing this fully so if anyone wants to steal this idea go for it!!
