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In the depths of Antarctica, where men don’t have the courage to approach, hidden beneath ice and snow, there is a place only a select few know of, a place abandoned by time.
Entering it, one would find many strange things, none of them, though, precious enough, as a lead lined box, carefully hidden behind a wall. Inside, there is nothing but a small ripped picture of two smiling men, left there to rot forever.
Thousands of miles away, in a small farm in Kansas, one of the two men in question is sitting on his front porch, fondly reminiscing the other, living as the shell of a man doomed to remain in the shadows of his former glory, detached from any human contact.
He realized years ago, there were no hopes for love for him but the one that got away. So, he spent his days in a self made prison of memories, a carefully crafted form of self-punishment to always remind him not to let himself make the mistake of loving ever again.
~~~
“Come on Bruce, we don’t have any pictures together as Batman and Superman. Just one, to remember the good times” Clark said, putting his arm around Bruce’s shoulder and leaning his head on, smiling. Bruce shook his head in amusement, before giving a smile for the camera.
“No, no cowl off.”
Bruce now rolled his eyes, but complied.
“You better guard this with your life Kent. If people find out who Batman is just from a picture…” Bruce snorted, but gave no other resistance. They took the picture and then Bruce turned his head.
Their faces were so close, lips almost touching. They looked at each other for a moment, before Bruce leaned forward, and suddenly their lips were touching. Finally, after all these years, Clark had what he wanted. He felt Bruce deepen the kiss and something inside him fluttered.
Then, a siren was heard. There was always something interrupting them, damn it.
Bruce put on the cowl. Clark’s disappointment must have shown on his face, because he saw Batman giving him a half smile.
“How about we continue this later hm? I think we might be needed now.” He answered sarcastically as the sirens became louder and Clark felt his whole face lighting up, giving the other a grin, as he turned to the door.
“Come on, then, we have work to do.” Clark said, rushing out the door, while Bruce followed him, giving an amused laugh.
~~~
Clark slowly opened his eyes. He stared at the ceiling for a moment, unmoving, before he closed them again, smiling and turned to the side. Bruce was right next to him, sleeping soundly. He dropped a hand over him and pulled himself closer, putting his head on the other's shoulder. Bruce reflexively responded, bringing his arm to hug him as well, but did not otherwise move.
How did he get so lucky?
~~~~
The battle had just ended. They had won, finally.
But he couldn’t shake the feeling of something being wrong. He took one breath, then a second one, trying to calm himself, before going to find the rest of his teammates. Only Batman and Wonder Woman were missing.
He tried hearing Batman’s heartbeat, only to find silence. Clark looked around frantically, trying to locate his lover, unsuccessfully.
He ignored the growing feeling of terror and looked for Diana instead.
He found her in a room of an abandoned building, crouching over a dark figure.
Clark closed his eyes. This wasn’t real, it couldn’t be.
“You have to be mindful of your surroundings”, Batman had always said.
“You not being concentrated could cost someone his life.”
Superman should have known by now that Batman was never wrong.
In the weeks that followed, Clark did not have the strength to leave the comfort of his apartment, opting to stay underneath the covers, looking at that last photograph instead.
Wherever he went, he was forced to confront the ugly truth. He wasn’t ready, not yet. He would live in his well crafted lie for as long as he could.
A few months later, he quit his job at the Daily Planet. Lois tried to talk him out of it, tried to convince him that his grief didn’t allow him to see clearly, but his mind had been made up. He no longer wished to deceive readers with fake feelings of safety. Because truth was, none of them were ever really safe.
A year afterwards, Clark made what should have been the most difficult decision of his life: to leave Superman behind once and for all. Surprisingly, though, it wasn’t that difficult.
He looked at his old room in the Watchtower, his eyes glued to the spot he had last stood. He swallowed the lump in his throat and turned off the lights, walking away forever.
Next stop was the Fortress, ready to leave his Superman suit behind once and for all. He was to never return there, after all.
He carefully placed his suit in a glass case. He let his eyes wander around the room. He would miss this. His hand unconsciously clutched the picture, before taking it out and looking at it.
It was a picture of Batman and Superman, Clark sorrowfully thought.
Clark Kent knew neither.
He placed it in a black, lead-lined box.
Then proceeded to walk out of there forever.