Celestial Sensations
9. Fallout
CHAPTER NINE : FALLOUT
The room was uncomfortably silent. Stranger caught the stares directed his way.
“I can see that it’s time for my departure as well. Again Bruce, I apologize for this…sequence of events.”
“Maybe I should check behind the curtains.”
“No, there should be no more interruptions. As for our situation-“
“I need to think about a lot of things. It’s late.”
Superman picked up the conversation. “Stranger, I’ll reserve judgment on what to do about your League membership. But I can’t lie. Tonight puts serious doubts in my mind, for reasons I’d rather not go into.”
“I fully understand.”
Nightwing stretched. “I’m going as well, Bruce. The freak show looks like a wrap.”
Bruce approached him. “I appreciate you coming. I could easily understand if you didn’t want to.”
“Well.” Dick sighed. “Let’s just say things aren’t so easy to turn off. But don’t get all sentimental on me. I thought you were in danger.”
“You still didn’t have to come. If I could change everything I would.”
“True. Then we wouldn’t be standing here awkwardly.” Nightwing turned to Superman. “Amazing turn of events, don’t you think? What you think you know, you don’t know. Just saying.”
The perplexed Kryptonian stared. “What are you getting at?”
“Think it over, Clark. Circumstance can clear the field.” Dick abruptly left.
()
The others watched him go. “It’s time for me to leave as well, Bruce. Things seem to have settled down.” Superman kept eyeing the Stranger.
Bruce placed hands on big shoulders. “I can always count on you. It’s like having my own personal security shield, no matter what.”
Clark leaned in, lowering his voice. “You made the decision.” He backed up quickly. “In any case, I’d better get home.” He floated upward.
“Why are you going up there?”
Superman pointed. “May as well go out the hole Dick made in the window.”
()
Bruce turned around slowly after Clark left. “And now we’re stuck at door number three.”
“It’s late, Bruce. Rest, and we can speak of these things later.”
“Or not at all. I feel like my eyes are finally open for the first time.”
“I don’t-“
“What in God’s name kind of life do you lead, anyway? You expect me to be with you and deal with this lunacy on a regular basis?”
The Stranger tilted his head oddly, face bleeding into shadow. “Go to sleep, Bruce. As I said, now is not the time.”
The big man flared. “You can’t just drop all this at my doorstep-“
But the Stranger was already gone.
()
Wearily, Bruce made it to bed. But once there, sleep eluded him.
Too much, too much. What is the Stranger? Everyone has theories, no one really knows. Is he a man from another universe? A fallen angel? Someone from ancient times cursed?
He punched a pillow in anger. It’s as if he has dual sides. The one we think we know, and the one no one knows. Multiple lives, many existences. He dances in and out of all realities. But where do I fit into this maze? For all my accomplishments, I’m just a dot in the universe. A relationship with him is bound to be full of never ending crazy.
Bruce relaxed at a surprising realization. Wait a minute! This whole deal has killed my libido for the Stranger. For the first time in days I can think clearly without my body doing a slow burn.
Suddenly drowsy with the knowledge, Bruce let exhaustion claim him.
()