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- - -
Finally, there was quiet in the Batcave. It should have been the perfect time to think.
Bruce stared at the blank screen ahead. He'd meant to start compiling notes. Hell, he set this time aside specifically to sit down and mull over recent events - especially regarding Clark Kent. Yet every time Bruce tried to put those thoughts in order, his focus began to waver and fog. Every single time, without fail.
It was beyond unusual. So much that Bruce couldn't possibly ignore it - yet he could not center on it at all. Even more peculiar, there was nothing keeping him from centering on how strange that was. It was as if thoughts of Superman were being blurred specifically. And that meant intent.
He gets dumped by the love of his life and walks around the Watchtower looking no worse for wear…
Bruce grimaced then, experiencing his train of thought turn to vapor in real time. Suddenly his mind was off track, barrelling through a forest of unrelated things. Gotham gang wars, Intergang muscling into Chinese territory, Cadmus conducting human experiments with government funding. Anything but Superman.
Bruce tried to veer his mind back on course. Tried to focus on the peculiarity of Clark's sudden interest in flings. As discreet as his friend tried to be, Bruce took notice. Black Canary and Vixen within days of each other. Yet just as Bruce was noting how Clark never seemed the type for casual sex, once more his focus turned to smoke. Thinning out into nothing right there in his own head.
The Dark Knight slumped in his computer chair, scowling at nothing. Because there was nothing. No culprit he could see. No target to hit. He tried to get angry but even that too was snuffed out.
So he sat there and fumed in silence. Until there came the soft padding of bare feet. Approaching from behind.
Bruce's anger dimmed. His frustration lingered, though. Especially as gentle hands came sliding down his chest from above. Wisps of dark, silky hair came down to tickle his temples as his guest rested her chin atop his head.
The feel of her lips was dangerous. The kiss to his ear was the killshot.
"You should know by now, my love… There are some things more important than brooding at your desk." Talia's smooth purr was sweetened by her accent.
"I was just trying to think…"
"There are some things more important than thinking." Talia laid a kiss upon his neck, sliding her hands further down his torso, feeling up his flat, muscled stomach through the thin fabric of his athletics shirt. "More fun, as well."
"Hm. Such as?"
Talia let out a tiny scoff and her touch and her warmth slipped away from him. Again he heard the padding of her feet against the stone floor. She rounded to his front, gracing him with the sight of her splendid nudity. Tall, sensual, leggy, Talia al Ghul stood proud, looking down at him with those striking green eyes. They were alight with mirth, with defiance, with impatient need.
Bruce kept a straight face. Even as he drew his own gaze over her ripe bosom and the faint lines of her tummy.
"Such as keeping your woman happy." Talia answered pointedly.
"Don't you mean women?" Another voice chimed in. Bruce closed his eyes, fighting back a groan. He thought he'd have more time before they both woke up. Alas, Selina came sauntering up beside Talia, equally naked, equally expectant. The Cat Thief's eyes were a different shade of green than those of the Demon's Daughter. Hers were lighter and far, far more devious. "It took both of us to pin down the Big Bad Bat, remember?"
Selina draped herself along Talia's flank and the sight of their lovely bodies tangled so intimately stirred up warmth in Bruce's gut. Warmth he thought he'd snuffed out for the evening.
"Of course." Talia said curtly. "How could I forget?"
The woman's icy tone held an edge. Bruce didn't need his deductive skills to know that an argument was drawing closer. The brewing in his gut be damned, Bruce felt the weight of exhaustion all over again. Even on that first night when the two women sought him out together, it had taken a herculean effort on his part to sate them into peace. Making them focus on him and not each other - but good lord, the ordeal had left him drained.
And it had been that way damn near every night since. Bruce managed through every bout. Somehow. Though tonight, with both women awake again…
"Ladies, I'll make time for you both soon." Bruce promised them. He swiveled his chair back towards the towering computer screen. Back towards his non-existent notes. "I just really need some time to-"
Talia put her foot out, hooking around his calf. She turned his computer chair so he faced them again. Her gaze had darkened some. Selina's too. Impatience had turned to vexation. It burned bright in green fire.
"And what should demand your attention more than we who carry your children, Bruce?" Talia's expression was cold, stony, and lethal. An open scowl might have been preferable, Bruce thought ruefully.
"Ladies, he calls us." Selina added with a scoff. "Doesn't treat us like ladies. Especially not the other night."
Talia floated forth, coming to stand over him. That perfect figure, all that smooth, bronzed, flawless skin, roused the hunger he thought he'd sated. He admired her hips now, how they flared out from her narrow waist, hinting at her even more ample backside. And between them was the faint softness of her lower belly. It was flat now, but in some months time…
Talia was pregnant. Selina, too. He'd bred them both.
Bruce's cock stirred against his sweats, stiff and swollen. Talia saw and smirked. The glint in her eyes meant she knew exactly the sort of thoughts that clouded his mind.
"He's a brute, isn't he?" She said to Selina. Talia reached down next, drawing her hand gently over the bulge of his sweatpants. Bruce grunted as his cock stirred again, harder. Talia kept on. "Just a rogue in a mask who styles himself a hero. A true hero doesn't take breaks. A true hero would still be fucking us."
Talia tugged his sweatpants down. Bruce didn't stop her. His cock sprung free, swinging with all its heft and might. But rather than coo and gasp as she had before, Talia was set with focus. Her hands felt heavenly as they stroked him.
Selina came up behind her, just as entranced by the rod sprouting from Bruce's groin. She watched Talia work the shaft, her tongue gliding out to wet her lips.
"If it wasn't for that cock, I wouldn't even bother." The Cat Thief sighed. She let her chin rest on Talia's shoulder, pressing a tiny kiss to her supposed rival's neck.
A simple little thing. Yet it had Bruce swelling even harder. Talia surely felt it. Her smirk grew into a victorious smile. The strokes came faster and so did the pleasure.
Bruce sank into his chair. The two women knelt. Selina joined Talia's efforts, bringing in her own hands to help. Then her mouth, too. Both women, the mothers of his children, bathing his cock and balls with their tongues.
It was an unwinnable war. Bruce should have known. When Selina and Talia worked together… he never had a chance in hell.
- - -
Lightyears away, John Stewart was in his thoughts.
Shrouded in emerald light, piercing through the infinite blackness of space, he barrelled towards Oa. The call had gone out, hitting damn near every Lantern in this quarter of the cosmos. New threats were stirring in the fringes of Lantern territory and pretty soon they'd be on their doorstep. Cold, monstrous things, the distress signal said. Abominations that lived and thrived in the dark. The Guardians needed able bodies, fighting men. As many as the Corps could spare.
Duty called. So John kissed Earth and the Justice League goodbye. Maybe it'd only be a few weeks before he was on his way back. Or maybe it'd be a few months. Or a year.
Deployment was nothing new to John. That was just life for a Marine. The real sore spot was leaving before he got to patch things up with Mari. Sure, the breakup was old news by now, but they were getting friendly again. Friendly enough for coffee, anyway.
What stung even more were the rumors that started floating around right before he left. That Mari was getting sweet with someone.
Watchtower scuttlebutt, probably, but John still got that sinking feeling in his gut anyway. He couldn't help but get to wondering…
Or rather, he tried. It was hard to think with Guy Gardner yapping in your ear.
"I know it's hard, man. I've had to leave behind some tail to do Lantern shit, too."
John grimaced but kept his eyes forward. That was the other sore spot - the fact that he'd have such wonderful company the whole way back to Oa.
The two Lanterns barrelled through the black together, two green missiles shooting through the cosmos. And Guy, in his grand wisdom, saw fit to fill the void of space travel with his boundless charisma.
"You don't know what you're talking about, Gardner." John's words were stern but calm. It was a testament to his discipline that he hadn't popped a blood vessel yet.
Gardner let out an obnoxious chuckle. John had become familiar with the sound.
"I have eyes." The other Lantern shot back. "You're tense as hell. I know what a case of blue balls looks like. Or maybe that's just the pole you've got stuck up your ass."
John grit his teeth. Kept his eyes forward. It was going to be a long trip, he couldn't allow Guy fucking Gardner to waste his patience.
Unfortunately, his silence only seemed to embolden the man. Guy reached out as they flew, slapping John's shoulder.
"Don't worry, Johnny Boy." He said, laughing. "A good fight will do you some good! You can work out all that sexual frustration by beating some alien bastard's face in!"
John still said nothing. Both arms stretched forward, fists clenched tight. Enough willpower to supercharge his ring.
Beside him, Guy cackled.
"So what if Vixen is getting it from somebody else? Earth is in the rearview. You gotta put that shit out of your head. Think about the future. Think about Oa. They're calling in all the Lanterns, right? Maybe Katma Tui will be there. You had something going with her, yeah?"
This time John glanced his way. Guy waggled his brow, grinning in the way that made John want to bloody his nose. But the man wasn't wrong.
Katma… Things didn't work out the first time. Or the second. But in these strange times, anything was possible. Maybe… maybe this trip wouldn't be so bad.
John put his eyes forward again. Together, the two Lanterns flew on.
- - -
Ollie knocked back another drink. He winced as it went down. He'd never liked Scotch - preferred Bourbon - but today his spirits were especially low. Whatever could get him red in the face was aces right now.
He could feel eyes on him from all around, watching, judging, pitying. Ollie paid them no mind, pouring himself another shot. Why put a bar in the Watchtower lounge if they weren't meant to use it?
At least a couple souls on the space station seemed to understand. The two guys sitting to his right, Mr. Terrific and that cowboy hero, Vigilante. Fellow Leaguers. Fellow men. No doubt they knew what it was like to lose out in the game of love.
"A day!" Ollie huffed, slumping forth on the bar stool. "We're broken up for one day and she's… She's already hopped on another guy!"
"That's just how it is sometimes, partner." Vigilante offered from under his red bandana.
"It's… She's… She did it to hurt me, man! It's some sick punishment!" Ollie slammed his palm onto the bar, nearly knocking over the bottle of Scotch. There were mutterings from behind, the whole rest of the Lounge. Ollie still didn't give a damn.
Mr. Terrific cleared his throat.
"Normally, I'd tell you you're talking bullshit… but Canary's got a mean streak."
"A mile long and twice as wide. Blondie nearly bit my head off on a mission way back." Vigilante added.
Ollie snorted. That sounded like Dinah.
"I think… I think you were right on the money, Terrific." He tapped his finger against his shot glass, watching the liquid ripple. "About the meta-volatility stuff. Dinah's as hot-headed as they come. I guess… it was only a matter of time before I got burned."
The murmurings from behind roused a little more. Mr. Terrific didn't answer him, glancing off to the rest of the Lounge-goers. From under the T-shaped mask, Ollie saw the man's expression flicker - was that nervousness from one of the smartest men on the planet?
Vigilante clapped him on the shoulder then.
"Gotta get your ass back in that saddle, Arrow. Can't let a meta-darling cut you down at the knees like this."
Ollie nodded. He let out a long, heavy sigh.
"I feel bad for the new guy, though. Dinah's gonna chew him up. He'll get burned even worse than me."
Suddenly there was a crash. The sound of fist striking tabletop. The Lounge went dead silent.
Ollie swiveled on the bar stool, trying to focus through blurry eyes. A sea of faces, capes and non-capes alike. But among them, a familiar head of wavy, golden hair - and angry blue eyes.
Dinah stood at a table on the far end of the lounge. Glaring daggers into Ollie's soul.
Ollie cursed inwardly. How come nobody told him she'd shown up?
The seconds stretched on and the Canary's silent fury never wavered from him. The Emerald Archer winced, waiting to be sent flying by that powerful scream. Even his allies, Terrific and Vigilante, had eased away from him.
The attack never came. Instead, Dinah tore her eyes from him and her long, fishnet-clad legs carried her straight out of the Lounge. Ollie sank against the bar, relieved. Slowly, the murmurings returned, scandalized whispers rising among the other heroes. A few of them joined Dinah in leaving, Ollie noted despite his foggy head. All women. All of them with powers. Each and every one throwing Ollie and his buddies nasty looks as they marched out the door.
"Damn." Vigilante whistled. "Was she there the whole time?"
"Indeed." A deep voice startled all three men. A green shape rose from behind the bar, forming into the formidable likeness of the Martian Manhunter. His tone was flat as red eyes gazed down upon them. "One would think a couple of marksmen would notice… and that a supergenius would know better."
As Terrific and Vigilante bristled, Ollie could only groan.
"She's pissed, isn't she? She and the other ladies…?"
J'onn's face betrayed no emotion as he answered.
"I will not pry into their thoughts for you, Arrow. But yes. It appears they are."