Archive of Our Own

Liranians were a peaceful race, living on a small swamp planet on the edge of the Milky Way, circling twin yellow dwarfs.

They were advanced enough for space travel, but they didn't want to. They preferred keeping to themselves on their planet, dedicating their lives to their gods.

They never bothered anyone, never invaded another planet, and they stayed away from violence.

They didn't even own any weapons.

So when another alien race attacked one day, arriving with their advanced weaponry, Liranians couldn't even defend themselves.

They called Green Lanterns for help, and Hal Jordan was sent, along with the Last Son of Krypton.

“Thank you for answering our call for help,” the Highest Priestess of the Liranians said to Hal and Clark as she led them through the sacred temple. "We're peaceful creatures, we wouldn't be able to protect ourselves on our own.”

"No problem, that's what we do,” Hal answered, sharing a smile with Clark. “We'll kick their butts for you." 

They walked the tall halls carved inside massive trees, with gold and bright pink vines slithering and blooming alongside the brown and green walls, creating frescoes that depicted the history of the Liranians and their mythology.

Hal and Clark looked at them with interest and in awe as they followed the Priestess deeper into the temple.

“Maybe I could just try to convince them to leave you alone?" Clark offered.

Hal rolled his eyes, although he wasn't surprised by his friend's offer. Clark always wanted to try talking first, and when that would fail, he beat the crap out of enemies.

The three of them walked through an impressive arch that led to what appeared to be a main altar. 

A couple of streams ran down the wooden walls and into a small pool at the base of the altar. Giant mushrooms and flowers grew all around it, and incenses hanging from the ceilings filled the room with a sweet, almost gag-inducing aroma.

Hal noticed Clark stopped breathing, and he envied his friend very much. He could let the ring cover him to block the incense, but he didn't want to seem rude.

The Highest Priestess turned to them.

“They can't be reasoned with, Kryptonian,” she told them, her many eyes blinking at them. "They live for war and had abandoned any morals the moment they became one with machines. They would rather lose than resign from fighting." 

Clark nodded in understanding. "Like the Grox,” he mused.

Hal turned to him in confusion. "Like what?”

"Never mind," Clark dismissed him with a small smile.

Hal huffed and turned back to their host.

“Don't underestimate Big Blue here, Priestess,” he told her. “He would talk a fox out of robbing a chicken coop." 

Clark chuckled. “If Pa wouldn't get it with a shotgun first." 

That wasn't something Hal expected to hear.

“I keep forgetting you're a farm boy," he murmured, making Clark smirk.

“Can you tell us more about those aliens?" Clark asked the Priestess, ignoring Hal's comment.

The Priestess nodded, walking to the pool. Hal and Clark followed, looking down into the water and the creatures swimming in it.

Muttering a few words and with a wave of her hand, the Priestess made the water rise and form a sphere in the air. A few more words, and the water rippled, its clear blue color changing to display the view of the forest like the one they currently were.

Only it was burned to the ground, once magnificent trees but charcoaled stumps, bodies of slain Liranians laying on the barren ground.

“They have already destroyed some of our cities and temples, killing everything in their path and burning everything they leave behind,” she told them with deep sorrow in her voice. "They won't rest until they turn our planet into a wasteland." 

Hal's hands curled into fists. God, he hated races like that. No invasion was justified, but at least he could understand when it was driven by survival and not simple bloodlust.

He could tell Clark was thinking the same right now from the way he clenched his jaw.

“Can you tell us anything about their structures or strategies?” Clark asked next.

The water sphere rippled and changed colors again, showing the invaders. 

Mongoose-like creatures, part machines, part flesh. Hands changed into deadly weapons, senses improved by technology to turn them into better killing machines.

"Good luck defeating them with the power of friendship," Hal commented to Clark, then grunted when he got a jab to the ribs with an elbow.

The Priestess didn't seem to hear him.

"They hide during the day and come out after dark, attacking everything," she told them, disdain oozing from every word. “That's their only strategy. They're mindless and bloodthirsty like any creature of the night.”

"That's not true," Clark protested immediately and rather loudly, offended even. 

The Priestess looked at him curiously, surprised by the outburst.

Clark began to explain. 

“Not everything that exists during the night is bad," he said more calmly, and Hal knew where this was going when a dreamy little smile showed up on his face. "Like Batman for example." 

“Here we go," Hal sighed, tempted to use the ring to create a pair of earplugs.

“Batman?" the Priestess repeated, and that's all the prompting Clark needed to keep talking about his favorite subject in the whole universe.

“He’s very much a creature of the night, but no one will make you feel safer after dark than him," he told the Priestess.

“Kal, stop digressing," Hal asked him, but Clark ignored him entirely.

“He looks like he was born from the darkness itself,” he described the Bat with reverence. "Like he came to punish you for every sin you ever committed, but you actually have nothing to fear." 

“Debatable," Hal chimed in.

“He's a protector,” Clark continued, voice dripping with admiration. The Priestess listened to him attentively. "He watches over you as you walk through the dark so you return home safely. Only those that hurt others need to fear him, and even then he will never take your life from you.”

Hal refrained from groaning out loud.

In Clark's words, Batman sounded almost like some sort of messiah. God among men.

Which was ironic considering Bruce was one of the few humans that worked with godlike beings that were in the Justice League.

Clark " I-can-bench-press-a-planet” Kent being one of them.

"That's very interesting, Kryptonian,” the Priestess admitted, and to Hal's surprise, she sounded genuinely interested. "We never heard of any good nightwalker. We would like to hear more about this Batman." 

A huge grin took over Clark's face, and he opened his mouth to happily yap about Batman more.

Hal covered it with a construct before he could.

“Maybe later, we have other things to do," Hal told the Priestess with an awkward smile, then turned to glare at Clark in warning. “Right, Kal?" 

Clark had the decency to get flustered, so Hal removed the construct.

“Right," he agreed, smiling apologetically at the Priestess. She nodded in understanding. "So, about those invaders…”

A few minutes later, Hal and Clark left the temple with all the info they needed to start working on removing the invaders.

"Did you have to do that?” Hal complained, walking down the steep stairs of the temple.

Clark was ahead, floating with hands behind his back. He stopped to turn around and look at Hal.

"Do what?” he asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"Talk about Spooky like he's a messiah," Hal explained, stopping next to Clark. “You could have mentioned any other night critter, but you mentioned him," he pointed out.

Clark frowned. "What critter?”

Hal shrugged.

"I don't know. A hedgehog?" he suggested. “They're good guys! They protect our gardens from slugs!”

Clark chuckled.

"I love hedgehogs, but I love Bruce more,” he explained simply.

God, what a sap.

"It's been three years, when will your honeymoon phase end?” Hal asked.

He had never seen people more in love than these two. Entering the room when Clark and Bruce were already there was like playing Russian roulette. You never knew if you would see them staring into each other's eyes lovingly, with Spooky sitting in Clark's lap, or see them making out like crazy.

"Never,” Clark sighed with a dopey smile and continued down the stairs.

Hal followed. He could practically see hearts floating around Clark right now.

“You have a shrine dedicated to Batman, don't you?" he joked.

“Why would I need a shrine, when I can just worship Bruce directly?" Clark asked innocently, but with a very devious smile he threw at Hal over his shoulder.

Hal winced. 

“Gross." 

Clark only laughed.

The invaders weren't as mindless as Liranians thought they were. 

On the second day of Hal and Clark's mission, after the attacking race realized help arrived, they changed their strategy. 

Hal watched Clark crouch at the riverbank, cup some of the sickly yellow water and drink it.

Hal spread his arms in disbelief. "Dude!”

Clark licked his lips like he just drank something tasty.

"Sulfur,” he said to Hal and to the Priestess and her entourage. “With a hint of mercury and arsenic." 

“Dude," Hal repeated, feeling sick just from watching Clark drink poisoned water.

“What? I had to identify the poison somehow,” Clark justified himself.

Hal didn't even want to know how Clark learned what certain elements tested like.

“But did you have to describe it like it's a Cabernet Sauvignon?” Hal complained.

Clark smirked before his expression turned into a more serious one when he turned to the Priestess.

“This is the longest river on our planet,” she said with concern, her eyes fixated on the dead animal that washed up on the shore. The first victims of the poisoning. “This is a disaster." 

She turned to them, desperation written all over her face.

“Kryptonian, Green Lantern, you need to do something," she begged them. “Before they destroy the whole ecosystem." 

Clark stepped towards her, and did that gentle thing he always did, when he takes your hands in his and tells you everything will be all right.

And you believe him because you can't help but trust those kind eyes.

Even the Bat wasn't immune to those baby blues.

"We'll clean the river,” he promised her. "And protect the water from being contaminated again.”

Hal could tell she already believed him.

"Do you have any laboratory where I can make something to fight their poison?” Clark asked.

"Yes, of course, follow me,” she urged, slipping her hands free from his grasp to lead them back to the city.

Her people followed after them, with Hal closing the line vigilantly.

It was early morning, the attack from the invaders was very unlikely, but during a time of war, you could never be sure of anything.

Liranians were acolytes and warlocks, not scientists, but their capital had a laboratory with enough ingredients for Clark to work on a cure.

The Priestess and other Liranians watched in anticipation how Clark mixed and boiled some chemicals together, using superspeed whenever he could.

“Are you certain you can heal our sacred river, Kryptonian?" the Priestess asked, eyeing the solution nervously.

“Yeah, I just need a minute," he assured, heating up the liquid in a beaker with his heat vision.

When he was done, he nodded at Hal, who brought the sample of the water with him to be a bit useful.

Hal removed the top of the construct with water and Clark poured the cure inside. Immediately, the sickly yellow color disappeared, and the water got back its brilliant clarity.

The Priestess and other Liranians gasped.

“It's a miracle!" someone shouted.

Clark chuckled. "It's just simple science,” he explained and turned back to the table to prepare a bigger batch for the river. “My friend and I will get the cure up the river so it can spread through all of it.”

“The Great Shaman will be eternally grateful, and so will we,” the Priestess told them. "How long will it take to get enough of the cure ready?”

"Well, as fast as I am, I can't rush chemical reactions,” Clark informed her. “Of course, if Batman was here, we wouldn't even have to wait." 

Hal's head snapped to the side so fast he got dizzy.

"You gotta be kidding me,” he murmured.

No way Clark just brought Batman into the conversation that didn't need Batman in the slightest.

"Nightwalker can heal rivers?” the Priestess asked curiously.

Clark's entire body seemed to light up at the prospect of talking about his husband.

"Oh, he can do so much more!” he explained eagerly, growing a few inches when he started floating all of a sudden. "He would take one look at the river, do some of his contingency magic and it would've been purified on the spot, I'm sure.”

Other Liranians in the room came closer, captivated already by Clark's words.

"It's not actually magic,” Hal elaborated just in case.

“Any problem you throw at him, he can solve it," Clark told them, his voice full of wonder for his husband. “He has a solution to everything, even when things seem helpless. Nothing escapes his perception." 

“All-seeing eyes," the Priestess whispered in marvel.

Hal rolled his own.

"Not really,” he commented.

Maybe a little.

When Clark put it like that, it did sound like Bruce was capable of seeing everything.

And it wasn't even that much of an exaggeration. That paranoid bastard probably had cameras everywhere, even inside the League's homes.

“Investigators on Earth-” Clark continued happily, “-can look at the mystery for days and come up with nothing. Batman takes one look at it and solves it. It's amazing to watch." 

He paused to sigh dreamily.

“That's why they always ask him for help." 

“They call for him to share his wisdom?" one of the scholars asked.

“It's called consulting," Hal corrected, but was ignored like any other time.

Clark confirmed with a nod.

"They even have a special signal. A bat,” he elaborated with an excited grin. "They light up the sky with it and that's how Batman knows when he's needed.”

Hal rubbed his face tiredly when the Liranians looked up at Clark like he was sharing sacred knowledge with them.

"And Batman always answers?” the Priestess asked.

"Not always, no.” Clark shook his head then smiled. "But whenever he does, he helps, no matter the subject.”

The Priestess nodded in understanding. 

"The Batman sounds very sage,” she admitted with admiration.

“Smartest person I know," Clark answered proudly.

Hal shook his head and left the room to spare himself more of Batman glazing that no doubt was coming.

He wanted breakfast to stay in his stomach.

The invaders attacked another city.

They came at night, like always - sparing nothing and no one.

Infrastructure, animals, people.

Not even children.

Hal and Clark arrived as quickly as they could and beat the crap out of whoever they could. The invaders got the taste of their own medicine when Clark showered them from the sky with fire, killing many of the attackers. 

Even if they wanted to spare the aliens, it wasn't an option. Those bastards didn't accept any form of defeat, only death.

But dealing with the attack was only the start of the work for Hal and Clark. With the attackers gone, they started helping with fires and looking for survivors. 

Hal took care of the flames, cutting them from oxygen with his constructs, while Clark used his eyes and ears to find people hidden under the rubble.

Occasionally, Hal found someone too, but mostly bodies.

Clark was already back with the Priestess in the capital while Hal was finishing with the last of the fires. Its crackling almost made him miss the quiet whimper coming from under the fallen branches.

Alarmed, he came closer to the spot where the sound was coming from, and after moving away some rubble, he found a baby.

It blinked rapidly a couple of times and then looked up at Hal as if surprised to see him. To be found.

Hal was equally surprised. He thought Clark found everyone.

And then the baby started crying.

Hal picked it up, trying to soothe it while quickly smothering the remaining fire.

The baby was still crying when Hal delivered it to the capital and rushed to the healer's house where Clark was - helping with the wounded.

“I found one more survivor!" Hal informed both his friend and the Priestess that was with him.

It was unnecessary, the baby announced itself on its own just fine with its shrieks.

Hal looked helplessly at Clark and the Priestess.

"I can't calm it down,” he said, his head already throbbing from listening to the cries.

Clark stepped towards him immediately.

"Let me try." 

Hal handed him the baby, and Clark started rocking it and humming some sort of lullaby.

At first nothing happened, the baby continued to cry in Clark's hold, but after a couple of notes, the cries got quieter and then stopped completely.

The baby watched Clark with wonder, eyelids dropping slowly as the Kryptonian continued to hum the soft melody until the baby was fully asleep.

Smiling down at the sleeping babe, Clark handed it carefully to the healer.

"You're very good with children, Kryptonian," the Priestess admired.

Clark's face gained a bit of pink color.

“I'm decent," he said humbly and instantly brightened up.

Oh no.

"You should see Batman though, he's a natural with kids,” he bragged about his husband. Again. "He's the one who taught me this melody." 

That's all Clark needed to say to get the Priestess’ full attention. And anyone else close enough to hear Batman's name mentioned.

They were all losing their minds when it came to him already. 

Up until now Hal was certain that Batman obsession was Clark's disease only, but it was spreading to Liranians as well.

Clark, of course, didn't need any encouragement to keep talking about the love of his life.

"He loves kids dearly and is fiercely protective of them."

"Like a mama bear,” Hal snickered.

"Yes, exactly!” 

Now he decided to hear Hal. 

“You do NOT want to face him after harming a child," Clark warned ominously. “He may not kill you, but he will make you regret being born." 

Concerned murmurs spread among the listeners, and Hal couldn't even say anything to tone this whole thing down, because honestly? Yeah, Spooky was turning into a hellbat whenever children were harmed or in danger.

Clark changed the tune for the next part.

“With children though? He's a softie," he said with a fond smile. “He comforts them when they need it, cheer them up with sweets. He even let them hide under his cape and climb all over him." 

Clark chuckled.

“Many adults are even scared to look at him-..." 

"Understandably,” Hal pointed out.

"...-but not children!” Clark informed. Some of the wounded Liranians moved closer to listen to him with the others. "They know they're always safe with him." 

“Does the Nightwalker have children of his own?” someone asked.

"Plenty!” Clark responded. "They're the light of his life and he would do anything for them, even give his life. For any child, really."

“Children of Earth are truly blessed to have such a devoted and protective Father," the Priestess praised, her people nodding along, and Clark preening on the behalf of Bruce.

"Tell us more about the Nightwalker,” one of the younger Liranians asked.

"No, don't encourage-…” Hal started protesting, but he stopped when he noticed how much less distressed all the wounded were - especially children - when they could focus on the tale of Nightwalker from Gotham instead of the tragedy they just went through.

“Never mind," he said to himself.

If listening about a nightmarish cryptid was soothing to these folks, who was Hal to judge?

In the end, stopping the invasion took less than a week. The invading race had no chance against a Green Lantern and Superman, and they got wiped out.

There was a chance there were more of them somewhere in the galaxy, but Liranians were safe from them now.

And incredibly grateful for Hal and Clark's help, throwing a grand feast to celebrate their victory, and to honor the dead.

After dark, the capital got illuminated by fireflies and magic flames, and everyone gathered around the tables set on the main plaza in front of the great temple.

Hal and Clark ended up on honorary spots, next to the Highest Priestess and other important figures of Liranians’ society.

The tables were almost breaking under the weight of food and drinks placed on them, meant to last the entire night of feasting, and probably half of the morning.

Hal helped himself to some wine that was the closest to him. He usually didn't drink, but he thought he deserved it after a week of fighting those bloodthirsty bastards.

They did a good job getting rid of them.

“We cannot thank you enough for your help,” the Priestess told them shortly after the first round of toast. "You saved us and our planet from complete destruction.”

"We don't know how to repay you now,” the main healer added, looking at Hal and Clark with gratitude.

"No need, we don't do it for any gain," Clark assured them with a smile. “We're just happy to help." 

“I'm pretty sure I would be kicked out of the Corps if I took any payment for this," Hal joked and took a sip of his wine.

"Let our people at least show you their gratitude if they wish," the Priestess proposed and nodded at the Liranians at one of the tables. A couple of them stood up.

Dressed in flowing robes revealing a lot of pale red skin, they went straight towards Hal and Clark.

Hal eagerly accepted one Liranian sitting down in his lap, while the other stood behind him, wrapping his arms around Hal's neck.

Clark went stiff, hands nowhere near the Liranians when the other two tried to do the same with him.

“Are they not to your liking, Kryptonian?" the Priestess asked with worry.

“They're very lovely, but I already devoted myself to someone else," Clark answered politely, and put his hands on the Liranian in his lap to gently nudge him off.

He complied hurriedly, his female companion moving away as well. At the same time, the Priestess' eyes filled with realization, and she looked embarrassed.

“The Nightwalker.”

Hal downed his remaining wine and quickly poured himself more.

Of course they would bring up fucking Batman. He wasn't even there, and they treated him like the main hero.

Hal almost gagged when pure love instantly appeared on Clark's face from the mention of his husband.

“Yes," he sighed, tilting his head towards the sky. 

Hal just knew the sentimental fool was looking towards Earth and his Bat. 

"He's the most beautiful creature I ever laid eyes on,” Clark started speaking, and all the Liranians got drawn to him like moths to a flame. “I've seen plenty of beauty on my travels through the universe, but none can match Batman's.”

The Liranian in Hal's lap turned to face Clark, listening to him attentively.

“Umm… Kal, buddy? You're ruining the mood here," Hal informed the other man, but of course Clark was deaf to his words.

He was in a trance-like state when talking about Bruce.

“His eyes are like a pair of frozen lakes that just pull you in the harder you try to resist,” he said breathlessly. "You want to get lost in them, even if it would mean your death.”

"That's one way to say they're creepy and unnerving," Hal snorted. “I don't think he even blinks!"

Hal chuckled, and he was immediately shushed by the Liranian in his lap.

"His hair shines under the sun like obsidian, but is soft like the finest fabric,” Clark continued, and the Liranians hung on his every word. “You can't help but keep running your hands through it.”

"Ladies, where are you going?!" Hal called when his two companions left him to circle Clark instead.

They weren't the only ones. Liranians from other tables swarmed to listen about a random billionaire from the other side of the galaxy.

No matter how much it made him look like a five-year-old, Hal crossed his arms over his chest and sulked.

And Clark?

Clark couldn't be happier to talk about his precious hubby.

“His skin is pale and marked by hundreds of scars that show his resilience and will to fight." 

“He doesn't have that many scars," Hal pointed out.

"He can command a room with one word,” Clark said, his own tone almost orgasmic. "His deep voice rolls through you like a gentle wave. He can easily bind my will with it." 

“Because you're a simp, it's not his actual power!" Hal protested when Liranians began to whisper among themselves, talking about Nightwalker’s hypnotic voice.

No one heard him. Certainly not Clark, who was spiraling out of control.

Was he like this at home as well? How was Bruce able to stand this sap?

“And it's not just his body that’s beautiful. His mind, his soul…" Somehow Clark was breathless despite not needing to breathe. “He's so selfless, brave and caring, and he loves so deeply." 

“Okay, now you're doing it on purpose.”

Hal refused to believe it wasn't staged just to annoy him. No one speaks like that about their spouse on a whim.

But if this was just a game, then Clark was a very good actor. He looked like he was in bliss.

“He's… Rao, I... I love him so much,” he admitted, voice quivering.

"Please don't cry,” Hal whined, noticing the beginning of tears in his friend's eyes.

This was going to be a long feast.

“I'm never going on a mission with you again.”

Clark, flying next to Hal, looked at him in confusion. And a little hurt.

“Why not?" 

“If I hear one more word about Batman, I'm turning into Parallax again.”

Clark snorted, as if that were an empty threat on Hal's part.

“I didn't talk about Bruce that much," he said with a certainty that was borderline delusional.

"I wish I recorded it, because yes, you were that bad!” he complained. "And worst of all, you converted the Liranians into Batmanism!”

Clark frowned. "That's not a word.”

"It is now!” Hal shouted and angrily opened the wormhole, then flew through it.

Clark was still laughing when he joined him on the other side, right outside the Solar System.

They continued inward.

“I was just quenching their thirst for cognizance," Clark justified himself and grinned. “Now that's a real word." 

Hal rolled his eyes. They were starting to feel really strained from how many times he did it during this mission.

"All right, Mr. Smartass Journalist. I'm telling you though, Liranians are writing the new Bible as we speak." 

He was certain they started before Hal and Clark even left the planet.

“You're overreacting," Clark told him.

"You'll sing a different song when a bunch of Liranian pilgrims show up in Gotham one day,” Hal warned his friend. "Better tell Spooky so he doesn't think it's an invasion." 

Clark didn't treat his predictions seriously, amused by them instead and shaking his head dismissively.

“They're not going to do that," he smiled as they stopped above the Earth.

"Whatever. I won't be the one to sleep on the couch when Bruce finds out about this,” he told Clark. "See you around, Supes.”

Hal flew towards Earth first, but Clark zoomed past him right away, flying straight to Gotham, no doubt.

He went home too, and the first thing he did was to order pizza, and then grab a shower while he waited for food to arrive. He just changed into civilian clothes when it got delivered.

With a steaming slice of pizza in hand, Hal got comfortable on the couch and turned the tv on.

Only to be immediately greeted by Bruce Wayne's smug face as some fragrance commercial he starred in played.

Hal turned the tv off.

A few months later, Diana and Bruce flew inside the Javelin above the vast swamp forests of Liran. Every now and then, they passed giant, black, burned-out spots on the ground.

Like bruises left on the planet’s green skin.

But despite all that destruction, new life was already beginning to grow, sprouting from under the ash.

“Seems like they're doing well,” Diana commented as they circled around the river, looking for a sustainable spot to land.

“The forest is growing back fast, but it will take time for the people to heal,” Bruce answered, lowering the Javelin onto the riverbank.

“I’m sure they're doing well too,” Diana added with a bit of amusement in her voice, smiling at him fondly. 

Bruce turned off the engines and pulled on his cowl before standing up from the pilot’s seat.

The ramp of the ship lowered, and he and Diana stepped out into a tall, red grass waving gently on the soft wind.

Diana looked around.

"Nice planet," Diana pointed out. “Lush. Reminds me of Themyscira.”

Bruce hummed, walking next to his friend towards the tall wall of the forest ahead of them.

"Kal mentioned it's beautiful, especially at night," he said, remembering the stories his husband told about Liran after his mission.

He wouldn't mind staying a night or two to observe the flora and fauna here.

They entered the forest, passing charcoaled stumps every now and then. The capital was never attacked despite the invaders’ best efforts to reach and destroy it.

It took half an hour to get to the first buildings, blended into the massive trees that were making up the forest. First Liranians came into view as well - working, praying, enjoying life in peace.

“I told you they're doing alright," Diana pointed out smugly.

The corner of Bruce's mouth twitched.

The deeper they walked into the capital to meet with the Highest Priestess, the more Liranians they met on their way.

The locals were looking at them curiously, some even with amazement. More at Bruce than Diana.

Bruce was used to being the most unusual individual among his teammates, so he wasn't bothered by all the attention, and continued to walk and observe, curious about the civilization of Liran.

He wasn't surprised by the statues of religious figures standing everywhere, on every corner, but what caught his attention was how new some of them were.

And familiar.

He deviated from their path and stopped in front of one of the statues - tall and carved out of the dark stone, almost black. The shape was very minimalistic and vague but easily recognized as a caped figure with two pointy ears and narrow pale eyes that looked over the street.

Bruce heard Diana stopping next to him.

“Does that statue look familiar to you?" he asked her.

It was making his skin crawl.

Diana looked at the statue with a smirk. “It looks like-..." 

“It's you!”

They turned around, facing a Liranian behind them, sporting an expression of pure joy on his face as he stared at Bruce.

Other Liranians walked up closer, whispering with excitement among themselves.

“The Nightwalker!” the same Liranian shouted next. "You're here! I need to tell the Priestess!" 

He ran, rushing towards the Great Temple. Bruce and Diana followed at a slower pace. Other Liranians were behind them - whispering, repeating that name like it was sacred.

The Nightwalker.

“Why are they calling me this?" Bruce asked his friend.

“I don’t know,” Diana replied, watching their surroundings. "But there's more statues."

Bruce nodded.

"I see them.”

And there was more than that.

There were paintings. Whole murals showing a creature looking like Batman.

Perched on a ledge, watching over people walking through the dark.

Protecting little figures - children, Bruce realized - with his wing-like cape. 

Caring for the wounded.

Sharing knowledge with others.

And then there were little ones on the street.

Running around and playing while dressed in tiny black capes - pretending to protect the vulnerable from danger.

Bruce felt the lump in his throat.

One of the children ran up to Bruce and Diana when she noticed them. She looked up at the Amazon briefly, before turning to Bruce with a bright smile and sneaking under his cape.

Bruce patted her head tenderly and off she went, joining back her friends.

When Bruce glanced at Diana, she had a fond but amused look on her face.

Bruce felt himself blushing under the cowl.

“I have to admit, most of them look nice,” Diana admitted, admiring more paintings, vine art and petroglyphs. "Really show your creepy side." 

"What is going on here?” Bruce wondered out loud.

"I think you got turned into a deity.”

That's exactly what Bruce feared. 

“Nightwalker!" 

Ahead of them, coming down the stairs leading from the Great Temple, was the Highest Priestess, dressed in robes with bat symbols.

She was in a rush to meet with them, or Bruce rather, because she didn't pay any attention to the actual Goddess next to him.

“Hello," Bruce greeted her when she came to a halt right in front of him.

She looked ecstatic to meet him. 

“We've been praying,” she revealed, slightly out of breath from her rush. Or from excitement. “We've been casting your light in the sky in hope of you answering our call, and you finally came!”

Bruce heard Diana muffle a laugh behind her palm.

"The Justice League wanted to check on you after the invasion,” Bruce explained their presence on Liran.

"I'm not surprised you're the one that came," the Priestess admitted. “Who else but Defender of the Innocent, Shadow of Vengeance and Guardian of Children!”

Bruce had been called many things in his life, but the only one who ever talked about him with such reverence was Clark.

It was strange to hear so much devotion from an absolute stranger he never met before.

"That does sound like Batman,” Diana agreed, stifling another laugh.

At least she was having fun. Bruce was horrified.

"I'm flattered, Priestess, but I must admit, I'm not exactly sure what's going on here,” Bruce confessed, hoping the Priestess would clarify this whole thing.

She did.

"I'm sure you're not used to being worshiped outside of Earth," she said with understanding. “But when we heard about you from your prophet, we experienced a revelation.”

Bruce felt the headache coming.

“Was it Hal?" 

Was this Jordan's idea of a joke? Convincing an alien race that a mere mortal is a god?

“The Green Lantern? No, it was the Kryptonian,” she revealed and pointed at a mural made of vines on Bruce's right.

It depicted him like all the others, but there was another figure next to him. A figure in blue and red, kneeling in front of Batman. Worshiping him.

"Kal,” Bruce sighed with resignation.

“He talked excessively about you, the Beautiful One," the Priestess elaborated.

Diana didn't try to hide her snort this time. “That sounds like Kal." 

Bruce sighed again. 

“What did he tell you?" he asked the Priestess.

Judging from all the paintings and statues, he had an idea.

“Everything,” the Priestess confirmed. And filled Bruce with even more dread. “About your unmatched wisdom, commanding voice and ice-cold eyes that see the unseen." 

“That's definitely something they heard from Kal, not Hal," Diana confirmed again, grinning more than Bruce ever saw her doing.

"He told us how you dwell in the dark, protecting the innocent from the shadow, and about your endless love for children," the Priestess continued, speaking with that devotion again. “He talked and we listened to his every word, hoping we'll be blessed with your presence one day. And now you're here to share your compassion the Kryptonian told us all about.”

“That's… ”

Bruce had no words. 

Clark was supposed to stop an invasion, not start a new religion based on his absolute, but biased love for Bruce.

He didn't deceive them on purpose, that one was obvious. It wasn't something Clark did.

But how did he describe Batman to Liranians that they didn't realize Clark wasn't telling them about some god but a very human husband?

And why didn't Jordan stop him?

"If you allow it, Nightwalker, we would like to invite you and your companion to be present during our ceremony dedicated to you,” the Priestess offered.

This was the last thing he wanted to do. He didn't deserve any of this. But he didn't wish to upset the Liranians or fix this misunderstanding either. 

They genuinely believed Bruce to be some god. Telling them the truth would either not work or just be cruel after months of believing their interpretation of Batman.

In the end, it was harmless to Bruce, only filling him with embarrassment.

"We will join,” he agreed, looking up at Diana for confirmation.

“Oh, I wouldn't miss it," she giggled.

Of course she wouldn't.

They followed the Priestess to the temple, other Liranians close behind. Bruce was led to an honorary place at the main altar, making him feel far too exposed for his liking.

It didn't help that Liranians started praying and chanting.

And it was all for him.

Thankfully, he had Diana at his side, standing next to his throne - one hand on the back of it, the other at the hilt of her sword.

Shortly after the prayers started, she leaned down to whisper into his ear.

“So, how does it feel to be a god?" Diana joked.

“I'm going to kill Kal." 

He knew that one day the kryptonite he carried around with him would come in handy.

Diana snorted.

“No, you won't. And not because you don't kill." 

Probably not.

But that didn't mean Clark would come out of this unscathed for putting Bruce in such an awkward scenario.

His husband was going to end up on his knees, but for a completely different reason than on the Liranian mural.

Bruce didn’t have to wait long to confront Clark after coming back. His husband was waiting in the docking bay as always whenever Bruce was returning from a space mission.

Diana was already chuckling because of how impatient Clark was, floating back and forth like an overexcited toddler or a dog, waiting for Bruce to leave the Javelin - completely unaware what was waiting for him.

It almost made Bruce forget about the whole Batman is god issue.

Almost.

Followed by Diana - who most likely wanted to see the fiasco firsthand - Bruce stepped out of the ship, immediately getting tackled by Clark.

"Bruce, you're back!” he exclaimed happily, hugging Bruce tight. It lasted for only a few seconds before he realized Bruce wasn’t hugging back like he usually did. Confused, Clark leaned back, analyzing Bruce’s face. “Back and… angry?”

Clark let go of Bruce completely, setting him on the ground and floating away a bit to give him space.

“Am I in trouble?” he asked.

The sight of Clark squirming with worry was really cathartic to Bruce after going through a whole religious ceremony organized in his name. 

"Big one,” Bruce answered deadpan, pulling out a small Batman idol carved out of wood and decorated with gems.

Clark stared at it, his nervous smile faltered and he became noticeably paler.

"Shoot.”

Diana cackled, and then there was a loud, metallic bang.

Hal’s head shot out from the guts of one of the smaller ships he was tinkering with this whole time.

“I FUCKING TOLD YOU SO!”