[Third Person Pov]
"What the hell do you mean that you're going to send me to Metropolis with Superman?!" Danny demanded, his voice cracking with disbelief. He stared at Bruce as if the man had suddenly sprouted a second head.
"Exactly what it sounds like," Bruce replied evenly, his tone calm but firm. His gloved fingers drummed lightly against the steering wheel as his eyes remained fixed on the road ahead. "It's for your own benefit."
Danny blinked, incredulous. "You can't just decide that on your own! Whatever happened to asking for my opinion on the matter?" His glare sharpened. "What if I don't want to go and stay in Metropolis? You can't just decide something like that without even consulting me first!"
"I initially thought the same thing," Bruce admitted with a slow nod, his tone almost reflective. "I was planning to ask for your opinion when you got home from school today." His grip on the wheel tightened as his jaw tensed. "But after what happened, you've proven that you're not in a state to make sound decisions right now."
Danny's eyes widened, his face tightening in frustration. "You're making it sound like what happened was entirely my fault!" he exclaimed, the words bursting out of him before he could stop himself.
Bruce's gaze hardened. "No, not entirely. But you are partially to blame." His voice was low but carried the kind of weight that silenced arguments. "I told you to stay home. I advised you to rest, but you were stubborn. Everything that happened afterward could have been avoided if you'd just listened. You were in no condition to be putting yourself through more stress after what you'd gone through."
They rolled to a stop at a red light. For a brief moment, the world outside seemed unnaturally still—the hum of the engine the only sound filling the silence. Bruce exhaled, closing his eyes briefly before continuing in a quieter tone. "I'll admit, I share some of the blame. I knew you weren't exactly stable, but I let you go anyway because I believed you were more than capable of handling yourself…"
Danny stared down at his lap, fingers gripping the seatbelt so tightly it bit into his palm. He didn't need Bruce to finish the thought. The rest of the sentence echoed in his head regardless—'but I was wrong to think so.'
A bitter laugh escaped him. "So what now?" he muttered. "You're shipping me off to Superman's boot camp because you don't know what to do with me?" He slouched back in his seat, crossing his arms like a defiant child who'd just been grounded.
Bruce shook his head, a quiet breath escaping his lips. "Like I said, this isn't a punishment, Danny. It's for your benefit. If you want to call it boot camp, fine—but think of it as training, or… mentorship. Superman's not just another hero. He's experienced, disciplined, and someone you could learn a great deal from."
Danny said nothing. He simply turned his face toward the window, his reflection barely visible against the tinted windows.
"It was actually Superman who approached me," Bruce continued, hoping to draw Danny back into the conversation. "He asked if he could take you in for a few days."
That got Danny's attention. His head snapped around. "Wait—what?"
Bruce nodded slightly. "He heard your 'Ghost Wail,' as you call it. And being who he is, he couldn't ignore it. He came to me afterward, concerned, and offered to help. Said he could give you some guidance. I told him I'd think about it."
Danny's expression softened, though only a little. "That's… nice of him, I guess," he muttered, his voice quiet and uncertain. He leaned his head back against the window, eyelids growing heavy as the hum of the engine lulled him into reluctant silence.
Bruce glanced at him briefly, his expression unreadable beneath the shadows of the car. The boy looked smaller somehow—exhausted, frayed, and trying desperately to hide it beneath layers of defiance.
As the light turned green and the car started moving again, Bruce let out a long, quiet sigh. He never would have imagined that taking care of a child could be more complicated than any mission he'd faced as Batman.
…
Location: Metropolis
Superman stood on the rooftop of one of Metropolis's tallest skyscrapers, his bright red cape flowing behind him. His posture was calm but alert, he rested his hands on his hip and scanned the horizon, his sharp gaze cutting through the city.
He went and checked the time and muttered under his breath, "They should have been here by now…"
A low voice answered from right beside him, almost startling in its suddenness.
"We're right on time. We were just waiting for you to notice us," Batman said, his tone dry and perfectly measured as always.
"Hey there," Danny greeted normally, appearing out of thin air as his invisibility faded away.
Superman jolted, letting out a small, surprised sound as he glanced sharply to both sides before sighing in exasperation. "Please stop doing that," he said, playfully glaring at Batman, "And don't you dare teach him how to do that either."
Batman's expression didn't change, which probably meant he already had.
Superman gave a small shake of his head before flashing Danny a wide, welcoming grin. "Anyway, it's great to finally meet you in person!" he said, extending his hand with genuine enthusiasm. "I've heard so much about you from Batman!"
"You have?" Danny asked, clearly surprised, glancing between the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight.
"No, you haven't," Batman replied flatly without missing a beat.
Superman leaned in closer to Danny and whispered conspiratorially, "We at the League kept pestering him to tell us about you once we found out he'd taken you under his wing. Honestly, none of us could believe it. We didn't think he'd ever take on another partner besides Robin. You know how he is…"
Superman straightened up and put on his best Batman impression, dramatically sweeping his cape in front of him and lowering his voice. "I'm Batman. I work best alone. The darkness is my only friend…" He paused for dramatic effect, squinting. "Except for the fact that I have a sidekick, a butler, and I'm part of an entire league of superheroes."
Danny turned to the side and tried to suppress a laugh.
Superman grinned proudly at the reaction—until he turned to see Batman staring at him with his usual deadpan expression, followed by that signature glare.
Superman's smile faltered instantly. His cheeks flushed a faint red as he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Sorry…"
Batman adjusted his cape, clearly done with the interaction. "It seems you two are going to get along just fine," he said dryly. "I'll be on my way then."
Before Batman could leap away, Superman draped an arm over Danny's shoulders. "Don't worry about a thing, Batman," he said cheerfully. "I'll take good care of Danny here. We'll get along just fine—just like you said."
"Why does it feel like I'm being dropped off at daycare or something…" Danny muttered, crossing his arms as Batman stepped onto the ledge. As the Dark Knight dove from the rooftop, his cape spread wide like the wings, Danny added under his breath, "Goodbye, Batdad… and hello, Supermom."
Superman chuckled nervously, having definitely heard that. "Sorry," he said, still smiling but more gently now. "I know this might feel a little awkward—and maybe even weird—but I promise, you'll like it here in Metropolis. It's a good place."
"Uh-huh," Danny replied, his expression unreadable as he looked up at him.
Superman shifted, clearly unsure how to handle the silence that followed. After a moment, he cleared his throat. "Why don't we, uh, officially introduce ourselves again? You know—just to break the ice properly."
Danny nodded, so Superman extended his hand once more, his tone warm and formal. "Greetings. I'm Superman—the protector of Metropolis."
Danny hesitated for a split second before taking his hand. "Uh, yeah, greetings to you too. I'm Danny Phantom… the Ghost of Christmas Past."
Superman blinked, then burst into laughter, the sound echoing lightly over the rooftops. "Hahaha! Nice one. It's a pleasure to officially meet you, Danny." He clapped him lightly on the back, still chuckling. "Now that introductions are out of the way, how about we begin our patrol?"
"I'm down," Danny said with a grin. Then, as if remembering something important, he reached into his utility belt and pulled out a small notebook and a pen. "But before that… can I please get your autograph? Big fan."
Superman blinked again, taken off guard for the second time. Danny stood there awkwardly holding the notebook out to him, smiling sheepishly.
After a beat, Superman's expression softened. "Sure thing," he said kindly, taking the pen and signing his name in neat, confident strokes. Beside it, he drew the famous House of El insignia.
********************************************
+10 advance Chapters and my other patron exclusive content on: patreon.com/Shadow_D_Monarch3