Billy Batson [One-Shots]

Of Thunderstorms

Heroes are transported to a mystical island, where none of their powers work. Secrets are revealed.

Billy wasn't sure how, when, why, or who did it, but the fact remained - he, along with other leaguers, was stuck on an island. Usually, they'd get out no problems, they were a Justice League after all, but for some strange reason their powers didn't work here. The island itself was circular, a perfect circle, not a single patch of land out of line. There was also a strange magnetic field, interfering with electronics, causing them to go wonky. No reception. Some of them joked around that they got stuck in Bermuda's Triangle. Not everyone was in the mood of jokes though. Most of them were in a heated argument about letting 12-year-old into the league. Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly Batman knew all along. This caused another round of arguments courtesy of Kal and Diana, who were rather passionately arguing with Bruce about child heroes.

Billy Batson was sitting alone far away from everyone, clutching his knees, his head buried in his legs, and trying very hard not to cry. He didn't succeed though if fat tears streaming down his cheeks were anything to go by. He was cold and shivering, when they originally landed, Billy was lucky enough to swallow some saltwater, landing straight in the waters. Lost in their dispute, they completely ignored as he sat alone, shivering and crying, afraid to lose his only family, even if they didn't think of him as such.

"Hey, Cap... Billy," he heard Canary's voice, gentle and soothing, her hands rearranging his dump strands of hair and tucking them behind his ear. "What's wrong?"

"Sup-Superman hates me," quietly sobbed out Billy, causing her face to fall. Canary wasn't sure how to comfort the distressed boy and her comrade when he thought that his hero hated him. She still tried to anyway, sitting near him, trying to offer some comfort and body heat.

"I'm sure that's not it Billy. He's just... worried for your health. He cares about you, Superman doesn't hate you," tried to reassure him Canary, but since Billy had Wisdom of Billy, a 12-year-old street kid with trust and abandonment issues, her words didn't do much to reassure him.

Few meters away from Billy, sat Superman with a horrified face. He was so preoccupied with arguing that he completely forgot about the most important thing in the room... island - Billy. Billy, who was currently sobbing his heart out, thinking Superman hated him. Kal never felt this big of an asshole in his whole life. His Ma would be so ashamed of him. Quickly relaying the conversation to fellow leaguers, Superman excused himself and dashed towards Billy, it was still impressively-fast, considering he had no superpowers currently. Neither of them did.

Crouching in front of the distressed kid, he gave Canary a look, asking to give them privacy. Canary obliged, giving him a curt nod and left, leaving Superman to clean up his own messes.

He wasn't sure what to do, or how to start the conversation. Maybe he should pat his head? It worked with Krypto. Placing his bigger hand atop Billy's head, he started rubbing it in a circular motion, occasionally patting it. At first, Billy assumed it was Canary comforting him, but the hand didn't belong to her. It was too big. Looking up, Billy saw Superman crouching in front of him, trying to comfort him. He wiped his runny nose with his sleeve, sniffling and giving him his attention, waiting for Kal to start talking.

"Listen, Billy, right?" at the kid's nod, Kal hesitantly continued, testing the waters. "Listen Billy, I know I might've sounded very harsh..."

"And scary," interrupted him Billy, who has never seen Clark get angry before.

Superman winced, giving himself a mental sarcastic pat on the back. He terrified a kid... great! "...And scary, but I promise you, Billy, I don't hate you. I could never hate you. You are part of our team, our family. I was upset that I unknowingly endangered you, sending on these missions..."

He was once again interrupted by Billy, with tear-filled desperate eyes, begging him to understand.

"But I'm not. I swear. You did not endanger me. I'm invincible as... when I'm bigger. There's nothing that could've happened to me that would be your fault," passionately argued, Billy, causing Superman to heave a heavy sigh.

"What about your parents? Aren't they worried something might happen to you?" asked Superman, trying out a different tactic.

"Dead."

"What?" asked Superman, he no longer possessed a super-hearing, so he couldn't quite hear what Billy mumbled.

"They're dead. Died when I was young. I've been on my own ever since. So you don't have to worry about answering to someone if something happens to me," Clark wasn't sure what was more horrifying, the fact that this young boy has been living on his own, or the fact that he was so casual about his own death. Kept risking his life for others... Superman was convinced that Billy Batson was a true hero.

"Nothing will happen to you, I promise you that," Billy knew that was the promise Clark couldn't really keep, but he appreciated it. Launching himself forward, he hugged Superman around the neck, clinging to him like a little monkey. Clark responded with a hug of his own, bringing the kid closer to him and inhaling his scent... which wasn't very attractive currently. He smelt like a wet dog... and felt like one too, he was completely drenched.

"You're all soaked kiddo," spoke Superman, and indeed, Billy was wet like a kitten. "Take off your clothes and lay them down on the sand, so they can dry. You might catch something," noticing Billy's hesitation Clark frowned at him. "There's nothing to be ashamed of Billy."

Billy just nodded his head and took off his oversized hoodie, revealing his torso. Clark's gasp caused him to wince, reminding him exactly why he didn't like taking his clothes off in public.

"Who?" Clark's voice was ice cold, sending shivers down his spine. Billy wasn't sure if it was the cold or the way Clark asked that question. Like he was ready to murder someone. "Who did this to you, Billy?"

"Foster homes, streets... life," spoke Billy, shrugging non-committally. His little body was littered with various scars and colorful bruises, looking like a canvas of abuse and pain. Clark has seen Bruce Wayne naked, and even the scary Bat didn't have as many scars as Billy did. Kal didn't look very happy with the answer, but he didn't press on, staring at the huge scar, that looked like an upside-down bare tree. As if he was hit by lightning... multiple times.

Three Hours Later

"So, now that we know that you're an actual kid, there's one important question we have to ask you," solemnly spoke Flash, staring at Billy with a completely serious face. Gulping, Billy looked Flash in the eyes, waiting for his question. "Who's your favorite superhero?"

That... was not the question Billy expected. "Superman," answered Billy without hesitation.

"The Big Blue Boyscout?" complained Green Arrow, scrunching up his face in distaste. He was totally expecting to be Billy's favorite. How could he not be? He was awesome!

"I-I'm honored Billy. May I know why?" asked Kal, honestly touched and curious as to what made him Billy's favorite. Remembering all the times he scolded him as Marvel or lectured him to the point where he thought the adult hero would start crying, Kent couldn't fathom why he remained his favorite.

Billy blushed, embarrassed to admit it out loud, but he sighed and told them anyway. "He... you sound like my dad used to," softly answered Billy, silencing everyone with his response.

"That's a very cool reason to," responded Hal, breaking the awkward atmosphere, causing other leaguers to nod their heads in agreement. News that one of their own was a homeless orphan that slept in hazardous-for-health buildings, made them feel guilty and sad. It made a lot of sense though, certainly explained Captain's childish personality and never-ending optimism.

Once they got out of the island, courtesy of Martian Manhunter, Clark, with the help of Bruce Wayne, started looking into Billy's records, finding some rather disturbing things. Two days later, Clark Kent brought home one very excited and happy William Joseph Batson-Kent, to introduce him to his Ma and Pa. That's how the legend of Big Red Cheese and Big Blue Boyscout was born. And if Bruce Wayne visited them more often than socially acceptable... well, nobody said anything about that. One thing was for sure, Billy's new last name never rang that true.