Chapter Text
Wayne Manor stood big and proud at the edge of Gotham City. It was probably one of the most beautiful buildings; it looked haunted, and truth be told, it was.
There used to be a time long ago when Bruce Wayne would bring Gotham pride and glory, the Gotham Bats were one of the greatest basketball teams to ever exist, that was until one unfortunate game for Mr. Wayne, the one that put all the fame, glory, and glamor into the dirt and buried it deep where no one could reach to dig out.
Bruce Wayne was about to score the final point, the crowd was gathered in the biggest sports arena of Gotham, all eyes on the Gotham Bats. The entire building tried to conceal its anticipation with silence, but the heavy breathing of the players and the fans combined in a rhythm of something uncertain.
And then a sharp sound came, then a yell, then a cry, and a woman screamed at the top of her lungs, "BRUCE WAYNE WAS SHOT!"
The ball had already been thrown. Even in the last seconds of his career, Wayne had managed to score. The team won the game, but at what cost?
It was scary; everyone tried to run for their life. The massive crowd that formed was so aggressive that a few people were injured in an attempt to evacuate. But the aftermath for Bruce Wayne was even more brutal; it took 20 minutes for medical staff to reach him, 30 minutes to get him to a hospital, and an additional 25 to admit him. The whole thing reached the global news, and every country started talking about it, questioning if Wayne was even alive, if he even had a chance.
And while the world was mourning his ending too early, Bruce hid himself as fast as he could. The conclusion was bad: shot in the right leg, probably would never be able to use it properly again. His shooter was caught, but committed suicide before the court trial could even begin. The Gotham Bats split, they were nothing without their leader. The press was at its peak, and sales of newspapers skyrocketed.
Then a statement came, that Bruce Wayne was alive, that he will be taking a break, that he will pursue a different career path, his money will go to charity, and fund the junior basketball league.
Gotham calmed down after a year. The one year quickly became five, and no one had heard from Bruce Wayne. Then it was seven years, and all those basketball fans were hungry for the thrill of the game. A new team from Metropolis had made it to a national competition, and all heads turned to them. Eight years later, a new basketball star was born, a man with a great physique, piercing blue eyes, and slightly curled black hair; the world didn't realize how much it missed Bruce Wayne until the captain of the Metropolis Rockets showed up on the court, a master of the game. He was faster, stronger, better and he was everything they needed. Ten years passed and Wayne Enterprises was on the cover of a magazine, nominated as company of the year for their ethical innovations in technology.
Bruce Wayne was back, but he was different. The elephant in the room - his cane that he had to use so he could support himself walking. He was a different, more mature man, a CEO, a father, and even a fashion icon.
Three months after his return the Gotham Gazette posted an article.
BRUCE WAYNE RETURNS AS COACH OF THE GOTHAM BATS
Wayne Enterprises CEO Bruce Wayne has come back from his 10 year hiatus with shocking news.
After becoming a victim of an active shooter during his last match, a decade later the basketball star is back, but this time he will be coaching the newly formed Gotham Bats team.
"I have high hopes to get us to nationals," says Bruce Wayne, "I'm confident in my coaching abilities."
The CEO will be hosting a charity gala at Wayne Manor to fund local high-school teams.
For the first time in a decade, Gotham was as lively as it could be. The city that only took but never gave had a leader. Bruce Wayne had managed to earn a fortune, renew his old team and regain his public power. He was the hot topic of every social media app, every newspaper, every magazine. Wayne quickly developed a fanbase based on his looks alone. The #brucewayne was filled with close to a million posts in the span of a week.
The situation in Metropolis was no better, while the citizens of the city stayed loyal to their team, the ex-basketball captain was truly a piece of eye candy. His strong jawline, his icy blue eyes, his very pale complexion that contrasted his beautiful black hair - he was gorgeous. It didn't take long for Metropolis' Daily Planet to release an article themselves.
METROPOLIS ROCKETS CAPTAIN CLARK KENT IS EXCITED TO COMPETE AGAINST THE GOTHAM BATS
In a recent interview with the Daily Planet, Clark Kent, who is the current captain and co-coach of the Metropolis Rockets, shared his excitement to meet the new competition.
Kent says: "I used to be a massive Bruce Wayne fan; he inspired me to get into basketball in the first place. I'm glad that he is back, and I cannot wait to compete against the team he is coaching!"
The thrill was back and stronger than ever, Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent, the golden boy of Metropolis vs the newly crowned prince of Gotham. But maybe it was deeper than this, something personal, a battle of proving their worth. Even tho no one said it out loud, they were all thinking it, was a disabled man really capable of leading a team after years of being away from the court? And was a man, who started off in the amateur league, and got famous because of how much fans missed Wayne going to be able to show everyone that he was much more than a legend's shadow?