"Krypton."

"Hm?" Batman looked at Superman. They were having an argument over something Superman was blaming Batman for. He didn't really remember what it was, but it had gotten to the point where Batman brought up his parents. A final trump card, was it? Whatever it was, Superman just stopped talking for a moment and for the briefest time, Batman thought he had won the argument. Again.

"Krypton. Mars. Argo. Do you know what they mean?"

"Your home world, J'onn's home world, and Supergirl's home world. I just don't know why you're bringing it up."

"I never knew what my home planet was like. My parents sent me away when I was a baby," Superman continued, looking over Gotham City, with its smog and stench polluting it, "But J'onn married. He had a family, two kids before the White Martians invaded. Kara had her parents and a little brother. Maybe more relatives, but she doesn't like to talk about it that much. Not with me or Ma or Pa. And they both lost it all in an instant, either war or planetary destruction.

"And you know something? They've drawn people in instead of pushing them away. J'onn spends time talking with the others in the League. Kara is balancing her time between the Titans and her friends at school. They're still hurting, but they reach out instead of withdrawing. They don't let their fears get in the way of their happiness.

"Meanwhile, you're not even fit to be near children."

"I know how to talk to children –"

"No, you know how to interrogate them. You know how to get them to talk, even when you're wearing that outfit. It's easier to do when they aren't your children," Batman flinched and clenched his fists tightly.

Superman didn't look at him, "You make it sound like you have a heavy burden on your shoulders looking after an entire city, even though you have people who love you and give a damn. People ready to die for you and let you know that you aren't alone. And how do you thank them? 'You're fired, now get out of my cave', 'You disobeyed a direct order, Stephanie. It's over.' 'I don't need anyone.' 'You're only getting in the way.' And do I have to mention how you thanked Miss Row? Does she still have that broken nose?"

Batman wanted to throw back a barb, but his face felt cool, like it was plunged in icy water. He already had the perfect retorts made, the best comebacks on his tongue. He was just waiting for the right moment. But Superman's voice kept throwing him off. He was being calm, collected, maybe even channeling a bit of Luther's voice into his speech. He was patronizing him. He was ready to deal with an angry hero, not this. For once, he felt like a small child being scolded.

"You had Alfred, you had Leslie, you had people who loved you and you're still griping over your parents' death," Superman sighed, "Why are you still making a big deal over it?"

"Take. That. Back!"

"No," Superman said quietly, "I won't. And it's going to take more than Kryptonite to stop me, Batman. You could pull it out now and I'd still be right. It wouldn't change anything I've said."

"What point are you trying to make here?" Batman growled.

"My point, Batman, is that they suffered more than you have, and they aren't taking it out on everyone around them. J'onn doesn't punch children for reminding him of his dead ones or of a future he might never have again. He doesn't break up with a woman he's attracted to because he's afraid of her dying. Kara doesn't break off her friendship with Barbara every time she saves her life. She doesn't conveniently forget about Ma or Pa, the closest things she has to parents right now, when she feels overwhelmed. I don't push Lois or Jimmy or my parents away just because my planet blew up. I don't ignore my friends or co-workers, either.

"And your backstory? A mugging that took your parents' lives. That is sad. And no kid should have to deal with that. But you know what? You've had time to mourn. You've had time to heal. You've have people to lean on. But you don't seem to want that, do you?"

Batman tried forcing himself to speak but couldn't. Every word that he tried to get out died when they reached the throat.

"It's been twenty-five years since it's happened. I don't care how old you think you are," Superman glared at him, his voice ice-cold, "Grow the hell up."

Batman stared at him as he flew off, most likely heading back to Metropolis. The words kept bouncing back and forth in his head. What did Superman know? He never had…he never had…why couldn't he think of the words? Unbidden, the memory of his last argument with Dick came up. Dick was calling him out over…something. He just couldn't remember. What did he do? He just punched him? He punched his own son because he couldn't handle the issue at the time…

He couldn't even manage himself until Superman was out of sight before his knees sunk into the ground and for the first time in years, he wept.