FIC: 36 Views of Mt. Fuji: Spring (7/9)
Title: 36 Views of Mt. Fuji: Spring (7/9)
Pairing: Clark/Bruce
Disclaimer: The boys belong to DC and to each other, but not to me.
Series Notes: 36 Views of Mt. Fuji is a series set early in Batman and Superman's careers, shortly after the S/B annual #1. The full series can be found here.
Rating: PG
Summary: Batman and Bruce Wayne set about to take Shigeru Matsunaga down.
Word Count: 2200
I have the delusion
that you are with me
as I walk through the fields
of flowers, under the moon.
--Yosano Akiko
< You can't prove that! You can't prove that! > Shigeru Matsunaga's voice squeaked as Batman let the line slip a fraction more, abruptly. He was currently hanging upside-down over the early-morning traffic of Kyoto. < You can't prove I had anything to do with that! >
< Can't I? > Batman's voice was terrifyingly even and unruffled. < Are you so sure? You and I both know the evidence exists. I know where it is, and I've already notified the police to search your offices and arrest you. > He gave the swinging man a slight push.
< I'm not going to admit anything to you! > Matsunaga howled as he arced over the street.
< A shame. You would have saved us time and hassle. But I'll get you, Matsunaga, one way or another. You hired Kyodai Ken to kill the Prime Minister and then kept silent when he killed your own son. The evidence is in that filing cabinet. The question is, can you beat the police to it? >
The slab-like face contorted. < My son was a worthless, troublemaking waste of space. But I had nothing to do with his death. >
The man dangling him above the street might have been carved of ebony for all he reacted. < You're lying, > he said softly, levelly. < The police will find out soon enough. >
Matsunaga didn't make a sound as he was dropped unceremoniously twenty stories to the ground, coming to an oddly gentle stop above the pavement. Batman's hands on the line were extremely careful and steady, as if he didn't trust himself to move abruptly. As he released the grapple and wound it back in, a voice came behind him.
"You could have told me you were planning something."
"I could have, yes." Superman moved somewhat closer, his face stern. He read something in Batman's body language and his expression shifted slightly to concerned, which was annoying. Superman shouldn't be able to read him that well. Batman pointed down to where Matsunaga was scurrying along the street. "You're welcome to come along for the big finale at the headquarters. Dress casual." Then he swung away.
: : :
Clark Kent met Bruce Wayne at the front door of Matsunaga headquarters just a few minutes later. As always, Clark was amazed at how quickly Bruce managed to change--it wasn't like he had superspeed. But here he was, back in his impeccable suit and shining wingtips. He shot a sly grin at Clark as they headed up to the CEO's offices.
The secretary might usually have balked at letting an unknown like Clark in, but the offices were in some pandemonium at the moment, with employees whispering and eyeing the doors. "He's still searching," Clark said quietly to Bruce as the detective strode to Matsunaga's office and rapped on the door, then went in without waiting for permission. Clark hung back at the doorway, trying to be relatively unobtrusive.
"Mr. Matsunaga!" Bruce exclaimed as he went in. Shigeru Matsunaga whirled from the drawer filled with memory sticks, a silver one in his hand. "I just thought I'd come by and see you this morning, ask how the stock merger was progressing, your opinions on it--"
"Wayne-san!" Matsunaga looked frankly relieved. "Yokatta, someone I can trust."
Bruce smiled.
Clark remembered all the carefully poured cups of tea and sake, the humble demeanor, the fawning friendliness.
The sound of distant sirens began to reach the office, and Matsunaga swung at Bruce in alarm. "Take this," he said, thrusting the memory stick into Bruce's hand. "Destroy it, destroy it without looking at it, all right? They're compromising photos, me with a girl, nothing illegal, just embarrassing. Just destroy them, you hear me?"
"I hear you," said Bruce, still smiling.
The elevators opened as the clock chimed nine and police swarmed into the office. < Matsunaga-sama, I'm afraid we're going to have to take you to the police station for questioning, > one officer said politely. Bruce slipped the memory stick into his pocket, checking his watch. He continued to look very delighted about something.
< Yes, yes, of course, > said Matsunaga. < Just a moment, please. > He pulled some paperwork off his desk and handed it to Bruce. "If you'll sign these, it'll finalize the merger."
Bruce signed the paperwork with a flourish, then shot a look at Clark, still waiting by the doorway. "Matsunaga Construction's been badly in the red," he explained. "WayneCorp has agreed to help out by incurring the company's debts in return for a controlling share of stock." The smile he gave Clark was blindingly pleased with itself. "The technical term is a 'white knight.' I'm a white knight."
Matsunaga clapped his white knight on the shoulder. "I know WayneCorp will take care of Matsunaga Construction."
As Matsunaga began to walk away with the police, Bruce raised his voice. "Oh yes. Matsunaga Construction will do well under my guidance. In fact, my first action is going to be to appoint a new CEO."
Matsunaga stared at him blankly. "But...I'm the CEO."
"Not for much longer. Gosh, I couldn't have a company of mine associated with someone tainted. I'm sure you understand."
"You--you--" The businessman couldn't seem to process this turn of events. His face darkened. "You can never run this company, gaijin!"
Bruce looked crestfallen. "Oh dear, that's a good point. You're so much smarter than I am." He brightened. "I know! I was planning on meeting a friend of mine here today. I'll just ask them to be the CEO. Hey, they're even a Matsunaga! That works out just swell, doesn't it?"
As if on cue, the elevator doors opened and a slender Japanese woman in a conservative business suit entered the office.
Asaka Matsunaga, widow of Seio Matsunaga.
Bruce grinned at her. "Asaka! It's so good to see you! I really need your help." As Asaka looked confused, he went on, "See, I just acquired this company, and I'm going to need someone to help me run all the fiddly little day-to-day bits. Would you be interested?" He turned back to Matsunaga and the gaping employees. "Asaka is the wife of my very dear childhood friend, Seio. They had all sorts of cool plans for the company, I know that. I'm sure Asaka will be able to do a bang-up job. She's pretty awesome." Clark noticed that the employees that didn't look uncomprehending looked delighted.
Bruce reached into his suit pocket and did an exaggerated mime of surprise as he pulled out the silver memory stick. "What the--oh yeah!" He held the memory stick out to Asaka. "Your father-in-law gave me this and told me to destroy it. But I'm hopeless with technology, and since you're the CEO now, I'll just leave it to you." He looked at the faces Matsunaga and the police officers. "Uh-oh. Should I not have said that right now?"
Matsunaga made a choking noise and rushed briefly at Bruce Wayne, but the police restrained him quickly and dragged him off into the elevator. The doors snapped shut on his bewildered, enraged face.
The police chief bowed to Bruce and reached out to take the memory stick. "This is evidence?"
"Do you think it could be? Goodness, I hadn't thought of that! How exciting." Bruce beamed and handed over the stick.
"Thank you for turning it over to us." He gave Bruce a somewhat appraising look and followed after his men.
Asaka was hovering outside the door of Matsunaga's office. Bruce bowed and gestured inside. "It's yours now."
She walked in slowly, staring out at the Kyoto skyline beyond the huge windows and running a hand along the ebony desk. < This monstrosity will have to go, > she muttered to herself. She looked at Bruce. "What would you like me to do here?"
Bruce shook his head. "You do whatever you and your husband would have liked to do. You don't have to report to me. I trust you." He smiled and waved his hands vaguely in the air. "I'm not good with all those crazy details anyway."
She nodded very slowly. "I underestimated you. I should have known that my husband would never care so much for someone hollow."
Bruce said nothing. After a moment, she sat down in the huge leather chair. She eyed some documents, then pressed the buzzer on the desk. A secretary entered, and Asaka said, < Please tell Yamada-san in Research and Development I'd like to talk to him. And after that I suppose Takeuchi-san in Accounting. > The secretary bowed and left the office. Asaka smiled slightly and addressed Bruce. "I have a great deal of work to get done. You may go now. I'm sure you have some social affair or other very interesting activity you must attend to." The words were formal but her eyes were warm.
Bruce bowed very deeply; Clark followed suit.
In the elevator, Bruce allowed the lupine edge of his smile to glint at Clark. "Does that meet your exacting standards for a fair revenge?"
Clark restrained himself from kissing that sharp and dangerous smile with a mighty effort. "That seemed reasonable. Was it satisfying?"
The smile turned somewhat wistful. "As satisfying as anything is that doesn't bring my friend back."
They walked through the lobby and out into the morning streets of Kyoto. The sun hit Clark at the same time as a thought that had never consciously occurred to him before, and without thinking he blurted suddenly, "Bruce, you and Seio--were you just friends?"
No answer from Bruce. Clark looked over to see the other man squinting up into the spring sun. "Were you?" he repeated.
Bruce swung away and started down the street away from Clark. Clark hurried after and touched him on the shoulder. "Bruce--"
Bruce turned on him, his azure eyes cold. "It's none of your damn business, Clark!" The look of blank surprise on Clark's face seemed to stoke his rage. "Don't you dare to judge me based on who I fuck or who I--who I could love. I don't care what kind of avatar of traditional American values you set yourself up to be, you don't have that right. So keep your priggish denunciations to yourself." The glare he gave Clark wavered into misery around the edges. "I suppose you're going to tell me I shouldn't have custody of the boy now." His voice was bleak.
Horror had Clark by the throat; he couldn't seem to articulate a single thought. "No, no, no," he managed to say. "No." Bruce's stance was as tense as if expecting a blow and Clark couldn't bear it. "Love is love," he said. "I've always believed that. I just...wanted to know. I'm sorry, I know it's none of my business at all. I'm sorry," he repeated lamely.
Bruce looked away, hands balled at his side. "We were...mostly just friends," he said finally. "I never really let it become more than that."
"He loved you."
A small sigh. "So he said, when I had to leave. I..." He paused and looked down. "I was not in a place where such things were thinkable. I had to go. How I felt made no difference."
Almost against his will, Clark thought, And are you in a place where such things are thinkable now? He knew that Bruce would never be interested in a big blue Boy Scout from Kansas, but...knowing he could be interested...it made a difference, somehow. "I'm sorry," he said again.
Bruce looked at him them, a small, wry smile on his lips that made Clark feel very odd indeed. "I probably should be apologizing to you. I didn't have any real reason to think you'd be that closed-minded. I just kind of assumed."
Clark frowned. "Well, don't. You know, when you assume you make an ass out of you and me."
Bruce snorted ferociously. "That's just the kind of witty quip that will put you in good stead as the leader of la Liga de la Justica."
"Justice League," Clark corrected absent-mindedly. "Although it sounds good in Spanish too." His brain caught up with Bruce's words. "Wait, leader? I don't think so. I was thinking more a rotating chairship."
Bruce gave him a level look. "You can call it whatever you want, and you can even rotate who sits in the chair." He turned away and started walking down the street; his voice came back over his shoulder to Clark. "But signing checks and calling meetings to order is not the same thing as being a leader."
Clark hurried after Bruce. It was a bright spring morning and he found himself smiling as he followed his friend.
Pairing: Clark/Bruce
Disclaimer: The boys belong to DC and to each other, but not to me.
Series Notes: 36 Views of Mt. Fuji is a series set early in Batman and Superman's careers, shortly after the S/B annual #1. The full series can be found here.
Rating: PG
Summary: Batman and Bruce Wayne set about to take Shigeru Matsunaga down.
Word Count: 2200
I have the delusion
that you are with me
as I walk through the fields
of flowers, under the moon.
--Yosano Akiko
< You can't prove that! You can't prove that! > Shigeru Matsunaga's voice squeaked as Batman let the line slip a fraction more, abruptly. He was currently hanging upside-down over the early-morning traffic of Kyoto. < You can't prove I had anything to do with that! >
< Can't I? > Batman's voice was terrifyingly even and unruffled. < Are you so sure? You and I both know the evidence exists. I know where it is, and I've already notified the police to search your offices and arrest you. > He gave the swinging man a slight push.
< I'm not going to admit anything to you! > Matsunaga howled as he arced over the street.
< A shame. You would have saved us time and hassle. But I'll get you, Matsunaga, one way or another. You hired Kyodai Ken to kill the Prime Minister and then kept silent when he killed your own son. The evidence is in that filing cabinet. The question is, can you beat the police to it? >
The slab-like face contorted. < My son was a worthless, troublemaking waste of space. But I had nothing to do with his death. >
The man dangling him above the street might have been carved of ebony for all he reacted. < You're lying, > he said softly, levelly. < The police will find out soon enough. >
Matsunaga didn't make a sound as he was dropped unceremoniously twenty stories to the ground, coming to an oddly gentle stop above the pavement. Batman's hands on the line were extremely careful and steady, as if he didn't trust himself to move abruptly. As he released the grapple and wound it back in, a voice came behind him.
"You could have told me you were planning something."
"I could have, yes." Superman moved somewhat closer, his face stern. He read something in Batman's body language and his expression shifted slightly to concerned, which was annoying. Superman shouldn't be able to read him that well. Batman pointed down to where Matsunaga was scurrying along the street. "You're welcome to come along for the big finale at the headquarters. Dress casual." Then he swung away.
: : :
Clark Kent met Bruce Wayne at the front door of Matsunaga headquarters just a few minutes later. As always, Clark was amazed at how quickly Bruce managed to change--it wasn't like he had superspeed. But here he was, back in his impeccable suit and shining wingtips. He shot a sly grin at Clark as they headed up to the CEO's offices.
The secretary might usually have balked at letting an unknown like Clark in, but the offices were in some pandemonium at the moment, with employees whispering and eyeing the doors. "He's still searching," Clark said quietly to Bruce as the detective strode to Matsunaga's office and rapped on the door, then went in without waiting for permission. Clark hung back at the doorway, trying to be relatively unobtrusive.
"Mr. Matsunaga!" Bruce exclaimed as he went in. Shigeru Matsunaga whirled from the drawer filled with memory sticks, a silver one in his hand. "I just thought I'd come by and see you this morning, ask how the stock merger was progressing, your opinions on it--"
"Wayne-san!" Matsunaga looked frankly relieved. "Yokatta, someone I can trust."
Bruce smiled.
Clark remembered all the carefully poured cups of tea and sake, the humble demeanor, the fawning friendliness.
The sound of distant sirens began to reach the office, and Matsunaga swung at Bruce in alarm. "Take this," he said, thrusting the memory stick into Bruce's hand. "Destroy it, destroy it without looking at it, all right? They're compromising photos, me with a girl, nothing illegal, just embarrassing. Just destroy them, you hear me?"
"I hear you," said Bruce, still smiling.
The elevators opened as the clock chimed nine and police swarmed into the office. < Matsunaga-sama, I'm afraid we're going to have to take you to the police station for questioning, > one officer said politely. Bruce slipped the memory stick into his pocket, checking his watch. He continued to look very delighted about something.
< Yes, yes, of course, > said Matsunaga. < Just a moment, please. > He pulled some paperwork off his desk and handed it to Bruce. "If you'll sign these, it'll finalize the merger."
Bruce signed the paperwork with a flourish, then shot a look at Clark, still waiting by the doorway. "Matsunaga Construction's been badly in the red," he explained. "WayneCorp has agreed to help out by incurring the company's debts in return for a controlling share of stock." The smile he gave Clark was blindingly pleased with itself. "The technical term is a 'white knight.' I'm a white knight."
Matsunaga clapped his white knight on the shoulder. "I know WayneCorp will take care of Matsunaga Construction."
As Matsunaga began to walk away with the police, Bruce raised his voice. "Oh yes. Matsunaga Construction will do well under my guidance. In fact, my first action is going to be to appoint a new CEO."
Matsunaga stared at him blankly. "But...I'm the CEO."
"Not for much longer. Gosh, I couldn't have a company of mine associated with someone tainted. I'm sure you understand."
"You--you--" The businessman couldn't seem to process this turn of events. His face darkened. "You can never run this company, gaijin!"
Bruce looked crestfallen. "Oh dear, that's a good point. You're so much smarter than I am." He brightened. "I know! I was planning on meeting a friend of mine here today. I'll just ask them to be the CEO. Hey, they're even a Matsunaga! That works out just swell, doesn't it?"
As if on cue, the elevator doors opened and a slender Japanese woman in a conservative business suit entered the office.
Asaka Matsunaga, widow of Seio Matsunaga.
Bruce grinned at her. "Asaka! It's so good to see you! I really need your help." As Asaka looked confused, he went on, "See, I just acquired this company, and I'm going to need someone to help me run all the fiddly little day-to-day bits. Would you be interested?" He turned back to Matsunaga and the gaping employees. "Asaka is the wife of my very dear childhood friend, Seio. They had all sorts of cool plans for the company, I know that. I'm sure Asaka will be able to do a bang-up job. She's pretty awesome." Clark noticed that the employees that didn't look uncomprehending looked delighted.
Bruce reached into his suit pocket and did an exaggerated mime of surprise as he pulled out the silver memory stick. "What the--oh yeah!" He held the memory stick out to Asaka. "Your father-in-law gave me this and told me to destroy it. But I'm hopeless with technology, and since you're the CEO now, I'll just leave it to you." He looked at the faces Matsunaga and the police officers. "Uh-oh. Should I not have said that right now?"
Matsunaga made a choking noise and rushed briefly at Bruce Wayne, but the police restrained him quickly and dragged him off into the elevator. The doors snapped shut on his bewildered, enraged face.
The police chief bowed to Bruce and reached out to take the memory stick. "This is evidence?"
"Do you think it could be? Goodness, I hadn't thought of that! How exciting." Bruce beamed and handed over the stick.
"Thank you for turning it over to us." He gave Bruce a somewhat appraising look and followed after his men.
Asaka was hovering outside the door of Matsunaga's office. Bruce bowed and gestured inside. "It's yours now."
She walked in slowly, staring out at the Kyoto skyline beyond the huge windows and running a hand along the ebony desk. < This monstrosity will have to go, > she muttered to herself. She looked at Bruce. "What would you like me to do here?"
Bruce shook his head. "You do whatever you and your husband would have liked to do. You don't have to report to me. I trust you." He smiled and waved his hands vaguely in the air. "I'm not good with all those crazy details anyway."
She nodded very slowly. "I underestimated you. I should have known that my husband would never care so much for someone hollow."
Bruce said nothing. After a moment, she sat down in the huge leather chair. She eyed some documents, then pressed the buzzer on the desk. A secretary entered, and Asaka said, < Please tell Yamada-san in Research and Development I'd like to talk to him. And after that I suppose Takeuchi-san in Accounting. > The secretary bowed and left the office. Asaka smiled slightly and addressed Bruce. "I have a great deal of work to get done. You may go now. I'm sure you have some social affair or other very interesting activity you must attend to." The words were formal but her eyes were warm.
Bruce bowed very deeply; Clark followed suit.
In the elevator, Bruce allowed the lupine edge of his smile to glint at Clark. "Does that meet your exacting standards for a fair revenge?"
Clark restrained himself from kissing that sharp and dangerous smile with a mighty effort. "That seemed reasonable. Was it satisfying?"
The smile turned somewhat wistful. "As satisfying as anything is that doesn't bring my friend back."
They walked through the lobby and out into the morning streets of Kyoto. The sun hit Clark at the same time as a thought that had never consciously occurred to him before, and without thinking he blurted suddenly, "Bruce, you and Seio--were you just friends?"
No answer from Bruce. Clark looked over to see the other man squinting up into the spring sun. "Were you?" he repeated.
Bruce swung away and started down the street away from Clark. Clark hurried after and touched him on the shoulder. "Bruce--"
Bruce turned on him, his azure eyes cold. "It's none of your damn business, Clark!" The look of blank surprise on Clark's face seemed to stoke his rage. "Don't you dare to judge me based on who I fuck or who I--who I could love. I don't care what kind of avatar of traditional American values you set yourself up to be, you don't have that right. So keep your priggish denunciations to yourself." The glare he gave Clark wavered into misery around the edges. "I suppose you're going to tell me I shouldn't have custody of the boy now." His voice was bleak.
Horror had Clark by the throat; he couldn't seem to articulate a single thought. "No, no, no," he managed to say. "No." Bruce's stance was as tense as if expecting a blow and Clark couldn't bear it. "Love is love," he said. "I've always believed that. I just...wanted to know. I'm sorry, I know it's none of my business at all. I'm sorry," he repeated lamely.
Bruce looked away, hands balled at his side. "We were...mostly just friends," he said finally. "I never really let it become more than that."
"He loved you."
A small sigh. "So he said, when I had to leave. I..." He paused and looked down. "I was not in a place where such things were thinkable. I had to go. How I felt made no difference."
Almost against his will, Clark thought, And are you in a place where such things are thinkable now? He knew that Bruce would never be interested in a big blue Boy Scout from Kansas, but...knowing he could be interested...it made a difference, somehow. "I'm sorry," he said again.
Bruce looked at him them, a small, wry smile on his lips that made Clark feel very odd indeed. "I probably should be apologizing to you. I didn't have any real reason to think you'd be that closed-minded. I just kind of assumed."
Clark frowned. "Well, don't. You know, when you assume you make an ass out of you and me."
Bruce snorted ferociously. "That's just the kind of witty quip that will put you in good stead as the leader of la Liga de la Justica."
"Justice League," Clark corrected absent-mindedly. "Although it sounds good in Spanish too." His brain caught up with Bruce's words. "Wait, leader? I don't think so. I was thinking more a rotating chairship."
Bruce gave him a level look. "You can call it whatever you want, and you can even rotate who sits in the chair." He turned away and started walking down the street; his voice came back over his shoulder to Clark. "But signing checks and calling meetings to order is not the same thing as being a leader."
Clark hurried after Bruce. It was a bright spring morning and he found himself smiling as he followed his friend.