FIC: 36 Views of Mt. Fuji: Summer (6/9)
Title: 36 Views of Mt. Fuji: Summer (6/9)
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-13
Summary: Tanabata celebrations: wishes made and fireworks watched under the Milky Way
Word Count: 2000
Midnight uncalm shadows
Creaking the willow.
I am afraid.
This firefly
That has come to rest on my sleeve.
How strange it is,
How strange it all is.
--Anonymous geisha song
Tatsu Yamashiro finished adjusting Clark Kent's yellow sash. "I think you look quite dignified," she said, not quite laughing.
Clark brushed ineffectually at the white cotton cloth patterned with blue dragonflies, trying to get the edges of the yukata lined up correctly. He glared impotently as Bruce moved gracefully into the entranceway and slipped on his wooden clogs. His striped yukata was crisp and perfectly adjusted; he didn't look the least bit out of place, as Clark floundered to the door past him.
Takata's car pulled up and Bruce and Clark got inside as Tatsu and Maseo waved and then bowed goodbye. The driver was silent as the car drove away; he didn't seem to speak English and the two Americans weren't supposed to know much Japanese, so the ride was uncomfortably quiet.
Yuchiro Takata bowed low to the two of them as they emerged from the car at the entrance of a park. He was wearing a dark gray yukata with a green sash. "Shuffle, Mr. Kent," he advised as the trio began to walk into the park, noting Clark's tendency to clomp. "The goal is to glide."
"Glide, glide," muttered Clark, wishing he could hover just a little.
It was dusk, and the sky was shifting from red into lilac and purple. The sides of the path the three were walking were lined with bunches of colorful streamers, stirring very slightly in the breeze. Takata looked up at the full moon and smiled slightly. "It looks like it will be a clear night. That is good."
Clark dodged a group of small girls in bright yukata, ribbons in their hair, running and laughing. "Why is that?"
"Tanabata is a night dedicated to a god and goddess, the Herder and the Weaver, symbolized by two stars on far ends of the sky. They love each other, but only one night a year are they allowed to meet, crossing the river of stars that is the Milky Way to be together. If it is cloudy, they cannot meet this year and must wait another twelve months."
"One night a year..." Clark looked up at the clear sky. "Well, I suppose you take what you can get."
A stall nearby was selling strips of colored paper; children were writing messages on them. Bruce tugged Clark over and bought the three strips. "They're for making wishes," he said. "Write what you want and maybe it'll come true."
Clark stared at the innocuous piece of paper. There didn't seem to be any way to write, "I really wish I had the courage to kiss Bruce Wayne." And it probably wouldn't be a good idea to write, "I wish I could find out what Bruce would be like in bed, how his mouth would feel on mine, his hands on my body pulling me close, touching me, doing things to me that I can't even seem to imagine."
For starters, that was probably too long to fit on the streamer.
After long thought, he wrote, "I wish for happiness for everyone I--" The pen hovered a moment; he made himself write it, "--love."
It was vague enough. It could apply to just about everyone.
Takata was pinching the bridge of his nose. < I wish I could get rid of this headache, > he muttered to himself wryly, then wrote in clear, concise Japanese, < I wish for success in all endeavors for myself and possible friends. >
"Nice," said Bruce's voice as he looked over at Clark's paper. "Perhaps a bit simple, but nice."
"Oh?" Clark said a little defensively, "What did you write?" He glanced over to see written on the streamer in a graceful hand:
On a night
when the moon
shines as brightly as this,
the unspoken thoughts
of even the most discreet heart might be seen.
Bruce shrugged. "It's traditional to write poetry. My poor skills weren't up to it, so I stole from Izumi Shikibu."
Takata's eyebrows were raised. "I'm impressed."
"Is that really a wish?" Clark asked.
Bruce attached his streamer and started to walk away. "It depends on how you look at it, I suppose."
: : :
Takata led the two men to a white cloth laid on the ground under a willow tree. "I reserved us this place for the fireworks. Please, have a seat. I shall fetch you something to eat. No, it is my treat," he said quickly as Bruce seemed ready to offer to pay.
Bruce sat down with his legs tucked under him and watched as Clark struggled to sit gracefully, trying to mimic Bruce's position. "I've seen you in action, Clark, I know you're more coordinated than that," Bruce finally noted in exasperation.
Clark shoved his glasses up on his nose, looking both peeved and amused. "It's hard to explain. When I'm on unfamiliar ground, it can be really difficult to adjust sometimes. I don't know the right way to move in these clothes. They feel like they're going to fall open at any moment and leave me flashing the crowd," he grumbled.
Bruce had a sudden image of Superman floating above the crowd with his yukata open in the breeze, stark naked. "Um, you aren't going commando underneath that, right?"
"Don't worry," Clark laughed. "It would merely be embarrassing, not obscene."
"Obscene" was not precisely the word Bruce would have used to describe his mental image, but he didn't argue the point. He wanted to ask Clark about his impressions of Takata, but the man was returning already, holding three cups of shaved ice covered with red syrup.
Bruce took a bite of the ice, feeling it melting on his tongue, enjoying the cool. Then he looked over at Clark and almost dropped his cup in horror. "Clark, for crying out loud!" he hissed.
Clark looked at him, puzzled. "What?" He had casually crossed his legs to sit Indian-style and didn't seem to notice that the light yukata had ridden well up his legs. Takata looked amused as Bruce shooed Clark to tug his robe back down.
"What?" Clark grumbled. "It's nothing that couldn't be seen if I just wore shorts."
"Yeah, well, not many men wear shorts in Japan, either." Bruce took another bite of ice to try and distract himself, feeling rather ridiculous; it wasn't as if he hadn't seen Clark naked in the baths before, not to mention clad in tight spandex that left nothing to the imagination. But there was something about catching a glimpse of something you shouldn't, right out in public, Clark's bare and muscled thighs where anyone could see them...Bruce glared at Takata, who was smiling slightly; if he had a friend who had a gay bar, did that mean he was gay? Had he been enjoying the sight of that stretch of perfect skin? His annoyance shifted abruptly into concern as Takata winced slightly and put a hand to his forehead, although he was still smiling. "Are you all right?"
Takata waved at the two of them, Clark still squirming to get his clothes in order and looking uncomfortable. "I hope you will not take offense if I admit that dealing with the two of you is giving me a terrific headache."
Bruce nodded. "No offense taken. Thinking in another language is very difficult."
Takata's smile broadened slightly. "And yet...I am pleased to have had the chance to get to know both of you better. It has given me both insight and hope." There was something like respect, almost affection in his level voice, and Bruce saw Clark glance up, startled but pleased. Bruce opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by a whistle and bang that signaled the beginning of the fireworks.
Takata and Clark kept their eyes on the skies, oohing and aahing in wonder at the bursts of color and sound, but Bruce found himself watching Clark's face instead. Color played across the fine-cut features, an infinite tapestry of light and shadow, shifting and beautiful. Cascades of trailing gold in the sky lit Clark's eyelashes, gilded his cheeks; scarlet and azure blossoms painted his face with Superman's colors.
Clark turned to say something to Bruce, smiling; the smile shifted to surprise as he caught Bruce looking at him.
Bruce knew he should look away, make a joke, do something other than continue to stare, but he didn't seem able to at the moment. He kept looking, the rattling explosions of the fireworks and the roar of the crowd seeming far away and faint. Clark's bright eyes shifted away slightly, then back, as if wondering what behind him Bruce was looking at. Bruce shook his head slightly and tried to smile dismissively, still unable to look away.
Clark looked back at him, puzzled and maybe slightly wistful, the white cloth between them like the Milky Way, like the whole sky between them. The fireworks came to their climax, a deafening volley of explosions, etching their faces with magnesium-bright silver light.
Neither of them was looking at the show.
Bruce glanced away as the last round of explosions finished, breaking eye contact that suddenly felt as intimate as a touch. When he looked back, Clark was pushing his glasses up on his nose and looking confused and a little concerned. You all right? the Kryptonian mouthed as Takata applauded with the rest of the crowd.
"I'm fine," Bruce said out loud, maybe a little too loudly. He shrugged and repeated, "I'm fine. Just...the fireworks, the noise was disorienting."
Clark frowned, but didn't press the issue as the three men rose from the blanket and started to move with the crowd to the park exits. There was a chirping noise, and Takata pulled a cell phone from a cloth bag at his side, talking into it quietly. He shut it and smiled at the other two.
"You may be in luck tonight. That was the owner of Excelsior, the superhero cafe I told you about. He says you are welcome to come tonight and see what information you can gather about Jade Warrior. There is, however, one small favor he requests from you in return." He continued at the two mens' quizzical looks, "One of his 'waiters' had to cancel tonight, and he would like to ask one of you to cover for him. After all, it would be a good chance to talk to the staff as well; they may know even more."
Clark felt a deep sense of unease. "We don't speak much Japanese," he said warily.
"No worries," Takata said cheerfully. "Most of his staff are foreigners anyway. Who would believe a Japanese Flash, after all? So, one of you can check with the customers, one of you can talk with the staff. It works out very conveniently, does it not?"
The gnawing sense of unease did not go away. "What role would it be?"
Takata smiled serenely. "His Superman has called in sick. I told him both of you had the right coloring and could probably cover for him." He looked at Clark. "Do you think you could play Superman for a night?"
Clark didn't have to feign astonishment. "Me? Oh gosh, I don't think--"
"--He'd love to," cut in Bruce smoothly. "Come on, Clark, it's a once-in-a-lifetime chance, isn't it?" He continued meaningfully, "You'd really like to get some leads on Jade Warrior, right?"
Clark closed his mouth after a long moment. "Sure," he gritted at last, "Why not?"
Takata nodded and handed each of them a business card with a map to the superhero cafe on it. "It may well be a once-in-a-lifetime chance," he said. "After all, tonight is Tanabata, a celebration of rare opportunities. And the night is still young."
The Japanese man strode off into the night after saying goodbye, leave Clark glaring at Bruce. "Thanks. Thanks a lot," he said.
Bruce shrugged. "Hey, I'm not going to play Superman. The role is tailor-made for you." He clapped Clark briefly on the back as they headed down the winding streets together. "And I think you'd make a stunning
Superman."
His voice was light and teasing, but Clark felt oddly warmed by it. He looked up at the clear night sky between the buildings, at the river of stars crossing the darkness.
It was Tanabata, and the night was still young.
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-13
Summary: Tanabata celebrations: wishes made and fireworks watched under the Milky Way
Word Count: 2000
Midnight uncalm shadows
Creaking the willow.
I am afraid.
This firefly
That has come to rest on my sleeve.
How strange it is,
How strange it all is.
--Anonymous geisha song
Tatsu Yamashiro finished adjusting Clark Kent's yellow sash. "I think you look quite dignified," she said, not quite laughing.
Clark brushed ineffectually at the white cotton cloth patterned with blue dragonflies, trying to get the edges of the yukata lined up correctly. He glared impotently as Bruce moved gracefully into the entranceway and slipped on his wooden clogs. His striped yukata was crisp and perfectly adjusted; he didn't look the least bit out of place, as Clark floundered to the door past him.
Takata's car pulled up and Bruce and Clark got inside as Tatsu and Maseo waved and then bowed goodbye. The driver was silent as the car drove away; he didn't seem to speak English and the two Americans weren't supposed to know much Japanese, so the ride was uncomfortably quiet.
Yuchiro Takata bowed low to the two of them as they emerged from the car at the entrance of a park. He was wearing a dark gray yukata with a green sash. "Shuffle, Mr. Kent," he advised as the trio began to walk into the park, noting Clark's tendency to clomp. "The goal is to glide."
"Glide, glide," muttered Clark, wishing he could hover just a little.
It was dusk, and the sky was shifting from red into lilac and purple. The sides of the path the three were walking were lined with bunches of colorful streamers, stirring very slightly in the breeze. Takata looked up at the full moon and smiled slightly. "It looks like it will be a clear night. That is good."
Clark dodged a group of small girls in bright yukata, ribbons in their hair, running and laughing. "Why is that?"
"Tanabata is a night dedicated to a god and goddess, the Herder and the Weaver, symbolized by two stars on far ends of the sky. They love each other, but only one night a year are they allowed to meet, crossing the river of stars that is the Milky Way to be together. If it is cloudy, they cannot meet this year and must wait another twelve months."
"One night a year..." Clark looked up at the clear sky. "Well, I suppose you take what you can get."
A stall nearby was selling strips of colored paper; children were writing messages on them. Bruce tugged Clark over and bought the three strips. "They're for making wishes," he said. "Write what you want and maybe it'll come true."
Clark stared at the innocuous piece of paper. There didn't seem to be any way to write, "I really wish I had the courage to kiss Bruce Wayne." And it probably wouldn't be a good idea to write, "I wish I could find out what Bruce would be like in bed, how his mouth would feel on mine, his hands on my body pulling me close, touching me, doing things to me that I can't even seem to imagine."
For starters, that was probably too long to fit on the streamer.
After long thought, he wrote, "I wish for happiness for everyone I--" The pen hovered a moment; he made himself write it, "--love."
It was vague enough. It could apply to just about everyone.
Takata was pinching the bridge of his nose. < I wish I could get rid of this headache, > he muttered to himself wryly, then wrote in clear, concise Japanese, < I wish for success in all endeavors for myself and possible friends. >
"Nice," said Bruce's voice as he looked over at Clark's paper. "Perhaps a bit simple, but nice."
"Oh?" Clark said a little defensively, "What did you write?" He glanced over to see written on the streamer in a graceful hand:
On a night
when the moon
shines as brightly as this,
the unspoken thoughts
of even the most discreet heart might be seen.
Bruce shrugged. "It's traditional to write poetry. My poor skills weren't up to it, so I stole from Izumi Shikibu."
Takata's eyebrows were raised. "I'm impressed."
"Is that really a wish?" Clark asked.
Bruce attached his streamer and started to walk away. "It depends on how you look at it, I suppose."
: : :
Takata led the two men to a white cloth laid on the ground under a willow tree. "I reserved us this place for the fireworks. Please, have a seat. I shall fetch you something to eat. No, it is my treat," he said quickly as Bruce seemed ready to offer to pay.
Bruce sat down with his legs tucked under him and watched as Clark struggled to sit gracefully, trying to mimic Bruce's position. "I've seen you in action, Clark, I know you're more coordinated than that," Bruce finally noted in exasperation.
Clark shoved his glasses up on his nose, looking both peeved and amused. "It's hard to explain. When I'm on unfamiliar ground, it can be really difficult to adjust sometimes. I don't know the right way to move in these clothes. They feel like they're going to fall open at any moment and leave me flashing the crowd," he grumbled.
Bruce had a sudden image of Superman floating above the crowd with his yukata open in the breeze, stark naked. "Um, you aren't going commando underneath that, right?"
"Don't worry," Clark laughed. "It would merely be embarrassing, not obscene."
"Obscene" was not precisely the word Bruce would have used to describe his mental image, but he didn't argue the point. He wanted to ask Clark about his impressions of Takata, but the man was returning already, holding three cups of shaved ice covered with red syrup.
Bruce took a bite of the ice, feeling it melting on his tongue, enjoying the cool. Then he looked over at Clark and almost dropped his cup in horror. "Clark, for crying out loud!" he hissed.
Clark looked at him, puzzled. "What?" He had casually crossed his legs to sit Indian-style and didn't seem to notice that the light yukata had ridden well up his legs. Takata looked amused as Bruce shooed Clark to tug his robe back down.
"What?" Clark grumbled. "It's nothing that couldn't be seen if I just wore shorts."
"Yeah, well, not many men wear shorts in Japan, either." Bruce took another bite of ice to try and distract himself, feeling rather ridiculous; it wasn't as if he hadn't seen Clark naked in the baths before, not to mention clad in tight spandex that left nothing to the imagination. But there was something about catching a glimpse of something you shouldn't, right out in public, Clark's bare and muscled thighs where anyone could see them...Bruce glared at Takata, who was smiling slightly; if he had a friend who had a gay bar, did that mean he was gay? Had he been enjoying the sight of that stretch of perfect skin? His annoyance shifted abruptly into concern as Takata winced slightly and put a hand to his forehead, although he was still smiling. "Are you all right?"
Takata waved at the two of them, Clark still squirming to get his clothes in order and looking uncomfortable. "I hope you will not take offense if I admit that dealing with the two of you is giving me a terrific headache."
Bruce nodded. "No offense taken. Thinking in another language is very difficult."
Takata's smile broadened slightly. "And yet...I am pleased to have had the chance to get to know both of you better. It has given me both insight and hope." There was something like respect, almost affection in his level voice, and Bruce saw Clark glance up, startled but pleased. Bruce opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by a whistle and bang that signaled the beginning of the fireworks.
Takata and Clark kept their eyes on the skies, oohing and aahing in wonder at the bursts of color and sound, but Bruce found himself watching Clark's face instead. Color played across the fine-cut features, an infinite tapestry of light and shadow, shifting and beautiful. Cascades of trailing gold in the sky lit Clark's eyelashes, gilded his cheeks; scarlet and azure blossoms painted his face with Superman's colors.
Clark turned to say something to Bruce, smiling; the smile shifted to surprise as he caught Bruce looking at him.
Bruce knew he should look away, make a joke, do something other than continue to stare, but he didn't seem able to at the moment. He kept looking, the rattling explosions of the fireworks and the roar of the crowd seeming far away and faint. Clark's bright eyes shifted away slightly, then back, as if wondering what behind him Bruce was looking at. Bruce shook his head slightly and tried to smile dismissively, still unable to look away.
Clark looked back at him, puzzled and maybe slightly wistful, the white cloth between them like the Milky Way, like the whole sky between them. The fireworks came to their climax, a deafening volley of explosions, etching their faces with magnesium-bright silver light.
Neither of them was looking at the show.
Bruce glanced away as the last round of explosions finished, breaking eye contact that suddenly felt as intimate as a touch. When he looked back, Clark was pushing his glasses up on his nose and looking confused and a little concerned. You all right? the Kryptonian mouthed as Takata applauded with the rest of the crowd.
"I'm fine," Bruce said out loud, maybe a little too loudly. He shrugged and repeated, "I'm fine. Just...the fireworks, the noise was disorienting."
Clark frowned, but didn't press the issue as the three men rose from the blanket and started to move with the crowd to the park exits. There was a chirping noise, and Takata pulled a cell phone from a cloth bag at his side, talking into it quietly. He shut it and smiled at the other two.
"You may be in luck tonight. That was the owner of Excelsior, the superhero cafe I told you about. He says you are welcome to come tonight and see what information you can gather about Jade Warrior. There is, however, one small favor he requests from you in return." He continued at the two mens' quizzical looks, "One of his 'waiters' had to cancel tonight, and he would like to ask one of you to cover for him. After all, it would be a good chance to talk to the staff as well; they may know even more."
Clark felt a deep sense of unease. "We don't speak much Japanese," he said warily.
"No worries," Takata said cheerfully. "Most of his staff are foreigners anyway. Who would believe a Japanese Flash, after all? So, one of you can check with the customers, one of you can talk with the staff. It works out very conveniently, does it not?"
The gnawing sense of unease did not go away. "What role would it be?"
Takata smiled serenely. "His Superman has called in sick. I told him both of you had the right coloring and could probably cover for him." He looked at Clark. "Do you think you could play Superman for a night?"
Clark didn't have to feign astonishment. "Me? Oh gosh, I don't think--"
"--He'd love to," cut in Bruce smoothly. "Come on, Clark, it's a once-in-a-lifetime chance, isn't it?" He continued meaningfully, "You'd really like to get some leads on Jade Warrior, right?"
Clark closed his mouth after a long moment. "Sure," he gritted at last, "Why not?"
Takata nodded and handed each of them a business card with a map to the superhero cafe on it. "It may well be a once-in-a-lifetime chance," he said. "After all, tonight is Tanabata, a celebration of rare opportunities. And the night is still young."
The Japanese man strode off into the night after saying goodbye, leave Clark glaring at Bruce. "Thanks. Thanks a lot," he said.
Bruce shrugged. "Hey, I'm not going to play Superman. The role is tailor-made for you." He clapped Clark briefly on the back as they headed down the winding streets together. "And I think you'd make a stunning
Superman."
His voice was light and teasing, but Clark felt oddly warmed by it. He looked up at the clear night sky between the buildings, at the river of stars crossing the darkness.
It was Tanabata, and the night was still young.