Thoughts and Promises...
Title: Thoughts and Promises...
Pairing: Superman/Batman
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I do not own anything but this computer :-P
Warning: Hrmm... pretty much nothing.
Word count: 3,742
A/N: This is my fic for World's Finest Gift Exchange, fic prompt #49: Toonverse: Romance. Humor. Just a silly bit of fluff; perhaps a "Day in the life of..." type fic during Christmas. Bonus points for including the Flash playing pranks. (I hope it fits xD)
Bruce had been silently wondering for a while why he had forced Alfred to go visit his remaining family in England for the holidays, besides the fact that he wanted his long time friend to be happy. Though Alfred had told him that he was more than happy in New Jersey, Bruce had underhandedly, in that beyond subtle silent way, told Alfred that he didn’t think the older man could possibly ever be as happy as he suggests he is because... really. Despite what people may think, he does know how difficult he can be to not only just live with, but even talk to for an extended amount of time.
He needs a break from himself sometimes, no, actually… that’s far too silly. He just needed a break from impugning on other people so much so he sent Alfred to visit his brother in London. There wasn’t even a quantifiable amount of exertion spent on coercing Dick into spending time with the Gordon’s, and Tim still has his own family so he doesn’t have to worry about him. At least not right now. And if anyone needed help they all knew how to contact him. Bruce pretty much was on top of things, as per usual.
Now that he had somewhat logically ascertained an idea of how he effectively isolated himself this holiday season, Bruce attempted to figure out an idea of what he was going to do with himself for the next week alone. Despite having spent years by himself in the past, he hasn’t spent much time by himself in years. Especially not during Christmas. Alfred had always made sure that he wasn’t alone when he was in Gotham, and when he wasn’t in Gotham he was with the League or training which meant he was never physically alone. It was a bit of a disappointment to himself that he was at a loss of what to actually do with himself during the day. Seeing as it was already Christmas Eve, Wayne Tech. was not holding meetings under the direct order of its CEO. He couldn’t show up to work when there was nothing to do, in spite of the fact that there was always work to do, work that he tended to ignore or charm his secretary Lori into doing for him.
Batman may always be needed in Gotham as long as there was crime, but everybody was insane as it was and focusing on their hectic schedule of Yule tide shopping just made the citizens, and apparently the villains as well, compliant and withdrawn. Which meant a mid-day rendezvous as the Bat was unnecessary. That should have made him happy, the fact that there wasn’t some huge sinister plot going down that he had to be forced out into the daylight in the cowl and cape, but of course it didn’t. Being someone who hated staying inactive, Bruce felt useless doing nothing. Which would explain his arriving at the Watchtower just after noon, even when he wasn’t scheduled for monitor duty until the day after Christmas. If he had nothing to do in Gotham, surely there was something for him to do at the League base in outer space. Surely…
Continuing his train of thought about his impending aloneness, Bruce stalked away from the teleportation bay with his cape scraping against the back of his boots almost angrily. Needless to say he wasn’t particularly in the best of moods due to the lack of things to do, but that didn’t make him actually wont to interact with other people just to procure an activity. Heading straight for the monitor womb, he was only deterred by the Flash - or the sight of Wally with his cowl down - sewing a spring of mistletoe to the forehead of his cowl. That elicited a half snort from him, lips twisting slightly at the younger hero’s antics, actually finding it amusing at the prospect of the overeager speedster getting turned down by some of the most powerful women in the world. Fixing his mouth into a straight line as he passed Wally, Bruce had to actually work to keep his expression blank for once. At least up here, there were other people. Bruce would never, and he meant never, admit that was a comfort to himself for many reasons, and just thinking about it made him want to turn around and head back to the quiet manor.
Steeling his shoulders instead, he just kept walking and made it to the monitor womb without any other distractions whether it was mental or corporeal. He wasn’t at the tower to continue his rueful thoughts, but distract himself with menial tasks. That was what he was planning on doing until he saw the back of a familiar head, neck, and shoulders sitting in the chair in front of the tower’s main computer. The sight had stopped him in his tracks, for other reasons he didn’t want to dwell on at all, and Bruce just stared through his starlite lenses at the Man of Steel’s frame from across the room. Being the detective that he was, he took inventory of what seemed off about the Kryptonian, if only due to the fact that the whole room was silent and Bruce knew all too well how Kal liked to whistle or sing to himself when he was alone. The silence was enough to tell Bruce that something wasn’t quite right, but then there was the way that Kal’s shoulders were rolled forward, and not obscured by that cape.
The red cape, Bruce noted, had been folded and placed on the floor, allowing those broad shoulders to be seen easily. Though it was one of the things that made Kal so recognizable to the world as Superman, Bruce secretly detested that bright red cape - it completely obscured any decent view of the alien from behind. Not that he’d admit that either. There were a lot of things that Bruce was unwilling to acknowledge, there always was and will be. But that was just the way he was.
The toe of Kal’s left boot was buried beneath the red cape, the similar color of the boot bleeding into the cape seamlessly. That wouldn’t have been of any consequence to anything if it weren’t for the fact that the leg that the boot was wrapped around had been thrown out at an awkward angle, screaming of some unseen distress that its owner was under. It had to be something big enough to get Superman of all people to let go of his usual put together demeanor. Cool, thoughtful demeanor that was just as steely as his nickname at times. But now it seemed dented, he seemed scattered, almost human. This prompted both of Bruce’s eyebrows to raise beneath his thick black cowl, the lenses opening to perfect ovals for just a brief moment before settling back into a slotted scrutinizing glare.
It was no surprise that Bruce actually felt concern wash over the curiosity, it was a feeling he had gotten used to feeling whenever he had seen his team mate injured or in emotional duress. Though the first time he had felt it, he had chalked it up to the fact that Kal had apparently died. That was a normal, platonic, reaction - distress at the loss of a friend and comrade. The feelings of concern had since been aroused even after Bruce had proven that the unofficial leader of the Justice League hadn’t been killed. A concern that really wasn’t at all platonic, that he knew because it was just one of the many emotions he felt just for Kal. An amalgam of things that he didn’t feel for anyone else, and was especially frustrating.
Frustrating if only for the fact that everything he felt for the impenetrable alien would just lead him to even more time alone. Bruce was hopelessly fixated on something that he and pretty much no one else, could have. That, at the very least was satisfying, if childish. The fixation was growing more and more bothersome with each passing week, and could possibly even be the reason for his desire to shove everyone else away. In retrospect, he knew that he had been pushing everyone else away just a little bit more in order to keep his desires to himself. Which would be another reason for shipping off his entire ‘family’ this holiday.
He must have sighed at the realization, because Superman’s head picked up from the hanging position it had been in. That token spit curl whipping into his left eye as he stared almost like a stunned child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Bruce would have laughed if he hadn’t shared those same sentiments.
-----
The tower was always relatively abandoned on Christmas Eve, at least it had been when it was only the seven of them. Kal had only felt a little bit of guilt having to say goodbye to Ma and Pa when he left Kansas early in the morning to take care of his shift, though after promising to be home as soon as his shift was over and possibly with a friend. It had become tradition for Kal to take the morning shift of the Christmas Eve shift and bring home a different Leaguer to Smallville, and apologize for it ever year. When he had arrived to the League’s headquarters, he was the only one actually doing any work. Which wasn’t a surprise, really.
Most of the members were from Earth, and celebrated the winter holidays which meant they had their own holiday rituals and shopping to part take in. Kal just so happened to be an early shopper, and early everything for that matter. All of the heroes were too busy to shop before hand, and had gone out to be like every other procrastinating citizen, or were already spending time with their loved ones. He didn’t have the heart to force anyone else to work monitor duty on any holiday, and usually picked up whatever slot of duty that was not volunteered for personally. It was just the way he was.
He had been sitting in the vaguely uncomfortable monitor chair, Kal supposed it had to be to keep whoever was sitting there focused on the screens rather than relaxing, for a few hours now. The hardness of the seat wasn’t helping him focus on the large screen that was divided into smaller panels, each showing the current news stations of various countries world wide, just drawing his attention even further away from the screens. It was a miracle how he could follow his own trains of distracting thought, and still be mostly alert and in tune to the worlds’ crises. He had just learned to multitask well growing up on a farm.
The real focus for the past few hours had been how to go about asking someone back to the Kent farm on such short notice. The adopted son of the Kent’s had always enjoyed sharing his parents with other stressed out, overworked heroes and co-workers because there was just this intangible quality that both Ma and Pa had that could relieve anyone of their worries, and without trying. They were the true heroes, but he wasn’t going to gush over that more than he usually did.
It wasn’t that Kal hadn’t already known who he wanted to ask back to the farm… and this mental tête-à-tête with himself was rapidly forcing his thoughts to descend into an obscene scene in his head that he really couldn’t handle at the moment. Take back to the farm sounded so lewd and unnecessarily so. But that had always been the direction his thoughts had taken when he was musing about Bruce. Yes, he wanted to bring Bruce (or Batman, whichever he could persuade to come with him) back to Kansas with him. He just didn’t know how to ask the Dark Knight to agree to such a suggestion. It was difficult talking to the man in the first place without wanting to either hit him or kiss him.
As of late it was more of the latter, and that was Kal’s major malfunction. Debating whether or not just to ask and get it over with, he had grown increasingly frustrated with himself and the chair. Maybe it wasn’t the chair, but his cape bunching up beneath him on the seat. Such meticulous attention to sensation was also stealing his attention away from the screens so he got rid of the cape by detaching the red material from the shoulders of his costume. Folding it into an impossibly perfect square, he leaned over to place the folded cape onto the floor a little bit away from his seat. Sitting back up straight, the top of the seat dug lightly into the middle of his back as he continued to debate with himself.
Bruce usually had his own horde of people at his manor for Christmas, his ward, Tim and Alfred among the various other guests. But he had sent them away, a fact he heard straight from the Butler’s mouth. Alfred had contacted him in confidence to tell him that Bruce would be alone this Christmas, and that someone (namely himself, Alfred wasn’t as subtle as he thought, or was just more dubious than anyone gave him credit for) should spend some time with him. Or maybe it was just that Bruce would be alone, and Kal himself had created the idea that he should spend some time with cowled man. Either way he had gotten the idea to invite Bruce along to Christmas at the farm so deeply embedded in his mind that even the checking and rechecking of the news couldn’t disturb them.
Fingers clicked idly at the computer’s keys, drawing up different channels on the screens as he continued to wonder about his ‘choice’. Bruce’s darkness had always been so alluring to him from the beginning - that was no secret. Though the way they always butted heads and disagreed was nothing short of annoying, it was oddly comforting, and dare he think amusing, that Bruce was the only person to stand up to him. The only person who had enough confidence in themselves to stand up to Superman was Batman. Not that he was conceded, it was just something he had taken notice of on many separate occasions. Oh, he knew that he had been attracted to Bruce for a long while, that he was not afraid of hiding or admitting… unless it was to Bruce himself.
The Dark Knight did scare The Man of Steel just a little. The prospect of being shut out from his life, actually, was what he was afraid of. Knowing that his fellow hero was going to be alone, on his own free will and rather stubbornly pushing people away, only made Kal want to drag Bruce back to Kansas, kicking and glaring if need be. Though he knew that would only end up with his name on the ‘black list’ and he really didn’t want to exactly end up there. Shifting forward in the chair, his left leg slowly started to slide outwards. Blue clad thighs parted as his left foot slid quietly along the floor, only stopping when he was aware that his foot was pushing under his cape. Hunching forward to rest his elbows on the console, Kal didn’t really know any way to ask Bruce to come with him without letting his feelings for the other man be known.
Sitting in the awkward position for a long while, he was unaware of the fact that he was staring unblinkingly at the shifting images on the screens. That was until he heard the sound of a sigh behind him. Moving nothing but his head, he turned his wide gaze onto the figure he had both been dreading and wanting to see. Kal blinked only when his hair fell into his face. Struck by the sudden appearance of the dark hero, how the man could do that without him noticing he’d never know, his mouth fell open into an ‘o’ of surprise. Speak of the devil, and he shall arise was never more appropriate.
-----
Watching that mouth fall into a surprised shape, Bruce made sure that his own mouth was a firm line. That sort of humble emotion was reserved for Clark Kent, reporter and clumsy human, and seeing it on the face of not Superman, but Kal himself was a bit endearing. Internally he was twitching at the thoughts coursing through his synapses, but didn’t let that show. “Kal, what are you doing?” His voice was deep and gravely, his Bat voice. No nonsense and searching for answers. It only belied his desire to be alone and do some work, at least he hoped. The alien always could pick out subtle undertones quite well with that super hearing of his.
Though he seemed too far gone in his own thoughts and surprise to actually be able to listen for such things. Studying the outstretched leg, rolled shoulders, and wide eyes, he almost missed the other hero’s response. Despite the out of place expression and stance, the voice was full of that Superman confidence that it was famed for.
“Figuring out a way to ask you back to the farm with me tonight.”
The pieces didn’t quite fit together; understated posture, unusual (if slight) state of dress, out of place expression, and a brash statement. It was far past his turn to stare at this point. Glad to have the cowl and starlite lenses not for the first time, despite Kal being able to see right through both if he so wished, Bruce openly kept his gaze fixated on the sure eyes of the other man. Taking a moment to breath in through his nose and out through his mouth, Bruce was just making sure he had heard what he knew he heard. “You want me to go with you back to Smallville?” Repeating the question in different words wasn’t going to change it, but it would reassure the Dark Knight that the question was earnest at the very least.
Watching Kal draw his foot back from beneath the cape so he could stand, Bruce was sure this was where he was going to be left alone and wondering. He was pleasantly surprised when he was able to watch the other hero bend, after standing fully and stepping away from the chair, to pick up the red cape. If Kal left now, at least he would be left with that image to pore over instead of his inconspicuous feelings. But it seemed like he wasn’t going to be left at all when a low rumble of laughter came from the male who was now facing him and fingering the red material in a distinctly anxious manner.
“Of course I do, Bruce. I know you’ve sent Dick and Alfred away, so why don’t you come back with me? And yes, Ma already knows you’re coming.”
That got another raised eyebrow from Bruce, the sheer audacity that the alien had, telling his adoptive mother that he was for sure bringing Bruce Wayne… or Batman back to Christmas Eve dinner (and Christmas?) with him. He was at a loss for an excuse, the other hero already outing his one fall back, and he had been dreadfully bored back at the manor. Not to mention a bit thrilled that he had been asked in the first place… He felt his shoulders loosen just a little without his volition as his mouth decided also to open itself and speak. “I suppose I can stand to visit Martha.” The answer was snarky, but affectionate enough so that the fidgeting of those uncovered hands stopped completely.
All traces of awkwardness visibly melted out of Kal’s body, and Bruce smiled slightly at the look he received from the other hero. A single raised eyebrow, and curiously narrowed eyes covering the barely discernable amusement.
“And I guess I can spare some time for you, Kal.” Bruce qualified his response after that look. That look that made him smile even more, for reasons he was still quashing under a mountain of logic. Propelling himself forward, he reached for the red cape. Finding no resistance from the male holding it, Bruce tugged it out of those large hands. Unfolding it by flicking his gauntlet covered wrists, he wasted no time in draping the heavy fabric back over Kal’s shoulders and fastened it into place. Standing so close even after righting the last wrong, Bruce could feel his logic dwindling away. He felt no urgency to take his hands off of the strong shoulders of Kal, despite his mind screaming at him to move away. And to quit the goddamned smiling. The impetuous smile just grew on his lips into a grin when Kal’s hands were settled against his own.
“I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time together, after we decorate the tree.”
That answer was so… Kal that Bruce nearly imploded from the sheer rightness of it. Forcing out a snort, and forcing himself to step back, Bruce leveled a meaningless glare at Kal. Though he slipped his hands into the uncovered ones as he stepped back, “I never agreed to help decorate, just show up. Though I can be persuaded…” The look that that statement elicited was enough to make Bruce glad that he had forced his peculiar family to find solace with their own families (surrogate or what have you), because this Christmas Eve was surely going to forge another sort of family for himself. He wouldn’t be alone like he planned, but he was sure he could deal with it.
As he turned to leave, one hand still firmly grasping Kal’s, a loud slap echoed in the hallway. A loud, definitively feminine shriek of object horror followed shortly by a speedy apology. This actually elicited a guttural chuckle from Bruce and he just had to shake his head at Wally’s antics. Despite being set to wallow for the rest of the day, night, and next few days, visiting the tower had slowly started to ebb at that decision. And Wally failing at stealing and explaining a kiss from some unlucky heroine just made this visit all that much better. Not to mention the impromptu invitation lightening his mood. Lest he forget that… and the promise of a rather busy night.
Merry belated Holidays!
Pairing: Superman/Batman
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I do not own anything but this computer :-P
Warning: Hrmm... pretty much nothing.
Word count: 3,742
A/N: This is my fic for World's Finest Gift Exchange, fic prompt #49: Toonverse: Romance. Humor. Just a silly bit of fluff; perhaps a "Day in the life of..." type fic during Christmas. Bonus points for including the Flash playing pranks. (I hope it fits xD)
Bruce had been silently wondering for a while why he had forced Alfred to go visit his remaining family in England for the holidays, besides the fact that he wanted his long time friend to be happy. Though Alfred had told him that he was more than happy in New Jersey, Bruce had underhandedly, in that beyond subtle silent way, told Alfred that he didn’t think the older man could possibly ever be as happy as he suggests he is because... really. Despite what people may think, he does know how difficult he can be to not only just live with, but even talk to for an extended amount of time.
He needs a break from himself sometimes, no, actually… that’s far too silly. He just needed a break from impugning on other people so much so he sent Alfred to visit his brother in London. There wasn’t even a quantifiable amount of exertion spent on coercing Dick into spending time with the Gordon’s, and Tim still has his own family so he doesn’t have to worry about him. At least not right now. And if anyone needed help they all knew how to contact him. Bruce pretty much was on top of things, as per usual.
Now that he had somewhat logically ascertained an idea of how he effectively isolated himself this holiday season, Bruce attempted to figure out an idea of what he was going to do with himself for the next week alone. Despite having spent years by himself in the past, he hasn’t spent much time by himself in years. Especially not during Christmas. Alfred had always made sure that he wasn’t alone when he was in Gotham, and when he wasn’t in Gotham he was with the League or training which meant he was never physically alone. It was a bit of a disappointment to himself that he was at a loss of what to actually do with himself during the day. Seeing as it was already Christmas Eve, Wayne Tech. was not holding meetings under the direct order of its CEO. He couldn’t show up to work when there was nothing to do, in spite of the fact that there was always work to do, work that he tended to ignore or charm his secretary Lori into doing for him.
Batman may always be needed in Gotham as long as there was crime, but everybody was insane as it was and focusing on their hectic schedule of Yule tide shopping just made the citizens, and apparently the villains as well, compliant and withdrawn. Which meant a mid-day rendezvous as the Bat was unnecessary. That should have made him happy, the fact that there wasn’t some huge sinister plot going down that he had to be forced out into the daylight in the cowl and cape, but of course it didn’t. Being someone who hated staying inactive, Bruce felt useless doing nothing. Which would explain his arriving at the Watchtower just after noon, even when he wasn’t scheduled for monitor duty until the day after Christmas. If he had nothing to do in Gotham, surely there was something for him to do at the League base in outer space. Surely…
Continuing his train of thought about his impending aloneness, Bruce stalked away from the teleportation bay with his cape scraping against the back of his boots almost angrily. Needless to say he wasn’t particularly in the best of moods due to the lack of things to do, but that didn’t make him actually wont to interact with other people just to procure an activity. Heading straight for the monitor womb, he was only deterred by the Flash - or the sight of Wally with his cowl down - sewing a spring of mistletoe to the forehead of his cowl. That elicited a half snort from him, lips twisting slightly at the younger hero’s antics, actually finding it amusing at the prospect of the overeager speedster getting turned down by some of the most powerful women in the world. Fixing his mouth into a straight line as he passed Wally, Bruce had to actually work to keep his expression blank for once. At least up here, there were other people. Bruce would never, and he meant never, admit that was a comfort to himself for many reasons, and just thinking about it made him want to turn around and head back to the quiet manor.
Steeling his shoulders instead, he just kept walking and made it to the monitor womb without any other distractions whether it was mental or corporeal. He wasn’t at the tower to continue his rueful thoughts, but distract himself with menial tasks. That was what he was planning on doing until he saw the back of a familiar head, neck, and shoulders sitting in the chair in front of the tower’s main computer. The sight had stopped him in his tracks, for other reasons he didn’t want to dwell on at all, and Bruce just stared through his starlite lenses at the Man of Steel’s frame from across the room. Being the detective that he was, he took inventory of what seemed off about the Kryptonian, if only due to the fact that the whole room was silent and Bruce knew all too well how Kal liked to whistle or sing to himself when he was alone. The silence was enough to tell Bruce that something wasn’t quite right, but then there was the way that Kal’s shoulders were rolled forward, and not obscured by that cape.
The red cape, Bruce noted, had been folded and placed on the floor, allowing those broad shoulders to be seen easily. Though it was one of the things that made Kal so recognizable to the world as Superman, Bruce secretly detested that bright red cape - it completely obscured any decent view of the alien from behind. Not that he’d admit that either. There were a lot of things that Bruce was unwilling to acknowledge, there always was and will be. But that was just the way he was.
The toe of Kal’s left boot was buried beneath the red cape, the similar color of the boot bleeding into the cape seamlessly. That wouldn’t have been of any consequence to anything if it weren’t for the fact that the leg that the boot was wrapped around had been thrown out at an awkward angle, screaming of some unseen distress that its owner was under. It had to be something big enough to get Superman of all people to let go of his usual put together demeanor. Cool, thoughtful demeanor that was just as steely as his nickname at times. But now it seemed dented, he seemed scattered, almost human. This prompted both of Bruce’s eyebrows to raise beneath his thick black cowl, the lenses opening to perfect ovals for just a brief moment before settling back into a slotted scrutinizing glare.
It was no surprise that Bruce actually felt concern wash over the curiosity, it was a feeling he had gotten used to feeling whenever he had seen his team mate injured or in emotional duress. Though the first time he had felt it, he had chalked it up to the fact that Kal had apparently died. That was a normal, platonic, reaction - distress at the loss of a friend and comrade. The feelings of concern had since been aroused even after Bruce had proven that the unofficial leader of the Justice League hadn’t been killed. A concern that really wasn’t at all platonic, that he knew because it was just one of the many emotions he felt just for Kal. An amalgam of things that he didn’t feel for anyone else, and was especially frustrating.
Frustrating if only for the fact that everything he felt for the impenetrable alien would just lead him to even more time alone. Bruce was hopelessly fixated on something that he and pretty much no one else, could have. That, at the very least was satisfying, if childish. The fixation was growing more and more bothersome with each passing week, and could possibly even be the reason for his desire to shove everyone else away. In retrospect, he knew that he had been pushing everyone else away just a little bit more in order to keep his desires to himself. Which would be another reason for shipping off his entire ‘family’ this holiday.
He must have sighed at the realization, because Superman’s head picked up from the hanging position it had been in. That token spit curl whipping into his left eye as he stared almost like a stunned child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Bruce would have laughed if he hadn’t shared those same sentiments.
-----
The tower was always relatively abandoned on Christmas Eve, at least it had been when it was only the seven of them. Kal had only felt a little bit of guilt having to say goodbye to Ma and Pa when he left Kansas early in the morning to take care of his shift, though after promising to be home as soon as his shift was over and possibly with a friend. It had become tradition for Kal to take the morning shift of the Christmas Eve shift and bring home a different Leaguer to Smallville, and apologize for it ever year. When he had arrived to the League’s headquarters, he was the only one actually doing any work. Which wasn’t a surprise, really.
Most of the members were from Earth, and celebrated the winter holidays which meant they had their own holiday rituals and shopping to part take in. Kal just so happened to be an early shopper, and early everything for that matter. All of the heroes were too busy to shop before hand, and had gone out to be like every other procrastinating citizen, or were already spending time with their loved ones. He didn’t have the heart to force anyone else to work monitor duty on any holiday, and usually picked up whatever slot of duty that was not volunteered for personally. It was just the way he was.
He had been sitting in the vaguely uncomfortable monitor chair, Kal supposed it had to be to keep whoever was sitting there focused on the screens rather than relaxing, for a few hours now. The hardness of the seat wasn’t helping him focus on the large screen that was divided into smaller panels, each showing the current news stations of various countries world wide, just drawing his attention even further away from the screens. It was a miracle how he could follow his own trains of distracting thought, and still be mostly alert and in tune to the worlds’ crises. He had just learned to multitask well growing up on a farm.
The real focus for the past few hours had been how to go about asking someone back to the Kent farm on such short notice. The adopted son of the Kent’s had always enjoyed sharing his parents with other stressed out, overworked heroes and co-workers because there was just this intangible quality that both Ma and Pa had that could relieve anyone of their worries, and without trying. They were the true heroes, but he wasn’t going to gush over that more than he usually did.
It wasn’t that Kal hadn’t already known who he wanted to ask back to the farm… and this mental tête-à-tête with himself was rapidly forcing his thoughts to descend into an obscene scene in his head that he really couldn’t handle at the moment. Take back to the farm sounded so lewd and unnecessarily so. But that had always been the direction his thoughts had taken when he was musing about Bruce. Yes, he wanted to bring Bruce (or Batman, whichever he could persuade to come with him) back to Kansas with him. He just didn’t know how to ask the Dark Knight to agree to such a suggestion. It was difficult talking to the man in the first place without wanting to either hit him or kiss him.
As of late it was more of the latter, and that was Kal’s major malfunction. Debating whether or not just to ask and get it over with, he had grown increasingly frustrated with himself and the chair. Maybe it wasn’t the chair, but his cape bunching up beneath him on the seat. Such meticulous attention to sensation was also stealing his attention away from the screens so he got rid of the cape by detaching the red material from the shoulders of his costume. Folding it into an impossibly perfect square, he leaned over to place the folded cape onto the floor a little bit away from his seat. Sitting back up straight, the top of the seat dug lightly into the middle of his back as he continued to debate with himself.
Bruce usually had his own horde of people at his manor for Christmas, his ward, Tim and Alfred among the various other guests. But he had sent them away, a fact he heard straight from the Butler’s mouth. Alfred had contacted him in confidence to tell him that Bruce would be alone this Christmas, and that someone (namely himself, Alfred wasn’t as subtle as he thought, or was just more dubious than anyone gave him credit for) should spend some time with him. Or maybe it was just that Bruce would be alone, and Kal himself had created the idea that he should spend some time with cowled man. Either way he had gotten the idea to invite Bruce along to Christmas at the farm so deeply embedded in his mind that even the checking and rechecking of the news couldn’t disturb them.
Fingers clicked idly at the computer’s keys, drawing up different channels on the screens as he continued to wonder about his ‘choice’. Bruce’s darkness had always been so alluring to him from the beginning - that was no secret. Though the way they always butted heads and disagreed was nothing short of annoying, it was oddly comforting, and dare he think amusing, that Bruce was the only person to stand up to him. The only person who had enough confidence in themselves to stand up to Superman was Batman. Not that he was conceded, it was just something he had taken notice of on many separate occasions. Oh, he knew that he had been attracted to Bruce for a long while, that he was not afraid of hiding or admitting… unless it was to Bruce himself.
The Dark Knight did scare The Man of Steel just a little. The prospect of being shut out from his life, actually, was what he was afraid of. Knowing that his fellow hero was going to be alone, on his own free will and rather stubbornly pushing people away, only made Kal want to drag Bruce back to Kansas, kicking and glaring if need be. Though he knew that would only end up with his name on the ‘black list’ and he really didn’t want to exactly end up there. Shifting forward in the chair, his left leg slowly started to slide outwards. Blue clad thighs parted as his left foot slid quietly along the floor, only stopping when he was aware that his foot was pushing under his cape. Hunching forward to rest his elbows on the console, Kal didn’t really know any way to ask Bruce to come with him without letting his feelings for the other man be known.
Sitting in the awkward position for a long while, he was unaware of the fact that he was staring unblinkingly at the shifting images on the screens. That was until he heard the sound of a sigh behind him. Moving nothing but his head, he turned his wide gaze onto the figure he had both been dreading and wanting to see. Kal blinked only when his hair fell into his face. Struck by the sudden appearance of the dark hero, how the man could do that without him noticing he’d never know, his mouth fell open into an ‘o’ of surprise. Speak of the devil, and he shall arise was never more appropriate.
-----
Watching that mouth fall into a surprised shape, Bruce made sure that his own mouth was a firm line. That sort of humble emotion was reserved for Clark Kent, reporter and clumsy human, and seeing it on the face of not Superman, but Kal himself was a bit endearing. Internally he was twitching at the thoughts coursing through his synapses, but didn’t let that show. “Kal, what are you doing?” His voice was deep and gravely, his Bat voice. No nonsense and searching for answers. It only belied his desire to be alone and do some work, at least he hoped. The alien always could pick out subtle undertones quite well with that super hearing of his.
Though he seemed too far gone in his own thoughts and surprise to actually be able to listen for such things. Studying the outstretched leg, rolled shoulders, and wide eyes, he almost missed the other hero’s response. Despite the out of place expression and stance, the voice was full of that Superman confidence that it was famed for.
“Figuring out a way to ask you back to the farm with me tonight.”
The pieces didn’t quite fit together; understated posture, unusual (if slight) state of dress, out of place expression, and a brash statement. It was far past his turn to stare at this point. Glad to have the cowl and starlite lenses not for the first time, despite Kal being able to see right through both if he so wished, Bruce openly kept his gaze fixated on the sure eyes of the other man. Taking a moment to breath in through his nose and out through his mouth, Bruce was just making sure he had heard what he knew he heard. “You want me to go with you back to Smallville?” Repeating the question in different words wasn’t going to change it, but it would reassure the Dark Knight that the question was earnest at the very least.
Watching Kal draw his foot back from beneath the cape so he could stand, Bruce was sure this was where he was going to be left alone and wondering. He was pleasantly surprised when he was able to watch the other hero bend, after standing fully and stepping away from the chair, to pick up the red cape. If Kal left now, at least he would be left with that image to pore over instead of his inconspicuous feelings. But it seemed like he wasn’t going to be left at all when a low rumble of laughter came from the male who was now facing him and fingering the red material in a distinctly anxious manner.
“Of course I do, Bruce. I know you’ve sent Dick and Alfred away, so why don’t you come back with me? And yes, Ma already knows you’re coming.”
That got another raised eyebrow from Bruce, the sheer audacity that the alien had, telling his adoptive mother that he was for sure bringing Bruce Wayne… or Batman back to Christmas Eve dinner (and Christmas?) with him. He was at a loss for an excuse, the other hero already outing his one fall back, and he had been dreadfully bored back at the manor. Not to mention a bit thrilled that he had been asked in the first place… He felt his shoulders loosen just a little without his volition as his mouth decided also to open itself and speak. “I suppose I can stand to visit Martha.” The answer was snarky, but affectionate enough so that the fidgeting of those uncovered hands stopped completely.
All traces of awkwardness visibly melted out of Kal’s body, and Bruce smiled slightly at the look he received from the other hero. A single raised eyebrow, and curiously narrowed eyes covering the barely discernable amusement.
“And I guess I can spare some time for you, Kal.” Bruce qualified his response after that look. That look that made him smile even more, for reasons he was still quashing under a mountain of logic. Propelling himself forward, he reached for the red cape. Finding no resistance from the male holding it, Bruce tugged it out of those large hands. Unfolding it by flicking his gauntlet covered wrists, he wasted no time in draping the heavy fabric back over Kal’s shoulders and fastened it into place. Standing so close even after righting the last wrong, Bruce could feel his logic dwindling away. He felt no urgency to take his hands off of the strong shoulders of Kal, despite his mind screaming at him to move away. And to quit the goddamned smiling. The impetuous smile just grew on his lips into a grin when Kal’s hands were settled against his own.
“I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time together, after we decorate the tree.”
That answer was so… Kal that Bruce nearly imploded from the sheer rightness of it. Forcing out a snort, and forcing himself to step back, Bruce leveled a meaningless glare at Kal. Though he slipped his hands into the uncovered ones as he stepped back, “I never agreed to help decorate, just show up. Though I can be persuaded…” The look that that statement elicited was enough to make Bruce glad that he had forced his peculiar family to find solace with their own families (surrogate or what have you), because this Christmas Eve was surely going to forge another sort of family for himself. He wouldn’t be alone like he planned, but he was sure he could deal with it.
As he turned to leave, one hand still firmly grasping Kal’s, a loud slap echoed in the hallway. A loud, definitively feminine shriek of object horror followed shortly by a speedy apology. This actually elicited a guttural chuckle from Bruce and he just had to shake his head at Wally’s antics. Despite being set to wallow for the rest of the day, night, and next few days, visiting the tower had slowly started to ebb at that decision. And Wally failing at stealing and explaining a kiss from some unlucky heroine just made this visit all that much better. Not to mention the impromptu invitation lightening his mood. Lest he forget that… and the promise of a rather busy night.
Merry belated Holidays!