Chapter Text
TITLE: Deft 1/7
PAIRING: Clark/Bruce
AUTHOR: Whiteroses77
WORD COUNT: 2,753
DISCLAIMER: I only own the story.
SUMMARY: Clark and Bruce meet someone who sets them both on a path of sexual discovery, but will they follow it to the end?
~B~
Aboard the Watchtower, like a silent sentinel Batman watched the proceedings with a keen eye. The leaders of the nations of Earth were aboard after requesting to use the space station as a place to hold their summit with the assembly of leaders from alien worlds wanting to investigate the possibility of future cooperation with Earth. The members of the Justice League had voted amongst themselves and agreed for their base of operations to be the neutral embassy, to negate any squabbles about a delegation being hosted in one particular country or another.
They’d been an argument whether or not to put Christmas decorations up, they’d had to remind the President not everyone celebrated Christmas and it could confuse the alien delegates.
To Batman it was a potential powder keg. Earth’s leaders were barely able to work together and co-exist as it was without dealing with other worlds too. He should be grateful it was going well, but behind the cowl, he was just as bored at this meet and greet as the ones that he had to attend back home in the Gotham.
Luckily, nobody had attempted to bother him, his stance, and reputation was keeping them away. Stoically, he was using the opportunity to practise patience.
He turned his back on the crowd of party goers, gazed out the observation deck window, and observed the spaceships parked out there, most too big to park in the landing bay.
A few moments later, someone spoke behind him, “Any chance of a quote, Mr Batman sir.”
Batman stilled. He shook his head minutely, and turned around.
The man standing in front of him, timidly reached up, adjusted his black framed glasses, and swallowed hard at having Batman’s full attention. Clark Kent was one of the few reporters who had been allowed to cover the summit and have access to the space station. Batman narrowed his gaze at the man before him. Mr Kent stuttered, “T-this sure was a s…swell idea, I… I mean look at all these bigwigs, surely you have an opinion.”
He replied lowly, “You want a quote, well here’s one. I think Superman was an idiot to think this was a good idea.”
The reporter’s eyes widened, “Really, I always got the impression you, and Superman was like b…best buddies or something.”
Batman scowled in response, and then the reporter’s eyebrows rose behind his lenses, his lips pursed and then they blossomed into a mischievous smile. Batman grumbled, “Stop it.”
Clark stepped up to the side of him, and gazed out at the spaceships. He commented, “It’s like a mall parking lot out there. Do you think they all came in their biggest spaceships on purpose?”
“The idea of one-upmanship isn’t farfetched.” He commented.
His best friend smiled, “Was that a pun?”
He rolled his eyes, “Not exactly.” Then he wondered, “I’m surprised you got the gig, I’d have thought Lois would be chomping at the bit to be on this.”
The reporter shrugged broad shoulders camouflaged by beige, “Knowing Lois, she’d dig too much and cause an intergalactic incident.”
His lips curled at the corner. “It might’ve been better to entertain one alien ambassador at a time. Some of these planets don’t get along with each other never mind us.” He concurred.
His friend nodded, “I know but remember we’re only a neutral place, like Switzerland. The outcome has got nothing to do with us.”
Batman squinted sideways at him.
Clark grinned, “Okay, if it ends in intergalactic war, with Earth as the target then it’s our business.”
He pursed his lips. “Optimist.”
“I am an optimist, hopefully by the end of the party tonight everyone can go home with at least some good feelings about each other.” Batman groaned under his breath, and his friend uttered, “What?”
“That’s the other thing. God knows why the President thought it was a good idea to invite the social elite. What kind of impression is Bruce Wayne supposed to make on these alien ambassadors.”
His friend shrugged, “Maybe he thought having the captains of industry here could encourage trade agreements or something.”
He winced behind the cowl, “Then Lucius should be here, not me.”
Clark chuckled, “You’re not here yet.”
With a subtle curl of his lip, “Neither are you. When is Superman going to make an appearance, this is supposed to be your shift too?” He asked wryly.
The reporter glanced over his shoulder. Across the room, his focus landed on Wonder Woman. “Diana is the ambassador isn’t she?”
Batman smirked knowingly, “You’re putting it off as long as you can, aren’t you?”
His friend winced, “You know I’m not into parties, especially when I’m in the glare of the spotlight.”
“Which you always are, as Superman.” He acknowledged.
Clark huffed, “Yeah.”
“That’s what you get for inviting them here.” He goaded.
The other man rolled his eyes, “Maybe but I have the feeling that the President would’ve invited Bruce Wayne wherever it was held. So you wouldn’t have got out of it anyway.”
Batman grumbled and looked out the window again.
Then Clark said, “Speaking of invitations, my mom wants to know if you want to come for Christmas Eve.” Clark urged, “Diana’s going home to Themyscira, but J'onn’s going to be there.”
“Alfred and I don’t normally do much, and besides I think Barbara is making Dick spend Christmas with her family.”
With a shrug, Clark said, “Well, think about it and let me know.”
He nodded along stoically.
Then his friend asked, “So when is Bruce Wayne going to show up, or is he going to be fashionably late?”
He glanced at Clark and sighed loudly.
~S~
Clark smiled at his grumbling best friend. Though he was teasing him about it, Clark felt the same way, he’d much rather stay here, or better yet go back to the Manor and just hang out with Bruce than be here. He sighed himself, and glanced around again, and that was when he caught sight of Diana glowering across the room at them.
He groaned under his breath and then said to Bruce, “I better go. See you later.”
Batman nodded laconically.
Clark slumped his shoulders, adjusted his glasses, and then returned to the guests.
He spent the next few minutes circulating, trying to find a titbit or angle for his report about the summit. Until, he was accosted by a seething Wonder Woman. Quietly but forcefully, she demanded, “Am I doing this on my own?”
He adjusted his glasses, “I’m trying to get details for my story…” he glanced around furtively, “…G… goddess.”
Diana shook her head, her lips twitched, but she fought back a smile. “Batman is being unhelpful, and you… couldn’t you find more details for your story…” she shrugged her slim but powerful shoulders, “…as a hospitable host.”
As Bruce had guessed, he had been putting off Superman’s arrival, but he knew Diana wasn’t going to stand for carrying the load alone. He exhaled, and then he smiled adoringly, “Anything for you, princess.”
Diana tilted her head, and said wryly, “Thank you, Mr Kent.”
~*~
Because the delegates, mostly the human ones, but some of the aliens too needed quarters, the members of the Justice League had had to give up their quarters. So Clark had to transport down to Metropolis, go home, and get changed and return wearing just his uniform. It only took two minutes but the hassle of it was annoying.
He thought about having something to eat, before he went back. There was a buffet being provided, mostly snacks of unknown origin that were there to welcome the alien ambassadors. He guessed he could commandeer all the human snacks, he was just grateful that Flash had the second shift in the morning or he’d have no chance grabbing them.
~*~
He returned to the space station, took a fortifying breath at the doorway, and then entered the observation deck. As he entered, the human ambassadors noticed and gave nods of greeting. He nodded back politely.
He approached Diana from behind, and then said over her shoulder, “Well, I’m here Diana.”
His teammate turned to face him and then smiled with a gleam in her eyes, “I’m pleased you made It.” then she motioned to the ambassador that she was conversing with, “Re-al of Vana, this is Kal-El of Krypton.”
Superman offered his hand, “It’s nice to meet you.”
The silver skinned alien didn’t offer his hand, but he glanced over Superman imperiously, “Kryptonian, I didn’t think any of those were left.”
Clark tensed his jaw but said amiably, “Not many but there are a few.”
“So what are you doing here with no world to represent?” he sneered.
Beside them, Diana cleared her throat, “Kal-El and I aren’t here to represent anyone, we are only hosting.”
Re-al glanced between them, “You are as one?”
The translator was having a hard time, or this guy was just being supercilious. Diana asked, “Sorry… as one?”
“You are mated.” The alien said.
Diana opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out, then she glanced at Superman. Enjoying the dumbstruck look on her beautiful face, Superman smiled with fondness in return. Diana pursed her lips together, and then denied, “No, we are comrades, and friends that’s all.”
Superman pinched his lips together, and glanced around the room. Through the crowd, he thought he glimpsed Bruce. He smiled in relief, and then said, “Excuse me, I just saw someone I need to say hello to.”
Then he moved away, and headed in the direction, he spied him.
As he got there, he couldn’t see him anywhere. He squinted at the oddness, and then scanned the crowds with his super-vision. Nope, he couldn’t see him. He expanded his hearing and listened for his heartbeat, and found it wasn’t on board the space station at all.
That’s weird, he thought. He must’ve left to go get changed as Clark had. But whom had he just seen, who looked so much like his friend.
As he wondered, his eyes found the buffet table and he headed there instead. As he popped his second vol-au-vent into his mouth, Diana appeared beside him, and scolded, “You left me there with that…” she harrumphed, “So you could eat snacks.”
He could tell the event, and being in charge was getting to her, he’d only seen her so ruffled and exasperated during battle. He snorted softly, “You’re reminding me of Lois right now.”
Diana’s eyes widened, “Are you insulting me?”
Superman’s own eyes widened, “No, of course not, you’re both beautiful sassy women, why would it be an insult.”
Wonder Woman swallowed hard, “I guess from your perspective it’s not. Are you and Lois …?”
Superman smirked, “Mated?” he shook his head, “No, not for a long time.”
He saw on her face, she wasn’t sure how to proceed with this relationship chat. He smiled, and then glanced around. His focus caught on a woman across the room. She wore blue robes that looked like cashmere but probably wasn’t; her hair was long dark and free. Moment’s ago, he had compared Lois and Diana, and the woman across the room, was the epitome of both of his beautiful friends.
He swallowed hard and asked roughly, “Who’s that?”
Diana followed his gaze, and she said softly, almost dreamily, “That is Fallon of the Androgyni. He’s beautiful isn’t he?”
Superman turned and stared at Wonder Woman, “That’s a man?”
His friend smiled and said, “The Androgyni appear however you want them to be.”
He stared at the beautiful being across the room, mesmerised, he picked up a cup of punch, crossed the room, and handed it to her.
~B~
A little while later, a finely tailored Bruce Wayne wandered around, shaking hands, paws, and tentacles and exchanging pleasantries. He was just as bored now as he was earlier, except now he carried a tumbler glass, and was taking sips of punch made from some sort of alien fruit.
He came to a halt as he saw Superman among the throng. He was chatting to a beautiful dark haired woman in blue robes. He watched Superman smile, one that was playing towards shy. Bruce knew that in a normal situation as Clark, that smile would be undeniably shy.
Unconsciously, Bruce smiled in response to seeing it. He collected another glass of punch from a waiter, and carried it over. As he approached, he had to blink, as Superman’s companion seemed to shift, for a mere second she looked like a handsome dark haired man instead. As he reached them, he could tell she was definitely female.
Superman glanced around at his arrival. He smiled as Bruce offered him the other glass of punch. They stared at each other for a long pause, deciding how well Superman and Bruce Wayne were supposed to know each other. Bruce smiled Brucie’s smile, “I saw you were without a drink Kal-El, I thought you might need one to get through the rest of the night.”
Taking his lead, Superman tilted his head charmingly, “Thank you Bruce.” he motioned his head to his companion, “Fallon this is Bruce Wayne, he’s one of Earth’s leading citizens. Bruce this is Fallon, the Androgyni delegate.”
He offered his hand, “Androgyni does that mean…?”
Fallon took his hand and shook it. “Yes, my people have no labels for what we are, how we appear is how we are perceived by the observer.”
He chuckled lightly, and said charmingly, “You look like a beautiful woman to me. Now is that my perception or is it Kal-El’s.”
Superman took a sip of punch and uttered, “I see a lovely dark haired woman too.”
Bruce turned and smiled at his friend, “We must have the same taste in companions.”
Fallon glanced around the room, and motioned, “I see these aliens of different worlds, I see the humans of Earth and I see many levels of beauty.”
Superman agreed, “There’s definitely a variety.”
The beautiful alien smiled, “Yes, but I see a most beautiful female over there.” they turned and saw she meant Diana, “I see the most beautiful of males standing before me now. The beauty isn’t that different.” pointing to another woman nearby, “Both your beauty surpasses hers, as your female comrade’s surpasses most men here.”
Bruce and Superman met each other’s gaze, Superman was beginning to blush, but Bruce smiled, and suavely said to Fallon, “Thank you, Fallon.”
Seeing their reactions, Fallon’s pretty eyed gaze went from one to the other. “You don’t see the beauty in the other, because your world says you are both male?”
Superman licked his lips nervously, “It’s not that simple, Fallon… on Earth we have, well sometimes both men and women can find the same sex attractive.”
“So you both know that each other are beautiful?”
Superman ducked his head and then glanced up at Bruce through his eyelashes, and his cheeks pinked even more. “Well…”
Bruce smirked as he enjoyed seeing Clark’s bashfulness. He said wryly, “Kal-El is definitely a very handsome man, there’s no doubt about that.”
His friend rolled his eyes at him in response.
Fallon’s beautiful face crinkled with a frown, “Is handsome not beautiful… these different words are difficult for the translator to understand.”
Bruce chuckled lightly, and admitted, “Yeah handsome is a kind of beautiful.”
He met his friend’s gaze, and then Superman smiled, and then revealed, “And everyone on Earth knows how sexy Bruce is.”
Their alien companion frowned again, “Sexy… is this beautiful too?”
Superman’s eyes widened and then he cleared his throat. “Not exactly, you can be sexy without being beautiful, it means he’s…” he took a breath, “He’s good at making…”
Fallon wondered, “Sex, he’s deft at making sexual intercourse?” Bruce was rooted to the spot in amazement of this conversation. Then Fallon turned to him and inquired, “You excel at performing sexual intercourse, Bruce?”
A part of him, the real part wished this conversation hadn’t started, but the other part, Brucie had to keep up appearances. He had a sip of punch, and replied cockily, “That’s what I’ve been told.”
Fallon nodded thoughtfully, and then turned back to Superman, “You told him this Kal-El?”
Superman choked out a gasp, “No. Um no I… we… haven’t… no.”
To be continued.