for knightbynight: For now and hereafter...

[stands_for_hope]

[some time after the events here]

Superman and Batman were partners in more than a work sense. Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent were an adorable (if mildly ridiculous) couple. Kal-El of Krypton and a man who defied any definition outside of the single letter 'B' made time on weekends, worked around world crises and teenage tempers, and occasionally fell into bed together when the stars aligned. Thankfully, they aligned relatively often.

Wayne Manor received a delivery of organic produce and baked goods once a week from a small, independent farm in the heartland. Lois Lane was a little less likely to agree with snide comments about the uselessness of Bruce Wayne, especially after seeing the utter madness that was Clark's desk after a few weeks. The texting habits of a certain blond teenager in Kansas rose sharply... and in parallel to that of a certain former street punk in Gotham.

Life was... well, it was good, even if it was also Life. Until it wasn't. Until everything changed.

They all had enemies, of course. But the problem with Superman's enemies was that they were coherent enough to decide to team up. And crazy enough to use the kind of weaponry that could make whole cars just vaporize into nothing.

Crazy enough to point that weapon at a somewhat-pinned Batman and a Wonder Woman who was digging him out from the rock. Crazy enough to point that weapon at Batman.

Bruce.

B.

Clark didn't even make the choice. His heart made it for him. The beam shot out of the Toyman's mechanical monstrosity and Clark flew, the pain of the beam itself nothing on the fact that he was leaving Bruce behind. That his vision of them as old men together would never happen. That he was leaving behind a world that needed him.

The guilt that, if it meant saving them, saving him, he didn't regret a thing.

Comments

[stands_for_hope]

Clark woke up first, his arms curled around Bruce protectively before he realized that Bruce himself would be annoyed at that and he re-positioned just a little. A glance around showed that it was sometime in the afternoon, and his stomach said that he should probably either eat something or soak up the rest of that afternoon sun if he didn't want to be grumpy.

[knightbynight]

Bruce woke up with a headache, which was just about the opposite of waking up in a good mood, but he was much more clear headed than he had been. "Better." Not a question, even as he was stretching out, checking his body's responsiveness.

Or that Clark was awake. he just knew.

"We slept through lunch."

[stands_for_hope]

"I think we needed it," he admitted with a long yawn as he stretched out on his side of the bed.

"You definitely did." Because drugged Bruce was exactly not the person who he could have a serious discussion about things with. "How're you feeling?"

[knightbynight]

"I'm fine." Of course he was fine, Clark, what the hell kind of question was that. "I'm going to shower and then we should think about eating. We can tackle the rest once we've dealt with the basics."

[stands_for_hope]

"Agreed," he said with a nod and a stretch as he pushed himself out of bed. He didn't so much unstretch as float his way over to the bathroom before plopping down on the tile to take care of his business.

"Don't suppose we could do lunch out in the garden? Take in a little late afternoon sun?"

[knightbynight]

"We can do that. I'm going to shower and change in my own room but I'll meet you out there with food as soon as I'm finished."

That wasn't rejection Clark, really, that was just a desire to get clean and dressed and have a little time to put his head together. There was some tough stuff to try and tackle.

[stands_for_hope]

No, Clark didn't take it as rejection. If anything, he took it as the both of them getting some breathing room before something difficult. They were both going to be discussing the parts of themselves they disliked: the portion of Bruce who felt he needed punishment and the part of Clark that lay beyond his capacity for boundless mercy.

Clark was glad for a bit of solitude, though he took a moment to text Dick the all clear before he took a lightning quick shower and dressed himself: jeans, a deep red shirt, and no shoes.

His glasses hadn't been pulled on since they'd come back from Metropolis and they remained on the dresser now. Then he headed for the garden. He'd sun himself a little while he waited for Bruce.

[knightbynight]

It took Bruce a little while. He showered, shaved, got fully and completely dressed in a pair of jeans and a dark, long sleeved polo shirt, and shoes. Then he went about figuring out where Alfred and the food were and getting one of the two pushed out into the garden on a cart.

One of the two being food. Alfred on a cart would have been a bit much.

He left the food beside Clark and sat down in the chair across from him, leaned back and reached to grab a bottle of water and twist the top off it.

He said nothing, but the bit of time and distance had been good for him. He was just still doing a bit of organizing.

[stands_for_hope]

Of course not. There was food to eat.

He reached over, took a plateful of food, and settled back against his chair. His shirt had been open since he'd been drinking in the sunlight, but he buttoned it back up with one hand as he took a few bites of food.

This was... they were...

He'd let Bruce figure himself out and start the conversation when he was ready. This space was more his type of thing than Bruce's, after all.

[knightbynight]

Bruce drank his water, watched Clark and was quiet for a bit before he finally said: "I'm not sure how much discussion this actually needs, above and beyond what we've already said."

[stands_for_hope]

"I think there's a pretty important line," he noted quietly. "Namely where sex stops and where... whatever we want to call it begins."

[knightbynight]

"Do you mean in the moment, or between how we interact normally and this."

This being the new thing that he didn't have a name for, either - or, at least, steadfastly refused to name.

[stands_for_hope]

"Both," because it's important. "I don't... I don't want and I don't forsee it taking over a large portion of our relationship or anything. But I do want to make sure we agree on that."

[knightbynight]

"Agreed." There should be more to say to it than that, but there really wasn't much, except: "How we handle the aftermath will play a role in that. I also don't want this to happen here - not even in the cave. Not with Jason in the house."

There were things that he does not want Jason exposed to, and that he's even smart enough to know about. "And I do want Kryptonite in the vicinity - shielded, not on me, but around."

[stands_for_hope]

A quick nod. Honestly, he wanted that too. He didn't think that would ever be something Bruce needed...

But he'd also never thought he'd need to learn how not to kill people because of loud noises.

"If you want to rent an apartment," he offered quietly. "I'd say the Fortress, but I don't want you to feel cut off and unable to leave."

[knightbynight]

"I own other properties in Gotham. It would be easy enough to convert those, though it may raise questions." He was considering, thoughtful as he did. "No. There's on option that will work. It's a penthouse above a series of offices. The view is fantastic, but more importantly there are no neighbors."

Bruce didn't think he'd need kryptonite either, but. HE wanted the safety net. Odd, all things considered, but he didn't want it for him really.

[stands_for_hope]

He ran a hand through his hair.

"I don't know if this sounds more like arranging a business meeting or some sort of illicit romance rendezvous," Clark admitted with a bit of a sigh. Though after a moment, he looked over at Bruce.

"I would... think that this closer to the first than the second. In most ways."

[knightbynight]

"Unfortunately, there's no way to avoid that at this stage. The alternate location will also remove some of the... organic nature of it, though once it's in place that can be compensated for by using it, rather than making appointments to meet there. Think of it as a place we can have privacy, use it as such and we'll be prepared when the time comes."

He... was feeling the same awkward unease. It would be so easy to go there without the conversation but the conversation had to happen.

[stands_for_hope]

"The other question is how much control you want during this," he said after a moment. Because everything Bruce had said was true. He agreed. It didn't need discussing.

"Do you want to dictate what I do? Or where I hurt you? What kind of pain is inflicted?"

[knightbynight]

"No. I'll give you a set of parameters to work within, but if you're following orders it defeats much of the purpose of this for both of us, I think."

Speaking of parameters. "Most of those parameters can be summarized by saying that you shouldn't jepordize my mobility or my identity." No hands and face, no serious injuries that would impede movement.

Drugs he was still... sorting through on his own, but didn't see it being an issue with Clark, anyway.

"I do want the ability to end it."

[stands_for_hope]

"Absolutely. That's not a problem at all."

They were calmly discussing how Clark could hurt Bruce for their mutual benefit.

He'd started this unwilling to so much as bite Bruce and now, here they were. He wasn't sure if this was a bizarre sort of progress or something he should worry about. The strange, almost awkward sense of freedom that the whole discussion gave him didn't help. It still felt like both.

[knightbynight]

They were very much on the same page. Bruce was - hopeful, a bit... excited by the prospect but force of habit or maybe just force of Clark had him second guessing himself and feeling warning signs that may or may not really be there.

It was. Uncomfortable but he didn't think he'd know which it was until they were there.

"Where are your lines, Clark?"

[stands_for_hope]

"Yours cover the major ones," Clark admitted as he considered the question. "Though..."

He was quiet for a moment before--

"I know these two things will be separate. But I may want-- if I can--" he swallowed "I may want to kiss you. Not on the mouth necessarily. Is that permissible?"

[knightbynight]

Bruce did not say that was the most ridiculous question he had ever heard, because he understood why Clark was having trouble with this better than he understood his own...caution.

"I don't think they're going to be entirely separate. Yes, you can kiss me."

[stands_for_hope]

That got a nod.

"Then that should do it."

He took a long sip of his own drink, letting it sit on his palette and then slide down his throat without interruption. Finally, after almost a full minute of silence.

"You don't like this portion of yourself, Bruce, but I hardly know this side of me. I let it out once and only once. And I don't trust it... me with anyone else. The kind of man who'd ask for kryptonite to be there."

The kind of man he could trust to use it.

"I don't know my darkness. At least, not like this. Not without being pushed so far it's life or death. I don't know how to... use it. It's like handing a swordsman a gun. They understand the basic concepts, but none of their training transfers."