Chapter Text
Not a day past Bruce escaping his captivity from the Watchtower healing wing, Clark came back to the mansion. That part had been hinted at by the knowing what's best Alfred along the lines of, ‘Mr Wayne would be delighted to have you stay.’
This invitation obviously included the blasted feline currently occupying Bruce’s favourite armchair without regard that this chair was the undisputed domain of some bigger specimen. To this blatant invasion, the mansion owner uttered a brisk.
"SCRAM!"
Lacking all common sense, much like his owner, the kitten blinked his eyes sleepily at the most terrifying voice on their side of the galaxy dictating him to vamoose and curled up to advance his nap, tucking pink nose underneath the tail tip.
Used to having such commands obeyed, Bruce attempted to lift the intruding furball. The kitten sunk tiny claws into the expensive fabric, threatening to be removed along with a hefty chunk of it.
“Keep it!” Bruce spat. He sat down on the carpet and leaned against the armchair, placing his mug on the floor.
The sandwich on his plate elicited a more favourable reaction. When Bruce picked it up for a bite, the kitten uncurled, stretched and patted to the edge to press his wet nose against Bruce’s neck. Soft paws pressed against the back of his head and then the critter stepped onto his shoulder, rubbing a ticklish side against his neck.
“Shew,” Bruce grunted doing his best to ignore the invasion in order to concentrate on the newspaper. In order to appease Clark’s bothersome cat, he pulled a salami slice from the middle. A wet tongue eagerly licked his fingers, accepting the delicious morsel.
“Good morning,” in person, Clark Kent appeared by his side. He took a seat on the floor next to Bruce and absent-mindedly picked up the abandoned coffee mug, taking a sip out of it. The kitten snatched another chunk of the sandwich from Bruce who placed his diminished breakfast down, planning to shove the cat off and instead ending up with the animal hopping back onto his lap the moment its paws hit the floor. Clark picked up the abandoned sandwich and began to chew it thoughtfully, taking small sips from the mug.
Having satisfied the sandwich induced love, the fluffy turncoat hopped onto his true love. He butted his head against Clark's stomach in greeting and rubbed against the Kryptonian with a satisfied purr. The loose end of the robe's belt caught his interest. Bat swapped his paw at it, making the belt swing. The motion got him to pounce and sink little teeth into the material, pulling and tugging the belt loose. The robe slid off the shoulder.
Bruce studied him. Clark looked wilted. It seemed he lacked the energy to do more than wrap himself in a warm robe before shuffling over to the living room. Sitting on the floor wasn't that comfortable. The robe parted, revealing a muscular thigh as Clark shifted to find a better position.
The night had been quite miserable. The baby decided that midnight was a good timing to practice labour. It was about as fun as having a fire alarm go off on a ship where the evacuation plan had burned down first. Even his partner’s soothing presence did not save either from the lack of rest. After shuffling the pillows for three hours to gain a position he could rest in, the stress triggered a long absent nausea. Clark threw up, barely making it to the bathroom even with more than human speed. After cleaning up the mess, he threw up again on the same spot.
Bruce didn't say anything when Clark leaned against him. They hadn't talked again about his extracted confession, but in the aftermath there was a change with his partner taking greater liberties such as using Bruce as a pillow and sneaking up for hugs when need be. Speaking of, two arms snuck around his waist and quite a distracting body pressed against him. The balance of silence lasted longer than Bruce had anticipated. Bruce chose to break it first.
“Clark…”
His partner shifted in his arms. Bruce met steadily the earnestness of the blue gaze, striving to be no less.
“From the moment we’ve met, you eternally were a being of earth and starlight – profound in your compassion, inspiring others to become better when you are choosing the virtuous path trapped by thorns, and unwavering in this determination. I have always tried to comprehend the scope of your power. The truth is, it is fathomless. Too often have I seen you pushed to the limit just for another door to open and overcome the fatal odds. You still are exploring the depths of this power, it is what we both fear that might turn unbound, and it is what I feared I would not be able to act against should we grow too close. When we first encountered each other, our relationship was built on a non-spoken agreement that I would safeguard both the world and yourself from it. Once this armour showed cracks, I am swayed from saving you from your own strength to saving your from vulnerability. But, this never deprived you of making your own choice which odds to face and neither should have I, for the only things I have seen surpass this inborn power is your will and moral code. The method chosen to keep you out of harm’s way was unacceptable. It’s a bitter lie that I don’t love you.”
He was not going to deny, his home felt like a hollow shell with Clark gone. He was not going to resist the passion sparking between them. He would not run from offering comfort.
Stay. I love you both, you and our precious baby. Trust me once more to protect you. Believe in me that I will care for you. He would go as far as to voice it all. But Clark made no such demand of him.
In those blue eyes, he would not have been surprised to see a lasting hurt, a silent accusation, desire for time to trust again. Yet, what he read was humbling. He found reciprocation and forgiveness, granted as easily as the rising of the sun that cast the earth in warmth. This was Superman in his unbroken belief that no matter how far lost, the human essence was fundamentally good.
Ever so light, but contagious in its happiness the smile scorched him. Their bodies intertwined. Their breath mingled. Firm lips covered his mouth, sealing this silent promise.