Chapter Text
After preparing the rooms, Bruce finds Alfred in the kitchen. It hadn’t been hard to set up, he had a feeling that Alfred had started preparing the guest wing earlier. The old man was far too smart for his own good.
Speaking of Alfred, the old man gave Bruce a certified look upon entering the kitchen. His eyebrows were raised and his eyes were flat. “Now where did you two go running off to earlier? I trust you made wise decisions.”
Bruce flushed what must’ve been an unflattering shade of red if Alfred’s expression was any indication.
”I’m. Not talking to you about this.” Bruce says flatly.
Alfred’s eyebrow lifts again, and he frowns. “That does not assuage my fears, my dear boy.”
“It was just kissing, Alfred.” Bruce moves to brush past him, but is stopped by Alfred’s outstretched hand.
”I am just asking you to be cautious. He seems like a nice young man, but you do not have the best track record.”
Bruce gaped at him, open mouthed, “Alfred come on.”
Alfred shrugs, “Need I remind you of Thalia. Or Kahoa?”
Bruce looks away, avoiding Alfred’s gaze. “I should go check on the boys.”
Alfred sighs. “Just… Make sure your intentions align this time around.”
And Bruce had to admit that maybe he was right.
Clark was more than happy to wait for Bruce to come back. Lois on the other hand, was more than happy to interrogate him while they waited.
”So where did you disappear to, Kent?” She tilted her eyebrow and put her hands on her hips.
Clark’s heart practically leapt out of his chest and he flushed.
”Your curls are messed up, Smallville. I can even see your ears. Now what were you two up to?”
Clark choked. “My hair??”
”Yes, your hair.” Lois scoffs at him and gestures to his hair harshly. “You look like a teenager after 7 minutes in heaven.”
Clark sputtered and held his face in his hands.
”Oh my God, Smallville, you didn’t.”
“We may have made out. In a closet.” Clark avoided her gaze and instead focused on the chandelier on the floor. “It was an impulsive decision.”
Lois scoffed again, “You’ve met this man, what, a handful of times at Galas? Why do you trust him so much? You’re definitely not built for one night stands.”
”I can’t tell you everything but he already knows about my other job. I doubt the way I’m built will be much of a problem.”
”He knows what???” Lois practically screeches.
It hurts his ears a bit and he flinches back. Lois lowers her voice, “sorry.” She murmurs.
Clark looks down at the floor again. “Look, it’s not like I told him. And I can’t tell you how he knows, I can’t breach his trust like that. It wouldn’t be right.” He sighs and rubs the back of his head awkwardly. “He and I have worked together a few times, and that’s about all I can say.”
Lois stood completely still for a minute. “Worked in what capacity?” Lois’ eyebrows furrowed and her head shot up. “No way. There is no way, Kent. Tell me that I’m wrong.”
”I plead the fifth,” Clark said almost cheekily. “Seriously, Lois, just trust me. He’s- different. I trust him.”
Lois shrugs at him. “It’s your heart on the line here not mine.”
Clark sighs, “I know, Lois, I’ll be careful.”
Bruce made it to the boy’s rooms with little to no hassle. His ribs were still a bit sore and stairs were his worst enemy, but he had lived in the manor his whole life he will not be defeated by a set of stairs.
Jason was easy to settle in for the night. He had already brushed his teeth and donned his pajamas. And when Bruce got to him, he was already in bed.
”Hey, chum, are you okay?” Bruce kneeled at his bedside, and ran a hand through Jason’s hair affectionately. The boy melts into it, pushing his head into the touch. The gesture warms Bruce’s chest. Jason had been so distant at first, but to show this much trust at his most vulnerable? It was amazing.
”I’m fine, but you should go check in on Dick. He seemed upset.” Jason said, looking up at him with wide concerned eyes. “I think falling scared him.”
”I’ll go check in on him, okay, chum?” Bruce brushed his bangs away from his face and kissed his forehead lightly. “I love you, Jaybird, sleep well.”
He stood up from his position on the floor, joints groaning in protest. He made his way to the door. “Come get me if you need anything, okay, Chum?”
”Okay, B,” Jason responded.
Bruce spared one last look at his youngest son before walking away, he left the door cracked on his way out, just in case.
Dick was in fact, panicking.
Bruce entered the room to find the boy huddled in the corner, crying.
He was hunched in on himself. Fingers desperately threaded through his hair, yanking and pulling on the dark strands.
Bruce rushed over to his side, lightly grasping Dick’s hands, effectively stopping him from yanking too hard.
”Hey. Hey. Dick, it's okay. Look at me, Dick. Hey.” Bruce tried to gently grab the boy's attention.
Dick looked up at him with wide unseeing eyes. Oh, so it was a flash back, Bruce could handle this. He removed his hands from Dick’s and sat on the floor next to him, pulling the boy firmly against his chest. Dick turned and sobbed into his nice dress shirt, but Bruce couldn’t care less about the fine linen. His son was distressed and that was all that mattered.
His hands went back to Dick’s, lightly threading their fingers together and gently pulling them away from the boy’s hair. He tucked his head in over Dick’s, curling around him protectively.
“Breathe, with me,” Bruce took a dramatic inhale, held it, and then exhaled. Dick didn’t even try, but Bruce kept up the rhythmic breathing. In, hold, out. In hold, out.
After a couple of minutes, Dick’s breathing began to even out, until his breaths matched his fathers and he slumped against him, finally relaxing. He was still crying, but Bruce hadn’t really expected him to stop.
”Are you okay, chum?” Bruce asks, moving his hands from Dick’s and gently running his hands down the boy’s back.
Dick just nodded, not ready to talk yet it seemed. And that was okay, Bruce would wait with him all night if he had to.
And wait with him he did.
Clark and Lois were waiting in awkward silence for a few minutes before Alfred came to collect them.
”Something came up, and Master Bruce is otherwise indisposed. I’ll show you to the guest rooms now.” Alfred said with a curt nod of his head. He started walking away and it took Lois and Clark a minute to catch up with him. For an old man, he could move surprisingly swiftly when he wanted to.
He led them in a different direction from Bruce’s room, Clark remembered the way to the family wing. This was different. Just how big was the manor?
The rooms that Alfred showed them to were clean and devoid of emotion, but were still large and nice. Clark wished he was back in Bruce’s room, or at least back in his own apartment. He felt like he was intruding. Yeah, he was invited, but he felt out of place.
He approached the bed and found that Bruce had left him a change of clothes, a worn Gotham University tee and a pair of grey sweats awaited him.
He purred in delight. Bruce had given him his clothes to wear, even if he hadn’t been invited back to his room like he had been before.
He changes into the clothes, pulling the hem of the t-shirt close to his nose. If he focused he could smell hints of Bruce’s cologne underneath the fancy laundry detergent that Alfred had used to wash them.
He crawled into bed happy and content. Bruce had thought of him, even in this small way, and to Clark that meant everything.
Clark was awoken by a familiar small choked off cry. He couldn’t place it but every fiber of his being pushed him to check. It was important, he knew it was.
He doesn’t hesitate to jump out of bed, flying swiftly through the halls of the manor following the noise. He recognizes the heartbeat, not as Bruce or Dick, but as Jason. Jason was crying, his heart thudding in his chest and he was alone.
Clark made it to his open door in seconds.
He hesitated by the door frame, afraid to intrude. But he knocked softly regardless. He wouldn’t let his own hesitation negatively impact the small boy. If he needed help, Clark would give it, even if it meant being momentarily uncomfortable. The sounds of the boy’s muffled sobs made his heart shatter. He couldn’t leave him alone like this.
He knocked, and then stuck his head into the room.
”Jason?” Clark started. “Are you okay?”
The room went silent for a moment before Jason finally spoke up.
”Clark?” His voice was confused and hoarse.
”Yeah, Buddy, it’s me. Can I come in?”
Through the light coming through the doorway, he can see Jason nod. He slowly entered the room, wary of making the boy uncomfortable. He approached the bed, where the boy is curled in on himself hugging his knees.
”Do you mind if I sit?” Clark asked, and Jason shook his head.
”Go ahead,” He said, and Clark can hear the tears in the boy’s voice. It made his chest hurt.
Clark sat down beside Jason. “What’s wrong? Are you okay? I heard you crying.”
Jason looked away awkwardly. “It’s stupid.” He mutters.
”If it’s upsetting you, then it could never be stupid. You matter, bud, and so do your thoughts.” Clark said, and leant down slightly attempting to encourage eye contact.
Jason’s eyes flit over to his, and he looked borderline petrified. Clark tries to force his face into a reassuring smile but he’s sure it fell flat.
”I just.” Jason sighs. “I told Dick it was dangerous.” His face crumpled and he began to cry again.
Clark patiently sat letting the boy collect his thoughts.
“I just. I just.” Jason sobbed. “I don’t want to lose anybody else.”
That made whatever was left of Clark’s resolve shatter.
”I lost my family too, Jason. The pain doesn’t go away, not really, but it does get easier. I lost my mother, but I never lost her stories. Dick is okay. He’s alive. He’s just in his room right now. Everything is going to be okay.”
He held out his hands towards Jason, offering the boy a hug. Jason practically threw himself into Clark’s outstretched arms, sobbing into his worn tee shirt.
Clark rubbed his shoulders and back soothingly.
“I keep seeing him fall.” Jason spat out through his tears. “I keep seeing him fall and not get back up.”
Clark hugged the boy closer and shifted him in his hold, so that way he can pick him up if the boy agrees to what he’s about to offer.
”How about we go find Dick, would that help?” Clark asked.
Jason nodded against his chest and Clark picked him up gingerly.
They made their way out of Jason’s room and Jason pointed at the room across the hall. “That one’s Dick’s.”
They made their way across the hall and Clark knocked on the door.
It was opened by a very disheveled looking Bruce, still in his dress clothes.
Bruce did a double take upon seeing Clark standing in the doorway, but his entire face shifted to concern as soon as he registered Jason in his arms.
”What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
Clark shook his head. “Just a little bit of intrusive thoughts. He wanted to come see Dick.” He turned his attention to Jason. “Do you want me to hand you to your dad, Bud?”
Jason looked between them, then shook his head. “I’m okay.”
Bruce looked at the two curiously, but opened the door and moved further out of the way.
Dick was awake, but just barely. He lifted his head when they walked in.
”Jay?” Dick looked at his little brother and made room for him on the bed.
Jason tapped Clark’s shoulder and he put him down. Jason ran towards Dick and crawled into the bed.
Clark moved to leave but was stopped by Jason. “Wait! Can you tell me one of your stories? Your mother’s, I mean.”
Dick looked between the two quizzically, obviously aware that he was missing something.
“Of course, Bud, as long as it’s okay with Bruce and Dick.”
Jason looks at the two pleadingly. Dick just shrugged and Bruce mumbled in agreement. So, Clark sat down on the floor beside the bed.
”How about the story of Flamebird and Nightwing?”
The boys all nodded and Clark started his story