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“Come on, Bruce, just one song!”
Bruce sat at the bar, nursing a Coke as Hal pestered him. How Bruce got roped into being the designated driver (again) was beyond him, but hey, someone had to keep the rest of the Justice League in line before they got shitfaced and accidentally unleashed their superpowers on Metropolis. Since Bruce had become leagues more responsible after adopting Dick, he assumed his paternal instincts had now extended to the rest of the Justice League.
Which was how he wound up here, at a karaoke bar in downtown Metropolis (Clark’s treat after a particularly nasty fight with Lex Luthor), listening to Barry up onstage drunkenly singing “Sheer Heart Attack” at the top of his lungs.
“No,” Bruce insisted. “I’m not doing it.”
“Oh come on, it’ll be fun!” Hal insisted. “Pretty please?”
“Hmm, let me think,” Bruce said sarcastically. “No.”
“Aww, why not?” Hal begged.
“I can’t take my eyes off you people,” Bruce said shortly. The urge to call them all clowns was tempting since he felt like he was in the middle of a superpowered circus.
“We’ve all done it, Bruce,” Arthur said from Bruce’s left. “Loosen up a little! If I can do it, you certainly can.”
“I’d like to leave here with my dignity intact, thanks,” Bruce snipped.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Clark, seemingly the only person unaffected by the endless stream of booze, flashing Diana an “I got this” look. Bruce gritted his teeth and took a sip of his Coke.
“Hey, Brucie,” Clark said, “it’s just one song. Just one, and you won’t have to do it again.”
“Don’t you Brucie me,” Bruce grumbled. “I said no.”
“Baby, pleeeeease,” Clark begged. whispering as best he could over the bar chatter and music, he leaned close to Bruce and said, “I’ll make it up to you when we get back to the manor.”
Bruce turned to Clark with a deadpan look on his face.
“You’re bribing me,” he said.
“Is it working?” Clark asked with a sly smirk.
Bruce stared at Clark for a few more moments, weighing the outcomes in his head. Eventually, his tired brain decided that the embarrassment of singing onstage surrounded by drunk superheroes was absolutely worth getting some ass when he got home, and he set his Coke down with a huff.
“Just once,” Bruce growled. “Just one song.”
Hearing this, Hal, Arthur, and Oliver all started cheering for Bruce, patting him on the back as he got up from the barstool. Clark and Diana looked at each other and shared a high five. Bruce averted his gaze from the rest of the Justice League and headed up to the stage as Barry stepped down.
I’m going to regret this.
🎤🎤🎤
Clark watched Bruce with a smirk as he stepped up to the stage to look through the binder of songs. Diana took a seat next to Clark, an amazed look on her face.
“How’d you get him to do that?” she asked.
“Just had to do a little convincing,” Clark said as he sipped on his brandy. Though he couldn’t get the buzz from the alcohol, he still liked the taste.
The crowd up by the stage started to grow quiet as Bruce took the microphone. He looked a bit stiff, as if he’d rather be anywhere but there.
Come on, baby, Clark thought. You’ve got this.
The song began to play, and Clark almost instantly recognized the piano playing. It was slow, gentle, and brought back memories of Clark and Bruce’s wedding night. This song had played during their first dance. Clark smiled, not at all surprised that Bruce had chosen this song.
“Wise men say only fools rush in,” Bruce began to sing, “but I can’t help falling in love with you…”
Slowly, one by one, the Justice League collectively turned their heads towards the stage upon hearing Bruce’s voice. Judging by the stunned looks on their faces, none of them had expected Bruce to pick a song like this, much less for him to start singing with all his heart.
“Shall I stay?” Bruce crooned. “Would it be a sin if I can’t help falling in love with you?”
Clark could tell Bruce was getting more comfortable being up onstage, as he started swaying his hips and rocking his body from side to side, as if he were reliving their first dance as a married couple.
“Like a river flows surely to the sea, darling so it goes, some things were meant to be…”
Clark heard Hal and Oliver whispering fervently behind him, saying, “Did you know he could sing like that? Why hasn’t he done this before?” Clark flashed a knowing glance at Diana, then returned to watching Bruce.
“Take my hand, take my whole life too,” Bruce kept singing, “for I can’t help falling in love with you…”
Clark rested his head on his hand and smiled widely, his faraway expression that of a schoolboy daydreaming of his crush in the middle of class.
How did I get so lucky with him? he asked himself.
“Like a river flows surely to the sea, darling so it goes, somethings were meant to be…” Bruce was putting his whole heart and soul into this little song, and Clark found himself gazing wistfully into Bruce’s eyes.
Rao, I am so glad I married this man.
“Take my hand, take my whole life too, for I can’t help falling in love with you…” As he prepared himself for the last words of the song, Bruce lifted his head and met Clark’s eye. If Clark wasn’t mistaken, Bruce was actually starting to smile.
“For I can’t help falling in love with you,” Bruce finished out the song, and in that moment, as they made eye contact, Clark was back at his first dance, Bruce holding him close as the song drew to a close, kissing in the middle of the dance floor.
The song came to its end, and Clark was pulled out of his daydreaming by the collective raucous cheering of the Justice League all around him. Bruce stepped down from the stage, and Clark could tell he was trying to fight a proud smile.
“You didn’t tell us you could sing like that!” Hal said, his voice slurred. “How’d you do that??”
“See, that wasn’t so bad right?” Clark said as Bruce sat next to him. “You’ve got such a pretty voice, sweetheart.”
“Hey, that one was just for you,” Bruce said. “You know I won’t do that for anyone else.”
“I know, babe,” Clark said, kissing Bruce on the cheek. Bruce tried to hide his smile as he picked up his Coke for another drink.
“Don’t worry,” Clark reassured Bruce, “you don’t have to do any more karaoke tonight. Believe me, I’ll be the one doing all the singing when we get back home.”
Bruce nearly choked on his drink, and an uproar of laughter rang out around him. Clark grinned mischievously and wrapped an arm around Bruce.
Clark just knew Bruce was going to be a relentless tease back home for this little stunt tonight.
It was absolutely worth it.