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The music is painfully loud in Clark's ears. Being raised in Kansas didn't make a difference when it came to adapting to planet Earth. Despite the pain of loud noises torturing his ears and bright lights that irritate his eyes, forcing him to use eye drops, Clark still loves this planet. It has fire and a soul. It has wonderful people like his parents, his friends Lois and Jimmy, and others like Oliver Queen.
His boss in the Daily Planet sent Clark to the Valentine's Day party, organised by Queen Industries, for tomorrow's social news. But Clark only accepted the invitation as an excuse to get closer to Oliver. The camera and recorder in his bag make him look professional, and Clark hopes it's "cool" enough for Oliver to look at him.
The security guard outside the main door asks for his name and Clark wishes he had the audacity to say, "Nightwing in the Daily Planet by day, Superman in the Justice League by night, choose what you like," but he doesn't, so he just settles for "Clark Kent."
"I knew you would come!" says a youthful voice behind the guard. The young man is Roy Harper, Oliver's ward. The kid can't be older than ten-years-old but Clark doesn't underestimate him. Speedy is sharp as his guardian, perhaps, even more.
"Oli is waiting for you," Roy winks, fixing his smooth hair. Oliver has great hair too, and so does Bruce Wayne. Sometimes Clark wonders if adopting orphans and glamorising them is a hobby for millionaires like them.
"Hey, you there?" Roy asks, pulling his arm for Clark to follow him. "He's taking a break from the other rich snobs. You know, Oliver, right? He can't stand mirrors."
Clark laughs. The boy is, indeed, sharp.
"He said you were here for an interview, but that's not it, isn't it? Who cares about this party anyway? I'm just here for Dick, my friend, not dicks, Clark. Don't believe what the gossips say, Oli and I aren't sluts."
Clark almost trips down the stairs, cackling loudly. His plan of staying unnoticed by everyone, but Oliver is lost. The so-called rich snobs are looking down at him. Sadly, his super hearing allows him to hear the whispers, "Why is he laughing like that? So loud and rude," and "Who is that? That ugly suit he's wearing. Oh no, poor boy, did he buy it in Target?"
A friendly voice in the distance calms him down. "Head tilted up, Nightwing. Don't let them look you in the eye." Clark looks for Dinah and finds her in the bar corner, drinking champagne. "Say hi to Oliver for me," she winks.
His superpowers are weak against the shame he's feeling. His boss probably called Clark "Nightwing" when he requested the interview, and now, everyone knows that's his code name.
The Nightwing name is dear to Clark's heart. That name holds the power and legacy of Krypton. It's so significant that sometimes he wishes he had kept it a secret. Selfishness used to be a foreign concept to him until people started asking about Krypton. The Nightwing name causes him the same effect. It means so much to him that makes him think the world isn't ready to know about its existence.
"Nightwing!" Roy knows too. He screams for Clark to follow him from the top of the stairs. The boy is jumping, excited to get Clark to where Oliver is, so he can leave to do whatever kids play with their friends these days.
Roy leads him into the last room of the corridor of the fourth floor. The place is huge, filled with fancy furniture that Clark hasn't seen in his life before. Knowing Oliver, these are unique pieces.
"Thank you, Roy. You can leave now," Oliver says, waving goodbye to the kid. He smoothly invades Clark's personal space to hug him and whisper in his ear, "Are you ready, Nightwing?" Oliver speaks with such husky grace that makes Clark change his mind. The name Nightwing should be spoken by Oliver all the time.
"Ready for what?" Oliver catches him off guard.
"For the interview, of course," Oliver laughs endearingly. "Come here," his hand pats Clark's lower back and stays there, guiding him towards the two chairs in the back of the room. "I asked for wine. Do you like wine, Clark?"
"Sure... Yeah, I've drunk wine... before." Clark is bitterly aware he's making a fool of himself, but there's not much he can do to stop himself. He's used to making the questions, but Oliver seems interested in him, which is amazing for his personal interests, but a disaster for his work.
"Well, I hope you like this wine," Oliver fills a glass for him.
"Do you want to get me drunk?" Clark laughs nervously. "You filled the whole glass! That's not... wine-drinking etiquette, isn't it? Not that I know anything about it! I'm just a farm boy, man, a farm man! But it's not as boring as you might think it is. The farm business is hot in the market."
"Really? That's..." Oliver looks at his hand. "Are you hurt?"
"What?" Clark follows Oliver's gaze to find his own hand, dripping with wine. He broke the glass of wine and didn't notice. "I'm so sorry! I can get you another one!"
"A new glass?" Oliver laughs hysterically. "Jesus! Nightwing! Forget about that. It's just a cheap glass."
Clark is sure that he and Oliver have different concepts of what cheap is. However, he doesn't insist since his monthly budget is already fairly tight.
"I can at least clean the mat. My Ma has a great trick for cleaning wine and blood for almost every surface on Earth." Clark takes off his eyeglasses and rolls up the sleeves of his suit. "I'll be right back!" He says, flying out of the room to get hydrogen peroxide and vinegar.
Clark is back in just one minute. Oliver stares at him, awed, while Clark kneels to pour vinegar on the mat. "We'll have to wait for half an hour. Then I'll use the hydrogen peroxide if it's necessary."
"Most people call it by its commercial name," Oliver snorts, shaking his head.
"I'm not most people... you know that..." Clark blushes, hiding again using his eyeglasses.
His shyness intrigues Oliver more. "You said your mom taught you to wash away blood from surfaces, but you haven't bled that much in your life, have you?"
"I don't... But others do."
"You mean your Superman's enemies," Oliver says thoughtfully. It's hard to imagine that someone as gentle as Clark has to make people bleed just to keep his city safe.
"I don't see them as enemies. They are just hurt people that got lost. And you know what people say, hurt people hurt others."
Oliver can tell Clark means every word. This fascinating alien man truly believes in humankind's true nature is kindness, but Oliver rarely does. "I won't debunk your fantasies, but I do have a question. Why Superman? Why don't you use Nightwing for your hero activities?"
Clark thinks before replying to that question. Is he ready to tell the world about Krypton's hero?
"Too personal? My bad. Where are my manners?" Oliver lets it go gracefully. "Do you still want the interview now or do you prefer if we talk about it after we're done dancing in my bedroom?"
There's nothing subtle about Clark. His jaw drops with a loud gasp.
"What? Consider it my courtesy. Minds are clearer after a good orgasm. Besides, you didn't come to the Valentine's Day gala to leave alone, did you?"
Words always fail Clark in the most crucial moments. He should say that he doesn't want to be a fling. Or that he doesn't do one-night stands. More importantly, he should make it clear that it's his first time being attracted to a man.
"I'm a virgin! Gay virgin!" Clark doesn't need enemies. He has his own brain to make him look like a fool.
"I really don't mind, Clark. I can teach you everything that you need to know about the pleasures of the flesh." It's thrilling actually, that he has the chance to be Clark's mentor.
"That's a... relief." Clark feels he can breathe again. "I think I opt for the interview, and the rest can wait, please?"
"I don't mind. I can wait, Clark. I've waited for months to get you here... I can wait a bit more," Oliver smirks, taking one step towards him, and then another and another until he is all over Clark's personal space. "You seem surprised," Oliver smiles. "Romance is a game, Clark, and I'm always playing."
"Just don't play with my heart," Clark smiles, looking like an angel in Oliver's eyes.
"I will never," Oliver promises fondly. Clark is too much of a perfect man, a beloved hero. Clark kissing him is nearly a crime for Oliver doesn't feel deserving of his love being requited. However, Clark kisses him, giving his all, with a heart open, and somehow Oliver finds the courage to kiss him back with the hope that he would finally get it right.