Chapter Text
Clark walked into the Talon as he usually liked to on a school day afternoon, slowing as he entered through the doors to let his eyes adjust from the bright sunlight outside.
He scanned the room looking for Chloe who he was meant to be meeting so that they could work on a new article for the Torch, he was sure there was some new wall of weird material that she was dying to fill him in on.
When looking for her he briefly glanced at an unfamiliar guy around his age, with gray eyes and jet black hair covered by a baseball cap, sitting alone at a table sipping what looked like a black coffee. The man looked sullen and sleep deprived, and clutched his mug like a lifeline, as he sat deep in thought. In the harvest season and summer festivals many unfamiliar faces flocked to Smallville but in the off season of spring this was a little more mysterious.
He brushed the thought off and continued looking for Chloe, who he spotted in a nook near the back of the café.
Chloe caught his eye and gave him a warm smile looking up from her laptop as he approached.
‘Heya Clark, look at you turning up on time for once! Drop your stuff and get a drink, I’ve got a big story waiting..’
Clark smiled back bashfully, taking off his jacket and draping it over a chair.
‘Please Chloe, I have never once been late in my life-’
Clark stopped midway through his sentence as he bumped into Lana Lang from behind.
‘Clark? I didn’t know you were coming in, I haven’t seen you since the start of spring break!’
He winced at first in apology but then grinned in response, ‘How has the talon been? Me and Chloe thought we would stop by to start working on a story’
Lana shrugged walking back to the counter, ‘Same old, nothing as exciting as whatever Chloe thinks is lurking in Smallville’
‘Oh that would be impossible’ Clark chuckled as he followed her there, Lana starting to make his regular: a latte with extra sugar. And he only really drank it for the taste.
This gave Clark a chance to look around the Egyptian-themed Café again, his eyes landing on the black-haired stranger again.
‘Hey Lana, you don’t happen to know who that guy is sitting there, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him in town before before let alone Smallville high.
Lana’s gaze followed his landing on the man, and she tilted her head in response frowning.
‘No Clark, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him before either, he seems interesting enough though, definitely not from here’
Lana pushed Clark’s latte across the counter, and he shrugged as he turned back to her, going to pull out his wallet.
Lana held up her hands, smiling
‘Its on the house!’
Clark shook his head knowingly and put his wallet away. Lana didn’t take no for an answer.
Walking back to his table, he watched the guy leave hastily, his black coat billowing behind him. He was on the phone and Clark heard an older English gentleman, who he called ‘Alfred’ on the other end-
‘So-’ said Chloe, looking up at his approach with a smug grin ‘let me fill you in…’
--
Later Clark walked the streets of Smallville in the early evening after the talon had shut. Sometimes he liked to slow down and leave himself time to think, rather than speed home and he was currently deep in thought about the new town conspiracy that Chloe thought was brewing.
He was so deep in thought that despite all his super senses he had managed to bump into someone. He looked up opening his mouth to apologise but his eyes widened at the sight of the guy he had noticed in the talon, and then widened more when he realised the guys coffee was all over his expensive looking shirt.
The man first looked in shock at him, but his face turned sharper for a few seconds as he seemed to analyse Clark.
‘I am so sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going, and oh dear-‘
‘Please, don’t worry about it’ the guys voice was deep and smooth, and he seemed to plaster an assuring smile on his face -oddly put together for someone who couldn’t be a year older than Clark- as he looked down to assess the damage. He seemed different now from when Clark had seen him earlier in the talon, moody and frustrated.
‘No, Please can I help you get cleaned up? You’re not from around here are you?’ Clark winced, thinking he was coming on too strong. The midwestern hospitality was practically hardwired into him.
‘No that is fine, I’m sure I can figure ill figure it out, there must be a clothing store somewhere in this town’
Clark winced realising the time, everywhere was shut by now.
‘No I insist. I live nearby, you can come and get cleaned up-‘
He opened his mouth to protest.
‘Please, it’s the least I can do’ Clark put on his most convincing face and the guy reluctantly agreed.
‘I would decline, as I don’t want to infringe on your hospitality, but I am a two-hour drive away from home and you are insisting’ he smiled politely holding his hands up
‘Yes I am’ Clark chuckled ‘Now it’s just a fifteen-minute walk from here-’
‘Oh I have a car-’
--
A car was an understatement. The mysterious man had a sleek black convertible which purred as they drove the 5 minutes to the kent farm.
‘Just to the left here’
‘Great thanks’ The man smoothly pulled the car into a space in front of the house.
As they geared to leave, he turned to Clark
‘I am so rude, I have just realised I never even introduced myself.’ He offered his hand to Clark ‘My name is Bruce Wayne’
Clark took it. ‘Clark Kent’ he replied smiling warmly.