Chapter Text
Chapter 1
Bruce Wayne knew the rules of Gotham’s upper class at this point. Smile. Wave. Attend fancy parties. All so the rich can be okay with funding ‘save the world’ projects. Like his own projects, his company has been working tirelessly on. Projects he needed to be in good graces with the public for.
Yes, Bruce knew Gotham’s socialite class well. But Metropolis? Their social scene was a mystery to him.
“Do we have to wear ties, Dad? We don’t in Gotham,” says his youngest cheerily. The boy is about 11.
“Yes, because this is an important event, lad,” Bruce says. He looks down at the small boy beside him. The kid twitches in the stiff suit, tugging on the tie. He still is wearing a bright smile, as he normally does, but he seems to be in slight discomfort.
“I think I look good in mine,” his eldest says, adjusting his tie. He is around 16.
“You both look fine. Jason, stop squirming,” Bruce says, fixing Jason’s tie.
The boy groans but stops fighting it.
“Remind me why we have to go to this event anyway?” Dick requests as he stares out the tinted window towards the huge Daily Planet Globe in the distance.
“Because meeting socialites is good for business. Plus, the board has been on my back about meeting with Lex Luthor.”
“My teacher called him a fucktard,” Jason says helpfully.
“Because he is a selfish fucking bastard who claims to care about the planet but doesn’t,” Dick says.
“1, language. 2, do not, under any circumstance, say that to him,” Bruce warns his boys. Dick rolls his eyes but nods. Jason nods sagely.
“Do we have to be here forever?” Dick grumbles.
“We can leave at 11,” Bruce assures them. “Dick, keep an eye on your brother. I don’t trust these people.”
“Yes, B,” Dick says, accepting his duty with confidence.
The car pulls up, and Bruce plasters on a bright smile as he steps out, with Dick and Jason a step behind him. Cameras flash, reporters shout out questions. Bruce keeps his smile plastered as he shields Jason from most of the cameras. Dick takes the attention perfectly, grinning and smirking and waving.
“Mr. Wayne!”
“Over here, Bruce!”
“What deals do you want to accomplish?”
“Jason! Look here, Jason!”
“Can we get a smile, Mr Grayson-Wayne?”
Bruce glares at the reporter who called Jason’s name. He gently leads the boys inside. He looks around the room.
“Remember the rules?” he asks, as he finds a quiet corner and leads them there.
“No drugs, no drinking, don’t let people touch you. Scream if you feel threatened. Look for someone you know if you get uncomfortable,” Dick recites.
“And not causing drama,” Jason says quietly.
Bruce puts a hand on his younger son’s shoulder. “Hey, it’s okay. We are right here. And even you said the last party was fun.”
“That’s because Mr. Queen was there with Roy,” Jason recalls.
“True. But-” Bruce scans the room for other kids. There are a few. None of Bruce knew. He swallows. He hardly knows anyone in this room. “There are other kids you can make friends with.”
Dick smirks. “I’ll watch out for him.”
Bruce sighs. “Just stick close.”
Clark Kent tugs on his tie slightly. Besides him, his two best friends, Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane, are looking fabulous, and Lois looks ready to hit someone.
“I can’t believe that sleezeball is saying that his work is animal cruelty-free. Did you know that-”
“Lois, look,” Jimmy interrupts, pointing to a dark-haired man in his midtwenties with two kids at his side. Clark studies the man, and he can’t help but admire his confidence. The man looks like he owns the room, not like he is an honored guest.
“Oh, my God. It’s Bruce Wayne,” Lois gasps.
“Wait? What?” Clark asks, blushing slightly. He had been staring at a billionaire philanthropist the whole time.
“What is he doing here?” Jimmy asks, finally. “This is a long way from Gotham.”
Clark studies him and says, “Who are the two kids with him?”
“His adopted sons, Dick and Jason,” Lois explains. “It’s rare for him to leave Gotham City at all, let alone without his kids.”
“True, he generally takes them wherever he is. He took them to New York last month, too,” Jimmy says. “It was a whole thing.”
Clark studies Bruce. Young, handsome. And flirting with a random socialite. Straight, probably, Clark assumes, deflating a little.
“Mr. Wayne!” Lex Luthor says, descending from the balcony. “Welcome!”
Lois glowers. “Of course, he must be some spoiled rich trash.”
“You don’t know that,” Clark reminds her. “We haven’t met him yet.”
Lex makes his way over to Bruce, who smiles glibly at him. “Mr. Luthor, please, just call me Bruce.”
“Of course, call me Lex then, Bruce,” Lex replies, his eyes sliding over Bruce’s sons with a calculating gaze. Bruce shifts to block Jason from sight. Dick bristles, wrapping an arm around his brother’s shoulders. Bruce knew the look. He had seen it on Carmine Falcon’s face before he tried to kidnap Dick when he was younger. The look of someone who knew a weakness and was willing to exploit it. Calculation.
So, Bruce started flirting. “This place is so fancy… I wonder if you are as… meticulous in other areas too,” Bruce tries. He never said he was good at flirting with someone like Lex.
Lex considers him. “Perhaps we could… talk about it later?” he suggests.
Gross, no, Bruce decides. He, however, only smirks. “Maybe,” he says. He can feel Dick’s glare burning into the back of his head. Annoyance and disgust, he knows.
“I’m gonna go get us some punch,” Dick says, dragging Jason along with him as he walks away from the scene.
“Kids, am I right?” Bruce says with a laugh.
“I wouldn’t know,” Lex replies.
“Oh, well,” Bruce says. Then he grins. “They can be a handful.”
“I’m sure,” Lex says. “Bruce, we really should talk about business. Your new-”
A crash echoes through the room. Bruce’s eyes snap to the high windows that have been blown inwards by a strange man in a giant monkey suit.
“COWER BEFORE YOUR EMPEROR!” Shouts the monkey man. Besides him stands a fat man with a paper crown on and a skinny woman with a minigun. Screams start up from the people who start to run towards the exits. The man in the crowd lifts a shotgun from behind him and shoots at the ceiling. Everyone freezes as the monkey man shouts: “ON YOUR KNEES FOR OUR EMPEROR!”
The people obediently drop to their knees, shaking with fear. Bruce slowly does so, his eyes scanning desperately for his sons. There, by the intruders. Kneeling in front of the buffets. Dick is shielding Jason from the creeps.
“You should be grateful,” the woman says, grinning evilly. “That he has decided to find his newest servants here.”
Whimpers and whispers rise. What the hell was happening? Bruce looks toward Lex, who is studying the three with a sharp gaze. Lex looks pointedly towards two reporters, a brunette female and a red-headed male. The Emperor makes a big show of checking each person as he passes them, but Bruce can see he is making his way towards the two reporters. The hell?
“You, get up,” he snaps at the woman. “Your name?”
“Lois Lane,” Lois snaps. “And you are the ‘Emperor’?”
The man puffs out his chest. “I am! Gus, grab the girl and her friend here.”
“Hey!” Bruce shouts before he can help himself. “Leave them alone. They aren’t ‘servants’ for you.”
The woman’s eyes rake across Bruce and slide to Lex, who, not so subtly, looks to Bruce’s two kids. Bruce tenses as the ‘Emperor’ stalks over to him. The woman slides closer to Dick and Jason, and Bruce’s heart begins to pound. Not them. Stay away from them, he begs silently.
“Your name,” the man orders.
“Bruce Wayne,” he replies, chin out. He forces calm upon him. Shoulders squared, expression blank. He keeps his eyes locked on the man and away from his kids.
“Ooo, Gotham’s most eligible bachelor!” the ‘Emperor’ mocks. The other man, Gus, moves toward Bruce, and, with a glance at the ‘Emperor’, yanks Bruce up by his collar.
Bruce blinks in surprise; he had expected to be kicked, to be forced to grovel to this strange man. He did not expect to be lifted.
The ‘Emperor’ studies him. “I can see the appeal,” he says. “But I doubt you would be a perfect little pet for me. You have a fire in your eyes. You would need some breaking in.”
The ‘Emperor’ pokes Bruce’s cheek, and he shudders, pulling his head away. A voice booms out from the broken window.
Clark had slipped out the moment the criminals had burst in, quickly changing into Superman and flying back in to see Bruce Wayne trying to press away from the plump man wearing a crown.
“Hey!” he shouts. “Leave them alone!”
The three assailants jump, startled. The skinny woman aims her minigun at him, and he moves, twisting it into a bow before she can shoot anyone or anything.
“Fuck!” she yelps, dropping the useless metal.
He lunges for the crown guy next, lifting him into the air and dropping him onto the girl. She screams as he knocks her down. He groans. Clark looks to the man holding Bruce next. Gus tightens his grip on Bruce’s collar, who struggles weakly against the hand.
Clark launches himself towards the man, knocking him down. Bruce is almost knocked down, too, but Clark catches him, hovering slightly off the ground. Bruce Wayne’s blue eyes are wide, staring into Clark’s. Bruce blushes.
“Damn,” he murmurs. “Thank you.”
“Of course, citizen,” Clark says, swallowing hard. He was more handsome up close. Damn. He sets Bruce down gently. Bruce runs a hand through my hair.
Bruce stares at him still, his cheeks bright red. Clark grabs the two criminals and says, “Have a good party, citizens!”
He flies off quickly through the window.
“Dad!” shouts Jason, running for Bruce. He lifts his younger son into a tight hug. Dick follows more slowly as the party guests start chattering. Bruce wraps his free arm around Dick’s shoulder.
“I’m okay,” he assures them. He presses a kiss to Jason’s soft curls.
“That was interesting,” says Lex, stepping over. “Are you okay, Mr. Wayne?”
“Yes,” Bruce says, as Jason burrows into his chest. “What a party, huh?”
“Yes, quite,” Lex says. He studies Bruce with a calculating look. Bruce tightens his grip on Jason. “Do I have your vote in this upcoming election?”
“Hmm?” Bruce asks, looking startled.
“I’m running for President,” Lex explains. Bruce startles, staring in shock at the other man. Dick’s hand tightens on Bruce’s sleeve. He can feel Dick’s hand trembling, ready to say something.
“Best of luck,” Bruce says, forcing a bright smile. “I’m afraid I will have to follow both campaigns before making my choice.”
Luthor’s expression darkens instantly. Bruce swallows hard, trying not to feel threatened.
“I’m sure you will do great. I just need to ensure the right people get my vote,” Bruce explains.
Luthor grunts, acknowledging the logic in what he said. Bruce lifts Jason a little higher.
“I should get these two home. Have a good night, Mr. Luthor,” Bruce says, guiding Dick away.
He feels Lex’s eyes on the back of his head the whole time.
Clark splashes some cold water on his face to calm his racing thoughts. Bruce Wayne had blushed at him. Well, when he was Superman, but still! Bruce fucking Wayne!
He swallows hard. Get it together. Get it together, Kal-El. He takes a deep breath as Jimmy walks into the bathroom.
“You good, Clark?” Jimmy asks. Clark swallows.
“Fine, Jimmy. Just a little-”
“Wait, you like him, don’t you?” Jimmy asks, grabbing Clark’s hand.
“Huh? How-”
Jimmy rolls his eyes. “You are blushing, which is honestly normal for you but you never blush this much,” Jimmy says. He grins. “Except for that one time-”
“Jimmy,” Clark says, turning redder still. “We both agreed not to mention that.”
Jimmy laughs, putting an arm around Clark’s shoulders. He smirks as he leans more than half his weight against Clark, trusting that the Kryptonian wouldn’t let him fall. Clark has to admire his friend’s faith. Too much faith, at times.