Archive of Our Own

Bruce was decidedly not having a good evening. He got caught in a rain storm on his way out of City Hall and quickly realized that his motorcycle had been stolen. He should have known better, really. Especially in Gotham. Alfred had even warned him about the weather when he said he was going to drive himself and take the bike, and Bruce really didn’t want to call the man and ask for a ride at this point.

He had plenty of time before the sun set, though, so pulled his collar up and started walking back toward Wayne Tower, where he could grab one of the other vehicles and drive back to the manor.

Most people avoided walking in Gotham unless they really had no other choice and couldn’t afford a taxi, but Bruce was Batman, after all. He could take care of himself. And this part of the city certainly wasn’t the worst of the crime, so he should make it —

A blood-curdling scream interrupted his thoughts. He turned in the direction of the noise and started running toward it.

He found a young woman, barely older than a teenager, surrounded by four men in an alley. They tugged at her clothes and shouted profanities at her, luridly suggesting they’d take turns with her body.

Bruce inserted himself immediately, paying little mind to the fact that Brucie Wayne shouldn’t be able to fight like this and thinking only of protecting the victim. He had only managed to take out one of the assailants when everything suddenly change.

Superman, in all his red and blue glory, arrived in the time between the blink of Bruce’s eyes. He knocked out all three remaining assailants with a few swift moves, then pulled his cape off and covered the woman while she adjusted her clothes.

“Are you two alright?” he asked in his usual calm voice.

Sobbing and blustering, the girl responded quickly. “Y-yes, thank you, Superman. They said, I owed, I mean —”

“Shh, don’t worry. You don’t have to explain. I’m just glad I was here to help.”

“Why are you here?” Bruce asked. “I mean, isn’t this Batman’s territory?” He’d been clear with Superman several times — his assistance wasn’t typically welcome in Gotham. Bruce could barely handle his rogues as is, he didn’t need Superman’s villains using Gotham as a staging ground too.

Superman at least had the decency to look bashful. “Well, Batman doesn’t come out during the day, typically. I’ve noticed a bit of an uptick in crimes like this happening during the day, so I figured I’d help out sometimes.”

“Does he know about that?” Bruce most certainly did not know about that.

“Like I said, he focuses more on protecting the night. He can’t be everywhere.”

“And you can be?”

“No, but I didn’t want all the criminals to shift their focus to the day time. I figured if they have reason to be weary when it’s light out, too, they won’t change their patterns. Don’t worry, Mr. Wayne, the victims are usually the only ones who know I’m the one who intervened.”

Bruce realized how closely Superman was watching him and realized he was on the verge of giving himself away. “No, of course, that makes sense. Personally, I think it’s great. I’ve been jealous that Metropolis gets to see you in all your,” he lets his eyes roam over Superman’s body, “glory.” Perhaps the suggestion was distasteful, given the nature of Superman’s rescue, but he had a persona to lean into.

Bruce had seen Superman in a lot of interesting positions during their work together, but he had never seen the man blush like that. A flush of red spread across his face and he almost stammered, Bruce can hear it for a moment, before he collected himself.

“That’s kind of you to say, Mr. Wayne. Can I get the two of you someplace warm? Or at least dry?”

“N-no, thank you, I live in this building,” the girl gestures behind her. It must have been harrowing to have been attacked so close to home. She turned and started walking away., saying thank you over her shoulder as the two men watched her approach the building door.

Bruce cleared his throat. He’d wanted to get to know Superman better since they first started working together over a year ago and just hadn’t quite figured out how to do it. The man, as far as he knew, split his time between super-heroing, mostly in Metropolis but all over the globe, and living at the arctic, where he’d alluded to having a base. He’d never invited Batman there, and Bruce had never invited him to the cave. Maybe this was his chance to finally peel back the layers and get to know him properly.

“I wouldn’t say no to a ride home, Superman. Or a ride anytime.” Bruce smirked, pulling out his Brucie persona just to see that red flush again.

“Sure, Mr. Wayne. Where to?”

Maybe Bruce held onto Superman a little tighter than he strictly needed to as he directed him to the manor. The flight was slow, slower than it needed to be, he knew, but he found that he wasn’t quite interested in complaining about that. The clouds were cold and wet, even when they flew above the rain, but Superman had wrapped his cape around him and was warm like a furnace. He fought the urge to cuddle into the broad chest, determined to maintain some decorum in case Superman ever figured out his identity.

Before long, the manor grounds came into sight. Superman landed not near the front entrance, but at the side entrance where the kitchen is, stepping under the awning before letting Bruce go.

“Thank you for the lift. Would you like to come in and dry off? Or…?”

Superman smiled and started to answer, then cocked his head to the side and frowned. “My apologies, Mr. Wayne, but it seems duty calls. Have a nice evening.”

“Come back any time!” Bruce shouted as he took off into the sky, watching him go.

Bruce considered the effort wasted when the interaction ended so quickly and without further conversation. He didn’t see Superman again as Bruce or as Batman for a while and had nearly put the interaction out of his mind — other than researching to see that, yes, there had been an uptick in daytime incidents recently — when they crossed paths again, this time a bit more publicly.

Bruce heaved a breath of frustration as he watched armed men block the exits of the lobby. They’d sprung their trap just as he entered work for the day, still in the lobby. It seemed intentional, and suggested that they’d potentially had inside help. All the elevators were shut down, and the assailants had enough men to block all the stairwells.

Bruce stood with his hands in the air next to one of the Wayne Enterprise receptionists; six other employees were present, along with three security guards who had been quickly rounded up and disarmed. They were severely outnumbered.

This wasn’t an ideal situation. He had obviously been targeted, and with this many civilians in the line of fire there was very little he could do. His eyes flitted around the room as he searched for a strategy, but every door was well-blocked and the nearly two dozen men were heavily armed. He had to assume that more assailants were involved, perhaps in the parking garage or in cars on the street.

“Adeline,” he whispered quietly. The receptionist looked surprised that he knew her name, but he’d made it a point to know the names of all of the receptionists, even if he didn’t typically talk to them himself. They were part of the face of his company, after all. “Were you able to trigger the alarm?”

She shook her head. So the cops had not been notified. His mind landed on the only option that might work — someone who was keeping their ears open for daytime incidents in Gotham.

“Listen. When it gets loud, call for Superman.” He spoke as low as possible, cognizant of two of the men approaching, but she heard him and nodded.

“Alright, Wayne, come on,” said the man who roughly grabbed him and tugged him forward. Bruce let himself be pulled forward with little resistance, aware of just how many cameras were in the lobby.

“Alright, okay, hey why don’t you let everyone else go? I assume it’s me you wanted.”

“Collateral is never a bad thing to have, Brucie, surely even an airhead like you knows that much. We need you to play nice and transfer some funds for us, nothing too complicated. Now, are you going to cooperate, or are we going to have to beat you into submission?”

Bruce could take a beating. The noise might be a good cover, even a good way to attract the audience he needed. He shoved at the man holding him and raised his arm in a limp, poorly formed block, allowing the retaliating strike to collide with his shoulder and knock him down. A few of the men jeered as the other man climbed on top of him and began to hit him. Bruce did properly block several of these blows, shouting loudly for the man to get off of him, hoping Adeline took the opportunity to call out for Superman.

The fight persisted for several long moments before suddenly the man’s weight was gone and Bruce was alone, heaving on the floor. Adeline and one of the security guards rushed over to him.

“Mr. Wayne, are you okay? I’m sorry, sir, there were just too many of them, it’s —”

“It’s fine, Simmons, you did the right thing. There were too many, they’d have killed all your guys. We’ll do things differently. What…?”

“Superman, Mr. Wayne. I shouted for him like you said, when it got loud, and I guess he heard.”

Bruce sat up and looked around, seeing all the assailants together in a corner of the room, tied together with the velvet ropes from the stanchion system that had been tucked away in a closet. Superman was just finishing tying the rope when Bruce tried to stand, groaning a bit as he did. Before he could blink, Superman was in front of him helping him up.

“Mr. Wayne, I keep finding you in compromising positions.” Bruce smirked at that, and Superman blushed deliciously. “I just meant… I’m glad I could help you out again.”

“Why don’t you come up to my office and we can talk about other ways you could help me?”

“You really need medical attention.”

“Surely you’re trained for that?” Bruce turned to Simmons. “Can you handle it from here? I’d prefer not to make a statement.”

“Of course, Mr. Wayne, sir. I’ll liaise with the cops. Please get yourself looked after.”

“I’ll be in touch; we’ve got to figure out who their in was and make plans to bolster security to prevent another attack like this. Put together some thoughts, please, I trust your judgment.”

He grabbed Superman’s hand and led him toward the stairwell, not wanting to wait for the elevator to be back up and running. He didn’t have a specific plan here, but he felt compelled to push this interaction further. They were half a flight up when Superman gently touched his shoulder, holding him back. Bruce turned and raised an eyebrow in question.

“Let me. It’s a lot of… steps. Let me help.”

Bruce nodded and suddenly found himself being curled into Superman’s arms and tucked against his chest. They were in his office much quicker than they would have been if Bruce had insisted on climbing all the way.

Surprisingly, Superman seemed to know just where to look for a first aid kid, and he did, in fact, seem to have some medic training.

“I can’t stay long, Mr. Wayne.”

“Someone else calling for you?”

Superman looked out the window in the direction of Metropolis and cringed slightly. “Not yet, but I imagine my absence will be noticed.”

By who? Bruce wondered. Then he figured he might as well ask. “By who?”

Superman didn’t answer, just smiled and continued tending to Bruce’s cuts and bruises, though there was little that could actually be done.

“You know, I wouldn’t mind if we met like this more often.”

“I’d prefer it if you stayed out of trouble for a while, Mr. Wayne.”

“Then I guess you’ll have to come over to my place instead. I could ask my butler to cook for us.”

“You wouldn’t want to cook for me yourself?” Superman teased. Bruce had been on the receiving end of his teasing as Batman, but he’d never known him to tease a civilian before.

“I’m afraid I might manage to poison even your super human gut. I could order in, if you prefer.” That wasn’t true, strictly speaking. Bruce could cook well enough. Simple meals, at least, though not anything as fancy as what Alfred could make, and certainly not anything that he’d be able to impress a guest with.

“I… should say no, Mr. Wayne.”

A flurry of unanticipated excitement spiked inside of Bruce; he hadn’t expected that answer, not when a firm no had seemed more likely.

“Call me Bruce.”

Superman looked him dead in the eye wearing a searching expression. Bruce smiled reassuringly, waiting for him to speak.

“You know… I haven’t had the best luck with billionaires taking a special interest in me.”

Bruce blanched. Of course, he knew that Lex Luthor was obsessed with Superman — that he’d built special weapons to try to neutralize him.

“I, uh, right. Sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, you can, I mean, if you’d like to use the window, well this one doesn’t open but, the balcony is just —”

“Bruce. I was kidding. I’d… love to come for dinner.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Call me Kal.” He stuck out his hand, and Bruce shook it, a grin slowly stretching across his face.

“My place, Friday night, 7pm? I trust you remember the way?”

Clark brushed his teeth again, resisted the urge to run his fingers through his hair, and tried to figure out an outfit that would be acceptable. What exactly is one supposed to where to dinner with a billionaire at said billionaire’s manor, after all?

What exactly is one supposed to wear to their quasi-best friend’s house when said best friend doesn’t know that you know who they really are? Unless that friend does know that you know. Maybe that friend even knows who you really are.

Clark failed in his efforts to not run his fingers through his hair.

He wasn’t sure how things had gotten so complicated. He and Batman had gotten closer over the past few months, and he respected the man’s wishes that he not interfere in Gotham — understood, even — but he had broken the rule a few times. He couldn’t help but hear things sometimes, and when he realized that more crimes were happening in the day to avoid Batman at night, he felt he had to do something. He had a sneaking suspicion that if he’d warned Batman he would have found some way to be active during the day time, too. He figured it wouldn’t hurt to sneak over to Gotham here and there, as long as he was careful not to be seen and only did it during the day.

And the first few times, everything was fine.

Then one day he heard a woman scream, went to assist, heard Batman’s heart beat, and slowed down thinking Batman was on the scene. When he realized he was wrong, that only civilians were present, he’d already gotten himself caught by said civilians. And then — then Bruce had questioned him, sounding a bit too much like Batman. The pieces of the puzzle practically put themselves together.

And worse, Bruce started flirting with him.

He thought things would die out, but then he was sitting in an all-hands meeting at the Daily Planet listening to Bruce get attacked, hearing an employee call for help, and wondering how the heck he was going to get there in time. He’d faked a bathroom emergency, changed, and flown over a few punches too late.

He’d felt a bit of guilt as he tended to the wounds — minor though they were — and couldn’t help but wish he’d gotten there sooner. The truth was, he’d always had a bit of a crush on Batman. He’d love to get to know the man a little better, and he couldn’t bring himself to walk away from such a perfect opportunity.

He checked his closet again. He had a black suit that he had the Superman Robots make him; it was for stealth, so the chest piece wasn’t bright and it had no cape or trunks. He thought it was cool when he asked them to make it, envisioning sneaking around on secret missions, but it had sat unused in his closet for over a year. He decided that if he was going to lean into being Kal, he might as well wear it. Better than the usual super suit and not as suspicious as regular clothing, or so he told himself.

Though, he could admit it looked quite good on him. Especially without the cape blocking the view of his ass, he thought, as he looked at it in the mirror, blushing slightly at his own inappropriate thoughts.

Bruce had, in the end, asked Alfred to cook. He requested that he spare no expense on the meal, insisting that he had a dinner guest who would be hard to impress. He’d even reached out to the W.E. event coordinator and asked if she could spare a waiter for the night, so that Alfred could have the evening off, then immediately cancelled as he didn’t want rumors spread about him and Superman.

He’d rubbed elbows with impressive people in his lifetime — hell, he’d rubbed elbows with Superman himself plenty of times — but this was different. And inviting him over to the manor was risky, given the cave below, but the manor had lead pipes that were replaced but not removed, leaving an intricate network of blinders that Superman would probably have difficulty looking past.

Regardless, Bruce was a bit nervous. He ultimately decided to dress down a bit, pulling on a pair of black slacks and a dark blue turtle neck; the manor was always a bit drafty and it was starting to get chilly outside, so the outfit wouldn’t be too out of place. He combed his hair back carefully, shaking a few locks out at the front, aiming for the same casual, tousled look he wore to most galas rather than the slicked back style he wore in the office. He swapped his watch three times, changed his mind about his socks after he had shoes on, and picked a different belt last minute.

His experience with Superman was that the man was chronically a few minutes late; he was always finding one last quick thing to intervene in before showing up anywhere, so Bruce expected him to be a bit tardy. Unfortunately, he was wrong. He heard a knock at the door and hurried over to open it, checking his watch to see that it was only 6:57; hardly early, sure, but he’d thought he had a few more minutes at least.

He opened the door calmly, belying the nerves he felt. Superman was standing on the sweeping front deck of the manor in an all black suit. His deep blue eyes looked brighter than usual, contrasting appealingly with his black hair, one lock curled enticingly on his forehead. He didn’t look windswept, surprisingly.

“Superman, you’re… right on time! Please come in,” Bruce said, stepping aside to let him in.

“Thank you, Bruce. Please, call me Kal. Here, these are for you.” He pulled a bouquet of sunflowers from where he’d just barely concealed them behind his back. They had thick green stalks and wide faces; each was perfect. They were tied together with a burlap bow and had a small water bag tied to the end. Bruce blinked and felt his face flush as he reached for them. “I cut them just before I headed over, so they’re ready to put in a vase, if you have one.”

“That’s… of course. They’re lovely. I don’t know when we last had sunflowers here.”

“They’re a beautiful flower, and we’re coming up to the end of sunflower season, I think. I hoped you’d enjoy them.”

Bruce smiled and nodded his head in the direction of the kitchen, leading Kal across the manor. He collected a vase, filled it with water, removed the water bag, and arranged the flowers neatly in it before they walked into the dining room, where he sat the vase in the center of the table.

Alfred must have finished laying out the food — covered, of course — and wine and setting the table minutes before Superman arrived; he was nowhere to be seen now, as he and Bruce has decided that the manor should be empty tonight. Bruce gestured for Kal to sit, pulling a chair out for him. This dining room was the family room, not the hosting room. It was cozy, if no less opulent than the rest of the manor. The tall glass windows faced west, casting the room in the warm glow of the setting sun, which was just about to fall below the horizon. The walls were drenched in a dark, emerald green, and the high ceiling had intricate art sculpted into the black wood, almost like something you would see in a Victorian-era home. The original, dark wood floors blended into the gothic architecture, and the round table was large enough to seat four comfortably. Bruce often ate at the kitchen table, but occasionally he and Alfred or certain guests would have a meal in the family dining room; the other one was only for extravagant parties hosted at the manor, which were few and far between.

“The bright flowers look lovely against the dark backdrop of this room,” Bruce said as he guided Kal into his seat.

“They do seem to be stealing the show with the last of the sun. How was your day? Are you healing up alright after that scuffle?”

“Well, it was mostly just bruises and shallow cuts, nothing serious. And no one tried to storm Wayne Tower today, so not too bad. Especially not now that you’re here.” That delightful blush spread across Kal’s face again. “Plus, I was excited for tonight. I hope you’ll enjoy dinner, I wasn’t sure what you’d like so I let my butler surprise us both.”

Bruce reached out and started taking the covers off the dishes. He found a plate of perfectly seared filet medallions under one, a creamy mushroom risotto under another, and a herb-crusted asparagus under the third. Simple yet elegant, something most people would enjoy.

“Looks like he left us a few wine options. The cab franc would pair well with this, unless you’d prefer another…?”

“Oh, I don’t know much about wine. I’ll trust your opinion.”

Bruce nodded and opened the wine, pouring them each a glass then plating their food and taking his seat.

"So tell me, Kal, how was your day?”

“Oh, you know, the usual. Just helping out where I can.”

“Surely you must have friends outside of being a superhero. You must spend your time doing something else.”

“I find plenty of ways to keep myself busy.”

“That sounds… a bit lonely. Do you miss your home?” Krypton was something Batman and Superman had barely discussed — Bruce only knew that there was a planet-wide disaster and that Kal was likely one of the only survivors, if not the only one.

Kal took a bite of the risotto first, complimenting it as he weighed his answer. “I do miss home.” He looked out of the window, peering into the distance as if he could see his childhood home waiting for him to drop by for a visit, as if it wasn’t destroyed on a far away planet. “Sometimes I think… well, when it comes to Krypton, I’ll always wonder what could have been. But I had a good childhood, and I have a good life now. What else could I ask for?”

It was such a relatable answer. Bruce had a lot more that he could ask for — his parents, for one, and for a better Gotham. He could ask for a normal life. And yet, he didn’t. He accepted that this was his lot in life, and he worked with what he had rather than asking for a different one. Superman, too, could ask for much. He could ask for the family he presumably lost, for his home and his friends.

“I understand. Still, though, it’s not good to isolate yourself. I hope that we can continue getting to know each other.”

“I… think I’d like that, Bruce. All of the food is delicious, by the way. I haven’t had something home cooked like this in a long time.”

“Alfred will be delighted to hear it. Maybe you can give him your compliments yourself in the morning.”

Superman’s face turned redder than the cape he typically wore, and Bruce let out a loud, carefree laugh. Their conversation ebbed and flowed for the rest of the night as they discussed politics, sports, business, social issues — Superman was surprisingly well-informed about various issues in Metropolis specifically but also across the world. He was an engaging conversation partner. Bruce had seen an inkling of this before, but they very rarely talked like this in their suits, focused more on the more immediate issues at hand and on the things that could present problems in the coming weeks or months. They finished the bottle of wine before their conversation felt like it had come to a close.

“Can I invite you to my study for a night cap?”

Kal hesitated and looked out of the now-dark window.

“I… would like that, really, but I’ve been ignoring too many calls. Friday nights can be busy.”

“Of course, I should have considered.” Bruce felt honored that Kal had spent time with him like this, but he understood the siren call — much better than his dinner partner likely realized.

“But I, uh, I did enjoy this. Would you… I mean, maybe I could pick the next date? If you’re interested, I mean?”

And who would have thought that Superman, of all people, would be uncertain at the end of a date like this. Bruce let a smile stretch across his face as he stood and gestured for Superman to follow him, leading him through the manor to one of the side entrances. “Of course, I’d like that very much. Mondays or Tuesdays are usually good for me.”

“Could I maybe pick you up from Wayne Tower? At the end of the work day, I mean. And you could bring a jacket?”

“Sure, I’m intrigued. Monday?”

“Yes. I’ll be discreet, though.”

“Perfect. This garden runs along the south side of the manor, it’s one of my favorite places. Sometimes I have paparazzi scoping the place out, but this area is concealed. I thought you might like to use it to come and go?”

They were standing close to each other under the soft glow of the Edison bulbs that were strung across the patio, something an event coordinator had set up for a party that Bruce had liked enough to leave. He brushed his shoulder against Superman, knowing the man had to leave.

“Tonight was nice, Bruce.”

“It was. I hope you’ll let me spoil you properly, soon. What else am I supposed to do with all my money?”

Kal chuckled. “Something tells me you find plenty of ways to spend it. I don’t need to be spoiled.”

They both lingered, and Bruce thought for sure Superman was going to lean in for a kiss, but then he took a step back and floated into the sky. “Monday?”

“Monday. 5?”

“5. Thank you again. See you soon.”

Then he turned and was gone in the flash of an eye. Bruce sighed and looked out into the dark night, wondering where all his usual courage and bravado with hook ups had gone. He waited for a minute then turned to go back inside, already pondering what Kal had planned for Monday, when he heard a gentle patter on the stone.

He turned, unsurprised to find that he was no longer alone.

“Sorry, just, could I?”

Bruce nodded, and suddenly found himself entwined in Kal’s arms, one large, warm hand cradling the back of his head before a soft, pliant kiss landed on his lips. He sighed into it, deepened it as he wrapped his arms tightly around Kal, pulling the man to him. The kiss lingered even has Kal finally broke it and pulled away.

“Sorry, I just regretted it as soon as I left.”

“You can come back any time, Kal.”

They stepped apart and Kal cocked his head to the side, listening. “This time, I really do need to go. I’ll see you soon.” And then he was gone. Bruce immediately headed to the cave, wondering what had called his attention. He was in the Batsuit before the first confirmation of a large earthquake on the other side of the globe came in, and he knew that’s where Kal had gone. Superman may not have needed him, but Gotham did, so he settled onto his bike and spun out of the cave.

Bruce’s office was well-equipped for anything that might arise — meaning, he had a fully stocked bathroom and could freshen up without needing to go home. He’d barely been able to focus on any of his duties for the day, anticipating his evening plans and checking three times all before lunch that he had remembered his warm coat and that he had a spare toothbrush in the bathroom.

After his lunch meeting out of the tower, he stopped by the receptionist desk in the lobby to check on Adeline again, as he’d done several times last week.

“Still doing okay, Addie?”

“Yes sir, Mr. Wayne, thank you. How are things going with Superman?”

“Sorry?”

“Oh, well. I just assumed… I mean, you knew him well enough to know that he’d come to Gotham, even though he’s rarely seen here. And he came for you. You didn’t see his face, I think, but you should watch the surveillance video. He looked very angry when he saw that guy on top of you. His eyes were red and everything!”

“I… didn’t realize. We only met once before.”

“Oh? Well… just know, I won’t say anything. You don’t have to tell me. But I did see you take him upstairs.”

“No, I mean, we’d really only met once before that day.”

“Hmm.” She smiled slyly. “And how many times have you met since?”

Bruce — who regularly wooed models and flirted to make people spill their secrets — felt himself flush. He leaned over the receptionist desk. “Between me and you, Addie? I’m hoping for a chance to see what he hides under that suit. Think he’ll let me?” He winked, drawing a giggle from her.

“Well, my lips are sealed, if you do decide to kiss and tell.”

“See you tomorrow, Addie.”

“I’m working the second shift today, I’ll be here when you leave!” she called after him.

“Sure, but I might not leave from the lobby,” he called as the elevator opened and he stepped in.

Bruce chucked to himself as the doors closed. He probably shouldn’t be joking about it with someone he didn’t know well, but he wanted to cheer Addie up after the situation last week. Plus, she’d proven to be trustworthy — no leaks about him and Superman had made it to the papers, after all, despite the fact that she’d seen then go upstairs together.

He spent the next few hours trying to get a few reports reviewed and pushed back out to the relevant teams. At half ‘til 5, he went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and freshen up, determined not to be tardy this time. Kal seemed equally determined to keep him in suspense, though, because he didn’t show up until 10 after, looking windswept and in his usual suit as he landed on the balcony connected to Bruce’s office, which he’d left from last time. Bruce let him in quickly.

“I’m sorry I’m a bit late, Bruce. I was on time, but there was a kid who’d lost their puppy — he wasn’t supposed to take it out of the house without his parents, you know how kids are, though — and it took a few minutes to track the pup down, and, just, I’m sorry for making you wait.”

“Don’t apologize, I don’t mind waiting. It seems like this might be something I should get used to.”

Kal looked a bit bashful, even in his full super suit. “Yeah, but… I’ll try not to make it a habit.”

“Don’t worry about it. So, where are we going?”

“I know it’s a bit of a crazy ask, but how would you feel about going to Greenland?” Kal asked with a bright smile.

“Uh, like, the country?”

Kal nodded. “Yeah, I know it’s far, but we can be there in about an hour, give or take a few minutes.”

“You can go faster than that.”

“Um, yes, but… not with…”

“Human cargo?”

“Right. And I packed a picnic. I know we haven’t spent much time together and it’s a long time to let someone carry you, but I’m pretty sure it would be comfortable. And we could take breaks, if you need to. And of course I’ll get you home after. It’s just, the Northern Lights are supposed to be really visible tonight. We’ll get there just around the time they start if we leave in the next few minutes.”

True, according to Bruce’s mental calculations, and he would likely get home in time for a late patrol. Honestly, Bruce had never traveled specifically to see the Northern Lights, and it did sound fun.

“You know what, sure. I’m down for that,” he said, pulling on his jacket and a pair of gloves.

Kal grinned and led him out onto the balcony. Bruce stepped closer, uncertain as to how Kal preferred to do this, but he just reached out a blue-sleeved arm, wrapping it around his waist and tugging him close, one arm easily supporting his weight while the other held a basket as they rose gently into the air.

“Good?”

Bruce nodded, looking around as Gotham shrank below.

“I’ll take us pretty high up until we’re out over the ocean, just so we’re out of view.”

“Sounds good, Superman!” Bruce chose not to contain his grin — something he usually didn’t let himself do when they flew together in costume. He rarely allowed himself to be manhandled while in the Bat suit, and he certainly didn’t enjoy it. Away from the pressure of the mask, he felt like he could let go of the pretense and marvel at the power for a change. They were out of the water within mere minutes, at which point they dipped down below the clouds. Despite their rapid speed and high altitude, the warmth that radiated from Kal kept Bruce cozy.

“So tell me, do you take all your dates to see the Northern Lights?” Bruce projected his voice over the noise of the wind, despite knowing Kal could likely hear him just fine.

He felt the rumble in Kal’s chest from his chuckle before he responded loudly in kind. “No, you’re the first. Figured I’d need to pull out all the stops to impress you.”

“You’re Superman. I’m impressed.”

A frown tugged at Kal’s lips and he didn’t respond immediately, and when he did, he changed the subject. “Did you have a good work day today?”

“I was a bit distracted wondering what your plan was, but I still got some stuff done. How was your day?”

“Good, I —” he abruptly cut himself off before speaking again. “It was good. I mostly stayed in Metropolis today. I got a lot done.”

“Like what?”

“Normal stuff, I guess. Tell me something about yourself.”

“What do you want to know?”

“Anything. Something I couldn’t know from reading the papers.”

It was Bruce’s turn to frown a bit. He had, momentarily, forgotten all about his media footprint. He supposed it made sense that Kal had been reading up on him, but he found that he didn’t really like the idea of him believing all that stuff.

“I rarely drink. Despite what I let the papers think. There’s a lot of reasons, really, but I suppose it’s partially because my dad didn’t drink much. He was a doctor and always wanted to be ready when people needed him. I remember him telling me that, a few months before he died. ‘Always be ready, son, you never know when someone might need you.’ So I guess I try to live by that.”

“Hm. That’s admirable. How much of what’s in the papers should I discount?”

“How much have you read?”

“Well, I did have some down time this weekend, and I do read pretty fast…”

Bruce groaned, thinking of all the stuff Superman must have read about in just a few short days.

“Hey, don’t worry, I already figured a good chunk of it was not fully accurate. Gossip columns and magazines and all that seem to like click bait in all its forms. Not to mention how I saw you trying to help that young woman in the alley. There’s more to you than the papers say. I guess I’m just curious.”

“Well, I took over the family business young. It’s what they expect of me. And I’ve found that I can get more done when people underestimate me. Does that make sense?”

A pensive look settled onto Kal’s face as he considered Bruce’s point. “Yes, but I think you are a very respectable man. I would like to see the world give you the respect you’ve earned.”

“I haven’t done all that much.”

“I’m quite good at reading between the lines. Every article that mentions your drunk shenanigans coincides with stories about donations to various charity groups, or a contentious board issue being shut down, or a new initiative that will help tens of thousands of people. I think you’ve earned a lot of respect, even if you’re working to hide all those good deeds behind your playboy persona.”

“I… well. Thank you. That means a lot, coming from you.”

Kal frowned again, then changed the subject. Their flight continued on in that manner for the next 40 minutes, with conversation occasionally teetering into uncomfortable territory. It was certainly the most unique way Bruce had ever traveled to a date. Unfortunately, his face did start to get cold near the end, between the wind and the frigid temperatures as they traveled north. Kal kept one arm wrapped around him but passed the basket into that hand, then used his now-free hand to tuck Bruce’s face into the space between his neck and shoulder, shielding him from the wind. Bruce nuzzled his neck, warming the tip of his nose back up and breathing in Kal’s unique smell — ash and ozone and, oddly, ink, but also something salty and fresh like a meadow.

Bruce didn’t have long to enjoy it before they were tilting toward the ground. Kal set him down gently, making sure he was stable on his feet before stepping away. He pulled a well-worn, quilted blanket out of the basket and spread it out on the snow-covered ground, gesturing for Bruce to sit. Inside the basket, there were several large thermoses.

“I figured you might appreciate something warm, given the temperature. This one is, um, zuppa toscana. And in case you didn’t like that, I also made a butternut squash soup, which felt… seasonally appropriate, I suppose. And then I got this cheesy bread at a bakery in Metropolis that I really like. And there’s hot tea in this one and just water in here.” Kal looked a bit nervous as he pointed at each item.

“It all sounds great. I didn’t expect you to cook.”

Another blush colored his cheeks — something the cold could never hope to accomplish. “It seemed like the appropriate thing to do… but if it ends up all being terrible, we can stop at get Batburger on the way back.”

The only meal Batman and Superman ever shared together was fast food from Batburger. Kal probably only suggested it because he’d eaten there in Gotham before, but it did send a shiver down Bruce’s spine.

Bruce started to respond, but the show had started. He stared up in awe as the Aurora Borealis began to spread across the night sky. After a minute, Kal scooted closer and pulled Bruce into his lap.

“Sorry, you just looked a bit cold.”

“I hadn’t noticed, but you’re right.”

“Eat something warm while we enjoy the show.”

Bruce accepted the thermos and took a sip. The Italian soup was actually delicious. Part of him was surprised that Kal even had access to a good kitchen, but he should have guessed the man would be talented at cooking — he tended to be good at most things he tried. The lights danced across the sky and he felt Superman’s breath on his neck, and he’d never felt quite so content.

They stayed like that for at least 25 minutes, watching the sky, eating, and whispering quietly. When the show ended, Bruce turned around, still seating in Kal’s lap.

“Did you bring me here so I wouldn’t try to take your clothes off? I don’t know if I mind the cold enough to overpower the opportunity to get frisky with Superman.”

Kal’s face had turned pink when Bruce turned around, but he seemed to almost lose color once Bruce spoke. He gently pushed Bruce off his lap.

“Sorry. I, um. I think the show is over. I mean, it’ll start up again, but it’s a long flight back, and I don’t want you to get sick or anything.”

Bruce stood up, watching Kal as he carefully packed everything up. “What did I do wrong, Kal?”

“Nothing, you didn’t do anything wrong. I just don’t want you to get sick, or be out too late tonight since it’s just Monday.”

“Kal.” Bruce waited until he paused and looked up. “You keep… I’ve clearly upset you somehow, multiple times. I can’t fix it if I don’t know what I did wrong.” And Bruce meant that. He really wasn’t sure what he’d done, but Kal had pulled away repeatedly throughout the night.

“You… didn’t do anything wrong, Bruce. Really. It’s just kind of… I guess I was hoping that you would, um, understand what it’s like to be… wanted for the wrong reasons. Because everyone wants you for your money and stuff. I thought maybe you’d… well, anyway. It’s fine. I’ve enjoyed our time together.”

“I do understand that. I’m not sure… I think I’m missing something.”

Kal sighed. “I guess I had just hoped that you’d be interested in me for me, not just because I’m Superman.”

Bruce thought back to every interaction, and found the pattern. Kal had pulled back every time he alluded to being interested in Superman and not in Kal. But Kal was Superman. Right?

“But… wait. Sorry, I’m just trying to understand. I like you for you, Kal. And you also happen to be Superman, and I like what I know about Superman. I’m still getting to know you, but I’ve liked everything so far.”

“But you’re just interested in me because I’m Superman. Which, it’s fine. I get it, really. Everyone is. But I don’t really want to be… like. Another notch, I guess? I was just hoping it would be… different.”

Bruce’s mind — which had been slowly collecting pieces of information — finally started clicking it all together. The kitchen and cooking skills. The vast understanding of the English language. His knowledge of flower seasons. The hesitation around speaking about his home.

“Oh, fuck. I overlooked the obvious,” he whispered to himself, though of course Kal heard it.

“Sorry?”

“Where do you call home, Kal?”

“Um, Metropolis?” he answered, looking confused.

“All the signs were there. Even when you started to tell me about work and then redirected — that’s what that was, right? You have a secret identity.”

Kal bit his lip, then nodded. “I do. Kind of.”

“Are you not used to people liking that version of you?”

“No, they do, I mean, I have… friends. Coworkers. People I get along with and care about. But they don’t know. I mean, I don’t tell anyone. Only one friend knows, and she preferred… I mean, we never dated. But she was interested in Superman. She wasn’t interested in me, her friend. Even when she found out.”

“Which suggests that you have a very different personality in and out of the suit.”

“Not really. I’m just good at hiding. She wasn’t initially interested in the drama that comes with dating a coworker, and I was a bit put out that she was only interested in me as a coworker after she found out that I was also Superman. We’d known each other for over a year, so. She’d had time to decide if she liked me for me.”

“Which… suggests that you view your secret identity as the real you, and that wouldn’t be the case if you arrived on Earth as an adult. So…. where’s home, Kal?” He asked the last part quietly.

Kal looked away then closed his eyes and cocked his head to the side, listening to something far away — though to what, Bruce couldn’t guess. “I grew up in the U.S. Not on Krypton. My parents sent me away as a baby, just before the planet imploded.”

“Right. That makes sense. And you don’t tell people that? Not even other heroes?”

Shaking his head, Kal said, “No, I keep things like that to myself. My parents, I mean, my adoptive parents, are still alive. I worry about them, like what would happen to them, if anyone ever found out.”

“Hmm. They raised a good man.” Bruce reached out and grabbed Kal’s hand, pulling him close and resting their foreheads together. “I only know what you’ve let me see, Kal. I won’t ask to see the rest, yet, but don’t judge me for not knowing what you haven’t shown me.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m just a bit insecure, I suppose,” he whispered.

“I’ve had a lovely time tonight. Have you?”

“Yeah, I’m sorry I got a little in my head about things.”

“So can I take you out, next time?”

“You’re still interested?”

“I just found out that there’s a whole other side to you I haven’t gotten to meet yet. Of course I’m still interested.”

“Good, I’m glad,” Kal said with a smile. “We should head back soon. Let me know if you need a break, okay?”

On their way back to Gotham, they’d talked around Kal’s childhood and job. Nothing specific or identifiable, but it certainly let Bruce get a better picture of the man. Kal had lingered when they arrived back, leaning in for a chaste kiss that quickly turned into groping and making out. But he’d been pulled away before Bruce could coax him inside, leaving with one last kiss.

Bruce had his work cut out for him, trying to top that date. He’d gathered that Kal didn’t necessarily grow up with a lot of money, so he shouldn’t do anything too crazy expensive, but at the same time he couldn’t resist throwing his resources at wooing him. He did wonder at what point this had gone from curiosity about his coworker to a full-fledged interest in a relationship, but he couldn’t deny that he wanted more.

In the end, he’d arranged to have a fancy meal catered to the penthouse suite at the nicest hotel in Metropolis, a room with a 360 degree view of the entire city that he was sure Kal would appreciate. If there was a conveniently-located bed, that was just wishful thinking and a possible bonus.

They met in the hotel at 6:30, as Bruce needed time to travel across the bay. Kal showed up in his black suit again.

“You know, I’m looking forward to seeing you in normal clothes one of these days.”

“Given the hotel room, I’m surprised you didn’t say you’re looking forward to seeing me without clothes.”

Bruce laughed loudly, taken aback by Kal’s brazenness. “Well, that too, but I’m curious what you typically wear.”

“Oh, just flannels. All the time.”

“Really?”

“No, typically graphic teas and sweat pants.”

“….Really?”

This time, Kal laughed out loud. “Maybe you’ll find out soon.”

Their third date went well. They laughed and talked and traded stories, and although there was the weight of untold secrets between them, things felt lighter this time, easier in a way Bruce couldn’t describe. Hours trickled by, and Kal stayed.

They found themselves falling into bed together — finally — and Bruce’s mind started to blissfully shut off as he sank into the moment. Everything was going perfect. Until —

“Sorry, I can’t, I shouldn’t, we —” Kal pulled away and got out of the bed, wringing his hands. Bruce set up and reached a hand out, pulling Kal back to him.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

“This is, I shouldn’t, because you don’t know —”

“I don’t need to know every version of you to enjoy a night with this one, Kal.”

“That’s not the problem. It’s not about you not knowing every version of me.” Oh. And hadn’t Bruce wondered, early during this? “It’s about you not knowing that I do know every version of you. Or. At least…”

“You know that I’m Batman.”

Kal nodded, and Bruce sighed and laid back on the bed. “Well, at least I won’t have to come up with lies about the scars.”

“It doesn’t bother you?”

“A bit. But I wondered if you knew. I don’t really care that you know, I just don’t like being uneven. I understand why you didn’t tell me, though, it’s okay.”

“No, it’s, I, —” Kal held his hand out, waiting until Bruce took it in his. “Clark Kent. I grew up in rural Kansas. I’m a reporter for the Daily Planet.”

Bruce blinked. “You know you didn’t have to tell me, right?”

“I know. I wanted to. It’ll make me feel better about what I’d like to do to you tonight.”

They exchanged a grin as Kal — as Clark — climbed back into bed and on top of Bruce.

They didn’t leave the bed until the sun was shining on it, having crested over the skyline. “Shoot, I’ve gotta go or Perry will yell at me — can I see you later?”

“I missed patrol last night, so I’ll need to get out early tonight.” And god did it feel good to talk about it openly.

Kal grinned as he pulled on his suit. “Okay, can I see you out there?”

Bruce nodded, pulled him in for a kiss, then collapsed back onto the bed. Being the owner does have its privileges, he thought, as he rolled over and put Kal’s pillow over his head to block out the daylight, slipping back asleep; his body needed time to recover from their adventure together overnight, after all.