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Clark couldn’t explain how happy he was to the people in his life. Most of them didn’t know that he happened to be an alien, and that a lot of the time it left him feeling isolated and left out. But finally after several chance meetings and interviews with Bruce Wayne he had gotten to not only know the man, but had even been asked out.
As if this wasn’t amazing enough, several dates later they’re still together and everything seems to be going perfectly. He doesn’t know how life can get any better but he knows that he won’t let being Superman stop him from being happy this time.
As he flies towards Gotham, in order to meet Bruce for a gala as Clark Kent, he has nothing on his mind. He knows Batman isn’t a fan of having superman flying around his city, but Clark can’t just fly around as himself without it risking his secret identity.
When he touches down on the balcony attached to the ballroom, the curtains hiding him from the guests. He’s just about to speed dresses in his Clark Kent outfit when Bruce steps outside. Clark has to desperately contain his panic to make sure he doesn’t give away that they know each other.
He’s about to calm down as Bruce just gives him a friendly smile but before he can untense his shoulders the man leans over and kisses him chastely. He freezes unable to move or think for a moment. He’s never had a blue-screen moment before but this seems like the right time for one.
What does he do? How should he react? Before he can respond Bruce pulls away with a smile and re-enters the ballroom, leaving Clark to freak out alone. Instead of wasting time trying to figure that whole mess out he quickly changes before someone else decides they’d like to kiss Superman.
As he makes his way into the ballroom his mind is racing and trying to figure out what he should do.
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The next day Clark can barely focus on his work as he keeps thinking about last nights kiss. Why had it happened? Well that he knew. If there was one thing he hated more than any other about being Superman, it had to be the way people treated him.
Some would treat him with anger or disdain, making it hard to save them as they’d fight him. Others would shower him in empty hero worship, only on his side when he was doing what they thought was right and good. There were also a portion that wanted him for some reason or another.
He had gotten used to everyone acting like Superman was God’s gift to the world, but he had thought Bruce was different. He didn’t sing Superman’s praise but he didn’t spew vitriol, he just seemed ambivalent. Clark liked that, knowing that in Bruce’s mind there wasn’t a competition between Clark Kent and Superman.
Now he wasn’t so sure. It seemed stupid to be jealous of himself, after all if Bruce was attracted to one version of him it also meant he was attracted to the other. He supposed the issue came from the fact that Superman was this idealized version of himself. Kal-El of Krypton was expected to always be strong and good, practically perfect all the time.
In contrast no one was ever let down by Clark Kent, he was just some guy from a small town in Kansas. He didn’t need to have superpowers to be valued. He didn’t need to meet all these high expectations to receive praise.
And Clark liked being both, but sadly Superman fans had a tendency to see Clark as some awful disguise to be discarded once the truth came to light. He worried that no matter how great Clark Kent was, he would always be over shadowed by Superman.
When work ends he goes straight to his apartment, needing to decompress before patrol. He eventually finishes his rounds through Metropolis and is considering stopping by Gotham to see Bruce. He heads that way but before he can get to Wayne manor he hear Batman fighting some thugs by the docks.
He hangs back not wanting to interfere if he’s not wanted and when the fight ends he makes his presence known. He figures Batman already knew he was there since he had arrived. As he approaches his friend he expects to be given a terse greeting as he isn’t suppose to be in Gotham fighting crime (which he isn’t but B likes to be difficult about his technicalities).
For the second night in a row he’s caught off guard as he’s kissed, this time rather passionately. He can’t comprehend what has brought this kissing frenzy on but he pulls away nonetheless. He hates that he had enjoyed kissing Batman, his long-time crush rearing it’s head at the most inopportune moment.
Before he can say anything or ask any questions Batman is off, grappling away to continue his patrol. Clark is tempted to follow but decides against it. He has a lot more to think about now.
He doesn’t even know where he would start with Batman. He feels a bit betrayed that his friend that knows everything had chosen to kiss him, like he didn’t know that at the very least Clark was dating someone. It’s not like Clark had kept his love-drunk joy from the rest of the justice league at their previous meeting.
He’s been obvious about his new relationship, and yet Batman had still kissed him. He pushed that aside and instead focused on what he was going to do about Bruce cheating on him. After all he couldn’t just tell him everything with it coming off like he was trying to pick a fight.
And if he didn’t tell Bruce about the kiss with Batman and it came up later it would be so much worse. He didn’t know what to do. He wanted to just talk things out and be honest, but the idea that he might lose Bruce because of all this left in frozen in fear.
What if Bruce thinks I’m trying to leave him for Batman when I just don’t want him leaving me for Superman? And I can’t tell him I’m superman because then I’ll never know if he really wants me or is just putting up with Clark Kent to get Superman.
He hates that he even has to over think their relationship like this, but it matters to him. He never though he could be so happy and now that he has this he doesn’t want to have it ruined by his alter ego. What is he going to do?
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Bruce’s POV that night in the cave
Bruce had never been as happy as he was at the moment. Everything is finally working out for him when it comes to Clark. He had actually gotten the most amazing man ever to agree to date him and now he could finally be honest with a partner. It was hard not to smile a bit a the thought of just how lucky he was.
He hears his kids enter and not long after Jason’s voice is shouting across the cave, “Why are you smiling like some fucking psycho? Do we finally need to send you to Arkham old man?”
And with that Bruce’s smile is replaced with a scowl. “I’m not smiling that much,” he replies with a scoff.
“For you? Yes you are, especially when you’re wearing the cowl. It’s super disconcerting B,” is Dick’s reply. He can’t believe two of his kids just turned on him like this.
“I think we’d all just feel better if you told us what has you smiling like that” this time it’s Duke making a comment, though Bruce has no idea what he’s doing up. He turns to his beloved daughter in hopes of getting sympathy but instead Cass just nods in agreement with the boys.
Tim finally backs him up though by saying “I thought everyone knew he and Clark are finally dating.” Which is met with a chorus of What!’s from his kids.
“Yeah he finally asked him out after pining for so long that I don’t think there's been a time he wasn’t pining, Tim explained further.
“The exaggeration is uncalled for, but yes Clark and I are finally together. I’m just happy, but I’ll keep my happiness to myself if I'm going to get judged every time I smile.” As Bruce stalked off Dick called out to him, “We are happy for you though!”. He guesses he can’t complain to much, not even about his chaotic bunch of kids.
He enters his room, ready to call it a night and hopefully get to cuddle with Clark. Even though he had seen him earlier during patrol he still missed him. He’s dressed for bed and about to slip under the sheets when Clark arrives looking ready for a confrontation.
His face is screwed up in a serious expression and he looked unhappy and uncomfortable so Bruce was quick to give the man his attention. He didn’t know what was wrong yet but if he could fix it then he’d do everything in his power to make thing right for Clark.
“We need to talk about the kiss,” is what Clark says as he closes the door to their room.
“What kiss?”
“The one with Superman”
“Yes what about it?” Bruce had no clue what Clarks deal was.
“That’s not okay!” Clark seems frustrated like he expected Bruce to just know this. The gut-punching feeling that comes with those words has Bruce take a moment. He knew that Kansas was conservative but he didn’t think Clark had some internalized homophobia. Did he want to keep their relationship a secret? Did he plan on hiding what they had from family and friends?
He took a breathe and replied, “I didn’t know you wanted to keep things secret, sorry,” he tries to keep the dejection from his voice but from the expression on Clarks face he fails.
“Secret? What are you talking about? You know what that’s not the point, the point is that you kissed Superman and I don’t appreciate being cheated on.”
Bruce is dumbfounded how does he even respond to that.
“But- but you are Superman? So it’s not cheating?” he doesn’t like that Clark is making him question himself when he knows full well that they’re the same person.
“Well yes but,... Wait you know I’m Superman!?” the look of shock on Clarks face is a bit funny, but Bruce tries not to laugh at the sight.
“Of course. I am Batman after all, it’s not like I could date someone without knowing everything about them.”
“You're Batman?!”
“I can’t believe you're a journalist,” Bruce says as he affectionately rolls his eyes. Clark just nods in agreement as he says “This makes so much more sense.”
“Wait so we’re good right? You’re not cheating and neither am I and we can still be together?”
“Yeah, of course,” he finally can’t help but to laugh, “I can’t believe you didn’t know.” And with that he pulls Clark into an embrace and kisses his silly Kryptonian.