Note: Before you start reading, it might be helpful to know that Clark does not know Bruce Wayne is Batman. :)
Clark the Journalist
Clark was a simple man. He was raised as a farm boy and never wanted anything more than a secure, happy life. But Clark's biology was anything but simple, and it inevitably pulled him into a very extraordinary lifestyle. He moved to the big city and made some very… unusual acquaintances. But even then, Clark was a simple farm boy and he wanted nothing more than the safety of the people he protected.
In the beginning, city life was strange to him and city folk even more so. But among all the cities in the world, Gotham was the loudest, brightest and most bewildering city he's ever known. So it was no surprise that Gotham's richest citizen was just as disconcerting.
Bruce Wayne was not a simple man, and Clark did not like the perverted smiles he flashed to no less than all the women he met. Even Lois.
His job as a journalist at the Daily Planet wasn't always a walk in the park, but despite all the ridiculous things Perry White asks him to do, visiting Gotham was the worst of them. He had it up till here with Bruce Wayne's newest girlfriends or newest cars or newest scandal. Just how many reports could a man write about Bruce Wayne in a single lifetime? So when Mr. White called Clark to his office and told him to go to Gotham again, Clark sighed.
"Don't give me that look, Clark. 'Tis the biggest news of the month. Hell, probably the year even. We haven't got anything on Supes for two months, so this is all we got for now."
"What exactly is it, Mr. White?"
"Well, apparently, pretty-boy Wayne decided he wanted a kid out of the blue."
"Ex- excuse me?"
"He just announced that he took in a ten-year-old orphan boy. I'm vague on the details, but that's your job. So take Jimmy with you and get out there."
And now Jimmy and him were face to face with the most eligible bachelor (who was, if Clark was being completely honest, indeed very handsome), and a small wide-eyed boy that hid behind the billionaire's legs.
"Uhm. First of all, thank you for agreeing to this interview. The Planet appreciates it."
"You're welcome," The billionaire glanced at the name Clark had scribbled on his notepad, "Clark."
"So, Mr. Wayne," Clark cleared his throat, "could you recount the events that lead to your new guardianship."
"Hmm. I believe you already know the first part from the reports, Clark." Bruce paused to place a hand on the boy's shoulder. It was almost… protective. "Dick deserved to have a new home, and I had one."
"So you took him in?"
"Yes." Bruce's smile was charming, every bit the playboy that he was. And suddenly, the hand Wayne still had on the boy's shoulder quickly became very… inappropriate. Clark swallowed.
"Could you tell us a little bit about Richard's-"
"Dick." A small voice piped up. Dick was peering up at Clark with the brightest eyes he had ever seen. "Call me Dick, Mr. Clark." Then the boy smiled. And it was so earnest and so sweet Clark forgot they were in Gotham of all cities. The smiles in Gotham were not supposed to be like that.
"Oh, okay. Hello Dick."
Jimmy fired up his camera and snapped a couple of shots at Dick's face. The boy gasped and moved closer to Bruce, startled by the sudden flashes.
"If you would be so kind, Mr. Olsen," Wayne's voice was suddenly much deeper than it was before and there was a… look, in his eyes that sent shivers even down Clark's spine, "to refrain from doing that."
"Oh- er… Sorry."
"Anyway, Mr. Wayne, could you tell us something about Dick?"
"What do you want to know?"
"For starters, what is his full name?"
"Richard John Grayson."
"And, uh, how old is he exactly?"
"Ten."
Clark wrote it down in his pad, because despite the reports and all the accounts, the boy barely even looked eight. Or maybe that was just because he was standing right next to Bruce Wayne.
"Before Dick moved to Gotham, where did he reside?"
"He lived with an international travelling circus. They moved from country to country every month or so. The last country they went to was Bruges."
Clark didn't mean to eavesdrop, but he couldn't help overhear the way Dick's heartbeat sped up. He guessed that everything must be very difficult for the boy. He had just lost his parents and was forced to leave behind the only life he ever knew. He was scared and vulnerable. And hard as it may be to believe, Bruce Wayne was the only one he had at the moment.
Then Clark noticed how Wayne's fingers moved to stroke the boy's neck.
Maybe Clark should … investigate.
"Geez, Clark, that guy seriously gives me the creeps."
"Bruce Wayne? What about him?"
Clark and Jimmy were in a hotel now. First thing the next day, they would leave this god-forsaken city and return to Metropolis, but for the moment they were still stuck in Gotham. Worst part was, they were stuck in a hotel owned by Wayne Enterprises. Bruce Wayne had been 'kind' enough to offer them a free-of-charge stay in a five star hotel. Mr. White wasn't one to refuse.
"I don't know. There's just something about his- the look in his eyes. It just chills me. And the kid, Clark. He's so tiny!"
"I guess it's just a Gotham thing."
"Guess so." Jimmy scratched the back of his neck idly.
"I'm going to bed, wouldn't want to oversleep tomorrow, our flight is at seven."
"Right. See you tomorrow, then."
"Good night."
Jimmy made to leave, but then changed his mind and turned back around.
"Wait, Clark?"
"Yeah?"
"How did he know my name?"
Clark shrugged and walked off to his room, leaving Jimmy alone with his thoughts.
Wayne lived in a mansion. A huge, freaking mansion. It was quiet, even with his superhearing. All he could hear was the wind in the trees and the screeching of a hundred bats. Superman strained to hear the beating of hearts.
He heard a single heart thumping slowly from one wing of the Manor. Male, Clark guessed, and elderly. Not Bruce then, or the boy. Clark focused on the other side of the building, and heard the rhythmic beating of two more hearts. One was obviously much smaller and its beats came quicker, the other's beats were deep and controlled. Clark didn't know Bruce Wayne was such an athlete.
Clark moved closer, and it occurred to him that there wasn't very much distance between the two beating hearts. Actually, they were practically side by side. Huh?
He flew over to the room where Bruce Wayne and the boy should be.
Spying was something Clark avoided. He would never usually abuse his powers to violate people's privacy, but this was different. Supervision would easily do the trick.
But what he saw almost made him gasp out loud. Wayne and ten-year-old Dick were in a bed. Together. Oh lord. Wayne had- he had his arms wrapped around the boy. Around his narrow shoulders and his small waist. They were so close to each other.
And- and was that sobs he heard? Was little Dick crying?
Clark had to do something. He had to do something this second. He was Superman, he had to safe the boy. He had to-
Then he heard somebody speaking.
"Bruce-" It was Dick.
"Bruce, I'm sorry." He said between sobs, "I just- I just miss them."
Clark stared in horrified shock.
"I know, Dick. I know." And Bruce's voice was… different. He had never heard such softness and kindness in Bruce Wayne's voice.
"Does it ever stop hurting, Bruce?" Dick whispered, so softly Clark almost doubted Bruce heard.
"Oh Dick, I wish I could say yes. But I promise that I'll be here when you need me." Wayne moved his hand and carefully (so, so carefully) wiped the tears from Dick's face. "I'll always be here."
And wow. That wasn't Bruce Wayne, except that it was.
Clark left. Confused and more than a little guilty. It appeared that he had judged too quickly. Maybe Bruce Wayne wasn't such a bad guy after all.
Weird. Something nagged at the back of his mind, something odd, but at the moment he felt guilty enough that he quickly forgot about it.
He made his way back to the hotel room that Bruce Wayne had paid for.
Note: So, what did you think? Reviews would be greatly appreciated!
