The Dwindling Winter
A/N: This is a sequel to The Peak of Winter. You don't need to read that one in order to read this one if you don't want to. Please enjoy. :)
It's the last week of February and despite there still being snow on the ground in both Metropolis and Gotham, people are starting to finally get ready for the upcoming spring. The weather, though still chilly, is starting to turn to the better and the sun is out (at least in Metropolis) more often than not. There's more people walking, people on bicycles, and dogs along with small children playing in the remaining snow. The future, as far as next week's weather report shows, seems to be positive and something to look forward.
It's Saturday when Clark decides to invite Bruce and the family to the park in Metropolis. He would have suggested they all go to the park in Gotham since it's easier for him, Kara, and Kon to fly over there but like usual the sun is hidden behind thick, dark clouds, and Clark feels like sitting out in it for a while. So Metropolis was the next best thing. Bruce had been the one to arrive first with a petulant Damian in tow, the little mini-Bruce crossing his arms at Clark as he scowls up at him. Bruce explains how the rest of the boys will join them in a little bit and that the girls are on their way now. Bruce then tells him that they can meet them at the park.
So, Clark walks them down to the park, Bruce's hand in his and Damian reluctantly following behind them, arms still crossed. Since it's still a bit chilly despite the sun being out, Clark has on a jacket while Bruce has a thick jacket and a scarf on. Damian has a jacket, gloves, a scarf, and a wool hat fit snuggly atop his head. They soon reach the park and to Bruce and Clark's surprise, they see that Jason and Dick are already there. They are talking to each other about something, Jason not looking happy as he, like Damian, probably didn't want to come but got dragged along anyways. The three of them go up and greet the two and talk for a bit as they wait for the rest of the family to show up. Tim arrives with the girls and Kara comes by not too soon after that.
"Hey, let's have a snowball fight!" Dick says cheerfully.
Jason rolls his eyes but something sparks in Damian's own eyes. "I'm on Grayson's team."
Everyone looks at the child in shock that he even wants to play but say nothing. "Okay then… Timmy, you want to be on the opposite team?"
Before Tim can answer Dick, Stephanie wraps an arm around the teen's shoulders. "Yeah, Tim will be on my team."
"Barbra?" Dick turns to his girlfriend with hopeful eyes and she just rolls her.
"And what do you expect; for me to be able to just roll into the snow?" The blush on Dick's cheek shows how embarrassed he is and Barbra laughs. "I'll referee."
Dick's eyes light up and he goes running off into the snow, Damian following more slowly. Tim turns to Clark before following Stephanie. "Where's Kon?"
Clark smiles at the boy, knowing he was probably hoping his boyfriend could be on his team. "He said he'd be coming a bit later." With that said Tim nods once and goes to join Stephanie where she is currently trying to build a shelter.
"Well then, I guess that leaves you and me to build a snowman," Kara says to Cassandra. "There's still plenty of snow."
Cassandra looks out into the white fluff and shrugs. "Could be fun." Kara then leads her away by the hand, wide smile on her face.
Bruce and Clark hear Jason tsk as Clark drags Bruce to a nearby bench to sit on. He turns to the two of them once he's had enough of watching the snowball fight that is in full swing now. "How'd I let Dick drag me here," he mutters, walking over to the bench and sitting down on Clark's other side. He's only got his leather jacket on and Clark wonders how he isn't cold. Maybe he's just pretending.
They watch the scene take place in front of them, Cassandra and Kara making headway with their snowman and the rest of them yelling and screaming as balls of snow are thrown at them. Barbra calls Damian out at one point for using a deviant measure to get a hit on Tim, who glares at Damian for using such a tactic.
"They seem to be having fun," Clark comments and pulls Bruce closer to him, wrapping his arm around the man's shoulders and grabbing one of his hands with the other.
"Yeah, it's nice to see," Bruce says, snuggling up into his side and resting his head in the crook of his neck. Clark can feel Bruce's hair tickling his ear.
Clark looks at Jason from the corner of his eyes. "You should join one of the groups, Jason." He shrugs the shoulder that Bruce's head currently isn't resting on. "It could be fun."
Jason scoffs. "I'm not going to subject myself to playing in the snow. Do you even know how wet they are going to be after? They're not even wearing any snow gear." Clark tries to hide his chuckle by burying his face in Bruce's sweet smelling hair. Jason sees it though. "Oh, shut up." Clark can hear from Jason's tone that there isn't any venom behind his words.
Clark can feel Bruce's shoulders shaking in his own little laugh. "You're always welcome to just sit here with us Jason," Bruce says.
Jason crosses his arms and looks a bit fractious. "Thank you," he mumbles under his breath and Clark has to hide his smile in Bruce's hair again as Bruce's shoulders shake in more laughs.
A good twenty minutes go by and the snowball fight doesn't seem to be slowing down. In fact, it looks like it's actually gotten a bit more competitive with dares being thrown each way. They've even started a betting pool along with some of the other people who decided to come to the park today joining in. Barbra is still doing a great job at refereeing and now being the one to hold the money that is being handed out for the bets. Clark looks over to Kara and Cassandra where they've finished not just one, but two snowmen and now Kara is showing Cassandra how to make a snow angel.
Jason is shivering next to him. "Do you want my jacket?" A look crosses Jason's face as if he can't believe Clark had just asked such a question. The boy isn't looking at him. "I don't need it and it should be pretty warm when you put it on since my natural body heat is extremely warm as it is." Jason still isn't looking at him but his face scrunches up incredulously. "If anything it'll keep you warm."
Jason turns his head slightly towards Clark and looks at him, his face still scrunched. "I'm not taking your jacket."
"It's warm." Clark smiles at him encouragingly, teasingly, and enjoys the way Jason's mouth drops open. Clark feels Bruce's face against his neck, covering up his amused smile.
"Are you kidding me?" Jason looks away briefly and then back to Clark. "No."
Clark shrugs. "Suit yourself. If you decide that you don't want to be cold then just ask. The offer will continue to stand."
There's a rumbling sound next to him and Clark looks over to Bruce who is laughing, eyes squeezed shut. "You two are impossible," Jason says and turns his head away from them. Two minutes later, however, after Bruce has calmed down and settled against Clark's side again, Clark sees from his peripheral vision Jason sliding a bit closer to him in order to feel Clark's body heat. He tries to be discreet about it, Clark can tell, and Clark decides to play nice and allow him to think he managed it. By the time another five minutes have past, Jason is pressed up close against Clark's side as well, a furious blush coloring his cheeks and neck a deep red. Neither Clark nor Bruce comments on it, finding it too nice to see to ruin it with their words.
When another ten minutes goes by and still the snowball fight hasn't settled, large teams having been made and elaborate fortresses being built, Clark knows this was a good idea and he's glad he offered Bruce and his family, along with his own, to come here. Cassandra and Kara have now joined the snowball fight, Cassandra standing next to Barbra and helping her count the money, and Kara joining Dick's team. Jason's shivering has lessened slightly but because he's got nothing but his leather jacket and Clark's body heat, it hasn't gone away completely.
Clark thinks about offering his jacket again, this time seriously, when suddenly someone places their own jacket on Jason's shoulders. For a minute, Jason sits there stiffly and blinks before he looks around. Clark and Bruce do the same and see Kon standing there with a smug smile on his face. Kon shrugs. "You looked cold and if you're subjecting yourself to ruining your pride by snuggling," Jason's eyes narrow dangerously at the word, "up to Clark, then you need something different to keep you warm." Jason opens his mouth to protest, Clark believes, anger and annoyance shinning in his eyes, when Kon starts to walk away. He's covering his mouth with his hand to hide his snicker. "Keep it, it looks good on you."
"I don't want your damn jacket!" Jason yells after him, standing up. The jacket falls to the bench.
Kon looks back, sees the blush on Jason's face, and doubles over in laughter. "No really," a gasp for breath, "keep it." He continues to laugh as Jason glares. When Kon finally gets a hold of himself enough to wipe the tears from his eyes and stand up straight, he points behind him with his thumb. "I'll be over there with my boyfriend. You know, because I don't need a jacket." He walks away, laughing hysterically. When he reaches Tim, Tim's eyes light up.
Jason grumbles as he sits back down, blush still firmly set on his face, and still plastered to Clark's side. Clark finds the whole thing amusing as he's never seen Jason embarrassed before. Bruce is laughing next to him again except this time he's not even trying to hide it. Clark picks up Kon's jacket and places it back on Jason's shoulders who in turn and glares at him but grabs the jacket by the lapels to tug it tighter anyways. Clark smiles and shrugs at the glare, earning him an eye roll from the kid.
Yes, Clark absolutely loves this family.
A/N: Thank you for reading. :)