Watchtower Cafeteria II: Competition
Notes:
I really want a Daddy!Bruce in here. So yeah, he's here.
I like it when Tim's a little cutie. So he's going to be a little Daddy's boy whether you like it or not!
Review Replies:
Anon s.s – No. There is no mom. Yes, all of the sweethearts are adopted. :)
Clark would never be able to get used to what kind of life Bruce lived. Currently he was in the limo that was sent to pick him and Lois up from their apartments. Lois, by some freak accident caused by the Gods, suddenly had to withdraw her promised presence from the event. He had expected Lois to do all the talking with Bruce and Arrow, whatever their reasons for visiting Metropolis were, aside from the charity event.
He was not happy at all.
He was about to open the limo door when they arrived at the Metropolis Twin Towers, where all the high profile events in Metropolis were held, when the driver told him not to. He wanted to ask why, but then he remembered that Bruce didn't open his own door. People opened doors for Bruce.
"Thank you," he said to the driver as he stepped out of the limo, and tried to give him a little tip. But the driver declined the offer with a smile, and told Clark he'd been already paid half a year's salary to just get Clark to the party, and to get him home safely. The driver had stressed the word safely. "Oh," was the only word Clark could say to what the driver told him. He said another thank you, and went in the gala.
Clark couldn't believe that he was walking on a red carpet. A red carpet. This would probably the first and last time that this was going to happen. When Bruce threw a party, it was no doubt a party. Batman would settle for no less.
The night sky was being cooperative and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The moon was out, and the stars were shining. Clark hoped it would stay that way all night. The last thing he wanted for Bruce and his kids, and Arrow was trouble.
"Good evening, sir. Name please?" asked one man from the front desk. He held the list of the people who were attending the event.
"Kent. Clark Kent," said Clark.
The man browsed the list, and his eyes widened when he saw Clark's name under the VIP list. "I'm sorry I made you wait sir," he said nervously, as if he'd done something wrong.
"Is there something wrong?" asked Clark, following the man inside the building.
"No sir, it's just that you're on the VIP list and Mr. Wayne told us to specifically give you our first class service," he answered.
VIP? Clark repeated mentally. Since when did I become a VIP in galas like this? He looked around, unable to fathom how much Bruce had spent for the decorations, the food and the rental of the place. He was also unable to imagine how much money this event was going to reel in.
The man led him up a spiral staircase, decorated with thick, glittery golden lace, large, yellow paper poinsettias and what looked like gold garland wrapped around the railing. Clark noticed that the place's theme was gold. Well, most of it was gold. There were some bright and pale yellows here and there.
"Where are we going if the party is that way?" he asked the man when they went past the open doors of what looked like a ballroom filled with men in tuxes and women in gowns and jewelry, mingling away with glasses of champagne in their hands. He knew he should have dressed better. What on Earth was he thinking wearing a tie and not a bow?
"To Mr. Wayne's suite, sir," answered the concierge, leading him to the executive elevator.
He didn't even bother to ask why they were going to use the executive elevator. The man was probably going to say, 'He told us specifically to give you our first class service.' Repetitive bastard. He thought Bruce would be somewhere on the 15th floor, until the man pushed the button to the penthouse.
Why am I still surprised?
Because you don't hang out with Bruce Wayne more. You keep on imagining what Batman's ass would look like behind the cape, and keep staring at it when you get the chance.
SHUT UP.
The elevator music was nice.
And then they reached the penthouse. As soon as the lift doors opened, the little boy Clark had seen the day before on LexCorp Airfield tarmac was in a tiny tux was running towards the elevator, then stopped when he saw the reporter.
"Tim! Come back here!"
Clark saw it was the eldest, Richard, coming after his youngest brother. "Hey," he stepped out of the elevator, and greeted Bruce's kids.
"Hello, Mr. Kent," Dick greeted back, catching up with Tim. He held the younger boy's hand in his. "Glad you could make it,"
"Yes, well. Your dad is very persuasive," he chuckled, and then looked at Tim. "Hey there, little guy,"
Tim looked up at Clark. Then turned around and ran back to the suite. "DADDYYYYYY!"
"Excuse me," Dick smiled at Clark, and again went after Tim. "And I thought crime fighting was tiring," he muttered under his breath.
Clark raised a brow. Must be a Robin, he thought, going after them. There were no people on the floor, and Clark immediately assumed that Bruce rented the whole floor so that they could be alone.
"Clark Kent is here," he heard Dick from the room they went in.
"Good," said Bruce. He heard him pick Tim up and put him on the sofa. "Don't run around too much. You'll ruin your clothes, and you'll tire out before the party starts." He told the boy.
"Yes, Daddy." Tim answered. Clark smiled. So this was why Batman was part-time. Because he was a full-time dad.
Who knew Batman would make a great dad? All of his sons seemed like ideal children. Clark thought good looks, intelligence and charisma ran in the family. Tim would most likely grow up the same as his brothers. Clark was assuming that girls already ran after Dick back in Gotham, and maybe in Metropolis, too, after tonight.
"Can you help me with this?" it was Arrow. Clark's smile vanished and his brows furrowed. He clenched a fist, and resisted punching a hole in the wall. Bruce was going to pay for it if he did. "I can't seem to tie this thing properly," Besides, punching a hole in the wall wouldn't really end up with a hole in the wall, to say the least. He could probably bring down the whole floor.
Clark knocked on the door, which was immediately opened by Bruce's second eldest, Jason. "Hi," he greeted the boy.
"Hi," answered Jason, "He's in there with Ollie,"
Clark seriously wanted to punch through something. It was like Arrow's name pissed him off. The way they address him, so casually with a nickname, it made his blood boil. He went in, and saw Bruce in the living room with Arrow, fixing the archer's bowtie by the large window that overlooked the night lights of Metropolis.
"You made it," Bruce smiled at him, and made the final adjustments to Arrow's tie. "Where's Lois?"
"Hey," Arrow greeted Clark with one wave. "Thanks, Bruce."
"The pretty lady!" Tim giggled, hopping off the sofa and running to Bruce. "The pretty lady?"
Clark just found the boy adorable. He was even more amazed at Bruce when he saw how he treated his kids. "She called this morning and said she wouldn't be able to make it. Didn't tell me why though," answered Clark, watching Tim raise his hands up, telling Bruce he wanted to be carried.
"Too bad," Bruce turned to the boy, "Yes, Tim. The pretty lady," he smiled at the boy and picked him up. "Richard, will you please excuse us and take your brothers to the other room. Clark, Ollie and I have something to discuss," he passed Tim over to Dick.
There it was again. Arrow's name. He hated it. Well, not literally Arrow's name. Maybe it as how Bruce said Arrow's name. Bruce sounded fond. He sounded cozy. He sounded too damn comfortable – Calm down, Clark. Calm down. Don't jump into conclusions. He told himself not to jump to conclusions, when he had already done it. It's just because they're not in costume. Calm down.
"Sure, Dad," Dick nodded and took Tim.
"But Daddy…" Tim whined, frowning. He reached for Bruce as soon as he was in Dick's arms. "I don't wanna go…"
"It's okay. We won't be long," Bruce assured Tim, who calmed down and went back to Dick's arms. "If something comes up, Tim is both your responsibility."
"Yes, Dad," both answered, and went to the other room.
"If something comes up?" Clark repeated, raising a brow at Bruce.
"With Bruce Wayne and Oliver Queen here, it's not going to be a surprise if someone wanted to sabotage the party." Bruce led them to sit down around the coffee table. "We're here to represent Gotham and Star City. Where the money goes, the crooks go. There will be no doubt that every woman at the party will be wearing at least one diamond ring and a pearl necklace."
Clark was surprised at how fast Bruce could change his mood, but he expected it. One minute he was this amazing father in front of three wonderful boys, and then he's suddenly Batman again when he was left alone with him and Arrow.
"I told J'onn earlier that we're going to need supervision while the party's going on," said Arrow, "So Bruce and I asked him if he could tap into the security cameras of the Towers so he can beam down anyone he wanted if something serious happens. If not," he turned to Clark, "then you can I can handle it, unless I have to stay with Bruce, J'onn has to send some people for crowd control and the ass-whooping,"
"Language, Arrow," said Bruce.
"Sorry," said Arrow.
"Who?" asked Clark, "Did you ask for someone specific?"
"No," said Arrow, "But Wonder Woman and Shayera volunteered to be sent. Said something about shopping after. That's what I heard,"
"And Bruce?" Clark looked at Bruce, then at Arrow. "Leaving him out of the plan?"
"It's best," said Bruce, "The kids are here. Richard and Jason can handle themselves. Tim can't, obviously. I have to know that all of them are safe." He leaned on the backrest of the sofa. Before Bruce could say anything else, his phone buzzed, signaling an incoming message. He read it. "Well, we're expected downstairs," he stood up and straightened himself.
Clark stood up with Arrow and watched Bruce open the door to the room his kids were in. There was a 'Dadddyyyy!' and Bruce knelt down on one knee to catch Tim, who jumped into Bruce's arms and wrapped his own tiny ones around Bruce's neck. The boy giggled, and he looked like he really loved Bruce, and that he really liked hugs. Tim buried himself in Bruce's neck. Bruce smiled as he stood up.
"It's incredible how it's like he's not Batman," Arrow whispered to Clark. "Kinda makes you wonder where father Bruce Wayne goes when he puts on the cowl."
Inside, Clark took back what he said about Bruce being the darkest person alive. "Yeah," he smiled, watching Bruce hold his youngest. He could hear their whispers. He didn't mean to eavesdrop, but he just found them so precious. It just made Clark fall even more for Bruce. And he was positive that he'd already hit the ground.
"You have to go with Dick when we go to the party, okay?" Bruce told Tim as they walked out of the room. He and Arrow followed.
"Daddy has to meet people?" Tim looked up at Bruce.
"Yes. Daddy has to meet people," answered Bruce.
"Hey," Arrow went up to Dick, "Still up for that one on one tomorrow?" he asked the teen.
"Yeah!" answered Dick, "I almost forgot about that! You're on! Best three out of five!"
One on one? Thought Clark, Basketball? He plays basketball with them?
"You said you'd teach me!" Jason piped in, "How can you teach me if you're having a one on one with him!" he complained, frowning.
"Basketball is easy," Arrow told Jason, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You don't need anyone to teach you." He said as they went in the elevator.
"He knows how to play," said Dick, "He just doesn't know how to block off opponents since he's so short," he laughed, pushing the button to the floor they were headed to. "Try drinking more milk, shorty,"
"I can too block them off!" Jason argued. "And I'm not short!"
"Alright, alright, break it up, you two," said Bruce, shifting Tim's weight in his arms a bit, then set him down. "Later, okay?" he whispered to the boy. Tim nodded with a smile and held Bruce's hand.
"I can play basketball, too?" Tim looked up at Bruce, hoping that his father would let him play with his brothers. "Please? I'll be good at the party,"
"Of course you can, sport," Arrow picked Tim up and put him on his shoulders. "We're going to beat your brothers four out of five,"
"Yay!" Tim held onto Arrow's hair.
Jason glared up at Dick, who also was glaring down at him then stuck a playful tongue out at him. It was like there were little sparks from electricity from the glaring they did. "Jerk," Jason mumbled. Bruce rolled his eyes.
How was he going to compete with Arrow now? He'd already known how to get to Bruce's children. No doubt Arrow had the same tastes as Bruce, considering both of them were billionaires. Clark however…well, he milked cows back in Smallville when he took a quick vacation. But Bruce and Arrow…they were probably on some private tropical island lying under the sun for a vacation when they weren't fighting crime.
Clark took a deep breath, and when the elevator doors opened about a second later, he stepped out and released the air. Shayera made it sound so damn easy. Maybe because she didn't know Bruce and Arrow were together. This was more difficult than Clark thought, and it was getting more difficult the more he discovered how close Arrow had already gotten to the Waynes.
I have to try harder.
Please review. :)