Buttercream Dreams
by Artemis
Rated: PG-13
Summary: Follows the JLU episode, "For the Man Who Has Everything," which was based on the Alan Moore story of the same name.
Also, a bit of a challenge response to JL Maniac and Selana's question of "What would Diana have dreamed about?" (although it's probably not what they had in mind).
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.
"Aren't you going to open Bruce's gift?"
Clark grinned as he helped himself to another slice. "Cash?"
"You peeked?" Diana asked, over the top of her glass. Her voice sounded almost disappointed.
The three were still at the Fortress of Solitude, trying to salvage something out of this day. Clark had remembered he still had a birthday cake, courtesy of Ma Kent, and had insisted they stay awhile longer.
Chuckling, Clark confided, "No, it's the same thing he gets me every year."
"'Every year?' Bruce!"
Unable to hide behind his mask, which was discarded with his cape onto the chair next to him, he averted his eyes and pushed his half-eaten slice of cake away before changing the subject. "How did you break out of the Black Mercy's control so quickly?"
"It wasn't real," Diana replied simply. "I know my mistakes, my flaws, and I accept them. I don't allow them to become regrets."
"No regrets? What about dreams?"
She shook her head at Clark's questions as she chewed, her brow knitted in thoughtful concentration. "No regrets," she determined after swallowing. "As for dreams, yes, but I know that if I am deserving, the Fates will grant them."
Neither man knew what to make of the response. She watched them study their plates a moment before continuing. "And yes, Bruce, it may be naive, and yes, Clark, it may make you sad," she shrugged and smiled, "But I'm already content. I chose to leave Themyscira long before Mother had me exiled."
Both were looking at her dubiously, so she continued, her tone a touch defensive. "I like my life. We have assembled a bigger and better Justice League. The new Watchtowers are simply amazing. And of course all the people I've met, and all I've learned in the past three years," she held up a forkful of buttercream frosting and added only half-jokingly, "and there's cake, iced mochas--"
"There's more to life than just our work."
Diana looked at Bruce, her eyes glinting with mirth. "And you would be the authority on that," she returned, before taking a sip of her drink.
His gaze pierced hers with the intensity of one of his interrogations. "You were under its control for a minute. You can't tell us you were fantasizing about the new Javelins and caffeine."
"'Fantasizing?'" Choking, she hurriedly put her glass back on the table. Her sudden coughing fit did not, of course, go unnoticed by these two.
Still coughing, she shook her head, managing a terse smile.
Clark smiled, pleased that his friend had developed a romantic interest. His hearing had detected the jump in her heart rate and his vision noted the slight change of color rise to her skin.
Bruce only needed to follow his instincts. He pulled back, leaning into his chair, and watched her flustered reaction in amusement.
Teasingly, Clark asked in feigned innocence, "So, who's the lucky man?"
She slowly pushed her chair away from the table and gathered her plate and glass, still smiling to herself. Finally meeting their inquisitive stares, she offered an enigmatic smile and returned demurely, "Who said it was only one?"
After pointedly catching each of them in her gaze, she turned and took her dishes to the kitchen, leaving two suddenly shy men gaping after her.
"Happy birthday Kent." Bruce's eyes hadn't left the doorway the Amazon disappeared into.
But then, neither had his friend's.
"We should do this more often. . ."
the end.