Okay. Last chapter before My Partner's love. I'm really damn excited to show it to you. It's exactly as dark and sexy and heartbreaking and awesome as I wanted it to be. I'm proud of it, and not just because Batman loses. So. Get ready for the thrilling conclusion.
-Cro
"You'll call us," Kara whispered in the doorway, "to let us know you got home alright?"
Clark kissed the sleeping woman in Kara's arms on the cheek. "I don't want to wake Ma up. I'll text you."
Kara turned happily to Bruce. "It was great to meet you," she whispered. "Don't be a stranger!"
Bruce nodded politely. "It was a pleasure. Come around to Gotham once in a while, I'd love to have you and Martha for lunch."
"We'll take you up on that," Kara grinned. She shifted her arms and Martha laid her cheek on one of her enormous breasts.
"Fly safe, Kara," Clark said, mussing her short blonde hair a bit.
"You too, cuz." She floated gently to Clark's level and kissed him on the cheek. "Gotham's got a cold front coming in tonight, so try to beat it, okay?"
"Would you tell your aunt goodbye for me?" Bruce said.
"Will do. Thanks, you two, for coming! It was great to see you! Bye, now!"
Bruce slung a practiced arm around Clark's neck, who picked him up by the legs and shoulders. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Kara!" Clark hovered to the walk and then shot up, careful to stay below the sound barrier so as not to wake his mother.
"That was fun," Bruce said casually as Kansas sped below them.
Clark held Bruce a little tighter. "Thank you," he said lowly. "You didn't have to do this."
Bruce adjusted himself. "Do what," he asked into Clark's neck.
His spine tingled. "Any of this," Clark answered. "You spoiled me tonight. Mini golf, corndogs, movie night with my family? I didn't get to do anything for you!"
Bruce buried his fingers in Clark's hair with one hand and traced the contour of Clark's jaw with the other. "On the contrary," Bruce said with a smirk. "I acted completely selfishly tonight. Everything I did I did so I could watch your face."
Clark blushed. "Next time," he said, "I'm going to spoil you rotten."
"On your budget, I can only think of one way," Bruce teased, and Clark caught his meaning, surprised.
They were a mile over Gotham now. "Should I order you," Clark murmured, "to invite me in?"
Bruce turned Clark's head toward his own. "That's a good start," he whispered onto Clark's lips.
Clark adjusted his hold under Bruce's arm and slipped his other arm to the small of Bruce's back so they were hovering, face to face, waist to waist over Wayne Manor.
…
"They're back!" Flash said, jumping up in the plane. "Wake up, wake up! They're back!"
Around him, his teammates stirred.
"Noooooo," Green Lantern moaned. "Five more minutes…"
"Ugh, who cares," Wonder Woman groaned. "We already know it's Bruce Wayne, why are we still stalking them?"
Hawk Girl snored and adjusted her position in the copilot's seat.
"To mess with Superman!" Flash cackled. "Let's mess with him!"
"All in favor of messing with Superman?" Wonder Woman asked with a yawn.
"Me! Me mememememememememe!"
"All in favor of going home and sleeping?"
Every other sleepy hand shot up. "Aye," they said in unison.
"Motion passes. Flash, sit down, or Athena help me I will make you sit down."
…
Meanwhile, Clark pressed his lips to Bruce's. "Invite me in," he purred.
Bruce tugged Clark's hair. "Make me," he whispered seductively, and Clark kissed him so hard his toes curled. Actually curled.
…
An hour later, Clark opened Bruce's bedroom window and stepped one foot out onto the roof. He looked lovingly back to Bruce's limp, relaxed body. Clark had pulled the heavy comforter over his shoulders and his arms were buried under his pillow. His chest rose and fell deeply and evenly.
Clark smiled. His mouth still tasted like heat and salt and earth and love, and the image of Bruce writhing under his touch was still burned into his eyes, his muffled cries into Clark's ears.
Bruce stirred. "How," he breathed, "the fuck."
Clark climbed back in and walked to Bruce's side. "Go to sleep," he whispered.
"I can't feel my legs," Bruce murmured. "Goddamn, Clark, how did you get so good at that?"
Clark traced his fingers over Bruce's leg through the blanket and Bruce gasped.
"You can feel your legs just fine," Clark whispered. "Don't be so dramatic."
Bruce turned his head to face Clark. "Stay."
But the memory of Bruce's panting, moaning, beautiful face disturbed Clark. He'd been overcome by a wave of something red and furious and bloodthirsty then, and though Bruce called him a tease for pulling away and forcing the feeling down with a gasp of pain, that hunter in him had been awakened, and was pacing back and forth under his skin.
With Lana, with Lois, he had never felt that burning, anxious, hungry urge before, and he knew better than to trust it; whenever his body invented a new sensation, it took practice to learn how to control it. Even now, he adopted a cool façade to keep that blood-filled feeling at bay.
"I'll see you tomorrow," Clark smiled gently. He kissed Bruce chastely on the lips. "Go to sleep."
Bruce's eyes fluttered, as if he wanted to fight Clark on that but didn't have an ounce of strength left in his body.
Satisfied, Clark climbed back out of the window and almost didn't hear Bruce's sleepy tease.
"Goodnight," Bruce breathed, "boyfriend," and Clark smiled all the way back to metropolis.
Aw, how cute! Now let's destroy it. My Partner's Love is coming up next!