Legacies: A Young Justice one-shot/drabble collection

Encouragement
Things are far from okay, but this is a start.
Word Count: 886
Pairings: None
Rating: K+
Notes: Takes place after "Auld Acquaintances" and is a focus on the Clark/Conner father/son relationship or lack thereof.
They may be OOC...severely.

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

The diner is cozy, out of the way. It's one of those places you really need to look for or know about to find. It's one of those places where waitresses and waiters know everyone's names and orders, know about their family life. The kind of diner where the cook knows how each person likes their orders, but still manages to add that personal touch to the food. Where the booths and stools are aged and used because so many people have come and gone, but that's okay because there's a sense of home and love in the seats.

It's the diner that Clark Kent takes his son, Conner Kent, after the Young Justice has single handedly helped rescue the Justice League.

There's two slices of apple pie, one cup of coffee and one water, but no words. Around the two raven haired metas, there's soft chatter and laughs, every word being picked up by their super-hearing. Between them, there is silence and a small tendril of smoke from the coffee mug. There is tension, however, thick and awkward, palpable.

Clark attempts to break it. Clearing his throat, the Man of Steel shifts, picks up his fork and points at the pie. "You should try that before the ice cream melts. It's good. Well, not as good as Ma Kent's, but…" He shrugs.

Conner blinks.

"Er right." Clark takes a bite and chews slowly, the pie thick in his mouth, and he looks around, at anywhere but his son before swallows. He can't put off the inevitable (his mind jumps to Lois Lane and how long he's put off telling her about his alter-ego; he squashes the thought and returns to the person sitting across from him). "So…Conner…" He glances at the boy who looks just like him. "You don't mind if I call you that, do you?"

Conner blinks.

Clark nods slowly. "Okay…" He wonders how Batman has managed to do this. And then the question answers itself. He's Batman. "Conner, I…I know that I haven't exactly been, well, an ideal father, but-"

Conner scoffs before he can help it. There's a soft, "That's an understatement."

Two sets of blue eyes go wide. Conner looks frightened, having forgotten that Clark does have superhearing. Clark can't help but smile. Finally, he gets a reaction. It's not the most positive one, but it's a reaction nonetheless. Clark sees the fear on the boy's face.

"It's fine, Conner. I deserve that. It's taken me a while, but I realize, you are my son. It was…wrong of me to ever run away from that.

"Did…" Conner hesitates. "Did Batman put you up to this?" He finally asks. "Because I…I get it, you know. I wouldn't want me either." He says bitterly, his fists clenching on the table. His eyes are glaring at the pie so intensely that it's a wonder that any heat vision hasn't kicked in yet.

"Bru-Batman." Clark quickly amends, "did have a hand in me coming to my senses, yes." He admits. "But the choice was mine."

Conner's blue eyes search his own and seconds tick by before his son sighs. "…this isn't fair to you." He says quietly and he stand, looking at the table downcast. "I'm only half your son. Lex-Lex Luthor is the other half." He breathes out.

Clark is surprised. Not at the news, but at the fact that Conner had enough courage and honesty to admit to that, something that was big and something that the clone knew could play into Clark's decision into keeping him as a son. "Conner," Clark reaches across the table to place his hand over Conner's. The boy looks up bewildered. "It's okay. Batman told me."

"And…you're willing to accept me anyway." It's a statement not a question and it's one filled with awe and suspicion.

"It speaks volumes about my character if Luthor could be a better father, doesn't it?" He says jokingly and Conner sits hesitantly. "Besides, Ma and Pa Kent have been dying to meet you. They'd kick me out of the house if they knew I rejected you because of your parentage. We can't help who we are, son."

The word feels foreign on his tongue and, from the way Conner's eyes brighten up, it's foreign to the boy too, but it feels right to both of them. Clark smiles softly and picks up his fork again. This meeting needs to be the first of many because one meeting won't be enough to fix the wrongs that he has committed against Conner, but it's a start.

"So, wanna tell me how the team managed to fight us off? I have to admit, that Kryptonite? Clever." Clark says as way of changing the subject.

The tension subsides and Conner's grin is cocky. "Thank Robin for that. That kid's a crazy as his mentor. In the good way, of course." He picks up his fork and begins to dig into his slice of pie as well. The ice cream has melted, but it still tastes delicious.

Conversation becomes slightly easier after that. They've got a long way to go but it's a new year, and this new start is what both of them need.

Please, please, review?

.chary