Chapter One – Justice League Universe:
A/N: Look at me, typing up a chapter when I should be working on the essay that I haven't started and is due tonight at 11:59 and it's already 6:30 and… *Goes over to a corner and cries because of how stressed I am*
In all seriousness though, this chapter is short for what I normally write. Besides prologues and epilogues, normally I make sure a chapter is at least in the 2,000 words range. This is only 1,761, which to me is extremely short. I hope that is okay because, really, I really do have to get working on that essay (UGH!).
Please enjoy!
P.S. This was only quickly reread so there might be some mistakes.
"You want to what?"
Clark smiles at him, all teeth and sparkly eyes. "I want to adopt Clark as well."
Bruce blinks at him, making sure he heard correctly. "And how exactly do you think that will work Clark?" Bruce scrunches his face in a grimace. "We're going to have to find a way to keep you and baby Clark separate when we talk about you and him."
"Just call me Kal," Clark says with a shrug as if it's no big deal. "And I've already come up with a Kryptonian name for him that won't be so weird that we can't tell people that don't know about, well you know, me being an alien and Clark being half alien, that it's a nickname for him."
"Have you now?" Bruce sits on his couch, sipping his coffee. "Pray do tell."
"Ko," Clark says proudly. "Ko-El, it means peace, reflection, and calmness." Clark is smiling again. "We can even tell people it's short for Colby or something like that."
"Uh huh," Bruce says skeptically. "Which brings me back to my initial question."
Clark rolls his eyes which irritates Bruce. "I don't see the problem."
With a sigh, Bruce tries to explain it to him. "First off, people that aren't in a relationship don't normally adopt children together. What do you expect? Us to have joint custody so that Clark will have to go to your place on the weekends and then with me during the week?"
Before Bruce can continue, Clark speaks up. "Who says I won't be the one with him on the weekdays?"
"This isn't a joking matter Clark," Bruce snaps and Clark lifts his hands in silent defense. "Next, no matter how hard I try to keep it from the media, which I will try to do, we both know they will eventually find out anyways. How are we going to explain you having custody of him as well? Don't you think that would be extremely suspicious and weird?"
Clark doesn't answer at first, looking thoughtful. "I mean, yeah that all makes sense, but first off, I know you can make the joint custody thing work with whoever you get the papers from because you're you and really, if and when the media finds out, we'll just give some excuse."
Bruce refrains from hitting himself on the forehead. He refrains from hitting Clark on the forehead as well for that matter. "Clark, you're not thinking. Say I somehow get the papers and the lawyer to agree with me to have little Clark-"
"See this is why you need to call me Kal or him Ko"
"In both our custodies," Bruce continues with clenched teeth, ignoring Clark. "That still doesn't help with the media. As soon as they see Brucie Wayne out in public with a new baby, they'll be all over it like sharks, and then, once they see you with the same baby, they'll be all over that even more… like fucking vultures."
"Is it really necessary to swear?"
Bruce says with his teeth grit together tightly, "Do you understand Clark?"
"Kal."
"Clark!" Bruce yells and promptly ignores Clark's laughing. "I swear you are the most irritating person in the universe."
"Okay, okay." Clark waves his hand, trying to quell Bruce and stop his laughing at the same time. "I'm sorry, I can see this is an important matter to you. The thing is, Bruce, I'm not constantly in the media spotlight so the media won't even pay me any attention with a baby. The people I have to worry about the most is my mom and coworkers."
Bruce sighs. "They might not know who you are but they'll recognize the baby."
"I think it's a little hard to recognize a newborn baby, Bruce," Clark says.
"And when Clark starts getting older, then what?" Bruce asks. "He'll start being able to get more recognizable and the more spotlight he receives in my life means the more likely he is to be recognized with you."
This time Clark sighs. "I want to adopt him, Bruce, so we're going to have to come up with something. I'm not going to change my mind. He's got half my genes in him too… sort of… how exactly would that work?"
"I don't know." Bruce shrugs. "It doesn't matter," he says, irritated. "The only solution I can think of is-" Clark raises an eyebrow at his pause and Bruce swallows, making sure to keep his heart perfectly calm. "Marriage."
"What?" Clark's eyes grow wide and his mouth falls open.
"You and I need to get married."
"I'm sorry Bruce," Clark starts, still looking astounded. "I think I just heard you say we need to get married but obviously I heard wrong."
Bruce rolls his eyes. "You didn't."
Clark starts to laugh again, incredulously. "I can't believe you of all people even suggested something like that. I mean you." He starts to laugh hysterically. "This is just gold."
Bruce crosses his arms petulantly. "Haha, very funny. Now what do you say?"
"Some proposal." Clark catches his breath. "How exactly are you going to explain our impromptu wedding to the media since you're oh so concerned about them?"
"Easy, we tell them it was a secret relationship. Your idea, of course, since Brucie isn't one to keep such a secret."
"But adoption is?"
"Well, as much as I'll try to keep the media away from Clark, I'm not going to show that I'm actively keeping him a secret." Bruce stands, having finished his coffee. "That way it looks like Brucie isn't keeping a secret as big as that when in reality I am."
Clark is frowning now. "And how are you going to explain the success of our relationship not being caught?"
"I just won't answer that question from them." Bruce shrugs. "It's none of their business. Now, again, what do you say?"
Bruce's heart has started pounding really fast as he waits for Clark's answer. He looks contemplative, staring at Bruce with blue, determined eyes. "No."
"What do you mean no?"
Clark huffs in annoyance. "I mean just that, no. I'm not going to marry you just so I can get custody of a child that has some of my DNA in him."
"We still don't know how that works."
"And like you said, it doesn't matter." Clark waves his statement off. "I'm not going to let you blackmail me."
"I'm not blackmailing you and come on Clark, it really isn't that big a deal," Bruce says.
"Not a big deal?" Clark asks, surprise in his voice. "Are you forgetting who you're talking to? Weddings are a huge deal for me Bruce. You're supposed to get married to your one and only, not for convenience."
"Sometimes convenience is all you've got." Bruce starts making his way to the kitchen, his heart pounding even faster at Clark's rejection. He pretends it doesn't hurt.
"Not this," Clark says, following him.
Bruce sets his mug in the sink and turns to Clark, acting nonchalant. "I don't understand why it's such a big deal. If you find a girl later on who is your 'one and only', then we can get a divorce. It's not like you've never been divorced before."
He can see it's the absolute wrong thing to say once he sees Clark's anger flare in his eyes. Clark's poster becomes stiff and defensive. "Don't bring my divorce with Lois into this."
"Why not?" Bruce says because obviously he can't just stop digging the hole he's going to be buried in. "I see no difference. You got married to Lois even though she wasn't your 'one and only' and then when the two of you finally figured that out, or well she figured it out, you two got divorced. There's no difference except that I'm a male."
Clark's breathing has gotten heavier, his jaw is clenched, and his eyes are pure anger. "I thought she was the one for me."
"Apparently not."
Clark's hands clench into tight fists. "We better get off this subject of mine and Lois' marriage Bruce."
"Why?" He leans against the counter. "Afraid to get married to someone else who isn't meant to be with you forever and ever, have this perfect little life with a white picket fence, dog and kid?"
"Shut up."
"Sorry Clark but there's no such thing." Bruce shrugs, tells himself in his head to do what Clark has said and shut up, but his mouth isn't complying. "So I guess you either continue to live in your little fantasy world, don't go along with my marriage plan, and don't become Clark's father; or you can get into reality, get married to me, and be Clark's father."
Clark is staring at him and he does for a very long time, all signs of immeasurable anger present on his body. When he speaks, Bruce can tell he has pushed one too many buttons by the sound of his voice. "You know what Bruce? I'm going to leave. I'm angry, I don't feel like arguing with you, and quite frankly I can't even stand to look at you right now." He goes to the glass sliding door that leads out into the garden. "We'll discuss this more when you don't feel the need to be a jerk." Then he's gone, flying away back to Metropolis.
Bruce sighs and rubs his face. Why did he say all that? He didn't really mean it. With another sigh, he goes to find Alfred who is in the newly made up nursey rocking Clark. "How is he?"
"Asleep Sir," Alfred says. He stands and places Clark into the crib.
"Do you think we should set up some sun lamps?" Bruce asks as he approaches the crib to look down into it.
Alfred starts to walk away but stops in the doorway. "I wouldn't know Sir but we do know someone who would."
Bruce avoids looking at his father figure, instead continuing to look at Clark. "I might have accidentally angered Clark."
He barely hears Alfred sigh. "Very well, Master Bruce. I will give him a call to ask then." With that, Alfred walks out.
Bruce reaches into the crib and rubs a finger against Clark's cheek. "What do you say kid? Do you think you'll be okay with a couple of piss poor replacements of your real parents?" Clark yawns in his sleep and Bruce leans his chin against the gate. "Yeah, I didn't think so either."
He stays there for another fifteen minutes, just watching Clark sleep before he finally leaves the room.
A/N: Thanks for reading. Hope you liked this chapter. :)
