Disclaimer: I don't own Batman, Young Justice or any of its characters.
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Chapter 8.
They weren't heading for the kitchen, or the dining room, Dick noticed with a little frown. This could be bad.
So far they managed to keep Bruce from noticing any major changes around the Manor, but that was only because the rooms he had been in hadn't changed all that much. He couldn't say or do anything, though. Not with a very perceptive Bruce walking at his side. He just hoped Clark knew what he was doing.
When he noticed they were headed in the direction of the entertainment room, Dick wasn't so sure anymore. It was probably the worst room uncle Clark could have picked (other than Bruce's own room, for obvious reasons). He tried to think of a way to steer Bruce away without making this even more suspicious, but it was too late.
Clark was oblivious to Dick's struggle as he ushered both boys inside.
Bruce walked into the room and then stopped. He blinked a couple of times before his eyes darted around the room, small brows furrowing further with every second that passed. This was- it was wrong. Everything was wrong here.
Dick held back a groan when he saw Bruce's face. Well, darn. He reached to put a hand on his shoulder to draw his attention.
"Hey. Everything okay?"
"No. I- I don't- This is different."
"What?"
"The room. It's different."
Dick bit his lip, racking his brain for the best way to handle this. Clark spoke before he could say anything, though he still wasn't sure what he would have said anyway.
"Ah, yes. Alfred mentioned your parents finished with the remodeling just before they left. And he told me people from Wayne Enterprises came in just this morning to install the new TV." He told them. "I have to admit I'm a little jealous."
Two pairs of blue eyes looked up at him.
Clark smiled sheepishly. "I have a tiny TV back at home, so seeing this enormous TV is very impressive. The prototype is in the last stage of production, according to what Alfred told me, but I do want to buy one once they are in the market."
"It is pretty asterous," Dick added, feeling relieved and a little guilty for doubting Clark.
Bruce looked away from him. He didn't remember any of that and he could felt tears of frustration prickling his eyes. Why didn't he remember? How did a stranger know all that when he didn't?
"Where's Alfred?" The boy asked.
Dick looked at the bowed dark head and little fists clenched. He exchanged a worried look with the Kryptonian.
"Ah, he's on the second floor, I think. He mentioned something about getting a room ready for Dick."
It wasn't a part of Alfred's job to do that, but the older man told him his parents gave the rest of the staff the weekend off before leaving when he asked why they were all alone in the Manor, so it made sense that he would have to take care of that.
Silence filled the room.
"Do you want me to call him?"
Bruce shook his head and reached to rub his eyes before lifting his head. He was a big boy. He didn't need Alfred to run to his side, even if he felt confused and bit scared.
"Well, come in then," Clark suggested with a thin smile. "That pizza isn't going to disappear on its own. And I even brought something to watch."
The Kryptonian reached to pick something from the couch and Dick blinked when he saw what he was holding up. It was an old VHS tape of The Gray Ghost. Dick wouldn't be surprised if Clark actually flew to Smallville to pick his own tape. He was almost as big of a fan of the show as Bruce.
Bruce's eyes widened, looking from the tape to Dick's uncle. "You like The Gray Ghost?"
"Of course I like The Gray Ghost! He's the best hero!"
Okay, uncle Clark definitely knew what he was doing. Bringing up Bruce's favorite show was a very good way to stop him from thinking too much about everything else. He wasn't the wold's greatest detective yet, after all. That and the look he put on Bruce's face were enough to make Dick consider sharing one of the photos he took of little Bruce.
There was no doubt Superman had won plenty of points with Bruce over this.
Bruce smiled shyly at the man before turning to Dick. "Do you like The Gray Ghost too?"
The hopeful look on the boy's face would have been enough to make him lie without remorse. Luckily, he didn't have to. "Yeah. My- uh, my dad and I used to watch the episodes together."
This was not the first time Dick thought of Bruce that way, of course, but he had never called him Dad out loud. It was just their luck that the first time he did it Bruce was a little kid and had no idea Dick was talking about him. Talk about bad timing.
"Really? My dad and I do too! He's busy with work a ton, but he always makes time to watch them with me." Bruce bit his lip. Tommy always said The Gray Ghost was silly, so he never mentioned how much he liked it to other kids, afraid they would think the same. "He even gave me his old comic collection. I can show it to you if you want."
The teenager forced a smile. "That would be great!" He exclaimed, looking down at the small beaming face as he thought back to the box of comics tucked away in his own bedroom.
After watching the episodes with his guardian, Dick had become a little Gray Ghost fanboy too, so when Bruce mentioned his old comic collection he asked to borrow it right away. They went looking for it up in the attic the next weekend, and when they found the comic books, Bruce had gifted him the whole box with a shrug and a too-light comment about how he wasn't going to need them anymore.
Dick hadn't known some of them had belonged to Bruce's dad, not even when he saw issues older than Bruce himself. He always assumed Bruce had hunted them down, like the little obsessed fanboy he probably was when he was a kid.
Now, he wasn't sure how he felt about owning something Bruce's father had given his son. At the very least, he wouldn't have let Wally touch them while eating cookies, he thought with a grimace.
Clark cleared his throat, pulling him out of his thought.
"Why don't you go settle over there while I get this thing running? Alfred told me how it works so let's hope I get it right."
Dick looked back at the TV and blinked. And then blinked again. There was an honest-to-god VHS player there! Dick almost blurted out an apology because okay. Uncle Clark really, really knew what he was doing. It was so turbing.
In the end, he settled for sneaking a sloppy grin in his direction. Clark winked in response.
Dick eyed the pizza boxes on the coffee table as he and Bruce draw near and was pleasantly surprised to see they were from Gino's. That was the little pizza place Bruce always took him to. Not that they went there often because Alfred, but it was still their favorite.
Rather than use the nice and comfy furniture, Dick sat cross-legged on the floor in front of the couch, his back against it. He patted the space at his side and Bruce joined him with a small smile.
"I think it's ready," Clark called back after some tinkering; the remote held in one hand as he pushed his glasses up his nose with the other. And indeed, the open credits appeared on the screen a second later.
The Kryptonian walked toward them, picking up the plates and handing one to each. He settled down, taking one for himself.
"Help yourselves with anything you want. I brought sodas too, with Alfred's permission," He added with a grin before turning to Bruce. "I don't know what toppings you like, Bruce, but I brought pepperoni and mushrooms and a four-cheese pizza. I hope you like one of them, at least."
He nodded politely. "It's fine, Mr. Kent. Thank you."
"Clark." He corrected.
Dick looked from Bruce to Clark as he chewed. Clark was still trying a bit too hard, but at least Bruce didn't seem uncomfortable by it.
"Clark," Bruce repeated softly.
With a blinding smile, Clark turned to press a button on the remote. A moment later, the familiar music of The Gray Ghost opening filled the room.
...
a/n: There wasn't as much Clark-Bruce interaction as I would have liked because they're still pretty much strangers, but I hope you enjoyed the little I was able to squeeze in. Clark will be making another apparition further on, so I hope things go a little better then.
Thank you fo reading!