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The revelation that Clark and Bruce had a romantic friendship was something no one, not even Damian, saw coming.
Bruce may have raised Damian to be the World’s Second Best Detective, and even he was shocked when Clark casually revealed it to him on a rooftop. It sounded ludicrous at first. Bruce wasn’t incapable of love, but he was paranoid, analytic, vigilant, and very slow to trust anyone - those traits were the opposite of Clark, who was quick to trust, bubbly, and who wore his heart on his sleeve. It seemed like their time working in the Justice League had caused the both of them to slowly fall for each other.
Damian was happy that his siblings wanted to stay in touch with Clark and to see him as a father figure - not to replace Bruce, but to be there in his absence. However, there were definitely a lot of unanswered questions about their relationship that he wanted answered. Damian was a detective and he wanted to know about this side that his father kept so well hidden.
Damian approached Alfred in the kitchen, asking, “Pennyworth, can we invite the Kents for dinner tomorrow?”
Alfred was surprised, “Masters Clark, Jonathan, and Konner? Why of course, Master Damian. However, I am perplexed - didn’t you and your father disallow metahumans in Gotham unless in the case of world-ending emergencies?”
Damian nodded and helped Alfred with the vegetable chopping, saying, “I did say that. However, times have changed - I want to know what father saw in Superman that none of us caught on to. I also want to know what about father was so outstanding to him.”
Alfred smiled and said, “Perhaps it was more simple than we are making it out to be. Regardless, I will have dinner ready promptly tomorrow evening.”
~~~
Clark didn’t have a hard time convincing Kon and Jon to come with him for the meeting with the Waynes - the kids were all good friends after all. He had a hard time convincing himself though…Bruce was always extra cautious throughout their relationship and he wondered if Bruce would be angry at him for sharing how close they were with his kids.
The Clarks all wore black slacks and button up shirts in various shades of blue when they came to the Waynes that evening. Parking right outside the Manor, Clark felt himself get nervous at the thought of answering Damian’s potential questions.
Jon noticed his Dad’s hesitancy, and told him, “Don’t worry, Pa. You got us - we know how to put up with the Waynes.”
Kon laughed and stepped ahead of them to ring the doorbell, “Besides, it’s just dinner. We can easily fly away if we need to.” Clark took a deep breath and nodded as they all walked up to the front door.
To their ease, Alfred opened the door. “Masters Clark, Konner, and Jonathon. Please come in, the boys are making sure the dinner table is set.” Clark walked in first, the Manor was a pleasant place for him. They walked behind Alfred to the long dining room table, where Tim and Dick were helping with the silverware.
Kon flew over to his boyfriend and kissed him, “Hey babe.” Clark resisted the urge to scold Kon - he was still on the fence about their relationship, as he had seen Tim in his Lazarus Pit Fury before. Jon ruffled Dick’s hair, and the younger boy climbed up on his back. Clark smiled - maybe it would go smoother than he planned.
Damian stepped out of the kitchen and addressed Clark, “Superman. Please have a seat.” Clark gingerly took his seat at the table in front of Damian. To his nervousness, Kon and Jon stepped away to help get the food ready in the kitchen, leaving Damian and Clark alone in the dining room for a bit.
Damian asked, “Do they know?” Clark shook his head - he had tried several times to let Jon and Kon know about his feelings for Bruce but the words never came out right.
Damian hummed and then called out to the kitchen, “Drake! Bring everyone to the table, we have something to share.” Tim gathered Jason, Dick, Jon, and Kon and all of them sat at the table bantering until Damian cleared his throat. “I suppose now is as good a time as ever to say the truth, Superman.”
Clark sighed; of course it was supposed to be a big announcement. “Boys, while I know that the Waynes know…I’m now in love with Bruce. And we’ve been together for some time.” The look on Jon and Kon’s faces was that of confusion - it really was a well kept secret that Bruce and Clark were together.
Damian sat back in his chair and asked, “I suppose I will rip the bandaid off and ask then - when did you start loving my father? Was he supposed to be a replacement for your wife?”
Clark’s eyebrows raised and he told Damian, “Heavens no, I liked Bruce for who he was. I think it was almost two years ago that we first got together, not counting the time Bruce has been missing. Sure, Lois and I were no longer together when I first recognized Bruce’s feelings were the same as mine, but he was never meant to replace her in my life - I think it would’ve been disrespectful to suddenly remove their mom from our lives.”
Tim chimed in next, asking, “Why Bruce? You know how neurotic our dad is, what could possibly make you think dating Bruce was a good idea?”
Clark cracked a smile, saying, “Why not your dad? Bruce was everyone’s dream in the League - handsome, brooding, rich, kind when he wanted to be. Outside the mask, we sometimes struggled with our differences, but the longer we spent together, the less his flaws bothered me. I’m sure I upset him too throughout the years, but we always reconciled.”
Jon asked, “Wait, so…you aren’t trying to replace mom with Bruce?”
Clark shook his head, “No, and that’s why our relationship stayed secret for so long. I know you and Kon love your mom. Bruce is someone I love, and I know he’ll never be Lois. That’s why the both of us were fine that our relationship was, as he called it, ‘platonically romantic’.”
Jason has to ask, “And you really never fucked?”
Damian scolded him, “Jason, I already told you that they didn’t.”
Jason argued back, “Well I want to hear it from the man himself! He’s too soft to lie to us.”
Clark blushed, embarrassed as he said, “No, we did nothing of the sort; our relationship was more like a romantic friendship than anything else.”
Dick asked with starry eyes, “Did you kiss each other?”
Clark covered the lower half of his face and admitted, “Yes…a lot. Bruce liked kissing, not just on the lips - he would kiss all over my face.”
Kon was quiet up until this point, and he asked his dad, “Were you happy when you were with him?”
Clark looked at his son and smiled, “I was. I still am, and that’s why I always look for Bruce and why we’re here today. I want us to be closer with the Waynes - I want us to be able to see them more often, despite the ban on metahumans in Gotham. Kon, I know you and Tim might be worried about our relationship affecting yours - but Bruce and I aren’t going to get married.”
Tim leaned in to kiss Kon, saying, “Yeah, we’re still okay to get married someday.”
Jon leaned closer to the table and said, “I dunno why we’re making a big deal of this - Dad was in love with Bruce, and Bruce was in love with Dad. It’s not like this ruins anything - Mom isn’t in our lives anymore and we’re not replacing her.”
Kon sighed, saying, “I really wish they told us sooner though. Like, two years is a lot to hide this from us.”
Clark smiled guiltily, “Sorry Kon…Bruce was very secretive, and I followed his lead when he was around. But now that he’s not here, I wanted all the cards on the table. Are you all okay with my relationship?”
Damian asked, “Anyone not in favor, raise your hand.” No one, not even Alfred, raised their hand. “That’s all we needed to know. Nothing else changes between us, you’re just another father figure to another bunch of boys.”
Dick asked happily, “Does it make us all family now?”
Clark smiled at the youngest one, saying, “If you want me to be.”
Jason laughed, “Fuck yeah, more help in Gotham is always good. With Superman, Firebird, and Superboy on the scene, crime won’t be as tiring to deal with.”
Alfred came out of the kitchen with a cart of food, “Now, shall we put the conversations behind us? Dinner is served. Let’s enjoy Master Bruce and Master Clark’s contribution to making a singular, happy family unit.”
Damian handed each member at the table a glass of juice. He raised his up, and spoke, “To a long and prosperous partnership…and our fathers’ love.” To that, everyone raised their glass.