The Memoirs

Lex came down the stairs alone almost a half hour later. His arms were wrapped tightly around his waist as he slowly went down the stairs, and his shoulders were hunched as though he was trying to make himself as small a person as possible. He kept his head down, eyes on his feet as he walked, not trusting them to keep him steady as he stepped onto the floor, and started walking.

He knew, through his link, where Kal was--in the kitchen, with the bottomless appetite that--Lex couldn't finish the thought, nor could he even muster up a smile for it. Jor-El had disappeared, probably into one of the other libraries to brood and at the moment, Lex couldn't have cared less; he was glad not to have to deal with it.

He followed his nose, and the scent of baking biscuits and sweet Danish rolls, to the kitchen, and leaned against the side door jamb.

Ms. Bird was humming, having enlisted Kal to help her beat the batter for the French toast and she was flipping the scrambled eggs as Lex came in. She took one look at the silent young man, and went to the huge coffee urn on the counter. She filled a cup halfway with coffee, reached under the cabinet for a bottle of scotch that she kept for flavoring, and dumped a good dollop into the coffee before carrying it over to him.

Kal had heard Lex open the door, since he was pretty sure no one else would be up at this ungodly hour, but he didn't turn around. He finished whirring the beater inside of the huge bowl in front of him, and wiped his hands on the dishrag he'd set beside him before carefully flipping the eggs on the stove again, and stirring the sweet gravy for the thick biscuits in the oven.

Only after he'd finished all of that did he turn around, and regarded Lex quietly with a slight nod. "They're gone, then?"

Lex took the cup of coffee, rather than raise a fuss, but as soon as Ms. Bird had turned around, Lex put it back down on the counter. "They're gone. They left a few minutes ago. Wally picked up the duffel that CK packed and Bruce's briefcase, and he's going to meet them in New York. CK's flying them there." A little tremor shook his body as he leaned against the door jamb. "He promised to let me know once they're there."

Kal bit his lip, so tightly he almost drew blood, but didn't say a word for a moment as he just offered a little careless smile that looked ugly on his lined face. "He'll make us proud, you know. He's an awesome kid, got lots of strength and courage for being such a cry baby. Course, as he's bringing Bane down he may be sobbing, but he'll do it. He's a good boy." A shift, and a light, mirthless laugh. "Guess its just you and me, man. Hey, about Jor? Don't worry about it. He takes the Lionel approach to good parenting, which entitles lots of belittling and yelling."

Lex couldn't find an answering smile, sincere or not. "Of course he'll make us proud." His arms tightened around his waist once more, and when his eyes met Kal's, they were hollow, sunken and emotionally exhausted. "He's the best." Then a little shake of his head, and his usual shutters were in place. "I'm not worried; yes, it's upsetting, but I have far more important things on my mind than his approval or lack thereof."

"Amen to that. Sides, I'm still here. We can still hang out." He offered another smile, hollow, and went back to flipping eggs, as Ms. Bird had appeared to have disappeared. "I'm glad we were together last night. I wouldn't want him to go if he thought things were shitty between you and me. Guess it was good to say goodbye early."

Lex moved quietly across the kitchen, and leaned his head against the back of Kal's shoulder. "I didn't want to say goodbye at all," Lex confessed softly. "But yes, I'm glad it was with a clear conscience." Another tremor went through Lex's body, and he left his head on Kal's shoulder for another moment before he straightened. "Let me help you with breakfast."

For one frightening moment, Kal saw himself throwing the frying pan as hard as he could against the opposite wall. He envisioned it perfectly in his mind, and was about to do it to release some of the anguish and stress inside of him when Lex set his head on the back of his shoulder, and he just couldn't. Instead, he let go of the pan and turned, wrapping his arms around Lex's shoulders and tugging him close into his arms. "I love you so much."

Lex's arms let go of himself, and wrapped instead around Kal, hugging him as tightly as he'd been hugging himself moments ago. "I love you, Kal," he said softly. "I'm sorry I had to let him go; if I could have let him stay here, I would have. I'm so sorry."

"No… its okay." Kal murmured, gently, lifting up enough to cup Lex's cheeks gently, and press warm, loving kisses to his cheeks, his neck, his forehead, the tip of his nose, and finally his lips. "Its okay, baby. You don't get that, but I do. He's a strong guy, and he's gonna make us hella fuckin proud. We just gotta be the damsels in distress, waiting by the front doors, waving our hankies out the window and waiting for him."

Lex reached up and squeezed Kal's hands with his and taking in a deep breath. "I don't doubt that he will," Lex said, his voice hitching softly. "I'm just sorry he'll miss spending this time with us."

"We can't be selfish. He's got dreams of gold." Kal murmured, and offered a little smile down into that handsome face... a smile he felt. "Sides, I get you to myself. Ain't a damn thing wrong with that shit."

Lex's thumbs stroked over Kal's hands, and he gave a little smile. "Nothing that I can think of." He leaned his head on Kal's shoulder again, but almost jumped out of his skin when Dominic slammed the kitchen door open on the other side of the room.

"... but you were the one who wanted to make sure we were awake in time to meet with Mr. Ross," Lionel finished, and was rather startled to notice there were others in the kitchen at this time of morning.

"Of course we do. If Dogwood leaves because we're sleeping the morning away... oh, hallo." Dominic smiled at the two boys, though the smile slid away when Kal turned absolutely red. "Kal? Lex? What's wrong?"

Kal was flushed a brilliant shade of crimson, as he stared at Dominic and Lionel, his fingers still holding his lover gently. He turned his face away, and snuggled in closer to Lex, wincing as he looked away from the two of them. Alright. So maybe this was the downside to having seen them naked.

"I do believe we may have caught the two of them in flagrante delicto," Lionel said with a gentle snort. "But perhaps my son would like to remember that the kitchen is a fairly public and quite unsanitary place for his indulgences?"

Lex didn't say a word for a minute, nor did he turn around. When he finally did say something, it was muffled in Kal's shoulder. "Your son is standing right here, Dad, and you can talk to him directly."

"We weren't doing anything." Kal answered, as he lifted his head up. Tell Lionel he'd seen him? He'd rather die. "I was just remembering something. What're you people doing awake so early?" He kissed Lex's forehead very gently and let him go only to turn the eggs, and set them on a nearby plate as he cracked more open for more eggs.

"Its quite alright, love." Dominic said quietly, as he rubbed the sleepiness from his eyes. He'd awoken, rather sharply, and unlike many mornings, today he was wide awake. He set himself down on one of the stools and pushed the sleeves of his light sweater up, regarding the two boys quietly. "What's wrong?"

Lex let go of Kal enough to start dipping the toast slices into the batter, and then dropping them on the skillet to brown. He worked quietly for a moment, until four slices were on the pan, and then he put the batter bowl down, but didn't turn around. "CK's gone," he explained softly. "Bruce needed his... special talents to help bring down Bane--the inmate who's been rampaging up through New England and towards Gotham. They're hoping to catch him in New York before he gets any further and does any more damage."

Lionel was speechless for a long moment, and he looked at his lover in disbelief.

"Holy shit." Dominic murmured, very softly, his eyes quiet but wide as he looked from Lex to Kal. He saw the belief in the young mans eyes, and his brow furrowed tightly as he shut his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. The first tension of the day was always worse. "I saw something about him on the news yesterday evening, but I didn't know he'd... Is CK even ready for that?"

Lex shrugged. "We think so; there's not exactly a barometer we can measure things by." He reached out a hand and squeezed Kal's gently before he went on. "But we believe in him; he's going to be fine."

"Of course he is. He's a part of Clark, now isn't he?" Dominic looked at them both sharply. "Clark, who saved hundreds of people during the blizzard, Clark, who saved you, Lex, when you fell in the river, Clark, who has killed more mutants in this town than should be normal. He's a good boy, and he has yet to fail. Though he's missing his better half, of course."

Kal smiled at that, quietly, before he set the eggs he'd just finished making on the plate as well.

Lionel looked sharply at his son as Lex finished frying the first batch of toast, and narrowed his eyes a bit as he watched Lex methodically dip and place the second batch. "Are you sure it was wise? What if--"

"Dad, don't. Please." Lex's knuckles were white as he held the handle of the frying pan, jiggling it slightly to slide the toast around and finish browning it. "I don't know the what ifs, and I really can't think about them right now. Okay? Thank you."

"Jor El already went postal. He's stirring in his own juices after the can of whoop ass I opened on him." Kal added in, nodding as he began cutting up the slices of ham and cheese for the next omelets. "Guys want just ham and queso, or are we feeling mischievous? Peppers, onions, etcetera?"

Lex gave a little smile at that. "You didn't have to do that, Kal. Jor-El, like my father, is stubborn, but in his own way, he's doing what he thinks is the best."

Lionel blinked. Again. "No, just the ham and cheese is fine, thank you."

"I know. Like I told you, just a whacked parenting style, but then again, we ain't normal kids, so I can groove with it." Kal glanced up, saw Lionel's mouth hanging slightly by the hinge, and leaned forward to put a small slice of ham in his mouth before resuming his cutting.

Dominic was watching, quietly, and though he smiled when he saw what Kal had just done, his eyes were locked on Lex. The way he was holding himself, the way he wasnt speaking like his usual arrogant self. "Everything will be alright. CK went with Bruce, right? Bruce, though a bastard, is a stubborn bastard. He won't let anything happen to CK, at all. Don't worry, my loves, things will be as they are supposed to be."

Lionel snapped his jaw shut and carefully chewed the ham, trying to come up with something properly scathing and failing, miserably.

"Yeah, Bruce went with him, and they're going to be meeting up with Dick, Wally, and this Diana Prince woman, whom I gather has her own brand of special talents." He set out the second set of four slices, measured the batter critically with his eye, and used the last of it to make four more slices.

"Diana Prince?" Dominic's eyes widened into huge ovals, and oh, this time, his turn to flush softly. "The Diana Prince? Dear God. Lets all thank God that CK has the queer eye for Lex and Kal. That woman is delicious, to be frank. She's the epitome of all--" He noticed Kal watching him, and grinned sheepishly. "Sorry."

Kal finished cutting and quickly cracked open another two eggs, mixing them quickly in a bowl before dropping them, as well as ham and cheese, into the skillet. "I take it she's hot? CK's one lucky bastardo."

Lex just gave a little nod. "Yes, that's the one. Ambassador to somewhere, though the name escapes me at the moment. Amazonian, from what Bruce told me, and yes, she is exquisite." A beat. "She also prefers those of the fairer sex."

"She's the ambassador of the Amazon. Literally." Dominic nodded. "South America. I think she also works for the Brazilian embassy. I've met with her a few times… she's really quite funny after she's let some of her ice princess facade fall." A little twitch of his lips, and he hoped he was raising Lex's spirits a little as he talked.

Kal was flipping as he went, adding a little bit of sprayed grease to the spatula so it would pick up the eggs alright, and flipped Lionel's omelet onto its own plate, setting it on the counter beside him until Lex was finished with the toast.

"A princess too, so I hear it, and though Bruce would never admit to it, Wally says that Bruce is dying to get his hands on her weapon and her ass, and not necessarily in that order." Ghost of a quiet smile as he pulled the last slices out of the frying pan, and set the twelve pieces of toast on a plate before picking up a knife and slicing the quickly. He barely missed the tip of his finger as he was doing it, but didn't seem to notice as he dropped the knife into the sink and put the sliced toast on the counter beside Kal's omelet.

Kal quickly fried up the fourth and last for Dominic, noting Ms. Bird still hadn't shown up, and quickly cleaned up after he set Dominic's plate on the counter as well. He loaded the dishwasher easily, talking all the while. "Wally's a lot of shit. I wish he and I had gotten to talk, he'd be fun, you know? But, alas. Juice or coffee, guys?"

"I'll get it. You've cooked, I can supply drinks." Dominic answered quickly, rising up and getting down mugs and cups from the cabinet. He quickly filled four mugs with coffee, setting them on a small tray, and added four cups of pulp-less orange juice, before taking it all to the small kitchen island.

Lex went to the refrigerator and pulled out the silver pitcher of syrup, and on top of it, balanced the butter dish. He carried them both to the counter, put the syrup down beside the toast, and put the butter in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it. While it warmed, Lex dumped the coffee Ms. Bird had made him earlier into the sink and put that cup into the dishwasher as well, and made a small face as he looked at the spread of food he'd helped to prepare, and realized he didn't want to eat--or drink--a single damned bite of it.

Kal didn't, either, but that was because he'd eaten half of a cheesecake and a gallon of milk an hour ago. Oh, well. He handed Lionel and Dominic their omelets, pushing the plate of French toast at them expectantly as well, and tore into his own scrambled eggs.

Dominic saw the vaguely disgusted look over Lex's face, and he could relate, all too well. He'd done this very thing a few months ago, in Metropolis, after he and Lionel fought like cat and dog. He'd cooked and cooked, and he supposed it had given him something to do, despite the fact that food had turned his stomach.

Lex just perched on the barstool in front of the counter, and then ducked as the door slammed open again.

Ms. Bird had just been waiting for silence before she bustled back into the room, muttering about poor starved animals and how nobody fed those sweet creatures anything good. She harrumphed loudly as she went into the fridge herself, and brought out a plate full of cold sausages and a plate of sweet cream, and closed it with her hip.

She surveyed the meal laid out on the table, shot Lex an eagle-eyed glare. "Chu eat up, all of chu." With that, she flounced out again, to feed the puppies and kitten their usual morning treats.

Dominic watched her go, a very deep love in his face before he could stop himself, and he snickered and shook his head before he took the first bite of his delicious eggs. "What she doesn't know is that Frederick had an entire bag of Cheetos about ten minutes ago. Spoiled little brat."

Kal smirked crookedly himself, eating quietly as he looked at his aushna' quietly, and then up at Lionel. "What have you guys got planned today?"

"The puppies have had their treats too," Lex said softly, situating himself back on the stool as he reached out and put his hand on Kal's knee, calmingly. "I'm okay," he said in a soft whisper.

"Well, we're going to attempt to recover from breakfast, and in..." Lionel looked down, but he'd forgotten his watch. "Well, whatever time it is now, at eight, we have a meeting with Dogwood and his assistant about finishing the nursery for Aurora, finalizing the designs, etc."

Lex left his hand on Kal's knee, and looked at his watch. "It's a quarter of seven," he supplied quietly.

"Why don't you both stick with us today? If you haven't any plans? We're going to get everything sorted out with Aurora's room, and if there's something I've learned, we can always use more gay men while designing something." A quiet smile from Dominic. "And perhaps we can go out and catch a film? I've yet to explore Smallville, despite it being my zip code for several months now. A look at the museum, as well?"

Kal looked up, hopefully. "That sounds...yeah. I mean...if Lex would be alright?"

Lex nodded. "It's fine with me, Kal; that sounds like a great idea." The cheer was false, but he doubted anyone but the men in the room with him could pinpoint it. "The Smallville museum isn't quite the Guggenheim, but it's nice for a small town." He squeezed Kal's knee gently, and urged him to finish eating.

"I have no doubt that the sights Smallville has to offer can been seen both rapidly and from a distance," Lionel replied.

"Yes, but you love your son and his lover, so you're going to go with us, and you're going to be happy." Dominic said bluntly, as he stuck a bite of his eggs in his mouth. "And as for complaining, you shan't do a bit of that, either."

Kal smiled a little at Lex, gently, and kissed his cheek softly even as Lionel and Dominic began what would of course be a row in front of them.

"Of course I'll be happy. I'll be with the people I care about most, in the smallest town in North America, doing absolutely nothing of value," Lionel retorted. "And I'll have you know that I never complain. I merely voice my opinions."

"You bitch with style." Dominic shot back, but he grinned crookedly and leaned in for a egg tasting kiss. "While you're with Dogwood, I'm going to take Lex over to Toni's, alright? Would that be alright with you, Lex?"

"I do not--" But his protest was cut off with Dominic's kiss. "Of course it's all right with me, Dominic," Lionel said dryly. "I'm glad you trust my judgment."

Lex nodded. "Yeah, it's okay with me. Kal? You staying with Dad, or coming with us?"

Kal looked up, quietly, almost shyly, at Lionel. "If its alright with Big Daddy, I'd like to stay here. I like art." He shrugged absently, and looked back down at his eggs.

"Fabulous. Lex and I will pick up something sweet on the way back, hmm? We won't be gone long, I solemnly swear. If I'm correct in my assumptions, Fellie is already over there with her. I'll give Aurora your highest regard."

"It's quite all right with me; I look forward to expanding your limited horizons," he said airily.

Lex bristled. "Don't start, Dad." He kissed Kal's mouth softly. "Not long, you heard him. You sure you're all right?"

Kal kissed him back, gently, very gently, licking his lover's mouth softly before nodding. "I'm sure. I want to stay. Whenever you guys are ready, go on ahead, okay?"

Dominic glared at his lover and barely kept himself from pinching his lovers thigh as he took a drink of juice.

Lex nodded, and gave a little smile into Kal's cheek. "I'll bring you back something extra; a special sweet treat. A surprise, all right?" He sat back down on his barstool and glared at his father.

Lionel looked serenely up at his lover. "What?"

"You right giant prick."

Kal almost choked on his juice.

Dominic glared at Kal, then glared even more fiercely at his husband. "You know what, don't you play that innocent look, now." Another glare at him, as he finished eating his omelet.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." Lionel had disdained the sweet French toast in favor of fruit, and his white teeth crunched the crisp skin of a red apple as he sat back.

"You know, you'd look more innocent if you didn't look like the devil sitting here beside me." Dominic muttered, eyeballing him before rolling those same eyes at Lex and Kal.

Lionel merely gave a little grin, and held the bitten apple out in offering to his lover.

Lex caught the rolling eyes but didn't return them, rubbing his fingers lightly on Kal's shoulder as he sat close beside him, watching.

Dominic glared at his husband for a moment before leaning forward to take a bite out of it, rubbing the dribble of apple juice that threatened to roll down his chin, and he chewed, still glaring over his chewing even though something kicked in the pit of his belly before he could stop it.

Lionel didn't move as a bit of juice trickled down his fingers from where his lover had bitten into the juicy apple, and he switched hands long enough to suck each long digit clean before drying his hand on a napkin and bringing the apple back to his mouth, biting in the same spot Dominic had just bitten.

Oh boy. Dominic barely kept from swallowing a breath, eyes widening slightly at his lover's blatant display of... of what? Dominic didn't know but damn it was sexy. He gave a little shiver as he grasped his lovers shirt lapel and slid off the stool. "We'll be back."

Kal had watched, with quiet amusement, eyes rolling in his eyes as his dimples peaked out.

Lionel slid off the stool, crunching another bite of apple as he did. "You do realize that we've got very little time to do anything and be presentable when Mr. Ross arrives?" he said teasingly. "Not to mention, your plans with Lex?"

"That's... rather disgusting," Lex said, leaning his head tiredly against Kal's shoulder.

Dominic didn't say anything, just tugging Lionel out the door by the collar. The crunching, and more tongue and licking and oh, dear god, he called back over his shoulder, "We'll meet you in twenty minutes!"

"Not so disgusting. Lionel's got a nice--" Kal caught himself, and grinned, instead, deviously down at his lover, as he kissed his temple and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"That's awfully fast, don't you think?" Lex yelled after him, and then settled back in his seat. "What in the name of Christ convinced me to cook all this food?" He nestled back into Kal's arms, and snuggled. "My father does not have a nice anything. Unless you're talking about his hair, in which case I will agree, it's very well-kept and neat."

"Whatever you say." Kal murmured, as he pressed another kiss to Lex's temple. "Your dads hot. As hell. But we won't go into that again. Why don't we go lay in bed for a while ourselves? We didn't get to sleep last night." And it was wearing on Kal's face, his eyes were dark and sunken slightly with exhaustion.

"No, we didn't." He turned, suddenly, and wrapped arms and legs both around Kal's body and hugged him tightly. "I don't want you to go, but I know that you have to."

"Go?" Kal asked softly, as he turned and let his lover hold him close, as he returned the favor in kind, one hand sliding up across smooth scalp. "What do you mean? When we become Clark?"

Lex nodded against Kal's shoulder.

"He misses you." Was all Kal murmured, gently, as he tenderly tipped Lex's face up. "Your lover. Your real lover, the CK plus Kal version. He loves you, and he misses you, because I miss him, and I miss you. We'll always be with you, baby, don't you realize that?"

"I know," Lex said softly, and his hand came to rest on Kal's chest. "I just... never mind. There isn't another way, there's nothing else to be done, and I'm going to stop whining about it." He put his head back on Kal's shoulder. "I think I'm just... tired."

"You're not whining. It must be so much to take in at one time… you shouldn't have to go through it alone, but even though CK and I are Clark... you are alone with this." He very gently stroked Lex's cheek bone. "You're such a champ, baby. I love you."

Lex looked up slowly. "I'm not a champ, Kal. I'm selfish, I'm horrible, and I'm a very, very bad aushna'." He took a deep breath. "I'm selfish, because I want my Clark back. I'm horrible, because I want you and CK to stay, to have time, to be here forever, if that's what it takes, I'm torn in two and I'm the worse off for it, because either way I feel, I'm a bad aushna' for wanting one in lieu of the other instead of accepting what is."

"You're not. You're just you. its okay... I feel the same way." Kal smiled a little, then, and gently tipped Lex's head back further for him to see those beautiful eyes. "I want to stay forever here with CK and you, but even at the same time, its wrong. This is not how things should be. I would never risk taking Clark away from this world, just cause I want to stay here. Clark's worth more than all three of us combined."

Lex nodded his agreement at that. "You're right; he is worth the three of us and more." He just blinked as he looked up at Kal, and two silvery tears dripped down Lex's cheek, one on either side, and that was it. "I hate this entire situation," he said softly.

"I wish it had never happened." Kal whispered, and he bit his lip tightly, chin trembling for a moment as he kissed each tear streak away. "Hush, now. Don't you start imitating CK. Ain't no need to cry, is there?" He gently rubbed his fingers over Lex's ears. "Come on, baldy."

"I don't wish it had never happened, because I wouldn't have you. But I hate it all the same." His tears stopped as soon as those two had fallen, and he closed his eyes as he leaned into Kal's touches.

"I love you." Kal murmured, very quietly. "Come on. lets go sleep a while, okay?" He gently rose and offered his arms to his lover, gently tugging him to standing and linking their hands tightly.

"I love you." Lex rose to his feet and kept his grip tight on Kal's hand. "Sleep... sounds like the best idea I've heard in a while, actually," he continued as he wrapped Kal's other arm around his waist.

Kal held his lover gently, walking to the kitchen door, and sideglanced back at the laundry room door with a little quiet smile. "Lex, you and Clark have to buy Ms. Bird something big and pretty. Shiny."

"We do?" Lex asked softly, following Kal's glance to the laundry room and turned back questioningly. "Dare I ask why?"

"Nope. Just trust me on that, kay? Sparkly. Lots of diamonds, if possible." He smiled down at him as they opened the kitchen door, and left.

- = - = -

Despite the fear of heights, which was currently tempting him to fly with his eyes closed, CK had known he could fly. When he wasn't limited by the fear, when he was open and liberated, he soared, high as the clouds.

Part of him was thankful, as he internalized, that worry and fear for other things didn't seem to block his ability to fly. Because he was scared. Terrified, actually, of being in this situation to begin with, especially without his aushna' and his other, and having to rely on somebody he really didn't like or trust?

CK had, for the briefest second, debated dropping Bruce and letting him fall. There'd be no more problems with this man trying to take his aushna' or inflict his will on Kenep, but CK didn't.

Because it would be wrong.

Instead, he'd listened to Bruce's directions, kept a tight grip on him, and after a few drops in altitude that hadn't been entirely his fault--hey, he was still getting the hang of this, after all--he was dropping slowly through the morning mist towards Wayne Manor.

Bruce had clamped to CK for the better part of an hour. He thought they'd be taking the airplane back to Gotham...how wrong he'd been. No, quite instead CK had grabbed him, hauled him over his shoulders, and Bruce had spent the last forty three minutes clasping arms and legs tightly around CK's shoulders and waist, clamping and holding on tight.

Wayne Manor, sweeping into view, had never looked so good.

They landed easily... CK was a pro at this... and when Bruce's feet touched ground his legs jiggled like they were made of marshmallow, and he had to grab CK's shoulder to keep himself upright. A carefully cleared throat and he nodded, though six shades too pale, and looked up at the door.

"Welcome home, sir." Alfred said demurely, and opened the door a little wider. "Welcome, Mr. Kent. Please come in."

"Th-thank you," CK said, blushing a little. "Ms. Bird? Says hi." He followed Bruce into the house, dusting himself off on the little concrete porch at the top of the steps before going inside.

His jaw dropped. He'd thought Kenep had had a lot of stuff, but Bruce? Had him beat by a mile.

Dick was lounging quietly at the bottom of the stairs, arms crossed over his chest and drumming on his bicep. "How's it hangin', CK?"

CK started. "How--"

"Wally told me," he said with a little smile. "Did you happen to bring back that lousy son of a bitch that I happen to be engaged to?" he asked conversationally.

Alfred gave a very, very light blush and titter at the mention of Ms. Bird, but he cleared his throat and motioned them in.

Oh boy. Bruce winced, though he was very calm and collected, and he cleared his throat quietly as he stepped into the house. He ran his fingers through his impossible hair, cleared his own throat, and straightened his jacket a bit. "Dick. It's six thirty... I didn't think you'd be awake."

"Riiight," he said smoothly. "I should punch your teeth down your throat for this, Wayne."

Bruce carefully winced, though he covered it with a shrug. "I had to do what I had to do. I'm glad Wally filled you in. No time for punching, you can punch me later. Alfred? Lock the doors, and draw all of the bottom floor drapes, please, and meet us downstairs when you're through." He didn't wait for Alfred's response, simply motioning both men along the bottom floor to the glass room.

"Had to do? Right, I got it. Don't you get it, CK? Had to leave me behind. Had to slide out of bed, right after he fucked me, and left me there, to wake up alone, while he went out by himself. I get it just fine."

CK just blushed a bright, beet red and tried to hide behind the nearest room column when Dick invoked his name. "I--I'm not in this."

"Yes, I had to." Bruce said calmly. "We'll talk about this later, Dick." And that was that. He unlocked the glass room, leaving it open for Alfred to follow after he was through. "Still, please." The energy reader and metal detectors went through them, turning the room black and the reading lines green. He listened to it click, before he pushed the Batcave door open. "Lets go. You both first."

"Later my skinny white ass," Dick snarled. "You can ignore me all you want, Bruce Wayne, but you're going to listen to me. You fed me a line of bullshit in the bedroom, about how you wanted me to be with you, how I was good enough, and then the first chance you get, you fucking ditch me. Before I walk in there and put that suit on, you fucking tell me the truth, you ass, because I don't want you hurt because I can't pull my own weight."

Fine. Alright people? Fine. Whatever was left of his pride? Gone. FINE! Just... fucking... "FINE! You just can't… trust my judgments for once in your life! Its always. About. YOU!" Bruce snarled, then caught himself midway and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm under a lot of stress. I don't want to talk about this right now. Later, Dick."

"Right, I think that's all the answer I need." He looked at CK. "Thanks for coming to help, CK. Take care of this stubborn son of a bitch." He gave Alfred a nod on his way out.

Bruce grit his teeth, tightly, his fists clenching before he turned from CK and snagged Dick before he walked out of the front door. turned him, and gave him a shake. "Stop it. Don't you fucking turn away from me."

Dick spun around angrily. "I told you once before not to put your hands on me like that. Take them off or lose them."

Bruce didn't. "I did it to protect you. I needed to talk to Lex alone. I couldn't lose my pride in front of you, going to beg for help. Alright? Is that what you wanted to know?"

Dick knocked Bruce's hands off. "You're a stupid fuck, Bruce Wayne," he hissed. "You could never fucking lose your pride because it's inside you. It's what makes you who you are, and if you could stop for five minutes being so obsessed about it, you'd see that you never lost it in the first fucking place, especially not in my eyes!"

"Not to me. I don't have anything but my pride." Bruce glared at him. "And don't call me names, Dick."

Dick's eyes flared again. "I know one thing you've got, besides your fucking pride."

"I have you." Bruce said, more quietly, as he lifted his chin.

"Yes, you do," Dick nodded, because that had been exactly what he was going to say. "If you'd open your eyes and see it."

"I do. But you don't understand me." Bruce answered back, his eyebrows tightly furrowed as he turned back to a blushing, staring CK. "Lets get down to the cave."

Dick growled softly. "I do understand you; you just don't have to worry about how you look to me, because I always see the man who makes me so proud to be his." He gave Bruce a swift kick in the ass as Bruce turned back to the cave.

CK had been staring the crystal and the plates on the shelving, trying as hard as he could not to hear the yelled the discussion behind him, but when one's hearing was super? One heard.

Bruce turned, and his eyes glittered darkly in anger. "Do you? Do you understand? Because if you did, you wouldn't have wondered why I needed to go and beg by myself. But you don't see it." He turned and walked back into the glass room, nodding at CK once before angrily yanking open the huge metal door.

Dick stalked past CK and followed Bruce into the Batcave. "I do understand, Bruce, because it's all part of why I love you. If I didn't? I wouldn't have been here when you got home. You don't understand that no matter what you do, you are Bruce and nothing you do is going to change that in my eyes. I am the one person who isn't going to think less of you for anything and you keep treating me like everybody else!"

"Wow." CK's eyes were huge as he looked around. "Kenep would... Kenep would love this place," he said, a little catch in his voice as he tried to clear it out. "He? Would be at home with the... stuff."

"Lex has been here." Bruce said absently at CK, even as he glared across at Dick. "Fine, then. What would you like, Dick? Change the habits I've had for the last twenty years of my life? You know, there was a time when I wouldn't have even left a note. But you're still crawling up my ass!"

"How about you fucking take me along next time!" Dick yelled. "Get it through that thick-ass skull of yours that I DON'T CARE! I love you. You are NEVER going to be anything less than GREAT to me!" he blasted.

CK shook his head. "I thought Kenep was loud."

"Lex is a miniphone in comparison." Bruce sighed quietly back, even as his glare darkened at Dick. "How about you trust my decisions, Dick? I'm not infallible, but I'd like some goddamned trust once in a while. If I didn't take you it was because there was a reason. I did what I set out to do, CK is here, isn't he?"

"I do trust your decisions," Dick pointed out quietly. "If you remember? I was the only one who backed your idea to bring CK here, even when Diana and Wally were up your ass about it. So do me a favor? Don't go there."

Bruce glared back, but instead of retorting he went silent, glaring as he walked down the walkway towards the main computer, and detouring at the last moment to the small metal room that held all of the suits.

Dick returned the glare, well used to the Wayne Brooding Stare by now, and grumbled as he followed Bruce into the storage room.

CK just shook his head. "Why? I mean, are you worried about Kenep? When you've got problems of your own?" Then he peered into the metal room and gave a little squeak. "Mine?"

Bruce pointed. Along the wall, waiting for the wearers to done them, were three costumes, all made of thick shielding rubber. One of red and black, one of black, and one of red and blue. Clarks. Or rather, CK's. "Yes, CK. The red and blue one, that's yours. We're going to help you put it on."

"Wow. Those... those are great. Kenep said he saw them but these are so cool." CK bounced on his heels like a little kid. "Can I keep the cape too?"

"Yeah, you can keep the cape too." Bruce couldn't help a tiny smile. "You're going to keep the suits here, until you've started your live as Super... Super Man, is it?" He turned his eyes on him, asking with a raised brow. "Lex finished the emblem as well. The S is sufficient?" he motioned to the emblem on the chest.

He nodded. "Yeah, Superman. Man comma Super. Super Man." He tried out the different variations on his tongue and then he just stared at the emblem that Bruce had just pointed out, and reminded himself to give Kenep a huge kiss. "He did it!!!"

Bruce just nodded, smiling a little as Alfred came down the steps and joined him at his side. "Yes. he did a very nice job on it, too. Dick, help Alfred get the pieces separated? I'm going to get the gadgets and things."

Alfred nodded and swept no-nonsense into the room. He carefully began to take the two pieces of the suit apart, then the third and fourth parts, cape and boots, went to sit on a wooden table by the door, as he nodded. "You must remove all clothing but your underpants, Master Kent."

CK's eyes got huge in his head when Alfred said that. "You... you mean... naked? Like... all the clothes off?" He blinked. "Do I have to? Can't it go... you know, over the clothes?"

Alfred's lips twitched. It wasn't often that one of his young masters was modest, and he found it to be a refreshing breath of air to see the young man before him paling and reddening in succession. "The suit is skin tight, to protect you completely, young Master Kent. Please, remove your clothing. I will turn around if you feel modest."

"M-m-modest? No, it's not that. I just don't like taking my clothes off in front of strangers--no offense, I'm sure you're a nice guy and everything, but so far? Kenep's been the only one to see what I've got and I kinda would really like for it to stay that way?"

Alfred almost choked on the snort that came up in his throat. Almost. He covered it with a cleared throat, arms going behind his back, and one eyebrow raising. "I assure you sir, my heart belongs to another. I will not look. The suit will not work with clothing; it does body readings of temperature and pulse. I have helped Master Wayne into his own costume a thousand times."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" Little growl at the mention of Bruce, and he shot a dark look over his shoulder. And then he tucked it away, because he had a job to do, and snarling at Bruce, no matter how good it felt, was not going to help. "This is going to be severely weird," he muttered, his eyes still huge as he started to unbutton his flannel shirt.

Alfred just rose a brow, even as the voices rose outside again, and he just rolled those same eyes up into his head.

"Dick, we'll talk about this later, alright?" Bruce's glower was absolutely furious. "We don't have time for a lovers spat. I told you I'm sorry, what else do you want?"

"I want you to fucking realize that I'm not gonna look down on you or judge you for anything!" he growled, stalking over to his Robin costume and rubbing his hand over the hard molded rubber. "The kid that fought so hard for this suit, Bruce? He's not gonna think anything less of the guy he's in love with, no matter what he does. Yeah. I was wrong to leave you, and I'm tryin' to make up for that, but if you don't give me some kinda credit here, then what the fuck's the point? You're never gonna trust me enough."

CK shrugged out of his flannel shirt and slid out of the white cotton t-shirt underneath, and couldn't help the shiver. Even to his super skin, the rock walls of the cave were slightly chilly. He shivered out of his jeans next, unzipping them and kicking them off and down, pausing only to peel off his shoes and his socks, then folded them up and shifted from bare foot to bare foot on the uncomfortably cold metal scaffolding.

Bruce whirled on him, his entire body shaking in anger and disbelief. "Wrong to leave me? Credit? You ran away from me for 7 months. I spent the better part of a year looking for you, and when I got to you, you didn't want me. I had to convince you to even see me. I'm not going to sit and beg for you when things don't go the way you want it to. I'm tired of begging for you to understand, and I'm tired of having to explain my every action to you. I don't trust you? No, I don't trust you. You left me. But I'm learning how to trust you again, if you can learn to give and take. I did what I thought was best, and I saved us several hours. So just… please."

Alfred winced quietly at the words coming from outside, and looked up as Clark finished undressing. "There we are. First, I'm going to ask you to put this one." It was a leotard of dark midnight blue. "This will keep the rubber from chafing your skin, but is made of a special materiel that allows it to almost meld with your skin."

Dick's eyes were glittering with hurt and anger as he looked at Bruce again. "I'm not asking you to beg, Bruce. I'd never ask that of you, and you should know better than that by now." His hands tightened briefly in Robin's cape before he crossed his arms over his chest and met Bruce's glare head-on with one of his own. "Give and take? How, exactly, does that work, Bruce? I give and you take? You don't trust me. Fuck this learning shit, it's obvious that you flat-out don't. One of these days, though? You're going to. And you're going to realize why it pisses me the fuck off when you leave me OUT of things." Deep breath, and he clenched his fists. "I'm going upstairs, Bruce. Because I can be a team player, but I'm not going play on a team where the captain is looking for a knife in his back from me."

CK was flushing at the angry words, even as he tried ignoring them, but there was the whole super-hearing hearing shouted stuff again. He took the leotard and flushed, then looked down at his underpants. "They're. Not fitting under this thing, are they?"

Bruce's anger only increased. "How, then, would you explain my ability to take you back to my bed, after you warmed another for months, if it is not trust? How, then, would you explain how I gave in to your requests, and let you join me by my side? I have lived a certain way all of my life, and as I said before, you're asking me to change twenty years of ingrained actions in a few months, and that's not how it happens. As for begging, you did make me beg for you. You did. And I've done it, I've begged, I've set aside my goddamn fucking pride and I begged you to come back to me. I can't... do any more, not right now. You are my lover, but I'll be damned if I'm going to apologize for everything I do, when I do it, and its the right thing to do."

Alfred quietly shook his head. "You must remove them, Master Kent. I'll turn around." And he did so, following suit and turning his back on Clark.

Giving in. Pacifying me. For some reason, that hurt Dick more than anything else Bruce had said to him. "Given in, huh? You don't have to give in anymore, Bruce." Dick's voice was quiet. "Go find someone else to be your Robin. I'm obviously not qualified." His biker boots echoed on the scaffolding as he started out of the suit vault, and back towards the cave exit.

CK's blushing modesty made him use his super-speed, tossing off the underpants and shimmying into the body-hugging leotard in only a few seconds. He tried to reach down and adjust himself to be less... blatant, but no matter what he did, it was just sort of... there. And he only blushed redder as he tried to stammer out Alfred's name. "You can turn around now."

Panic clawed up into Bruce's throat like a live animal, and he wanted to scream for his lover not to leave. His fingers grasped the back of the chair tightly and his one fear came out to bite him in the ass. Dick. Dick leaving, again. Dick leaving him again, and his voice was hoarse when he called out. "Don't go."

"You see? You don't trust me," Dick said softly. "I told you I was going upstairs, and you don't even believe that." He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans as he walked.

It felt like his throat was closing, and when. The fuck. Had Bruce Wayne gotten this needy? It made him feel disgustingly uneasy and panicky, and he couldn't handle it. He just closed his eyes and gripped the back of the chair even tighter. How could Dick expect him to forget all those months of searching, of his entire life being one endless black ravine of anger and pain. How could he expect him to forget that Dick had fucked someone else, all the while Bruce begged whoever might be listening for his lover back? How could this be happening, to him? It all went to show, any happiness in his life wasnt meant to be there. Bruce didn't say a word more to him, just taking the belt he'd just finished screwing and snapping closed, and walked to the silver dome that held the costumes. "Are you decent, Clark?"

Alfred turned, and sideglanced the door, before Clark. "He is dressed. Please come in."

Dick just kept walking, climbing the few steps that led from the vault to the main floor of the Batcave, then out through the corridor that led to the silver closet. Wanted to do nothing more than get on his bike and roar away, just like he always did, but he couldn't. Couldn't leave his home, his lover, his friend, his responsibilities, anything.

Instead, he just kept walking, out of the closet, out into the house proper and up towards the bedroom. Where nobody would notice if he cried.

CK swallowed hard and fought the instinct to reach down and cover his crotch with his hands. Then he remembered who he was dealing with and he straightened up, throwing his shoulders back and his chest out proudly, as though daring Bruce to find fault with him *or* his bond to Kenep.

Bruce didn't say anything to the chauvinistic male stance CK had taken, and winced, quietly. "Sorry. Called you Clark. Its hard to remember your name, at times. I see you've put the leotard on." He nodded, and eyed the fit critically. "Its a little short in the leg, but it will do. Any uncomfortable hair pulling?"

CK just gave a little shrug. "I'll answer to Clark, but just for today. It's... probably going to be less confusing that way. Cause... you don't seem like a nickname person, Bruce, and to anybody else, CK'll sound like a nickname. Since everyone else knows me as Clark, you can call me Clark. But know, I'm not Clark." Little growl. "You can't scare me like you scare him." He gave a headshake. "The hair is fine."

"I don't mean to scare you." Bruce said wearily. Too tired for more fights, not with a nineteen year old kid. Especially not with a nineteen year old kid. "Lets see. Alfred, you've got the suit taken apart? Excellent. Alright, Clark, lets get the bottom part on, first. The rubber is going to close very tight, and very firmly, around your legs. If there's any discomfort, tell me while we're putting it on, hmm?" He took the bottom set and crouched down, Alfred on the other side. "Sit on the chair right behind you."

CK couldn't help his reaction to Bruce coming near him. His body started to expand, shoulders thickening, chest broadening, hair getting shaggier as his cheekbones got a little sharper. His forearms grew, his hips firmed up, and his legs grew wider and heavier, his thighs like tree trunks as his muscles became more defined. The tight leotard that had hugged his skin before now molded onto him like a second skin, showing every inch of his transformation.

Bruce's eyes went wide as saucers, and he blinked as he realized what was happening. "Fascinating. I've made your suit designed to withstand this… its a more flexible rubber. When you expand and then shrink back down to normal size the suit will go with you, and will be constantly comfortable. But for now, try to relax, alright? We need you to be a little more normal to get this on properly."

"Then step away." When CK spoke, even his voice had grown, dropping an octave into a heavy, but still pleasing to the ear, baritone. "You have given challenge for my mate; my instincts react to that. Step back."

Bruce kept from rolling his eyes. Barely. He stood and took two steps back, crossing his arms across his chest, as Alfred watched on in obvious amusement. "Did you not just hear my fight with Dick? I'm not interested in Lex. I haven't been interested in many years. He's my friend. That's it."

As Bruce moved out of CK's immediate action range, his body reacted, slowly deflating, over a span of moments, to his usual size. "I have heard. You still give challenge for my mate. You would take him away, without his permission or mine. You have no right to do so; you must win that right through challenge. Therefore you have given me a challenge for my mate, and we will reckon it, you and I." Then he gave a little whimper, and pressed his hands to the side of his head. "My head hurts."

"I would take him away because you're a danger to yourself, sometimes, CK. Please, don't argue with me right now. I've had enough arguing for one morning." His glare was sharp. "Your head hurts because your hormones and adrenaline are leveling out. Can you get the rubber on by yourself?"

Even through the headache, CK glared. "You will not take him away. I will kill you first. Know that before you try." He cradled his head a minute more, and then nodded. "Yeah. Yeah. I think so. It just hurts." He rubbed his temples with the heels of his hands as hard as he could, trying to massage out the pain.

"If you hurt him, I'll kill you first." Bruce said evenly back. "Alfred will help you get dressed. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"I'm not going to hurt Kenep. Stop thinking I would." He glared, and then rubbed his temples again. "Okay. Go."

Bruce nodded, gave Alfred a look that plainly said 'keep an eye on him', and walked out of the cave. He closed the glass case behind him, then the door to the cave itself, and went looking for his lover. He figured he'd be in the bedroom, so he carefully walked up the stairs, silent as always, and stopped.

He heard his lover sobbing from the hallway.

He carefully, so carefully, opened the bedroom door and crossed it, to sit on the bed beside his lover, and without waiting to find out if his embrace would be accepted, wrapped his arms around Dick's shoulders and brought him close.

Dick didn't hear Bruce coming into the bedroom, but he rarely did, so silently did his lover walk. Instead, he just turned around when he felt arms sliding around him, familiar arms at that, and he leaned into them. His own arms went tightly around Bruce's waist, holding on as tightly as he could, burying his face in Bruce's strong, warm shoulder.

"I'm sorry." Bruce said very quietly, relaxing an iota when Dick didn't shove him away. "I do trust you. I'm sorry I left you this morning." Murmured, quietly into Dick's hair, where he pressed his cheek gently.

Dick didn't say anything for a minute, just kept his face in Bruce's shoulder until he choke out words past the lump in his throat. "I was scared. That you were just saying things because I wanted to hear them. That you didn't really want me around."

"I went looking for you for months." Bruce said quietly, as he stroked through all of that thick, lovely hair. "After all that, why wouldn't I want you around?"

"Because nobody else ever did," he confessed. "Bruce... you don't get how much I love you. I was a scared, stupid kid for leaving, and I grew up so much when you came because you did come. I know I'm not perfect, but please... just... try and see how much I love you." His grip was tight on Bruce's shoulders. "I want to help you with everything. Not because I have to, or shit like that, but because I want to be with you. Please let me."

"If anything," Bruce murmured, quietly. "I thought you didn't want me around. Put yourself in my shoes just for a minute, and imagine that because of the walls and barriers you had put around yourself, the one person you could finally let in and love left you one night without a note. Without a word. Imagine that you love this person so much that you'll put your life on hold and go looking for him, and when you do find him, he's moved on. Tell me, Dick. Tell me how you would react, and how you would feel, when he agreed to come home with you."

Like a child who knew he'd done wrong, Dick didn't answer, just cried harder and held on to Bruce tighter.

Bruce held him, even tighter, in pain, and rocked him softly against his chest. "I love you so much, Dick. I don't want you to leave. I can't help who I am. I tried to do the right thing today, by going to go get him alone. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I'm not leaving again," Dick said. "I can't, you don't get it. Everything in my world is right here sitting beside me."

"I love you. You're my whole world, don't you see? I'm nothing without you, and everything with you. I love you so much. Please, just have patience with me. I know I screw up." Bruce said softly, rocking him still, for his own soothing and for Dicks, as well.

"I screw up too," Dick said, holding tight and rocking with his lover. "I screw up all the time. If you won't kick me out, I'll never leave you again." He swallowed hard. "Be honest with me, though, about this? Do you... did you really just humor me? Or... do you really think I'm capable of being Robin?"

"Think about what you just asked." Bruce murmured, his voice thick and hoarse. "If I didn't think you could hold your own, would I ever put you in danger?"

Dick shook his head. "But you said it."

The animal of panic clawed at the base of his throat again. "I didn't mean it. I was just angry. You are worthy, Dick."

Quiet little pause. "Then can I come with you? Tonight? This afternoon, whenever you leave? Will you let me do what you've trained me to do and fight beside you instead of with you?"

No, no, stay where its safe, goddamn you! "Yes." He grit out after a moment, physically painful to get out, but.. "I know you'll do well."

Dick's hand rose to stroke Bruce's tight chest. "Don't. Don't try and keep me safe, okay? Or let me do it in return; I know it's dangerous, but it's not me that Bane's got his sights on. For whatever reason, it's you. Let me help keep you safe for once."

Bruce wanted to shake his head, scream at him, and tie him in the closet until Bane was captured. Of course, if he did it Dick would never forgive him, but that was almost okay, as long as he was safe. But a selfish, stupid part of Bruce didn't want to go out without Dick, and he looked at him, for several long moments. "If something... happens, I don't know if I could make it through."

"Nothing will happen," Dick said confidently. "I can be careful. And if things get too much, I'll pull back. I promise, Bruce. But you have to promise too."

"You have to be." For my sanity. Bruce carefully stroked Dick's face, then brought him in for a quiet, gentle, soft kiss. "I wish there were time for more." He whispered against his lovers lips, as he stroked his fingers through tight, tiny curls.

"I will be." He wrapped his arms tightly around Bruce's waist, and closed his eyes happily for the gentle kiss. "I do too, but this is enough." He kissed Bruce back, just as softly. "There'll be time later, for anything we want to do."

Will there be? He kissed again, softly, a little deeper, tasting tears and heat, pain and need. His tongue slid gently over the tastes, cataloguing and taking them in, as he kissed his beautiful Robin. "I love you."

"I love you," Dick replied softly, his fingers stroking through Bruce's hair, holding tightly. "I love you more than anything."

"I'm glad you can forgive an old man his stupidity." Bruce murmured into his lovers lips, gently, as he skimmed quietly along them.

"You're not stupid," Dick said, sniffling and trying for a smile.

"Just old?" Bruce asked quietly, hoping for a better smile, as his thumb gently swept over a jaw line.

"Yeah, just an old man." He pulled back and gave Bruce a smile. "My old man."

Bruce watched him, quietly, and still sensed something very, very wrong. So he tried, as all else failed, for a compliment. "You're the most headstrong man I've ever known. Worse than Lex, even."

"Gotta be stubborn, if I'm gonna hold my own with you!" Dick rubbed his head under Bruce's chin. "I love you."

"I love you." Bruce said gently, as his fingers stroked over Dick's hair. "We're okay?"

Dick nodded. "We're okay. I'm sorry I had a tantrum."

"You didn't. You had a right to know where I was and why I'd left you. If you'd done it to me, I'm sure I would have been as frustrated with you as you were with me." Acknowledgement stung like a wasp, and he sighed.

Dick nuzzled into the sigh. "You won't next time. We'll learn, okay? We'll learn how to deal with each other on adult levels."

The quiet snort was completely out of his control

"Quasi-adult?"

A raised brow. "Your expectazions, zey are, how do you zay... vewy high?"

Dick couldn't help cracking up at the bad accent. "You suck at accents, Mr. Wayne."

He knew, but he did it just for this man, whenever possible, because seeing him laugh was the often the highlight of his existence. "I'll thank you kindly to not tell anyone that."

"That you suck? I think the rest of the world's kind of filled in that blank when they saw us together." Dick snickered. "But your accent suckiness will stay with me."

A very quiet little growl. "One might say that its a favorite pastime of mine." He glanced at the clock, then back at Dick with animal intent in his eyes. "Ten minutes."

Dick followed his look to the clock, and ground his hips gently against Bruce's lap. "That's enough time."

"Quick. Messy." Bruce murmured, gently, as he ground up as Dick did downward, stroking and rubbing in pleasure as he licked Dick's cheek, his throat. "What would you prefer for our ten minute quickie?" Bruce whispered, softly, teasingly, as he ran his teeth over Dick's earlobe.

Dick purred softly as Bruce licked him. "You pick; I picked last time, want you to enjoy this too."

"Your pleasure is my pleasure." Bruce murmured quietly, carefully licking over his lovers throat as he moved down his throat, nipping and sucking at the bruise he'd left the night before. He kissed it, reverently, and carefully, slowly, slid his lover down in front of him to the bed. He unbuttoned his lovers jeans deftly, tugging down to reveal a pale hip, and his lips quirked. "No underwear?" He asked softly, as he ran his teeth where his fingers had just touched, and bit into his lovers hip.

"Didn't bother when I got dressed this morning... found you gone, just got dressed fast so I could look for you before I found the note." He nipped Bruce's earlobe and sucked it between his teeth. "Didn't like waking up to a note."

"I'm sorry." Bruce said quietly, sincerely, as he carefully tugged his lovers jeans down. He grasped his lovers cock, hardening it with his fingers, as he disappeared down under his lovers thighs. He lifted Dick's legs to his back and licked across his lovers little starburst opening.

The taste was sharp and shocking, and he blinked twice before he realized that it was the come from last night.

And he moaned. Loudly. Deeply. Extremely un-Bruce like. And drove his tongue in, deep.

"It's okay," Dick said, but it cut off halfway through with a groan as Bruce carefully stripped him from the waist down, and then licked. Then thrust. He groaned again, tilting his hips up further and holding his lover's shoulders tightly with his knees as he shivered, keeping himself open and balanced as Bruce rimmed him.

Bruce had never encountered anything so incredibly arousing and pride swelling. His lover, still marked with his seed, not even having had time to clean himself, and he moaned again, stroking in and out as his fingers continued on his lovers cock. His own hips rocked against the sheets like he was still a teenager but did he ever not care, just moaning deeply in pleasure.

Dick panted, and his knees tightened around Bruce's ears, and he shuddered. "M-move. Switch around, let me suck too, let me have you, please please."

Bruce shook his head from below his lovers sight. No. This wasn't how it would work. He licked and laved until he couldn't anymore, then spit on his fingers without thinking about how gross that was, using it as lube. He stroked a finger firmly into his lover, stroking twice, barely waiting for him to get stretched enough for two fingers before he pressed his middle finger in along with the pointer finger. He stroked, over and over, twice, three times, four, scissoring.

Couldn't wait. He scrambled for the lube bottle they'd left on the bedside table just last night, and his hands were shaking as he set the bottle by his knee and unzipped his own jeans.

Dick's legs kicked carefully, pushing his jeans down off over his boots, kicking the heavy boots off too so they didn't hurt Bruce's back and he moaned with every rough movement of his lover's fingers. Harsh moans and little rocking grunts as he writhed, and he nudged the bottle rapidly, let's go, Bruce, please. He was whimpering and rubbing against him, moaning.

Bruce pulled his cock out as his lover nudged, and stroked over it twice to fully harden it outside of his slacks. He opened the lube bottle quickly, hands shaking as he squirted an ample amount and rubbed it over his cock.

He didn't wait. He grasped himself around the base and leaned over his lover, claiming Dick's mouth as he pressed the blunt head against the starburst and pushed until it opened around him. Pressed in in a single, thick stroke and didn't wait as he often did, as he began to thrust into his lover in hard, bruising movements. His mouth claimed Dick's, hard, biting and sucking as he groaned, and he leaned his chest against Dick's chest as he whispered, "Your ass tastes like me."

Dick's brain was whirring as his body processed his lover's hard, rapid movements and he gripped Bruce's cock tightly with his muscles. "It's yours, it should," he whimpered out, riding each of Bruce's thrusts with a bouncing motion in his lover's lap. His arms clung to Bruce's chest as they rode together, rocking and squeezing. "Like it?"

"Do you have to ask?" Bruce groaned gruffly, as he leaned down and grasped Dick's cock tightly, in as firm a grip he could have, and began to stroke him off, his free hand shoving Dick's shirt up so he could feast on tight, agonizingly delicious nipples. "Fucking...fucking love it. Mine, all mine, no one else can ever have it again."

One of Dick's hands went to rest on the bed, bracing his weight as he writhed on Bruce's cock, and the other hand went to the back of his lover's head. He dragged Bruce closer to his chest, arched his chest so that his nipples begged harder for Bruce's attentions, and he knotted his fingers through the short strands. "Wouldn't let... wouldn't let nobody else have it, just you, only you, was always you." Dick was nearly babbling but he didn't care, just rocking on Bruce's lap as hard as he could.

"Feels so good baby, so good." Bruce moaned, sharply, and then without alerting his lover of his movements, abruptly turned and fell on his back, so Dick was straddling his waist. The erotic picture took his breath away… his lover sitting lanced on his cock, his own proudly jutting from his jeans, and Bruce's entire body shuddered in pleasure as he grasped his lovers hips and began to rock him. Just like this. So fucking gorgeous sitting there, and he was shaking with pleasure as he hissed quietly.

Dick's head swam with the sudden motion, but he clamped his legs tightly around Bruce's hips and started to ride harder, his hands moving to brace on either side of his lover's stomach. His ass squeezed his lover's cock with each pull up and drop down, moaning constantly as Bruce's hands were firm on his hips, moving him, and he couldn't help shuddering, over and over again. Couldn't even look at his own cock, bad enough feeling it throb between his legs, dangling like a weight, but he couldn't, wouldn't touch himself, because he wasn't going to end this yet.

Bruce could almost read his lovers eyes and he kept his fingers light, carefully stroking over heavy balls as they slapped against his lovers jeans with each thrust. He stroked in and out, almost lazy though his lust was heavy, and he groaned again, deeply at the sight his beautiful lover made. Bruce didn't think Dick knew how beautiful he was, but Bruce made sure to whisper it every day, just as he did now. "I love you, you're so beautiful, moving just like that, your skin looks like the sun."

Hot shivers cut through him at the sound of Bruce's throaty, husky sex-voice, which was so much like the Batman's gravelly rumble that it made his belly turn to water when he thought about it. His ass clenched tighter around Bruce as he leaned forward, nuzzling his face into Bruce's throat, sucking hard at his lover's Adam's apple as he rocked, blushing but not denying the compliment as he made sure to mark Bruce vividly.

Bruce groaned, deeply, his body shaking as he began to thrust into that impossibly tight, hot sheath. "So gorgeous, so fucking beautiful baby." He grasped his lovers hips a little tighter, planted his feet flat on the bed and rose up, so on the next thrust, he nudged his lovers prostate. And as he did so he gave his cock a firm squeeze, jacking it off roughly as his next thrust fell, right on the little gland.

A hoarse cry tore out of Dick's throat as his body convulsed involuntarily and his cock shuddered. He let go of Bruce's shoulder and wrapped his hand around his lover's, jacking his cock off together as he exploded. White-hot and fast, it combusted behind his eyelids in huge flare of ecstasy, and he shuddered hard against his lover's body.

Bruce groaned, deeply, as he watched his lover come, and it was more from the physical beauty of what he saw then the squeeze of muscles around his cock that made him erupt right alongside his lover. He gave a short cry of pleasure as he pressed upwards, eyes closing tightly for a moment until he let them fly open, watching his lover rocking his way through his orgasm. God, it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

Dick's eyes were still closed, head dropped back, throat bobbing as he panted, body bowed as his cock slid through a slippery fist. He was rocking, lazily, squeezing Bruce's cock as much as he could, encouraging his lover to come as his come-covered fingers linked through Bruce's and anchored himself to some kind of reality.

Bruce would never get over how good bare back felt. He groaned, softly, deeply, as he felt his lovers body accepting everything it was given, and the fact that he was putting more there, more from last night, he trembled, and shivered all over in the dark, deep, hungry pleasure of the claimed and the claimer. He purred and kissed Dicks fingers, then his face, lips, taking and giving warm, deep kisses.

Dick's eyes cracked open at the touch of lips on his, and he gave a little smile to see Bruce's dark eyes so close to his. His clean hand came up and held his lover's face with a gentle touch, stroking over his cheek and petting him just a little, licking and mmming softly at the taste.

Bruce grinned, softly, eyes slit half closed as he undulated his hips under his lovers. "I wish I could keep you like this forever. At my mercy." Bruce murmured, quietly, his fingers trailing up under the slightly damp t-shirt to tickle soft nipples.

"I am at your mercy, Bruce," Dick said softly, sliding his hands over Bruce's chest. "I've always been."

"I know." Bruce murmured, quietly, as he licked the corner of his lovers lips softly and side glanced the clock. "Hmm. Seven minutes."

"Used or left?" Dick asked, eyes crossed.

Bruce snickered, quietly, wickedly. "Used. Three minutes..." He lifted his hips and undulated again, where his cock had begun to harden again. "You know, I have a very nice clean bill of health." He murmured.

Dick cracked an eye open. "Despite my joke earlier? You're not a minute man, Bruce. Not even I have a trigger that fast, and I'm younger than you are."

"Maybe I was just inspired." He said, softly, as he ran his hand down his lovers flank to his hip, caressing softly.

Dick purred at the stroke. "Inspired, huh?" He squeezed Bruce's dick with his ass, where he hadn't slid out yet.

"Very inspired." Bruce murmured back at him, his lips twitching when Dick squeezed, as his own fingers slid across his lovers still damp cock. They'd caught the come in their hands, and he used what was still in his palm to stroke over his lovers flaccid cock.

"I like being inspirational." Each of the strokes on his cock cause Dick's sheath to tighten and ripple around Bruce's cock, and he squirmed just a little, seating his lover deeper in.

"I find that, on occasion, I enjoy it as well. Its a nice passing sport, isn't it?" Punctuated with a firmer squeeze, and his eyes flashed and sparkled with the squeeze it created on his cock, which was again growing interested.

"You're inspirational yourself," Dick grunted softly, thrusting his hips forward, his cock sliding in Bruce's grip as he tightened on his cock. "Especially... when you're all bad-ass. Makes me... want to jump you."

"Really?" Bruce said quietly, as he slowly stroked, the thrust forward of his lovers hips making him twitch in pleasure. "I love this. I love it when you're over me like this, did you know? Getting off on me. Its fucking gorgeous."

"Really," Dick nodded, moving faster on Bruce's cock as he thrust forward into the stroking. "When you get... all rumbly on the job? I'm so glad for the jock. Makes me hard in a heartbeat, hearing that... hot too, knowing that I get to fuck you when the suits come off."

His lips twitched, and Bruce's voice dipped down to the octave he used while he was Batman. "You mean like this, little Robin?" He purred, as he jerked his hips up to rub against his lovers gland.

"FUCK!" Dick slammed down against Bruce as he jerked up, the rumbling voice coupled with the stabbing thrust to his prostate and the rumble of his name in that voice sent Dick rapidly over the edge, coming hard and fast as he shuddered, sucking a violent kiss from Bruce's mouth as he rumbled.

"Holy shit!" Bruce cried, as his lover came. Again! His eyes widened into twin spheres, his erection impossibly hard as his lovers body massaged it into heat, and he grunted, hard, as he watched in shock. The creamy, white come on his hands from Dicks cock, was a shock, and he stared at it, then up at his lover, blinking twice, three times, in rapid succession.

Dick leaned over again and sucked more bruising kisses from Bruce's skin, purpling little rings of teethmarks that circled the front of his throat and would be well hidden by the cowl. "Told you... the voice makes me hot," he admitted, a little red-faced as he rose and lowered himself on Bruce's cock, squeezing his lover as he rocked.

Bruce's eyes were still wide, though in pleasure as his lips spread into a grin, his lips reaching for his lovers as he looked at him deviously. "Have I found a new kink?" He asked in amusement, his hips moving slowly, and sure, they were three minutes over the ten minute deadline, but oh well.

"Maybe," Dick admitted with a blush. "I can't help that the Bat turns me on. Not like you do, but... he has his charms." He undulated gently against his lover as Bruce reached for him, and leaned into the touch.

"Really? I've heard rumors that he's got a cock twelve inches long." There was still a great deal of amusement in Bruce's voice, even as he jerked and stroked up when something felt incredibly pleasurable, and he purred.

"Yeah, I heard the same thing from this Selina cat," he smirked, with a little undulation on top of Bruce.

Bruce's lips twitched, violently. "She was before your time." He murmured, even as he grunted and shifted, rocking upwards and grasping his lovers hips. "Though I don't know if I'd... oh... mind you sucking on a twelve inch cock, as long as I got to watch. Think you'd get it down in one swallow?"

Dick raised his eyebrows. "We could call Whitney and see; I hear he's hung to make a horse jealous." He cackled softly and slid his hands up to rub Bruce's chest, scraping his fingernails lightly over his lover's nipples.

Bruce made a slight face at him even as he arched into the scrapes, and purred deeply as his thrusting increased. "Like... the idea of you sucking me too much." He murmured, groaning softly. "Love the idea of you filled with my come even more." He whispered, even though it was hard for him to say, and he shuddered in the pleasure it gave him to share that thought.

Dick clamped down at that little revelation, and leaned back. His body flexed, his back almost touching the back of the bed as he bent his body entirely backwards, his hands scrabbling under the pillows until he came up with the cleaned black plug from the night before, and straightened with a click of his spine, then licked the tapered head before sliding the damp plastic over Bruce's nipples.

Bruce twitched as he saw the black flash of what was surely their butt plug, and he shifted, arching and thrusting in hard, twice, before exploding. He groaned as the orgasm was wrenched from his balls, retracting and aching in what was both pleasure and pain, and he gave the cry of pleasure and OW. But he was grinning as he groaned, his body shuddering as he emptied into his lover, and he shivered again as he brought him down for a kiss. "Nearly wrenched my cock off." He murmured into his lovers mouth.

"Guess that makes me the tight ass?" he whispered into Bruce's ear, and then let his forehead rest against Bruce's shoulder. "I love you. I need you to know that. That no matter if we fight, I love you."

"I love you." Bruce whispered back, his chest still heaving with pants, and he looked across, at the clock. "Sixteen...sixteen minutes." He said, between the pants for breath, even as he grinned up at him. "So much for quickie."

"I think in the grand scheme of the world, six minutes isn't going to kill anybody," he grinned back.

Bruce sobered, immediately, at his lovers words, and his brow knit tightly as he gently stroked warm hips, and shook his head. "You might be wrong about that. Lets get going, what do you think?" He asked softly, as he carefully rose Dick's hips up.

Dick nodded. "Yeah. Maybe we should, at that." He pulled himself off Bruce, and winced gently as their skin separated with a little squelchy suctiony sound.

Bruce grinned again, and he carefully picked up the butt plug. He looked at it, longingly, for a moment, before shaking his head and setting it to the side. "Too much distraction. You want to go shower?"

"I think we both should," he said with a little nose wrinkle. "Or else we're going to be smelling like overripe rhinos in all that rubber."

Bruce chuckled softly as he rubbed his aching cock, which was finally softening, and rose up, toeing out of his shoes and tugging his shirt the rest of the way off. He shimmied out of his slacks and walked past Dick, to turn the hot water on in the bathroom and get it ready.

Dick stripped his shirt off too, and used it to wipe his hands clean as he gathered up all their clothes, and dumped them into the hamper on the way to the bathroom, because Bruce would get pissed if he left dirty clothes on the floor. "In the interest of time? We shower together. But? No funny business," he muttered to his cock.

 

 

-fin-

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