april catch-all.

[beknight]

Who: bruce wayne (beknight) & various others.
What: shenanigans for april
When: throughout april
Where: everywhere
Warning(s): none yet, will add if needed.

Comments

[beknight]

And you'd rather ask permission than forgiveness.

[ Something he already knew — or Clark would have taken that ship instead of leave it in the hands of S.T.A.R. Labs, amongst other things. It's fine. Bruce is here to do the opposite when it's necessary. More often than necessary. ]

[apricitous]

I'd rather not know something than make you feel as if you don't want to tell it to me.

[ A slight correction, but an important one. ]

[beknight]

[ A short sound: sharp, amused. Followed by a soft sigh — he scrubs his hand through his hair. He wants to laugh at this, honestly, he really does, but truthfully he's drawn to it, wants it constantly, and that's become a kind of tired resignation. Of knowing he's always going to be a little off-balance around Clark. ]

Do you like the car?

[ Trick question: the only answer is yes. ]

[apricitous]

[ The laugh, short as it sounds, makes him smile and the sigh just has him shrugging. It's just how he feels. As for the car: ]

Aesthetically or for practical matters?

[ It IS yes, but he's going to make him work for it a little. ]

[beknight]

[ With a faint air of fond exasperation, ]

Clark.

[ The answer is both. ]

[apricitous]

Do you want me to just say it's a very nice car?

[ He's trying not to be patronizing or a simple yes man.]

Yes, it's a lovely car.

[beknight]

[ He hums, soft and pleased. ]

Think you might like to drive it?

[apricitous]

I think...

[ How do you actually answer that?]

I have no idea what it'd be like to drive it. A lot different from a tractor. Or a Toyota.

[beknight]

You'll have to keep wondering, because there's no chance of it.

[ He punctuates with a quick, mischievous smirk. Even Dick, the clear favourite, had to wear him down to get into the driver's seat. ]

[apricitous]

Now I'm just feeling like you're playing a bait and switch.

Is there anything I get to try down here?

[ He gestures playfully all around the cave.]

[beknight]

I have some equipment over there.

[ He points to the training area, beyond it, some half-built objects hidden in shadow. Batarangs, collapsible staff, smoke bombs, flash bombs, et cetera. ]

You're welcome to all the old cases on the computer. I'd ask if you wanted a drink —

[ He lifts a shoulder in a half-shrug. No food or beverage in this room is real except what they bring in. ]

[apricitous]

It'd be about as useful.

[ Booze is largely a lost cause for him other than experience and taste. ]

And all of your old case files are on here?

[beknight]

Yes.

[ He has the entire database memorised. ]

Care for some light reading?

[apricitous]

Always.

[ Anything to know Bruce better. And anything to help give him a more complete understanding; he had a lot in his head about the Bat that was from the outside. Hearing about it from the inside give him a much more complete picture. ]

[beknight]

Be my guest.

[ Reports of every horror in Gotham, solved and unsolved by the Bat. The files in his hand are meticulous, empty of emotion. Some are by Dick and Jason, along with annotations, practicing keeping record. Lists of names, threat designations. Even the file on Superman and the others, all there. Bruce doesn't spare himself the shame, nor does he make excuses. Metahuman abilities are only as useful, only as good — as the person using them — and his overwhelming evidence has been negative. ]

[apricitous]

[ He looks at the console, then over at Bruce. ]

Is there any way to have it transferred to my device? That way I'm not reading while you're just watching.

[ A pause before- ]

Unless you want to watch?

[ See his reactions. Guess what he's reacting to, or check through some system that Bruce knows and he doesn't. There's a surprising lack of concern about the whole thing. It's really just a matter of curiousity. ]

[beknight]

[ His mouth curls into a sharp smile. You left him the opening, Clark, you can't expect him not to take it, ]

I do like to watch.

[apricitous]

[ Who said he just 'left' it there. Or at least that it wasn't intentional. It's hard to tell the way that Clark turns to look him in the eye, lifts his head with a slight tilt to the side, and raises his eyebrows. ]

Do you?

[ And the context is... less about the files now. ]

[beknight]

[ Much less, with the way that wicked smile of Bruce's holds, the deliberate up and down of Clark's body. ]

You need me to say it again?

[apricitous]

What can I say? I like your voice.

[ Clark will continue to look back, through his lashes, curious to see where this might go. ]