THE CALLING

The Batcave

Clark walked into the kitchen to see Bruce crouched down in front of the refrigerator. "What are you looking for?" He asked and Bruce's head jolted back to look at him.

"Bread"

Clark knotted together his eyebrows as he walked around the kitchen island to where Bruce was. "You keep bread in the refrigerator?"

"You don't?"

Their conversation was interrupted when Alfred entered the kitchen and greeted them. "Master Kent! What a pleasant surprise" he eyed Bruce's clothes on Clark and gave Bruce a look, but refrained himself from making any comments. Clark didn't seem to notice, Bruce just rolled his eyes.

"Can I ask you what it is you're looking for, Sir?" Alfred asked Bruce and he had a feeling he would have to face some of Alfred's sassy comments if he says 'bread', because Clark's reaction wasn't so encouraging.

"Nothing, Alf. Can you make me something real quick? I'm hungry"

"Sure, sir" Alfred nodded and Bruce thanked heavens that he didn't tell him he was looking for bread in the refrigerator as he saw him pull out a pack from the kitchen cabinet. He would have had to bear with the teasing until the day one of them died.

In no time, Bruce had his fill and him and Clark was just wandering around the house talking about random stuff like they usually do.

"So, Alfred is the one you keep talking to through your comm links?"

"Yes"

Clark made an impressed face. It was all right under his nose all this time. He felt stupid for never realising it. Wait...

"Bruce…"

"Hm?" Bruce wondered why Clark suddenly came to a halt.

"The Batcave. Can I go there?" He looked up at Bruce expectantly and Bruce raised a brow in amusement.

"Why is everyone so curious about the cave?" He shook his head.

"Because it is THE Batcave!" Clark exclaimed, his hands doing an animated pose.

"Clark, would you be disappointed if I told you that 'THE' Batcave is actually just the basement of this mansion?"

Clark blinked, dumbstruck. "What?"

Bruce couldn't help but chuckle.

"Wait, Bruce, really!? It is not actually a cave!?" Clark looked like a devastated kid who had just been told that Santa Claus wasn't real.

"It is a cave, Clark. But it is actually a basement too"

Clark couldn't understand. Bruce shook his head and wrapped an arm around his shoulder walking him into his study. " Come on, you'll see for yourself"

Clark was confused when Bruce fiddled with the hands of the grandpa clock. His confusion made way to amazement when he saw the shelf of books move by themselves to reveal a hidden stairway.

"It's like a spy movie"

"You bet"

Bruce couldn't help but chuckle at the excitement that radiated off of the other man.

•••

"Bruce...this place is amazing!" Clark whispered as he hovered before the giant dinosaur's head. "What's all this for?"

"They are all souvenirs from past missions"

"Cool" Clark whistled. "Maybe I should start collecting souvenirs too"

Bruce had to refrain himself from saying a remark like "For helping a cat get down from a tree?". He just shook his head and watched the other guy hover about. It was strange to see him fly about in his normal clothes. Bruce still had a lot to get used to.

"Bruce, I think we were meant to have met and become best friends".

Bruce blinked when Clark suddenly appeared before him. He really had to get used to this new version of Clark.

"Maybe" Bruce shrugged.

Clark heaved a sigh and hovered up in the air, circling around Bruce in a slow pace as he spoke. "Everyone in the league thinks you are some dumb creature that crawled straight out of hell"

Bruce made a face. "Am I really that unapproachable?"

Clark halted for a moment before he went back to going in circles. "I can't believe it is actually you" he mumbled.

Bruce opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted when his computer made a beep sound.

"What's that?" Clark asked with genuine curiosity and Bruce waved a hand in the air as he walked to the computer.

"A call. You, stay out of the camera's view"

"Okay" Clark vaguely wondered who it might be as Bruce looked like he was going to attend the call not as Batman, but as Bruce Wayne.

He stood in the shadows and watched as Bruce accepted the call. The figure of a woman dressed in black appeared on the screen and Clark saw Bruce take in a shallow breath. He didn't know why his heart skipped  a beat when he heard what the woman called Bruce.

"Beloved", her eyes held a gleam of flickering light in them which was unmistakable to Clark and he involuntarily clenched his fists.

"What's it?" Bruce asked in a coarse voice and the woman let out  a chuckle.

"Let's meet up. There's an important matter I would like to discuss with you"

"I have no int--"

"Tomorrow. 7 in the evening. I will meet you where you saw me off the last time" With a smile, she ended the conversation and the screen went back to showing statics.

Bruce heaved a sigh and Clark let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in. He realised he was clenching his fists real hard and finally let go.

"You can come out now, Clark"

"Who was that?" Clark hated the way he sounded.

"No one to be concerned about" Bruce shrugged.

Clark knotted together his eyebrows and a frown formed on his lips. "Does she know?". He had a feeling that he wasn't going to like the answer to that.

Bruce took a moment to reply. "Well,..." He clicked his tongue. "She knew me way before all of these. She is part of the reason of what I am today. So yeah, she knows"

"Were you guys... A thing?" Clark asked almost hesitatntly and Bruce gave him an amused look.

"What's up with you, Clark?" He chuckled and wrapped an arm around his shoulder as he made his way to the staircase that led upstairs.

Clark let out a breath. He thought he felt relieved for some reason.

"We were over a long time ago"