Inbetween

Chapter Six: On The Road

The beauty and the beast song kind of reminds me of Bruce and Clark, "Barely even friends then somebody bends unexpectedly" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The apartment was silent when Bruce woke from his spot on the couch he had taken when he denied Clark's offer of his bed. The darkness of the early morning made Bruce's body relax and he nearly fell back to sleep that is until he heard a yawn from the other side of the apartment. He slipped off the couch the blanket that was once on his body now pooling off the couch. He could hear Clark in his room fumbling about most likely looking for clothes.

Bruce went into the bathroom locking the door behind himself. He looked back at himself in the mirror not surprised by the bed head and the bags under his eyes. He used the bathroom and brushed his teeth not truly sure why he agreed to this trip in the first place, especially while his emotions were not in control around Clark. He smoothed down his bed head and leaned against the sink his head swimming with thoughts of the other hero.

A gentle knock on the door took him out of his head and back into the real world. He opened to see Clark smiling at him with bed head and his glasses on. Bruce felt his heart skip a beat, but he only cleared his throat and nodded at Clark before stepping out the bathroom.

Clark paused before closing the bathroom door looking back at Bruce with this expression Bruce couldn't exactly read.

"How'd you sleep?" Clark leaned against the door frame his pajama shirt hugging at his biceps.

"I slept fine, thank you." Bruce hummed and Clark smiled knowing well enough that that was a good enough compliment from the bat.

"Good." he grinned before shutting the bathroom door.

Bruce let a small smile grace his lips before he went back towards the couch. He knew how much this trip meant to Clark and now he felt as if maybe it was just as important to him as it is to Clark.

~*~

The sun's soft glow entered the car while they made their way down the highway. Bruce sat in the driver's seat his hands barely on the wheel and his eyes hidden behind his sunglasses. Clark would steal a glance his way every once in a while. He didn't want to seem too obvious yet that was nearly impossible in such a small space. Clark leaned his head against the car window trying his best to not think about how good Bruce looked with his loosely buttoned shirt and dark glasses practically radiating confidence.

Bruce gripped the wheel giving his best effort not to look at Clark. His hair was messy and his flannel hugged all the right places, which Bruce was glad he put on, but also a little annoyed because he could not focus on the road. Bruce decided to just turn up the radio and try his best to ignore the man beside him.

The radio played soft melodies that made the atmosphere of the ride slightly uncomfortable. Clark shifted in his seat making sure his face was away from Bruce. Bruce hesitated on changing the station not even sure how Clark felt about him or if he even felt anything at all for him. He let the music continue and rolled down his window letting the cool air from outside in.

A lyric about love drifted into the car and Clark glanced at Bruce who's expression hadn't changed, but his ears burned red with a blush. Clark bit back a smile not ever thinking he'd see the day Bruce blushed. Bruce leaned back now only one hand on the wheel trying his best to act natural, but suddenly Clark could tell Bruce was just as nervous as Clark felt.

"Nice song," Clark spoke casually but his heart was thumping hard and fast.

"Sure." Bruce nodded his glasses covering his eyes.

"I was thinking-" Clark sits up.

"That's never good." Bruce teased and Clark playfully glared at him.

"Why'd you really come on this trip?" Clark looked towards Bruce one of his eyebrows raised.

"To stop you from bugging me." He deadpanned, "but that's impossible."

"Seriously." Clark sighed, "why'd you come?"

"How could I pass up an opportunity to spend time with you." Bruce sounded like he was joking and Clark frowned a bit not sure whether to take him serious or not.

Bruce looked over at him suddenly realizing that Clark thought he wasn't serious about his previous comment. Clark looked forward not sure what to say to Bruce. The highway was empty not giving him much to distract himself with.

"Clark?" Bruce removed his glasses his eyes suddenly intense.

He hummed still looking ahead at the bare road. Bruce sighed and leaned back stealing glances at the reporter. Clark's shoulders sagged and his eyes looked anywhere but at Bruce.

"I'm serious, I wanted to spend time with you." The sincerity in his tone made Clark look over at him with wide eyes.

"I-you're serious?" Clark looked at him with that unreadable look in his eyes once again.

It made Bruce's neck warm and he looked away putting his glasses back on. He said nothing more and decided that he'd gather his thoughts before speaking again. Clark bit back another smile sure that the feelings he had for Bruce were not one sided like he had originally thought. Clark patted on his thighs his heart thumping quickly and his stomach filling with butterflies just at the idea of Bruce wanting to be with him.

"Well, maybe you're not the only one who wanted to spend time together." Clark admitted, "I mean I invited you because I wanted to help, but I realized maybe I wanted more then just to help."

"Money?" Bruce grunted.

"What? No, Bruce I want to be closer to you too." Clark rolled his eyes at Bruce's comment.

Bruce stood silent not sure what else to say. Clark smiled knowing that the silence was not to be taken negatively. He leaned against the window once again not sure what exactly his next move was or how to make Bruce open up just a bit more. He hummed softly under his breath before deciding to let everything happen in it's own time. After all he didn't want to force Bruce into a relationship.