Inbetween

Chapter Seven: Meeting The Family

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They pulled up to the farm after the long ride and Bruce would've been relieved if he wasn't so nervous. His stomach was knotted and his palms were clammy. He wasn't even dating Clark and he was nervous. He sighed a turned off his car looking over at Clark as he did so. Clark gave him a smile before opening his door and getting out without a look back.

Bruce sighed and stepped out the car a cool breeze wrapping around him as he did so. He placed his sunglasses on top of his head and started towards his bag when he saw Clark had already gotten them. He went to go grab them when Clark shrugged and started towards the door. Bruce stuffed his hands in his pockets and followed Clark not sure what to do with himself.

The house was small compared to what he used to but it seemed quaint. Something he could definitely see Clark growing up in. Up until now, he hadn't really thought about the other hero's childhood, but now he couldn't stop imagining Clark flying around the farm as a kid or bringing pretty girls home as a teen. It all seemed so fitting for the Boy Scout. Bruce couldn't help but envy him a bit, his childhood was secluded in a large mansion and he was constantly bullied by his peers. He was sure Clark was much more social and much more accepted growing up.

The door swung open to reveal an older man with salt and pepper hair with a huge smile on his face. Bruce snapped out of his thoughts and put on his best smile. Clark grinned back and placed the bags on the ground as he went in for a hug. Bruce grunted softly his Gucci bags now on the bare ground. The man hugged Clark tight mumbling something into his shoulder. Bruce assumed that the older man was Clark's father and the woman who was coming up from behind him must have been his mother. The smile on her face and the sadness in her eyes was a dead give away to Bruce. They pulled away and he went to go hug the woman who brought him into her arms wholeheartedly.

"You must be Bruce Wayne," The man shook Bruce's hand. "I'm Johnathan Kent, Clark's father."

"Pleasure to meet you." Bruce put on his dinner party smile which Clark knew very well.

Clark bit back a frown as he went back to grab the bags. His mother was next to introduce herself and Bruce paused when she said her name, something changed in his eyes that Clark had never seen before. He did another fake smile that seemed to have caught Martha's attention. She let go of his hand still smiling warmly at him before opening the door wider so they could all come in.

The warmth of the house made Bruce's butterflies ease up and his shoulders relax. Pictures of their friends and family hung on the wall and the house was decorated just as you'd expect it to be. With warm colors and pleasant decor. It was something so alien to Bruce but natural for Clark, when Bruce visited houses everything was modern and filled with art he knew was overpriced yet in the Kent house, everything seemed antique.

"Clark told us he met you at a charity event." John moved beside Bruce as they move towards the living room, "you were one of the donors?"

"You'd need to be a bit more specific," Bruce chuckled, "I go to one every other month."

Martha raised an eyebrow at Clark who gave her a sheepish grin. He hadn't explicitly told them Bruce was a billionaire. Not that his parents would treat Bruce any differently, or at least Clark hoped they wouldn't. Lord knew Bruce didn't need to make his head any bigger.

"He's talking about the metropolis children's hospital event." Clark hummed placing the bags by the stairs.

They all took seats in the living room and Martha offered Bruce some sun tea which he accepted with a smile. Clark sat down beside Bruce which made the couch beneath them sink a bit. John sat in his recliner that faced them. Martha returned with the tea and handed both Clark and Bruce a cup. Bruce mumbled a thank you as he took a sip of his drink.

"So what do you do for a living Bruce?" John questioned.

Bruce glanced at Clark quickly before looking back at Martha who had an eyebrow raised.

"I run Wayne industries." Bruce took another drink.

Clark held back a smirk. He knew his mother's tea was undefeated and Bruce seemed to enjoy it. He took a drink of his own and let out a soft sigh.

"It's your company?" Martha hummed.

"Yes, well my father's, but after he passed it became mine," Bruce explained.

Clark had let them know about Wayne's deceased parents so that they wouldn't mention them randomly. They still didn't know he was Batman and if they did he'd be screwed. He couldn't count the times he gushed to his mother about his crush on the Bat. She would make this vacation hell for him with all the teasing she'd be doing. His father was another story the man would try to get him married to the Bat right then and there. For them to know would be completely embarrassing.

"Any kids? A wife?" Martha smiled as she took a seat.

"I'm a single father of two boys," Bruce couldn't help the small smile that reached his lips, "My oldest son Richard is seventeen and my younger son Damian is eleven."

"Teens are always hard." John chuckled, "when Clark was going through puberty-"

"Pa!" Clark whined.

Martha let out a giggle, "he was the most dramatic teenager."

"Listening to his music way too loud or that time he refused to shave and somehow ended up with a full beard."

"I remember he finally shaved it off when he got gum stuck in it." John let out a bark of laughter.

Bruce chuckled looking at Clark who had a tint of pink on his ears.

"My boys have their moments." Bruce admitted, "just the other day Damian grew his first chest hair and now he won't stop talking about it to Dick who I'm half convinced is going to tweeze it off any day now."

"That's sweet," Martha spoke the soft crinkles by her eyes evident.

She looked between Clark and Bruce something in her expression finally let Bruce fully relax. She hummed and gave John a glance before he spoke up.

"Why don't we let you boys get settled." John stood up, "plus I heard your mom is making her famous apple pie."

Clark's eyes lit up at that and Martha only let out a soft hum before also standing up. She and John exited the living room and entered what Bruce could only assume was the kitchen. He looked over at Clark who seemed entirely at peace.

"So a beard?" He smirked at Clark who gave him a playful glare.

"Don't act like I don't have dirt on you, Mr.I-cried-during-Monsters-Inc." Clark chuckled and Bruce's eyebrows shot up.

"Who told you that?" Bruce set his tea down.

"A little birdie." Clark teased and Bruce looked like he was about to say something else but stopped himself.

"It was Diana, wasn't it?" Bruce squinted at Clark.

"Wanna see your room?" Clark stood up ignoring the question.

Bruce obliged and grabbed his tea by taking another drink as he followed Clark out of the living room. Clark scooped up the bags and lead Bruce upstairs to the room he'd be staying in for the next couple of nights. He opened the door to reveal a medium sized room with a full sized bed, a dresser, and a nightstand. Perched on top of the dresser was a small tv which Bruce was sure would help him fall asleep. Clark places his bags by his bed turned back at Bruce with a smile.

"I'll let you unpack and unwind." Clark folded his arms over his chest, "dinner is at seven."

"Alright." Bruce nodded and Clark left without another word.

Bruce sighed and brought his bags up onto his bed not sure where he should start. Everything seemed so off to him yet he found himself already adapting to the situation, unlike the situation with Clark which was only getting worse in his mind. At least his brain worked better than his heart.