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Clark never understood what Batman saw in Bruce Wayne.
He knew, logically, that Batman wouldn't have fallen for someone that ditzy; so Wayne must be smarter than he let on, and Clark could believe that he really did care about the city, and that was probably the most attractive quality a guy could have in Batman's eyes, aside from a willingness to adopt several orphans.
Clark didn't get it, but he trusted Batman had his reasons; not even Wayne was that attractive. So Clark did his best to be a good friend about it, rather than a friend who...well. He defended Wayne when Hal cracked jokes about him and handled the whole 'Wayne wants to join the harem' twitter fiasco with grace and told himself that Wayne's smirking proposal to let Clark interview him over a nice meal was as innocent as it sounded.
He'd wondered if Wayne knew, somehow, that Clark was Superman--not that he thought Batman would've ever said a word if he knew Clark's secret identity, but maybe Wayne had figured it out. Maybe Batman had just talked about him that much.
(That was a nice thought, wasn't it?)
And then Wayne had gone in for the kiss, hand soft on Clark's cheek, and Clark fought to temper that fierce urge to slam Wayne into a concrete wall like he was another supervillain. He'd pushed Wayne off him and left.
He needed to tell Batman.
That was non-negiotable. He thought about speeding straight to Gotham. It was just late enough that he'd be starting to get ready for patrol--or was he waiting up for Wayne right now, thinking he was at a real interview? Would Wayne smile when he walked in, give him a kiss like nothing happened?
Had Batman planned for this, like he did everything else? Did Wayne tease him about it, the same way the League did, knowing full well Batman's worst fears were true?
No, Clark couldn't tell him tonight. He had to think--take the time to get over his own kneejerk anger so he could help B, take the time to word it correctly in his head. He'd--they'd go somewhere neutral, as comfortable as Clark thought he could get Batman, and then he'd explain.
(Batman would believe him, wouldn't he?)
(Of course he would.)
(Right?)
He chose a rooftop close to the border of Metropolis and a quick "we need to talk" message to the non-emergency line Batman gave him.
Batman showed up right on time, his heartbeat giving him away where the silent landing of his feet on the gravel-topped roof didn't.
"Hello, Superman," Batman said, and Clark's stomach churned with a sickly cocktail of guilt and empathy.
"It's about Wayne," Clark started, wanting to give Batman the chance to take this somewhere more private. Batman stiffened--the tiniest reaction that may as well have been a neon sign--and Clark had the horrifying thought that he'd known all along. Clark swallowed. "He's cheating on you."
Batman stared, silent and judgemental. And then, slowly, "You think Wayne is cheating on me."
Clark sighed softly. "You don't have to pretend with me. I know."
Batman wasn't the only investigator on the League. A few years ago, there had been rumors that LexCorp was trying to collaborate with Wayne Enterprises, so Clark dug into Wayne's business practices. Instead of supervillain connections, though, Clark had found a pattern of well-buried stolen gadget prototypes from the R&D department, a series of payments to the construction company that built the Hall of Justice, and a certain cave under Wayne Manor. He'd never believed the rumors about Wayne and Batman until then, but it was pretty clear they were longtime partners, especially given that all of the Robins sounded like their Wayne child counterparts.
He understood why Batman would want to keep the relationship a secret. He knew that Wayne's drunken flirting at galas was part of that facade. But unlike that ill-advised harem tweet, Wayne had taken great pains to make sure his "interview" with Clark Kent wasn't public, including securing a private room at a restaurant that was upscale but still below Wayne's usual caliber.
"You know," Batman deadpanned.
"Are you denying it?"
Batman huffed. "Would you believe me if I did?"
Clark fought a smile, quickly sobering at the thought of Wayne bantering with Batman like Clark did. "I am sorry, Batman. But you deserved to know. And you deserve someone better than Wayne. Someone--"
Clark cut himself off, but Batman picked up on it anyway. His eyes snapped up to meet Clark's, unreadable through the white lenses of the cowl.
"Someone like you?"
He knew that was coming; Clark just wasn't sure if Batman really knew. "This isn't about me."
He wanted Batman, sure, but he wanted him to be happy. And Batman wasn't the type to gush about his feelings to anyone, but if Clark knew one thing, Batman didn't stick around if he didn't feel like it. So he was happy with Wayne--maybe he still would be.
(Clark hated that idea most of all.)
"Of course it is," Batman said, in that grumbling, half-under-his-breath tone. Directed at Clark, he said, "I thought you liked him."
There was something odd in Batman's voice, in the particular curve of his frown, that caught Clark off-guard. Like Clark's approval of Batman's romantic partner was a factor in why they'd stayed together at all. It drew to mind all of the times that Clark had gritted his teeth and smiled through his defenses of Bruce Wayne, of how he wasn't the worst billionaire in the world by far, of how he was more media- and business-savvy than everyone gave him credit for, of how he was charming in his own way.
"I was trusting your judgement."
Batman scoffed. "Then we're both idiots."
"You aren't an idiot for trusting your partner--"
Batman's interrupting words were low and hissed, more indicative of a brewing, stubborn argument than a vulnerable confession. "I was an idiot for thinking that date was going well until you pushed me away."
"And you--" Clark swallowed. It took a minute to register what Batman had actually said. "You...?"
"I am not dating Bruce Wayne," Batman said. "And he isn't cheating on me."
"Oh."
How did he not see it before? It was so obvious. It certainly made for a better explanation of why Wayne was always so bruised.
Clark paused, letting a smile slip in. "You really went with the billionaire? I don't have the best track record with those."
"You were always defending him. I thought you liked him," Batman--Bruce Wayne, who looked hotter in metal armor on four hours of sleep than he did in any professional shoot Clark had ever seen--repeated, a little sullen. He sighed. "It was a risk, starting anything--I wanted to give myself the best chances possible."
'Well, I'd pick you over him any day."
"I can see that now."
Clark grinned, taking a step closer, close enough that he could reach out and take Bruce's gloved hand in his. "You want to try again?"
Bruce leaned in, and this time, Clark kissed back.