serendipity. [superbat]

expectations.

a/n: internet is being annoying. hopefully all changes are saved. i will be putting out another chapter soon. 

Bruce, in all fairness, hadn't expected the invitaton. It wasn't like he hadn't realized what was happening around him, between them, it was more that he thought it was Clark accommodating him because of his current condition. He came running because he was worried that Bruce being stressed would hurt the baby. He did all of these things because they were a means to an end. As much as Bruce had been taking advantage, he had thought that it would all end eventually. Putting Pedialyte in the fridge wasn't the same thing as going out on a date.

A date on his parent's farm of all places. A place that he considered sacred, his happy place.

Bruce knew where it was located, had contacted Martha on multiple occasions to discuss it. He'd made sure to help sustain, protect, and invest in the plot of land in order to make sure that she could keep the farm after Clark died.

That wasn't the same as going on a date there.

It was more serious than he realized they were. It seems ridiculous considering the current set of circumstances, but those circumstances didn't exactly match up with their relationship so far. They'd argued and fought, Clark had died, Bruce had brought him back to life, they'd become friends for a bit, and now Bruce was having a baby...his baby. And not because Clark had suddenly fallen in love with him, but because Bruce had made a mistake.

Now, he was sitting in the cave with Dick staring upside his head, clearly trying to read his thoughts.

"So, what'd you do?" He finally huffs, tone suggesting that he'd expected it.

He'd expected Bruce to end up back here somehow.

"Go get your suit on." he commands and watches as Dick quirks an eyebrow.

"No, not my boss anymore. Remember? Anyway, did you like yell at him or something?"

Bruce glares at him and Dick looks at Bruce as if that only cements his point.

"Did you do that thing where you start something and then curl up like a damn raisin?" The boy wonder seems to be having the time of his life as he waits for Bruce to actually tell him what happened.

Bruce lets out a sigh as Dick only inches closer. The kid was insufferable.

"He asked me out on a date." Bruce grits out, eyes never leaving the monitor.

He can tell it's not what Dick is expecting because he goes quiet for a solid minute. Bruce gets a solid minute of peace before he opens his gob again.

"You turned down a date with your baby daddy?" Dick says the sentence as if it makes absolutely no sense.

"It's not that simple."

"Isn't it? Did you two have a fight or something?" Dick pries, clearly assuming that Bruce must've just left something out.

"No."

It was just that simple and yet seemingly so complicated. He'd asked Bruce out and Bruce realized that he'd somehow lulled Clark into thinking that he, that they, were something they weren't.

"Do you like him?" Dick inquires, leaning in as if it's suddenly dawned on him that Bruce may not even like Clark.

Bruce doesn't even dignify the question with an answer as he lets out sigh. He'd just spent a solid week with Clark, in Clark's apartment. If he's honest, he misses it, or maybe he just misses not being alone with his own thoughts.

"So, why not go on this date?" Dick poses the question, clearly not expecting an answer as he spins around in the new desk chair Bruce had begrudgingly ordered for him.