FIC: Marks
Title: Marks
Pairing/Characters: Bruce/Clark, Wally West, Hal Jordan, Ollie Queen, Selina Kyle, Tim Drake, Dick Grayson, Kon-El, J'onn J'onnz, Jason Blood, Zatanna, Jaime Reyes, Alfred Pennyworth, Jonathan Kent, Martha Kent, Kara Zor-El, Stephanie Brown, mentions of others.
Rating: R
Warnings: None
Summary: It's a superhero shindig and everyone's invited to the wedding of the century!
Word Count: 5600
Challenge prompt: 7. "One song glory" --![]()
20_inkspots (Dark set-- full table here) with Rai Daydreamer.
"This is impossible." A gusty sigh threatened to blow scraps of paper from the table all over the Watchtower dining area. Superman ran his fingers through his hair, then gripped it and yanked hard enough to make himself wince. "Concentrate, Kent!"
A mug of coffee materialized slightly to his right. "Duty roster?" Flash leaned over the table, looking at the papers, which were scribbled over with various super-hero names. "Or...not, unless Power Girl has joined the League without my noticing. And believe me, I would notice."
"Uh...no," Superman said, sweeping up the scraps into small heaps, then groaning and re-arranging them. "I'm just trying to...to..."
"--You shouldn't be working on that on League time," Batman said, sweeping into the dining area like shadow personified, then incongruously snagging a donut from the counter. It had pink icing. And sprinkles. He ignored Flash's stare and took a large bite.
"My monitor duty shift doesn't start for two hours," Clark said a bit peevishly.
"And you were hoping I could help you with this." Batman looked at the lists of names. "You don't have Huntress down yet."
"Wait, wait, I do...somewhere." Superman scrabbled through the stacks of paper and pulled out one with a long list of names in red. "This is the 'People I'm not sure are getting along with Batman well enough to ask' list."
Batman snorted. "I'm never getting along with Huntress. Add her." He took another bite of donut.
Superman groaned. "Bruce, if I add Huntress, that's a whole extra tier of heroes to invite! I've already had to invite all of Young Justice because I had to invite Tim, Kon, and Cassie--it's not that I don't like Arrowette and Secret, I'm sure they're very nice, but we hardly know them!" He grabbed another piece of paper. "How about the Outsiders? If I invite one, I have to invite all of them, you know."
Bruce swallowed pastry. "Invite them. Geo-Force will probably spend the whole thing sulking about something or other and eventually he and Black Lightning will start yelling about their emotional problems in front of everyone. It'll be fun."
Another wretched groan. "You do realize we're up to six hundred guests now, don't you?"
"Six hundred--" Flash could no longer contain his curiosity. "What in the world are you guys planning? Some kind of super shindig? A hero hoedown? And most importantly--am I invited?"
Superman shot Batman a look filled with trepidation, but Batman didn't pause. "We're planning a wedding."
"You're--That's--" Flash looked from Superman to Batman, then Batman to Superman, then a few more times at super-speed. "You two--I mean, we all knew--not that we were gossiping about you, of course not! But we didn't think--"
"You didn't think I'd ever be the kind to make a lifetime commitment. You thought I was far too emotionally constipated to ever stay in a relationship, and far too damaged to be worth the work." Batman's voice was flat, but something about his tone made clear he was quoting someone--perhaps a few someones. Flash paled and Superman hid a smile behind his hand and pretended to study the guest list.
"Well," said Flash after a long moment, "Not in...those precise words, but...maybe a little?"
"You were wrong," Batman said, then turned to look over Superman's shoulder again. "Stop stressing, Kal."
"There are too many people," Superman snarled. "We can't possibly do this! Once we finish inviting everyone who might want to come, the only people free that day are the villains! It's a disaster waiting to happen--you haven't forgotten Ollie and Dinah's wedding, have you?"
"It is indelibly printed on my cerebellum," Batman said dryly.
If Flash had been Plastic Man, his lower jaw would have been waving somewhere around his knees. He made a concerted effort to collect himself. "You two are getting married."
"This is true," Batman said.
"Have you told anyone yet? It is okay if I tell people?" Superman nodded and Flash's eyes lit up. "I can't believe you haven't told anyone yet!" There was a scarlet buzz, and Superman and Batman were alone in the room.
"Well, we've told everyone now," Clark said. "Nice plan. Very efficient."
Batman glanced at the wall clock. "He'll have everyone informed within an hour."
"Oh, it'll take him at least two. He'll have to stop and have a serious discussion with Kyle about how I managed to browbeat you into marrying me. I'm betting the words 'puppy dog eyes' and 'threatened to cry' will feature prominently."
"I'm not taking that bet." Batman drew up a chair and turned it backwards, then straddled it, crossing his arms on the back. "And seriously, stop stressing. I never imagined you'd be a Groomzilla."
"We just know too many people," Superman sighed. "I still think a nice tiny civil ceremony--"
"--Clark and Bruce can--and will--have a nice tiny civil ceremony. Superman and Batman need to have, as the Flash so succinctly put it, a 'shindig.'" Batman studied Superman's face for a moment. "As it so happens, I believe I have a plan that will make it possible to invite everyone who wants to be there without leaving Earth vulnerable." He reached out and tilted Clark's chin up with a dark-gloved hand. "So stop giving me those puppy dog eyes and don't burst into tears, sunshine, the big bad bat's going to make it all okay."
This time the papers did fly all over the dining area, but it was because Clark was laughing so hard.
And then because someone was being hauled across the table and kissed vigorously.
: : :
Hal Jordan glared at the clothing laid across his bed, and even the soothing chords of music that resonated through what the people of Eldiran called Center-Home failed to lighten his mood. The door swung open and Oliver Queen strode into the room, grinning. "This place is gorgeous, Hal! And the women! Not that I'd look that much, Dinah would kill me, but you're available, you'll have to look for both of us." He elbowed his friend in the ribs jovially before taking in Hal's glare. "Hey, what's eating you"?
Hal pointed accusingly at the pile of shining satin and glittering gems on his bed. "It's bad enough that eighty percent of the world's heroes have gone haring off to another dimension and left Earth completely unprotected--"
"--You know Eldiran is time-shifted from Earth. We can all spend a long and hedonistic weekend here and we'll be back two seconds after we left!"
Hal shook his finger angrily. "--But now I find out I'm supposed to dress like everyone does on Eldiran for the ceremony, and it turns out everyone on Eldiran dresses like rejects from a Renaissance Festival--"
"--Hey!" Ollie cut in indignantly.
"Well, it looks good on you, sure," Hal went on in more subdued tones. "But can you see me in that?"
"Because skintight spandex is just so manly," muttered Ollie. He shook out his own long sleeves in bottle-green, trimmed with gold braid. "Hal, we're here to celebrate two of our oldest friends getting married. The least you can do is dress up for the occasion." He moved forward to poke at the heap of cloth. "The Eldirans even custom-made it for you in your colors. Come on, be a sport."
Hal glowered at the costume. Then he sighed. "All right, Ollie. For Clark and Bruce."
Ollie grinned. "And who knows, maybe it'll look great on you!"
It didn't.
: : :
Selina Kyle slipped into a pew, re-arranging the slit in her long leather skirt so that just the right amount of leg peeked out. She looked around the "church"--with its soaring ceiling, airy architecture and multitude of sweet-smelling candles, the building did remind one of an Earth church, albeit one without any of the traditional symbols of an established religion. The endless cascade of music that was always playing in the background brought a smile to her lips: the only religion of Eldiran was of pleasure, freedom, joy and love. For just a moment she closed her eyes and let it wash over her, a tumultuous rush of ecstasy. A deep sigh of contentment shook her.
The person beside her in the pew cleared his throat slightly, and Selina glanced over at him. Like nearly everyone else, he was masked--the people of Eldiran had agreed that with so many relative strangers meeting, it was acceptable to preserve secret identities. His mask was of glittering green, and he was wearing a truly ludicrous ensemble of emerald-studded fringed silk. "Catwoman, I presume," the Green Lantern said.
"Meow," Selina agreed, adjusting her leather mask under her black curls.
"It's amazing, isn't it?" Green Lantern said, indicating the throngs of people with a tilt of his square jaw. "All these people. From such different backgrounds. United in our respect for these two men."
Selina covered her mouth with her hand. "I suppose you could call it 'respect.' I personally just think they're hot. I'm here in the hopes they make out."
"Oh." The Green Lantern blinked. He had charmingly earnest hazel eyes behind his mask. "Well."
Selina uncovered her smile. "Relax, Emerald Avenger. I wish them the best in the world. Any world, really." She reached out and put a hand on his arm. "You're sweet, you know that?"
The Green Lantern looked a bit thunder-struck. Selina eyed his costume and wondered idly how much one of those perfect little emeralds might go for in Gotham.
Or maybe a pair, to match her eyes.
: : :
In the vestibule, Tim watched Dick fidget. "Relax, Dick. It's not like you're getting married."
"I'm going to forget something," Dick said, pacing. "I'm going to forget something and I'm going to screw it up. I'm going to screw up Bruce's wedding. I'm going to screw up Clark's wedding." He looked a bit panicked. "I'm going to screw up Clark and Bruce's wedding," he said as if the intersection of the events had just fully hit him for the first time.
Tim glanced at Kon, who put a gentle hand on Dick's shoulder. Dick stopped pacing as if he'd run into a wall. "Relax, man," said Kon. "If I can go out there looking like this--" he gestured at his tunic made of deep scarlet samite and the black greatcoat over it-- "You can risk a little embarrassment."
"But you look great," blurted Tim without thinking, and Kon stopped and stared at him for a moment.
At the distraction, Dick shook off Kon's hand and resumed pacing until Barbara wheeled her chair into his path and he almost fell over it. "Pull yourself together, Dick," she snapped, and Dick took a deep breath and seemed to center himself, although he continued to mutter under his breath about knowing he was forgetting something.
His relative serenity lasted only a moment, though, as Bruce and Clark came into the vestibule and everyone jumped to welcome them.
Tim looked at Bruce's face--less hidden than usual under a simple black domino--and couldn't help marveling at how open and relaxed he seemed. Some of that was the Aerola, the music of the Morningstar at work. But not all of it. There was a bone-deep contentment that no superficial magic could produce. Dressed in dark gray--the tailors of Eldiran had insisted black was too sober for a celebration--in a fabric that was like suede but as fine as silk, he moved with even more grace and ease than usual as he moved around the room, clapping people on the back and making conversation.
For his part, Clark looked surprisingly regal in garments of red and blue with gold accents. With no glasses and no mask, his bearing was Kal-El's. But the smile he gave Chris Kent as he pulled his foster-son aside to talk was all Clark's--self-deprecating and sweet. The two talked together quietly, and Chris seemed to relax a little--the young Kryptonian had been nervous and ill-at-ease around people he hadn't known for long.
The music from the church lifted into a heroic key, and Clark hurried back to Bruce's side. "Ready?"
In reply, Bruce simply hooked his arm into Clark's.
The doors swung open, and they went down the aisle in pairs: Kara and Barbara, Chris and Tim, Kon and Dick. Everyone rose as the couple entered the church, and Tim could see the smiles and joyous looks on everyone's faces. There was Steph with her hands clasped in front of her; Aquaman in full Atlantean regalia, his glower for once muted to almost a smile; Booster Gold and Plastic Man jostling each other for a better view. The faces blurred into bright colors and happiness as the music swelled.
They took their places at the front of the church. As the Eldiran elder stepped up to address the party, Tim saw Dick gasp and clap a hand to his breast pocket.
Wordlessly, he passed the platinum rings forward to Dick.
He and Kon were going to get a lot of fun out of teasing Dick about this later.
: : :
J'onn J'onnz listened as the elder spoke of love and joy. The words meant little; J'onn felt the love and happiness in the room spiraling through him like light, the music merely a setting for the glittering gems of emotion. He watched Kal and Bruce and remembered his own Day of Joining, and the memory of My'ria'h's cool hands in his was a balm and not a torment. He could see the bond between them, a gleaming band of light that needed no ceremony to complete it. This ritual was for friends and loved ones, a gift to them all.
J'onn smiled slightly as the music lifted positive emotions higher, muted the pettiness of jealousy and envy, brought out the best in everyone. How fitting for these two men.
The elder had Kal and Bruce join hands. To them he said simply, "Do you pledge your life to this man for all the days of your life?" Most Earth ceremonies required the speaking of names, but the Eldirans believed names only hid the essence of that which mattered, the soul.
Kal and Bruce said "Yes" in unison, and the bond between them glimmered bright as diamonds for a moment, leaving the eye of J'onn's mind dazzled. As his vision cleared, he saw Clark's face slightly dazed and Bruce's smile both sharp and sweet.
The elder bowed deeply. "Now you both are marked for each other--beyond the physical and into the spirit realm. May your bond bring you joy and pleasure and free your souls to their final completion." He reached out and Nightwing put two rings into his hand with an almost awkward motion. The elder handed the rings to Kal and Bruce and they slipped them on each others' fingers. Then they leaned in and kissed each other: a long, lingering kiss without a trace of embarrassment. Everyone burst into spontaneous applause, broken by a shrill wolf whistle from the audience that J'onn suspected came from Catwoman.
The grooms and their entourage swept back out to cheers and celebration, leaving an almost palpable wake of delight eddying through the crowd.
"Now, which way to the party?" whooped someone who sounded like Power Girl, and a roar of anticipation went up.
Six hundred people streamed out into the streets of Eldiran on their way to the Great Hall for the party of a century.
: : :
Jason Blood sat in the corner of the great hall with its soaring rafters and listened to the music. The deep chords and trembling strings seemed to resonate in his body, in his breast, a chorus of peace and rest. Within him, the Demon stirred restlessly, then subsided almost entirely, lulled by the music into deep slumber. A sense of deep serenity crept over Jason; for a moment, he felt almost free. Almost entirely human. He squared his shoulders and took a deep breath, then lifted his goblet for a draught of something that tasted like the honey mead of Camelot, but without the bitterness.
In the center of the hall couples danced in a shifting pattern, hands clasping hands, smiles meeting smiles. Silks and velvets glittered and gleamed, veils and cowls and masks hiding people's faces, but not their joy.
He felt someone sit down next to him, and looked over to see a woman with lustrous dark hair tumbling in long, smooth locks from under a black top hat. Deep violet eyes creased in a smile as Zatanna Zatara crossed long, elegant legs in fishnet stockings. "Mister...Blood, isn't it?"
"Miss Zatara."
"Enjoying the party?"
Jason toyed briefly with a cynical and jaded response about the briefness of earthly joys. Instead he said, "Yes. Yes, I am."
"They look happy, don't they?" Zatanna nodded at the head table, where Bruce and Kal-El were talking to the well-wishers streaming past. Bruce was shaking hands with a gruffly beaming Wildcat; Kal-El was talking with Wonder Woman, dressed in ceremonial armor and a star-spangled azure cape. Now and then, though, the couple glanced at each other, and in those moments it was as if the rest of the room fell away into nothingness before the look in their eyes.
"They do."
"I'm sure Batman will revert to sulky form soon enough, so I guess we'd better enjoy his charming smile while we can. Though I must admit I find sulky, broody men rather charming as well." Zatanna cast Jason a sidelong look. "Would you care to dance, Mr. Blood?"
Jason snorted. "I'm afraid all I know are some very, very old dances."
Zatanna's smile turned impish. "Then I shall teach you the new-fangled 'jitterbug.' All the kids are doing it these days."
She taught him the jitterbug, and the macarena, and the electric slide.
And the Demon slept all night.
: : :
Jaime Reyes finished dancing the funky chicken with Power Girl and beat a hasty retreat to the sidelines before he made even more of a fool of himself. He glanced at the head table and saw Superman and Batman laughing--maybe not at him, but still, he felt hot all over. Stupid, stupid--why had he even come? He sat down in a corner, the sapphire armor the Eldirans had made him clinking as he tried to make himself as inconspicuous as possible. It wasn't that difficult in a hall full of brightly-dressed superheroes, but he still felt out of place and awkward. If only Traci could have made it...
"You must be that nice Blue Beetle boy," said a quiet voice beside him. The speaker was a rather plump, surprisingly matronly woman with silvery hair, her face hidden by a sky-blue domino with crystal spangles on it. Below the mask her face was creased with wrinkles, most of which looked to be caused by smiling a great deal. Beside her sat two more masked, white-haired men: one was stocky, with his arms crossed as if he found the brocaded golden robes he was wearing very uncomfortable. His hands were calloused and tanned, with blunt fingers. The other man was taller and thinner, balding, and dressed in an impeccable black tuxedo with a scarlet carnation in his lapel.
"Um, yes, that's me," Jaime said.
"Oh, it's a pleasure to meet you," the woman said, extending a white-gloved hand.
"Nice to meet you too, um...."
"Oh dear," said the woman, looking flustered. "Oh, I didn't think of--you can call me--"
"--You may call the lady Gaia," the man in the tuxedo cut in, "And her companion Zeus." Zeus snorted in a particularly un-godlike fashion. "As for myself, I have sometimes been known as the Eagle."
"Oh, are you all...retired?" That would explain why he'd never heard of any of them.
"Well, in a matter of speaking," Gaia said, smiling. "The Eldirans were kind enough to give us all these pretty costumes so we could come and see Cl--Kal and Batman's special day."
"Pretty?" Zeus made a huffy sound. "Ridiculous is what it is, it's--"
"Now, now, dear." Gaia patted him on the arm soothingly. "Look at how happy they are."
Zeus harrumphed again. "That Batman better treat--" He stopped and glanced at the Eagle, then went on more quietly: "Well. They do look happy at that."
Jaime looked at the two heroes, eating cake. "Sometimes it's hard to remember they're real people. They're such...symbols. Icons. It's hard to believe they do such little things like eat dinner, or use the bathroom, or fall in love."
The Eagle chuckled. "Falling in love, young sir, is hardly a 'little thing.'"
"Believe me," added Gaia, "those two icons had to have their diapers changed like everyone else when they were babies." Beside her, Zeus made a sound that was part laugh and part groan.
Jaime's brain attempted to imagine this, but after coughing up an image of a tiny scowling Batman in full body armor and black diapers it gave up entirely.
As his vision cleared from the horror, he realized Superman was standing in front of them. Jaime panicked for a moment, then realized the Man of Steel was holding out a hand to Gaia. "Would you do me the honor of a dance?"
"Oh my," Gaia said, looking around. "Well, I suppose..."
Superman led Gaia to the dance floor and they moved easily into a gentle waltz. Kal-El leaned in and whispered something to her, and Jaime could see her smile and a glint of tears in the corners of her eyes.
"Sir?" Jaime looked up and realized that now Batman was standing in front of them, speaking to the Eagle. "I've heard that you are quite a terror on the dance floor. May I...?"
For a moment the Eagle gaped at Batman, then threw back his head and laughed. "If you think I shall balk at your impudent invitation, you cheeky whippersnapper, you shall be sadly disappointed." He stood and whisked Batman firmly into a dance position with him leading; Jaime caught a hint of surprise in the Dark Knight's eyes. "Now then, young Master Bat, we shall see if you were taught to dance properly."
"By the greatest," said Batman as they moved to the floor.
"Hmph," said Zeus as he and Jaime watched the two couples weave around the dance floor. "Ridiculous." He lifted his mask slightly to scrub at his eyes. "Totally ridiculous."
When the song ended, Gaia came back and led Zeus out on the dance floor. Then she came back and insisted Jaime dance with her. The music moved them around the dance floor effortlessly, and Jaime saw silver tear-tracks down Gaia's wrinkled cheeks. He reached out without thinking and brushed them away.
"I'm just so happy," Gaia whispered, her smile radiant. "This is such a lovely day."
: : :
Kara and Kal moved in the steps of the old Kryptonian ty'ryll, Kal's steps deft and sure as he moved Kara around the floor. "It's about time," Kara said. She overrode her cousin's smile to continue, "--About time you took some time for yourself. To live a little and love a lot." She let him twirl her about once. "You've given so much of yourself to Earth and then to New Krypton, it's about time you took a little joy for yourself."
Kal's laugh was a bit rueful. "I don't know, cousin. I feel so much joy today--" His gaze moved beyond her to take in the throngs of people dancing, drinking, and laughing, "--So much that I almost feel I have more than I deserve."
Kara kissed him on the cheek as the dance passed them close together. "You are a remarkably silly man," she said. Then she twisted smoothly out of his arms and put them around his surprised husband as they passed by. "Dance with your love," she said before the music moved them onward and away.
She stood on the dance floor and watched as the couple moved easily into the dance together.
"I'd like to learn that dance," said a voice behind her. Kara turned to see Batgirl with her blonde hair piled in ringlets on her head. A violet silk gown, shawl fringed with amethysts, and sweeping mask completed the look. "If only I had a Kryptonian to teach me..."
Kara cleared her throat. "Well, the ty'ryll is is kind of like a tango, but with a few extra steps--"
Steph moved into her arms. "Show me," she said.
Kara felt silk under her fingertips and the music in her bones. "Well, it starts like this..."
: : :
As the ty'ryll ended Bruce laughingly refused any more offers to dance and made his way back to the head table. There was a small plate of tiny crackers and candies, none of which looked anything like Earth food. He put one of the green ones in his mouth--it was a bit like wasabi candy, with a hint of cardamon.
"You'll like these," he said to Clark as his husband slid into the chair next to him.
"Really?" Clark looked doubtful.
"Trust me."
Clark popped one in his mouth and rolled it around thoughtfully, his eyes cast upwards. He looked almost boyish, and Bruce had to squelch an urge to lean in and kiss him on the spot. Bad enough that every damn superhero in the known universe had spent the whole night eying them both; he wasn't going to give everyone a chance to watch them make out.
"Tasty," Clark announced. He met Bruce's eyes and seemed to divine what he was thinking. "Soon, love," he murmured. "Just a little more and we can get out of here and have some time alone."
Bruce took a long breath at the promise in Clark's eyes. "I hope all these people here appreciate the sacrifice I'm making, sharing you with them for so long today."
"I thought I was the one making the sacrifice. You can't imagine I like everyone ogling you in those tight pants." Bruce snorted and shook his head; he knew where the stares were actually being directed. "But like you said," Clark went on, "This is for the community. A time to celebrate life and love together." His eyes traveled back out to the dance floor. Damian, gone bright red to the ears, was dancing with Steph now; Power Girl appeared to be arm-wrestling Guy Gardner in a corner; Jaime Reyes was bringing the Kents and Alfred another piece of cake; in the corner Tim and Kon were deep in a conversation, their bodies turned toward each other and shutting out the rest of the world. "How lucky we are," Clark breathed. "How lucky that we can share this with everyone."
It really was impossible, Bruce thought irritably, to see Clark all starry-eyed and romantic like that and resist kissing him thoroughly.
A wave of applause broke around the hall as Clark returned and deepened the kiss, practically bending Bruce onto the table. They were panting when the kiss finished, and Clark was distinctly flushed--Bruce wasn't sure how he looked at the moment, but it probably wasn't terribly heroic. "That's it," he said, grabbing Clark's hand. "We're leaving."
Of course, it took another half-hour of good-byes and well-wishes, but eventually they managed to get out of the great hall. The sounds of the continuing celebration faded behind them as they made their way to the newlywed suite the Eldirans had set up. The sun was coming up, rose light touching the buildings and tangling in Clark's hair. The first sunrise of our marriage, he thought, and stopped to kiss Clark, to taste that light on his mouth.
"Good morning," whispered Clark.
"Oh yes," he said.
: : :
The newlywed suite was ridiculously magnificent to Clark's eyes--dark polished wood, golden accents, opulent fabrics--but even Bruce seemed almost taken aback by the bath.
It was more of a courtyard than a room, the ceiling open to the sky, the walls and floor of rose-gold marble. The center of the room was recessed and filled with water that caught the morning light until it seemed to be brimming with sunrise.
"All right," Bruce said, "I have to get you into that."
"No arguments here," said Clark, unfastening the scarlet cape from his shoulders.
"And I need to find your Mark," Bruce said, the capital letter clear in his tone.
Clark paused at the top button of his high-collared shirt. "My what?"
"Your Mark. Didn't you hear the elder? We're 'marked for each other--beyond the physical and into the spirit realm,' remember?"
"Well, of course I remember, but I thought--"
"--It was a pretty metaphor? So did I, until one of the Eldirans at the party was teasing me about where my Mark might be. Apparently--" Bruce reached out and undid first of Clark's many buttons, then the second, "--the bonding ceremony creates an actual, physical Mark, a symbol of the partner. It stays for a few days, then slowly fades." Two more buttons. "Now, where could that be."
Clark had a sudden, vivid memory of the moment he and Bruce had said their vows: a sharp, almost electrical pulse along his skin. He resisted the urge to clap his hand to the spot as Bruce continued slowly unbuttoning his jacket, his nimble fingers making their way lower and lower.
When the last button was undone, Bruce slid the jacket off Clark's shoulders, then slipped his fingers under the silky blue undertunic, exploring.
"That's not it," said Clark, grinning. "And--ooh--that's not it, either." He squirmed a bit. "Stop tickling."
"All right," Bruce said finally after exploring every inch of Clark's torso, "Off with this." He lifted the tunic up and over Clark's head. "Ah ha," he crowed as the shirt came off. "Found it."
His eyes were focused on Clark's neck, slightly below his ear. Clark vainly tried to angle his head so he could see what Bruce was looking at. "What does it look like?"
There was an avid satisfaction on Bruce's face. "It looks perfect."
He leaned forward and put his lips to Clark's neck.
A sharp pulse of pleasure, heavy and sweet, tremored through Clark's body at the touch, and he gasped. "What--"
"That's another thing the Eldiran told me," Bruce murmured against Clark's skin, the motion of his lips setting off ripples of sensation deep inside Clark's body. "That the Mark is extremely sensitive." Clark felt a hot tongue dart out and brush his skin, and the room around him dissolved into a haze of light and heat.
Bruce's hand slipped into Clark's pants, stroking and caressing, but Clark barely noticed, waiting for the next touch of Bruce's lips, the next rush of pleasure that only Bruce could give him now. "Pl--Please," Clark managed to stammer, thrusting hard against Bruce's hand, his body running riot out of his control, his mind desperately focused on that one spot, the spot he needed touched more than anything. Bruce made a growling sound and nipped hard against invulnerable, super-sensitive skin, and Clark's knees gave out completely as shudders of pure delight racked his body. The sensation was so overwhelming and so total that he wasn't even aware he'd climaxed until he slowly gathered himself together and found himself flat on the floor with Bruce straddling him, smiling smugly. Sure hands undid his pants and slid them off, tossing them into the corner.
Clark's body felt totally limp, relaxed and sated almost beyond his ability to move. He wanted nothing more than to crawl the last few feet to the steaming bath and soak for a few hours. Bruce leaned forward and licked at that spot below his ear again--
And exhaustion fell away into renewed, raging need without any transition. He wanted it again, he wanted more, he couldn't stand it-- Clark groaned and Bruce shifted his hips to grind against him, looking immensely pleased. "This is going to be a delightful weekend," he murmured.
"All right," growled Clark, "Off with your clothes, now."
Bruce's smile turned sly, slightly coy; he slid off Clark and stood. "You need to find my Mark."
Clark was shaking with need, his body clamoring for more caresses, more of that hot and shattering ecstasy. He couldn't still his hands; they trembled as he fumbled with soft gray cloth, resisting the urge to simply tear it all off into rags and scraps. Bruce's hand cupped his cheek, then moved to brush his earlobe, and Clark shuddered so hard at the nearness of those dear fingers that he had to stop for a moment. Layers of cloth like clouds and fog, hiding his lover's body from him...
"Ah," Clark said as he slid the last thin shirt off Bruce's shoulders, leaving him bare and shining, the light off the water playing across scars, across his Mark. He let his fingers skate close to the shield shape, the red and blue jewel-bright against pale skin.
Bruce shivered and closed his eyes, letting out his breath in a long, trembling exhalation. His head was thrown back slightly, his body exposed and vulnerable, waiting.
Carefully, gently, Clark bent down and put his lips to the symbol etched on Bruce's skin, gleaming just above his heart.
Pairing/Characters: Bruce/Clark, Wally West, Hal Jordan, Ollie Queen, Selina Kyle, Tim Drake, Dick Grayson, Kon-El, J'onn J'onnz, Jason Blood, Zatanna, Jaime Reyes, Alfred Pennyworth, Jonathan Kent, Martha Kent, Kara Zor-El, Stephanie Brown, mentions of others.
Rating: R
Warnings: None
Summary: It's a superhero shindig and everyone's invited to the wedding of the century!
Word Count: 5600
Challenge prompt: 7. "One song glory" --
20_inkspots (Dark set-- full table here) with Rai Daydreamer.
"This is impossible." A gusty sigh threatened to blow scraps of paper from the table all over the Watchtower dining area. Superman ran his fingers through his hair, then gripped it and yanked hard enough to make himself wince. "Concentrate, Kent!"
A mug of coffee materialized slightly to his right. "Duty roster?" Flash leaned over the table, looking at the papers, which were scribbled over with various super-hero names. "Or...not, unless Power Girl has joined the League without my noticing. And believe me, I would notice."
"Uh...no," Superman said, sweeping up the scraps into small heaps, then groaning and re-arranging them. "I'm just trying to...to..."
"--You shouldn't be working on that on League time," Batman said, sweeping into the dining area like shadow personified, then incongruously snagging a donut from the counter. It had pink icing. And sprinkles. He ignored Flash's stare and took a large bite.
"My monitor duty shift doesn't start for two hours," Clark said a bit peevishly.
"And you were hoping I could help you with this." Batman looked at the lists of names. "You don't have Huntress down yet."
"Wait, wait, I do...somewhere." Superman scrabbled through the stacks of paper and pulled out one with a long list of names in red. "This is the 'People I'm not sure are getting along with Batman well enough to ask' list."
Batman snorted. "I'm never getting along with Huntress. Add her." He took another bite of donut.
Superman groaned. "Bruce, if I add Huntress, that's a whole extra tier of heroes to invite! I've already had to invite all of Young Justice because I had to invite Tim, Kon, and Cassie--it's not that I don't like Arrowette and Secret, I'm sure they're very nice, but we hardly know them!" He grabbed another piece of paper. "How about the Outsiders? If I invite one, I have to invite all of them, you know."
Bruce swallowed pastry. "Invite them. Geo-Force will probably spend the whole thing sulking about something or other and eventually he and Black Lightning will start yelling about their emotional problems in front of everyone. It'll be fun."
Another wretched groan. "You do realize we're up to six hundred guests now, don't you?"
"Six hundred--" Flash could no longer contain his curiosity. "What in the world are you guys planning? Some kind of super shindig? A hero hoedown? And most importantly--am I invited?"
Superman shot Batman a look filled with trepidation, but Batman didn't pause. "We're planning a wedding."
"You're--That's--" Flash looked from Superman to Batman, then Batman to Superman, then a few more times at super-speed. "You two--I mean, we all knew--not that we were gossiping about you, of course not! But we didn't think--"
"You didn't think I'd ever be the kind to make a lifetime commitment. You thought I was far too emotionally constipated to ever stay in a relationship, and far too damaged to be worth the work." Batman's voice was flat, but something about his tone made clear he was quoting someone--perhaps a few someones. Flash paled and Superman hid a smile behind his hand and pretended to study the guest list.
"Well," said Flash after a long moment, "Not in...those precise words, but...maybe a little?"
"You were wrong," Batman said, then turned to look over Superman's shoulder again. "Stop stressing, Kal."
"There are too many people," Superman snarled. "We can't possibly do this! Once we finish inviting everyone who might want to come, the only people free that day are the villains! It's a disaster waiting to happen--you haven't forgotten Ollie and Dinah's wedding, have you?"
"It is indelibly printed on my cerebellum," Batman said dryly.
If Flash had been Plastic Man, his lower jaw would have been waving somewhere around his knees. He made a concerted effort to collect himself. "You two are getting married."
"This is true," Batman said.
"Have you told anyone yet? It is okay if I tell people?" Superman nodded and Flash's eyes lit up. "I can't believe you haven't told anyone yet!" There was a scarlet buzz, and Superman and Batman were alone in the room.
"Well, we've told everyone now," Clark said. "Nice plan. Very efficient."
Batman glanced at the wall clock. "He'll have everyone informed within an hour."
"Oh, it'll take him at least two. He'll have to stop and have a serious discussion with Kyle about how I managed to browbeat you into marrying me. I'm betting the words 'puppy dog eyes' and 'threatened to cry' will feature prominently."
"I'm not taking that bet." Batman drew up a chair and turned it backwards, then straddled it, crossing his arms on the back. "And seriously, stop stressing. I never imagined you'd be a Groomzilla."
"We just know too many people," Superman sighed. "I still think a nice tiny civil ceremony--"
"--Clark and Bruce can--and will--have a nice tiny civil ceremony. Superman and Batman need to have, as the Flash so succinctly put it, a 'shindig.'" Batman studied Superman's face for a moment. "As it so happens, I believe I have a plan that will make it possible to invite everyone who wants to be there without leaving Earth vulnerable." He reached out and tilted Clark's chin up with a dark-gloved hand. "So stop giving me those puppy dog eyes and don't burst into tears, sunshine, the big bad bat's going to make it all okay."
This time the papers did fly all over the dining area, but it was because Clark was laughing so hard.
And then because someone was being hauled across the table and kissed vigorously.
: : :
Hal Jordan glared at the clothing laid across his bed, and even the soothing chords of music that resonated through what the people of Eldiran called Center-Home failed to lighten his mood. The door swung open and Oliver Queen strode into the room, grinning. "This place is gorgeous, Hal! And the women! Not that I'd look that much, Dinah would kill me, but you're available, you'll have to look for both of us." He elbowed his friend in the ribs jovially before taking in Hal's glare. "Hey, what's eating you"?
Hal pointed accusingly at the pile of shining satin and glittering gems on his bed. "It's bad enough that eighty percent of the world's heroes have gone haring off to another dimension and left Earth completely unprotected--"
"--You know Eldiran is time-shifted from Earth. We can all spend a long and hedonistic weekend here and we'll be back two seconds after we left!"
Hal shook his finger angrily. "--But now I find out I'm supposed to dress like everyone does on Eldiran for the ceremony, and it turns out everyone on Eldiran dresses like rejects from a Renaissance Festival--"
"--Hey!" Ollie cut in indignantly.
"Well, it looks good on you, sure," Hal went on in more subdued tones. "But can you see me in that?"
"Because skintight spandex is just so manly," muttered Ollie. He shook out his own long sleeves in bottle-green, trimmed with gold braid. "Hal, we're here to celebrate two of our oldest friends getting married. The least you can do is dress up for the occasion." He moved forward to poke at the heap of cloth. "The Eldirans even custom-made it for you in your colors. Come on, be a sport."
Hal glowered at the costume. Then he sighed. "All right, Ollie. For Clark and Bruce."
Ollie grinned. "And who knows, maybe it'll look great on you!"
It didn't.
: : :
Selina Kyle slipped into a pew, re-arranging the slit in her long leather skirt so that just the right amount of leg peeked out. She looked around the "church"--with its soaring ceiling, airy architecture and multitude of sweet-smelling candles, the building did remind one of an Earth church, albeit one without any of the traditional symbols of an established religion. The endless cascade of music that was always playing in the background brought a smile to her lips: the only religion of Eldiran was of pleasure, freedom, joy and love. For just a moment she closed her eyes and let it wash over her, a tumultuous rush of ecstasy. A deep sigh of contentment shook her.
The person beside her in the pew cleared his throat slightly, and Selina glanced over at him. Like nearly everyone else, he was masked--the people of Eldiran had agreed that with so many relative strangers meeting, it was acceptable to preserve secret identities. His mask was of glittering green, and he was wearing a truly ludicrous ensemble of emerald-studded fringed silk. "Catwoman, I presume," the Green Lantern said.
"Meow," Selina agreed, adjusting her leather mask under her black curls.
"It's amazing, isn't it?" Green Lantern said, indicating the throngs of people with a tilt of his square jaw. "All these people. From such different backgrounds. United in our respect for these two men."
Selina covered her mouth with her hand. "I suppose you could call it 'respect.' I personally just think they're hot. I'm here in the hopes they make out."
"Oh." The Green Lantern blinked. He had charmingly earnest hazel eyes behind his mask. "Well."
Selina uncovered her smile. "Relax, Emerald Avenger. I wish them the best in the world. Any world, really." She reached out and put a hand on his arm. "You're sweet, you know that?"
The Green Lantern looked a bit thunder-struck. Selina eyed his costume and wondered idly how much one of those perfect little emeralds might go for in Gotham.
Or maybe a pair, to match her eyes.
: : :
In the vestibule, Tim watched Dick fidget. "Relax, Dick. It's not like you're getting married."
"I'm going to forget something," Dick said, pacing. "I'm going to forget something and I'm going to screw it up. I'm going to screw up Bruce's wedding. I'm going to screw up Clark's wedding." He looked a bit panicked. "I'm going to screw up Clark and Bruce's wedding," he said as if the intersection of the events had just fully hit him for the first time.
Tim glanced at Kon, who put a gentle hand on Dick's shoulder. Dick stopped pacing as if he'd run into a wall. "Relax, man," said Kon. "If I can go out there looking like this--" he gestured at his tunic made of deep scarlet samite and the black greatcoat over it-- "You can risk a little embarrassment."
"But you look great," blurted Tim without thinking, and Kon stopped and stared at him for a moment.
At the distraction, Dick shook off Kon's hand and resumed pacing until Barbara wheeled her chair into his path and he almost fell over it. "Pull yourself together, Dick," she snapped, and Dick took a deep breath and seemed to center himself, although he continued to mutter under his breath about knowing he was forgetting something.
His relative serenity lasted only a moment, though, as Bruce and Clark came into the vestibule and everyone jumped to welcome them.
Tim looked at Bruce's face--less hidden than usual under a simple black domino--and couldn't help marveling at how open and relaxed he seemed. Some of that was the Aerola, the music of the Morningstar at work. But not all of it. There was a bone-deep contentment that no superficial magic could produce. Dressed in dark gray--the tailors of Eldiran had insisted black was too sober for a celebration--in a fabric that was like suede but as fine as silk, he moved with even more grace and ease than usual as he moved around the room, clapping people on the back and making conversation.
For his part, Clark looked surprisingly regal in garments of red and blue with gold accents. With no glasses and no mask, his bearing was Kal-El's. But the smile he gave Chris Kent as he pulled his foster-son aside to talk was all Clark's--self-deprecating and sweet. The two talked together quietly, and Chris seemed to relax a little--the young Kryptonian had been nervous and ill-at-ease around people he hadn't known for long.
The music from the church lifted into a heroic key, and Clark hurried back to Bruce's side. "Ready?"
In reply, Bruce simply hooked his arm into Clark's.
The doors swung open, and they went down the aisle in pairs: Kara and Barbara, Chris and Tim, Kon and Dick. Everyone rose as the couple entered the church, and Tim could see the smiles and joyous looks on everyone's faces. There was Steph with her hands clasped in front of her; Aquaman in full Atlantean regalia, his glower for once muted to almost a smile; Booster Gold and Plastic Man jostling each other for a better view. The faces blurred into bright colors and happiness as the music swelled.
They took their places at the front of the church. As the Eldiran elder stepped up to address the party, Tim saw Dick gasp and clap a hand to his breast pocket.
Wordlessly, he passed the platinum rings forward to Dick.
He and Kon were going to get a lot of fun out of teasing Dick about this later.
: : :
J'onn J'onnz listened as the elder spoke of love and joy. The words meant little; J'onn felt the love and happiness in the room spiraling through him like light, the music merely a setting for the glittering gems of emotion. He watched Kal and Bruce and remembered his own Day of Joining, and the memory of My'ria'h's cool hands in his was a balm and not a torment. He could see the bond between them, a gleaming band of light that needed no ceremony to complete it. This ritual was for friends and loved ones, a gift to them all.
J'onn smiled slightly as the music lifted positive emotions higher, muted the pettiness of jealousy and envy, brought out the best in everyone. How fitting for these two men.
The elder had Kal and Bruce join hands. To them he said simply, "Do you pledge your life to this man for all the days of your life?" Most Earth ceremonies required the speaking of names, but the Eldirans believed names only hid the essence of that which mattered, the soul.
Kal and Bruce said "Yes" in unison, and the bond between them glimmered bright as diamonds for a moment, leaving the eye of J'onn's mind dazzled. As his vision cleared, he saw Clark's face slightly dazed and Bruce's smile both sharp and sweet.
The elder bowed deeply. "Now you both are marked for each other--beyond the physical and into the spirit realm. May your bond bring you joy and pleasure and free your souls to their final completion." He reached out and Nightwing put two rings into his hand with an almost awkward motion. The elder handed the rings to Kal and Bruce and they slipped them on each others' fingers. Then they leaned in and kissed each other: a long, lingering kiss without a trace of embarrassment. Everyone burst into spontaneous applause, broken by a shrill wolf whistle from the audience that J'onn suspected came from Catwoman.
The grooms and their entourage swept back out to cheers and celebration, leaving an almost palpable wake of delight eddying through the crowd.
"Now, which way to the party?" whooped someone who sounded like Power Girl, and a roar of anticipation went up.
Six hundred people streamed out into the streets of Eldiran on their way to the Great Hall for the party of a century.
: : :
Jason Blood sat in the corner of the great hall with its soaring rafters and listened to the music. The deep chords and trembling strings seemed to resonate in his body, in his breast, a chorus of peace and rest. Within him, the Demon stirred restlessly, then subsided almost entirely, lulled by the music into deep slumber. A sense of deep serenity crept over Jason; for a moment, he felt almost free. Almost entirely human. He squared his shoulders and took a deep breath, then lifted his goblet for a draught of something that tasted like the honey mead of Camelot, but without the bitterness.
In the center of the hall couples danced in a shifting pattern, hands clasping hands, smiles meeting smiles. Silks and velvets glittered and gleamed, veils and cowls and masks hiding people's faces, but not their joy.
He felt someone sit down next to him, and looked over to see a woman with lustrous dark hair tumbling in long, smooth locks from under a black top hat. Deep violet eyes creased in a smile as Zatanna Zatara crossed long, elegant legs in fishnet stockings. "Mister...Blood, isn't it?"
"Miss Zatara."
"Enjoying the party?"
Jason toyed briefly with a cynical and jaded response about the briefness of earthly joys. Instead he said, "Yes. Yes, I am."
"They look happy, don't they?" Zatanna nodded at the head table, where Bruce and Kal-El were talking to the well-wishers streaming past. Bruce was shaking hands with a gruffly beaming Wildcat; Kal-El was talking with Wonder Woman, dressed in ceremonial armor and a star-spangled azure cape. Now and then, though, the couple glanced at each other, and in those moments it was as if the rest of the room fell away into nothingness before the look in their eyes.
"They do."
"I'm sure Batman will revert to sulky form soon enough, so I guess we'd better enjoy his charming smile while we can. Though I must admit I find sulky, broody men rather charming as well." Zatanna cast Jason a sidelong look. "Would you care to dance, Mr. Blood?"
Jason snorted. "I'm afraid all I know are some very, very old dances."
Zatanna's smile turned impish. "Then I shall teach you the new-fangled 'jitterbug.' All the kids are doing it these days."
She taught him the jitterbug, and the macarena, and the electric slide.
And the Demon slept all night.
: : :
Jaime Reyes finished dancing the funky chicken with Power Girl and beat a hasty retreat to the sidelines before he made even more of a fool of himself. He glanced at the head table and saw Superman and Batman laughing--maybe not at him, but still, he felt hot all over. Stupid, stupid--why had he even come? He sat down in a corner, the sapphire armor the Eldirans had made him clinking as he tried to make himself as inconspicuous as possible. It wasn't that difficult in a hall full of brightly-dressed superheroes, but he still felt out of place and awkward. If only Traci could have made it...
"You must be that nice Blue Beetle boy," said a quiet voice beside him. The speaker was a rather plump, surprisingly matronly woman with silvery hair, her face hidden by a sky-blue domino with crystal spangles on it. Below the mask her face was creased with wrinkles, most of which looked to be caused by smiling a great deal. Beside her sat two more masked, white-haired men: one was stocky, with his arms crossed as if he found the brocaded golden robes he was wearing very uncomfortable. His hands were calloused and tanned, with blunt fingers. The other man was taller and thinner, balding, and dressed in an impeccable black tuxedo with a scarlet carnation in his lapel.
"Um, yes, that's me," Jaime said.
"Oh, it's a pleasure to meet you," the woman said, extending a white-gloved hand.
"Nice to meet you too, um...."
"Oh dear," said the woman, looking flustered. "Oh, I didn't think of--you can call me--"
"--You may call the lady Gaia," the man in the tuxedo cut in, "And her companion Zeus." Zeus snorted in a particularly un-godlike fashion. "As for myself, I have sometimes been known as the Eagle."
"Oh, are you all...retired?" That would explain why he'd never heard of any of them.
"Well, in a matter of speaking," Gaia said, smiling. "The Eldirans were kind enough to give us all these pretty costumes so we could come and see Cl--Kal and Batman's special day."
"Pretty?" Zeus made a huffy sound. "Ridiculous is what it is, it's--"
"Now, now, dear." Gaia patted him on the arm soothingly. "Look at how happy they are."
Zeus harrumphed again. "That Batman better treat--" He stopped and glanced at the Eagle, then went on more quietly: "Well. They do look happy at that."
Jaime looked at the two heroes, eating cake. "Sometimes it's hard to remember they're real people. They're such...symbols. Icons. It's hard to believe they do such little things like eat dinner, or use the bathroom, or fall in love."
The Eagle chuckled. "Falling in love, young sir, is hardly a 'little thing.'"
"Believe me," added Gaia, "those two icons had to have their diapers changed like everyone else when they were babies." Beside her, Zeus made a sound that was part laugh and part groan.
Jaime's brain attempted to imagine this, but after coughing up an image of a tiny scowling Batman in full body armor and black diapers it gave up entirely.
As his vision cleared from the horror, he realized Superman was standing in front of them. Jaime panicked for a moment, then realized the Man of Steel was holding out a hand to Gaia. "Would you do me the honor of a dance?"
"Oh my," Gaia said, looking around. "Well, I suppose..."
Superman led Gaia to the dance floor and they moved easily into a gentle waltz. Kal-El leaned in and whispered something to her, and Jaime could see her smile and a glint of tears in the corners of her eyes.
"Sir?" Jaime looked up and realized that now Batman was standing in front of them, speaking to the Eagle. "I've heard that you are quite a terror on the dance floor. May I...?"
For a moment the Eagle gaped at Batman, then threw back his head and laughed. "If you think I shall balk at your impudent invitation, you cheeky whippersnapper, you shall be sadly disappointed." He stood and whisked Batman firmly into a dance position with him leading; Jaime caught a hint of surprise in the Dark Knight's eyes. "Now then, young Master Bat, we shall see if you were taught to dance properly."
"By the greatest," said Batman as they moved to the floor.
"Hmph," said Zeus as he and Jaime watched the two couples weave around the dance floor. "Ridiculous." He lifted his mask slightly to scrub at his eyes. "Totally ridiculous."
When the song ended, Gaia came back and led Zeus out on the dance floor. Then she came back and insisted Jaime dance with her. The music moved them around the dance floor effortlessly, and Jaime saw silver tear-tracks down Gaia's wrinkled cheeks. He reached out without thinking and brushed them away.
"I'm just so happy," Gaia whispered, her smile radiant. "This is such a lovely day."
: : :
Kara and Kal moved in the steps of the old Kryptonian ty'ryll, Kal's steps deft and sure as he moved Kara around the floor. "It's about time," Kara said. She overrode her cousin's smile to continue, "--About time you took some time for yourself. To live a little and love a lot." She let him twirl her about once. "You've given so much of yourself to Earth and then to New Krypton, it's about time you took a little joy for yourself."
Kal's laugh was a bit rueful. "I don't know, cousin. I feel so much joy today--" His gaze moved beyond her to take in the throngs of people dancing, drinking, and laughing, "--So much that I almost feel I have more than I deserve."
Kara kissed him on the cheek as the dance passed them close together. "You are a remarkably silly man," she said. Then she twisted smoothly out of his arms and put them around his surprised husband as they passed by. "Dance with your love," she said before the music moved them onward and away.
She stood on the dance floor and watched as the couple moved easily into the dance together.
"I'd like to learn that dance," said a voice behind her. Kara turned to see Batgirl with her blonde hair piled in ringlets on her head. A violet silk gown, shawl fringed with amethysts, and sweeping mask completed the look. "If only I had a Kryptonian to teach me..."
Kara cleared her throat. "Well, the ty'ryll is is kind of like a tango, but with a few extra steps--"
Steph moved into her arms. "Show me," she said.
Kara felt silk under her fingertips and the music in her bones. "Well, it starts like this..."
: : :
As the ty'ryll ended Bruce laughingly refused any more offers to dance and made his way back to the head table. There was a small plate of tiny crackers and candies, none of which looked anything like Earth food. He put one of the green ones in his mouth--it was a bit like wasabi candy, with a hint of cardamon.
"You'll like these," he said to Clark as his husband slid into the chair next to him.
"Really?" Clark looked doubtful.
"Trust me."
Clark popped one in his mouth and rolled it around thoughtfully, his eyes cast upwards. He looked almost boyish, and Bruce had to squelch an urge to lean in and kiss him on the spot. Bad enough that every damn superhero in the known universe had spent the whole night eying them both; he wasn't going to give everyone a chance to watch them make out.
"Tasty," Clark announced. He met Bruce's eyes and seemed to divine what he was thinking. "Soon, love," he murmured. "Just a little more and we can get out of here and have some time alone."
Bruce took a long breath at the promise in Clark's eyes. "I hope all these people here appreciate the sacrifice I'm making, sharing you with them for so long today."
"I thought I was the one making the sacrifice. You can't imagine I like everyone ogling you in those tight pants." Bruce snorted and shook his head; he knew where the stares were actually being directed. "But like you said," Clark went on, "This is for the community. A time to celebrate life and love together." His eyes traveled back out to the dance floor. Damian, gone bright red to the ears, was dancing with Steph now; Power Girl appeared to be arm-wrestling Guy Gardner in a corner; Jaime Reyes was bringing the Kents and Alfred another piece of cake; in the corner Tim and Kon were deep in a conversation, their bodies turned toward each other and shutting out the rest of the world. "How lucky we are," Clark breathed. "How lucky that we can share this with everyone."
It really was impossible, Bruce thought irritably, to see Clark all starry-eyed and romantic like that and resist kissing him thoroughly.
A wave of applause broke around the hall as Clark returned and deepened the kiss, practically bending Bruce onto the table. They were panting when the kiss finished, and Clark was distinctly flushed--Bruce wasn't sure how he looked at the moment, but it probably wasn't terribly heroic. "That's it," he said, grabbing Clark's hand. "We're leaving."
Of course, it took another half-hour of good-byes and well-wishes, but eventually they managed to get out of the great hall. The sounds of the continuing celebration faded behind them as they made their way to the newlywed suite the Eldirans had set up. The sun was coming up, rose light touching the buildings and tangling in Clark's hair. The first sunrise of our marriage, he thought, and stopped to kiss Clark, to taste that light on his mouth.
"Good morning," whispered Clark.
"Oh yes," he said.
: : :
The newlywed suite was ridiculously magnificent to Clark's eyes--dark polished wood, golden accents, opulent fabrics--but even Bruce seemed almost taken aback by the bath.
It was more of a courtyard than a room, the ceiling open to the sky, the walls and floor of rose-gold marble. The center of the room was recessed and filled with water that caught the morning light until it seemed to be brimming with sunrise.
"All right," Bruce said, "I have to get you into that."
"No arguments here," said Clark, unfastening the scarlet cape from his shoulders.
"And I need to find your Mark," Bruce said, the capital letter clear in his tone.
Clark paused at the top button of his high-collared shirt. "My what?"
"Your Mark. Didn't you hear the elder? We're 'marked for each other--beyond the physical and into the spirit realm,' remember?"
"Well, of course I remember, but I thought--"
"--It was a pretty metaphor? So did I, until one of the Eldirans at the party was teasing me about where my Mark might be. Apparently--" Bruce reached out and undid first of Clark's many buttons, then the second, "--the bonding ceremony creates an actual, physical Mark, a symbol of the partner. It stays for a few days, then slowly fades." Two more buttons. "Now, where could that be."
Clark had a sudden, vivid memory of the moment he and Bruce had said their vows: a sharp, almost electrical pulse along his skin. He resisted the urge to clap his hand to the spot as Bruce continued slowly unbuttoning his jacket, his nimble fingers making their way lower and lower.
When the last button was undone, Bruce slid the jacket off Clark's shoulders, then slipped his fingers under the silky blue undertunic, exploring.
"That's not it," said Clark, grinning. "And--ooh--that's not it, either." He squirmed a bit. "Stop tickling."
"All right," Bruce said finally after exploring every inch of Clark's torso, "Off with this." He lifted the tunic up and over Clark's head. "Ah ha," he crowed as the shirt came off. "Found it."
His eyes were focused on Clark's neck, slightly below his ear. Clark vainly tried to angle his head so he could see what Bruce was looking at. "What does it look like?"
There was an avid satisfaction on Bruce's face. "It looks perfect."
He leaned forward and put his lips to Clark's neck.
A sharp pulse of pleasure, heavy and sweet, tremored through Clark's body at the touch, and he gasped. "What--"
"That's another thing the Eldiran told me," Bruce murmured against Clark's skin, the motion of his lips setting off ripples of sensation deep inside Clark's body. "That the Mark is extremely sensitive." Clark felt a hot tongue dart out and brush his skin, and the room around him dissolved into a haze of light and heat.
Bruce's hand slipped into Clark's pants, stroking and caressing, but Clark barely noticed, waiting for the next touch of Bruce's lips, the next rush of pleasure that only Bruce could give him now. "Pl--Please," Clark managed to stammer, thrusting hard against Bruce's hand, his body running riot out of his control, his mind desperately focused on that one spot, the spot he needed touched more than anything. Bruce made a growling sound and nipped hard against invulnerable, super-sensitive skin, and Clark's knees gave out completely as shudders of pure delight racked his body. The sensation was so overwhelming and so total that he wasn't even aware he'd climaxed until he slowly gathered himself together and found himself flat on the floor with Bruce straddling him, smiling smugly. Sure hands undid his pants and slid them off, tossing them into the corner.
Clark's body felt totally limp, relaxed and sated almost beyond his ability to move. He wanted nothing more than to crawl the last few feet to the steaming bath and soak for a few hours. Bruce leaned forward and licked at that spot below his ear again--
And exhaustion fell away into renewed, raging need without any transition. He wanted it again, he wanted more, he couldn't stand it-- Clark groaned and Bruce shifted his hips to grind against him, looking immensely pleased. "This is going to be a delightful weekend," he murmured.
"All right," growled Clark, "Off with your clothes, now."
Bruce's smile turned sly, slightly coy; he slid off Clark and stood. "You need to find my Mark."
Clark was shaking with need, his body clamoring for more caresses, more of that hot and shattering ecstasy. He couldn't still his hands; they trembled as he fumbled with soft gray cloth, resisting the urge to simply tear it all off into rags and scraps. Bruce's hand cupped his cheek, then moved to brush his earlobe, and Clark shuddered so hard at the nearness of those dear fingers that he had to stop for a moment. Layers of cloth like clouds and fog, hiding his lover's body from him...
"Ah," Clark said as he slid the last thin shirt off Bruce's shoulders, leaving him bare and shining, the light off the water playing across scars, across his Mark. He let his fingers skate close to the shield shape, the red and blue jewel-bright against pale skin.
Bruce shivered and closed his eyes, letting out his breath in a long, trembling exhalation. His head was thrown back slightly, his body exposed and vulnerable, waiting.
Carefully, gently, Clark bent down and put his lips to the symbol etched on Bruce's skin, gleaming just above his heart.