InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "The Pink Posse!"

Wayne; Bruce (notbatty) wrote in valarlogs,
@ 2012-07-14 18:24:00

Entry tags:

bruce wayne (batman), clark kent (superman)

Who: Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne.
When: Saturday afternoon.
Where: Side of the road, somewhere in Orange County.
What: Clark's car broke down. Someone pulls over to help.
Rating: Low.

Bruce didn't flaunt his wealth the way he might if he had secrets he'd been covering-for all of his adult life, but the car was something special. He had a weakness for them, and although the Lamborghini was five years old, it still looked as if it had just rolled off the lot. Cars like that did not generally pull over to help when they saw hazard lights on the side of the road, if only because nothing said rob me, I have money like a three-hundred-thousand dollar car. The man behind the wheel was in a suit in spite of the fact that it was a Saturday; there were still clients to entertain, still people to meet, and Bruce had just come back from a brunch with some Very Important People that Lucius Fox had asked him to schmooze.

He was in a good mood. In his last self-defense lesson, he'd finally had reflexes that felt right. If someone wanted to try something, he felt like he could handle himself -- and if he couldn't, well, it wasn't as if there weren't tracking features in the car.

"Do you need some help?" Bruce called out.

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mildmanner
2012-07-14 11:46 pm UTC (link)

Clark was incredibly frustrated.

He wasn't great with cars in the first place, and he had absolutely no idea what to do to fix it. Steam or smoke wasn't pouring out of the hood, and his budget just did not have a tow truck in it this month.

Or any month. But still.

When the Lamborghini pulled up, Clark did his best to not gape. He couldn't even afford to dream of a car like that. Scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, he smiled at the man.

"All I can get, I'm afraid. I'm not sure what happened."

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notbatty
2012-07-14 11:57 pm UTC (link)

"May I?" Bruce asked. He was already taking off his jacket and tie. They'd only get in the way, or dirty, or both. With sleeves rolled up, he'd be ready to go. "I, uh. Like engines." Which wasn't a lie; Bruce devoted himself to hobbies with an enthusiasm that he never showed to his work.

His keys went into his pocket as he approached Clark.

"Was it doing anything strange before it died?"

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	mildmanner 2012-07-15 12:05 am UTC (link)
	"It just didn't start right this morning, but that was about it. I'm kind of hopeless with them, honestly." The guy's suit was probably worth more than Clark made all year. "I really appreciate your help though." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

notbatty
2012-07-15 01:39 am UTC (link)

"I'm glad to help."

And it was true. Everyone had been through a flat or engine troubles at least once in their life. If the cell wasn't out or the person didn't look as if they were waiting on help, well. Why not?

"And since I'm not a mechanic by trade, I have to find other opportunities to have a look at cars." The wry half-smile was supposed to say 'joke,' but Bruce forgot that not everyone could read his expressions. He gave his sleeves a good shove, just to prove they were up, patted his pocket to make sure he'd put the cufflinks somewhere safe. Then he was around the front of the car and peering into the engine.

"I'm Bruce."

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	mildmanner 2012-07-15 01:50 am UTC (link)
	Clark somehow got the joke. He couldn't really figure out how or why, but the humor just sort of made sense to him. But then again, he was trying to get better at reading people's expressions (hopefully being more observant all around.) "I'm Clark. I think we might have met on the Valar Network, actually." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

notbatty
2012-07-15 02:02 am UTC (link)

"Oh, that's right - you're the reporter." Not blogger. Other journalists might have been stingy with the title, but it wasn't Bruce's career and he didn't have any such qualms. "I don't check in as much as I should on that account. Did anything else come of that Gawker call?"

That's right. He remembered the website. Bruce had a pretty good memory.

He also wasn't shy about poking around under the hood, suit or no. He was careless about the state of the clothes in the way that only a wealthy person could be; they'd dry clean, right? Nevermind that oil could be nasty to get out, and he'd be very lucky if he escaped without getting some on himself.

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mildmanner
2012-07-15 02:05 am UTC (link)

Reporter. Not blogger.

The gratitude Clark felt in that single statement was absurd. At the moment, he'd have bought Bruce a puppy. If he'd had the money.

"No, but I did get a byline on the HuffPo last week. I did a small piece on the Games." Clark immediately shook his head. "Sorry, that was bragging. It really was a small article, and I shouldn't distract you."

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notbatty
2012-07-15 02:11 am UTC (link)

"That's bragging?" Bruce's face appeared briefly, the same wry smile firmly back in place. "It sounded like fact to me. You didn't even make a value judgment about the quality of your work." Distractions weren't a problem, apparently - that, or one of Orange County's resident billionaires would soon be paying for repairs on the damage that he had done to a stranger's car.

"The Huffington Post is a big deal. Are you going to the Games to report? I'd wanted to go, but I have some obligations here in early August, so it won't be possible."

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	mildmanner 2012-07-15 02:14 am UTC (link)
	Clark shook his head, shrugging in a manner that could only be called self-depreciating. "It was just about the terrible photographer and the uniforms debacle. Sort of the idea of globalization and identity wrapped up in the team, that sort of thing. It wasn't my best work. I'm not really a sports reporter anyway." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	notbatty 2012-07-15 02:26 am UTC (link)
	"I saw those photographs. They were a risk." And not one that Bruce felt had paid off, though that went without saying. "I'll have to-- ugh." Grease. His hand slipped off of whatever he'd been poking-at inside the engine. "Look for your byline." "Did you notice a pool of anything under the car when you backed out?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	mildmanner 2012-07-15 02:29 am UTC (link)
	"No, I wasn't paying attention. It's on gravel so you wouldn't see a lot anyway, I suppose." Clark went to his backseat and found an old rag and a small first aid kit. "Just in case." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

notbatty
2012-07-15 03:12 am UTC (link)

"Thanks." Bruce dragged the old rag over his knuckles, which smeared away most of the grease. "...good news, I don't think it's the engine, unless you noticed it overheating. The bad news is that it might be your battery. I can give you a jump if you have cables, but nothing's to say that it will start in the morning."

As car problems went, though, a dead battery wouldn't be bad. Bruce stepped back and fought the urge to put his hands on his hips. Suit, Wayne - mind yourself.

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	mildmanner 2012-07-15 03:15 am UTC (link)
	"Really? That's great." And probably affordable. "A jump would be perfect, although I think I owe you coffee at least for helping me out like this." Sure, Bruce Wayne could obviously afford to buy coffee. Or a coffee company. But it was the thought that counted. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	notbatty 2012-07-15 03:23 am UTC (link)
	"Okay. How's this for a plan? I give you the jump and follow you to a mechanic. We find coffee, and I'll drive you back when your car is ready." Bruce didn't usually go through the drive-thru, but on occasion he was a terrible person. The mental picture of the Lamborghini in a Starbucks queue was too great to pass up. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	mildmanner 2012-07-15 03:25 am UTC (link)
	Well, this was going to get awkward. "I was just going to er, buy the battery. Put it in myself. Shouldn't be too hard, right? But we could still go through the Starbucks if you'd like." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

notbatty
2012-07-15 04:16 am UTC (link)

Probably not hard if you knew how, but if you were uncomfortable with cars? Bruce considered nosing in, reconsidered, and then finally just went there. "I think some of the car-parts stores will do the installation as a courtesy with the battery purchase."

Of course, Bruce had no idea where which those were, since he had a mechanic and would pay extra for convenience. Auto--something. He couldn't recall what the guys in the break room at work had said, only faint strains of the conversation.

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	mildmanner 2012-07-15 04:18 am UTC (link)
	"I think there's an AutoZone a few blocks away. If you don't mind following, I mean. I'm sure there's a lot on your schedule today." Clark couldn't imagine a man like Bruce Wayne didn't have a lot better things to do. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	notbatty 2012-07-16 12:11 am UTC (link)
	Other things. Not necessarily better. Bruce nodded. "Sure, I'll follow." He could spare an hour; if he was going to do the thing and help someone, he wanted to do it right. (Reply to this) (Parent)