Who:Clark and Dick What:Clark gets a new power When:Recently? Warnings:None Status:complete
It had been a few days, three or four, after Dick had gotten out of prison. He'd brought his best friend back to his place and tossed out any of the idiot reporters that had tried to get answers. That had been two days ago, but he'd been focusing on Dick so much and making sure that he ate and that his panic attacks were taken care of. So, maybe he was losing track of his own days.
He'd barely been sleeping, himself, but not for the same reasons as his best friend. Sometimes they stayed up and watched television. Some days they just laid there in silence. Well, Dick laid there in silence. Clark had to deal with the noises and sounds of the world. The sirens that were three blocks away. A dog that was behind his house somewhere, possibly two or three blocks away. Even the little creaks of the house itself. Any time that his best friend got up.
The Kryptonian had managed to fall asleep at some point, arm over his eyes. Having the warm body beside his own probably helped, even if he didn't really think about that. Unfortunately, he was bound to wake up the moment any type of movement happened. But for now? He was in a light sleep. Exhaustion was a bitch.
Having Clark beside him helped. It took him a few days before he finally got any real sleep. They started off on opposite sides of the bed, but eventually merged into Clark's side seeking comfort from the nightmares he suffered.
His head rested gently on one of Clark's arms as he curled up there. He might have still had his sweats on, he didn't plan on giving them back any time soon either.
Dick rested a slender hand on the other man's chest unknowingly as he finally slept soundly for the first time since he was released. The nightmares happened already, he hoped that was it. He was also exhausted.
Clark, honestly, wasn't too worried about the sweats that he'd given Dick to wear the first night he'd brought him home. The other could keep them for all he cared. Actually, he's pretty sure those were sweats that he'd gotten from work a long ass time ago. Which meant that there was a firefighter logo on them somewhere.
With his best friend actually sleeping, it meant that the Kryptonian would sleep. Or, damn near close to it. Possibly that light sleep would turn into a slightly deeper one. All because the heartbeat beside him was steady and the other's breathing was evened out. There was no sign of nightmares or panic yet.
Unfortunately, they'd have to get up eventually. To get cleaned up and eat. Not that Clark wanted to get up. Hell, he'd probably hid the alarm clock somewhere, due to the fact that it was extremely loud whenever it went off. Hiding it? Didn't really dull the sound one damn bit though. Not for him.
After a while he finally woke, normally and not from nightmares for once. Tired eyes opened as he shifted just slightly to stretch a little. He didn't realize just how close he'd gotten to Clark yet. Groggy blue eyes focused on the man beside him. So close he could hear his steady breathing. But he didn't move too much. For the moment he just watched quietly.
Clark had done so much for him. Been a source of comfort for his unstable world, the least he could do was let him sleep a bit longer, besides he kind of liked being in his arm.
He hadn't been that comfortable in a long time. He wondered if he should move briefly, but Clark seemed to be a light sleeper. Dick noticed how hard his muscles had gotten by sleeping so close. He briefly wondered if he was always like that or if he'd gotten dream muscle. The hand on his chest stayed where it was, but he did lean up just a bit to get a better look.
The Kryptonian might've been asleep but he'd heard Dick move. Heard the stretch of those muscles. He doesn't, however, move. Even allows himself to sleep a bit longer. Not something that he'd been allowing himself since he'd brought Dick home with him. Too worried about his friend than about himself.
As for the muscles, they'd always been there. None of the muscles were dream related. They were related to the fact that he was a firefighter. Carrying a tank and a heavy ass hose, along with an axe or whatever they needed could put quite a bit of muscle on a person.
He lets himself sleep for a little bit longer. When he does wake, he doesn't move his arm from his eyes, not yet.
"Morning."
He was more muscly than Dick remembered, but it wasn’t as though he’d paid as much attention to them at first when they met. That would be weird. Maybe it was a little weird now, but at least since apparently this was becoming a normal thing-sharing a bed it wasn’t as weird.
He laid back down, kidnapping the other arm again as his pillow when Clark spoke. “Sorry, did I wake you?” Maybe the movement had gotten him after all. It was the first morning he’d woken up without feeling a hangover from a panic attack, he felt a little more like himself than he had since arrival.
It probably would've been weird if Dick had paid attention to his muscles when they'd first met. When they started saying hi to each other and became best friends. Things like that would've been weird. Now? This felt normal, nice.
"No. You didn't wake me," he tells him, stretching out a bit despite the fact that Dick had hijacked his arm again. Though, the movement had been heard. "What time is it?" Assuming that he remembered to tell Dick where the damn alarm clock was. Or maybe the damn thing was still off hidden somewhere and hadn't gone off. Had he even set it?
"Like my arm, do you?" He teases.
"No idea. You don't have a clock." and Dick currently didn't have a phone. His had died sometime when he was locked up. It was in the house but wouldn't power up. "And my phone is dead." He shrugged, not all that upset. He had someone to keep him company so he didn't really need it. A small yawn escaped him as he let his eyes close for a minute.
"Good." He responded as he laid there comfortably. "Mhm. It's a good arm." He was still tired so not making much sense, but he looked over at him contently. "How much can you bench?" he couldn't help but asking. He'd been watching so long.
"I do have a clock," he murmurs with a bit of a chuckle. "I just hid the loud ass thing." Though, he's not entirely sure where he hid it at. Even his own phone was off somewhere, but he'd find it later. He'd been keeping his cousin in the loop about his abilities. Clark was happy that Kara was in the OC too or he'd of probably been pretty damn lost.
"Is it?" He asks teasingly. For the moment? He had no intentions of getting up or even opening his eyes. Maybe he'd even let them both sleep a few more minutes, but they'd have to get up and eat soon. Or their stomachs might rebel against them. "Don't know. Never tried bench pressing. Why?"
Dick was happy staying just where he was. "You're comfortable. I could get used to this." he admitted with an amused sort of tone. "Most guys have to do that to get this kind of muscle. Thought it would be a crazy number." He shrugged. "I can't remember the last time I got to sleep in." Even before prison he was on graveyard shifts.
"Why'd you hide your clock?" he raised an eyebrow with curiosity. "I mean nobody likes mornings, except maybe Anna. I think she likes everything though." his friend seemed to be a consistent ray of sunshine when they did speak. ".. I should probably say something to the network." he hadn't. Even though he'd been released it wasn't priority." I don't know what to say."
"Most guys aren't firefighters. Now, are they?" He counters with a bit of a smirk. He'd never done bench pressing. A lot of his muscles came from working with fire equipment. Sometimes working out with the guys, but ultimately it was the heavy equipment that he'd carry around.
When Dick asks why he hid the clock he goes quiet for a moment," First night it went off, it felt like my ears were being pierced. The sound is just far too loud. Even with hiding it? It's still too loud." He'd hide it indefinitely if he could, but he couldn't do that. As for Anna, he didn't know who that was. Not that he could remember anyway.
"Just say 'I'm sorry I haven't been around. There was something personal that I needed to take care of.' Then leave it at that."
“So not dream related then?” He was actually a little more impressed. Though he didn’t say it. He just continued to hold his arm hostage and not give it back. “Mm I can see that. I hate the alarm on a regular day and don’t have that issue. What did you say the other day about being bulletproof?” He looked over at him, at the time his mind hadn’t been in the right state to respond. But he was remembering more of their conversations now. He just hoped the bad things didn’t come along with it. He could live without the memory of the prison.
“..Can I ask you something?” He leaned up, finally letting Clark have that arm back for the time being...but later he may end up kidnapping it again. He was actually a little nervous to ask it, but was curious. He also happened to remember something about a date. And if they dated.
"Not unless a 10 year old can be that muscly," he says with a bit of a chuckle. "Since in the dreams, I was ten when I got the super hearing." The super strength he'd gotten at age three. Which was still pretty damn weird to him. Trying to picture himself as a three year old and picking heavy things up. The dreams were really damn weird to him.
Clark had to think back to their conversation the other day. When he'd been trying to get Dick breathing right again. Get him out of his panic attack. "I didn't say anything about being bulletproof, just that I got hit by a bullet." The invulnerability being there. "I'd had one hit my arm, I hadn't even really noticed until Raven healed me."
That arm that's released gets put under his head and he scoots up a bit, eyes opening up a bit but not fully," You can ask me anything you want, Grayson. You know that."
"I mean I was. But differently. Trapeze takes a different kind of muscle." He shrugged, his dream self had been a high wire act since he could walk. Muscles were necessary to do so. But he rubbed his eyes a bit. "You got hit by a what?" he frowned and looked him over, making sure visually there weren't any injuries.
But then he's quiet for a moment as he thinks of how to phrase the next question. "Have you ever been with a man?" Honestly Dick hadn't, but sharing a bed with him was nice. Being around him made him feel safe. Those were things that were good for relationships weren't they?.. It'd been so long since he'd been with anyone that he'd forgotten what it was like to wake up beside anyone.
"That's a different type of muscle," he tells him. Clark didn't have a problem with heights, but he couldn't picture himself doing that. "You're not going to find a mark on me, Grayson." He hadn't even felt it. Hell, it probably would've only bruised if it had done anything. Raven, however, had healed him before he could even protest.
Those eyes open up a bit more and he shakes his head," No, I haven't." He'd made friends with guys growing up. Conner and all his other friends had teased him about Chloe. Someone that had been there during high school. A young woman who had been easy for him to talk to.
He's about to say something else but whatever it was doesn't come. Those eyes staring at Dick for a moment before he shuts his eyes again. Maybe it was just his mind playing tricks on him. That's what it was, right?
"I know." He was a little amused in response. Most people wouldn't choose highwire. He'd been brought up into it. Or at least dream him had, but real life him got to reap the benefits. His real life routine of exercise was rough, but the dream one had aided a little. Given him an extra boost in muscle. "Bet you could lift me.'' The idea amused him, he wasn't ready to get out of bed and try that yet but the idea was in his head. "Good… I don't want anyone hurt because of me." He prided himself on being able to handle his own business, but in prison he'd had no choice but to rely on others. It was hard not being out there with them.
"Would you?" straight to the point. Dick was curious. But as Clark's intense eyes locked in on him, he looked a little awkward. "What is it? Something on my pants?" he looked wherever he thought Clark was staring to see if he had done something weird, he hoped nothing embarrassing.
"Probably could."
Honestly? He wasn't even entirely sure that he could be hurt. Not that he wanted to head out and find out. There was no reason to find out. Besides, how would he even find that out? The idea of trying to harm himself didn't even fly well. Not even to find out if he could or couldn't be hurt.
"Would I what?" He asks having not opened his eyes again yet. "Date a guy? Be with him? Yeah, I'd date a guy." The Kryptonian would be with a guy and see where it went. A part of him was afraid to open his eyes again. It was bad enough that he'd slowly been getting used to the super hearing.
If Dick knew anything about Clark's powers, he might be able to put two and two together. It's a few more minutes before he even opens his eyes again. "Not... on your pants, no." He looks away from Dick and gives a soft growl. Except that he could see straight through his damn wall and through his own floor.
"Fuck."
Great... Was he going to start feeling like he was falling through everything now?
Dick would be concerned if he did think that. He didn't want him hurt, powers and invulnerability or not. He wasn't itching to try and find out what was painful and what wasn't.
Ruby had wanted him to move on with his life. It took him nearly spiraling a year to do so. Clark saw him at his worst and didn't go running. "Even if that guy is kind of a hot mess?" Yes, he was asking about himself. Trying to gage his reaction.
But then apparently Clark had seen right through his pants and it brought a hint of red to his cheeks. "I.. Oh.. Wait. Did you..?" had he seen.. Everything?
"Even then."
Clark's breathing picks up a bit though, because this was too much. Being able to see through everything. Why couldn't the super hearing be the only thing he had to deal with? The other powers could've stayed away for a bit. Or, at least, that's what he was telling himself.
"Uh huh."
Simple two words to that question.
"All of it, until I saw muscle and then bone..."
That red color only darkened. "Oh. Um." What did someone say when their potential partner already saw everything?
Did they say anything at all or just be bold. Dick went with the latter option and decided to test the waters, he leaned in a little and kissed him. A cautious thing at first. Clark had plenty of time to back away off Dick was completely out of line, but he really hoped not.
It wasn't like the Kryptonian had been trying to see everything. Once he's done nearly panicking about the whole situation, he'll probably end up a bit upset over the whole ordeal. Not that he has any control over it. Something even Dick probably knew. That wasn't the point, though.
The kiss throws him off after a moment. Why would the other want to kiss him anyway after he saw everything already? It doesn't, however, keep him from kissing him back. Maybe if he focused on that things would be fine. Maybe. Except that those eyes close so he doesn't see through Dick in the process.
Hm. Still tense. The kiss deepened a little when he wasn't just pushed off. Seemed he'd have to do a better job at distraction tactics. He briefly wondered if Clark had kissed anyone before, but also kept most of his attention on the man beside him.
He had wanted to distract him. And possibly tell him he was interested, but the words escaped him. He didn't know how to verbally express those things very well.
Of course he was still tense. Clark didn't want to push Dick away from him. There is a soft sound into the kiss though. It didn't mean that the Kryptonian wasn't afraid to open his eyes. He actually liked the feel of his best friend's lips against his own. Not something that he'd ever really thought about.
He only stops kissing when they both need to come up for air.
“Distracting enough?” He asks a little awkwardly. “You can’t keep your eyes closed forever. Look at me.” He touches his jawline in an attempt to give him a little bit of comfort the way Clark had done for him. Trying to offer a steady touch. He was in a better frame of mind then he had been when he arrived. He could see him now more clearly.
“It’s okay.” His Clark could control it, he knew someday this one would. He just didn’t know how he controlled it. But maybe if he focused enough he could. Maybe Dick could give him something else to focus on.
"I kind of like that distraction," Clark tells him with a bit of a smile. Though, he takes a deep breath at those words. His best friend was right on that one. He couldn't keep his eyes closed forever. Even if he didn't want to see through everything. Seeing through everything kind of scared the ever loving hell out of him. If he was in the right frame of mind, he'd see it as a blessing and not a curse.
He leans into that touch a bit before opening his eyes, staring into those blue eyes that were staring intently at him. The Kryptonian wasn't sure if he could do this. Between the sounds and the sight now. He felt like he was being overwhelmed or like the world was trying to crush in on him.
"I need to show you the pod." He was, honestly, trying to distract himself. Even if Dick's distraction was good too.
"You'll be okay. I promise." He didn't have power, but he'd still try to help him. "Focus on me." He said quietly as Clark said he liked it. "I like you. So I'd hope so or that might have been awkward." For the first time in weeks he felt more like himself than he had in a long time. A thumb touched his jawline. "You'll be okay." He reassured him as Clark had done for him so often lately. "Just focus on me."
It was a lot of power he was getting, but Dick wasn't afraid of it or him. He was steady and sure that he'd be able to handle it all in time.
"If it'll help you, whatever you need."
A part of Clark wanted to tell him that he couldn't promise that. However, he doesn't. Hadn't he told Dick to take a leap of faith while still in prison? Hadn't he tried to make sure everything was alright for him? Or, attempted for things to be at any rate. Tried to give him hope when he knew that there wasn't any there. So, he could try and let Dick do the same for him.
"Would've been awkward," he says, giving the other a bit of a smile. He's doing his best to focus on him, but being able to see through him, kind of sucked.
"I don't know if it'll help but... You know everything else about me. So, why not show you the pod too. Not like I'm hiding it from you." Just the rest of the world. He’d also gotten the costume too, but he’s not really thinking of that in that moment.
He promised it based on knowledge that his Clark had eventually learned to control it. So it wasn’t as though he promised out of thin air. He let his hand fall back to rest on the comfortable pile of blankets. “Wasn’t bad was it?” He hoped not anyway.
“Show away. Well...maybe let me clean up first.” He was still just wearing sweats. That was pretty much all he ever wore anymore in spite of having his clothes there. He didn’t go out, he didn’t do anything except stay at Clark’s home. That’s where he was currently comfortable, the idea of going out into the world worried him a bit still. He’d gotten more of his personality back, but he hadn’t been around that many people in quite a while.
"Course it wasn't. I liked it."
He tries not to laugh at the mention of needing to get cleaned up first. It wasn't like he was going to stop him. Just meant that while Dick was getting cleaned up he'd have to figure out how to get them to the garage, without feeling like he was going to fall through the damn floor. Or down the steps. How the fuck did his cousin deal with this shit again?
"You know where everything is."
Maybe once he got the handle of these damn abilities, he'd be able to get Dick out of the house and maybe to like a little diner. Easiest way to ease someone back into a society filled with people. Right?
“Good. I’m a little out of practice.” He admitted with a shrug, he hadn’t kissed anyone at all since Ruby. He hoped it didn’t suck.
Sliding off the bed, he nodded. Dick was improving by the day. He hadn’t had any major backslides recently, only a few little ones. “I should warn you, I’m the jealous type. So don’t go picking up any damsels in distress and taking them home okay?” A half tease as he headed to the bathroom to do said morning things he hadn’t gotten to doing yet. Showers and the like. It didn’t take him too long to change.
By now he thought he’d be itching to get back home. Honestly he was pretty content at Clark’s. He stepped out in a pair of jeans and black Ramons shirt, grungy comfy stuff. Clark wasn’t pressuring him yet to go out and mix with the civilians, so he didn’t feel a need to get fancy.
"Isn't everyone at some point?"
Clark can't help but crack a smile at Dick talking about being the jealous type. "Guess it's a good thing I don't know any damsels in distress." Nor would he bring someone home with him. Not when there were far too many secrets that could be found in the house itself.
By the time Dick comes out of the shower, the Kryptonian gives him a soft smile. He's trying to focus on the other's face and no other part of him, even if that didn't really help with the fact that he saw everything.
"Straight to the pod or are you hungry first?"
Whether he could cook right now or not was a whole other story.
“It’s been a year at least.” Ruby had actually told him he needed to move on with his life, he just didn’t realize it’d be with Clark. Not that it was a bad thing. He enjoyed the man’s company, and felt safe with him around.
He still felt a bit dirty from that prison, a metaphorical sort of thing though. Unfortunately no amount of showering could really wash it away. He’d tried that his first night. It still remained. Dick shrugged. “Not that hungry.” He didn’t eat as much as he did before, a thing he’d need to get used to again. He was able to eat more, but was used to being forced into eating less. Sometimes once a day.
“The pod and then food then. Since I’m a little hungry, but not by much,” Clark tells him. If there was one thing that he’d noticed, it was that Dick would eat when he ate. Even if the Kryptonian was used to eating alone, he didn’t have to now. That was something that he enjoyed. Having the other man’s company. Even if they didn’t really talk when they ate, the company was good enough.
He doesn’t even hesitate to reach out for Dick’s hand. Not because his best friend needed it, but because he needed something to ground him. Which wasn’t an easy task when these abilities kept coming out of the woodwork. A part of him was tempted to hide off inside of a Doomsday bunker or something. That would stop it, right? Well, not the abilities but the being overwhelmed. Or get a sensory deprivation tank. Not that he thinks it would help.
The Kryptonian stays quiet for a moment trying to ignore the fact that he could see under the floor. See all the space and pipes, everything that no one should be able to see. Even through the door of the garage that he leads Dick through, where a gray tarp was covering an unknown object back somewhere behind the truck.
Dick did not mind holding his hand in the least. Fingers laced with his as he let Clark lead him where he wanted to go. He didn't need sunglasses anymore when adjusting to different lights. He was able to walk from outside to inside and not recoil in pain. It had eased a lot of his panic attacks. He walked alongside him, giving a tired yawn as they headed out to the spot Clark wanted to go to. Lack of sleep was catching up to him.
But when they finally approached, he looked at the tarp and then at Clark. "I don't have super vision, buddy." he teased, indicating that his friend was going to have to pull off the tarp if he wanted him to see.
Clark heard the yawn, the intake of breath and shook his head slightly. They couldn't both sleep forever, even if they wanted to. Luckily, for him, even though the x-ray vision had come into play his cousin had helped him with the super strength and super hearing. Even if he still didn't get how in the hell focusing on silence would help that last one.
A part of the Kryptonian didn't want to let go of Dick's hand, but he eventually does and moves over to the tarp opening it. "Supposedly, it's as small as it is because I showed up on Earth as a baby." The pod was still decently sized, but it wasn't as big as Kara's.
He was finally sleeping, which meant he was comfortable enough in Clark’s presence to do so. He trusted him enough to actually sleep through the night, even if he had a nightmare or something the Kryptonian wasn’t about to just disappear and leave him. He would do the same for Clark, with all these new powers, he was certain it was scary. He wasn’t about to leave him when he was needed. When someone gained his trust, they had it for life. He wasn’t an easy person to get close to.
When Clark stepped away and pulled off the tarp, he just smiled. “Okay now that’s pretty damn cool.” He looked up at his friend with a smile. “Can it still fly?” He didn’t know, maybe a really small person could fit in it. Or an animal or something. Dick was curious and joined his side again. “How does it open?” A million questions, but hey it wasn’t every day someone saw a tiny space craft from Krypton.
"If I'm being honest? I don't know. On either account."
When the pod had showed up, he'd contacted his cousin and she'd moved it into the garage for him. At that time? He was powerless, quite literally. Just the normal every day firefighter. He hadn't forgotten that it was in the garage, but he hadn't seen a point in messing with it.
Moving closer to it, he runs a hand over it and presses his hand against a part of the front. If he nearly startles himself by the pod door sliding open, well... there was that.
“You didn’t try to open it?” That would be the first thing Dick would have done, but he was also known for having a cats curiosity for better or worse. Pandora’s box could open up and he would still be curious as to what was inside. Maybe it was good that one of them had a cautious mind.
He knelt down beside it while Clark opened it up. “Bingo.” He grinned up at him and peered inside. He’d never gotten to see his Clark’s ship. “Now I know all your secrets. Guess it’s a good thing I’m pretty good at keeping them hm?” He stood up to watch him with a little sly smile.
"No, I didn't try to open it. It showed up in my living room and I needed it out of my living room," Clark states with a bit of a shrug. Not that he's saying how he got it out of his living room. Something told him that Dick could figure that out on his own. "Besides, what good would trying to open it have done then?"
He's not entirely sure how he even opened the door on the pod, but that was okay. "You might know all my secrets, but I know enough of yours," he points out. Not to mention Clark could also do the one thing that he'd never do. "Besides, you don't know all my secrets."