Who:Dick and Clark What:Christmas stuff When:Christmas and backdated to then. Where:Clark's Warnings:None, just some talk of circuses and memories.
Clark had, for the most part, done a few holiday things with his family. Christmas was a holiday that the Kents and Danvers both celebrated. Something that the two families enjoyed. The more people around them, the merrier. He was pretty sure that his mom or dad would even invite their coworkers or the children of said coworkers. His mom was pretty good about that. Or kids that didn’t have a place to go during the holidays.
This, however, was meant for just him and Dick. A quiet night at home. Maybe a movie or two. Definitely food. Which just happened to be what Clark was doing at that moment, cooking. Even if he had leftovers from his mom’s gathering. This was special to him. The first time they were spending a holiday together. So, if Dick can’t find him around the house then he could find him in the kitchen. A place he loved to be when he wasn’t at work or laying down at night watching the other.
Dick hadn’t imposed on the Kent traditions, he wasn’t up for a big thing this year. The end of the year had been a bit mentally exhausting. They’d done thanksgiving, and he did fine but afterwards ended up not leaving the house for days. He’d insisted he’d be fine and Clark should go enjoy his family, and he meant it. He wasn’t being secretly spiteful or anything. He’d be there when he got back. Dick was much more active at night anyway. During the day he could pretend to be a fully functioning human if need be, but when it came to actually being himself that happened more so then.
There was something sitting in his lap that had just arrived. Seemingly from out of nowhere. He’d gotten up and there it was on the ground, at first he was cautious considering Orange County liked to leave them gifts but then he picked it up and examined it. It was marked as To Dick Grayson but it didn’t have a sender. And then he heard a noise from downstairs.
Huh. Clark had gotten home. Probably, the sound came from the kitchen it seemed. Unless someone broke in just to make food he was going to assume it was Clark anyway. He took the package and headed down to the kitchen where for a moment he leaned in the entryway to watch.
Clark hadn't wanted to leave Dick home alone while he went off to spend time with his family. His mother and father both would've understood, if he'd wanted to stay home. It was only at Dick's insistence that he'd left him there. Though, there had been a promise that he'd bring back food. Which he'd done. Except he'd decided that it would be better to cook instead. More personal that way.
So, he's humming to himself when Dick comes down to the kitchen. He knows that the other was there. Heard him moving around upstairs before he'd decided to come down them. There's a soft smile on the Kryptonian's lips even as he tries not to laugh.
"Like something you see, Grayson?"
Dick needed to take a little time to himself on occasion. More so recently since he’d been arrested. The panic attacks had lessened recently, but around new people he was still a bit nervous. “Maybe a few things.” He looked him up and down in that apron, with a sly smirk creeping into his lips as he pushed off the doorway and put the package down on the table as he made his way toward him and wrapped his arms around his waist for a minute. “Too bad I didn’t get the x-ray vision about now.” He teased. “How was it?”
He peered around his shoulder at whatever it was he was cooking to get a good look. Christmas was a bit of a tough time for him in general, but this year he was trying to put himself back together. Clark had helped repair a lot of the damage that was done. He wasn’t against meeting the parents, just maybe not on a big sort of event.
Clark heard the package being set aside but doesn’t ask about it. If Dick wanted to tell him about it, he would. Assuming that he even knew what was in said package. He can’t help but smile a bit and leans back against Grayson, despite being a bit taller than him,” I’d trade you for a day or two if I could.” Whether he was serious or not was a whole other story. He actually didn’t mind having x-ray vision. Despite the fact that it had scared the fuck out of him when he’d initially gotten it. “It was pretty good. Festive as usual. Mom asked about you.”
The Kryptonian gives a bit of a smirk before lifting a spoon up to Dick’s lips for him to taste. He figured a nice bowl of homemade chili would be good for a night in.
"It'd be interesting to try out powers. Everyone around me has them." He wasn't jealous, just curious. Okay, sometimes in the dreams teenage him was quite envious of his super powered friends, but he held his own against those with power and those without. Dick enjoyed the warmth of both the stove and the boyfriend." Your mom knows about me?" he asked with an amused eyebrow raised as if to ask if that meant she knew about "them" then.
He had no living parents to tell he had a boyfriend or he might have already as well. He happily played food taster. "Pretty sure if it wasn't for my workout routine I'd be in trouble living with you," he teased. "You didn't leave me a present did you? It's unsigned." There were a few presents for Clark in the other room under the tree but he's pretty sure things over there were signed.
"Maybe some day you'll get to do that," he tells him. Whether it was Clark's abilities or someone else's was a whole other story. So far, super hearing was the only ability of his that he wouldn't put on anyone. That was one that had nearly killed him, or close to it, when he'd first gotten it. If it hadn't been for Dick and his cousin when it came to his powers, he'd of been found off in a ditch somewhere probably. "Mom knows about you. She knows about us. She'll want to meet you eventually."
He can't help but smirk at the statement," I don't know... I'm sure I could work around that routine. Too spicy or not enough spice?" It's asked almost absently. He knew just how much spice he put in his homemade chili. The thought of anything unsigned bothered him a bit," No. Where did you find it at?" Most of what he'd gotten Dick was signed. "Do you want me to find out what's in it before you open it?"
"Hmm maybe." It was orange county after all. Who really knew? Weird shit happened all the time for them. Dick just leaned against the small of his back as he held onto him and enjoyed the comfortable smells filling the kitchen for a moment. "Does she? .. And she's okay with me?" Ruby's family had taken a while to warm up to him.
"You trying to make me fat? Rude." Even when he didn't work out though he hadn't gained weight at all. At least now unlike in jail he looked physically healthy. He wasn't thin and ill anymore. He was taking better care of himself. Mostly due to living with Clark." Spicy, but I like spice." the question of whether or not Clark ought to look, he paused and glanced over at it. "Might not be a bad idea.." if he hadn't left him anything unsigned, it made him a little suspicious. Inside however was harmless when he did look. It appeared to be clothes of some kind.
"You never know," he points out. The OC was a place of interesting possibilities. Like people being stuck in places that someone would only find in a movie. Hearing about that one had been weird. Especially when he knew most of those movies. "Of course she does, Dick. Why wouldn't she be okay with you? My parents are very open-minded people."
He gives a bit of a smirk," If I was trying to make you fat then you'd be eating dinner, dessert, second dinner, more dessert." It's a bit teasing. Not even Clark could do that, to himself or anyone else. "More spice or leave it as is?" He does, however, look over towards the package allowing his x-ray vision to see what was inside. "Looks like a set of clothes. It's safe to open, though."
He didn’t often think much about the powers thing, it never really bothered him. He just would have appreciated being able to see through his clothes while he cooked. So he smirked and nodded. “I don’t know, it’s been quite a while since I’ve had to meet anyone’s parents.” He gave a bit of a grin at that, it could be awkward. Especially when he hoped they would be okay with him. Maybe even like him at some point. He liked Clark, a lot. It would suck if his parents decided they didn’t approve or something. “I’d introduce you to mine but I can’t exactly do that anymore.” He shrugged, his had died long ago and he’d come to terms with it. Even if around the holidays it sucked a little. He barely remembered them though, they died when he was young. His dream parents stood out like a sore thumb to him, but also were dead. What was it with him and dead parents? Unlucky short straw draw or something?
“Leave it. Spice is good, fire is not.” He gave his jawline a little kiss before he let go of him for a minute to go examine the package again. “Safe huh..and not from you?” He asked one more time. “There was shooting stars last night. Did you see?” He asked as he opened the package carefully as if something might jump out at him.
"You'll find, Dick, that my mother is very open-minded. Both of my parents, especially her, accepted how my little brother was," he tells him. Even if he'd been the first to find out about it. There was no way that he couldn't support his little brother. Then again, he'd support Conner in just about anything that kid did. "Well, you still technically could introduce me, but it might be a bit weird to you." There were, after all, kids who visited their parents at their graves. Even introduced loved ones to them.
He can't help but chuckle a bit," Spice good, fire bad. Got it." Even if it took a lot before Clark realized something was too hot. Maybe it was due to his alien metabolism or something. "No. Not from me," he tells him. "I think I saw it out of the corner of my eye." It's said even as he grabs a couple of bowls out of the cupboard. "What type of clothes is in the box exactly?"
"Hn. Well if you're sure, then I'll meet them sometime." he shrugged at the comment about introducing him to his dead parents. "Very weird, considering I've never been to their graves myself. Or spoken to them." he wasn't really a religious person, and he hadn't decided what he believed happened after someone died. He'd spoken to Ruby's spirit once, but it was a weird orange county thing." I don't even know where their graves are. " It was something he'd never really looked into. He was a bit awkward when it came to his real parents. Probably happened to any kid who's been in the system.
He was glad for the change of subject when food was brought up." Good place to stop if you need a fire extinguisher to eat it." He poked at the packaging for a minute before pulling it open to reveal a classic looking hooded pullover sweater that read Halys Circus and featured the old logo of the place he recognized so vividly from the Dreams. It was big enough for him as an adult. It didn't make sense, since he'd lived that life as a kid but what did in that city? A hand touched it cautiously as if expecting a trap and he'd fallen quiet for a moment.
"I'm sure." Clark knew that his parents would actually like Dick. They'd probably even be able to tell that he was happier than he had been in a while. He doesn't, however, say anything more about the whole visiting the graves. Especially when Dick didn't seem so sure about that. He didn't want him uncomfortable. So, it was better to just let the subject drop.
"You'd need the extinguisher before I did," he teases with a bit of a chuckle, taking the scoop and placing a good portion in the bowls, then puts the rest up. He brings the bowls, with spoons, to the table and sets it down. He does, however, notice the hoodie.
"You going to be alright?"
It wasn’t exactly a fun christmas topic, so he was a bit relieved to just move on. He’d had enough trauma this season, thanks. “Set it up.” Clark knew his schedule was basically wide open. Whenever he wanted, Dick was willing. It wasn’t like he had a day job yet. That would probably need to be fixed soon, but he’d worry about it after the holidays.
"I'm not sure what to do with this." the obvious answer was to wear it, but it was like his brain wasn't connected to solutions. He didn't know how to react to it and could only look over at Clark helplessly.
"I will," he says with a smile. The idea of Dick meeting his parents, especially his mother, was something that Clark thought would be nice. Of course, he's pretty sure that his little brother might tease him. Mainly because growing up everyone thought him and his best friend, Chloe, had been together. Somehow the other man had wormed his way into his heart, starting out as friends, and then this whole thing slammed into him. Or into them both.
He watches him for a moment," Try it on. Wear it."
He assumed he didn’t have to tell him some place that was not crowded. Or hell, even his place would be good. He still struggled in trying to cope with people filled places. Clark had already met most of his friends that he counted as family, so it wasn’t really like he had to worry about things like that. Though probably nobody saw it coming that he’d end up with Clark, but he was different than anybody else Dick had been with before and the attraction was there. He wanted to constantly touch him and be with him. That spark and warmth was there. It was almost kind of scary, he’d not felt anything at all since Ruby was killed. It was like he’d been living in a void. One where he didn’t believe he deserved any kind of happiness, and then Clark came in and it was like he was alive again and not just going through the motions.
Dick was still a little unsure of the item, but eventually he did decide to try it on. “..It fits. It doesn’t make any sense considering in those dreams I was maybe nine at the most, but it fits..” He trailed off as he touched the logo. “I remember thinking that it might be nice to have one of these the other night. The stage hands had them. The ones who set up the show. I had one. But it was smaller..obviously. It wasn’t all bad memories..There was a tiger that I used to give churros to every weekend.” There were some good ones mixed in with all the sad stuff that happened there. He made friends with the animals and some of the performers.
Clark knew that Dick still needed a bit of time. It wasn't like when their parents put floaties on their kids, and threw them into the pool. Quite a few of the parents hoping that it would help their children learn how to swim. Most of them picked it up in a heartbeat. Others? They didn't want to see water ever again. So, the Kryptonian knew that the place couldn't be crowded. Not that his mom's place ever was. Not unless she had friends or family over.
He looks over towards him and gives him a small smile," Maybe it has something to do with that wish. This is the OC as I'm reminded, constantly. Which means that a lot of weird shit happens." It was something that he'd had to get use to. Even more so when the dreams started giving him weird ass powers. Once that he'd slowly embraced as a part of himself. "You fed a tiger churros?"
He wanted to be ready for the crowds and just move on with his life, but it wasn't quite that easy. He was making progress, able to go out on his own but he stayed away from places that were too busy, often kept his guard up. To the point of being physically tense when he did encounter them. He went out of his way not to. He glanced over at the chili. "That looks good." he hadn’t had that in forever, and when he did it was store bought.
"I never really voiced it before.. That's concerning." He shook his head with a smirk. The city could now hear their thoughts? Yikes. "Of course I did, I thought he was my friend. And if I wanted churros I was sure he did too." Because honestly who didn't love a churro. "Sometimes it was a bit of funnel cake… I was young. I don't know." He gave a small laugh at the memory that was as vivid as though it weren't just a dream.
"Then you need to sit down and eat before it gets cold."
He gives Dick a smile before shaking his head. Though, when he mentioned that he never voiced it before, something clicked. "But you said there was a shooting star, didn't you? Maybe it had something to do with that." He wasn't sure if it did or not, but it was a very good possibility. Or, so he thought at any rate.
"Well, that sounds like the most amazing thing ever," he tells him before sitting down at the table himself. "Now I get to picture tiny you feeding a tiger churros."
"Could be." He was glad it wasn't something dangerous or unwanted. Sliding it on, it fit him perfectly. He gingerly touched the logo in the center and looked back over at Clark in amusement. "And the occasional funnel cake. The trainers weren't as amused as I was but he liked it." They had all kinds of animals. That part was pretty much a child's dream playground. "I'd get caught and just come back again later." he snickered at the memory. Before moving to sit down beside the bowl.
Before he could even sit down in front of the food as he stepped beside Clark to do so, he looked up. Above them out of the corner of his eyes there was a mistletoe hung. He pointed at it. "Did you plant that there?"
"And the occasional funnel cake," he states with a bit of a chuckle. It was something that he could very well picture. Dick as a young boy trying to feed the tiger sweets. If the animal liked it, then why not. Even if he's pretty sure that those big animals were meant to be on a meat only diet. Tell that to a little kid and they might look at you stupid. After all, if they can have sweets then why can't the other animals?
Clark looks at Dick a bit funny when he asks about planting something, which confuses the Kryptonian. "Did I plant wha..." He sees where he's pointing before giving a bit of a scowl," No." Christmas lights and Christmas tree were as far as he normally went during the holidays. Maybe a little decoration, but never those damn things.
The tiger had been more than happy to receive the sweets. Dick didn't understand that animals probably should not have sweets. It didn't make sense in his mind, so he kept bringing it occasional treats in spite of the trainers. "It was one of the last traveling circuses. There were elephants, zebras, and a bear at one point.. The bear did not like treats." The bear was a jerk. "It actually ended up escaping which was probably better for it anyway. Lions, all kinds of animals."
When Clark scowled at the mistletoe he could only look amused at him. "It isn't that bad." He leaned up to kiss him. It was tradition after all.
"Somehow... I'm not surprised that the bear didn't like treats," he says with a bit of a chuckle. To be honest? Far as he knew, bears only ate certain things anyway. Technically, all animals were that way. It was still amusing and cute to picture Dick as a little kid feeding all these big ferocious animals. Though, he doubted they were too ferocious. Being part of a circus and all.
"It is when I'm not the one who hung it," he teases before kissing him back, placing a hand on his side to keep him steady.
The animals were all used to being handled by people, his circus had actually made a point of treating them well too, so they were cared for and generally happy." The bear was kind of a jerk, they didn't try too hard to bring back another bear." one bear escape was more than enough. "It was the only animal I remember being afraid of, the rest were pretty well tempered." Probably a good thing to be afraid of though, considering it broke out. "Went through a year of avoiding anything to do with bears after that." he shook his head with a hint of amusement.
"But the benefits are still good aren't they?" he smirks just above his lips as he rests a hand on his chest. Like that it was gone, but he wasn't done kissing him yet. He kissed him a second time, this one a little deeper.
"Maybe the bear decided, just like any human, that it didn't want to feel trapped," he points out. Though, it was good to know that the animals were well cared for. He'd heard of some circuses being assholes to their animals, which wasn't something that he'd go for. That was something he'd have to intervene with. He'd like to see someone try to stop him now.
He lets him deepen the kiss, kissing him back," I don't know..." It's said a bit teasingly. "It's making one of my favorite foods go cold and I did tell you to eat it before it did that." That teasing tone was clearly there, even as Clark pulls him a bit closer. Though, they did need to eat.
"Maybe." he was a little kid, he hadn't given it much thought then. "The place was pretty good to the animals. They only really had to stay in cages at night from what I remember." but again, kid. He just lived there, he didn't really know about other circuses except if there were others they'd be rivals with so he didn't know about them or their animals.
His arm wrapped around his neck as he was pulled inward." Fine, but you owe me more of this afterwards." he kissed him once more before reluctantly releasing him and letting his hand rest on his arm.
Clark, unfortunately, for Dick was one of those guys that didn't like their food being heated up. It wasn't that it couldn't be, it could be. However, he liked it when the food was right off the stove. Something that he'd learned after watching his mother. He wasn't one to complain and that was probably something that his boyfriend appreciated.
He kisses him again before giving a chuckle," Mmm... I can gladly give you more of that afterward."
Dick didn't care, sure it was good. But he was a guy who lived off cereal and take out before he met Clark. He'd never really had the same relationship with God that his boyfriend did, so it caused him to laugh and roll his eyes as he returned that kiss.
"Holding you to it, CK." he never thought he'd be as happy as he was, especially after how rough his year had been. Reluctantly he pulled away to sit down and eat. This was all kinds of terrifying but in a good way.