Dick "life's a carnival" Grayson (![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} lifesacircus) wrote in ![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small} valarlogs,@ 2021-04-05 20:52:00 |
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| Entry tags: | !complete, clark kent (superman), dick grayson (nightwing) |
Who:Dick and Clark
What:Second garage
When:recently
Where:Dick's old place
Warning:None
Clark had shown him the fortress, so the next step was showing him a few secrets of his own. So he sent his boyfriend a quick text Meet me at my place. And left the coffee shop he’d been loitering at for home. Or what used to be home. Now was really just extra storage. Honestly he wasn’t that sad about it either. He’d been pretty lonely in that space, the house had been just that. A place with a roof where occasionally he slept, but it wasn’t really ever “home”.
Stepping in through the front door, he squinted at the dust that hit him square in the face. It obviously hadn’t been occupied in some time. Maybe once it was cleaned out, he’d just rent it out after all. He stepped inside the large entry way and looked up at the ceiling.
Ironically, a few bats had decided to call it home. Dick made a face. “Of course.” But didn’t disturb them much beyond that, he walked through the barely lit place and flipped on a light. It really didn’t look much like him now that he lived elsewhere. It was a nice, big spot but not cozy at all.
If he was being honest? He had actually forgotten about Dick's original place. Probably because they didn't talk about it all that often. Why would they? His boyfriend lived with him and they were both happy. That's what mattered the most. Should I bring the truck? It was a valid question. Otherwise? He was bound to be at the old place in a matter of seconds.
He wasn't sure why they were meeting there, but he was sure that Dick would tell him eventually. They didn't really keep secrets from one another. Why would they? They trusted the other with their life. Which said a lot about... well, a lot of things, if he were being honest.
He'd wait for the answer before he headed out, though. Just to be on the safe side.
It had of course been on his mind, considering it wasn’t getting any use. It felt wasted, Dick didn’t like that. Probably, actually, yeah. He responded, having completely forgotten that they might actually need it. The place was expansive and a bit overwhelming to him now.
These weren’t quite the last of his secrets, but they were nearing the end of them. It didn’t exactly scare him either like it might with someone else. He crossed the marble flooring toward the second garage where he stood and looked up at two almost identical old grandfather clocks. They were really the reason he kept the place at all, one of them had been a dream gift. The one that never told accurate time anymore.
Don’t break down someplace. He teased, he’d always tease him about that death trap of a truck. But really it had been quite reliable, Dick just was used to a high brow sort of lifestyle that didn’t include rusty trucks.
Then I'll bring the truck.
A truck that he's had since his teenage years. The very first vehicle that he'd ever gotten. He's surprised that he was able to put the thing back together. When he'd gotten his super strength he'd managed to tear the driver side door off. That had been... interesting. He was just glad that his neighbors hadn't seen it happen. Last thing he needed was anyone to ask about it.
Hush, you. Be there in fifteen. Besides, if I break down, I’ll just fly myself and the truck to you. He tells him. Though, it probably wouldn't take him that long to get to Dick's old place, not really.
Might take a couple trips.
He decided to move over into the adjacent living room to wait in. I’ll just take an hour nap while you get here. He would never not tease him. Clark would know when he wasn’t in the right headspace if he didn’t tease him about something. During the jail time he’d faced, he hadn’t been able to tease him at all with his mind being altered by those “doctors”.
Dick might not actually sleep, but he did pick up the ornate box he’d been left of memories both dream and real. He’d be taking that with them. Probably even clearing out the rest of the house later on.
I have nowhere else I need to be.
Which meant that he'd be able to take as many trips as they needed. Though, he shakes his head at the bit of teasing. It was good that Dick was doing that. That the other was teasig him. It meant that he was alright. Meant that things were good, even. No war going on in his head that either of them couldn't handle.
It takes a little less than fifteen minutes to get there. He slips out of the truck, letting his x-ray vision trail over the house until he finds Dick. Once he does he heads inside and to him. "Like what you done with the place," he teases. "Bats and dust."
🧡 see you whenever you get here.
There were only three people in total including himself who knew exactly what he was about to show Clark. He was, by nature of his work, a paranoid and secretive person. Hell, if he wasn't he might not have put on that suit at all. Not only did he have his secrets, but his family and countless other heroes that trusted him. He took it all seriously.
When the voice of his boyfriend finally broke through the silence that hung in that house, he let a smile touch his lips. "You know, thought I'd go for a Gothic Industrial look.". He stood and closed the distance between them to give him a little kiss. "You made it, I was starting to think you'd never show up." he grinned as he took his hand. "Nobody has been using the place. I might just sell." He shrugged. Once they took care of the secret garage that was.
"Is that what you were going for?"
He can't help but give a bit of a chuckle and kisses him back, eyes shining with a hint of amusement in them. "Of course I made it. In less time than I said I'd make it too." That's not to say that he broke any laws or anything, but a little push could go a long way. Not literally, but still. He wraps an arm around Dick and looks around the place for a moment.
"You know no matter what you want to do, I'm behind you 100%."
“Think I nailed it.”
The light was back in his eyes, for a while there with the rough dreams and anxiety it had left. But he was getting through it. Clark was helping. Knowing he wasn’t alone helped more than he knew. Clark Kent, of all people, was not a person who was going to cheat or be dishonest with him. He could be himself. He rested a hand on one of the arms around him and leaned into that embrace.
“I know..Maybe, lets just start with step one yeah?” Maybe not all at once and his brain could stop panicking. “Do those clocks look different to you?” He pointed at the right one, the one with broken time on it. Otherwise, they were all but identical. Deep, dark wood. Fancy engravings that were obviously hand made. Possibly old world something or another.
He can't help but give a bit of a laugh at that. Honestly? Clark wasn't sure if his boyfriend 'nailed' it or not. Maybe one day he'd actually know what Gotham anything looked like. Not that he thought much on it. Why would he? They were there in Orange County. Not in Metropolis, Smallville or Gotham. Those were places that they didn't have to worry about. Only in their dreams did they have to worry about those.
"Of course. Step one," he says keeping him held close to him. "Am I looking with my human eyes or my creepy x-ray vision?" Not that his x-ray vision was creepy. This wasn't like when he'd initially gained it. When he could see through the floor and bodies. That had been... interesting. Seeing everything there was to see of Dick. Down to the muscle and bone.
"Where to?"
Too many steps could be overwhelming to him. Ever since being locked up, he still just took things day by day. Otherwise it felt life the world was going to cave in. He smiled at the sound of his laughter and gave his jawline a little kiss. "Your regular eyes, not that the other is creepy." Dick lightly scolded. He didn't find any part of his boyfriend to be creepy.
Dick enjoyed being in his arms, he wanted nothing more than to be there all the time. Whenever Clark was there he would happily be as close to him as he could be without being obnoxious. Dick just waited quietly to see if he spotted anything. One clock made noise, the other didn't. One told proper time, the other was frozen. "Anything that seems off." Dick enjoyed a mystery game, in fact he had one for them to play later, but that was for later.
Clark hadn't been serious about his x-ray vision being creepy, he was just teasing. It meant a lot to him that Dick took something like that as seriously as he did. Not letting him say anything bad about the abilities that he did have. Though, he shakes his head before looking over towards the clocks. They looked identical to one another, except something was definitely off.
"Is one a dream clock?" It's asked even as he stares at the clocks in front of them. He could hear the quiet sound of one but not the other. The sound was distinct even, to him anyway. Something else was off. He just wasn't entirely sure what yet.
Dick didn't think any of his super powered friends were creepy. And he glared at anyone who did. While he waited for Clark to try to piece them together, he just smiled and gave his arm a gentle squeeze.
"Yep. One is completely fake." He kissed his jawline and reluctantly got out of his arms. "This one runs on borrowed time. It won't tell you what time of day it is at all." When he moved over towards it, he opened the glass face, and turned one of the hands backwards. The clock slid to the left, revealing a mouse modern looking elevator that retna scanned his eyes immediately upon reveal. It slid open silently as he stepped inside and motioned for Clark to join him. "it won't bite." he grinned.
He didn't think anything about himself was creepy. That was just something to say. Or maybe it was to get a rise out of his boyfriend. There was no telling where the farm boy was concerned. Maybe at first when he had seen through everything, but after he'd gotten used to it, no.
Clark raises a brow and watches Dick move over to the clock, turning back time essentially. This? He had a feeling dealt more with Gotham than anything else. That type of... entrance, as it were. "Sure it won't," he teases, moving over towards the elevator and stepping inside of it beside the other.
It was definitely a Gotham thing. “It won’t. But who’s to say I won’t?” He flashed him a toothy grin as the door shut behind them. It was incredibly modern. “Alfred, the guy who raised me designed that clock.” The guy in the dreams anyway. Dick wished he was lucky enough to have an Alfred in the real world, but he wasn’t sure one existed.
The elevator shut silently. “The elevators were my idea.” He grinned, he always thought the concept of an elevator in a house was cool. This one was even cooler to him. It led them down underneath the house and opened to a very sleek looking, at first, pit of darkness. When Dick stepped out onto a smooth, black floor it lit up with sleek looking lights that brightened everything. It was virtually a “cave” without all the bats, and far more modern. More like a garage than anything. The lights led toward a pathway that led up toward what looked like a helicopter launch pad and complicated looking computer system. It was all very sleek and vast. “This would be my second garage.” He grinned at the idea of calling it that, Bruce would hate it. So that only amused him more.
"So you keep saying," he teases right back. It takes a lot for him not to use his x-ray vision to check everything out around them. "It's actually a rather nice looking clock." Even if it was weird to see two of the same clocks almost side by side to one another.
He can't help but laugh," Somehow I'm not surprised that the elevators were your idea." Darkness wasn't something that the Kryptonian particularly liked. No, he liked his sunlight far too much. It doesn't stop the smile, though, when he sees the floor light up and how modern it seemed. That was new and different.
"Second garage, huh?" He asks moving over to him. "This place looks good." Even with the complicated computer system to it.
In spite of being underground it was all quite modern and well taken care of. Almost like someone did so without him even being there. But quite obviously by the echo they were alone. “Test me out.” He grinned, giving him a little nibble to the jaw before the doors closed and they were someplace else.
The place had no real sunlight inside it, unfortunately, the draw back of being a creature of the night. Complete opposite of Clark’s brightly lit Fortress really. But it did have some nice artificial lighting, considering he wasn’t an actual bat in spite of his claims.
“Thanks, I woke up to it one day. But I added a few things.” He was capable of certain upgrades, he just wasn’t exactly Mr. Household fixit. He took his hand to lead him up toward the sleek looking launch pad. The air down there was cool and clean even though they were underground. When they stepped onto the pad, the LED’s lit up and revealed a very sexy looking custom motorcycle of some kind. It was a sporty thing, another item in lighter blue and black. This one had various lights on it. “This is the one I wanted to take over.” Even the fancy computer system lit up as soon as they were within range without Dick doing anything.
It was weird being in a place like this, almost draining. Almost. Maybe it was the lack of sunlight, but who knows. It wasn't like he'd need any of his abilities down in this little garage, or whatever Dick wanted to call it. He still had them but he wasn't sure how well they'd work. He'd soaked up the rays of the sun earlier in the day.
"What kind of things?"
He lets himself be led up to the launch pad and gives a low whistle when the motorcycle comes into view," It's a nice looking bike. We can definitely take that over."
"I feel kind of bad leaving it alone here in the darkness." He admitted with a shrug as he pointed over at the large computer system. "Things like that." the Dreams hadn't been nice enough to put it together, only delivered it to him. "I had to put this system together myself." He shrugged as it played the news silently on a very fancy, almost invisible to the eye monitor system that gave it a holographic feeling.
Dick grinned at that whistle. "Isn't she?" he then pointed down at various fancy looking lights under the floor. "The bike needs this part of the launch pad to work properly." he pointed where the blue light LEDs were under their feet. "I'm probably going to need your help prying up the glass to get them out. They were a dream thing." He wasn't sure how to get anything else to charge that bike.
"The bike or the computer system?" It's asked with a bit of a teasing tone to his voice. Though, he's not surprised that Dick managed to put the system together on his own. He does, however, notice the monitor system but doesn't say anything about it.
He gives a bit of a smile," She is." Those eyes look towards the lights under their feet. "It can't just be the lights that power it. There has to be something in the LEDs." Even as he says it he lets his x-ray vision kick in, to see if there was anything special about the LEDs themselves.
Dick rolled his eyes and gave him a bit of a playful shove as he looked down at the lights under the heavy panels under the bike.
"it's a power core that's water cooled by the lights." When Clark looked at them he could probably see the little electrons floating in the tubes that contained light. "They were created by star labs apparently. A dream thing I had custom ordered." The very same star labs the flash belonged to. That part he hadn’t built, he'd only come up with the idea. Dick was good with electronics, but he wasn't a genius or anything. He was just able to figure things out and be logical." I needed something that would keep up with you in theory."
Clark shakes his head and gives a bit of a laugh at the playful shove, shaking his head. Though, he does cant his head a bit when he sees the little electrons that floated through the lighting tubes. "Huh." That was interesting. More than interesting, even.
Those eyes look towards his boyfriend and he raises a brow," You needed something that could keep up with me. In theory?" It's asked with a hint of amusement. So, you're saying you needed something that could go as fast as I could, that way you could keep up."
“What do you see?” He could tell when Clark focused on something he was likely to be using his powers. Dick always found that part interesting. Scary as it may have been to learn, he would have tried it in a heartbeat. “The bike has those inside it as well, helps it run better..and faster when I need her to.”
He grinned. “Yep. I’m one of the few in our world without powers, sometimes I need to keep up.” He made it work. He wasn’t really that jealous of not having powers. His life was complicated enough without adding powers to the mix. “I know it can keep up with the Flash, what I don’t know is if it actually can keep up with you...but I’d be willing to try.” He then moved over to the computer where he put his bag of tools down. Starting off with the basics, a screwdriver to get to the nearly invisible screws that were holding things in place.
"Electrons in the LED lights," he tells him, eyes still on them for a moment before looking back towards Dick. Which was probably a bit of a mistake, seeing through his boyfriend and the computer for a minute there. "Wait..." Those eyes look towards the bike and he gives a bit of a nod. "That's interesting."
He could see why Dick liked it. Especially if it kept up with the Flash, even if he didn't actively know the man quite yet. Maybe he'd never know him at all, there was really no telling. "We might have to test that theory out at some point. What do you need me to do?"
"Huh." he was curious just how much his boyfriend could see with his powers. He doesn't realize just how close to things he could get with his vision. "It cost dream me an arm and a leg, but I'd say it was worth it." Dick had made a name for himself as someone capable in their world even without power.
"Think we ought to." He agreed with a hint of amusement. "Gonna need you to help me lift up the glass panel so I can get the power cells out." He was glad he didn't have to do that part himself, thanks dreams. But mostly everything else he did. "until then you can either stand there and look pretty or grab the other screwdriver for the opposite side. Either is acceptable." He certainly didn't mind having a good man to look at while he pried teeny tiny screws out of the ground.
"Huh what?" It's asked as he shakes his head, not knowing what the little 'huh' remark was about. Was it something he'd done or said? Or maybe a little bit of both. There was really no telling. "Pretty lights and pretty bike, yeah, it's worth it."
He can't help but laugh slightly," We'll figure out a time to do that, then." It sounded like it would be a bit of fun. Stand and look pretty. Dick knew good and well that wasn't bound to happen. Which was why he moves over and grabs the screwdriver, starting at the opposite side of where his boyfriend was. "Someone was evil when they built this." At least if they lost any of the screws, they'd be fine. He'd be able to find them.
“It’s just interesting how much you can see.” It was really a throwaway comment, but whatever. He’d let it pass. It wasn’t something he minded that much. “Second best to super powers.” There wasn’t jealousy really, but there was curiosity.
“I mean if you can handle it.” He teased with a wink. The other screw driver was also magnetic, the screws shouldn’t be lost- but they weren’t that important anyway. “You can blame Alfred probably. This strikes me as his design tastes.” He snickered at the comment. “That man was always helping me out, even when I took up my own city.” And Bruce didn’t. That part went unsaid as he popped off a few screws along the dark glass. “He was more of a father than anyone else had been.” Dick had been raised by probably 80% Alfred and 20% Bruce. “Can’t help but wish he was here.” He admitted as he popped off the last of the screws on his side. “He’d like you.”
"I'm not surprised I can see it. I can look at you and see your muscles, tendons and bones." Which meant that he could see the scars left on bone from any breaks or scar tissue beneath skin. Where something had faded, he'd see it. "Which means if we ever lose anything, we should be good."
He can't help but laugh," Geeze, maybe I can't." It's more teasing than anything. Especially when he'd done a lot of fixer up things too. He wasn't just a person's typical firefighter. No, the Kryptonian was pretty damn good with his hands and putting things together too.
"Why would he of liked me?"
It wouldn’t take long to get all the screws up between both of them. Dick raised an eyebrow at Clark and smirked. “I’ll show you my muscle any time you want, babe.” And gave him a suggestive wink. Amusement in his eyes as he pocketed the screws. As unlikely as they were to need them later, he still kept them out of an abundance of caution. Who knew with tools and things what would really be needed. “If that whole firefighter thing doesn’t work out long term, you can always start a lost items recovery business.” He teased as he began to pry up a corner of the glass.
The glass was nice, honestly that was the part of the house he’d probably miss the most. The sleek, dark second garage. At the comment he just gave him an amused look as he pried out one of the cells on his side, though it was harder without the glass lifted. So he’d wait until Clark finished the rest of his.
“He has this way of knowing when things are good. He’d see that you’re good to me, I think.” Alfred was the saving grace in his family life not being a mountain of shit.
That statement alone gets a slight blush out of Clark. If there was one thing his boyfriend was good at, it was getting his cheeks to turn a slight pink. Dick was going to be the death of him, but it would be a good death. One filled with love and innuendos, and who knew what else. "I'll have to keep that in mind," he teases right back.
Once all of the screws were out on his end, he grabs a hold of the heavy glass and lifts it up completely. To him? It weighed absolutely nothing. Even though he knew that was a lie. If he hadn't had his super strength, then this would've been harder than it looked.
"I'm sure I would've liked him too. He sounds like a pretty decent guy."
Dick enjoyed getting reactions out of Clark. He gave him a wink across the glass as he looked up to see that blush and grinned. He could make innuendo statements all day long as easy as someone else could breathe air. It was just in his flirty nature. "I'm sure you will." He laughed.
As he watched Clark lift the glass, he made quick work of removing the power cells under it. Once he was out of the way of potentially being crushed he called over "Okay, you can let it down now." his arms were full of all the cells, there was nothing left to collect. He joined his boyfriend a moment later. "He raised me when Bruce decided not to. I'd introduce you to him if I could. He should know the man I love."
"Shush, you."
Once his boyfriend was out of the way, he places the glass back down and wraps an arm around him once he was close enough. He can't help but give a soft smile, though. Especially at the mention of how Alfred should know the man he loved. Maybe Alfred was somewhere near, who knew.
"What else do we need? Other than a bag or something so you're not carrying those around like that the whole time."
Dick gave him an amused look as he joined him and leaned into that embrace. "Just the bike for now. And these." He hadn’t loved anyone since Ruby's death. Being able to say the word out loud again was a huge step. He didn't feel bad or upset after either. It was actually the opposite. Like he was alive again.
"I'll come back for the computer on another day." Clark probably had the energy to do both things, but Dick was running out of physical steam for it.
"Will it fit in the elevator?"
It wasn't like he'd been paying that close attention to the inside of the elevator. He'd been paying too much attention to his boyfriend and what he'd been saying at the time. If it could fit in the elevator, then he'd just pick it up and take it out with them the same way they came in. If not, then they'd find a different way.
Unless, of course, they were going out a different way.
“Probably not.” He admitted with a shrug. “There’s a back door…” He looked at him with a hint of amusement as he tried to imagine shoving the bike through the elevator every time. “Hold these for a sec?” He offered him the power cells before moving toward the computer. They could at least both carry a few. He’d need a hand for what he was about to do.
Approaching the computer screen, he placed his palm down on it. Behind them several yards away opened up a large door in the abyss of darkness that nobody would have really seen before if he hadn’t just announced it. “..It is after all, still a garage.” He snickered as he gave his boyfriend a sassy sort of look.
Hey, it was a valid question. Though, he smiles a bit when he sees that hint of amusement out of his boyfriend. Maybe talking about putting the motorcycle in the elevator was a bit silly. It was what it was, at the time of the question.
He takes the power cells and watches Dick move down to the computer, opening up a space filled with infinite darkness. Though, he saw into that darkness just fine. That sassy look gets a laugh out of him," Yeah, yeah. Lets just get home."