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Clark Kent was, in general, a fan of anyone with the bat symbol.
***
Nightwing had been easy to grow fond of. Nightwing had gotten his hero name from one of his stories, and as a child he would take refuge under Batman's cape when the rain got too heavy.
He still calls him "Uncle Clark," like he had when he was little.
Red Hood had been a rollercoaster of emotions. Because, you know, Clark had had to save Batman's life for months because he had so little regard for himself after the funeral. Then, when the pain had finally settled and was under control, he had gotten a call at three in the morning. <Jason> Batman said. And Clark had spent an hour talking about resurrections, graves, and the League of Assassins.
Robin—lately Red Robin—had been the first step in Bruce's recovery. Clark hadn't spoken to him often, but he was important to Conner, and in fact, that made him more important to Clark than Bruce himself. Because if he kept disappointing his two sons, at least he could do his best to protect the one who had never broken their hearts.
Black Bat had come out of nowhere and disappeared. Clark couldn’t see or hear her when she entered the rooms—something that sometimes happened with the other Bats but was a constant for Bruce’s daughter. She saw his surprise when he appeared next to her father and just gave him a mysterious smile.
<My son, Damian,> Bruce had said. And that was weird, because it usually took longer. At first, the boys had been his protégés, or family friends. Except Damian was, apparently, Bruce’s in the most immediate sense of the word. Biologically a Wayne. Quite a turn of events, really.
Was Alfred a Bat? Clark wasn’t sure, but Agent A was such a constant in the Bat’s communications that Clark had come to think of him as just an inevitable part of Bruce’s life.
There was also Spoiler, Oracle, and a little boy who had started appearing in the communications from League headquarters to the Batcave.
<I'm not his daughter> Spoiler always said, but she was also with Batman more often than not, so Clark didn't really know what to think.
It was better not to mention Oracle. She was just there all along. Daughter? Maybe not. But for heaven's sake, he wouldn't say that to Batman's face even under torture.
And then there was the new guy.
<Duke, you may remember Clark Kent.>
Clark saw him spell out the word "Superman".
<It's nice to see you again, Mr. Kent.>
<Just Clark, kid. Dick calls me uncle Clark.>
Duke nodded, and a moment later Cass appeared beside him and dragged him away.
<Exactly, he is...?>
Bruce shrugged. <He's supposedly friends with Damian.>
Clark raised an eyebrow. <You're adopting him?>
<His uncle is alive,> Bruce said. He almost sounded sorry. Clark laughed.
Bruce just glared at him.
***
It was the time of Wayne Enterprises’ annual Gotham Healthcare Fund Gala. Clark was there only as a reporter. A reporter who was spending the night at the party organizer’s mansion. And who had been specifically requested as a representative of the Daily Planet.
Bruce just wanted some support, Clark figured. He had given a series of speeches culminating in the introduction of the alias career at Gotham High School, and the conservative side of Gotham was tearing him apart. Bruce had responded by saying that a portion of the gala funds would go toward surgeries for trans people who couldn’t afford the expense. Clark couldn’t wait to write that piece.
Mr. Wayne had also requested Lois Lane as a second choice. And their boss had sent them both.
Bruce was already there, and so was Alfred. The ballroom, decorated and glittering, was already filled with guests when Clark and Lois arrived.
Damian was already at the party too. Jon was next to him, wearing a tux that was definitely a gift from Bruce. Especially since Clark couldn't afford anything that expensive.
The two boys stood off to the side, with Damian silently listening to an excited Jon talk about their dog. They were getting curious looks, mostly from people wondering who was chaperoning one of the richest kids in Gotham.
Bruce walked over to him.
<Mr. Kent, Mrs. Lane. It's a pleasure to have you here.>
<Thank you for the invitation, Mr. Wayne. Could you have time to answer a few questions?>
Bruce nodded and led them to a more private corner. Brucie's mask quickly came off.
<I swear, if I have to hear another insinuation about Tim's manipulation of me->
Lois raised an eyebrow. Her expression was fierce. <What?>
Clark sighed. <Tim already has a lot of money, he was just adopted by a very rich billionaire, and he's openly queer. They're going to tear him apart.>
If anything, Lois looked angrier than before. <He's fifteen, for God's sake.>
Bruce nodded. <Please tell me we can talk about the fundraiser, for once.>
They did. Clark asked about the donors and how much they hoped to raise, Lois about how the funds would be used.
As they talked, Cassandra Wayne made her grand entrance. Her silver dress was elegant but short enough to kick an enemy if necessary. A boy—almost a man—much taller than she was had her arm around him. Clark suppressed a smile as he recognized Jason’s heartbeat. He was well disguised. Of course he would find a way to sneak in.
They returned to the crowd just in time for Barbara and her father to make their grand entrance. Cass immediately joined Barbara and the two of them walked away without saying goodbye to Bruce.
Jim held out a hand. <Mr Wayne. And Mr. Kent, if I remember correctly?>
Clark nodded. <This is my wife, Lois Lane.>
He never tired of saying it. “My wife, Lois Lane.”
He could say it over and over again.
Stephanie Brown chose that moment to walk in. She had always been a standout, and Clark frowned as he heard the comments about her entrance. People were really annoyed by her; she wasn’t a Wayne, she wasn’t rich. No one could figure out what she was doing there.
She had a boy on her arm. Clark winced. Conner? Why on earth was Conner there?
<You didn't know?> Lois was smiling. <I did.>
At least he hadn't snuck away, Clark consoled himself. They were both dressed too casually. And Conner had a tuxedo, all he enjoyed was annoying rich people (because he was also a Luthor and that would annoy Lex).
<He's here to support Tim, I guess?> he asked.
<More to enjoy the chaos.> Lois shrugged. <He's wearing the jeans you gave him.>
It was true. Clark felt a pang in his heart. <What do I do, talk to him?>
His wife gave him a little push. He let her do it, even though he could have easily stayed still with his powers. <Only if you can keep him from pissing him off. What are you fighting about anyway? Hero activities?>
Lois's voice had dropped to a whisper.
Clark shook his head. <No. That's Jon. Kon is just, you know, angry in general. I don't know. We never get a conversation without yelling.>
Lois already knew. Since he lived with them, Conner had only been kind and polite to her and very protective and caring towards Jon. But him and Clark? It was like watching a car out of control go off a cliff.
Clark loved his kids. And yet, he didn't understand them.
***
After Stephanie, it was finally Tim's turn. And the crowd began to get restless.
Tim Drake-Wayne was holding the hand of Bernard Dowd, his boyfriend. They had been, much to Clark's chagrin, on the front page of every gossip magazine for a whole week. The sole heir to Drake Industries throwing himself away with a man, not even a wealthy one? A foster kid?
Tim had held firm. He had tweeted three colored hearts to represent the bi flag and tagged Bernard. It hadn't been a big deal. But the newspapers, regardless of their age, had swooped down on them like vultures.
He saw Vicky Vale latch onto Bruce.
<Mr. Wayne, any comment on the recent findings about Tim Drake's proclivities?>
<My son Tim has already told me about Bernard. They are a very happy couple and I am proud of them both.>
Clark had never doubted. Vicky wasn't going to get a scoop from Bruce, not while he was talking trash about his beloved little bats.
Lois had already leapt forward, a shield between the boys and the world.
<Tim Drake, what do you think of the new vaccine distribution plan?>
Tim had launched into a long discussion about Gotham's healthcare. Clark decided to support what he could.
Bernard was beside Tim, his hands drumming in his pockets, anxious.
<Mr. Dowd, how does it feel to have framed the richest boy in Gotham?> a reporter was asking.
Clark put on his best reporter face as the boy backed away a bit.
<Clark Kent, Daily Planet. May I ask what you think of Wayne Enterprises' proposed target? Do you think the target figure is really "overly optimistic"?>
Bernard, who had never met Clark, nevertheless reacted to his voice as if it were a lifeline. <Hello, Mr. Kent.>
He held out his hand and as Clark shook it he saw the boy's eyes grow more serious.
<That figure is certainly a lofty goal but Bruce Wayne has always proven he can work miracles for the good of Gotham.>
Clark pressed him with more questions. At one point, he was just spouting off random things while keeping an eye on Lois. He really couldn't leave the boys alone with those vultures.
Even though he was running out of topics.
<Are you Superman?> Bernard asked point-blank, between the question about the weather and the one about the pollution of the coast.
Clark gasped. <What?>
Bernard shrugged as if he had just asked the most normal thing in the world. <You look like him and like Conner. Also, your names are both Kent. And Kon is looking at me like he’s ready to come save me.>
Right, Kon was a frequent visitor to Tim’s house and obviously knew his boyfriend. “Don’t panic.”
Clark hesitated. <You know… about the late-night activities?>
Bernard smiled. <Yes, I’m the girl crying with a white handkerchief at the window waiting for the glorious hero to return.>
Clark almost laughed. It wasn’t even that funny. Bernard was just the kind of person who exuded peace.
He made dealing with a civilian seem easy.
<Thanks for the rescue,> he added.
<It was a pleasure,> Clark said sincerely. <It’s nice that Tim has you. And thank you for being Kon's friend.>
<They make it... not easy,> Bernard whispered. <But also very easy. Tim is the love of my life. And Kon... Tim without Kon is not Tim.>
Clark knew that. And he admired Bernard's ability to easily declare Tim's importance to him.
Bernard was no Bats, but Clark would have protected him too.
***
Dick arrived shortly after. And Clark exchanged a confused look with Wally West, aka Flash, aka one of his colleagues from the Justice League. He was clinging to Dick and smiling as if the boy had just said the funniest thing in the world.
Wally was Dick's best friend, so it wasn't strange to find them together. It had always been that way. And being late wasn't strange for the speedster either. Clark just never knew how to act when he found himself next to one of his teammates and couldn't act accordingly.
<Mr. Kent!> greeted Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne's first protégé and first son, and constant source of scandal. <Are you here on behalf of the Daily Planet?>
As Clark said hello, the comments went from disdain for Tim to disdain for Dick. Dick, who had definitely heard the older couple insinuating that Clark was his conquest of the night, smiled as if he didn't have a care in the world.
Wally squeezed Dick's hand like he was about to explode.
<Um, hi.>
<Hello, Mr. West. Any comments on Wayne Enterprises or the fundraiser?>
He shook his head.
Clark smiled. <Okay. Have fun, guys.>
<Sure, uncle Clark,> Dick chirped. <I'm going to go find Dami. You coming, Wally?>
***
Duke entered slowly, dressed in an oversized tuxedo, and quickly disappeared into the crowd.
Clatk saw him again for a moment next to Cass, then with Damian and Jon, then with Tim.
He was the only one who had noticed, it seemed. At some point, he and Jason went to the balcony, the only truly invisible Bats in the chaos of the Waynes.
***
Oliver Queen arrived very late and brought an irritated Roy Harper with him.
Jason appeared out of nowhere, despite his size, and kidnapped his... Clark knew that Roy and Jason were something, but he had seen Kori kiss Roy too often so he wasn't really sure.
Clark shrugged and went to greet Oliver. He asked about his - generous - donation.
Oliver laughed. <Don't print this, C., but Bruce and I had a drunken kiss one time in college. And our boys are always together. If it didn't risk looking suspicious, I would have inflated the figure even more.>
Oliver looked at Roy like a proud parent. And Roy didn't call Oliver "Dad" or speak to him in general but Clark could see the way his heart raced when Green Arrow was wounded in battle.
Bruce was truly the best at parenting. His kids all wore the Wayne name like a badge of honor and never avoided him for long. Even Jason had been hanging around the Manor lately. And Bruce had told him about having Roy and Kori over for dinner one Sunday.
(Somehow, this was connected to the bullet Alfred had to remove from Bruce's shoulder.)
***
Clark wasn't blind, or that naive. He knew there was something weird about Bruce's family.
It was obvious in Dick, leaning into Wally and squeezing his wrist as his friend made jokes about having indigestion. Clark had written Dick's story once.
He remembered their first meeting. A tiny child clinging to Bruce like Clark was the scariest thing in the world.
Then he'd met his eyes and his expression had changed.
<B, he seems nice. His emotions are weird.>
<This is Clark Kent. He's a reporter. He can help us.> Bruce had nudged the boy forward a little. <Clark, this is Dick Grayson. He's going to live with me for a while.>
"A while" had quickly become "forever." Clark, who had only heard disgusting stories about Incubi, found himself in the living room watching the most adorable child in the world do a series of somersaults.
The second time he saw Dick, the boy was legally Bruce's son. And he wore the Robin cape.
<You're family now,> Clark said, feeling like he had to protect Dick at least a little before blood stained his boyish smile.
<That's great!> That smile was like the sun. <I've always wanted an uncle. Are you uncle C or uncle S?>
<"Uncle C" will be fine,> Clark said. Because he was Clark Kent and Superman was a symbol, not someone who was loved. <My real name is Kal-El, actually. Although you can't use it in public.>
Dick nodded. <I'm supposed to be Richard. Although that's not my Romani name. But I like Dick. And now I'm Robin! And I fight bad guys, like B! But without hurting people.>
***
Dick had learned the name Clark's biological parents had given him months before Bruce. And Bruce had smiled slightly when he found out.
<Call me if you decide to adopt another orphan> Clark joked as he watched Dick swing from the chandelier. It had been nothing more than an innocent joke.
Except that Batman had actually done it.
***
The long series of little bats continued with Jason. Who was strange for many reasons, including his resurrection. When Clark had gone to the mansion to meet him, he had heard the sound of hooves and seen the garden thriving like never before.
(The garden had recently filled with poisonous plants but seemed healthy again. Clark couldn't help but notice the timing coincidence with Jason's return home.)
***
Cass was strange too. In fact, Cassandra was the worst. Besides her unknown origins, which Bruce had refused to say anything about and which tickled Clark's reporter instincts, there were also her constant appearances.
Clark never heard Cassandra arrive or leave. Her heartbeat would suddenly appear and then be gone.
He had told Bruce and he had nodded. <It makes sense. Cass works like that.>
Under the moon, the girl seemed made of the stuff of the night.
But she smiled at Clark and said, in the language Clark had begun to learn, Thanks for watching dad's back, Superman.
And Clark said, Just Clark. Or uncle Clark, if you want. Because Cass was so much like the rest of her family, and Clark protected all the Bats.
***
Oracle was a mystery that had taken years to unravel. There was really nothing strange about her, other than being so damn good with computers.
One day, Clark had received a text and found himself in Gotham, at an ice cream shop downtown. An unknown red-haired girl had handed him a dark chocolate cone with coconut sprinkles, one of his favorite combinations. Creepy.
<I'm Barbara. Cass says you're uncle Clark. I thought it was time to meet you.>
And, even though Clark's phone service was always bad in Gotham, that day he had a perfect connection.
***
Damian was Damian. Clark had no idea who his mother was or where Bruce had found him. All he knew was that he was his blood son and that he needed help.
Damian was more violent than he could have imagined.
Bruce had looked at Clark with that plea in his eyes. <Can you do something? He's only ten.>
It was never an explanation. It was never the truth. Damian smelled of the sea and Clark always felt threatened around him.
Then he saw him on the porch of his parents' house, leaning over to pet his dog like it was the best thing that had ever happened to him. The same boy who had called him "You're barely a worthy opponent."
<Damian, hello. Where's Jon?>
<Jonathan went to bring Mrs. Lane a piece of cake. Mrs. Kent has just baked a cake.>
It was like Jon to pop into Metropolis and come back. Clark looked at Damian, who had narrowed his eyes warily and backed away from the dog.
<His name is Krypto,> Clark offered. <Do you like animals?>
<Untrained, they're useless.>
That wasn't an answer. Clark could hear Bruce's voice but his instincts kept telling him to run.
"He's only ten."
As if Clark could follow his instincts when he spent his days flying toward danger.
<Do you want to see the rest of the farm, Damian? I can show you how to milk a cow.>
A sparkle in his eyes. The heartbeat, the excitement. If he didn't have his powers, Clark would never have known how excited Damian was about the idea; his expression was impassive.
<If you have to, Kent.>
When he stood up, Clark saw grains of salt under the soles of his shoes.
***
Stephanie was a tornado. She would appear, wreak havoc, and go away.
Rows of fangs, the faint glow on her shoulders.
Clark was blind by choice, because every time Batman's gaze became a plea.
***
Duke was a meta, and Clark learned this almost a year after meeting him, when he found half the Teen Titans team in the Batcave, training him.
<Change of the rules?> he asked Bruce.
<No, it's always been: "No foreign metahuman vigilantes in Gotham.">
That made Stephanie laugh.
Duke was a meta, and every time he walked into a room, Clark did his best to help him. Because he had seen how badly he reacted to bright artificial lights.
Clark looked at a thirteen-year-old in a yellow costume with a black bat symbol and knew that Bruce was inevitably stuck.
***
One day, Conner said, <I'm going to Gotham>.
The event itself wasn't uncommon. But Conner's expression was tense and his heartbeat was a little fast.
<Is everything okay? Damian?> Jon asked immediately.
<Tim wants to talk to me.>
It was strange, Clark admitted to himself. Conner and Tim were often on calls and texted each other throughout the day, but three days ago, the Bats had suffered a nasty attack. Bruce had warned Clark that Black Bat would be taking his place as Batman for a while ("just a few days," Bruce had sworn).
And Tim was gone. No calls and only the occasional text. Clark had watched Conner grow more and more sullen.
<Call if something's wrong> he had said. Conner had glared at him but hadn't responded.
***
His son had returned pale, with a forced smile on his face.
Jon had immediately questioned him.
<They're fine> Kon had said. <It's just... just a lot. I need time to process. But it's okay.>
<Did something happen to Tim?> Clark was ready to fly to Gotham.
But Conner had shaken his head. <I lied to him. I told him everything was okay. We played video games. I think this just hit me.>
It sounded like a conversation with himself. Clark had come closer and put a hand on his shoulder. Miraculously, Conner hadn't moved away.
<What happened?>
<It didn't happen> Conner had said. <It's always been this way. I... I need a few moments.>(*)
Tim Drake-Wayne was strange too, he realized. Clark was simply blind like Conner had been.
***
Clark saw it but didn't want to know.
Maybe it was because a part of him already knew and feared having to act as the law required. The Daily Planet reporter reading about Bruce Wayne's new proposal to eliminate state creature lists, or Nightwing wearing a harmonic catalyst for a while, screamed in him.
There was Wayne Manor, always perfect, where he sometimes found fireplaces lit in the middle of summer.
There were the hoof prints in the yard and Red Hood's lucky shots in the worst moments of battles. Black Bat shining under the moon, Stephanie biting Dick during a friendly fight leaving non-human marks.
There was Wally West pushing to create a fund for homeless minor creatures in Central City.
Superboy, who had hung a bi flag in the Teen Titans tower. Every now and then, Conner would go to Clark and ask him to revise the Wikipedia page he was updating. And the names were there, at his fingertips, but Clark was blind by choice so the Pookas were just mysterious beings that little or nothing was known about and the Incarnations of the Infernal Kings were something too powerful to go unnoticed.
(When he saw Tim again, he had to swallow too many questions. It was Uncle Clark, not the fucking press vulture.)
Every now and then, Jon would come back from Gotham smelling of paint and the sea. Every now and then, Kon would smell of night and magic, even if the sun was high in the sky.
Duke once saw him watching the Bats from afar. <You know> he said, <Batman is a monster hunter>.
There were creatures, beings from an Other World. There was a hunter and people crowded around him.
Clark smiled as his gaze fell on a Gotham where monsters no longer roamed the streets.