Everyone has their own particular way of doing relatively mundane things. Bruce can recognize everyone he knows by their breathing. By the way they walk (Dick has a permanent limp, after what happened to his leg) and even the way they disturb the air as they move. There are a thousand different things - the heaviness of a step determines weight and agility, the depth of a breath determines lung capacity and overall size - to identify someone without ever looking at them.
And the way Clark knocks is so home-grown, Kansas farmboy that Bruce couldn't mistake him for anyone else. Bruce considers ignoring him.
Because although this must be part of Clark's personal campaign to give him space in the wake of tragedy, and despite the fact that Bruce can deduce - by the way Clark knocked, by the fact that he's coming here as Clark Kent - that Clark is going to try to discuss something else entirely, there's a part of him that simply doesn't want to talk to him.
Clark has always had a better read on his weaknesses than most people, and Bruce isn't in the mood to have those weaknesses drawn out and dissected. Oh, Clark would never be so crass. But when he's the Man of Steel or the simple Kansas farmboy, he wears his heart on his sleeve. Each tragedy that Bruce has ever endured Clark wears like a scar of his own.
The reverse is also true. But Bruce hides it better.
If he turns Clark away, one of three things will happen. Clark will come back as Superman and force his hand. Clark will go get Lois. Or Bruce will feel like a heel.
Possibly some combination of all three.
So he goes to the door. He doesn't look much like Bruce Wayne today. He's in simple sparring clothes, and has a towel slung over one shoulder. By the sheen of sweat on his skin and the fact that his breathing is... more laboured than normal for even extensive exertion, not to mention his current heartrate of approximately 120 bpm, the fact that he's been exercising is obvious.
And because it's Clark, Bruce allows for him noticing the bruises across his knuckles (punching bag) and the tiny stress fractures across the metacarpals. God knows he's told Clark to lay off the X-Ray vision around him, but he can count the amount of times he's actually listened on one hand.
So he opens the door and lets Clark in without a word. He doesn't speak until it clicks closed behind them both.
no subject
And the way Clark knocks is so home-grown, Kansas farmboy that Bruce couldn't mistake him for anyone else. Bruce considers ignoring him.
Because although this must be part of Clark's personal campaign to give him space in the wake of tragedy, and despite the fact that Bruce can deduce - by the way Clark knocked, by the fact that he's coming here as Clark Kent - that Clark is going to try to discuss something else entirely, there's a part of him that simply doesn't want to talk to him.
Clark has always had a better read on his weaknesses than most people, and Bruce isn't in the mood to have those weaknesses drawn out and dissected. Oh, Clark would never be so crass. But when he's the Man of Steel or the simple Kansas farmboy, he wears his heart on his sleeve. Each tragedy that Bruce has ever endured Clark wears like a scar of his own.
The reverse is also true. But Bruce hides it better.
If he turns Clark away, one of three things will happen. Clark will come back as Superman and force his hand. Clark will go get Lois. Or Bruce will feel like a heel.
Possibly some combination of all three.
So he goes to the door. He doesn't look much like Bruce Wayne today. He's in simple sparring clothes, and has a towel slung over one shoulder. By the sheen of sweat on his skin and the fact that his breathing is... more laboured than normal for even extensive exertion, not to mention his current heartrate of approximately 120 bpm, the fact that he's been exercising is obvious.
And because it's Clark, Bruce allows for him noticing the bruises across his knuckles (punching bag) and the tiny stress fractures across the metacarpals. God knows he's told Clark to lay off the X-Ray vision around him, but he can count the amount of times he's actually listened on one hand.
So he opens the door and lets Clark in without a word. He doesn't speak until it clicks closed behind them both.
"What?"