Chapter Text
The next day could not come fast enough, Clark had barely even slept in anticipation. How could he? He was a father to five pups and he was about to meet them! Even if one of the pups was sick, he was worried about Conner, but if all the pup needed was pheromones then it shouldn’t be that hard to treat, at least he hoped so.
He’d baked a blueberry pie to bring as a gift, following his Ma’s recipe, he also bought little toys for the kids. He had no idea what they liked, he got Dick a little wooden toy truck, he got Jason a book because Bruce mentioned the book loved reading despite being only five years old, and a little plush toy for Cassandra.
He got up early and packed a bag, he took an extra pair of clothes just in case, he wasn’t expecting to spend the night or anything, but kids were messy. What if the baby threw up on him? Or spilled some food? So he packed extra clothes in a backpack and brought it with him.
He took a cab across the river, it was quite pricey but Bruce had called it for him and said he would pay. Clark wasn’t sure how he felt about having Bruce pay for his transportation, but he supposed the Omega wanted to maintain privacy, or to conceal their communication as much as possible from the public.
On the bright side, it meant he got to bring Krypto! Dogs weren’t allowed on the public trains, but Krypto was allowed on the cab if he was on a carrier. He’d been excited to get out of the house, Clark just hoped he got along with Bruce’s dog Ace.
The ride to Wayne Manor took about an hour, an hour of anticipation. He’d bought flowers before getting in the cab, was it too much? Flowers, a pie, and gifts for the kids. Would that come off as desperate? He didn’t want to offend Bruce, simply show his gratitude for being invited into the Omega’s home.
The ride gave him time to research Wayne Manor. Of course, he knew about Bruce’s past, the Wayne family murder, everyone knew about it. Bruce had lost his parents when he was a young child, there were pictures, news articles, so much coverage that it made Clark’s blood boil. How could people be so crass, he would never have the guts to walk up to a child who’d just lost his entire world and ask him to sit for an interview. But Bruce had been asked, he was still asked, nearly every year he was forced to revisit that wound when the date of the anniversary approached.
Along with those articles, Clark found images of Wayne Manor. The place was huge! At least three times the size of his parent’s farm house. It was entirely black, kind of depressing to look at, he hoped the interior was brighter. He was sure Bruce found a way to make it cozy and homey for the children.
He was pulled from his thoughts when the driver stopped.
“We’re here sir. Wayne Manor.”
They were still on the outside for the Manor grounds, the car had stopped in front of an imposing pair of black gates. They were tall, probably there to prevent break ins, Clark really hoped no one had tried to break in to harm the children. His Alpha pheromones had been kicked into overdrive since yesterday, all he wants to do is know that Bruce and all the pups are safe.
After a minute or so the gates began to open and the driver drove inside. There was a circular pathway that led to the entrance of the manor. And it was….not at all what Clark was expecting.
The driveway and the pavement were divided by a little fence. There was a dog barking excitedly bending the fence, and to Ace, his tail was wagging as he barked at the car. The manor itself was not black like Clark had expected, it was blue, a medium blue with black accents around the window and doors. And the front lawn was filled with flower bushes, bright and colorful.
Bruce was there too. He was wearing more casual clothing as opposed to yesterday. A simple pair of grey sweatpants and a dark blue hoodie. He was standing behind the fence, waiting for the car to stop in the front of the house.
The car stopped and Clark went to open the door, he was nearly knocked out of the car when Krypto jumped off his carrier and hopped off the car. He ran in front of the fence and started barking at Ace. The two dogs were barking and sniffing at each other, both wagging their tails happily.
Bruce cooed at the dog, “Aww you must be Krypto” he lowered himself so Krypto could sniff his hand.
Clark had some difficulty leaving the car. His hands were full with everything he was carrying. His backpack was on his back, Krypto’s carrier tossed over his holder, a pie in one hand, and a bouquet of sunflowers in the other. “B-Bruce” he was breathless by the time he managed to close the taxi door.
Bruce straightened, “Oh Clark” his face heated when he saw the flowers the Alpha was carrying. “Are those?”
“These are for you” Clark offered him the bouquet over the fence. Some petals had fallen on the ground, but it was mostly intact.
The smell of coffee and honey filled Clark’s nostrils as Bruce accepted the flowers, “T-thank you ... .you really didn’t have to” the Omega stammered.
Nobody had given him flowers in….heck he didn’t even know how long. The kids got him flowers on Father’s Day, but did flowers that Alfred brought so his children could give them to him really count? He hadn’t even gotten any for Valentine’s Day since his first pregnancy. It'd been nice to not get dozens upon dozens of proposals anymore, but receiving some flowers was quite a nice surprise.
Bruce then turned to the driver, “Thank you for dropping him off Tyler. Please send me the bill.”
“Yes Mr Wayne” the driver replied and then drove out through the way he came.
Clark blinked at him, “Y-you know the driver?”
“Tyler? Yes, he’s one of the few drivers I like. He knows how to be discrete” Bruce started opening the lock to the gate so Clark could come inside.
Yes he’d sent the driver, he’d wanted to make sure Clark arrived safely. And he didn’t need people talking. He didn’t want anyone to catch word that Clark was the father of his pups, it would bring even more attention to the kids, but would also bring attention to Clark, and Clark didn’t ask for that.
“Okay…what’s with the gate?” Clark asked as Bruce opened the way for him.
The billionaire hummed, “Jason tried to chase a car once, I’m not taking chances.” That had not been a fun day. Jay had tried to rush out to say hi to Uncle Oliver when he’d come to visit and nearly got hit by the car.
“Is he alright?”
“He was fine, Alfred caught him in time.” He had no idea where he’d be without Alfred. Keeping these kids alive was no joke.
“Thanks for the taxi” Clark thanked him again. He crossed the gate, being mindful of the two dogs now running around together.
Bruce bit his lip, “Are you alright with that?”
The reporter raised an eyebrow, “What do you mean?”
Bruce sighed, “An Omega….paying something for you. Most Alphas would feel inadequate having an Omega pay for their things. Most Alphas see me as a rich Omega and don’t know what to do or think of me.” Understatement of the century. He got dumped on several dates for being an Omega with money, it meant no Alpha could woo him through gifts or travels.
Clark exhaled, “I admit it’s…different.” Yeah he wasn’t used to having an Omega pay for him, or anyone really, he’d been self sufficient since he moved to Metropolis, figuring out how to pay his own bills and even help his parents financially. “But I brought you some gifts to even it out.”
“The flowers are lovely” Bruce said, sniffing the sunflowers. Alfred had several rose bushes around the manor, but he didn’t care much for them, his favorite flowers were tulips. But right now, sunflowers would be his second favorite.
“I baked you a pie” Clark offered the pie in his hand. He’d wrapped it so it was still warm and wouldn’t be damaged during travel.
Bruce looked at the baked goods, “You bake?” Alphas didn’t usually bake, handmade or baked gifts were a common Omega gift as opposed to an Alpha one.
Clark’s cheeks got heated under Bruce’s icy gaze. “My Ma taught me. She thought everyone should know how to feed themselves. I enjoy baking.” He knew it wasn’t a very Alpha thing to do, but he enjoyed it, and Lois had always enjoyed receiving pies or cupcakes from him from time to time. He wondered if Bruce would let him bake cookies for the kids sometime, his Ma had an amazing recipe for white chocolate chipped cookies.
Bruce let out a little laugh, “I’m terrible in the kitchen, I’m better in boardrooms.” He appreciated the gift. No Alpha had ever made or baked him anything. He opened the front door to the house.
The two dogs returned, Ace and Krypto ran past them and onto the living room further into the house.
“I think Krypto liked it” Clark pointed out. He was used to living in an apartment, of course he’d go crazy seeing all the space he had to run around in the manor.
“I’m glad, Ace needs more dog friends. Welcome to Wayne Manor!” He gestured inside despite the fact the dogs had already gone in.
Clark looked around, it was very quiet, not what he expected for a home full of children. “Where are the kids?”
Bruce paused on the doorway, “Alfred went to the store, I asked him to take the older kids with him.” He gulped and walked inside, “We need to do the treatment with Conner as soon as possible, it will be easier while the others aren’t here.”
Dick and Jason would certainly cling to Clark the moment they saw him. They hadn’t stopped talking about their papa since Bruce had told them that Clark would be coming to the manor.
Clark stumbled in, taking in the sight of the manor. “Okay, I trust your judgment. Wow Bruce your house is..” it was warm, and it was cozy, just like expected. The walls were lined with framed photos of the family, some were of Bruce and his parents, but most were of Bruce and the kids. The tallest wall was lined with all Dick’s school photos arranged in a neat little row, and below them were framed pictures of Jason and Cass on their first day of kindergarten.
They walked past a sitting room that had definitely seen calmed days. Children’s shoes were scattered on the floor, a rain coat was thrown over a lounge chair, a bookcase on the far wall was filled with children’s books that were very chaotically arranged. It felt lived in.
Bruce felt heat crawl up his neck as they walked towards the kitchen, “Messy I know, I’m sorry. I tried to tidy up but…it’s kind of hard with so many kids under ten in the house.” He and Alfred had spent hours getting everything ready, the only Alphas who ever came over were his friends, but Clark was different. He’d wanted things to be more presentable, but that was easier said than done. At least the chandelier was fixed, it had been broken for two weeks after Dick decided to try dangling from it after learning a new move in gymnastics class.
Clark didn’t mind at all, “It’s not what I expected.”
Bruce paused midway through opening the kitchen door, “What do you mean?” What did Clark expect? He genuinely had no clue what people expected his home to look like. Maybe like one of those houses you see in luxury magazines. But what kind of crazy person decorated a shape full of toddlers with glass tables and white carpets?
“Everyone says Wayne Manor is dark and gray, but it’s so colorful.”
Oh…right, dark and depressing, the Gotham esthetic. “Ah well Dick said that the black was depressing and insisted we repaint the house when he was six. We picked out the blue for the exterior.” It was a little embarrassing to get called out by a six year old that your home looked depressing on the outside, but the manor was due for a paint job anyway. So he let Dick pick out which shade of blue he liked the best and the manor was given a repaint.
Finally, they reached the doors to the kitchen. “We should leave that in the kitchen…” he pushed the door open and held it open for Clark, “…come.” Bruce rushed into the kitchen. He found a vase on top of the counter and placed the sunflower bouquet inside, he was very happy to see that it fit perfectly. He then took the vase under the sink so he could add some water.
Clark meanwhile stared at the pristine marble countertop and slept in the black cabinets of Bruce’s kitchen. The backsplash alone probably cost more than all his appearance combined. Bruce had said he didn’t cook, but it was clear that someone in the house did. There was a spice rack on the far wall, lined with all types of ingredients. There was a giant mixer that had a few visible scratches from years of use, and a few pans still in their drying rack. He carefully set the pie down on the countertop, he prayed that Bruce and the kids liked it. He could make out the shape of a large steel grade over next to the fridge, it was perfect for baking cookies!
Bruce set the vase base on the countertop and wiped his hands on one of Alfred’s dish towels. “Alright, ready to meet the babies?”
Clark froze. This was happening, the moment of truth and his entire reason for being here. “I-I hope so.”
“This way…” Bruce tried to keep his face calm despite both him and his Omega being in full blown panic. He was worried about how the treatment would work. Would Conner respond well? What if it didn’t work? Then he’d have exposed himself and his children for nothing….no! He couldn’t afford to think like that, Conner couldn’t afford it. This would work, it had to. His baby would be safe and that was all that truly mattered.
His Omega was panicking for different reasons. There was an Alpha in his home. A very strong, very unmated Alpha tight in front of him. And this Alpha was already giving him gifts, he’d brought flowers and a pie he baked himself. He was subliminally showing off how he could care for a mate that he could provide.
Bruce told his Omega to shut up as he led Clark up the staircase, “All the rooms are upstairs.” Clark was only here for Conner, he was doing this to save a pup. He had said that he’d help a pup in need even if it wasn’t biologically his child. Yeah, he was here because of the pup, nothing more. He wasn’t here because he wanted to stay…it was just for medical treatment.
Clark was freaking out, and trying very hard to not to show it. He was about to meet two of his sons, little Tim and Conner. He’d never cared for babies before. He wasn’t here to help treat Conner, but what if he messed it up somehow? What if he didn’t know how to hold him properly? Or what if Conner didn’t like his smell? Or what if it worked? Would Bruce kick him out as soon as Conner wasn’t in danger? He wanted to stay, he wanted to get to know the pups, wanted to be a part of their lives, a part of this.
But Bruce probably wouldn’t want that. The entire reason he’d gone to a sperm bank in the first place was so he wouldn’t have to deal with an Alpha. And he was clearly more than capable of caring and proving for himself, he’d successfully baby proofed an entire manor! But the thigh made Clark’s heart clench.
His Alpha was even worse. His inner Alpha was nagging him that this was pack. That he had pups to protect and provide for, and Bruce….don’t get him started on Bruce. He was a drop dead gorgeous unmated Omega who’d chosen his scent over any other Alpha, while he himself smelled so good. Clark’s Alpha wanted to claim him, they already had kids together anyway, it was a logical next step. Just bite the Omega and they could all be one happy family.
Clark was mortified by his Alpha’s boldness, he’d never said such things about anyone. He’d taken a suppressant before coming here, he didn’t want to overwhelm the poor Omega. Bruce had nearly broken down yesterday because of all the pressure he’d been in with his pup being sick, he was in absolutely no headspace to even think about matings or pack formation.
They got to the second floor and turned left. Bruce opened the door to the first room down the hall. It had been converted many years ago, and could be smelled from the outside. “They’re in the nesting room, it has everyone’s scents so it’s comforting, especially for Conner in his condition.” Of course it wouldn’t cure him, but his dad and sibling’s scents provided comfort through the pain.
Clark’s nostrils flared as he took in so many scents. There were six different scents radiating from that room. Bruce’s obviously hitting him strongest. And the five scents of each of the pups. Clark couldn’t tell which scent belonged to whom yet, but they were all extremely pleasant…well except for one. One scent smelled like newly waxed leather, but had a discomforting moldy undertone, that had to be Conner.
Bruce’s hand hovered on the door handle. An Omega’s nest was their sanctuary, a vulnerable space that only their most trusted partners ever got to enter. Sure Clark wasn’t a quote on quote stager, they’d known each other for a decade, he’d hired the investigators, he knew Clark was a good man. But they’d only truly spoken yesterday, less than twenty four hours ago, and now he was about to let this man into his nesting room. He took a deep breath, this was for his son, “Here we are .... “ he turned the door handle and opened the door.
He walked inside and started walking towards the two bassinets where the babies were.
Clark stood in the doorway, frozen.
The room was very spacious, larger than Clark’s kitchen and living room, but surprisingly cozy. There was what seemed like a king sized mattress on top of a bed frame. The mattress was filled with blankets and pillows radiating the smell of Bruce and his pups. There was a tv where Bruce and the kids would watch movies while cuddling during Bruce’s heats. The floor was littered with toys.
There was a mini fridge that Alfred made sure was always filled with water and juice boxes, as an Omega had to stay hydrated during a heat cycle. There was also a snack tray, but which was out of reach for any of the kids to get too.
And on the far wall, several drawings were hung from a string attached to both edges of the room. There hung several drawings the kids had made over the years. The one at the farthest end was a stick figure drawing made by a two year old Dick, he’d drawn a tall stick figure with a few lines of black hair on its head, and a smaller black haired stick figure next to it. The first family portrait Dick had ever drawn, Bruce had wanted to keep it somewhere safe, and thus the drawing wall was born. Now holding drawings from Dick, Cass, and Jason.
This wasn’t a nest, it was a full blown nesting operation. Clark’s inner Alpha whined at this, the Omega was doing amazing on his own. He had all of this….why would he need an Alpha?
Bruce quickly made his way to the two sleeping pups, but then noticed that the Alpha hadn’t come in yet. “Aren’t you coming?”
Clark’s eyes softened, “Bruce. I’m an Alpha, I can’t enter your nesting room without permission, it’s improper.” His Ma had taught him as much, an Alpha is never to enter a nest without the Omega’s permission.
Bruce was taken aback and his cheeks turned crimson, “Oh…well…” Damm he was out of practice. His body hadn’t gone into a mating heat since he got pregnant with Dick, now only going into maternal heats. He hadn’t been intimate with an Alpha in forever, he’d honestly forgotten what the protocol was for this.
Luckily, Clark beckoned him back to the doorway. Bruce wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but it sure wasn’t for Clark to take his left hand into his and get down on one knee in front of him.
The Omega’s breath hitched, “C-Clark, what are you…” he didn’t remember any Alpha ever doing this before, was this a Kansas thing?
Clark’s own face got heated when he’d taken Bruce’s hand. An Alpha had to respect and care for any Omega whose nest they entered. He stared right into those icy blue eyes when he spoke, “Bruce Wayne. Do you give me permission to enter your nest?”
Bruce looked around nervously, was it hot in here? It sure seemed like it was. “Y-Yes. You can enter” he spoke quickly.
“Thank you.” Clark let go of his hand and stood back up. This time, when Bruce turned back towards the babies, he followed.
The smells were more distinct now. One was of fresh oranges with a slight scent of coffee hidden beneath it. Strong and rich, it had to be Tim. The other smell, the smell of leather, was stronger now, but so was the smell of decay and distress coming from one of the bassinets.
Bruce reached the body first, his babies. Tim was napping peacefully, gripping onto his little yellow blanket. He looked so calm and peaceful. While little Conner was still looking incredibly pale, his breaths were more frequent and heavier than Tim’s were, he didn’t have much without Clark.
Bruce’s Omega cried in distress. He’d failed, failed to care for his babies and now his pup was sick. What kind of Omega was he to let this happen?
Clark saw the way Bruce’s shoulders had slumped when he’d looked down at the twins. It was clear that he was greatly affected by the state Conner was in. “Hey, don’t worry. He’s gonna be okay.”
Bruce looked over his shoulder. Clark was here, Alpha was here, he could help.
“Clark, meet your sons.”