Clark stretches and luxuriates in the sunbeam stretching across the desk. Gotham is renowned for being terribly overcast at all times, but wealth buys distance, and Wayne Manor is far enough away from the factories that they have clear skies. Stunning sunsets still, however, and he walks out onto the attached balcony to admire it.
"Shepherd's delight," he murmurs, watching the red sky.
He hadn't meant to stay so long - he was only in Gotham to cover the opening of a new branch of Queen Industries. But for all his boss dislikes putting an omega on the hard news, Clark has the instincts of any alpha reporter, and he'd taken advantage of the trip to do a little snooping. One thing led to another and he'd been tossing up what hotel he should attempt to find a room in when he'd literally tripped over Bruce. One thing led to another and then Bruce was inviting him to spend the night.
A noise from the study behind him interrupts his reminiscing and he turns to see Dick slip into the room. Clark smiles, delighted to see him - Dick has been mysteriously absent his whole visit so far.
(He has no idea the image he makes, limned by the setting sun, openly welcoming.)
Dick closes the door but he doesn't move further into the room, instead he presses his back up against the door.
Clark frowns and steps closer. "Dick, what's-?"
The scent smacks him across the face and he chokes.
Alpha.
Rut.
Oh. Oh.
He hadn't known.
He freezes. "Dick?"
"I." Dick swallows thickly and almost claws at the wood. "I. It's my. First."
Clark nods slowly. He... Golly, the last time he was in the room with a rutting alpha, was...
He's not sure. He was the one in heat, when Luthor...
He pushes the memory away with the ease of long practice. He didn't regret it at the time and he refuses to now - he'd got Conner out of it. Conner is worth any amount of slightly creepy attention from an alpha.
"Dick. Do you want me to get Bruce?"
Dick snarls and Clark nods, trying to make himself smaller and also bare his neck at the same time. Some alphas find the presence of their pack alpha comforting when in rut, others view it as a threat to their authority and a challenge to their right to an omega. The rut brain is stupid - Dick knows that Bruce and Clark are platonic, they specifically had a conversation about it after Clark helped Bruce with an emergency rut a couple of years back. Dick's logical brain isn't the one in control right now.
"What do you want me to do, Dick?" Clark asks as he pumps out soothing omega pheromones as subtly as he can.
Dick takes one staggering step forward. "You."
"Yes, what do you want me-"
Dick snarls, frustration clear, and steps forward again. His tail lashes in a way that Clark's dog-brain wants to read as an invitation to play, but the rest of his body language...
Dick presses himself against Clark, wraps his arms around Clark's waist. The tip of his nose just barely brushes the edge of the scent gland on Clark's neck. "You. Omega. My omega."
Clark had automatically brought his hands up to support Dick and when he processes the words he wants to freeze, but he forces himself to go through with it, to run calming hands over Dick's hair and down his back.
It makes sense. Clark is an unmated omega (despite what some people have attempted, not naming any names Lex) and he and Dick are familiar with one another - Clark has taken Dick out, helped with his homework. If Clark's in the area and has free time he always attempts to see Bruce and Dick. This is ... Perhaps not quite to be expected (he thinks of wanting Jimmy, even in the depths of heat, and wants to laugh) but it is normal.
"Oh, Dickie. I... Any omega would be flattered-"
"I don't want any omega, I want you," Dick whines against Clark's collarbone. "I've always wanted you."
(Clark recalls, in rapid succession:
Dick finding Clark sharing breakfast with Bruce after Clark had assisted with Bruce's rut, and storming off, trailing the scent of tears behind him.
Dick pressing close to Clark whenever they're out together and someone unmated approaches them.
Dick always touching Clark. Giving him little gifts of flowers and rocks.
Dick smiling to Lex's face and saying something innocently insulting at the most recent gala - it had been so funny Clark had been forced to duck into a side room and laugh himself sick.
He recalls and represses. Rut brain cannot be trusted.)
"Oh baby," Clark stritches behind Dick's ears. "I know it feels like that, but just wait until your rut is up. You'll feel so embarrassed, saying something like that to an old fuddy duddy like me. Why don't we get you settled into a nest and we'll call one of your school friends?"
Dick growls, all puppy-displeasure, and sets his teeth against Clark's shoulder. He's not quite tall enough to get the traditional bite, and Clark feels rather like a chewtoy.
"Dick..."
"Noooo," Dick whines again and drags his teeth back and forth. It's a strange mix of ticklish and actually rather... Nice.
Clark sighs. He closes his eyes and pushes away the faux-heat that wants to rise in response to a rut, and thinks. There's nothing wrong with spending a heat or rut with someone - he doesn't regret the time spent with Lex, he's annoyed that Lex took advantage of him to try to mate him not that they had sex - and everyone knows someone who tried to go it alone and got sick. First ruts and heats are the worst as well - Clark can get away with spending his heats alone but that's because he's a mature omega who has had a pup. A baby alpha runs a serious risk of hurting themselves from dehydration or a ... Ahem. Injury.
Instincts don't direct you to someone you'll regret. If Dick wants to spend his first rut with Clark, then it's probably because he ... Feels safe with Clark. Or maybe it's because Clark's the omega he feels closest to.
Dick hooks a leg around Clark's, and Clark startles as a very erect penis is pressed against him.
Oh. That's. Hrm.
Big.
Dick rocks his hips and whimpers. Clark bites his lip and definitely doesn't slick up in response. Or maybe he does. He...
He sighs. Presses a kiss to Dick's forehead and then cups his chin and pulls him back far enough that they can look each other in the eye.
"Do you want to spend your first rut with me, Dick?" he asks.
Dick doesn't bat an eyelash. "Please."
"Ok. Ok. Have you built a den?"
Dick squirms out of Clark's grip and presses his forehead to the centre of Clark's chest.
(Oh. Has Dick seen a post-pregnancy omega naked before? Probably not. Clark hopes he doesn't disappoint.)
"Wanna show me to it?"
Dick nods wordlessly again. He steps back, drags his hands around and down Clark's sides until he can grab both of Clark's hands. "Mmh. Wanna show it to you."
Clark purrs, all omega-approval, and desperately hopes that they cross someone on the way. He doesn't know if Dick has stocked up on water and snacks and once he's in the den, if Dick's like most other alphas, he won't want to leave.
"Lead the way."