Fic: The Matchmakers

[starsandsea]

Title: The Matchmakers
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairing: Martha Kent, Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce/Clark
Word Count: 2104
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Author's Note: For the worlds_finest Gift Exchange. For prompt: F33 - After years of watching her son deluding himself into thinking that he's not totally besotted with Bruce Wayne, Martha Kent has a conspiratal conversation with that lovely Mister Pennyworth. She decides a bit of maternal guidance is called for. (It's maternal guidance not interfering, honestly!) Her Book Group(or that type of thing) are having a trip to a Gotham convention sponsored by Wayne Enterprises. She heads off to the Dark City to knock a couple of stubborn heads together. Any continuity. Please include a Martha and Alfred seen. Unbetaed, so point and I shall correct!



Clark tumbled down the stairs of the Kent farmhouse, a bright smile on his face. "Ma!"

Martha looked up at her son, and was engulfed in a warm hug. "Hello, love. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Ma, how're you?" Her son asked as they pulled apart.

"Oh, you know me," Martha said with a fond smile, seeing Clark taking cookies from the wire cooling wrack. "Those are hot, mind." She knew they couldn't hurt him, but that didn't stop her from scolding him.

Clark looked appropriately sheepish. "But it's when they taste best, Ma!"

She shook her head at him, then turned and went back to putting the dirty utensils she had used in the washing machine.

"It's your trip to Gotham this week, right?"

"Don't talk with your mouth full. And yes, it is. You have thanked that lovely young man for me, haven't you?" She pulled the lid to the dishwasher up, catching a blush on her son's face.

"Yes. He said you should really thank the people who organized it, though."

"Oh, pish posh. If he didn't give so much time and effort, not even mentioning money, to the Wayne Foundation, well. A lot of peoples' lives would be a lot worse."

Clark smiled around a cookie. "I'll tell him that, too."

Martha bustled around the kitchen, checking the cooking dinner. She heard Clark sigh softly, as he always did when Bruce Wayne came up in conversation. Really, two stubborn fools they were, her Clark especially. Kidding themselves into thinking that they weren't totally besotted with each other... She had hoped that one of them would have had the gumption to do something by now...

Clark made a sudden movement, and she started.

"Sorry Ma, got to go. A ferry's sinking in the Mediterranean."

She smiled at him, seeing him turn to a red and blue blur. "Go on, then, dear." She wiped down the table, putting the now empty wire wrack away. Really, someone should do something about those two stubborn boys. Didn't she have that nice Mr. Pennyworth's number somewhere? Smiling, Martha checked on dinner again, before finding her address book.

*****

"Good Afternoon, Wayne Manor."

Martha smiled as she heard the cultured British tones of that darling boy's butler. "Hello, Mr. Pennyworth."

"Ah, Mrs Kent. Lovely to hear from you. How are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you, Mr. Pennyworth. How are you?"

"I am quite well, thank you, Mrs Kent."

"Good. And young Bruce and Richard?"

"They are well also, Mrs Kent. I hope Master Clark is well?"

"Yes, he's fine. That's why I phoned, actually."

"Really? Please, do continue, Mrs Kent."

"Well, you see, I know that Clark has been... well, totally besotted with your Bruce for years now. And I believe that Bruce feels the same way for Clark. But neither of them are acting upon their feelings! It's been years now, and..." Martha trailed off, thinking about her son, how he needed someone there for him.

She wasn't getting any younger, and she desperately wanted someone for Clark to be able to lean on, someone who could care for him, look after him, love him. Someone who could tell him how silly he was behaving, talk some sense into him. He had friends, of course, but only a handful of them really knew him, and only one of them knew all his secrets. Well, all but one of his secrets. Really, Batman was supposed to be the World's Greatest Detective, so why he hadn't figured out that Superman was head over heels for him...

"Ah, yes, I know exactly what you mean, Mrs Kent. What do you propose we do about it?"

"Well, I'm coming to Gotham this week - Tuesday and Wednesday - for the book fair. You will thank the darling boy for sponsoring my trip for me, won't you, Mr. Pennyworth? I asked Clark to, but..."

"I can assure you that Master Clark has done so, but I shall pass on the thanks as you wish."

"Oh, thank you. Anyway, I was thinking that we could meet up and discuss things further then?"

"I don't see why not. If you can provide me with your schedule, I'm sure something can be arranged."

"Good. I'm very glad, Mr. Pennyworth. I'll phone you again when I know the details of my visit."

"I would be delighted Mrs Kent. I have a few ideas for the, ahem, problem, and I shall give them further thought."

"I look forward to hearing them, Mr. Pennyworth."

They said their goodbyes, then ended the call. Martha put the phone down, a satisfied smile on her face.

*****

Martha was just sitting down for breakfast in the hotel on Tuesday morning, when she saw a well dressed older gentleman approaching her table. The hotel restaurant was mainly quiet, only a few other guests around.

"Mrs Kent? I'm Alfred Pennyworth."

Martha smiled at him "Hello, Mr. Pennyworth. I remember you from your visit to the farm. How are you?"

"I am fine thank you. I trust you are the same? May I join you?"

"Oh!" She started guiltily. She was so used to people just joining her regardless. "Of course. How is that dear boy? I'm a little surprised to see you here so early..."

Alfred sat down, removing his coat. "Master Bruce is fine. He had a early meeting this morning, and Master Dick was dropped off at school on the way. I'm free to do as I please for the rest of the morning."

"Well, that's good to know. He's such a darling boy, I hate the idea of anything happening to him."

Alfred looked pensive for a moment. "Yes, so do I. But it's who he is."

Martha looked down at her cup of tea. "I know. And I have the same worry with Clark, of course, but it's not the same, is it?"

Alfred placed his hands on the small table carefully, but didn't say anything.

"Speaking of my son, I see he's in Gotham." She gestured at the copy of The Daily Planet she was reading, opened on her son's article about drug crime on Gotham, mentioning the book fair she would going to later in the morning.

"Yes, a rather fortunate turn of events, I must say."

"He told me he would be in Gotham until the end of the week, writing these special reports."

Alfred nodded. "Yes, he came to the Manor last night to inform us this fact as well. And it gave me an idea."

"Oh? Do share, Mr. Pennyworth."

He did so, and Martha added one or two suggestions of her own, before Alfred left to set events in motion, and she got ready for her day at the Book Fair, smiling to herself the whole time. Really, the poor boys had no chance...

*****

Bruce looked at his watch again, frowning. The reporter was late. 15 minutes late. He scowled. He wasn't used to waiting for people, people were always on time when meeting with him.

He took a sip of his water and glanced about the restaurant again. It wasn't the most expensive, but it was still catering to an elite crowd. And the food was wonderful. But nothing when compared to Alfred's, of course.

Bruce looked at his watch again. 17 minutes late. He scowled, just about to signal to the waiter that he was leaving when Clark appeared in front of him, looking even more rumpled than usual. The waiter gestured to the seat opposite Bruce, placed a menu on the table before it, then left, knowing that Mr. Wayne didn't want to be disturbed.

Bruce blinked at Clark. Clark blinked back.

"Uh... Bruce? What are you doing here?" Clark slowly sat down, his cheeks turning red.

"I'm here to be interviewed. What are you doing here? I thought you were doing those specials..."

"I- I am. I'm supposed to interview the CEO of one of the top... companies in Gotham..." Clark trailed off as realization struck both of them.

Bruce looked away, towards the wall, so the other patrons couldn't see him scowling. If he had known that Clark was going to be doing the interview, he would never have agreed to it. Not because he didn't trust Clark, no. That was the problem. He trusted Clark too much, he might say things that he didn't intend to, things that would reveal too much. It was difficult enough stopping himself from pulling Clark across the table, kissing him, finally and...

But what would Clark want with him of all people? He was loved by so many, could have anyone in the world if he wanted...

"I'm sorry, Bruce. I really had no idea it was going to be you I was meeting..." Clark shifted in his seat, his face still flushed, his blue eyes wide behind his glasses.

Bruce sighed. Was there ever a sight more irresistible? "No, it's fine Clark." He tried to smile, to make Clark feel more comfortable. "What do you want to ask me?"

*****

Several hours later, Bruce and Clark walked out of the restaurant, and into the dark Gotham night. Bruce took a deep breath, hearing the sounds of his city around him, looking up at the buildings. He couldn't hear any sirens. Things seemed quiet, for once.

He looked higher and saw the moon through the clouds for a moment, before it was swallowed in them once more. He turned and caught sight of Clark looking at him. They had ended up hardly talking about the interview at all, just talking and relaxing. It had been nice.

Bruce smiled, and Clark blushed. "Do you want to come back to the Manor?" He surprised himself by asking the question, but he didn't regret it. He simply didn't want the night to end yet. He felt closer to Clark than he ever had before, and he didn't want to lose that feeling just yet.

"I... Yes. That would be very nice." Clark smiled, and it was like the Moon coming out, all brightness and glory in the darkness.

They went into the garage where Bruce's car was parked, then drove home in silence. Bruce could have sworn he saw Clark looking at him more than their surroundings. They reached the Manor, and he was slightly surprised by how quiet it was. Dick and Barbara had been covering for him tonight. But Dick should have been back by now, it was a school night, after all...

They went inside, and Bruce made his way upstairs, aware of Clark following him in confusion. He walked down a corridor, bypassing his bedroom until he was at Dick's, then very quietly opened the door. Dick was peacefully asleep in bed. Alfred must be asleep too, then, he thought, shaking his head.

Of course he was, because Alfred was the one who had set up the interview. He knew how it was going to turn out, even before Bruce did.

Clark was watching him, a fond smile on his face, and Bruce felt his heart catch at the sight. He closed Dick's door softly, then moved away from his son's room, walking back to his own, entering, and taking his coat off. He heard Clark following him, closing the door quietly as he put his coat over the back of a chair.

The air felt charged, and Bruce's heart was hammering for some reason. Clark moved forward, until he was standing in front of him.

"Bruce..." he breathed his name, and Bruce swallowed.

Their heads were very close, and it seemed so simple, all of a sudden, to kiss Clark.

So he did.

*****

Martha was sitting in the hotel restaurant the next morning, eating breakfast with Alfred Pennyworth. They were celebrating the success of their plan.

"It was a delight working with you, Mrs Kent."

"The delight was all mine, Mr. Pennyworth. It was very informative." She took a sip of her tea.

"Ah, so here are the conspirators."

Martha started and looked up to see her son and Bruce Wayne standing next to the table. Clark was grinning - practically glowing - and Bruce wasn't doing much better, either.

"I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about, Master Bruce."

"Of course you don't, Alfred."

"Perhaps you should give up farming, Ma, and start a matchmaking business."

"Don't be silly, dear. Besides, there will never be as much motivation, or satisfaction, as there is with you two."

Clark turned crimson, and Bruce rolled his eyes, but they gazed at each other in adoration. Martha and Alfred exchanged a smile.

Mission Accomplished.