Dreadful Socialization

A/N: Just something quick to satisfy my writing itch I've had all day.

"Please don't make me socialize."

Clark smiles, trying to hold back his laughter. He looks back at his companion for the night and sees a scowl on his pretty face. Clark can't help but let out a little chuckle. "Awe, come on Bruce, it won't be so bad."

"This is a party that Wally is throwing. Wally, the barely twenty-one years old Wally."

"Yes," Clark grabs Bruce's hands and starts dragging him along. "And he invited all the leaguers to this party. Come on."

"I don't want to." Bruce pulls his hand free and crosses his arms.

"Don't act like a child."

"Hmph." Bruce turns his face away and makes himself look like he isn't about to move from that spot.

Clark bites his cheek, trying to stop himself from smiling. "You know I can just pick you up and force you to go."

Bruce's head snaps in his direction and he points a finger at Clark. "Don't you dare."

"Then let's go."

"No."

"Bruce, please."

"I don't like socializing Clark. Especially at parties that are hosted by twenty-one years old."

"I'm sure Wally will keep it appropriate." Bruce raises an eyebrow at this. "Okay, probably he won't but all the more reason to go." Clark grabs Bruce's hand again, this time more firmly so the man can't escape once more, and starts dragging him to the room Wally is throwing the party in on the Watchtower. "There's probably even alcohol now that he can drink it legally."

"I don't drink alcohol," Bruce mumbles but finally starts willingly following him.

"Well tonight can be the exception if you think it will be that bad." They reach the room the party is in and hear that it is already in full swing. "We're probably the last ones to show because of your stubborn butt."

Bruce ignores him and instead asks, "What if something happens while we are all here?"

"Bruce," Clark looks at him exasperated. "We're on the Watchtower. We'll know, trust me." He laughs and then enters the room, pulling Bruce in with him. The party is no costumes so everyone is dressed in casual clothes. Clark decided to not wear his glasses, however.

"This is stupid," Bruce whispers from beside him and Clark sighs loudly. "Look, he didn't even bother to hide the beer like he used to. Now it's just sitting out in the open next to the punch. That punch better not be spiked in that case."

Clark sighs again and then gives Bruce an encouraging kiss on the cheek. "Try to have fun, will you?" Bruce just tsks and then stalks to a dark corner of the room, leaving Clark to his own devices. He goes and talks to Diana and John for a while and then says high to Wally who laughs at the prospect of watching people get wasted. They both bond over the fact that the two of them can't get drunk. After talking to Shayera and Ollie for a bit, he looks around for Bruce. He's at the table of food, punch in one hand and a small hors d'oeuvre in the other.

Clark approaches him. "What even is this?" he says as soon as Clark is beside him. Bruce puts it up to his nose and smells it. "I've never seen this before and trust me, Clark, I've seen a lot of food in my lifetime."

Clark plucks it out of his fingers and pops it into his own mouth. "Stop complaining." He grabs another one of the hors d'oeuvres and pops it into Bruce's mouth when the man opens said mouth to say something. "Come. Socialize."

"Dom't wam't tmo," Bruce says around the food in his mouth.

"Well, you're going to." Clark pulls him close and wraps an arm around Bruce's waist. "At least say hi to Wally."

Bruce swallows the food in his mouth and sighs. "Fine but on one condition."

"What?"

"If I say high to Wally, we get to leave."

Clark narrows his eyes at him and thinks about it. Is it worth it? Clark rolls his eyes and guides Bruce to where Wally is. "Fine."

Bruce says hi to Wally and Wally, not disappointing Clark, drags Bruce into a long conversation. Clark can tell Bruce keeps looking for a way out of the conversation and Clark holds back his amused laughter. Eventually, however, Wally pauses long enough for Bruce to make his exit. Bruce thanks Wally for the party, a forced smile on his face, and then says goodbye, him being the one to drag Clark along this time. Once out in the hall and heading towards the zeta tubes, Bruce says, "I can't believe I let you talk me into going to that thing."

Clark smiles smugly. "I enjoyed it." Bruce glares at him. "And it got your allotted one each year socialization with one other Leaguer besides me finished."

Bruce rolls his eyes at Clark's joke and types in the coordinates for Gotham. "You staying over tonight?"

"If you'll have me."

Bruce kisses him on the lips. "Always." They beam down together, each one's hand in the other's.

A/N: Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. :)