Chapter Text
Clark, by all definitions, is a big Taylor Swift fan. If you ask him directly, he’ll pretend that he isn’t. He’d say that “just because he’s from Kansas doesn’t mean he’d been following Taylor Swift since she debuted, that would be ridiculous.” No, that definitely wasn’t a Fearless-inspired enamel pin on his ID. What are you on about?
However, if you happen to be Bruce Wayne, you would notice that Superman listens to Taylor Swift on the way to work, in the car, in the Fortress of Solitude, and even in the Batcave. You would catch snippets of conversation between Superman and his kids about the songs and even about recent news.
Of course, you could also have incredible powers of observation. The cardigans Clark wears sometimes are custom orders from artists on Twitter and Instagram. The necklaces he gifts Lois and the sweaters he gives Kara are ever so slightly inspired by songs from Speak Now.
Bruce however, despite the obvious signs that Clark was a fan of Taylor Swift, never really paid that attention (only took note of it for birthday gifts) until they started dating. It took years and years of on and off again, will he wont’ he, until they finally got together after a decade of knowing each other.
It was a year or almost a year into their relationship when he realized Clark was far from a casual fan.
It was 3AM, and Bruce had just come from patrol. He was expecting Clark to be asleep since he had a long day at the Daily Planet, had to put out apartment fires, do the usual saving people from earthquakes, apprehend up Livewire, and go around saving kittens and taking photos.
Clark however, was not asleep. He opened the door to their shared bedroom to find Clark on the bed (not out of normal) on his phone with the blanket pulled up to his waist. What wasn’t normal was the fact that both Clark and Bruce’s laptop were opened on YouTube playing the same video. The TV was also playing the song and Bruce was pretty sure the phone in Clark’s hand was playing it also.
Clark hasn’t noticed that he opened the door. Normally his boyfriend would be standing up to greet him, or would at least look over at him from working. However this time, Clark seemed to be completely focused on his phone.
But I got smarter, I got harder in the nick of time
Honey, I rose up from the dead, I do it all the time
I got a list of names, and yours is in red, underlined
I check it once, then I check it twice, oh!
Was his boyfriend mouthing the words? Bruce watched as Clark seemed to sing along. Not only that, was Clark copying the dance? Bruce glanced at the TV to confirm what he was seeing. As the artist entered some sort of ballroom in the music video, Clark seemed to mime the movements she was doing the best he could. Bruce stood still at the doorway for almost a minute, waiting for Clark to notice him. He took in his boyfriend's messy hair and focused gaze as he mimed the movements with one arm and his torso. He was wondering if Clark even bothered to brush his teeth or hair before starting to watch the videos— probably not. He probably showered at superspeed.
Clark didn’t notice Bruce for the whole minute he was standing there. The billionaire watched in amusement.
“Clark.” Bruce said as a form of greeting and question. The patrol wasn’t too tiring so Bruce wasn’t as annoyed as he would normally be, but he could admit that he was looking forward to some peace and quiet. This however was a bit more interesting.
Clark sat upright, nearly tossing his phone into the ceiling (that actually happened when Bruce snuck up on him one time and Bruce had to replace it). “Bruce!” His unearthly blue eyes were wide as he looked nervously around the room as if realizing what he was doing and already knowing that using his super speed would be futile. “I… didn’t hear you come up.”
“What are you doing?”
“I…” Clark rubbed the back of his neck and pushed up his glasses.
Bruce sat down at the foot of the bed and recognized the artist on the screen. “Is this Taylor Swift?”
“Uh… yeah.” Clark sighed and closed the video on his phone. “She recently came back.”
“Came back.” Bruce repeated with a raised eyebrow. He’d known this man for over a decade, but this was the first time he caught him like this.
“Yes. After a hiatus.” Clark cleared his throat. “Uh, Dick was here earlier and we watched the video release together.” Clark rubbed the back of his neck. “Taylor was basically quiet for three years so it is Kind of a Big Deal.” He stood and went to sit beside Bruce at the foot of the bed. Bruce noted that Clark was wearing a Taylor Swift t-shirt. “I wonder why you don’t know. Dick and Tim were non-stop talking about it for the past week.”
“I tend to tune out some of their babble.” Bruce huffed. “You were talking to them anyway.”
Bruce could hear Clark roll his eyes. “Oh, so it’s my fault then you don’t know?”
The billionaire shrugged. “I don’t think ‘Superman is a Taylor Swift Superfan’ is relevant information on the file downstairs.”
Clark sighed then kissed Bruce’s cheek. He leaned his head on his partner’s shoulder. “I thought you knew I was a fan.”
Bruce resisted the urge to laugh at the blush on Clark’s face. Of course he knew, but he didn’t know it was to this extent. It actually was on the file in the Batcave. “I know you listen to her more often than most, but I don’t understand why you would have all of the devices-”
“We have to stream!” Clark exclaimed. Bruce blinked and suddenly all the videos seemed to restart.
He used his superspeed. “Clark I could-”
“No!” Clark huffed. “No bots!”
“I-”
“It has to be genuine!"
Bruce raised his brows. Clark was only this adamant when it really mattered to him. But was this really the most efficient way to go about it? “Cla-”
“Bruce.”
Bruce blinked, accepting defeat this time. “Okay. Is Dick…”
Clark nodded.
“Tim?”
Clark nodded again.
Bruce hummed thoughtfully. He knew Dick would have fallen asleep already (he was also glad Dick visited), but he was sure Tim was still up working and probably streaming the song as well. “Okay. But… some of us aren’t aliens without a need for sleep that don’t have a board meeting first thing in the morning.”
“Right.” Clark mumbled and stood to close the two laptops and the TV. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Bruce stretched and leaned back on the bed. “Before I sleep though, would you show me what you were watching?”
Clark instantly perked up at that. “Really?”
“Don’t tell me all the details.” Bruce went under the covers. “That can wait until tomorrow.”
“Okay!” Clark practically jumped into the bed and grabbed his phone. “Here, it was released a while ago it’s called ‘Look What You Made Me Do.’”
The explanation did not wait until tomorrow, but Bruce was more than happy to let Clark’s happy voice lull him to sleep.