[ The insistence to use just this young man's first name has his eyes widening just a touch before he nods his head in agreement. ] Right. [ He smiles. ] Bruce. [ It's the second time he's said it and the second time his tone's gone soft, the 's' sound at the end almost unheard. It might've been because of the nostalgia earlier, but with the blanket over his legs in what Clark considers a thorough bout of caretaking, he decides that the fondness isn't borrowed so much as it is blooming slowly, like a bud in a particularly chilly spring. ]
Sorry, [ while he has genuine intentions in his apology, there's a small chuckle there that shows he isn't too broken up about it ] 'mister' is a bit of a, uh, force of habit. [ But a lot of Clark's habits are a touch outdated, a little bit out there. He doesn't seem to be embarrassed by them as much as he is aware of who he is; even now, chances are he'd only apologised because he didn't want to make Bruce uncomfortable, and he's already made one ill-fated misstep today.
It takes some bravery, but in a small gesture he pushes his glasses up his nose, chuckling (and biting back the wince when he does it too hard) as he says, ] I suppose "Bruce" is better if we're gonna be friends, isn't it?
[ And though it isn't outright forcing, there is an ease in the way Clark says it, but it's not like it'll take much to get Clark to like Bruce to begin with. ]
If you'd, uh. If you'd like, I mean.
[ He did, after all, say that there's no-one out there quite like Bruce. His father always told him to hold on to the special people you meet in life-- it ought to be the same in death, too.
That being said, he's hoping the fact Bruce accepted his little cup of water is a step in the right direction. Clark doesn't know how likely Bruce is to take anything from anyone in such a way, but decides there must be some level of comfort when their fingers brush as he takes the cup back in his shaky grip. (If not some resignation at the fact his hands are still unsteady.)
He refills the cup, and if Bruce doesn't take what's offered a second time, he'll start to sip from it like a dainty little girl at a tea party. You don't realise how thirsty you are when all you feel is shock, but Clark worries he might choke on water if he went too fast. ]
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Sorry, [ while he has genuine intentions in his apology, there's a small chuckle there that shows he isn't too broken up about it ] 'mister' is a bit of a, uh, force of habit. [ But a lot of Clark's habits are a touch outdated, a little bit out there. He doesn't seem to be embarrassed by them as much as he is aware of who he is; even now, chances are he'd only apologised because he didn't want to make Bruce uncomfortable, and he's already made one ill-fated misstep today.
It takes some bravery, but in a small gesture he pushes his glasses up his nose, chuckling (and biting back the wince when he does it too hard) as he says, ] I suppose "Bruce" is better if we're gonna be friends, isn't it?
[ And though it isn't outright forcing, there is an ease in the way Clark says it, but it's not like it'll take much to get Clark to like Bruce to begin with. ]
If you'd, uh. If you'd like, I mean.
[ He did, after all, say that there's no-one out there quite like Bruce. His father always told him to hold on to the special people you meet in life-- it ought to be the same in death, too.
That being said, he's hoping the fact Bruce accepted his little cup of water is a step in the right direction. Clark doesn't know how likely Bruce is to take anything from anyone in such a way, but decides there must be some level of comfort when their fingers brush as he takes the cup back in his shaky grip. (If not some resignation at the fact his hands are still unsteady.)
He refills the cup, and if Bruce doesn't take what's offered a second time, he'll start to sip from it like a dainty little girl at a tea party. You don't realise how thirsty you are when all you feel is shock, but Clark worries he might choke on water if he went too fast. ]
...are you going to stay here, too?