[ HERE SHE GOES, TALKING OUT LOUD LIKE A CRAZY PERSON ON SOME ROOFTOP BECAUSE SHE THINKS IT'S NEAT THAT SHE CAN. and maybe because it's a little amusing that he can't talk back. at least, not immediately. heh. ]
Heya, Clark. Hope you're listening. Had a good conversation about disguises today, figured you might be interested.
[ translation: have a seat! she scoots over to make room, pulling a backpack out from under her ledge as she does. this one is full entirely of Clark Kent, Daily Planet reporter. ]
[And Clark steps forward, giving the backpack a cursory examination as he does so. Somewhere in amongst them there were glasses not much unlike his own at home. The ones he'd deceived Lois with. Nice choice.]
You talked to him about the disguise then, I take it?
[ She hands it up, trusting that he already knows what's in it. ]
Mmhm. It's a real dedicated act. [ casual tone, relaxed expression, slumped posture. par for the course for most of her serious subjects. ] You got any experience pulling it off so far?
[And a dazzling smile as he looks at her. He shucks the bag slightly across his shoulder.]
You don't get to survive the inquisitive Lois Lane without learning a few tricks. But let's see how we go.
[Okay that was definitely a wink. Time to test out that quick change, right? He's back a moment later, pulling awkwardly on the end of his shirt sleeves.]
[ She blinks after him, shifting from her usual casual to something like mildly surprised. A faint coloration drifts into her cheeks a second later, and she quickly turns her gaze back to the view of the city. He's possibly a little more charming at this age than she'd realized.
But anyway. ]
Noted. I'll go up a size on 'em next time. [ Then she's finally standing, crossing both arms over her chest and watching him thoughtfully. ] According to the boss, it's putting body language and change of voice together for a whole different persona. But-- [ how had he phrased it? ] Not a caricature.
[And, incidentally, he doesn't notice things like that. It's just part of his charm. He can see supernovas on the other side of the galaxy, or serial numbers on microchips, he just can't ever find a clue.
His smile is turned down to wry in his suit and tie, and he fiddles briefly with the glasses before coming to sit beside her again, giving a good go at wow this is high and sitting slightly back.]
A different person, not a cardboard cut out. It's funny, I always thought the real disguise would be The Blur, but it's not like that at all.
[Pause. Then sadly.]
Clark Kent, turns out to be the best disguise of all. My humanity.
[ She is, in fact, perfectly happy with him not finding a clue. That's vastly preferred. And she doesn't plan on offering any more, either. She watches him thoughtfully, scrutinizingly. Not bad so far. Just one thing, a little off-topic... ]
[A glance her way, then quickly away again, and the glasses come off, taken into his lap so he can fiddle with the arms of them.]
You mean--The Blur or Superman? I'm not sure. Up until now I've only ever been a hero in the shadows. Superman...sounds like something people respect, something to live up to, and I'm not sure I'm ready to make that decision yet without thinking about it some more.
[The glasses go back on, and he hides his worry behind the thick frames.]
I can't exactly ignore it, either, otherwise by the time I face the decision it'll be too late. But people are going to expect things from me I don't know how to provide, and if any of his enemies come...
[Then they're going to target him, pick him off, try and take him down when he's young and comparatively inexperienced. But for the others? He's seen how the confidence of having Superman beside them opens them up, when they know, and he's seen how Batman looks at him as though seeing another man in his place, only to realise he's not and lose face. He can be more than that.]
What about the costume? A hero's only as good as his threads, right?
[ The enemies. Good point. Batman's have a bad habit of showing up, why not Superman's? And she can hardly imagine having to face Batman's lot with a boss that wasn't Batman yet.
Not that she says any of that, of course. She watches the view for a couple seconds longer, then offers a quick little smile. It's trusting above everything else, because even without the bright primary colors, he's still a pretty cool guy. ]
I always thought there'd be some kind of ceremony. This isn't what I expected.
[And more confidently he looks up at her, really looks at her.]
Can you get it made? That way I can have it right there. Talk myself into it. I think this place...it needs me almost as much as Metropolis does. I just need to come to terms with it.
Heya, Clark. Hope you're listening. Had a good conversation about disguises today, figured you might be interested.
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Robin.
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Took you long enough. [ A WHOLE TWO SECONDS JEEZ SLOW POKE. ]
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[It's nice, though. With everyone not being deathly serious, he can pretend it isn't when it actually is. Deathly. Serious.]
Mind if I join you?
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[ translation: have a seat! she scoots over to make room, pulling a backpack out from under her ledge as she does. this one is full entirely of Clark Kent, Daily Planet reporter. ]
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You talked to him about the disguise then, I take it?
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Mmhm. It's a real dedicated act. [ casual tone, relaxed expression, slumped posture. par for the course for most of her serious subjects. ] You got any experience pulling it off so far?
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[And a dazzling smile as he looks at her. He shucks the bag slightly across his shoulder.]
You don't get to survive the inquisitive Lois Lane without learning a few tricks. But let's see how we go.
[Okay that was definitely a wink. Time to test out that quick change, right? He's back a moment later, pulling awkwardly on the end of his shirt sleeves.]
I think I've got longer arms than you realised.
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But anyway. ]
Noted. I'll go up a size on 'em next time. [ Then she's finally standing, crossing both arms over her chest and watching him thoughtfully. ] According to the boss, it's putting body language and change of voice together for a whole different persona. But-- [ how had he phrased it? ] Not a caricature.
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His smile is turned down to wry in his suit and tie, and he fiddles briefly with the glasses before coming to sit beside her again, giving a good go at wow this is high and sitting slightly back.]
A different person, not a cardboard cut out. It's funny, I always thought the real disguise would be The Blur, but it's not like that at all.
[Pause. Then sadly.]
Clark Kent, turns out to be the best disguise of all. My humanity.
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The Blur. Gonna stick with that?
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You mean--The Blur or Superman? I'm not sure. Up until now I've only ever been a hero in the shadows. Superman...sounds like something people respect, something to live up to, and I'm not sure I'm ready to make that decision yet without thinking about it some more.
[A shake of his head.]
And I can't even fly.
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Awful big boots to fill, Superman's. Especially in a between-world where everyone knows what he will be.
[ thank god Robin isn't supposed to fly and save galaxies or anything. ]
Good thing you don't have to decide right away.
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I can't exactly ignore it, either, otherwise by the time I face the decision it'll be too late. But people are going to expect things from me I don't know how to provide, and if any of his enemies come...
[Then they're going to target him, pick him off, try and take him down when he's young and comparatively inexperienced. But for the others? He's seen how the confidence of having Superman beside them opens them up, when they know, and he's seen how Batman looks at him as though seeing another man in his place, only to realise he's not and lose face. He can be more than that.]
What about the costume? A hero's only as good as his threads, right?
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Not that she says any of that, of course. She watches the view for a couple seconds longer, then offers a quick little smile. It's trusting above everything else, because even without the bright primary colors, he's still a pretty cool guy. ]
Tell me when you want the costume. It'll happen.
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I always thought there'd be some kind of ceremony. This isn't what I expected.
[And more confidently he looks up at her, really looks at her.]
Can you get it made? That way I can have it right there. Talk myself into it. I think this place...it needs me almost as much as Metropolis does. I just need to come to terms with it.
Reply
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