[OOC] Fiiiiiiic
superman and kell, post "message in a bottle"
"We need to talk," he said, standing outside his door. Well, not standing so much as hovering, his cap behind him. Kell chalked up to dramatism.
"Don't you people knock."
"Says the guy who flew through the roof, literally," Superman said, smiling.
"It's a Superman thing," Kell grunted, "We don't knock."
Superman laughed, "Maybe, but I was taught to be polite."
Kell surveyed him, "Something's bothering you."
He started, "How--,"
"I'm your clone. I know," and he left it at that because if he said anymore, it would get awkward, and most likely, Kell would punch him out the door.
"I know Brainy's past."
"... And?"
"It doesn't change anything."
"I thought you said you knew his past. How can you even say that, if you know--,"
Superman cut him off with his hand, "It's Brainy. He's my best friend. He taught me everything I know."
"He didn't tell you enough," Kell bit off, "He never told you about himself."
"It doesn't matter."
"Doesn't it? The fact that he's the greatest threat to the universe, since, oh I don't know Imperiex, mean anything to you?"
"He's Brainy." Superman said simply.
"Fine, like I care. I'm just going to defeat Imperiex and leave. He can be your problem then."
"Kell..."
"And I hate you."
Superman coughed into his hand, "I know."
"Die in a kryptonite induced fire or something."
"Got it."
"Stop talking about your feelings. I don't care."
He shook his head, "Don't you get tired of that?"
"I've had lots of practice," Kell said, looking at Superman, noting that he had finally set foot on the floor, "And I have better things to do."
Superman made a light sound of agreement, "You know if we defeat Imperiex..."
The look Kell gave him was scathing.
"--I mean, after we defeat Imperiex, you should come over. See my folks. They'd love to meet my younger brother."
"I'm not your younger brother."
"I was born several centuries before you."
"........... I'm still not your younger brother."
"Would you like to do that?" Superman said calmly, ignoring Kell's remarks.
Kell was silent. His hands rested on the edge of the bed, as if to run away for the next threat. That's probably all he did, Superman thought. Fight and fight. No rest for soldiers and weapons.
"I don't have what you have," Kell said, looking away, "That doesn't mean I was alone."
"Fair enough," Family is family. Superman was silent this time, before sitting next to Kell on the bed. Kell gave him a wary look.
"Promise me something."
"No. Why?"
"Brainy. You have to help me if something happens."
"And why would I do that?" Kell said caustically, "Why should I care about him?"
"Because I asked you to."
"Not good enough."
"Are you a quitter?"
Kell tensed up, "No."
"Then be a hero, for once." Superman stopped, looking away, "Sorry that was..."
"Don't say it. Don't you dare say it."
"Right," he got up. Great work, Superman, he thought to himself, can always count on you for clone-bonding.
But, before he left, Kell said, "I'll do what I can."
He couldn't help smiling. Kell-El was a great many things, things that would scare anyone, but he didn't quit. Superman never could either.
It was in the genes, after all.
"We need to talk," he said, standing outside his door. Well, not standing so much as hovering, his cap behind him. Kell chalked up to dramatism.
"Don't you people knock."
"Says the guy who flew through the roof, literally," Superman said, smiling.
"It's a Superman thing," Kell grunted, "We don't knock."
Superman laughed, "Maybe, but I was taught to be polite."
Kell surveyed him, "Something's bothering you."
He started, "How--,"
"I'm your clone. I know," and he left it at that because if he said anymore, it would get awkward, and most likely, Kell would punch him out the door.
"I know Brainy's past."
"... And?"
"It doesn't change anything."
"I thought you said you knew his past. How can you even say that, if you know--,"
Superman cut him off with his hand, "It's Brainy. He's my best friend. He taught me everything I know."
"He didn't tell you enough," Kell bit off, "He never told you about himself."
"It doesn't matter."
"Doesn't it? The fact that he's the greatest threat to the universe, since, oh I don't know Imperiex, mean anything to you?"
"He's Brainy." Superman said simply.
"Fine, like I care. I'm just going to defeat Imperiex and leave. He can be your problem then."
"Kell..."
"And I hate you."
Superman coughed into his hand, "I know."
"Die in a kryptonite induced fire or something."
"Got it."
"Stop talking about your feelings. I don't care."
He shook his head, "Don't you get tired of that?"
"I've had lots of practice," Kell said, looking at Superman, noting that he had finally set foot on the floor, "And I have better things to do."
Superman made a light sound of agreement, "You know if we defeat Imperiex..."
The look Kell gave him was scathing.
"--I mean, after we defeat Imperiex, you should come over. See my folks. They'd love to meet my younger brother."
"I'm not your younger brother."
"I was born several centuries before you."
"........... I'm still not your younger brother."
"Would you like to do that?" Superman said calmly, ignoring Kell's remarks.
Kell was silent. His hands rested on the edge of the bed, as if to run away for the next threat. That's probably all he did, Superman thought. Fight and fight. No rest for soldiers and weapons.
"I don't have what you have," Kell said, looking away, "That doesn't mean I was alone."
"Fair enough," Family is family. Superman was silent this time, before sitting next to Kell on the bed. Kell gave him a wary look.
"Promise me something."
"No. Why?"
"Brainy. You have to help me if something happens."
"And why would I do that?" Kell said caustically, "Why should I care about him?"
"Because I asked you to."
"Not good enough."
"Are you a quitter?"
Kell tensed up, "No."
"Then be a hero, for once." Superman stopped, looking away, "Sorry that was..."
"Don't say it. Don't you dare say it."
"Right," he got up. Great work, Superman, he thought to himself, can always count on you for clone-bonding.
But, before he left, Kell said, "I'll do what I can."
He couldn't help smiling. Kell-El was a great many things, things that would scare anyone, but he didn't quit. Superman never could either.
It was in the genes, after all.