The Spell worked. Too well. A boy who became a man gets the one of a kind second chance to live his life. This is not the end....but the beginning of something more. Up in the sky, look out here comes...Hope
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My Adventures With Superman and Spiderman (MAWS/MCU Crossover)
- Thread starter Re-interest
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Episode One: Adventures of a Normal Human Man plus one
New
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Getting sticky.
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- Jun 25, 2020
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Adventures of a Normal Human Man
_
It was early morning frost on the days around the corner to Christmas that felt the hurrying or sedate ice laden heavy footsteps of New Yorkers as they moved like herd animals minding each way and that. The boy walking down the street in his long overcoat was narrating words reading off a paper he held up. He looked certain yet trepidation underlaced his tone.
The coffee shop, a single point of momentary silence before and after the ringing of the little bell door as it opened and then shut behind the boy. Inside he saw the waitress and customers, he had paper out yet stilled as he looked at her. When she asked for an order like it was a what will you have for breakfast tone he stammered and asked for coffee. She went and brewed like it was nothing. She waved it at him and like a brief ray of hope it was dashed by the ringing of the bell as the stranger approached him, yet a friend to her passed around him to sit at seat.
Like he was just another customer.
The friend looked at his phone, talking about how they have gotten into their preferred universities. They knew each other, yet the boy remembered different details.
Details that were no longer relevant.
He looked at them, silent and watching, waiting for something. A raised eyebrow, a flash of recognition, a sign. But all he saw was the quiet joy of two people going to live great fulfilling lives. That he was not part of it.
"I love you.
"Wait. Wait. You tell me when you see me again."
"I will. I promise."
"You better"
Promise…
"Peter Parker"
"It just feels kinda of different this time for some reason"
"Are you ok?" He referred to the bandaged wound on her brow.
"Doesnt' really hurt anymore"
He stared at her as she packaged his snacks. He wants to stare and hold this light precious forever. But then..
"Was there anything else..?"
"..No"
He still had that note in his hand.
And so he walked away. Alone.
He walked, his head bowed as the light burned. The magic of the universe saw an error and strove to correct it. His tears falling and freezing like ice raindrops on the crumpled withered paper. The words were fading and breaking into nothingness.
This didn't feel like last time. Last time it was like feeling ill, like tumbleweed blowing out. His synapses knew he was dying, his body faint yet it couldn't fight back against the inevitable.
This time.
This time was both worse and better. He did not feel wrong. Only emptiness. Only feeling the time before consciousness began. When there was simply..nothing.
People were continuing as they always have been doing. Going about themselves and avoiding others. They didn't need to avoid him. He was passable. They walked right through him. He was weightless, form losing its structure, like a ghost.
And soon he was wiped from the world without a trace. No boy who became a man. No kid from Queens who fought for them, died for them and paid everything for them.
No Peter Parker.
No Spiderman.
Nothing.
Forgotten.
_
Ba-bump!
Ba-bump!
Red and Blue.
"Mi tenas vin! Mi tenas vin!"
Crying.
"Estas bone, Petro. Estas bone, mi estas ĉi tie kun vi. Por ĉiam."
Warmth. It is very warm.
"Mia koro. Promesu al mi, ke vi trovos min"
"Promesu, ke vi trovos min tiel, kiel mi trovos vin."
"Petro"
The word means Peter.
And in the dark there is only the word that Peter would hold onto even if he didn't remember. A memory that cannot be forgotten. Only buried.
Promesu
Promise.
_
The morning began as it always did in Metropolis. Clouds separating to reveal Blue pastel skies and brisk air on a city that always looks for tomorrow. Birds were chirping, people were smiling and laughing, kids going to school, everyone was getting ready for the day.
BEEP! BEEP!
5:00 AM
Click.
Clark Kent blinked his eyes open as he rolled over his covers to reveal his pink pajamas that his mother brought for him which in his mind is excellent wear and will not hear a bad word about it (last person who tried to..well a stern(not scary at all) look made sure that person relearned his manners)
Seeing the metal switch on top of his alarm clock was something that he felt his friend didn't necessarily have to do. (Insisting on friend! Not just roommate)
"Today is going to be a normal day!"
_
"Today is going to be an excellent day!"
_
"Like normal as in tuesday normal or normal as in I got lost ont road to life and have to explain why my sneakers look like a rhinoceros walked in them"
"I consider it builds character!"
Of course his friend was working on his workbench fiddling tools and making micro incisions in what looks to be like a 90's sci fi miniature workhouse inside the apartment.
Peter Parker chuckles before removing his goggles and work apron as he looks back at Clark, his skinny yet well built form from all the jogs (Peter calls it forced slave labor leg days, Clark just says insistent going about your normal everyday fitness requirements) and moving heavy equipment and the Pilates that Martha Kent insist that Peter and Jon Kent do. Peter had tried to shrug and stutter reasons like overworked and sleeping enough but the sheer trembling lips and growing tears of Mother Kent was something the young man could not refuse lest his soul be damned forever.
Jon and Clark Kent simply patted his shoulder as if to say. Good luck for trying.
Peter just chuckled and got out of his chair, his dusty and slightly singed look gave him the appearance of a well to do mechanic of rush jobs yet having the grace of a scientist in a vivarium splendor.
So Clark got up, went to the bathroom jauntily and made sure not to break the water hose accidentally. "Remember to have the granola bar Mom sent you!"
"I'm an intern. Interns run on coffee and existential dread, not cardiovascular health"
"What was that?" The fact that Peter could hear both the washing and brushing of teeth gnawed at his sense of self.
"Nothing! I'm eating it mmmmh!" Peter mimed eating.
"Don't speak with your mouth full"
Peter sighed, unwrapped Martha Kent's special supplementary bars and chewed it. "Yes mum"
And out comes Clark in sports clothes and in his hand he tossed Peters, which was a lightish red and blue.
"Team Building Exercise is a go!"
_
To jog is to complain. To complain is to jog. When you fake having asthma (experience of past lifetime doesn't leave you even though medical tech helped greatly) you learn to appreciate things like scouting out the cities security grids blind spots, hiding places, which was the quickest zipline, route access, wind resistance, rooftop accessibility. (Somewhere in a dark place a gargoyle figure felt approving for some reason)
Don't forget intentionally stumbling on uneven pavement as running down the bridge trying to imitate huffing and puffing like a wheezing windbag as Clark naturally went at a good running joyful brisk running pace to unnecessarily hide his godlike stamina because no one would think this fit hunk be an alien because hello there is reasonable explanations (They both think the other is being needlessly dramatic about the whole thing but don't pry further because they are respectful of each others private unique hobbies)
Peter pretended to look up in the air at the exact same moment Clark spotted a cat in tree with kite, superspeed gets the cat and goes throughout Metropolis in blink of an eye to see girl putting up missing poster of cat on tree then returning cat and had gone just the same like a blur.
So when Peter nonchalantly looked back to the front of him and see Clark jogging jauntily exclaiming "It's going to be a good normal day!"
Peter said nothing to that. His eyes did. He would deny it.
_
Lois Lane would not deny she liked what she saw when the tall muscled guy with the cute sunglasses and the most earnest smile blush ever be a gentleman turned stutter when he actually looked at her. She would deny the blush on her face all the same.
"Excuse me after..you" His first words to her.
"Oh uh, thanks big guy" Giving him a knock on those big mighty shoulders like a clink. Was he a wall, no he was definitely a metal conveyor belt which she would keep down it. Best get in to get her protein!
So it was her pleasant surprise and (inner girl was chanting hush now) as the big guy awkwardly tried to introduce himself again and the most pleasant introduction of the elderly woman pastry cook who was bringing in brownie points of Clark Kent by putting napkin his chest and telling Lois Lane how he helped around the store, gives him three boxes of donuts (hopefully it's not a dietary concern but by god what that boy do to get that jacked must be worth it) and telling Lois while Clark had the most 'Did my self image just died' that it prevents crumbs from getting on his shirt.
She giggled. Yes she giggled.
"Ah! There you are Peter!" The little old lady after shouting at her husband in the back motioned with her hand behind Lois. Lois had no self realization (her dad would have gently yet firmly reprimanded her for not covering her blind spots) yet the figure behind her had no hostile intent at all. He just seemed..there.
He was 8 inches taller than her, yet seemed to want to appear smaller. Dark Brown hair, Dark brown eyes, expressive face with a build he tried to compress in on himself and appear skinnier than he actually was.
"Oh Ms. Wahlgren, how is the air conditioning doing?" A frank platitude.
"Oh my dear sweet boy it's better than before, I feel just the right amount of coldness for bed. Beauty sleep has never been better!"
"I'm glad to hear it" He said so tentatively like it was just something you do by picking up a grocery bag for the elderly.
"Clark dearie you know the drill" Wait what drill. The giant golden retriever (a correct summation in her perfect journalistic integrity mind) had his hand on the young wallflower(she keeps thinking crawler for some reason) and how he couldn't budge with nervous aggrieved energy.
"You know you don't hav-Wait drill!? What drill"
"Peter" and Lois took special notice of Clark's good natured and scarily (sexy) man voice breaking no tomfoolery. "Wait and until she comes back"
And lo and behold she saw Peter's eyes watered with slight betrayal looking at Clark with forlorn grievance at whatever punishment he was about to receive.
A…container of homemade curry and a photograph of a young woman.
"Here are your nutrients young man and oh gosh I somehow got mixed up with a photo of my young niece's daughter, you know she is in the city right now and she is applying for Metropolis University.."
"You don't say.." Peter drawls and Lois sees the tinges of smirk and chuckle from Clark. Lois chuckled and looked carefully at Peter's relaxed exasperation at this bold old school granny gumption. Lois can respect the game.
Lois can respect the tight cords of repressed secrets.
Speaking of which, she really needed to head out to work. Saying bye to the two young men (Clark which had just forgotten he made a cute gaffe until he remembered, blushed and waved back while Peter had the micro sweep look of Lois and Clark and she could see the bittersweet sadness like a bird who lost its partner and sees its best friend find hers and oh god she will find them again if its the last thing she does!)
_
Apparently its the first thing at work!
"No Lois," Perry dear Perry White sitting in his chair and in the office of the Daily Planet; pinched the bridge of his nose as she assumed was feeling under the weather of her big scoop exposed to find illegal weapons in Metropolis simply sighed "your an intern." Which was his way of shutting her down without a proper counter argument "the only reason I called you in today was to meet them." He points at the two men she met just this morning.
This is not the last thing she will do in her lifetime!
"Hi" said Peter, sitting on the side sofa next to Clark, though with both eyes on her and the blurry photo in his eye space.
"You?" Lois spoke (she will deny she was slightly gleeful) definitely had eyes for the big man who spoke.
"You"
"These are your new interns." Perry said as a matter of fact though she could swear she saw his eye roll. "I want you to show them the ropes and get.."
She was about to regather her energy to pirouette to getting steam back into the engine of Journalistic Investigation when the hooded boy suddenly went straight and came forward to the photos.
"Metropolis Municipal Code, Title 4, Section B,"
"Excuse me?" Perry enunciated as though he saw furniture, got up and spoke in a British accent.
"Any media corporation holding actionable photographic evidence of unregistered, military-grade ordnance operating within a high-density civilian zone has a precise four-hour window to report it to the authorities or publish it under public interest protections,"
Peter explained. His voice didn't waver. That was the scary part Lois thought looking at this seemingly nice boy who seemed allergic to thanks got up, stood erect and spoke with the homing direction of an Ion Cannon (did that work in the movies she completely forgot but it seemed the best comparison.
"If we withhold this..even under the guise of an editorial rejection-" Oh shit he did not just go there "-and those units cause property damage or loss of life, the Daily Planet loses its passive press immunity. We cross the legal threshold into material accessories to gross public endangerment."
You could hear the sound of silence… Simon and Garfunkel. The chirping of a cricket, the pin drop, the water perspiration of heatstroke(its not summer yet) or blood dropping from the roof (why did the image pop up in her head?)
No. Just. Pure. Unadulterated. Terrifying silence.
Lois looked at this guy as though he spoke Sumerian, Clark looked like the sun, the moon and the stars all decided to leap from the cosmos and dance the mambo in front of us all.
And Perry..
"...heh"
Heh?
Perry schooled his face into his stern frown with the slightest twitch in his jawline and the bulging veins correlated in his facial muscle structure. Good god Perry watch some comedy shows or take drugs (not that she would support it) if you haven't laughed in a while! Anything is better than being fired while dying of stroke where rage and giddiness tie a knot in your big weathered slightly overweight heart (she has the sense not to bring it up to anyone but dad)
"Peter Parker was it?" He said it was through the tone of what the weather is today.
And the cute looking intern blinked as though he wondered why he was there in this time and place of existence and remembered he was not acting his reserved quiet tag-along looking self. Yeah you can't fool me thought Lois and then remembered they were about to be..
"Yes sir" He startled a little squark. Well he should feel a little bit fearful considering the absolute shit they were all in..
"Are you a good photographer?" Peter looked at his chest with the old fashioned and cobbled together in a nice antique way.
Now Lois is an experienced historian of reporting, one of the things covered in esoteric study is the tools of the trade. Particularly the classics.
And this kid has a bona fide mother fricking 1950s ARGUS-C3.
"I like to think I'm decent sir" Humble after the sheer evisceration of the boss rigidity.
"Decent is the first step to mediocrity or professional" Not sure that works Chief "Its a matter of choice and responsibility"
Why did that look like it hit her soon to be adorable little helper like a javelin in the heart. Why did her soon to be big handsome helper look like he wanted to put little helper in blanket?
"Lane." Perry said in firm command.
"Yes!" She hoped her outburst was not too loud. She was miliary trained for Pete's sake.
"Go investigate"
…invesitage…?
"..The weapons.." She was breathing normally right?
"Find out where they are, call the police" He pointed at her and the two. "Take these interns with you, no reporting and" He raised a finger and spoke with calm serious care "If one man so much as shifts his gun in your direction. You run. No heroics. No big scoop. Just do your civic duty."
"Yes sir! Right away you won't regret this" Was she speaking fast paced.
"Lane!" A bit loud and it does its job. She stopped. Perry motioned to the side.
"Introduce yourselves"
"Oh.." That tracks. She turned to the two men who had donuts out and were placed on desk while she was having existential meltdown and up down (is that a proper word? It should be a word)
She extended her hand "Lois Lane"
The first to grasp her hand was like a warm boulder on her little mittens (stop it face don't give yourself away!)
"Clark Kent" The glasses. The glasses are a shield into a blue eye soul wait a minute. The glasses are a lie!?
He let go of her hand while she treasured the warmth. She does not believe in not washing hands(kissing cheek etc) as that's unhygienic but she will make sure to hold hands again (she will push those other thoughts down he is an intern!)
Then the other hand came up and she felt she was the one giving warmth in little cold sturdy rough callused and somehow soft tendered yet firm hands at the same time. Like she wanted to rub her thumb over to care for a child.
"Peter Parker"
"Now that you have been introduced please get the hell out of my office"
They were out faster than a speeding bullet.
_
So first order of business.
"Great Scott what was that!?" Her hands were shaking the completely shocked and scared 18 year old kohai (yes she will call him kohai because even though she is half Korean she is a woman of culture) "You just got up, whipped out an entire legal crash course torpedo and sank Perry White! What have they been teaching you in.."
"Middle School.."
"Nah!" She patted his shoulders good naturedly as he fitted his clothes tightly as though she didn't feel the strong sturdy form buried in the jacket of both physical and mental pretend meekness. "No teenager watches that amount of Law and Order and not make a total ass oh himself using TV knowledge."
"I just said middle school and I just…read a lot ok?"
"Peter…" A voice said behind him in wonder and care as his eyes looked at his smaller companion as though he discovered baby learned to walk. (Oh that is so sweet!) "You didn't tell me you scored an A+ on Law Studies"
Peter just sighed and waved his hands away.
"Look I.. I had a lot of time to myself and I wanted to make sure I knew what I was doing when I got this job"
This Job..
Lois could discern a lot from that statement and phrase alone. Perry would have given her a heads up if the intern had unfortunate law troubles, the kid absolutely had no feel of a criminal thanks to her unorthodox childhood training as she could see the weight behind those frankly too young to be tired soul eyes.
The best thing would be to..
"Alright then!" She grabbed both of these soon to be christened knuckleheads, Clark was blushing and she loved how much power she was having over him at this moment while Peter squawked at this infringement on his cool mysterious stranger vibe she was not buying at all. "Interns! (Ignoring she was an intern) We have a rendezvous with destiny! So. Lets. Go!"
_
"My Grandfather used an Argus, weighs like a boat anchor and your stringing it around your neck like a throwaway pendant"
"It's a modified C3," Peter tried a conciliatory tone to throw off Lois' perceptive gaze, his eye still pressed to the rangefinder as he tracked a guard walking past a crate of high-tech exo-suits. Snap. "I built it out of parts I found in the trash and a thrift shop downtown. The original shutter was shot."
Lois reached out, her fingers brushing the cold, hand-polished metal of the lens casing. She noticed the flawless, unnatural clarity of the glass and the absolute fluid smoothness of the focus ring. Her eyes went wide as the journalistic gears in her head instantly shifted into entrepreneurial disbelief.
"You made this? Out of scrap?" Lois whispered, her voice cracking with a mix of awe and sheer capitalist shock. "Parker, are you out of your mind? You could make a hell of a lot of money selling what you made from scrap! Do you have any idea how much this could sell for in an antique shop?!"
Peter offered a faint, tired smile, his thumb winding the manual film advance lever—which he had rigged to actually compress a micro-generator to keep the internal battery charged. "Probably a couple hundred bucks to a hipster in Suicide Slum, Lois."
"A couple hundred?!" Lois grabbed his shoulder, shaking him slightly. "Try thousands! The vintage collectors in the Tomorrow District would alienate their own families for a fully functioning, custom-optics mid-century rangefinder that handles low light like a military night-vision scope! You're sitting on a goldmine, and you're using it to take photos of illegal weapons for intern wages!"
From a few feet away, Clark let out a soft, nervous chuckle, keeping his eyes on the warehouse door. "I think it's nice, Lois. It has... character. Just like Peter."
"It doesn't have character, Kent, it has a profit margin!" Lois shot back, though she couldn't help but look at Peter with a brand new layer of fierce respect. "The second we bust this story wide open, Parker, you and I are talking about a patent."
Peter just kept his eyes on the target, his grip steady on the camera. He didn't want a patent. He didn't want the money, or the fame, or his name in a registry database that a corrupt government agency like Damage Control could track. He just wanted a tool that worked, (a....roommate he could trust,) and a chance to do some good from the shadows.
Snap.
_
Clark Kent had a lot of things on mind that happened today. New morning, new chance to be normal, new ways of acting out ordinary life like getting to work at the Daily Planet, helping his gifted roommate no FRIEND! Emphasis on Friends because Peter Parker needs more than two and two halves. Nice delightful jog where he pretended to slow down for his very (unconvincing poor) cardiovascular friend who might be a bit paranoid.
Then he found a missing cat, then they stopped by the donut shop to get stuff for new bosses because its always great to have favorable impressions on future employees.
Then he found her.
Lois.
Beautiful
Full of life.
And insanely reckless.
Which is why he is besotted by her as they don't simply observe from a reasonable distance from docks but are actually in direct vicinity of shipping containers and one yard distance from mercs with guns.
"Why are we here?" Clark asked softly.
"Not the time for rooster teeth Kent" Spoke Peter softly photographing which begs the question when he stooped back from angle at unnerving right time before being spotted.
"Oh your not just a savant your a fellow person of culture" Lois said pointedly while hugging the shadows next to Clark in her awesome coat and snug little frame bracing him.
"Not sure now is the time for obscure pop culture reference Lois"
The short woman looked up at Clark's face as though he said he didn't believe the moon orbits the earth "Did they not have internet in Smallville"
Peter's shoulders shifted a little, that was a muffled laugh and Clark considered it a win and yet now is not the time for celebrating small wins!
"I…stopped looking at internet for entertainment when I discovered OnlyFans"
…
Why did he say that out loud?
"...A completely reasonable answer" She put her hands on his shoulders to massage them, Peter gave him a very sympathetic look. "I'll help you in healing your trauma after we bust this wide open"
"Guys…"
"Followed by showing you quality entertainment mixed with critique of your budding journalistic chops."
"Guys…"
"And you will teach me the…fundamentals of small town journalism ethics."
"Why that is.." He was about to segue into something profound before his super ears picked up whirring and being tugged by Peter.
"The robots are waking up!"
_
Peter had a lot of things on his mind today. A lot of buried things that he thought would just be free floating into the top of ethereal mental skimming on the water pool that was his calm aqua spirit.
(MJ and Mr. Stark would've given him so much shit if they read that in writing PUSH IT DOWN!)
He got up, started working on his bench while his sleepy secret metahuman roommate (he cannot think friend because he knows he cannot have them) fix up neighbours appliances, make sure the kids have their english courses are fine tuned, politely refusing esplanades no matter how good they smell or taste (or that they keep finding themselves on his table by a smiling too good for his own good roommate that he is forced to eat and enjoy by his nuclear puppy eyes) how Peter is perfectly fine and (not constantly checking Flamebirds constant tweeting of adventures that somehow he didn't ignore or that they keep getting into his main page despite all reason Whistling by Victor Stone raises suspicion)
He was a New Yorker (that..exist here but…somehow far away and..not the same) so he knows the rough and tumble of trying to eke out a living (if much better due to unnecessary thank yous from overly-friendly people) and knows how to take care of himself (the sure you are look nod by Clark not helping) and he wanted to succeed in his new internship because its a path to a good job.
(The suit he finished months ago was still hanging in rafters. Just…there)
His new superior (is that the right word or is it..senpai, the anime-like feel of this universe is disturbingly comfortable, why is it so comfortable the physically impossible beautiful angles and colors are driving him insane!) needed help and his instinct to help caused him to open mouth and insert foot. Instead of being tossed out which he was sure his new (maybe) boss would've done just gave him a nod of approval and respect. Give them the go ahead.
(He would never be blindsided again by the bullshit that went down in previous life!) He had years of self reflection and curious nature to learn those particular idioms of civil structure and law.
So when he goes along with two clearly lovestruck birds that made him feel like a third wheel (Sure you are kid, a voice somewhere in the afterlife spoke) to photograph mercenaries with robots in a docking yard he thought it'll be an in and out situation.
Then Parker Luck found them and in the darkness bind them!
And the jumping, and the moving and the screaming, and the skirting and the dodging and the rolling and moving to the grooving (play that funky music white boy!) that Clark swerved right.
"I'll distract it!"
"Clark don't!" Peter hadn't realized he said the exact same pitch and tone as Lois. His hearing was feeling the echoes of vibration of the soft silvery metal touches on the ground by sharp pincer legs. Red fire, blast of energy, smoke and debris.
Snap!
Peter couldn't help but take a photo. Every shot count, every shot needed and everything must be recorded. Even when they are dying for their lives. No wait! Trying not to die for their lives.
Was it always this crazy?
Then a red light veered on his periphery..heartbeat going faster..
TING! Says an itch
It was ringing slightly, growing in pitch as the blast took off the upholstered crate chain connecting a 8,2000 lbs of empty metal death weight upon the two.
Buzzing! Electric
Hair raised. Adrenaline.
She is in front of him. It's not for her, it's for him.
He pushes her out of the way so she doesn't see.
WHAM!
"PETER!"
His body had hit the side.
Breathing..slowed..so blurry…so..
Darkness.
_
….
Ba-thump
"Leviĝu Spando"
That voice…
Ba-thump.
"Ili bezonas vin"
Ba-thump!
Red and Blue.
Heartbeat returning to normal.
Lights coming back on.
"Ni bezonas vin. Mi bezonas vin."
He remembers her voice. He remembers responsibility.
"Mi bezonas vin, Petro."
Peter Parker's eyes open.
_
Lois swore she would wring the neck of the jackass who pushed the button to activate the robot. Fear was replaced by rage as the machine walked forward until it was blindsided by a tall broad shouldered man in a workman's hoodie.
That was flying.
Oh my god he was flying.
A man was flying in the air and punched out a robot.
Adrenaline made her short circuit as she understood the implications of what she just saw as the robot seemed to be down for the count. Flying guy was looking over the area in order to check something really hard and looked from physical posture really fricken worried.
So of course she'd be worried if the super strong flying man is himself worried until he notices more lights going on.
Oh great, more robots! Who pushed the button this time
Somewhere not too far away the mercenary known as Livewire felt as though she received a slap to the face she was sure she deserved.
Flying man flew forth to the main area where the robots were powering up, he moved like lightning, warp step no speed step. Like..
Faster than a speeding bullet.
Punches, as if trying to measure the correct amount of strength that varied for situation. Lois can't help but be there as she had followed in awe until realizing her photographer wasn't there..
Oh god where is..
THWIP!
THWIP!
Two soaring piledriving sticky looking fluid things came out of nowhere to web robots together until a coated figure in a red ski looking mask came in twisting like a spin kick (spin kick. Really?) through the red plates of the mechs.
"Hey Big Guy!"
Wow that voice seemed British (aforementioned figure felt a little sniffle for some reason)
"Don't worry about holding back! Just lean into it" Like a Spider-Monkey (aforementioned figure felt like embarrassment) he shot. Webs at legs and crawled on one before leaping from blast that took out the one he was on (So the robots are less intelligent than Stormtroopers great design) "Like trying to pee your own pants!"
"What?" Spoke the Flying Man in what she assumed was a serious voice that sounded familiar to her.
"Just Punch them!" Spider-Monkey did a cool somersault before the other robots decided to get smarter and group shoot them.
Right focus time Lois, leave the weird brotherly and strangely cute banter of superbeings in the fight! They need professional help and what she could see.
"There has to be a control panel for these things!"
Good advice! Now she could see the stairs leading up to containment areas and particular green buttons. Those are good signs.
Sprint, keep pace and dodge the fight!"
SLAM!
BAM!
Flying Man fell down! Spider Monkey was working overtime as he over-focused on the one in front of him. He seemed to be spinning and jumping, keeping conservative stock of himself as though..he was realising he had jumped into a situation he was not ready for..
Lois had already went up stairs, oh look! buttons. Time to smash.
ONE!
One powered down.
TWO!
Another!
THREE!
The remaining two suddenly pivoted past their fallen comrade and marched on her, why did these giant smooth tin cans choose now to have a brain.
And the man in the hood, she could somewhat see a bruised eye and she could almost hear the words.
"Lois!"
And like a miracle. Blue energy like that of a super Saiyan blue(yes Super had problems but it still counts!) and like a bolt of beautiful aqua lightning he zapped forward to deliver a flying thunder punch to one red chassis.
While the other was kicked through by Monkey Spider going through it like a reverse baby Xenomorph! (Ok bad example but it was the first thing to come to mind)
Flying man was on the ground trying to balance himself in humble feet apart and arms circular while Spider-mon..no the Human Spider moved his legs in a sweep like doing acrobatics with his head tilted upwards, his hand centering himself with his right hand pushing against the wind.
What kind of landing was that!?
Just like she would be inhaling her morning coffee she zoomied down the stairs with a notebook and pen at the exact moment the Spider guy webbed off and Flying Man was about to leave.
"No! Stop! Wait!"
Flying Man paused briefly as though he didn't want to leave. He flew anyway.
"I..just want to know if…"
"Lois!"
She turned to the side and outside of the wreckage was Clark! In his sweater and rumpled self and glasses and..
She threw her arms around him and held him tight!
"CLARK!" She cried out. "We have to find Peter! We have to.."
Snap!
"I'm here!"
From around the destroyed robot she heard her kohai taking photos of that one busted up mech, rumpled with his hair tousled and dirty and scratches. He looked as though he had only been dirtied by a dust storm rather than hit by a storage container.
"I've got the photos Ms Lane It's!"
_
He was enveloped in the most suffocating warmth protecting him. It felt like..Mr.Stark, the last time…
"Oh god! Oh god your safe" She cried on his shoulder, her arms tightening around his shoulders as though he was a cuddle bear who was found by his owner. Or rather something small and fragile like that of a mother to a child.
He felt…bad for some reason.
"Its ok. It was just a scratch, what's important is that your ok"
"..."
Why was his spider sense tingling and Clark's happy and relieved face was turning into worried concern.
"...Ok?"
Peter had to look down at the fierce looking glaring eyed small woman pinning him like a boa constrictor on an unsuspecting chump.
"Do you have…any idea…"
WARNING! WARNING!
"What you put me through!"
Peter tried to put his hands up as the frankly scary look of doom that was in his circle of security. That had already passed the five levels and into the prize of Peter's dignity and self shame.
Her grip tightened and why was she so strong!?
"You better have good pictures Parker or so help me I will perform a colonsypo with your Ar"
"Ahem!" Thank god for the lucky fool who tries to tame this beast Peter thinks. Lois turned to Clark who was looking serious and didn't look at all scared (Peter could see the slightest crinkle of worry that Clark's eyes held) "It's been a long day…so why don't we skedaddle and pick up some smores for Perry"
…
"PFTFTTFFFT HAHAHAHAHHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAH!"
"Skeddadle! You are way too young to be a dad Kent!" Lois hollered and slapped her knees.
"Smores! Hah you said that with a straight face! It's the city of Metropolis Clark! where we get donuts! It's not even Winter!" Peter snickered and just waved his hands as though he was embarrassed to be in the same room as him.
Clark blushed and looked a little petulant before joining in the laughter and getting them into a bear hug.
"I'm just glad," He said slowly. His warmth felt like a blanket you never wanted to get out of "That your both ok"
Lois had her arms around her two boys. Her two crazy (she is the sane one!) precocious innocent boys.
"We did it! We got the-"
"Don't jinx it!" Peter yelled before alarms came by and they really had to get the heck out of dodge.
_
"You've got something" Spoke Perry White flatly, steeping his fingers like Gendo Ikari.
"Wait wait," Lois waved her hands back and forth without her coat. Peter and Clark behind her standing at parade attention. "We didn't jinx it" She looked to her right back at Peter who shrugged.
"You didn't. Jinx anything" Perry said. "You simply broke my ruling on direct action" Perry sighed and looked forlornly at them "You went ahead and got up close and personal"
"But Chief we" Lois tried to explain but he waved a hand.
"Lois. Peter got hurt" The boy from Queens (she pegged him from Queens) "The only reason I'm not assigning to permanent coffee duty is because in spite of the danger you knowingly" With this he gave a terse look at her which made her be quiet "Put these interns through they went above and beyond their duty in doing a job well"
Perry waved a hand on his desk on the collected photos. All clear, all present. All there.
"These are the photos of a professional followed by an enthusiastic written display of Journalism even if its on the fly which someone gifted" Giving Peter side eyed who wilted a little "Proofread legal and journalistic laws and a good proofreader," Staring at Clark who gave embarrassed scratch on head. "On words and sentences that I might, might forget that little kerfuffle on flouting my very clear and precise warning" He breathed in, and out.
"Above all good job"
Lois Lane blinked.
"Really?" She said in wonder and awe.
"Yes. Now get out of my office!"
SLAM!
So in the hallway Lois Lane jumped in the air and squealed and hugged her two men in neck hold.
"You hear that! We did it! We bust the story open! We!"
Then things caught up in her head and did a screeching stop. Peter looked worried while Clark was blushing at closeness.
"..Did he say anything about publishing or promoting us?"
Peter wisely chose not to sigh in relief.
"CHIEF!"
"TOMMOROW LANE!"
"TOMMOROW CAN"T COME SOON ENOUGH!"
Louis was just too good in a mood and slapped the backs of Clark and Peter.
"I'll tell you interns, Lois Clark and Peter are going to be the next best thing in Journalism since Nellie Bly, Walter Duranty and Eddie Adams! We are going to the top!" She cradled them and by god how was she so strong!
"It is a brand new day everyone! So let's move!"
For Clark it was as true as the sun coming up.
For Lois it was just a natural vibe.
For Peter…felt a little a nice about it.
"Start working tomorrow" Peter opined.
"Oh yeah!" Lois grinned and they couldn't help but share in the joy.
_
It was the afternoon. High up in the air, the sunny sky. Blue overcast about to blur into purple dark. Clark Kent spoke aloud.
"Who am I?"
In the apartment Peter looked at his mask, looked at the photos on Camera, the ones of high definition showing two strangers holding a secret from each other, two people who save others with the world on their shoulders. Two disguised men.
Peter Parker with his Web shooter still attached to his wrist, had his thumb over the red button 'DELETE'.
"I remember who I am".
Spiderman softly whispered.
_
Inspired by this, as well as liking MCU Spiderman and I'm a sucker because Spiderman to me is like the ultimate hero hamstringed by maleovolant comic writers and editors thus like all people who admire him want him to be happy.
This will not bash Jimmy Olsen, yes I know that he has fumbled but he is having his own adventures outside Superman and is a friend of Clark and Peter(though Peter will try to deny it mentally as much as he could). I love the version of Supergirl from this show. She has so much chemistry with MCU Peter and frankly they work so well together. It'll take a while to get there because we are still in Season One. The kryptonise from show can be translated using AI so it adds a layer of beauty to Peter trying to figure out who that voice was.
I don't exactly read comics but I love anime.
Brand New Day was a good fun film, but after thinking things through...look Jean Grey never apologised for the horrible things she did or try to make amends. I don't have much care for the Marvel Movie directors and what they think what anti-heroes/villains actually is or stuff and honestly...it's just not worth complaining about since it's already out there. I just want to make a story where heroes are heroes and villains are villains. Don't expect great fight scenes or what not, as you can see I've probably fudged up the humor and pacing as I am an amaetur and I will freely admit it. If someone is inspired to write more fanfics on this wonderful show thats awesome.
Sadly due to where I live I cannot watch Season 3 yet because of some bullshit legal technicalities that I can't make heads or tails of and I don't know if it would ever come.
I will endeavor however to read the recent Comic crossover with Spiderman and Superman.
I love the show and MCU (before it turned into moral quagmire) I just want to get this out because it won't leave me. I want to write something beutiful and fulfill catharsis.
I have no idea of how to make or ask someone to make art of this. Maybe after a few more chapters.
I hope this turns out well and I hope I will finish it.
Till next time.
_
It was early morning frost on the days around the corner to Christmas that felt the hurrying or sedate ice laden heavy footsteps of New Yorkers as they moved like herd animals minding each way and that. The boy walking down the street in his long overcoat was narrating words reading off a paper he held up. He looked certain yet trepidation underlaced his tone.
The coffee shop, a single point of momentary silence before and after the ringing of the little bell door as it opened and then shut behind the boy. Inside he saw the waitress and customers, he had paper out yet stilled as he looked at her. When she asked for an order like it was a what will you have for breakfast tone he stammered and asked for coffee. She went and brewed like it was nothing. She waved it at him and like a brief ray of hope it was dashed by the ringing of the bell as the stranger approached him, yet a friend to her passed around him to sit at seat.
Like he was just another customer.
The friend looked at his phone, talking about how they have gotten into their preferred universities. They knew each other, yet the boy remembered different details.
Details that were no longer relevant.
He looked at them, silent and watching, waiting for something. A raised eyebrow, a flash of recognition, a sign. But all he saw was the quiet joy of two people going to live great fulfilling lives. That he was not part of it.
"I love you.
"Wait. Wait. You tell me when you see me again."
"I will. I promise."
"You better"
Promise…
"Peter Parker"
"It just feels kinda of different this time for some reason"
"Are you ok?" He referred to the bandaged wound on her brow.
"Doesnt' really hurt anymore"
He stared at her as she packaged his snacks. He wants to stare and hold this light precious forever. But then..
"Was there anything else..?"
"..No"
He still had that note in his hand.
And so he walked away. Alone.
He walked, his head bowed as the light burned. The magic of the universe saw an error and strove to correct it. His tears falling and freezing like ice raindrops on the crumpled withered paper. The words were fading and breaking into nothingness.
This didn't feel like last time. Last time it was like feeling ill, like tumbleweed blowing out. His synapses knew he was dying, his body faint yet it couldn't fight back against the inevitable.
This time.
This time was both worse and better. He did not feel wrong. Only emptiness. Only feeling the time before consciousness began. When there was simply..nothing.
People were continuing as they always have been doing. Going about themselves and avoiding others. They didn't need to avoid him. He was passable. They walked right through him. He was weightless, form losing its structure, like a ghost.
And soon he was wiped from the world without a trace. No boy who became a man. No kid from Queens who fought for them, died for them and paid everything for them.
No Peter Parker.
No Spiderman.
Nothing.
Forgotten.
_
Ba-bump!
Ba-bump!
Red and Blue.
"Mi tenas vin! Mi tenas vin!"
Crying.
"Estas bone, Petro. Estas bone, mi estas ĉi tie kun vi. Por ĉiam."
Warmth. It is very warm.
"Mia koro. Promesu al mi, ke vi trovos min"
"Promesu, ke vi trovos min tiel, kiel mi trovos vin."
"Petro"
The word means Peter.
And in the dark there is only the word that Peter would hold onto even if he didn't remember. A memory that cannot be forgotten. Only buried.
Promesu
Promise.
_
The morning began as it always did in Metropolis. Clouds separating to reveal Blue pastel skies and brisk air on a city that always looks for tomorrow. Birds were chirping, people were smiling and laughing, kids going to school, everyone was getting ready for the day.
BEEP! BEEP!
5:00 AM
Click.
Clark Kent blinked his eyes open as he rolled over his covers to reveal his pink pajamas that his mother brought for him which in his mind is excellent wear and will not hear a bad word about it (last person who tried to..well a stern(not scary at all) look made sure that person relearned his manners)
Seeing the metal switch on top of his alarm clock was something that he felt his friend didn't necessarily have to do. (Insisting on friend! Not just roommate)
"Today is going to be a normal day!"
_
"Today is going to be an excellent day!"
_
"Like normal as in tuesday normal or normal as in I got lost ont road to life and have to explain why my sneakers look like a rhinoceros walked in them"
"I consider it builds character!"
Of course his friend was working on his workbench fiddling tools and making micro incisions in what looks to be like a 90's sci fi miniature workhouse inside the apartment.
Peter Parker chuckles before removing his goggles and work apron as he looks back at Clark, his skinny yet well built form from all the jogs (Peter calls it forced slave labor leg days, Clark just says insistent going about your normal everyday fitness requirements) and moving heavy equipment and the Pilates that Martha Kent insist that Peter and Jon Kent do. Peter had tried to shrug and stutter reasons like overworked and sleeping enough but the sheer trembling lips and growing tears of Mother Kent was something the young man could not refuse lest his soul be damned forever.
Jon and Clark Kent simply patted his shoulder as if to say. Good luck for trying.
Peter just chuckled and got out of his chair, his dusty and slightly singed look gave him the appearance of a well to do mechanic of rush jobs yet having the grace of a scientist in a vivarium splendor.
So Clark got up, went to the bathroom jauntily and made sure not to break the water hose accidentally. "Remember to have the granola bar Mom sent you!"
"I'm an intern. Interns run on coffee and existential dread, not cardiovascular health"
"What was that?" The fact that Peter could hear both the washing and brushing of teeth gnawed at his sense of self.
"Nothing! I'm eating it mmmmh!" Peter mimed eating.
"Don't speak with your mouth full"
Peter sighed, unwrapped Martha Kent's special supplementary bars and chewed it. "Yes mum"
And out comes Clark in sports clothes and in his hand he tossed Peters, which was a lightish red and blue.
"Team Building Exercise is a go!"
_
To jog is to complain. To complain is to jog. When you fake having asthma (experience of past lifetime doesn't leave you even though medical tech helped greatly) you learn to appreciate things like scouting out the cities security grids blind spots, hiding places, which was the quickest zipline, route access, wind resistance, rooftop accessibility. (Somewhere in a dark place a gargoyle figure felt approving for some reason)
Don't forget intentionally stumbling on uneven pavement as running down the bridge trying to imitate huffing and puffing like a wheezing windbag as Clark naturally went at a good running joyful brisk running pace to unnecessarily hide his godlike stamina because no one would think this fit hunk be an alien because hello there is reasonable explanations (They both think the other is being needlessly dramatic about the whole thing but don't pry further because they are respectful of each others private unique hobbies)
Peter pretended to look up in the air at the exact same moment Clark spotted a cat in tree with kite, superspeed gets the cat and goes throughout Metropolis in blink of an eye to see girl putting up missing poster of cat on tree then returning cat and had gone just the same like a blur.
So when Peter nonchalantly looked back to the front of him and see Clark jogging jauntily exclaiming "It's going to be a good normal day!"
Peter said nothing to that. His eyes did. He would deny it.
_
Lois Lane would not deny she liked what she saw when the tall muscled guy with the cute sunglasses and the most earnest smile blush ever be a gentleman turned stutter when he actually looked at her. She would deny the blush on her face all the same.
"Excuse me after..you" His first words to her.
"Oh uh, thanks big guy" Giving him a knock on those big mighty shoulders like a clink. Was he a wall, no he was definitely a metal conveyor belt which she would keep down it. Best get in to get her protein!
So it was her pleasant surprise and (inner girl was chanting hush now) as the big guy awkwardly tried to introduce himself again and the most pleasant introduction of the elderly woman pastry cook who was bringing in brownie points of Clark Kent by putting napkin his chest and telling Lois Lane how he helped around the store, gives him three boxes of donuts (hopefully it's not a dietary concern but by god what that boy do to get that jacked must be worth it) and telling Lois while Clark had the most 'Did my self image just died' that it prevents crumbs from getting on his shirt.
She giggled. Yes she giggled.
"Ah! There you are Peter!" The little old lady after shouting at her husband in the back motioned with her hand behind Lois. Lois had no self realization (her dad would have gently yet firmly reprimanded her for not covering her blind spots) yet the figure behind her had no hostile intent at all. He just seemed..there.
He was 8 inches taller than her, yet seemed to want to appear smaller. Dark Brown hair, Dark brown eyes, expressive face with a build he tried to compress in on himself and appear skinnier than he actually was.
"Oh Ms. Wahlgren, how is the air conditioning doing?" A frank platitude.
"Oh my dear sweet boy it's better than before, I feel just the right amount of coldness for bed. Beauty sleep has never been better!"
"I'm glad to hear it" He said so tentatively like it was just something you do by picking up a grocery bag for the elderly.
"Clark dearie you know the drill" Wait what drill. The giant golden retriever (a correct summation in her perfect journalistic integrity mind) had his hand on the young wallflower(she keeps thinking crawler for some reason) and how he couldn't budge with nervous aggrieved energy.
"You know you don't hav-Wait drill!? What drill"
"Peter" and Lois took special notice of Clark's good natured and scarily (sexy) man voice breaking no tomfoolery. "Wait and until she comes back"
And lo and behold she saw Peter's eyes watered with slight betrayal looking at Clark with forlorn grievance at whatever punishment he was about to receive.
A…container of homemade curry and a photograph of a young woman.
"Here are your nutrients young man and oh gosh I somehow got mixed up with a photo of my young niece's daughter, you know she is in the city right now and she is applying for Metropolis University.."
"You don't say.." Peter drawls and Lois sees the tinges of smirk and chuckle from Clark. Lois chuckled and looked carefully at Peter's relaxed exasperation at this bold old school granny gumption. Lois can respect the game.
Lois can respect the tight cords of repressed secrets.
Speaking of which, she really needed to head out to work. Saying bye to the two young men (Clark which had just forgotten he made a cute gaffe until he remembered, blushed and waved back while Peter had the micro sweep look of Lois and Clark and she could see the bittersweet sadness like a bird who lost its partner and sees its best friend find hers and oh god she will find them again if its the last thing she does!)
_
Apparently its the first thing at work!
"No Lois," Perry dear Perry White sitting in his chair and in the office of the Daily Planet; pinched the bridge of his nose as she assumed was feeling under the weather of her big scoop exposed to find illegal weapons in Metropolis simply sighed "your an intern." Which was his way of shutting her down without a proper counter argument "the only reason I called you in today was to meet them." He points at the two men she met just this morning.
This is not the last thing she will do in her lifetime!
"Hi" said Peter, sitting on the side sofa next to Clark, though with both eyes on her and the blurry photo in his eye space.
"You?" Lois spoke (she will deny she was slightly gleeful) definitely had eyes for the big man who spoke.
"You"
"These are your new interns." Perry said as a matter of fact though she could swear she saw his eye roll. "I want you to show them the ropes and get.."
She was about to regather her energy to pirouette to getting steam back into the engine of Journalistic Investigation when the hooded boy suddenly went straight and came forward to the photos.
"Metropolis Municipal Code, Title 4, Section B,"
"Excuse me?" Perry enunciated as though he saw furniture, got up and spoke in a British accent.
"Any media corporation holding actionable photographic evidence of unregistered, military-grade ordnance operating within a high-density civilian zone has a precise four-hour window to report it to the authorities or publish it under public interest protections,"
Peter explained. His voice didn't waver. That was the scary part Lois thought looking at this seemingly nice boy who seemed allergic to thanks got up, stood erect and spoke with the homing direction of an Ion Cannon (did that work in the movies she completely forgot but it seemed the best comparison.
"If we withhold this..even under the guise of an editorial rejection-" Oh shit he did not just go there "-and those units cause property damage or loss of life, the Daily Planet loses its passive press immunity. We cross the legal threshold into material accessories to gross public endangerment."
You could hear the sound of silence… Simon and Garfunkel. The chirping of a cricket, the pin drop, the water perspiration of heatstroke(its not summer yet) or blood dropping from the roof (why did the image pop up in her head?)
No. Just. Pure. Unadulterated. Terrifying silence.
Lois looked at this guy as though he spoke Sumerian, Clark looked like the sun, the moon and the stars all decided to leap from the cosmos and dance the mambo in front of us all.
And Perry..
"...heh"
Heh?
Perry schooled his face into his stern frown with the slightest twitch in his jawline and the bulging veins correlated in his facial muscle structure. Good god Perry watch some comedy shows or take drugs (not that she would support it) if you haven't laughed in a while! Anything is better than being fired while dying of stroke where rage and giddiness tie a knot in your big weathered slightly overweight heart (she has the sense not to bring it up to anyone but dad)
"Peter Parker was it?" He said it was through the tone of what the weather is today.
And the cute looking intern blinked as though he wondered why he was there in this time and place of existence and remembered he was not acting his reserved quiet tag-along looking self. Yeah you can't fool me thought Lois and then remembered they were about to be..
"Yes sir" He startled a little squark. Well he should feel a little bit fearful considering the absolute shit they were all in..
"Are you a good photographer?" Peter looked at his chest with the old fashioned and cobbled together in a nice antique way.
Now Lois is an experienced historian of reporting, one of the things covered in esoteric study is the tools of the trade. Particularly the classics.
And this kid has a bona fide mother fricking 1950s ARGUS-C3.
"I like to think I'm decent sir" Humble after the sheer evisceration of the boss rigidity.
"Decent is the first step to mediocrity or professional" Not sure that works Chief "Its a matter of choice and responsibility"
Why did that look like it hit her soon to be adorable little helper like a javelin in the heart. Why did her soon to be big handsome helper look like he wanted to put little helper in blanket?
"Lane." Perry said in firm command.
"Yes!" She hoped her outburst was not too loud. She was miliary trained for Pete's sake.
"Go investigate"
…invesitage…?
"..The weapons.." She was breathing normally right?
"Find out where they are, call the police" He pointed at her and the two. "Take these interns with you, no reporting and" He raised a finger and spoke with calm serious care "If one man so much as shifts his gun in your direction. You run. No heroics. No big scoop. Just do your civic duty."
"Yes sir! Right away you won't regret this" Was she speaking fast paced.
"Lane!" A bit loud and it does its job. She stopped. Perry motioned to the side.
"Introduce yourselves"
"Oh.." That tracks. She turned to the two men who had donuts out and were placed on desk while she was having existential meltdown and up down (is that a proper word? It should be a word)
She extended her hand "Lois Lane"
The first to grasp her hand was like a warm boulder on her little mittens (stop it face don't give yourself away!)
"Clark Kent" The glasses. The glasses are a shield into a blue eye soul wait a minute. The glasses are a lie!?
He let go of her hand while she treasured the warmth. She does not believe in not washing hands(kissing cheek etc) as that's unhygienic but she will make sure to hold hands again (she will push those other thoughts down he is an intern!)
Then the other hand came up and she felt she was the one giving warmth in little cold sturdy rough callused and somehow soft tendered yet firm hands at the same time. Like she wanted to rub her thumb over to care for a child.
"Peter Parker"
"Now that you have been introduced please get the hell out of my office"
They were out faster than a speeding bullet.
_
So first order of business.
"Great Scott what was that!?" Her hands were shaking the completely shocked and scared 18 year old kohai (yes she will call him kohai because even though she is half Korean she is a woman of culture) "You just got up, whipped out an entire legal crash course torpedo and sank Perry White! What have they been teaching you in.."
"Middle School.."
"Nah!" She patted his shoulders good naturedly as he fitted his clothes tightly as though she didn't feel the strong sturdy form buried in the jacket of both physical and mental pretend meekness. "No teenager watches that amount of Law and Order and not make a total ass oh himself using TV knowledge."
"I just said middle school and I just…read a lot ok?"
"Peter…" A voice said behind him in wonder and care as his eyes looked at his smaller companion as though he discovered baby learned to walk. (Oh that is so sweet!) "You didn't tell me you scored an A+ on Law Studies"
Peter just sighed and waved his hands away.
"Look I.. I had a lot of time to myself and I wanted to make sure I knew what I was doing when I got this job"
This Job..
Lois could discern a lot from that statement and phrase alone. Perry would have given her a heads up if the intern had unfortunate law troubles, the kid absolutely had no feel of a criminal thanks to her unorthodox childhood training as she could see the weight behind those frankly too young to be tired soul eyes.
The best thing would be to..
"Alright then!" She grabbed both of these soon to be christened knuckleheads, Clark was blushing and she loved how much power she was having over him at this moment while Peter squawked at this infringement on his cool mysterious stranger vibe she was not buying at all. "Interns! (Ignoring she was an intern) We have a rendezvous with destiny! So. Lets. Go!"
_
"My Grandfather used an Argus, weighs like a boat anchor and your stringing it around your neck like a throwaway pendant"
"It's a modified C3," Peter tried a conciliatory tone to throw off Lois' perceptive gaze, his eye still pressed to the rangefinder as he tracked a guard walking past a crate of high-tech exo-suits. Snap. "I built it out of parts I found in the trash and a thrift shop downtown. The original shutter was shot."
Lois reached out, her fingers brushing the cold, hand-polished metal of the lens casing. She noticed the flawless, unnatural clarity of the glass and the absolute fluid smoothness of the focus ring. Her eyes went wide as the journalistic gears in her head instantly shifted into entrepreneurial disbelief.
"You made this? Out of scrap?" Lois whispered, her voice cracking with a mix of awe and sheer capitalist shock. "Parker, are you out of your mind? You could make a hell of a lot of money selling what you made from scrap! Do you have any idea how much this could sell for in an antique shop?!"
Peter offered a faint, tired smile, his thumb winding the manual film advance lever—which he had rigged to actually compress a micro-generator to keep the internal battery charged. "Probably a couple hundred bucks to a hipster in Suicide Slum, Lois."
"A couple hundred?!" Lois grabbed his shoulder, shaking him slightly. "Try thousands! The vintage collectors in the Tomorrow District would alienate their own families for a fully functioning, custom-optics mid-century rangefinder that handles low light like a military night-vision scope! You're sitting on a goldmine, and you're using it to take photos of illegal weapons for intern wages!"
From a few feet away, Clark let out a soft, nervous chuckle, keeping his eyes on the warehouse door. "I think it's nice, Lois. It has... character. Just like Peter."
"It doesn't have character, Kent, it has a profit margin!" Lois shot back, though she couldn't help but look at Peter with a brand new layer of fierce respect. "The second we bust this story wide open, Parker, you and I are talking about a patent."
Peter just kept his eyes on the target, his grip steady on the camera. He didn't want a patent. He didn't want the money, or the fame, or his name in a registry database that a corrupt government agency like Damage Control could track. He just wanted a tool that worked, (a....roommate he could trust,) and a chance to do some good from the shadows.
Snap.
_
Clark Kent had a lot of things on mind that happened today. New morning, new chance to be normal, new ways of acting out ordinary life like getting to work at the Daily Planet, helping his gifted roommate no FRIEND! Emphasis on Friends because Peter Parker needs more than two and two halves. Nice delightful jog where he pretended to slow down for his very (unconvincing poor) cardiovascular friend who might be a bit paranoid.
Then he found a missing cat, then they stopped by the donut shop to get stuff for new bosses because its always great to have favorable impressions on future employees.
Then he found her.
Lois.
Beautiful
Full of life.
And insanely reckless.
Which is why he is besotted by her as they don't simply observe from a reasonable distance from docks but are actually in direct vicinity of shipping containers and one yard distance from mercs with guns.
"Why are we here?" Clark asked softly.
"Not the time for rooster teeth Kent" Spoke Peter softly photographing which begs the question when he stooped back from angle at unnerving right time before being spotted.
"Oh your not just a savant your a fellow person of culture" Lois said pointedly while hugging the shadows next to Clark in her awesome coat and snug little frame bracing him.
"Not sure now is the time for obscure pop culture reference Lois"
The short woman looked up at Clark's face as though he said he didn't believe the moon orbits the earth "Did they not have internet in Smallville"
Peter's shoulders shifted a little, that was a muffled laugh and Clark considered it a win and yet now is not the time for celebrating small wins!
"I…stopped looking at internet for entertainment when I discovered OnlyFans"
…
Why did he say that out loud?
"...A completely reasonable answer" She put her hands on his shoulders to massage them, Peter gave him a very sympathetic look. "I'll help you in healing your trauma after we bust this wide open"
"Guys…"
"Followed by showing you quality entertainment mixed with critique of your budding journalistic chops."
"Guys…"
"And you will teach me the…fundamentals of small town journalism ethics."
"Why that is.." He was about to segue into something profound before his super ears picked up whirring and being tugged by Peter.
"The robots are waking up!"
_
Peter had a lot of things on his mind today. A lot of buried things that he thought would just be free floating into the top of ethereal mental skimming on the water pool that was his calm aqua spirit.
(MJ and Mr. Stark would've given him so much shit if they read that in writing PUSH IT DOWN!)
He got up, started working on his bench while his sleepy secret metahuman roommate (he cannot think friend because he knows he cannot have them) fix up neighbours appliances, make sure the kids have their english courses are fine tuned, politely refusing esplanades no matter how good they smell or taste (or that they keep finding themselves on his table by a smiling too good for his own good roommate that he is forced to eat and enjoy by his nuclear puppy eyes) how Peter is perfectly fine and (not constantly checking Flamebirds constant tweeting of adventures that somehow he didn't ignore or that they keep getting into his main page despite all reason Whistling by Victor Stone raises suspicion)
He was a New Yorker (that..exist here but…somehow far away and..not the same) so he knows the rough and tumble of trying to eke out a living (if much better due to unnecessary thank yous from overly-friendly people) and knows how to take care of himself (the sure you are look nod by Clark not helping) and he wanted to succeed in his new internship because its a path to a good job.
(The suit he finished months ago was still hanging in rafters. Just…there)
His new superior (is that the right word or is it..senpai, the anime-like feel of this universe is disturbingly comfortable, why is it so comfortable the physically impossible beautiful angles and colors are driving him insane!) needed help and his instinct to help caused him to open mouth and insert foot. Instead of being tossed out which he was sure his new (maybe) boss would've done just gave him a nod of approval and respect. Give them the go ahead.
(He would never be blindsided again by the bullshit that went down in previous life!) He had years of self reflection and curious nature to learn those particular idioms of civil structure and law.
So when he goes along with two clearly lovestruck birds that made him feel like a third wheel (Sure you are kid, a voice somewhere in the afterlife spoke) to photograph mercenaries with robots in a docking yard he thought it'll be an in and out situation.
Then Parker Luck found them and in the darkness bind them!
And the jumping, and the moving and the screaming, and the skirting and the dodging and the rolling and moving to the grooving (play that funky music white boy!) that Clark swerved right.
"I'll distract it!"
"Clark don't!" Peter hadn't realized he said the exact same pitch and tone as Lois. His hearing was feeling the echoes of vibration of the soft silvery metal touches on the ground by sharp pincer legs. Red fire, blast of energy, smoke and debris.
Snap!
Peter couldn't help but take a photo. Every shot count, every shot needed and everything must be recorded. Even when they are dying for their lives. No wait! Trying not to die for their lives.
Was it always this crazy?
Then a red light veered on his periphery..heartbeat going faster..
TING! Says an itch
It was ringing slightly, growing in pitch as the blast took off the upholstered crate chain connecting a 8,2000 lbs of empty metal death weight upon the two.
Buzzing! Electric
Hair raised. Adrenaline.
She is in front of him. It's not for her, it's for him.
He pushes her out of the way so she doesn't see.
WHAM!
"PETER!"
His body had hit the side.
Breathing..slowed..so blurry…so..
Darkness.
_
….
Ba-thump
"Leviĝu Spando"
That voice…
Ba-thump.
"Ili bezonas vin"
Ba-thump!
Red and Blue.
Heartbeat returning to normal.
Lights coming back on.
"Ni bezonas vin. Mi bezonas vin."
He remembers her voice. He remembers responsibility.
"Mi bezonas vin, Petro."
Peter Parker's eyes open.
_
Lois swore she would wring the neck of the jackass who pushed the button to activate the robot. Fear was replaced by rage as the machine walked forward until it was blindsided by a tall broad shouldered man in a workman's hoodie.
That was flying.
Oh my god he was flying.
A man was flying in the air and punched out a robot.
Adrenaline made her short circuit as she understood the implications of what she just saw as the robot seemed to be down for the count. Flying guy was looking over the area in order to check something really hard and looked from physical posture really fricken worried.
So of course she'd be worried if the super strong flying man is himself worried until he notices more lights going on.
Oh great, more robots! Who pushed the button this time
Somewhere not too far away the mercenary known as Livewire felt as though she received a slap to the face she was sure she deserved.
Flying man flew forth to the main area where the robots were powering up, he moved like lightning, warp step no speed step. Like..
Faster than a speeding bullet.
Punches, as if trying to measure the correct amount of strength that varied for situation. Lois can't help but be there as she had followed in awe until realizing her photographer wasn't there..
Oh god where is..
THWIP!
THWIP!
Two soaring piledriving sticky looking fluid things came out of nowhere to web robots together until a coated figure in a red ski looking mask came in twisting like a spin kick (spin kick. Really?) through the red plates of the mechs.
"Hey Big Guy!"
Wow that voice seemed British (aforementioned figure felt a little sniffle for some reason)
"Don't worry about holding back! Just lean into it" Like a Spider-Monkey (aforementioned figure felt like embarrassment) he shot. Webs at legs and crawled on one before leaping from blast that took out the one he was on (So the robots are less intelligent than Stormtroopers great design) "Like trying to pee your own pants!"
"What?" Spoke the Flying Man in what she assumed was a serious voice that sounded familiar to her.
"Just Punch them!" Spider-Monkey did a cool somersault before the other robots decided to get smarter and group shoot them.
Right focus time Lois, leave the weird brotherly and strangely cute banter of superbeings in the fight! They need professional help and what she could see.
"There has to be a control panel for these things!"
Good advice! Now she could see the stairs leading up to containment areas and particular green buttons. Those are good signs.
Sprint, keep pace and dodge the fight!"
SLAM!
BAM!
Flying Man fell down! Spider Monkey was working overtime as he over-focused on the one in front of him. He seemed to be spinning and jumping, keeping conservative stock of himself as though..he was realising he had jumped into a situation he was not ready for..
Lois had already went up stairs, oh look! buttons. Time to smash.
ONE!
One powered down.
TWO!
Another!
THREE!
The remaining two suddenly pivoted past their fallen comrade and marched on her, why did these giant smooth tin cans choose now to have a brain.
And the man in the hood, she could somewhat see a bruised eye and she could almost hear the words.
"Lois!"
And like a miracle. Blue energy like that of a super Saiyan blue(yes Super had problems but it still counts!) and like a bolt of beautiful aqua lightning he zapped forward to deliver a flying thunder punch to one red chassis.
While the other was kicked through by Monkey Spider going through it like a reverse baby Xenomorph! (Ok bad example but it was the first thing to come to mind)
Flying man was on the ground trying to balance himself in humble feet apart and arms circular while Spider-mon..no the Human Spider moved his legs in a sweep like doing acrobatics with his head tilted upwards, his hand centering himself with his right hand pushing against the wind.
What kind of landing was that!?
Just like she would be inhaling her morning coffee she zoomied down the stairs with a notebook and pen at the exact moment the Spider guy webbed off and Flying Man was about to leave.
"No! Stop! Wait!"
Flying Man paused briefly as though he didn't want to leave. He flew anyway.
"I..just want to know if…"
"Lois!"
She turned to the side and outside of the wreckage was Clark! In his sweater and rumpled self and glasses and..
She threw her arms around him and held him tight!
"CLARK!" She cried out. "We have to find Peter! We have to.."
Snap!
"I'm here!"
From around the destroyed robot she heard her kohai taking photos of that one busted up mech, rumpled with his hair tousled and dirty and scratches. He looked as though he had only been dirtied by a dust storm rather than hit by a storage container.
"I've got the photos Ms Lane It's!"
_
He was enveloped in the most suffocating warmth protecting him. It felt like..Mr.Stark, the last time…
"Oh god! Oh god your safe" She cried on his shoulder, her arms tightening around his shoulders as though he was a cuddle bear who was found by his owner. Or rather something small and fragile like that of a mother to a child.
He felt…bad for some reason.
"Its ok. It was just a scratch, what's important is that your ok"
"..."
Why was his spider sense tingling and Clark's happy and relieved face was turning into worried concern.
"...Ok?"
Peter had to look down at the fierce looking glaring eyed small woman pinning him like a boa constrictor on an unsuspecting chump.
"Do you have…any idea…"
WARNING! WARNING!
"What you put me through!"
Peter tried to put his hands up as the frankly scary look of doom that was in his circle of security. That had already passed the five levels and into the prize of Peter's dignity and self shame.
Her grip tightened and why was she so strong!?
"You better have good pictures Parker or so help me I will perform a colonsypo with your Ar"
"Ahem!" Thank god for the lucky fool who tries to tame this beast Peter thinks. Lois turned to Clark who was looking serious and didn't look at all scared (Peter could see the slightest crinkle of worry that Clark's eyes held) "It's been a long day…so why don't we skedaddle and pick up some smores for Perry"
…
"PFTFTTFFFT HAHAHAHAHHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAH!"
"Skeddadle! You are way too young to be a dad Kent!" Lois hollered and slapped her knees.
"Smores! Hah you said that with a straight face! It's the city of Metropolis Clark! where we get donuts! It's not even Winter!" Peter snickered and just waved his hands as though he was embarrassed to be in the same room as him.
Clark blushed and looked a little petulant before joining in the laughter and getting them into a bear hug.
"I'm just glad," He said slowly. His warmth felt like a blanket you never wanted to get out of "That your both ok"
Lois had her arms around her two boys. Her two crazy (she is the sane one!) precocious innocent boys.
"We did it! We got the-"
"Don't jinx it!" Peter yelled before alarms came by and they really had to get the heck out of dodge.
_
"You've got something" Spoke Perry White flatly, steeping his fingers like Gendo Ikari.
"Wait wait," Lois waved her hands back and forth without her coat. Peter and Clark behind her standing at parade attention. "We didn't jinx it" She looked to her right back at Peter who shrugged.
"You didn't. Jinx anything" Perry said. "You simply broke my ruling on direct action" Perry sighed and looked forlornly at them "You went ahead and got up close and personal"
"But Chief we" Lois tried to explain but he waved a hand.
"Lois. Peter got hurt" The boy from Queens (she pegged him from Queens) "The only reason I'm not assigning to permanent coffee duty is because in spite of the danger you knowingly" With this he gave a terse look at her which made her be quiet "Put these interns through they went above and beyond their duty in doing a job well"
Perry waved a hand on his desk on the collected photos. All clear, all present. All there.
"These are the photos of a professional followed by an enthusiastic written display of Journalism even if its on the fly which someone gifted" Giving Peter side eyed who wilted a little "Proofread legal and journalistic laws and a good proofreader," Staring at Clark who gave embarrassed scratch on head. "On words and sentences that I might, might forget that little kerfuffle on flouting my very clear and precise warning" He breathed in, and out.
"Above all good job"
Lois Lane blinked.
"Really?" She said in wonder and awe.
"Yes. Now get out of my office!"
SLAM!
So in the hallway Lois Lane jumped in the air and squealed and hugged her two men in neck hold.
"You hear that! We did it! We bust the story open! We!"
Then things caught up in her head and did a screeching stop. Peter looked worried while Clark was blushing at closeness.
"..Did he say anything about publishing or promoting us?"
Peter wisely chose not to sigh in relief.
"CHIEF!"
"TOMMOROW LANE!"
"TOMMOROW CAN"T COME SOON ENOUGH!"
Louis was just too good in a mood and slapped the backs of Clark and Peter.
"I'll tell you interns, Lois Clark and Peter are going to be the next best thing in Journalism since Nellie Bly, Walter Duranty and Eddie Adams! We are going to the top!" She cradled them and by god how was she so strong!
"It is a brand new day everyone! So let's move!"
For Clark it was as true as the sun coming up.
For Lois it was just a natural vibe.
For Peter…felt a little a nice about it.
"Start working tomorrow" Peter opined.
"Oh yeah!" Lois grinned and they couldn't help but share in the joy.
_
It was the afternoon. High up in the air, the sunny sky. Blue overcast about to blur into purple dark. Clark Kent spoke aloud.
"Who am I?"
In the apartment Peter looked at his mask, looked at the photos on Camera, the ones of high definition showing two strangers holding a secret from each other, two people who save others with the world on their shoulders. Two disguised men.
Peter Parker with his Web shooter still attached to his wrist, had his thumb over the red button 'DELETE'.
"I remember who I am".
Spiderman softly whispered.
_
Inspired by this, as well as liking MCU Spiderman and I'm a sucker because Spiderman to me is like the ultimate hero hamstringed by maleovolant comic writers and editors thus like all people who admire him want him to be happy.
This will not bash Jimmy Olsen, yes I know that he has fumbled but he is having his own adventures outside Superman and is a friend of Clark and Peter(though Peter will try to deny it mentally as much as he could). I love the version of Supergirl from this show. She has so much chemistry with MCU Peter and frankly they work so well together. It'll take a while to get there because we are still in Season One. The kryptonise from show can be translated using AI so it adds a layer of beauty to Peter trying to figure out who that voice was.
I don't exactly read comics but I love anime.
Brand New Day was a good fun film, but after thinking things through...look Jean Grey never apologised for the horrible things she did or try to make amends. I don't have much care for the Marvel Movie directors and what they think what anti-heroes/villains actually is or stuff and honestly...it's just not worth complaining about since it's already out there. I just want to make a story where heroes are heroes and villains are villains. Don't expect great fight scenes or what not, as you can see I've probably fudged up the humor and pacing as I am an amaetur and I will freely admit it. If someone is inspired to write more fanfics on this wonderful show thats awesome.
Sadly due to where I live I cannot watch Season 3 yet because of some bullshit legal technicalities that I can't make heads or tails of and I don't know if it would ever come.
I will endeavor however to read the recent Comic crossover with Spiderman and Superman.
I love the show and MCU (before it turned into moral quagmire) I just want to get this out because it won't leave me. I want to write something beutiful and fulfill catharsis.
I have no idea of how to make or ask someone to make art of this. Maybe after a few more chapters.
I hope this turns out well and I hope I will finish it.
Till next time.
G1 Convoy
Versed in the lewd.
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2021
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TFTC.
It was a little hard to follow at times and could use some editing, but this chapter had its moments. Hopefully we'll see more.
It was a little hard to follow at times and could use some editing, but this chapter had its moments. Hopefully we'll see more.
Good ol' Bruce. Always ready to lend a stoney ear to listen to Peter's troubles, without complaint or judgment.
Adventures of a Normal Human Man plus one Part 2
New
Re-interest
Getting sticky.
- Joined
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Authors Note: Some of the stuff below is nonsensical and it sounded sensible in head. Please be advised.
_
Adventures of A Normal Man Part 2
_
The Past…
Darkness.
Chaos
Cold
So Cold
Blue Light..
"Saluton, eta ulo"
Warmth..Familiar and yet different…
"Vi venis longan vojon, ĉu ne?"
Other words were said. Beautiful words of an unknown source. Like how a baby brain could compute an otherworldly yet protective source of heat. He could remember the word Petro. It sounded right to him.
A soft humming of a lullaby. Soothing, peaceful and so warm..
When was the last time he felt so warm..it seemed like he never knew it until just now,
"Dormu, mia eta stelo, dormu nun.
La mallumo ne povas vundi vin.
Mi tenas vin sekura en mia koro.
Dormu, mia fileto, dormu nun."
Peter Parker heard the most wonderful sound as he remembered red and blue. An arachnid symbol on top of a large 'S'.
"...por ĉiam"
For All Time
_
Peter and Clarks Apartment.
Peter Parker woke up, breath laboured yet still. Blanket wrapped securely on his top bunk that he swore didn't have an extra blanket and warm heatpack. His eyes adjusted to the dark, listened closely to Clark's careful warm breathing that were kinda snores which he wouldn't give his roommate shit for. He looked around and found the ladder going down. With careful acrobatic skill he slid down, looked over Clark and felt a sense of exasperated annoyance at his sleeping without a care in the world face. Peter turned around to see his personalised super clock that will ring a soothing rhythm before stopping so it doesn't 'accidentally' break.
5:00 AM
Good time to get to work.
…Why did it feel like someone was giving him an uncomfortable maternal stare with a tapping of the finger on arm while it was folded..
Peter shook himself from such things and opened the door quietly. There was a vacant space for storage, on the wall was hidden fake wall he put in at one time when his roommates were busy. A container was a red and blue suit. His hand touched it and he felt its hot touch even though it had no residual heat. He took the wall off gently, took out the container. I opened it and looked at it closely in the moonlight.
He put it next to his walking clothes. Putting them under them.
He walked to his corner of the room, turned on the small lights and began setting his workplace in order.
Clark is a heavy sleeper so no worries about it.
…Why did he feel a huff and a tut tut from a maternal presence that was grinning good naturedly as though the most hilarious disciplinary action was about to be handed down…
_
1 Hour and 20 minutes later…
Peter was sitting at his desk pondering, in his own way pondering meant welding together tech, suit fabrics, staring and clicking keyboard of blue screen of stitched together laptop which it looked it came front the 2010s(thank you weirdly advance other dimension humanity for throwing away perfectly viable tech) sometimes peering over the draws where an dispatcher was. The flat wood being a canvass for his cluttered mind filtering out and utilised by drawing geographical maps of the city, distances, diameters, length of time and distance to the nearest building and the fastest transit tunnels in the City.
All in a fluffy comfy pajama set donated by one Martha Kent. With tractors on them.
His fingers traced the maps, his fingers touching the size of his mammoth books of the titles pertaining to lawful studies, the big Argus with little pin me notes of lighting ratios, shutter speeds and composition. His eyes always on the job, on the task, on the responsibi-
CLICK!
The light shone brightly on his desk. Peter Parker blinked and wondered why Spider-Sense did not go off when his stuff was moved aside: laptop shut, books, tech and maps neatly put away in a pile of reserved corners of space.
And lo and behold Clark Kent in ridiculous flannel pajamas with tractors on them standing like a behemoth of wholesome goodness that scared the crap out of Peter Parker. The giant man had the most carefree grin in the whole world and ruffled his head.
"Hey Clark I was right in the middle of-!" A fervent squawk of indignation.
"Table needs to be clear for the most important meal of the day" Was defeated by the unmovable object of Clark Kent's no nonsense wholesome goodness. Peter refused to back down.
"C'mon man I just need to finish the…finish the.." Peter tried to find the words "The Posse Commitaus Law on Bagel Usage in Reasonable Belief in Product Liability of DUI and Chemical Testing Defense" There take that!
Silence.
Clark Kent used puppy dog eyes.
It was super effective!
Peter Parker slumped and eat using cutlery that was gingerly handed to him by Clark who gave him a soothing rubbing hand on his back. Peter felt his knots melt away and enjoyed the food as the sun was about to break out and the alarm clock that Peter had cobbled together ringed.
A day for new adventure
It would drown out Clark Kent's muffled shuffling mountainous shoulders as he peered over the skillet or roasted hot pot. The sound buffering the giggles his Meta Roomate had.
…It wasn't terrible.
Then his eyes widened as he realised he was not at his desk but the table. Where not a breakfast but a living structural hazard.
Three over-easy eggs, edges perfectly crisped in bacon fat.
A mountain of hash browns, golden brown and shredded perfectly.
Four thick strips of hickory-smoked bacon and two sausage links.
A stack of three fluffy pancakes, dripping with real maple syrup.
Besides this great alien sight was a giant oversized mug, a thick cloud of steam like a warm mist concealing an oncoming smell of cocoa and roasted marshmallows.
"What..what is this?" Peter gasped out loud trying to sound regal and normal. Then his stomach went out and betrayed him by a roar so loud it rumbled the silverware.
"An all American breakfast!" Clark boasted sliding into the chair next to him with his own portion. "And hot chocolate. Extra milk" With a sparkle and homespun American Cheer.
"Can I..just get some coffee, my brains fried" Peter tried to hold onto dignity as he reached for the coffee pot that betrayed him as well by its emptiness.
"Coffee can come later," Clark firmly put Peters hand away from the empty traitorous pot and moved the wavery hand to the mug. "Youre body needs calcium and real fats, not liquid anxiety. Drink. the. Cocoa."
And so Peter did, the first tentative sip was like a balm to his soul. The fork piercing bacon piece to deliver to mouth and inserting a rush of carbohydrates into his bloodstream hit him like a jackhammer.
He chewed slowly, his eyes glistening and Peter Parker mumbles something that made Clark Kent blinked owlishily.
"What was that?" The big bound to be Alien God asked ignoring the breach of manners from his erstwhile small defenseless munchkin of a friend.
"It's good" Peter looked to the side bashfully before turning to Clark in squinting defeated eyes. "It's really good"
"Told you" And Just Like That Clark glowed like the golden retriever who found and caught the best stick in the park. "Eat up. Every single bite. I'm checking the plate before we hit the bullpen"
Peter Parker cursed his Parker Luck! Damn Clark Kent for being such a swell guy!
_
The Daily Planet…
Archives…
Damn Lois Lane for being an observant hyper-manic gremlin!
"I Give You." A flourish dramatic ensemble of the magician and terrifying act dressed in her simple work uniform. "The Murder Board!"
A whiteboard of clipped photos, stringing together like some macabre stalkers deluding themselves on the Deep State had nothing on the sheer madness in front of Peter who was dressed in his baggy clothes and other stitched together pants.
To Clarify:
A faded, slightly oversized gray t-shirt featuring a retro, peeling logo of the Midtown High School Physics Club. It has a tiny grease stain near the hem from when he was tinkering with his school equipment (read:web-fluid formula) in a motel sink.
A heavily washed, slightly frayed navy-and-maroon plaid flannel shirt worn completely open over the t-shirt. The cuffs are rolled up haphazardly, revealing wrists that look lean but hide terrifying wrist (read:spider)-strength.
A pair of thrifted, dark-wash denim jeans that are a little too loose around the waist, held up by a cheap nylon belt. The hems are slightly frayed from dragging along the New York pavements.
A pair of beat-up, old-school high-top Converse sneakers with mismatched laces—one white, one a faded red he found in a discount bin.
While Clark Kent was dressed in his neat slightly ruffled work suit with tie and glasses. Looking Bug eyed and white.
Because the Murder Board had photos. Big clear photos of Dockyard, giant robots, webs, laser beams, destruction and the high definition of IMAX Cinema thanks to yours truly Peter Parker.
"...How?" Peter said in gobsmacked terror that came out in a squeak.
"Glad you asked a newbie!" Louis pointed dramatically at Peter "Thanks to the photos you gave me and being inspired by your due diligence I looked up the systematic records on the other buildings surveillance network" she struck her chest out proudly with closed eyes.
Peter blinked.
"You told me that was extra credit on the Mercs Transport Schedule! How did you even.." Peter smacked his forehead. "Right you jumped back and forth on bandwidth to reconfigure the setting, wait a minute" He opened his hand to stare at her "Does that mean..?" He was too terrified to speak out.
Clark was also terrified to speak out as the dawning horror of the unveiling of his (he hopes the other guy was not who he thought he was please god oh merciful god) identity.
"Correct!" Lois grinned loud and with a triumphant yell she put out two pictures. Peter and Clark took a breath, and exhaled.
Good news: the photo just happened to be on the side covering their heads.
Bad news that made Peter sucked in a breath as though he accidentally swallowed a fishbone.
The one of the web slinging men was positioned in a flying crouch which on threadbare pants looked about to burst.
Peter's summation in his mind was.
Oh my god…is my ass that vivid!!!????
"Superman and Spiderman!" Lois Lane put her hands on her hips preening at her accomplishment in presentation as though it was the guaranteed winner in a class activity.
Clark Kent's summation in his mind was.
Oh thank you god that she is pretty and not observant at the best of times!
"This is our next big story boys!" Lois pulled out the paper with the byline of Clark, Lois and Peter which looked.
"Is this filled?" Clark said nonchalantly.
"It is on a plaque, which will have a place of honour in our Murder Room!" She laid out the incriminating evidence in the base of the board. Elucidating the various photos of costumed vigilantes, alien conspiracies and was that a spider with nuclear warning labels on them. What goes through her amazing head?
Clark Kent will not curse god, he will however…
God Why did you make this wonderful woman so observant at the worst of times!
Peter didn't have the heart to point out it was the Archives while looking like someone walked over his grave. Clark Kent had the heart to be happy for her while sweating on the outside like someone exposed his secret lost and found baseball cards(they were missing and lost from trucks and he would dare anyone to dispute it in court!).
"Lois. This is..This just came out?" Clark looked wonderingly at the paper hoping to take his mind off the sheer kerfuffle that they stumbled into.
"The first copy!" She yelled with stars in her eyes and hugged both of the men in her strong small body grip. "You are my two favourite people in the world right now"
God she smells and feels nice! Clark thought secretly.
Too close! Must. remain. Stoic. And. ghostly! Peter's thought ran on a static feedback loop.
"What about Jimmy?" Clark asked pointedly while blushing at the contact. Peter was just staring into the void.
"Jimmy can come later" Lois tittered as though it was no great worry. Jimmy Olsen was on another adventure trying to find a place called Gorilla City which she would give him a pass on. She gave a lot of passes to the endearing conspiracy nut friend who somehow got more than 50 followers in the past month.
Which brings up to the next point on the next investigation. With a lightning flash twirl she slapped a picture of a blond Gyaru with jacket and glasses and a whole lot of rebel mercenary look.
"We need to find this woman. We find her. We find..."
"The tech that is dangerous to civilians" Clark raised his finger upwards.
"The optimised location of the deal that's about to go down so we can alert the proper authorities!" Peter synchronised the vibe.
"Superman and Spiderman!" Lois proclaimed then took a thoughtful expression "Yes those two but more importantly the two I said and.." She gave side-eye to Peter. "What makes you sound so sure she needs to do a deal."
"I-I mean" Peter tries to do the stuttering but Lois was on the roll and she looked like she wouldn't take stuttering as answer, "It makes sense right, judging by the mercs arrest and the recent chatter in criminal patterns by observation she's clearly in it for money. With the authorities on her tail and the disbandment of the group she was in, she needs to salvage something out of this mess and from clear viewing of her Mercs…mishandling" He said the last part out bitterly (oh thats telling something) "It shows she doesn't have much of a responsible head on her shoulders meaning she either tries to get out or make a deal, either way" Peter crossed his arms.
"She could just as easily be taken in by cops or.."
"..Or..?" Lois was pressing in dangerously close. Clark Kent was looking closer and my god why was he so close!
"...Illegal government operations" Peter said silently looking like he swallowed a lemon while staring pointedly at Murder Board. Now before Lois could press on that clear cry for help opening (in her opinion) Clark Kent cleared his throat and went forward.
"I think Peter is on to something here Lois" Clark said firmly, moving his hand to point at Leslie "If this is something that could endanger lives this would have to be cause for Judicial Matters first before Journalism."
"Oh Clark, Clark My Sweet Summer Child" Peters eyes widened as though he was told the moon actually was made of cheese at Lois suave phrase and moving her hands throwing them back and forth. "The chances of things escalating that high is about nil to zero" She leaned forward to look coquettishly at him. "You've just got to trust my gut," She tilted her head slightly "You do trust me on this right?"
Clark's gentle, reasonable giant figure looked stunned as a deer in headlights then looked as abash as a bear being caught eating out honey. He scratched his head looking slightly away before answering directly to her.
"With my life"
Peter stared blinking at this overbright giant walking mega nuke wrapped up in a pliant cuddly teddy bear.
"So it's settled" Lois leaned back, went and put on her coat. "Besides if you knew these two amazingly gifted people going around helping people without recognition or wanting reward..don't you want to know who they are?"
Clark stilled. Peter stilled. The former with wonder, worry and confusion. The latter with sadness, self pity and empty gaze.
"I..I do" Clark spoke aloud looking briefly at the board and then side-glance back to Peter who shuffled deeper into his hoodie.
"..Maybe they don't want to be found" Peter said softly. Lois noticed this and gently patted him on the shoulder which shocked Peter with his eyes searching hers.
"Of course they don't want to be found Peter, they are just waiting for a fashionable entrance!"
…"Excuse me?" Peter Parker said flatly. Clark was interested in where this was going.
"C'mon!" Lois laid out her hands to the side "Two people with extraordinary powers in those hand me down thrift store threads are bound to stand out like a sore front I mean do you know how many homeless people in Metropolis could pull an Olympic Bodybuilder and Runner without fabric needing a new stitch every time they roll their hips!"
Clark felt self conscious about that and actually very blushing pleased that she noticed while holding his hand to his chest and discreetly looking down. Peter looked as though someone told him he looked like a thirty year old hipster trying to blend in modern everyday life and the guy looked down on himself feeling a bit self conscious.
"Though it is worrying" Lois put her hand to her chin "Spiderman looks a bit on the thin side I mean it looks like he survives on coffee and spite alone" Peter felt chills and covered himself sweating and hoping a meteor crashed because this was humiliating. "And Superman looks like he can't stop himself from flying aimlessly around like a dog trying to catch a ball the owner keeps out of reach as though if he tries hard enough he could catch it."
Clark felt she was baiting him somehow and was about to tell it was first time fighting robots before he realised he needed to do something to get out of here!
COUGH!
COUGH!
"Sorry Lois it appears I am coming down with something I need to get back home and have that soup I prepared. Remember to stay out of trouble until I get back bye!" A staccato of noise and in the wind Clark rushed out.
"...Well I guess our trios down to duo" Lois clapped her hands as though it was no big deal but if someone listened closely they heard the undercurrent of sadness. Peter was caught up in the situation and patted her shoulder.
"Im sure he'll be back in no time"
"As soon as we publish"
Peter blinked and a terrible feeling of doom went through him.
"Lois.." He said with dread "Clark told us not to get into trouble"
"We are not getting into trouble my young understudy" She beamed at Peter "Trouble just happens to be where we are going"
"That is literally a faux pass on what we agreed to Clark!"
"Did anyone say the word 'yes'" She had her eyes closed and spoke with the seriousness of a great philosopher asking the deepest question. Peter wilted under the adamantium will of Lois Lane.
"No.."
"Then lets go!" Her hand reached out and pulled Peter Parker into trouble.
_
Outside into the beautiful city outskirts that we all hope to god nothing goes wrong…
Peter and Lois speed run the outskirts of the city where the sun was shining and the birds were singing and Peter thought how the hell did we get here.
"How the hell did we get here?" Lois asked the question out loud as she stretched herself out. The sea air drifted right into their nostrils as they hitchhiked on trams, rolled down roller skates and jogged the hills. How and Why Lois never questioned Peters stamina is beyond him be he will just roll with it and just go wherever this will lead to.
"Physcially or mentally"
"Rhetorical," She pointed a hand up in the air pointing, "Spiritually"
"I thought you weren't the one who brought into the new age pseudo-science?" Peter kicked a rock off while checking his Argus, recalibrating the optics while he was actually scrubbing the thing and looking pensively at nothing.
"Destiny"
Peter looked up with raised eyebrow,
"The horoscope said it was cancer?"
"Don't be an obtuse young intern!" She pivoted to him.
"I'm only a year younger than you" He grumbled.
She immediately closed the distance to him inside his personal space.
"And that's why I!" Putting her hand magnanimously to her chest "Am your senior and you should listen to your senior before I lecture you on your sanitary upkeep"
"...I use the shower"
"..Your dressing in an overlarge shirt that makes you look like a starving skeleton wrapped in strings, spite and sheer desperation." She tapped her chin "What did Mr.White say? Oh yes he mistook you for a lost high schooler"
Peter's mouth fell open.
"It's…It builds character!"
"Sure," and she put her hands on his shoulders "And your multi-discipline got our names in the paper(Did she actually read the paper!? Thought Peter then realised yes she was caught up in the moment and decided yes she didn't) which I will then use to drag you kicking and screaming into taking care of yourself"
This was getting out of hand!...Wait..?
Peter Parker blinked once. Then twice.
"..What?"
Lois' face turned sombre and rubbed his shoulders and why did it feel so good and..pinched his cheeks.
"Ow! What was that for?" He backed away and clutched his sore face. Who does that?
"Nothing" She put up her hands. "It's just that you're really stiff in the shoulders" She then patted his left shoulder once. "I can put in for a friend of mine near my place"
"Lois I-"
"Peter." She smiled. A terrifying person will not take no for an answer "Do I have to cuff you?"
"...Why do you have a cuff?" Peter believed she had one and had to ask.
"For Journalism!" She pulled him along by his shirt and why did he allow himself to be bullied like this!? How does anyone survive her!? She pointed to the seabed that was just over the corner.
"Now tell me what you see"
"Sand. It's everywhere, get used to it"
"Excuse me" She eloquently uttered the words, seriously giving him a side eye. Both were standing side to side on the road looking at what appears to be the empty shipping container.
"She would have to ditch the boat as she wouldn't have contact out in the sea, too risky for border control" He said firmly. Lois nodded and encouraged him to continue with her hand. "Flamebird visually tracked the boat to this location which means" His eyes searched the sand…
Peter suddenly looked alert, his hairs bristled and his senses went haywire as he surveyed the area and his eyes darted to look for tracks, thinking like a thief who is trying to get into the city through this path and it leads to…
"Old Tunnels, like the ones for underpass before the city built over them"
A pat on the back and..
Wait, did he just say those words out loud!
Lois Lane was speeding into the tunnel and Peter Parker catched up to her and realised something that he really should've learned earlier.
Lois Lane is a homing missile and he was the one tied to her. Why, thought Peter Parker, do I get pushed around by passionate women!?
Somehow he swore he could hear snorts of laughter from both male and female from somewhere far away.
_
"You know Peter, I believe we are having a connection here," Tools out, leap forward, disable and back to her pace. "Like two peas in a pod only this case we would've liked the third wheel," Jump and scoop and disable. "Like a wavelength, like I'm the leader, Clark is the beautiful muscle and your the scrappy sidekick"
THWIP!
THWIP!
Thank god she was talking while he webbed.
"...Scrappy?"
"Don't get me wrong you're going to need help, particularly" She looks behind her with her own flashlight while he looks as deadpan as he could be. Turning around forwards she continued talking as he quickly jumped around and disabled bombs at fantastic speeds. "If you just learn to be more aggressive, be more stubborn.."
"Not me.."
Lois stopped, silent and turned to him slowly. She looked at him in a way that made him feel self-conscious. Her eyes took on a soft sheen and her shoulders settled in a relaxed stance, her posture radiating a safe distance.
"..If there is anything you want to get off your chest..I'm here to listen" Gentleness, her tone carried such gentleness in the dark.
The temperature felt suddenly warm over a sudden, the seagulls and waves had long since echoed far in the back. Peter scratched his head and gave her an easy smile that Lois was familiar with.
A painful familiarity with its fakeness.
"Oh it's fine Ms Lane-"
"Lois."
Peter stilled. His posture froze as though an iceprick had gone through his sternum.
"I'm sorry what"
"Lois." She walked a step forwards, he was just taller than her by a few centimetres "My friends call me Lois"
"...Lois" Peter went on and put his hand down and shrugged his shoulders and tried to maintain a facade of pleasant oh it's ok Queens bluff. "It's just a teenager drama, you know: Trying to pay rent, getting an internship, being on the ground with one's own feet." He waved a hand as though it was no big deal "It's just normal stuff"
He then continued to move forward to walk in front of her, confident that the last of the bombs were disabled.
"...Choosing to be alone is not Normal Peter"
Peter Parker stopped. He felt his heart skip a beat and turned towards her searching face.
"I'm not..alone" He said deflecting with confusion.
"You're right," She said, shaking her head and putting on a smile and walked up beside him and patted his back only this time it was a gentle thrawk! That he barely felt. "You have me, Clark and Flamebird!" She exclaimed.
"I'll..I'll take your word for it." Peter said, nodding until he felt his shoulder being tightened by this small terrifying woman.
"My word..Peter Parker," She gave him a closed eyes and twitching smile "Is the word of a Lane and when we mean things" He eyes opened and gave him a warm smile "We mean them"
Why was that both terrifying and heartwarming?
"Oh look, we're here!" She pointed the flashlight up to the manhole cover and the Spider Sense(Thank you Jimmy for leaving that strange tangent about Alien Geometry and Spider Zombies) tingled more than usual. Which Peter was actually thankful for.
Because surely the tense and stressful conversation he had with Lois could not be more dangerous than what they were about to face.
_
Evidently it would be hairsbreadth of a line.
Slowly pushing the manhole cover to gently see the sunlight of Metropolis Road, the moving pedestrians, birds, Cars which seem to be on slow hour. Oh look it's the Merc Woman and A strong looking lead singer of a boy band in tactical military gear.
"I planted explosives all over the city" Leslie Williams (who Peter found out through his not so legal hacking of Police Databases) "and I'm ready to blow this place sky high."
Peter went cold and still. His eyes focused on the two facial expressions, Leslie was confident and smirking and uncaring of how many people she would hurt, the man sitting opposite her had stopped grinning and looked serious.
"Go on"
"I lifted 10 containers of your tech with the robots"
Peter felt like punching himself, what the hell was he doing focusing on the internship. This was a grievous oversight because he didn't account for the woman to be this careful. She might have a dead man's switch which he hoped wherever his flying friend was he'd needed to come straight back. Peter had his phone out and set to call Clark making sure to not press cancel if the message is left on.
Now they just need to remain low and quiet and…
"Let me see!" Lois popped beside him like a meerkat who felt her partner was hogging the best morning air. Peter wondered why the hell Spider-Sense did not alert him to the obvious destruction of a perfect careful reconnaissance view!
"Them!" Leslie shouted in alarm. Seriously!?
So it all begins by causing a scene that turns what should've been a private spying into a shitshow!
"You said you'd come alone!" Leslie shouted as she kicked the table backwards making the boy singer guy flip back and looking (in Peters opinion needs more work on the squat) playful serious.
"You're right. I am Black Ops" Extending a hand for an electric baton to formulate in his hand. He swung it once unnecessarily dramatically
"And you're right," Leslie grinned and removed her jacket to reveal a tech suit like some plaid Tron like electric outfit "I am the smartest one here." The mechanism on her back glowed electricity. Oh great, an Electro ripoff.
Peter and Lois had already jumped out and as soon as Peter was making quick calculations on how to de-escalate the situation Lois stared at somewhere and declared.
"I see the detonator." She looked back at Peter while Leslie fought the black ops, "You start taking pictures" She then started running towards the steps that Peter felt stupid and careless that he should've seen coming. Spider sense was going off but he can make things on the fly but too many cameras and people. Not the right time or moment to slip away.
"Lois, wait, I've.." He felt the woman who had just kicked off the Merc and he could tell she didn't want to kill him, only seriously hurt him as he felt that there was still some restraint left.
Peter's eyes narrowed and his breathing slowed and looked straight into her eyes, he relaxed his shoulders and let his body tilt upwards yet relevant and raised his hands, the look in her eyes got slightly confused as Peter slid into a calm non-violent defense.
"Leslie, listen to me. Look at the guy standing next to you. Look at his tactical gear. He's not a buyer—he's an extraction agent. The second you hand over that tech, you become a loose end. You don't want to do this. If you detonate the grid, the federal charges escalate from grand larceny to domestic terrorism. There is a very good reason to get out of this before it all blows us to hell."
Leslie blinks, then a smile comes across her face and she laughs. Lois is far away and disables a useless remote and looks back at them. Her green coat rustled, her eyes staring in alarm, amazement and fear.
"Kid, gotta hand it to you for your moxy but," She bunched up her fists and smacked them into each other causing a lightning surge that voltage her hair and the surrounding pavement. "I have all the power here." Her grin was not reassuring, Clark you better get here fast because Spider Sense is tingling "So I think I'll just go with the blow it all to hell"
But it wasn't coming from her.
A Slash, Peters vision saw the white haired idiot slashed at a power core. Peter had his arms cross in front of him as he braced for the impact.
A white Electromatic Pulse covered his eyes as he was launched into the air. Hearing the cry of his name by a distraught and screaming Lois.
Peter came to and twisted into the air where there was a sidestreet where there were no witnesses or cameras, landing and covering behind the dumpster he pulled off his clothes to reveal the red and blue web shooters out and ready. Taking out a fabric of white lenses and smooth red black lines Peter Parker put it on his head.
And it was Spiderman's turn to play.
_
Lois was going to punch someone today. Preferably the lightning chick who had too much of an ego and high mind to realise the perfectly good reason not to mess with Alien Tech and deescalate a situation she created!
Oh wait a second it was that discarded bum from a failed boy band she used to(still listens at times) listen to when she was young and impressionable. He gets a solid right hook and she gets a right hook and they all get a left hook for extra measure.
No one messes with her underlings like this! No one messes with the Lanes!
So for all the screaming and running pedestrians and the two morons who were duking it out in the plaza and the lightning storm of someone reaching the Avatar State her first instinct is not to rush into danger.
She was rushing around helping people escape and looking desperately for her boy.
"Please be safe, please for the love of god be safe"
She checked when she regained her sight after brief white sight, her sense tingling and her body felt like a lump of iron dropped into her stomach until she shook it off like a dog expelling water. She looked for exactly 12 seconds, until a shadow came over her that started with a yell. She wasn't looking up, she was looking around the ground for signs of debris, a shadow…no don't finish that thought.
THWIP!
CRASH!
She looked up and saw a smiling caped man in a red and blue suit flying carrying a half sliced bus. That was carried by webs. Lots of Webs. So it was a surreal and heartwarming sight.
It was also the most beautiful thing ever.
"Lo.." Superman stumbled his words briefly (she felt it was very familiar for some reason) "..Miss. Are you alright" He said with absolute sincere warmth that made her cheeks flushed briefly before she focused.
"Superman! My friend Peter-"
"He's alright mam!" A young cheerful and bold voice said out of her peripheral vision that a man in red underoos and cool white lenses for eyes was perched on top of the bus in a crouched position. "He just had a fall, he's resting"
"Spiderman! Oh thank god!" She immediately got out her recorder "Comment for the Daily Planet!"
Spiderman twisted his head and shouted a warning that Superman took heed moving out of the way of a lightning strike. They both flew and swung towards the danger and destruction.
"Or maybe we can talk after this!"
_
"You!" Leslie Williams (Spiderman will now refer to her as Electro-lite) made the sizzling aura of electric death and magnetic pulling of objects to her field to throw at the two superheroes.
"ME!" Spiderman flipped over and put things in safe spaces. "Gotta say fewer calories, half the threat level of the original"
"What!?" She actually stalled briefly which works to Spiderman's advantage as he goes with his plan with junior partner Superman floated a bit closer, unsure of what to make of this but focused on the task at hand.
"Uhh..Spiderman I don't think we should.." He tried to sound authoritative..
"Electro-lite! That's what I'm calling you! It fits, it rolls off the tongue" Spiderman twisted his finger in the air. "It basically describes your whole screaming gyaru shock jock screaming for attention"
Down below the white haired merc had to bite back a smirk at the roasting going above him.
"You..little.." Electro-lite charged up as her hair went up in static and her eyes glowed blue lightning. The violent blue energy sizzled the air as she looked beyond pissed off. "Insect!" She threw her arms sending out thunderstrikes to which Spiderman jumped and spun in the air aerodynamic-ly while Superman used superspeed and tried a calming gesture.
"The back!"
"What?" Clark shouted throughout the noise.
"The power core!" Dodging a clearly irate Electro-lite charged car. "The thing is still attached to her spine but it hasn't pierced the bone" A barrel roll jump out of the way of a pole. "You need to get close to her and destroy it"
Superman would have a lot to say about the situation at hand but damn it this was getting too much. He needed to put a stop to this now..
"I'll distract her!"
And Clark would definitely have some words to say to that later one..
"You know I can hear you two idiots right!?"
"As if we need to worry about a stressed out buggy overglorified phone charging Tron cosplayer!"
Leslie Williams eyes went incandescent with blue lighting rage and roared out causing a surge in her body. Spider sense was tingling slightly, a calm before storm as what was happening could only mean things were about to get Critical.
Superman took the opportunity for superspeed, he had a target and this woman was clearly losing control of her own power. Appearing in a flash, too fast for her to follow he reached out and grasped the power crystal and pulled.
Which was almost a mistake as she cried out, blue light enveloping the area as Clark began to see
Warships in space, red laser fire, explosions
A green field, human soldiers, fleeing from destruction, burning and smoke. Fear.
Robots, the same make as the dock ones, red pylons and crystals.
Peter saw something that and something else
A beautiful matronly woman, grey haired and carrying a bundle on a dying exploding beautiful blocky minimalism, triangles and sphere world, a brown slash white haired silver fox of a man with a kickass eyepatch taking the baby. Black haired and put him in the futuristic rocket and firing the mechanism for the Last Son of Krypton to escape.
Into the fire. The grey haired woman ghost reached out for her son who was flying into the dark.
She felt she could follow him, a surreal moment in the darkness of space. When she was pulled elsewhere and nowhere. And saw in the mote of her eye…
A Spider
Holy..Cow.
Eyes blinking, Superman held Electro-Lite in his arms and settled her down. Descending to Earth in a measured sedate pace. Placing the unconscious woman on the bench carefully. Looking at the damage and burning. Super-Speed repairing and melding with his great strength.
Spiderman swung around to check for anyone injured and only saw very few onlookers who stared bright eyed and wondered at them.
It felt..nice not to be looked at with fear and misplaced hate. Not like he couldn't handle it or anything.
Fire was cleared by Superman super-breath and how many powers does this guy have!? Spiderman just realised he had his hair swept back and allowed himself to look solid so oh crap he can pull off no glasses look.
"So..young man" He did not just say that "Do you have..any idea where a young intrepid photographer named Peter Parker is"
Spiderman looked at him and wondered. This is what he calls subtle!?
"Superman!" And here comes Lois Lane with her recording device but then thought better of it and as soon as she put it away she realised the two men were gone.
"Lois!" A voice called out from the distance, a bedraggled and ruffled Peter carrying his Argus and looking around furtively as though there could still be danger around. "I've got the photos and-"
He was swept up in a bone crushing hug.
Peter felt nice.
Then he felt a punch in the arm.
"OW!" That hurt way more than the singe Electro-lite gave him.
"What the hell were you thinking!" Her small size suddenly looked like a giant up close as she put his head in his space "You could've been killed when you pulled that stunt!"
Peter blinked.
"I-I had it-I had it handled"
"Handled..?" Her eyes went to slits.
Realising this was about to turn into ground zero for Lois Apocalypse Peter pressed a button on his camera. Clear, high definition shots of Spiderman swinging, Superman flying and Electro-Lite throwing a hissy fit. All dynamic perfectly captured dynamics.
Which soothed the beast as her eyes widened and she let out a squeal!
"We did it! We got the pictures! We got the story! We got the-"
_
At the office..
"The scoop!" Perry White had settled the photographs down. The afternoon sun blazing in this strangely van gogh shaded world.
Lois yelled and roared in triumph! Peter blinked.
"I..honestly thought-" He tried to do stutter and just whispered "you were going to say we didn't get the scoop"
"Why would you think that?" He put his chin in his hand and looked sideways at them. Lois had gasped and shook Peter
"Why would you jinx us!" Shaking him like a boba doll that betrayed the fun it was meant to deliver.
"Lois, don't damage the only reason you even got the photos" Those words seem a bit too carefully chosen "I don't want my best intern photographer acquiring vertico sickness pathogen"
Lois let go and looked abashed at the stern yet cheery lecture Mr White gave them. Perry had the phone on.
"Stop the presses, we got a brand new story and I want newspapers printed on the double! Yes! Do you know what double means" He turned it off and looked at them. Something happened that Lois never in her life thought she would ever see.
A smile. At them.
Her eyes quickly darted outside and there were no four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
"You did good. Both of you"
Lois was so tempted to say: Stop the presses Perry White congratulated me (and by extension Peter) with a honest to god smile! She just managed to hold it in preening.
Peter looked as though he wanted to curl up like a caterpillar in his oversized hoodie, looked at Lois and gave a shy smile at her success.
Lois will continue that line of thinking discussion after they leave the office. With subtlety,
"Now go on, I've got work to do and you both need a rest from today's adventures" He leaned back and looked at them expectantly as the two felt the pleasing bask of their success.
"What are you doing!? Don't just stand there, get out" He said loudly and somehow didn't shout.
Outside the closed door Lois put her arm around Peter and pulled him into a crushing side hug, Peter blushed and carefully adjusted himself not to break out of Lois grip.
God even though she wasn't a masseuse she knew a knotted shoulder when she felt one. It was one of the things she helped dad out when mom..when mom couldn't do it.
"So.." She said slowly.
"So.." Peter drew carefully.
"When were you going to tell me you were studying to be a secret agent"
Peter spluttered and got out of her reach.
"Wait what-what do-you-uh mean" Lois could feel the forced stutter sounding just about natural. She didn't like it.
"The whole Keith David thing?"
"Keith David..?"
"The guy from the Negotiator."
Peter's eyes looked askance and was about to open his mouth to auto-correct her then thought better about it and shut his mouth.
"I…think you might be getting your movies mixed up."
Determined not to be swayed by his pathetic turnabout into obscure pop-culture she focused on the real objective. Mainly validation. Her eyes took on a soft look and held his hand which he looked at with puzzlement.
"That was an extremely brave and reckless thing you did today Peter" Peter's face took on a look that was far away, bittersweet and misty. She held it warmly and rubbed his palm with her thumb. She somehow made herself look taller by looking at him at eye level and practicing her Jang Pause: The gentle lowering of one's energy (her energy in fact) and being silent and gentle touching.
Peter felt his shoulders relaxing and he looked as though he couldn't determine what was happening yet physically he looked as though he was about to fall asleep.
"I'll walk you home"
He looked a bit..startled at that.
"Oh no its no problem"
"Peter." Her voice spoke softly and he stopped himself. "Let me get you home"
He looked like some lost little kid who was confused and teary eyed and happy (restrained) that an adult was there to protect him. Her insides coiled slightly and then she remembered.
"We've got to tell Clark!"
Peter's eyes widened and he nodded vigorously.
"Yes, uh Clark he's bound to recover from the flu at this moment"
"Uhh I think Flus take longer than that"
"I mean cold! Yes Clark is a big guy. He can recover pretty fast."
You seem to recover fast yourself
She kept that thought to herself. Walking forward out of the building while holding Peters hand to her side, her presence a blanket on him.
He didn't let go.
_
The Apartment..
"Hey oh Lois!" Superman, still in outfit, had just subtly opened the window to get inside and found his buzzing phone until he realised what he said out loud and looked embarrassed mortified as he looked to the side. "Hey oh Lois?"
"Hey o to you" Lois voice echoed in his eardrums to him sounded like a canary bird (even though it was the afternoon and not morning but he can be poetic now he earned it!) "Open your front door."
"Uh, one sec!" WIth a quick burst of superspeed cleaned up his room and changed out of his clothes into his normal ones, put Superman in suit and was just about to open the door when he remembered to tousle his hair and put on glasses. Open door and..
"Suprise!" By god it is a great awesome surprise every time she walks into his life. His heart beating, the air feeling a lightning current of heat from her presence. Peter followed her quiet as a mouse, like a child who was looking at his entrapped hand in wonder as though it was in hand. He didn't know how to get out of it which was all sorts of cute in Clarks eyes. Lois turned back to Peter "Can you point me to the kettle?"
Peter was finally released and chuckled and rubbed his head "I'm not twelve Lois I can brew myself coffee"
"Daechu-cha" She pulled a packet out of her chest pocket and tossed it to Peter who caught it quickly like a professional (did Peter play baseball or something), Clark wondered if she was a walking cupboard. "Take this, open it, put it in a cup and pur boiled water" Her smile became soft and Clark felt like she would be a great mother "No buts Peter hoonbae"
"Peter Hoonb-what now?"
"It means I'm in charge of you right now," She turned directly to him and pointed with a look that was both maternal and fiercely grounding. "Now settle down" She put her hand down and looked at him with care "Can you please do that for me?"
With the wilting look Peter was giving and the embarrassed blush he nodded and scuttled away to the back. Looking at the sachet containing dried Korean dates, ginger, cinnamon and honey like it was a strange alien marvel he had to decipher. Clark felt tension release from his shoulders staring at his friend.
"So." Lois clapped her hands and moved to the sofa where Clark was all too happy to take the seat next to her. "We got the story!" She whispered excitedly to him. "Perry literally stopped the presses," She looked at him with a bit of sadness that he really wished he had the superpower to wipe it away instantly "I wish you you'd been there to see it with me and Peter"
"I wish I could've been there with you. Too"
She looked downward and regained a determined expression "I still can't believe we pulled it off." She put her head up and putted her hands to the sides of her head "I mean, we did, but I can't believe we pulled it off"
"Well, I knew you would make it happen"
"You just want in on the byline" She put her head back, eyes closed with a smug smile. Clark turned towards her, completely serious and edging closer to her space.
(The kettle was already boiled. The contents in and hot liquid poured in. A boy looked at the two with forlorn melancholy and rested into the darkness. His eyes tracking the movements, the lightning mood of the afternoon sun's rays pouring in over his side, ironic that they were having their moment in the shadows)
"No, it;s the truth. There was never any doubt in my mind that you'd find Superman." She looked at him, face flushing as the sincere goodness of Clark Kents golden retriever earnest eyes peered into her soul with nerd glasses giving the most adorkable wholesome gaze.
Oh wow, that look should be illegal! She thought.
"Because you, Lois Lane. Are extraordinary"
Oh my heart! Don't fumble me now!
"And uh," He looked embarrassed side glance as though trying to dig his suddenly empty bowl of kibble praises and cheeses "driven and smart and funny..and..and smart"
Oh thank god I can deal with this!
"You said that already" She smiled at him and the cute blush adorned his pinchable cheeks. He chuckled and scratched his head.
"Well, I stand by it"
Lois would like to press on that, she could feel Clark would like to and..
…How did we get so close together!?
Both breathing each others scent, the midwestern hayseed flavour of his shampoo melding with her sunflower oil and her violet purple eyes meeting his beautiful solid blue. Lips opening slightly to let air out and intermingle in a tangible meeting of steam twirling.
Both were atomic red as they stood up straight in their seats like two meerkats triggered in stone statue lookouts. Silence..
"Well ugh" Clark coughed and wondered aloud "I wonder how Peter is doing with the tea." In a sing-song voice that wanted the awkwardness to be over.
"Just finished brewing"
YAH!
Lois jumped heroically (and she will write an entire piece defending against SLANDER) from the sofa at the same time as Clark. Reorinating herself on the seat she turned around and glared at the intruder behind them.
"What did I tell you about sitting down quietly!?" She whispered angrily like a cat who was knocked off course from catching the canary.
Peter smiled and took out a newspaper.
"Fli-I mean your source" Why did he sound familiar with that name!? "Gave me an advance copy of tomorrow's paper." He said warmly.
Lois' eyes went to the paper and read the lines.
"'Daily Planet confirms, the Superman and Spiderman are real!'" Her eyes closed for joy. "We did it!"
"...Read the byline" Peter said flatly.
Lois opened her eyes and did so, her eyes tracking the little letters as thought deciphering an ancient language that was pulling her into a malicious knock knock who's there joke of a surprise
"By Cat Grant, Ronnie Troupe and Steve Lombard"
….
Lois had found herself standing up with the eyes widening into saucers and her face twisted into a rubberband drawl of outrage
"WHAT!"
_
Somewhere far away, deep underground.
Leslie Willis was being electrocuted by a smug asshole who was behind a two way glass while asking questions that she glibly told the truth. Then electrocuted when he thought she wasn't telling the truth. So Asshole all the way then.
Giving panicked fear to the asshole seemed to abate him somewhat as she asked who are you people.
"That's easy," Why did she get the image of a housebroken man in a green sweatshirt!? "We are the good guys!"
"Now tell us what you know..about Superman and Spiderman.."
_
_
Adventures of A Normal Man Part 2
_
The Past…
Darkness.
Chaos
Cold
So Cold
Blue Light..
"Saluton, eta ulo"
Warmth..Familiar and yet different…
"Vi venis longan vojon, ĉu ne?"
Other words were said. Beautiful words of an unknown source. Like how a baby brain could compute an otherworldly yet protective source of heat. He could remember the word Petro. It sounded right to him.
A soft humming of a lullaby. Soothing, peaceful and so warm..
When was the last time he felt so warm..it seemed like he never knew it until just now,
"Dormu, mia eta stelo, dormu nun.
La mallumo ne povas vundi vin.
Mi tenas vin sekura en mia koro.
Dormu, mia fileto, dormu nun."
Peter Parker heard the most wonderful sound as he remembered red and blue. An arachnid symbol on top of a large 'S'.
"...por ĉiam"
For All Time
_
Peter and Clarks Apartment.
Peter Parker woke up, breath laboured yet still. Blanket wrapped securely on his top bunk that he swore didn't have an extra blanket and warm heatpack. His eyes adjusted to the dark, listened closely to Clark's careful warm breathing that were kinda snores which he wouldn't give his roommate shit for. He looked around and found the ladder going down. With careful acrobatic skill he slid down, looked over Clark and felt a sense of exasperated annoyance at his sleeping without a care in the world face. Peter turned around to see his personalised super clock that will ring a soothing rhythm before stopping so it doesn't 'accidentally' break.
5:00 AM
Good time to get to work.
…Why did it feel like someone was giving him an uncomfortable maternal stare with a tapping of the finger on arm while it was folded..
Peter shook himself from such things and opened the door quietly. There was a vacant space for storage, on the wall was hidden fake wall he put in at one time when his roommates were busy. A container was a red and blue suit. His hand touched it and he felt its hot touch even though it had no residual heat. He took the wall off gently, took out the container. I opened it and looked at it closely in the moonlight.
He put it next to his walking clothes. Putting them under them.
He walked to his corner of the room, turned on the small lights and began setting his workplace in order.
Clark is a heavy sleeper so no worries about it.
…Why did he feel a huff and a tut tut from a maternal presence that was grinning good naturedly as though the most hilarious disciplinary action was about to be handed down…
_
1 Hour and 20 minutes later…
Peter was sitting at his desk pondering, in his own way pondering meant welding together tech, suit fabrics, staring and clicking keyboard of blue screen of stitched together laptop which it looked it came front the 2010s(thank you weirdly advance other dimension humanity for throwing away perfectly viable tech) sometimes peering over the draws where an dispatcher was. The flat wood being a canvass for his cluttered mind filtering out and utilised by drawing geographical maps of the city, distances, diameters, length of time and distance to the nearest building and the fastest transit tunnels in the City.
All in a fluffy comfy pajama set donated by one Martha Kent. With tractors on them.
His fingers traced the maps, his fingers touching the size of his mammoth books of the titles pertaining to lawful studies, the big Argus with little pin me notes of lighting ratios, shutter speeds and composition. His eyes always on the job, on the task, on the responsibi-
CLICK!
The light shone brightly on his desk. Peter Parker blinked and wondered why Spider-Sense did not go off when his stuff was moved aside: laptop shut, books, tech and maps neatly put away in a pile of reserved corners of space.
And lo and behold Clark Kent in ridiculous flannel pajamas with tractors on them standing like a behemoth of wholesome goodness that scared the crap out of Peter Parker. The giant man had the most carefree grin in the whole world and ruffled his head.
"Hey Clark I was right in the middle of-!" A fervent squawk of indignation.
"Table needs to be clear for the most important meal of the day" Was defeated by the unmovable object of Clark Kent's no nonsense wholesome goodness. Peter refused to back down.
"C'mon man I just need to finish the…finish the.." Peter tried to find the words "The Posse Commitaus Law on Bagel Usage in Reasonable Belief in Product Liability of DUI and Chemical Testing Defense" There take that!
Silence.
Clark Kent used puppy dog eyes.
It was super effective!
Peter Parker slumped and eat using cutlery that was gingerly handed to him by Clark who gave him a soothing rubbing hand on his back. Peter felt his knots melt away and enjoyed the food as the sun was about to break out and the alarm clock that Peter had cobbled together ringed.
A day for new adventure
It would drown out Clark Kent's muffled shuffling mountainous shoulders as he peered over the skillet or roasted hot pot. The sound buffering the giggles his Meta Roomate had.
…It wasn't terrible.
Then his eyes widened as he realised he was not at his desk but the table. Where not a breakfast but a living structural hazard.
Three over-easy eggs, edges perfectly crisped in bacon fat.
A mountain of hash browns, golden brown and shredded perfectly.
Four thick strips of hickory-smoked bacon and two sausage links.
A stack of three fluffy pancakes, dripping with real maple syrup.
Besides this great alien sight was a giant oversized mug, a thick cloud of steam like a warm mist concealing an oncoming smell of cocoa and roasted marshmallows.
"What..what is this?" Peter gasped out loud trying to sound regal and normal. Then his stomach went out and betrayed him by a roar so loud it rumbled the silverware.
"An all American breakfast!" Clark boasted sliding into the chair next to him with his own portion. "And hot chocolate. Extra milk" With a sparkle and homespun American Cheer.
"Can I..just get some coffee, my brains fried" Peter tried to hold onto dignity as he reached for the coffee pot that betrayed him as well by its emptiness.
"Coffee can come later," Clark firmly put Peters hand away from the empty traitorous pot and moved the wavery hand to the mug. "Youre body needs calcium and real fats, not liquid anxiety. Drink. the. Cocoa."
And so Peter did, the first tentative sip was like a balm to his soul. The fork piercing bacon piece to deliver to mouth and inserting a rush of carbohydrates into his bloodstream hit him like a jackhammer.
He chewed slowly, his eyes glistening and Peter Parker mumbles something that made Clark Kent blinked owlishily.
"What was that?" The big bound to be Alien God asked ignoring the breach of manners from his erstwhile small defenseless munchkin of a friend.
"It's good" Peter looked to the side bashfully before turning to Clark in squinting defeated eyes. "It's really good"
"Told you" And Just Like That Clark glowed like the golden retriever who found and caught the best stick in the park. "Eat up. Every single bite. I'm checking the plate before we hit the bullpen"
Peter Parker cursed his Parker Luck! Damn Clark Kent for being such a swell guy!
_
The Daily Planet…
Archives…
Damn Lois Lane for being an observant hyper-manic gremlin!
"I Give You." A flourish dramatic ensemble of the magician and terrifying act dressed in her simple work uniform. "The Murder Board!"
A whiteboard of clipped photos, stringing together like some macabre stalkers deluding themselves on the Deep State had nothing on the sheer madness in front of Peter who was dressed in his baggy clothes and other stitched together pants.
To Clarify:
A faded, slightly oversized gray t-shirt featuring a retro, peeling logo of the Midtown High School Physics Club. It has a tiny grease stain near the hem from when he was tinkering with his school equipment (read:web-fluid formula) in a motel sink.
A heavily washed, slightly frayed navy-and-maroon plaid flannel shirt worn completely open over the t-shirt. The cuffs are rolled up haphazardly, revealing wrists that look lean but hide terrifying wrist (read:spider)-strength.
A pair of thrifted, dark-wash denim jeans that are a little too loose around the waist, held up by a cheap nylon belt. The hems are slightly frayed from dragging along the New York pavements.
A pair of beat-up, old-school high-top Converse sneakers with mismatched laces—one white, one a faded red he found in a discount bin.
While Clark Kent was dressed in his neat slightly ruffled work suit with tie and glasses. Looking Bug eyed and white.
Because the Murder Board had photos. Big clear photos of Dockyard, giant robots, webs, laser beams, destruction and the high definition of IMAX Cinema thanks to yours truly Peter Parker.
"...How?" Peter said in gobsmacked terror that came out in a squeak.
"Glad you asked a newbie!" Louis pointed dramatically at Peter "Thanks to the photos you gave me and being inspired by your due diligence I looked up the systematic records on the other buildings surveillance network" she struck her chest out proudly with closed eyes.
Peter blinked.
"You told me that was extra credit on the Mercs Transport Schedule! How did you even.." Peter smacked his forehead. "Right you jumped back and forth on bandwidth to reconfigure the setting, wait a minute" He opened his hand to stare at her "Does that mean..?" He was too terrified to speak out.
Clark was also terrified to speak out as the dawning horror of the unveiling of his (he hopes the other guy was not who he thought he was please god oh merciful god) identity.
"Correct!" Lois grinned loud and with a triumphant yell she put out two pictures. Peter and Clark took a breath, and exhaled.
Good news: the photo just happened to be on the side covering their heads.
Bad news that made Peter sucked in a breath as though he accidentally swallowed a fishbone.
The one of the web slinging men was positioned in a flying crouch which on threadbare pants looked about to burst.
Peter's summation in his mind was.
Oh my god…is my ass that vivid!!!????
"Superman and Spiderman!" Lois Lane put her hands on her hips preening at her accomplishment in presentation as though it was the guaranteed winner in a class activity.
Clark Kent's summation in his mind was.
Oh thank you god that she is pretty and not observant at the best of times!
"This is our next big story boys!" Lois pulled out the paper with the byline of Clark, Lois and Peter which looked.
"Is this filled?" Clark said nonchalantly.
"It is on a plaque, which will have a place of honour in our Murder Room!" She laid out the incriminating evidence in the base of the board. Elucidating the various photos of costumed vigilantes, alien conspiracies and was that a spider with nuclear warning labels on them. What goes through her amazing head?
Clark Kent will not curse god, he will however…
God Why did you make this wonderful woman so observant at the worst of times!
Peter didn't have the heart to point out it was the Archives while looking like someone walked over his grave. Clark Kent had the heart to be happy for her while sweating on the outside like someone exposed his secret lost and found baseball cards(they were missing and lost from trucks and he would dare anyone to dispute it in court!).
"Lois. This is..This just came out?" Clark looked wonderingly at the paper hoping to take his mind off the sheer kerfuffle that they stumbled into.
"The first copy!" She yelled with stars in her eyes and hugged both of the men in her strong small body grip. "You are my two favourite people in the world right now"
God she smells and feels nice! Clark thought secretly.
Too close! Must. remain. Stoic. And. ghostly! Peter's thought ran on a static feedback loop.
"What about Jimmy?" Clark asked pointedly while blushing at the contact. Peter was just staring into the void.
"Jimmy can come later" Lois tittered as though it was no great worry. Jimmy Olsen was on another adventure trying to find a place called Gorilla City which she would give him a pass on. She gave a lot of passes to the endearing conspiracy nut friend who somehow got more than 50 followers in the past month.
Which brings up to the next point on the next investigation. With a lightning flash twirl she slapped a picture of a blond Gyaru with jacket and glasses and a whole lot of rebel mercenary look.
"We need to find this woman. We find her. We find..."
"The tech that is dangerous to civilians" Clark raised his finger upwards.
"The optimised location of the deal that's about to go down so we can alert the proper authorities!" Peter synchronised the vibe.
"Superman and Spiderman!" Lois proclaimed then took a thoughtful expression "Yes those two but more importantly the two I said and.." She gave side-eye to Peter. "What makes you sound so sure she needs to do a deal."
"I-I mean" Peter tries to do the stuttering but Lois was on the roll and she looked like she wouldn't take stuttering as answer, "It makes sense right, judging by the mercs arrest and the recent chatter in criminal patterns by observation she's clearly in it for money. With the authorities on her tail and the disbandment of the group she was in, she needs to salvage something out of this mess and from clear viewing of her Mercs…mishandling" He said the last part out bitterly (oh thats telling something) "It shows she doesn't have much of a responsible head on her shoulders meaning she either tries to get out or make a deal, either way" Peter crossed his arms.
"She could just as easily be taken in by cops or.."
"..Or..?" Lois was pressing in dangerously close. Clark Kent was looking closer and my god why was he so close!
"...Illegal government operations" Peter said silently looking like he swallowed a lemon while staring pointedly at Murder Board. Now before Lois could press on that clear cry for help opening (in her opinion) Clark Kent cleared his throat and went forward.
"I think Peter is on to something here Lois" Clark said firmly, moving his hand to point at Leslie "If this is something that could endanger lives this would have to be cause for Judicial Matters first before Journalism."
"Oh Clark, Clark My Sweet Summer Child" Peters eyes widened as though he was told the moon actually was made of cheese at Lois suave phrase and moving her hands throwing them back and forth. "The chances of things escalating that high is about nil to zero" She leaned forward to look coquettishly at him. "You've just got to trust my gut," She tilted her head slightly "You do trust me on this right?"
Clark's gentle, reasonable giant figure looked stunned as a deer in headlights then looked as abash as a bear being caught eating out honey. He scratched his head looking slightly away before answering directly to her.
"With my life"
Peter stared blinking at this overbright giant walking mega nuke wrapped up in a pliant cuddly teddy bear.
"So it's settled" Lois leaned back, went and put on her coat. "Besides if you knew these two amazingly gifted people going around helping people without recognition or wanting reward..don't you want to know who they are?"
Clark stilled. Peter stilled. The former with wonder, worry and confusion. The latter with sadness, self pity and empty gaze.
"I..I do" Clark spoke aloud looking briefly at the board and then side-glance back to Peter who shuffled deeper into his hoodie.
"..Maybe they don't want to be found" Peter said softly. Lois noticed this and gently patted him on the shoulder which shocked Peter with his eyes searching hers.
"Of course they don't want to be found Peter, they are just waiting for a fashionable entrance!"
…"Excuse me?" Peter Parker said flatly. Clark was interested in where this was going.
"C'mon!" Lois laid out her hands to the side "Two people with extraordinary powers in those hand me down thrift store threads are bound to stand out like a sore front I mean do you know how many homeless people in Metropolis could pull an Olympic Bodybuilder and Runner without fabric needing a new stitch every time they roll their hips!"
Clark felt self conscious about that and actually very blushing pleased that she noticed while holding his hand to his chest and discreetly looking down. Peter looked as though someone told him he looked like a thirty year old hipster trying to blend in modern everyday life and the guy looked down on himself feeling a bit self conscious.
"Though it is worrying" Lois put her hand to her chin "Spiderman looks a bit on the thin side I mean it looks like he survives on coffee and spite alone" Peter felt chills and covered himself sweating and hoping a meteor crashed because this was humiliating. "And Superman looks like he can't stop himself from flying aimlessly around like a dog trying to catch a ball the owner keeps out of reach as though if he tries hard enough he could catch it."
Clark felt she was baiting him somehow and was about to tell it was first time fighting robots before he realised he needed to do something to get out of here!
COUGH!
COUGH!
"Sorry Lois it appears I am coming down with something I need to get back home and have that soup I prepared. Remember to stay out of trouble until I get back bye!" A staccato of noise and in the wind Clark rushed out.
"...Well I guess our trios down to duo" Lois clapped her hands as though it was no big deal but if someone listened closely they heard the undercurrent of sadness. Peter was caught up in the situation and patted her shoulder.
"Im sure he'll be back in no time"
"As soon as we publish"
Peter blinked and a terrible feeling of doom went through him.
"Lois.." He said with dread "Clark told us not to get into trouble"
"We are not getting into trouble my young understudy" She beamed at Peter "Trouble just happens to be where we are going"
"That is literally a faux pass on what we agreed to Clark!"
"Did anyone say the word 'yes'" She had her eyes closed and spoke with the seriousness of a great philosopher asking the deepest question. Peter wilted under the adamantium will of Lois Lane.
"No.."
"Then lets go!" Her hand reached out and pulled Peter Parker into trouble.
_
Outside into the beautiful city outskirts that we all hope to god nothing goes wrong…
Peter and Lois speed run the outskirts of the city where the sun was shining and the birds were singing and Peter thought how the hell did we get here.
"How the hell did we get here?" Lois asked the question out loud as she stretched herself out. The sea air drifted right into their nostrils as they hitchhiked on trams, rolled down roller skates and jogged the hills. How and Why Lois never questioned Peters stamina is beyond him be he will just roll with it and just go wherever this will lead to.
"Physcially or mentally"
"Rhetorical," She pointed a hand up in the air pointing, "Spiritually"
"I thought you weren't the one who brought into the new age pseudo-science?" Peter kicked a rock off while checking his Argus, recalibrating the optics while he was actually scrubbing the thing and looking pensively at nothing.
"Destiny"
Peter looked up with raised eyebrow,
"The horoscope said it was cancer?"
"Don't be an obtuse young intern!" She pivoted to him.
"I'm only a year younger than you" He grumbled.
She immediately closed the distance to him inside his personal space.
"And that's why I!" Putting her hand magnanimously to her chest "Am your senior and you should listen to your senior before I lecture you on your sanitary upkeep"
"...I use the shower"
"..Your dressing in an overlarge shirt that makes you look like a starving skeleton wrapped in strings, spite and sheer desperation." She tapped her chin "What did Mr.White say? Oh yes he mistook you for a lost high schooler"
Peter's mouth fell open.
"It's…It builds character!"
"Sure," and she put her hands on his shoulders "And your multi-discipline got our names in the paper(Did she actually read the paper!? Thought Peter then realised yes she was caught up in the moment and decided yes she didn't) which I will then use to drag you kicking and screaming into taking care of yourself"
This was getting out of hand!...Wait..?
Peter Parker blinked once. Then twice.
"..What?"
Lois' face turned sombre and rubbed his shoulders and why did it feel so good and..pinched his cheeks.
"Ow! What was that for?" He backed away and clutched his sore face. Who does that?
"Nothing" She put up her hands. "It's just that you're really stiff in the shoulders" She then patted his left shoulder once. "I can put in for a friend of mine near my place"
"Lois I-"
"Peter." She smiled. A terrifying person will not take no for an answer "Do I have to cuff you?"
"...Why do you have a cuff?" Peter believed she had one and had to ask.
"For Journalism!" She pulled him along by his shirt and why did he allow himself to be bullied like this!? How does anyone survive her!? She pointed to the seabed that was just over the corner.
"Now tell me what you see"
"Sand. It's everywhere, get used to it"
"Excuse me" She eloquently uttered the words, seriously giving him a side eye. Both were standing side to side on the road looking at what appears to be the empty shipping container.
"She would have to ditch the boat as she wouldn't have contact out in the sea, too risky for border control" He said firmly. Lois nodded and encouraged him to continue with her hand. "Flamebird visually tracked the boat to this location which means" His eyes searched the sand…
Peter suddenly looked alert, his hairs bristled and his senses went haywire as he surveyed the area and his eyes darted to look for tracks, thinking like a thief who is trying to get into the city through this path and it leads to…
"Old Tunnels, like the ones for underpass before the city built over them"
A pat on the back and..
Wait, did he just say those words out loud!
Lois Lane was speeding into the tunnel and Peter Parker catched up to her and realised something that he really should've learned earlier.
Lois Lane is a homing missile and he was the one tied to her. Why, thought Peter Parker, do I get pushed around by passionate women!?
Somehow he swore he could hear snorts of laughter from both male and female from somewhere far away.
_
"You know Peter, I believe we are having a connection here," Tools out, leap forward, disable and back to her pace. "Like two peas in a pod only this case we would've liked the third wheel," Jump and scoop and disable. "Like a wavelength, like I'm the leader, Clark is the beautiful muscle and your the scrappy sidekick"
THWIP!
THWIP!
Thank god she was talking while he webbed.
"...Scrappy?"
"Don't get me wrong you're going to need help, particularly" She looks behind her with her own flashlight while he looks as deadpan as he could be. Turning around forwards she continued talking as he quickly jumped around and disabled bombs at fantastic speeds. "If you just learn to be more aggressive, be more stubborn.."
"Not me.."
Lois stopped, silent and turned to him slowly. She looked at him in a way that made him feel self-conscious. Her eyes took on a soft sheen and her shoulders settled in a relaxed stance, her posture radiating a safe distance.
"..If there is anything you want to get off your chest..I'm here to listen" Gentleness, her tone carried such gentleness in the dark.
The temperature felt suddenly warm over a sudden, the seagulls and waves had long since echoed far in the back. Peter scratched his head and gave her an easy smile that Lois was familiar with.
A painful familiarity with its fakeness.
"Oh it's fine Ms Lane-"
"Lois."
Peter stilled. His posture froze as though an iceprick had gone through his sternum.
"I'm sorry what"
"Lois." She walked a step forwards, he was just taller than her by a few centimetres "My friends call me Lois"
"...Lois" Peter went on and put his hand down and shrugged his shoulders and tried to maintain a facade of pleasant oh it's ok Queens bluff. "It's just a teenager drama, you know: Trying to pay rent, getting an internship, being on the ground with one's own feet." He waved a hand as though it was no big deal "It's just normal stuff"
He then continued to move forward to walk in front of her, confident that the last of the bombs were disabled.
"...Choosing to be alone is not Normal Peter"
Peter Parker stopped. He felt his heart skip a beat and turned towards her searching face.
"I'm not..alone" He said deflecting with confusion.
"You're right," She said, shaking her head and putting on a smile and walked up beside him and patted his back only this time it was a gentle thrawk! That he barely felt. "You have me, Clark and Flamebird!" She exclaimed.
"I'll..I'll take your word for it." Peter said, nodding until he felt his shoulder being tightened by this small terrifying woman.
"My word..Peter Parker," She gave him a closed eyes and twitching smile "Is the word of a Lane and when we mean things" He eyes opened and gave him a warm smile "We mean them"
Why was that both terrifying and heartwarming?
"Oh look, we're here!" She pointed the flashlight up to the manhole cover and the Spider Sense(Thank you Jimmy for leaving that strange tangent about Alien Geometry and Spider Zombies) tingled more than usual. Which Peter was actually thankful for.
Because surely the tense and stressful conversation he had with Lois could not be more dangerous than what they were about to face.
_
Evidently it would be hairsbreadth of a line.
Slowly pushing the manhole cover to gently see the sunlight of Metropolis Road, the moving pedestrians, birds, Cars which seem to be on slow hour. Oh look it's the Merc Woman and A strong looking lead singer of a boy band in tactical military gear.
"I planted explosives all over the city" Leslie Williams (who Peter found out through his not so legal hacking of Police Databases) "and I'm ready to blow this place sky high."
Peter went cold and still. His eyes focused on the two facial expressions, Leslie was confident and smirking and uncaring of how many people she would hurt, the man sitting opposite her had stopped grinning and looked serious.
"Go on"
"I lifted 10 containers of your tech with the robots"
Peter felt like punching himself, what the hell was he doing focusing on the internship. This was a grievous oversight because he didn't account for the woman to be this careful. She might have a dead man's switch which he hoped wherever his flying friend was he'd needed to come straight back. Peter had his phone out and set to call Clark making sure to not press cancel if the message is left on.
Now they just need to remain low and quiet and…
"Let me see!" Lois popped beside him like a meerkat who felt her partner was hogging the best morning air. Peter wondered why the hell Spider-Sense did not alert him to the obvious destruction of a perfect careful reconnaissance view!
"Them!" Leslie shouted in alarm. Seriously!?
So it all begins by causing a scene that turns what should've been a private spying into a shitshow!
"You said you'd come alone!" Leslie shouted as she kicked the table backwards making the boy singer guy flip back and looking (in Peters opinion needs more work on the squat) playful serious.
"You're right. I am Black Ops" Extending a hand for an electric baton to formulate in his hand. He swung it once unnecessarily dramatically
"And you're right," Leslie grinned and removed her jacket to reveal a tech suit like some plaid Tron like electric outfit "I am the smartest one here." The mechanism on her back glowed electricity. Oh great, an Electro ripoff.
Peter and Lois had already jumped out and as soon as Peter was making quick calculations on how to de-escalate the situation Lois stared at somewhere and declared.
"I see the detonator." She looked back at Peter while Leslie fought the black ops, "You start taking pictures" She then started running towards the steps that Peter felt stupid and careless that he should've seen coming. Spider sense was going off but he can make things on the fly but too many cameras and people. Not the right time or moment to slip away.
"Lois, wait, I've.." He felt the woman who had just kicked off the Merc and he could tell she didn't want to kill him, only seriously hurt him as he felt that there was still some restraint left.
Peter's eyes narrowed and his breathing slowed and looked straight into her eyes, he relaxed his shoulders and let his body tilt upwards yet relevant and raised his hands, the look in her eyes got slightly confused as Peter slid into a calm non-violent defense.
"Leslie, listen to me. Look at the guy standing next to you. Look at his tactical gear. He's not a buyer—he's an extraction agent. The second you hand over that tech, you become a loose end. You don't want to do this. If you detonate the grid, the federal charges escalate from grand larceny to domestic terrorism. There is a very good reason to get out of this before it all blows us to hell."
Leslie blinks, then a smile comes across her face and she laughs. Lois is far away and disables a useless remote and looks back at them. Her green coat rustled, her eyes staring in alarm, amazement and fear.
"Kid, gotta hand it to you for your moxy but," She bunched up her fists and smacked them into each other causing a lightning surge that voltage her hair and the surrounding pavement. "I have all the power here." Her grin was not reassuring, Clark you better get here fast because Spider Sense is tingling "So I think I'll just go with the blow it all to hell"
But it wasn't coming from her.
A Slash, Peters vision saw the white haired idiot slashed at a power core. Peter had his arms cross in front of him as he braced for the impact.
A white Electromatic Pulse covered his eyes as he was launched into the air. Hearing the cry of his name by a distraught and screaming Lois.
Peter came to and twisted into the air where there was a sidestreet where there were no witnesses or cameras, landing and covering behind the dumpster he pulled off his clothes to reveal the red and blue web shooters out and ready. Taking out a fabric of white lenses and smooth red black lines Peter Parker put it on his head.
And it was Spiderman's turn to play.
_
Lois was going to punch someone today. Preferably the lightning chick who had too much of an ego and high mind to realise the perfectly good reason not to mess with Alien Tech and deescalate a situation she created!
Oh wait a second it was that discarded bum from a failed boy band she used to(still listens at times) listen to when she was young and impressionable. He gets a solid right hook and she gets a right hook and they all get a left hook for extra measure.
No one messes with her underlings like this! No one messes with the Lanes!
So for all the screaming and running pedestrians and the two morons who were duking it out in the plaza and the lightning storm of someone reaching the Avatar State her first instinct is not to rush into danger.
She was rushing around helping people escape and looking desperately for her boy.
"Please be safe, please for the love of god be safe"
She checked when she regained her sight after brief white sight, her sense tingling and her body felt like a lump of iron dropped into her stomach until she shook it off like a dog expelling water. She looked for exactly 12 seconds, until a shadow came over her that started with a yell. She wasn't looking up, she was looking around the ground for signs of debris, a shadow…no don't finish that thought.
THWIP!
CRASH!
She looked up and saw a smiling caped man in a red and blue suit flying carrying a half sliced bus. That was carried by webs. Lots of Webs. So it was a surreal and heartwarming sight.
It was also the most beautiful thing ever.
"Lo.." Superman stumbled his words briefly (she felt it was very familiar for some reason) "..Miss. Are you alright" He said with absolute sincere warmth that made her cheeks flushed briefly before she focused.
"Superman! My friend Peter-"
"He's alright mam!" A young cheerful and bold voice said out of her peripheral vision that a man in red underoos and cool white lenses for eyes was perched on top of the bus in a crouched position. "He just had a fall, he's resting"
"Spiderman! Oh thank god!" She immediately got out her recorder "Comment for the Daily Planet!"
Spiderman twisted his head and shouted a warning that Superman took heed moving out of the way of a lightning strike. They both flew and swung towards the danger and destruction.
"Or maybe we can talk after this!"
_
"You!" Leslie Williams (Spiderman will now refer to her as Electro-lite) made the sizzling aura of electric death and magnetic pulling of objects to her field to throw at the two superheroes.
"ME!" Spiderman flipped over and put things in safe spaces. "Gotta say fewer calories, half the threat level of the original"
"What!?" She actually stalled briefly which works to Spiderman's advantage as he goes with his plan with junior partner Superman floated a bit closer, unsure of what to make of this but focused on the task at hand.
"Uhh..Spiderman I don't think we should.." He tried to sound authoritative..
"Electro-lite! That's what I'm calling you! It fits, it rolls off the tongue" Spiderman twisted his finger in the air. "It basically describes your whole screaming gyaru shock jock screaming for attention"
Down below the white haired merc had to bite back a smirk at the roasting going above him.
"You..little.." Electro-lite charged up as her hair went up in static and her eyes glowed blue lightning. The violent blue energy sizzled the air as she looked beyond pissed off. "Insect!" She threw her arms sending out thunderstrikes to which Spiderman jumped and spun in the air aerodynamic-ly while Superman used superspeed and tried a calming gesture.
"The back!"
"What?" Clark shouted throughout the noise.
"The power core!" Dodging a clearly irate Electro-lite charged car. "The thing is still attached to her spine but it hasn't pierced the bone" A barrel roll jump out of the way of a pole. "You need to get close to her and destroy it"
Superman would have a lot to say about the situation at hand but damn it this was getting too much. He needed to put a stop to this now..
"I'll distract her!"
And Clark would definitely have some words to say to that later one..
"You know I can hear you two idiots right!?"
"As if we need to worry about a stressed out buggy overglorified phone charging Tron cosplayer!"
Leslie Williams eyes went incandescent with blue lighting rage and roared out causing a surge in her body. Spider sense was tingling slightly, a calm before storm as what was happening could only mean things were about to get Critical.
Superman took the opportunity for superspeed, he had a target and this woman was clearly losing control of her own power. Appearing in a flash, too fast for her to follow he reached out and grasped the power crystal and pulled.
Which was almost a mistake as she cried out, blue light enveloping the area as Clark began to see
Warships in space, red laser fire, explosions
A green field, human soldiers, fleeing from destruction, burning and smoke. Fear.
Robots, the same make as the dock ones, red pylons and crystals.
Peter saw something that and something else
A beautiful matronly woman, grey haired and carrying a bundle on a dying exploding beautiful blocky minimalism, triangles and sphere world, a brown slash white haired silver fox of a man with a kickass eyepatch taking the baby. Black haired and put him in the futuristic rocket and firing the mechanism for the Last Son of Krypton to escape.
Into the fire. The grey haired woman ghost reached out for her son who was flying into the dark.
She felt she could follow him, a surreal moment in the darkness of space. When she was pulled elsewhere and nowhere. And saw in the mote of her eye…
A Spider
Holy..Cow.
Eyes blinking, Superman held Electro-Lite in his arms and settled her down. Descending to Earth in a measured sedate pace. Placing the unconscious woman on the bench carefully. Looking at the damage and burning. Super-Speed repairing and melding with his great strength.
Spiderman swung around to check for anyone injured and only saw very few onlookers who stared bright eyed and wondered at them.
It felt..nice not to be looked at with fear and misplaced hate. Not like he couldn't handle it or anything.
Fire was cleared by Superman super-breath and how many powers does this guy have!? Spiderman just realised he had his hair swept back and allowed himself to look solid so oh crap he can pull off no glasses look.
"So..young man" He did not just say that "Do you have..any idea where a young intrepid photographer named Peter Parker is"
Spiderman looked at him and wondered. This is what he calls subtle!?
"Superman!" And here comes Lois Lane with her recording device but then thought better of it and as soon as she put it away she realised the two men were gone.
"Lois!" A voice called out from the distance, a bedraggled and ruffled Peter carrying his Argus and looking around furtively as though there could still be danger around. "I've got the photos and-"
He was swept up in a bone crushing hug.
Peter felt nice.
Then he felt a punch in the arm.
"OW!" That hurt way more than the singe Electro-lite gave him.
"What the hell were you thinking!" Her small size suddenly looked like a giant up close as she put his head in his space "You could've been killed when you pulled that stunt!"
Peter blinked.
"I-I had it-I had it handled"
"Handled..?" Her eyes went to slits.
Realising this was about to turn into ground zero for Lois Apocalypse Peter pressed a button on his camera. Clear, high definition shots of Spiderman swinging, Superman flying and Electro-Lite throwing a hissy fit. All dynamic perfectly captured dynamics.
Which soothed the beast as her eyes widened and she let out a squeal!
"We did it! We got the pictures! We got the story! We got the-"
_
At the office..
"The scoop!" Perry White had settled the photographs down. The afternoon sun blazing in this strangely van gogh shaded world.
Lois yelled and roared in triumph! Peter blinked.
"I..honestly thought-" He tried to do stutter and just whispered "you were going to say we didn't get the scoop"
"Why would you think that?" He put his chin in his hand and looked sideways at them. Lois had gasped and shook Peter
"Why would you jinx us!" Shaking him like a boba doll that betrayed the fun it was meant to deliver.
"Lois, don't damage the only reason you even got the photos" Those words seem a bit too carefully chosen "I don't want my best intern photographer acquiring vertico sickness pathogen"
Lois let go and looked abashed at the stern yet cheery lecture Mr White gave them. Perry had the phone on.
"Stop the presses, we got a brand new story and I want newspapers printed on the double! Yes! Do you know what double means" He turned it off and looked at them. Something happened that Lois never in her life thought she would ever see.
A smile. At them.
Her eyes quickly darted outside and there were no four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
"You did good. Both of you"
Lois was so tempted to say: Stop the presses Perry White congratulated me (and by extension Peter) with a honest to god smile! She just managed to hold it in preening.
Peter looked as though he wanted to curl up like a caterpillar in his oversized hoodie, looked at Lois and gave a shy smile at her success.
Lois will continue that line of thinking discussion after they leave the office. With subtlety,
"Now go on, I've got work to do and you both need a rest from today's adventures" He leaned back and looked at them expectantly as the two felt the pleasing bask of their success.
"What are you doing!? Don't just stand there, get out" He said loudly and somehow didn't shout.
Outside the closed door Lois put her arm around Peter and pulled him into a crushing side hug, Peter blushed and carefully adjusted himself not to break out of Lois grip.
God even though she wasn't a masseuse she knew a knotted shoulder when she felt one. It was one of the things she helped dad out when mom..when mom couldn't do it.
"So.." She said slowly.
"So.." Peter drew carefully.
"When were you going to tell me you were studying to be a secret agent"
Peter spluttered and got out of her reach.
"Wait what-what do-you-uh mean" Lois could feel the forced stutter sounding just about natural. She didn't like it.
"The whole Keith David thing?"
"Keith David..?"
"The guy from the Negotiator."
Peter's eyes looked askance and was about to open his mouth to auto-correct her then thought better about it and shut his mouth.
"I…think you might be getting your movies mixed up."
Determined not to be swayed by his pathetic turnabout into obscure pop-culture she focused on the real objective. Mainly validation. Her eyes took on a soft look and held his hand which he looked at with puzzlement.
"That was an extremely brave and reckless thing you did today Peter" Peter's face took on a look that was far away, bittersweet and misty. She held it warmly and rubbed his palm with her thumb. She somehow made herself look taller by looking at him at eye level and practicing her Jang Pause: The gentle lowering of one's energy (her energy in fact) and being silent and gentle touching.
Peter felt his shoulders relaxing and he looked as though he couldn't determine what was happening yet physically he looked as though he was about to fall asleep.
"I'll walk you home"
He looked a bit..startled at that.
"Oh no its no problem"
"Peter." Her voice spoke softly and he stopped himself. "Let me get you home"
He looked like some lost little kid who was confused and teary eyed and happy (restrained) that an adult was there to protect him. Her insides coiled slightly and then she remembered.
"We've got to tell Clark!"
Peter's eyes widened and he nodded vigorously.
"Yes, uh Clark he's bound to recover from the flu at this moment"
"Uhh I think Flus take longer than that"
"I mean cold! Yes Clark is a big guy. He can recover pretty fast."
You seem to recover fast yourself
She kept that thought to herself. Walking forward out of the building while holding Peters hand to her side, her presence a blanket on him.
He didn't let go.
_
The Apartment..
"Hey oh Lois!" Superman, still in outfit, had just subtly opened the window to get inside and found his buzzing phone until he realised what he said out loud and looked embarrassed mortified as he looked to the side. "Hey oh Lois?"
"Hey o to you" Lois voice echoed in his eardrums to him sounded like a canary bird (even though it was the afternoon and not morning but he can be poetic now he earned it!) "Open your front door."
"Uh, one sec!" WIth a quick burst of superspeed cleaned up his room and changed out of his clothes into his normal ones, put Superman in suit and was just about to open the door when he remembered to tousle his hair and put on glasses. Open door and..
"Suprise!" By god it is a great awesome surprise every time she walks into his life. His heart beating, the air feeling a lightning current of heat from her presence. Peter followed her quiet as a mouse, like a child who was looking at his entrapped hand in wonder as though it was in hand. He didn't know how to get out of it which was all sorts of cute in Clarks eyes. Lois turned back to Peter "Can you point me to the kettle?"
Peter was finally released and chuckled and rubbed his head "I'm not twelve Lois I can brew myself coffee"
"Daechu-cha" She pulled a packet out of her chest pocket and tossed it to Peter who caught it quickly like a professional (did Peter play baseball or something), Clark wondered if she was a walking cupboard. "Take this, open it, put it in a cup and pur boiled water" Her smile became soft and Clark felt like she would be a great mother "No buts Peter hoonbae"
"Peter Hoonb-what now?"
"It means I'm in charge of you right now," She turned directly to him and pointed with a look that was both maternal and fiercely grounding. "Now settle down" She put her hand down and looked at him with care "Can you please do that for me?"
With the wilting look Peter was giving and the embarrassed blush he nodded and scuttled away to the back. Looking at the sachet containing dried Korean dates, ginger, cinnamon and honey like it was a strange alien marvel he had to decipher. Clark felt tension release from his shoulders staring at his friend.
"So." Lois clapped her hands and moved to the sofa where Clark was all too happy to take the seat next to her. "We got the story!" She whispered excitedly to him. "Perry literally stopped the presses," She looked at him with a bit of sadness that he really wished he had the superpower to wipe it away instantly "I wish you you'd been there to see it with me and Peter"
"I wish I could've been there with you. Too"
She looked downward and regained a determined expression "I still can't believe we pulled it off." She put her head up and putted her hands to the sides of her head "I mean, we did, but I can't believe we pulled it off"
"Well, I knew you would make it happen"
"You just want in on the byline" She put her head back, eyes closed with a smug smile. Clark turned towards her, completely serious and edging closer to her space.
(The kettle was already boiled. The contents in and hot liquid poured in. A boy looked at the two with forlorn melancholy and rested into the darkness. His eyes tracking the movements, the lightning mood of the afternoon sun's rays pouring in over his side, ironic that they were having their moment in the shadows)
"No, it;s the truth. There was never any doubt in my mind that you'd find Superman." She looked at him, face flushing as the sincere goodness of Clark Kents golden retriever earnest eyes peered into her soul with nerd glasses giving the most adorkable wholesome gaze.
Oh wow, that look should be illegal! She thought.
"Because you, Lois Lane. Are extraordinary"
Oh my heart! Don't fumble me now!
"And uh," He looked embarrassed side glance as though trying to dig his suddenly empty bowl of kibble praises and cheeses "driven and smart and funny..and..and smart"
Oh thank god I can deal with this!
"You said that already" She smiled at him and the cute blush adorned his pinchable cheeks. He chuckled and scratched his head.
"Well, I stand by it"
Lois would like to press on that, she could feel Clark would like to and..
…How did we get so close together!?
Both breathing each others scent, the midwestern hayseed flavour of his shampoo melding with her sunflower oil and her violet purple eyes meeting his beautiful solid blue. Lips opening slightly to let air out and intermingle in a tangible meeting of steam twirling.
Both were atomic red as they stood up straight in their seats like two meerkats triggered in stone statue lookouts. Silence..
"Well ugh" Clark coughed and wondered aloud "I wonder how Peter is doing with the tea." In a sing-song voice that wanted the awkwardness to be over.
"Just finished brewing"
YAH!
Lois jumped heroically (and she will write an entire piece defending against SLANDER) from the sofa at the same time as Clark. Reorinating herself on the seat she turned around and glared at the intruder behind them.
"What did I tell you about sitting down quietly!?" She whispered angrily like a cat who was knocked off course from catching the canary.
Peter smiled and took out a newspaper.
"Fli-I mean your source" Why did he sound familiar with that name!? "Gave me an advance copy of tomorrow's paper." He said warmly.
Lois' eyes went to the paper and read the lines.
"'Daily Planet confirms, the Superman and Spiderman are real!'" Her eyes closed for joy. "We did it!"
"...Read the byline" Peter said flatly.
Lois opened her eyes and did so, her eyes tracking the little letters as thought deciphering an ancient language that was pulling her into a malicious knock knock who's there joke of a surprise
"By Cat Grant, Ronnie Troupe and Steve Lombard"
….
Lois had found herself standing up with the eyes widening into saucers and her face twisted into a rubberband drawl of outrage
"WHAT!"
_
Somewhere far away, deep underground.
Leslie Willis was being electrocuted by a smug asshole who was behind a two way glass while asking questions that she glibly told the truth. Then electrocuted when he thought she wasn't telling the truth. So Asshole all the way then.
Giving panicked fear to the asshole seemed to abate him somewhat as she asked who are you people.
"That's easy," Why did she get the image of a housebroken man in a green sweatshirt!? "We are the good guys!"
"Now tell us what you know..about Superman and Spiderman.."
_