Superman, Firebrand, and the Metropolis Gang in... the World's Mightiest Duckling

[stands_for_hope]

[continued from here]

It took a few weeks, but soon enough, the apartment had become an entirely settled little commune between the five of them. Steve's things had arrived as Clint had promised, they'd been installed in the new apartment, and the group had made the changes they'd discussed for everyone's comfort with one addition: with Steve bunking with Jim, the room he'd initially intended to take had become a general office/library/art room for everyone to use when they felt like a bit of time alone. For as silly as the concept sounded, all of them had ended up using the room a time or two and it had definitely kept things peaceful despite the addition of two new people.

Considering that the apartment was home to four superheroes and a world-famous journalist, it was amazing how easily they all fell into a routine. Jim, Lois, and Clark would usually leave for work around the same time and Steve, always an early riser, had taken to making them something to munch for breakfast on the way after he returned from his morning run. Having also gotten a position at the community center (teaching kids art and art history), Steve would leave with Diana an hour or so after that. Everyone filtered back into the apartment at different times and whoever was feeling up to cooking would usually start dinner when they got in. If no one was feeling up cooking, one of the two 'old' men would treat takeout.

Today, however, Jim's site was currently closed for due to an issue with the plumbing contractors and some unfortunate flooding that had occurred overnight. That was why Clark texted Jim and invited him to come visit he and Lois at the Daily Planet offices and go out for lunch together.

Comments

[stands_for_hope]

Clark shook his head with a crooked smile over at Jim.

"Nothing out of the ordinary."

Then he switched to Russian.

"Pis'ma soderzhat ugrozy smerti i vrednykh khimicheskikh veshchestv. Paket predstavlyayet soboy bomba ustanovlen vzorvat'sya pri otkrytii." He kept the pleasant expression on his face, though, regardless of what he was carrying at this point. Death threats and a bomb. Just the usual day at the Daily Planet.

"I just need to take a second to take out the garbage and then we can swing by and grab Lois."

[kolodnoykovki]

Jim nodded good-heartedly, thumping his back with a definite show of brotherhood. "Umnyy muzhchina. Ya mogu podozhdat zdes, veroyatno, poluchite davay snova. Zhenshchina s slishkom mnogo makiyazha - golodnym dlya cheloveka, ne tak li? I'll make another call. Think of a place to go for lunch."

[stands_for_hope]

"Ona milaya chelovek v glubine dushi. No da, ona nemnogo Lyudoyeda."

Because he liked Cat, even if she made Lois just a bit twitchy.

Then he breathed out.

"Lois's desk is up on the left over there, near Perry's. If you want slip over there while I take care of this?"

[kolodnoykovki]

With a low chuckle, Jim nodded. "I'll wait there, then," he said and headed in that direction, phone pulled out of his pocket to poke at absently.

[stands_for_hope]

Lois looked up and smiled over at Jim as soon as she noticed him.

"Hey, Jim. Here for lunch? I hope you weren't just sitting there and letting me work for too long..."

[kolodnoykovki]

"No, just got here," he answered, accent back to Brooklyn. "Helped Clark pick up some packages, threatened a guy... Normal day."

[stands_for_hope]

She laughed a little and leaned back in her chair.

"Threatened a guy? This is a story I want to hear. During lunch, of course. Where's Clark?"

[kolodnoykovki]

"Throwing out some trash before we go." He gave Lois' "In" box a significant look before shifting his gaze back to her. "Where are you interested in going for lunch?"

[stands_for_hope]

"I think Clark wanted to go to Zorba's down the block. They've got a massive salad bar, a Mongolian grill in the back, and a nice little eating area up top. Should make sure all the bases are covered. Sound good?"

[kolodnoykovki]

"Sounds great," he agreed. "I'll show you the pictures from the site, too. It was ridiculous, coming in to all that water."

[stands_for_hope]

"I can believe it. If you didn't stick around and get started?" she teased, "I figured it has to be pretty bad."

Clark walked up then, smiling at the two of them before gesturing to the elevator.

"Ready to go?"

"Been ready, Smallville. I was waitin' on you."

[kolodnoykovki]

Jim slid his phone back into his pocket, having been doing nothing much except writing down possible meals on his notepad app. "The place you've chosen sounds good. I'm looking forward to it."

[stands_for_hope]

"It's good," Clark agreed as they piled into the elevator. Once the door was closed, Clark settled against both of them with a little smile.

"Sorry about that whole thing, Jim. I should have warned you about how things are at work."

[kolodnoykovki]

But Jim shook his head. "I'm going to kick his ass next time. I gave him a warning and I'm going to stick with it. He already thinks I'm Russian mafia, and that's fine - I was for a while, so I know what I'm doing."

[stands_for_hope]

He slung his arm around Jim and gave him a soft squeeze.

"If you want to, that's between you and Lombard. Given the way he handles things, he might like you better for it. But I should have told you that most of my co-workers don't have very good opinions of me. It's... necessary. And part of how things work, unfortunately. But I know it's not pleasant."

[kolodnoykovki]

"I heard what they were saying about you. That wasn't necessary," Jim said with quiet certainty, but he still pulled Clark into that one-armed hug. "If nothing else, I'm going to make them shut their mouths."

[stands_for_hope]

Clark's eyes were gentle and it was clear that he was utterly touched by Jim's worry, but he shook his head even as he hugged him back.

"It's... entirely necessary. Because of who I am and what I've chosen to do..." he swallowed a little.

"I can't wear a mask then. So I wear a mask now. And thankfully, the people I really care about..." and he looked at Jim and Lois pointedly, "I don't need the mask for."

[kolodnoykovki]

"I don't like it when people treat other people like that. Especially my friends. They want to hurt you, they go through me first." And that, he'd not compromise on. It was what he did - stand between his friends and danger.

[stands_for_hope]

He held up his hands.

"I won't stand in your way if you want to teach Lombard, or anyone else, manners. He could certainly use them. And that'll help more than me."

He scratched at his ear.

"Including the female population of the Planet. But don't worry about my reputation. I promise. I... I knew what I was getting into."

[kolodnoykovki]

"You know," he said, taking the subject change whether it was intentional or not, "once upon a time, I would've taken that Miss Grant up on her offer."

[stands_for_hope]

Lois made a sour face at the mention of Cat Grant while Clark looked somewhat relieved and a little amused.

"You're old enough you know better now," Lois said firmly.

Clark held in a chuckle, just barely.

[kolodnoykovki]

"I'm also taken." Gladly taken. Happily taken. There was very definitely a part of him who wished Steve was handy so he could hook a finger through one of his beltloops, just to make sure he didn't get too far away.

[stands_for_hope]

"Taken by someone way hotter than Cat Grant," Lois said firmly.

Clark just rolled his eyes because Lois's irritation with Cat was one of the more amusing conflicts in the office, as much because of the ridiculousness of the situation as because of how it played out.

"You heading home after lunch or planning to surprise Steve and Diana with a visit?" Clark asked.

[kolodnoykovki]

"I dunno. I was thinking about it. I figured I don't have anything else to do, might as well, you know?" He shrugged. "Maybe Diana needs somebody to demonstrate how to beat someone up. I can't really contribute to Steve's classes."

[stands_for_hope]

"I'm sure they'll be happy to see you," Clark observed as the elevator finally opened and he escorted Lois out of the doors. Lois reached over and tugged him along with them.