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

[kolodnoykovki]

"That she doesn't have to know about. Because she's got the kind of strength to get past it. ...If you want me to teach you to fight, I will," he said, then, just as it occurred to him.

[stands_for_hope]

"Diana's been showing me a few tricks," Lois admitted, "but I wouldn't mind a few more."

[kolodnoykovki]

His brows rose and he nodded. "That's great. She probably knows better ways for women to fight than I do, but I can show you a few things. ...So can Steve, probably. Small people fight different from bigger people."

[stands_for_hope]

"Steve mentioned that a time or two. He said he mostly learned how to fight like he is now from watching the rest of the Commandos and hitting things quote 'really hard' unquote."

She gave his arm an absent squeeze as they walked.

"You know, I talked a good game while Clark was here but... it's going to be hard to go off to Bialya. For the first time, I'm not just leaving behind an empty apartment full of crap I don't really care about."

[kolodnoykovki]

"Hey..." He rubbed her hand. "I think Clark will be keeping an ear on you. I know I'll be paying attention. If anything happens, both of us will be there as soon as we can, which, knowing Clark, will be somethin' like five minutes."

[stands_for_hope]

She turned to him, looking over and up at him with a warm, sad little smile on her face.

"I'm not worried. Like I said, I've got the best people in the world looking out for me and I can handle myself. I'm just... going to miss you. That's all."

[kolodnoykovki]

"We're gonna miss you, too," he promised gently, leaning over to kiss her hair. "You're my niece. ...And pretty much my sister-in-law. And you've been one of my best friends while I've been figuring stuff out. Will you have cell phone service over there? Or internet? We can figure out a time to call."

[stands_for_hope]

She leaned into the kiss on her hair and nodded.

"My work phone's a satellite phone, so I'll have some internet and a phone line. Time to call, I'll need to work out but I'll figure out something."

She breathed out a sigh as she thought about it.

"It's dangerous and difficult, but someone's gotta do it."

And her expression turned to a bright, sharp grin.

"And I'm damn good at it."

[kolodnoykovki]

"Damn right," he grinned back at her. "You're too great for 'em. You're a daughter of the Howling Commandos. If anybody can do it, you can."

[stands_for_hope]

"And wouldn't that make the most fantastical story of all?"

It was Dum Dum's wild grin on her face, the one that said he'd done something that was fit to make the Captain go grey.

"But someone's gotta get in there. Queen Bee's dangerous, I just know it. They just got things somewhat settled over there and then the coup in Bialya... there's a reason for why now and why Bialya and I want to find out what it is."

[kolodnoykovki]

"I think I was there once. An' I don't think it ever really worked out. If I remembered more, I'd tell you," he promised, looking over with a shake of his head. "I just don't remember entirely - not enough to know."

[stands_for_hope]

She waved that off.

"I'm an investigative reporter. Figuring out more is my job. And don't worry, I'm sure there's plenty to find."

She glanced up at the Planet building.

"Gonna escort me to my desk or did you have to go run off and get your suit?"

[kolodnoykovki]

"I'll walk you up. Gives me more of a chance to hit Lombard." And he shot her a grin. "Steve won't mind me showin' up with a bruise if he actually gets a hit in."

[stands_for_hope]

"He might show up and finish the job if he finds out why," Lois noted as she tugged him up the steps and towards the elevator.

"Though I doubt he'll get a hit in. Tackle you, maybe, but he's way too slow."

[kolodnoykovki]

"Well, he's not had the--" Injections? Serum? "Training." But he followed along into the elevator, clearing his throat once they were in and remembering the persona he was going for. Russian hiding himself with a Brooklyn cover. Exactly backward from how he'd been for ages.

[stands_for_hope]

"He's also slow. He couldn't dodge me punching him in the balls."

She let the door close and pressed the button for the right floor.

[kolodnoykovki]

He laughed. "It's 'cause men don't expect it. Seriously. We all figure our balls are safe."

[stands_for_hope]

"Is that like some sacred rule among guys? Thou shalt beat the shit out of each other in all other ways, but thy balls are sacred?"

[kolodnoykovki]

"Pretty much, actually - it's considered a cheap shot. Makes things too easy," he chuckled. "Anybody can take a guy down by hitting his balls, but it's a more fair fight to go at each other hand to hand."

[stands_for_hope]

"Yeah, I'd kind of noticed. Girls? Don't care. The second the fight starts, you're aiming for the throat in every kind of way. And I'm kind of proud to hear from Diana that they teach that way where she's from soon."

[kolodnoykovki]

"Hey, I'm for it. I've watched too many women get the bad end of men because they're not taught to stand up for themselves," he said, shaking his head. "So more women stand up for themselves, all the better."

[stands_for_hope]

"That's one change from when you were last kicking around. More of us kicking ass where people can see."

She breathed in as the elevator doors opened.

"Like right now. Wish me luck with Perry."

[kolodnoykovki]

"I've got confidence in you - go get him," he encouraged, squeezing her hand. "You can do it." He stepped out of the elevator with her and nudged her forward.

[stands_for_hope]

She grinned at him just the once before steeling herself and heading for the office at the back.

"Good luck with the suit."

Fortunately or not, Lombard appeared to have left for the day.

[kolodnoykovki]

Jim left after she was headed off, and started looking things up on his phone - suit shops, tailor shops, any place that could do what he was looking for. And then, a car rental. After all, he'd need a car for the night.

He finally found a place for both and gave over Steve's measurements when Lois sent them, and stood still for his own, having to explain that his arm was a prosthetic and no, he wasn't going to take his shirt off.