"Still feels like that a lot of the time," he admitted. "There's nobody in the world that can get himself into the middle of a fight like Steve. Just now he's able to fight back. Little idiot used to show up covered in bruises, eye swollen shut, nose bleeding, but with this smile on his face like he thought he'd done something big. Lucky he never lost a damn tooth."

But as he talked, he started to sound more like himself. His actual self, not the Soldier he'd been forced to be.

"Lois is the same way, but she fights with words instead of with fists. This is just... the first time she's come back with bruises on our watch."

He gathered Clark to him, hugging him. His brother. He needed it. He thought they both needed it.