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| What: Superman and Lois Lane clear the air. | |||||
Clark Kent had recently had his 'vacation' come to an end and returned to the Daily Planet with the news that they'd have, at least in part, a new boss. Members of the Board weren't anything new, but Alan Scott was a name he hadn't known well prior to today, but deserves more investigation.
The day went quickly, and Clark was out on stories most of it, so he didn't have to deal much with what he'd been dreading. There were a few hellos and lots of politeness, but was sure out of the office in a hurry a couple of times.
Now at night, Superman is flying over the city, looking to help anyway he can. But as he notices something atop the Daily Planet, he begins to soar over and move towards landing.
The globe at night has always been Lois' favorite draw. The fait gusts of wind, the glittering skyline surrounding her, and the quiet after the press of the bull pen, always helps her get her thoughts in order. Coffee in hand, Lois leans back against the rail on the roof's edge, left arm in a cast from elbow to fingers. Lost in thought, the reporter sips at a cup of coffee, not really looking up, just looking out at the skyline and the stars beyond.
The large cape makes his shadow from the moon larger than it really is. As Superman lands he nods towards Lois if she turns to notice him. After a few steps, he stops, keeping his distance. "Good evening, Lois."
Shadow? Lois blinkblinks at it. She begins to straighten at the silhouette cast before her, heartbeat speeding a bit, before his voice drifts her way. She turns to face Superman, a light, almost shy smile on her face.
"Hi, Superman," she replies softly, keeping her spot. A million thoughts run through her mind in a flash, only for that light stab of careless words to a friend to take precedence.
"How are you," is all the reporter manages for the moment, lips smiling, brows faintly furrowed.
"I'm well. Yourself?" Superman asks in a friendly manner. But it's guarded. There's definitely a wound there that hasn't begun to heal. Not clear why he stopped by. He probably should have kept on going.
Guarded. Lois' expression slides a fraction, before she pulls the smile back up again. "Been better. I'm... I'm really glad you stopped by. I need to..." she pauses, looking away a bit.
"I need to apologize," she says then, eye violet eyes coming back up to Superman's face. "For that day in the Hall of Justice. I was a real pill, and you didn't deserve that. Not after everything we've been through," She pasues a moment, looking for the right way to say it before she presses on.
"I'd... I 'd stopped thinking of you as a person. I guess, I got caught up in the whole-" pause, Lois motions with her right hand toward his supersuit. "-you know, that... I'm really sorry. I had stopped listening. And that wasn't fair to you at all. So, for what it's worth; I'm really sorry."
Lois pauses there a moment, not sure if she said everything that's been cementing in her for a while now.
Superman takes a deep breath and nods a couple of times. "Well, your apology is accepted. I understand that in your line of work, you have to look for the truth. I understand that it's really going to put us at odds from time to time. I think that's probably just the nature of it."
Lois smiles a bit at that, her head nodding. "At odds yes, but it shouldn't ever get personal; I let it go there," she admits, turning a bit away to look at the city. Her right hand comes up to run over her left arm, elbow to shoulder.
"I shouldn't have. But I did. I was just, really hurt. I didn't stop to /think/." She sighs lightly, and turns back to Superman, the smile back on her face. It's soft, that almost vulnerable expression she doesn't really share with anyone she doesn't care about.
"You deserve better than that," Lois adds.
Superman nods, "Well, like I said. The apology is accepted. I had reasons to try and cover what I am. I'm not excusing it. Not at all. I lied. You're right. But sometimes I need to lie. In order to keep what humanity I have for myself."
Lois nods to that, eyes holding this concern she had lost somewhere after that night. "You know that I'd rather get a 'no comment', right," she asks with a half grin, her head tilting to one side; a hint of her usual bravado and toughness she shows the rest of the world. She sighs the bravado away, the grin turning sweeter again.
"I understand, a lot better, that need to hide; to keep things for yourself. I'm okay with that, well, I guess I've always been 'okay' with it, just not the way you tried to do with that time." Pause, Lois redirecting her brain away. "It's over with, water under the bridge, all that jazz," she says with the wave of a hand and a drawing of breath, a much easier breath than she has in a while.
Superman nods. "Agreed." He says his words solemnly, and without the exuberant manner of Lois or the jovial nature he normally gives them. "It'll be good to put this behind us."
The lack of jovialty is more than a bit concerning, and makes Lois frown lightly. She draws herself up a bit, smiles more professionally, and holds out her right hand.
"Fresh starts, Superman. Lord knows we need them." Pause, her hand extended, chin inclined. "Lois Lane. Daily Planet." Simply, open, direct. Sure, this is still Superman. This is still that dreamy muscle-bound sweet heart that saves her when she needs it most; Superman, that was her friend, though perhaps not confidant; Superman, that the merest hint of a warm smile threatens to make her weak in the knees, but she's Lois Lane. She's done all manner of things for a story from the worst that Metropolis has to offer; she can keep her professionalism for someone she cares the most about: a friend.
Superman chuckles a bit, finally. He reaches out his right hand and takes hers. "Superman. Alien. From Krypton." He shakes her hand a few times before letting it go.
Lois pulls her hand back to herself when the handshakes it done, chuckling in reply. "Krypton. Wow. Sounds exotic," Lois quips warmly, eyes holding warmth, humor, and amusement. It's so good to hear him chuckle again, she thinks to herlsef.
"So, what's news," she asks now, tone warm, friendly, and conversational.
Superman smiles sheepsihly, "I wouldn't know. Not first hand, anyways." ANother deep breath as his eyebrows raise. "Not much, really. The Justice League continues to gain members. We continue to investigate the attacks. Hopefully we're making some headway."
Lois' smile turns empathetic, that touch of compassion, the soften returning, before she tempers it again with more of her bravado.
"If I can help...? I know I'm not superpowered, or made of metal, or... a Bat, but... sometimes I get leads on things," Lois offers, going more work mode now.
Superman nods, "Well, we take help from anyone. I'm sure if you catch a lead on something, you'll let us know. Any help is appreciated."
Lois Lane nods to that, smile drifting through again. "Sure. What sorts of things are you looking at, in particular," asks the reporter.
"Anything linked to the theft of genetic material," Superman says. "We think whoever this was was after people's DNA. What we don't know is why."
Her lips purse as she nods, eyes hardening as she does that thing where she runs through facts and contacts, looking for angles, threads, links.
"I'll place a few calls, kick in a few doors, see if I can get anyone to talk to me," Lois says, lips curled at a corner as she gets a new puzzle of a story to work on. "What can you tell me about what you have so far that I can't read on the wire?"
"Not much, really. We haven't been able to narrow it down other than a van we got out of Gotham. But it had been stolen there that same night. It had some vandalism on it, but we think that was afterwards." Superman's face twists as if he hasn't got much, but then he adds. "There are a few things that I can't get into about the topic. I'm sorry."
Lois nods to that, smiling at the very honest 'can't get into it'. There's an honest to goodness sense of relief, of gratitude in her expression.
"Sure. I understand. I'll see what I can dig up. Stolen van, Gotham, vandalized. Do I ....call the Hall of Justice? Or just stop by and see who's available for me to drop off hte information to," she asks, voice back to business despite the warmth of her smile.
Superman considers, "You can call the Hall. They can either get me on the line or get me a message pretty quickly."
Lois nods to that, smile turning to a smirk. "I suppose that's safer than falling off a perfectly good building," she quips with a chuckle. "I'll be sure to call, and let you know if I hear anything. What part of this do you want or not want inthe press," she asks, because let's face it; she's a reporter.
"You can put any of it in there. Everything I've told you is fair game." Superman smiles softly and nods, before taking a step towards the ledge. "I'd better get back to work."
And now Lois smiles warmly. "Go save the world, Superman," she says with a touch of pride, turning as to follow him toward the roof edge where her coffee was left when she pushed away from the wall.
Superman's smiles widens. He gives her another odd before lifting off into the night, up, up and away.