kryptonscout

[kryptonscout]

CLARK KENT in BATMAN/SUPERMAN: WORLD’S FINEST (2022) #6

[kryptonscout]

🌱

you're growing...

...every second of every day, even when you don't realise it. especially, when you don't realise it.

life may be slow but it's never stagnant. you're always moving forward, always learning new things about others and about yourself, always living, always going.

keep going. keep growing ✨

[kryptonscout]

My cover to SUPERMAN: The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 6!

If it looks familiar, I’ve been using this one here and there without talking about what it is, but I just saw that it’s finally out and about as the official cover. Inspired by Superman #53!

[kryptonscout]

trickshxt​:

there’s a stiffness to barney’s shoulders at that trail. as if he’s waiting for a judgement or a verdict to be laid down on him. his brain rolodexes through what he’s done this week. wincing inwardly at himself if only because while nothing stands out as particularly heinous this week, there’s probably something he’s missed.

what he didn’t expect was kon’s name.

which…in hindsight, perhaps he should have expected. and upon hearing it barney’s heart rate slows and he visibly relaxes. fingers unclenching around the constellation mug his coffee formerly occupied.

it takes him a moment to get to the crux of the words. and when he does, he blurts out, “you’re wantin’ to make sure I’m not a creep. I got it.”

a hand gestures to the small table. moving to sit himself and feeling his back twinge a bit at the motion. sipping his coffee for a moment as he struggles on how to go from there. he can’t really blame superman for this. and it’s nice to know there’s someone else who is vested in kon’s well-being.

still. the fact was he was sitting here having coffee with one of the world’s greatest heroes. what did you say to that?

“best laid plans an’ all tend to go awry when you got the weight of the world on your shoulders.” it’s said kindly, knowingly if not for like experience but for the fact barney can read the papers and he knows what superman’s days likely look like. he’d struggle to.

admittedly, barney’s still distracted and touched beyond words that he’s considered important in the eyes of someone as bombastic and larger than life as superboy. “kon’s a good kid. he’s wild ‘n I don’t really understand half of what he’s talkin’ about when he’s goin’ off on social media this and that. but…” barney shrugged, eyes flicking to the S on superman’s chest. “he wears the S well. an’ just don’t wanna see him jump into takin’ on the weight of things without gettin’ a chance to be who he wants to be. outside of the world’s expectations.”

“that’s not exactly it - ” clark says, politely interjecting the bluntness with a clarification that’s important to him, because he doesn’t want barney to think this meeting is about that when it’s really about the gratitude he feels for being involved in kon’s life. 

he’d already done his own background checks prior to coming here; knows more than enough about this man to understand underhanded government powers at play, and while he’s just as ready to bring that up, he also knows theres a time and place, and a first time introduction is not it. 

he visibly softens at the way barney talks about kon, though, as if hearing the things that he hadn’t known he needed to hear; that kon’s a good kid, that he’s young and silly still, and doing the ‘S’ proud just like he promised he would. things that clark already knew, but he worries that the world will percieve it differently, because he’s kryptonian, because he’s a clone, because he’s young and impressionable, and - despite what he might think underneath that leather jacket and those sunglasses - extremely vulnerable. 

“he is a good kid,” clark repeats, glancing down into his mug with a faint smile. 

“handles his... situation a lot better than i probably would have at his age.” and there isn’t really anything clark can do to change that. the world’s responsibilities are already kon’s burden; this soon, this young. a regret that follows clark right behind dying, having his dna stolen, and the domino of problems that followed. 

“superboy still has a lot to learn, though. like handling his powers through his emotions, his impulsiveness, and ability to work with others...” he pauses, glancing off to the side, listening to the sound of superboy’s voice bickering with robin on a mission far away from here. 

“so, it’s good he has... someone responsible looking out for him outside of hawaii.” probably more responsible than clark, and he hates that; he has no idea how to handle suddenly having a teenager on his hands. he would have never brought a child into the world and put them through this. “but i know it’s not easy dealing with a growing kryptonian, my ma and pa can attest to that. and from what i gather, kon comes by often, so if there’s ever any... if he breaks something on accident, or - swallows your pantry dry, let me know if there’s anything i can do and i’ll do it.”

“he hasn’t given you trouble, has he?”

[kryptonscout]

trickshxt​:

it should be condescending, having his sentence finished for him. but it isn’t and isn’t that just who superman is? the man could make the greatest let down sound kind. it’s something barney has always envied in the man, and always admired.

turning quickly, half forgetting where the mugs were in his own damn apartment, hand idly attempting to wipe coffee from his shirt, it took a moment for the joke to sink in. glancing over his shoulder in an almost owlish surprise before a small smile showed itself. “secret’s safe with me. though if you start wearin’ all black I might be morally obligated to let batman know he’s got stiff competition comin’.”

which, wow, why did he say that? ducking his head, barney felt the back of his neck redden as he finally found his own mugs. pulling the first he found without considering it.

there was just enough coffee to fill it. too nervous to look at the hero of the world standing in his kitchen.

“naw, not got much goin’ on.” and if he did, who said no to superman? turning, he offered the mug out, realizing then just which mug it was.

“though didn’t know you made house calls. or that I called.”

clark’s grin is bright and delighted at the batman joke, at how something so small in gesture - like barney going along with a corny joke - makes a world of difference in alieviating some of the tension he feels in his shoulders. 

“okay, that’s fair.” he muses, reaching over to take the mug which, unexpectedly, is a superman one. something he doesn’t comment on because not only is he trying very hard to be seen away from a pedestal, he also doesn’t think they would benefit from any more of his - as the league so woefully puts it - dad jokes. 

which brings him to the reason why he’s here, actually.

“while i do make house calls, i admit this one is a bit unusual from most...” clark says, a bit slowly, but free from disdain. it would’ve been nice to be more prepared here, but there’s only so much he could have done in these circumstances - something that he has to keep telling himself now that he’s alive again and that the world has come up with so many more obstacles for him to solve since his absense. 

“for transparency, i’m here because superboy’s told me a lot about you over the past few months.” his head turns just a fraction, wondering if barney will lead them to sit; a passive gesture. 

“his current popularity means he meets hundreds of people a day, and while i can’t keep tabs on all of whoever those may be, i feel it’s in his best interest for me to have some involvement in the relationships important to him.” he says, with a small smile, because that’s not meant to be an offense against barney, but for some reason he’s struggling with the one thing he’s always been exceptional at: words. 

( or at least, that’s what it feels like. )

“i meant to come by weeks ago but i’ve been answering calls to a lot of crises lately.” 

[kryptonscout]

Clark Kent Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #3

[kryptonscout]

trickshxt​:

visions of red in the window are surprisingly common these days. usually coming with a shock of black hair and bright blue eyes that bring a smile unbidden to barney’s face. he catches the flash of color from the corner of his eyes while pouring coffee, turning with a greeting already on his lips.

“hey, k-”

and stops, abruptly. every part of him freezing at the face that isn’t the face (but kind of technically is) he know.

that big s stares him in the face like a beacon and a spotlight shining onto his deer in the headlights expression. the coffee in his hand? is dripping down his button up from where it sloshed over the edge.

oh god.

“uhhhhh…”

good job, barn.

clearing his throat, barney doesn’t move. but he does clear his throat. “barney. it’s, uh, barney. you’re-” which is also stupid. of course the guy knows who he is. “you, uh, wanna come in and have some coffee?”

“ - i’m superman,” he says, finishing barney’s stammering with an introduction that might have sounded unkind had it come from anyone else. but clark would never assume that anyone knew who he was, even if the name superman has become renowned all over the galaxy; his ma taught him better, after all.

at the coffee offer, clark glady accepts, and maneuvers carefully into the open window before coming to a full stand in the livingroom.

“sorry for startling you, barney,” and really, he is; the kind of apology he has to make often, despite his best efforts to seem no better than his fellow man, “don’t tell batman, that’s more his tactic.” he says, his laugh light and airy with what he hopes is a decent ice-breaker.

“thank you for having me unannounced like this. i hope i’m not imposing...”

[kryptonscout]

@trickshxt​

 superman’s drifting descend down the side of the building is quiet, boots coming into view from up above until he drops low enough to have his face sit in the center of the open window. 

“hello,” he says with a little wave, careful so as to not startle, donning a smile that’s both friendly and apologetic as a hand comes to rest on the windowsill. 

“a little super told me this is where i could find ‘b’?”

[kryptonscout]

its a great day to love my son kon-el,

[kryptonscout]

Concept: a small child whose imaginary friend is Superman. He talks to “Superman” all the time, completely unaware that Clark can in fact hear everything he’s saying. The child and associated adults are infinitely surprised when reply letters from Superman start appearing in their mailbox

[kryptonscout]

Just Some Sups Character Line Up

 Also I know that Clark’s alter ego reporter man is suppose to not draw attention to himself but I can’t stop putting him in very loud ugly blazers lol.

[kryptonscout]

@luthority​ ( cont. )

 “oh, i don’t know about an eclectic resume, but...” clark trails, fumbling with the pamphlets against his chest just to give luthor something else to focus on besides the pultizer winning journalist’s accomplishments. playing humble to a narcissist is the least favorite part of the disguise, but lois had already snagged the better scoop while superman was across town stopping a meteor from sinking the entire city. in turn, perry hadn’t been pleased with him getting sick from what he’d described as a spoiled lunch, thus landing him here on ‘light duty.’ not that he minds too much; the new intern could use a break, he’d heard her crying in the bathroom because her girlfriend broke up with her and figured that the last thing she’d want to do is kiss up to the certainly-not-suspicious recent donor of the daily planet’s new back-up office space. 

“well thank you, mr. luthor. that’s very kind of you.” he makes a noise of reprieve when the pamphlets are taken from him, immediately using the newfound freedom to slide his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. another word of thanks leaves him mid-hand shake, clumsily colliding into the first one, so that both compliments are answered for separately - the kind of praise clark knows he’s expecting to receive. 

at least when clark smiles, it’s - as luthor says - genuine. he can’t help but find humor in the irony of being considered ‘incapable’ of anything else. 

“poker? oh, no. i’ve never played before, if you can believe it. my ma didn’t raise me to be a gambler, actually.” because while the other remarks about reporters integrity are very telling to luthor’s character, it’s best to overlook them here in favor of the friendlier latter.

truth, clark finds, is always the best balancer in both personas.

“ah - anyway,” clark resumes, politely clearing his throat to dig out his tape recorder. this is going to be a long interview... there’s nothing luthor loves more than talking about how great he is, but hopefully it will be plenty of time for lois and jimmy to sleuth out what inspired this charitable gesture. 

“do you mind if i ask you a few questions while i give you the tour, mr. luthor?”

[kryptonscout]

Look at him drinking from a Superman cup

[kryptonscout]

“sure, clark…”

[kryptonscout]

❛ Did I miss anything? ❜

question sentence starters * @boywhelmed

“nope, think that’s everything.” kal says, carefully setting jon’s overnight backpack in dick’s hands. jon was too excited about sleeping over with damian that he’d forgotten to bring it with him to school. 

“give him a kiss for me when he gets out of school. i’ll be off-planet, but lois has her phone, in case you need her.”

[kryptonscout]

❛ Is everything okay? ❜

question sentence starters * @speedtacular​

 it only takes a few seconds for kal to tear his attention away from the direction of the horizon and back to barry, but those few seconds make it apparent that he’s splitting his focus.

he lessens the frown in his expression, minimizing the concern directed at him, and shakes his head. 

“nothing that can’t wait. just a certain superboy making vanity headlines in metropolis while i’m away.”

[kryptonscout]

° • ? ( QUESTION SENTENCE STARTERS.

❛ What are you doing? ❜ ❛ Where are you going? ❜ ❛ Where are you taking me? ❜ ❛ How is that working out for you? ❜ ❛ Is everything okay? ❜ ❛ Why are you acting like this? ❜ ❛ You think I would lie to you? ❜ ❛ Are you telling the truth? ❜ ❛ Are you sure you want to do this? ❜ ❛ This is your bright idea of a plan? ❜ ❛ What else do you want me to do? ❜ ❛ What else can I do? ❜ ❛ What do you think I should do? ❜ ❛ What makes you think that? ❜ ❛ Who told you that? ❜ ❛ Who are you? ❜ ❛ Why are you here? ❜ ❛ Who invited you? ❜ ❛ How come you ever asked me? ❜ ❛ Did you really mean all those things you said? ❜ ❛ Why did you have to go? Why did you have to leave? ❜ ❛ Why is it so hard for you to see that? ❜ ❛ Why don’t you understand? ❜ ❛ What don’t you understand? ❜ ❛ Are you joking? ❜ ❛ Did I miss anything? ❜ ❛ You don’t remember? ❜ ❛ Did you really say all that stuff about me? ❜ ❛ Did you think I would forget? ❜ ❛ How can you sit there and say that? ❜ ❛ How do you even sleep at night? ❜ ❛ Are you coming or not? ❜ ❛ Am I the only one freaked out right now? ❜ ❛ Are you laughing or crying? ❜ ❛ Who did this to you? ❜ ❛ Did someone hurt you? ❜ ❛ Is it just me or are you, like, ignoring me? ❜ ❛ You want me to apologize for something you did? ❜ ❛ Are you going to kiss me or not? ❜ ❛ Aren’t you the one who said it though? ❜ ❛ So, you don’t like me like that? ❜ ❛ Where do we go from here? ❜ ❛ Are you being serious right now? ❜ ❛ How was I supposed to know that? ❜ ❛ Oh, is that a challenge? ❜ ❛ Are you flirting with me? ❜ ❛ Are you going to let me go now? ❜ ❛ Are we done now? ❜ ❛ Why didn’t just ask me? ❜ ❛ You’re going to believe them over me? ❜ ❛ How can possibly think that? ❜ ❛ Did you even miss me? ❜ ❛ Did anyone even notice that I was gone? ❜ ❛ Why do you go around and kiss everyone? ❜ ❛ Did you kill them? ❜ ❛ Who’s blood is that? Is that your blood? ❜ ❛ Do you think this is a game? ❜ ❛ Are you having doubts? ❜ ❛ Why haven’t you been at school/work? ❜ ❛ Is there something going on that you need to tell me? ❜ ❛ You said you wanted to talk? ❜ ❛ What am I supposed to do? ❜ ❛ What did you expect to happen? ❜ ❛ How long you think you can keep this act up? ❜ ❛ You don’t like me? Do you? Like in a more than a friend way? ❜ ❛ Is that what everyone is saying now? ❜ ❛ Who do I remind you of? ❜ ❛ Are you hungry? Want to go get something to et? ❜ ❛ Are you drunk? ❜ ❛ Are you lost? ❜ ❛ What’s so great about any of that anyway? ❜ ❛ Are you even listening to yourself? ❜ ❛ What are you going to do about it, huh? ❜ ❛ What are you staring at? ❜ ❛ What are you doing out here? ❜ ❛ Why did you call the police? ❜ ❛ Wait, do you hear that? ❜ ❛ Why don’t you tell me anything? ❜ ❛ Hey, did you get me anything? ❜ ❛ Why didn’t you come over last night? ❜ ❛ What did you find out? ❜ ❛ Can I stay here for the night? ❜ ❛ Are you throwing rocks at my window? ❜ ❛ Are you crying? ❜ ❛ What are you laughing at me? ❜ ❛ Are you laughing at me? ❜ ❛ Do you not understand the word no? ❜ ❛ Is that it? Is that all? ❜ ❛ Are you in some kind of trouble? ❜ ❛ Yeah, but, you have me. So why bother? ❜ ❛ What’s love got to do with it? ❜ ❛ This is where we kiss, right? ❜ ❛ Do you ever not just only think about yourself? ❜ ❛ Are going to leave me again? ❜ ❛ What’s wrong with that? ❜ ❛ Do you have anything you need to say to me? ❜ ❛ I think I’m going to puke. Is there a trash can in here? ❜ ❛ You really don’t know why I’m mad at you? ❜ ❛ Why do you treat me like I’m not important to you? ❜ ❛ Why are you telling me this? ❛ Are you ready? ❜ ❛ What’s with all the questions? ❜ ❛ I thought this is what you wanted? ❜ ❛ Where do you think you’re going with this? ❜ ❛ You’re just going to leave? ❜ ❛ Do you trust me? ❜ ❛ You love me? Or you think you love me? ❜ ❛ When will it ever stop? ❜ ❛ Do you think it’ll ever go away? ❜ ❛ What are you doing this weekend? ❜ ❛ You called for back up? ❜ ❛ What did I just witness? ❜ ❛ How do you cope when the one you love is with somebody else? ❜ ❛ Have you ever thought it? ❜ ❛ Are you wearing a wire? ❜ ❛ Is there something wrong? ❜ ❛ Is it something I said or something I did? ❜ ❛ What’s wrong? I thought that it was okay? ❜ ❛ Are you going to hold that against me forever? ❜ ❛ So, tell me, what else is new? ❜ ❛ You never actually cared, did you? ❜ ❛ You went to a party without me? ❜ ❛ Why wasn’t I invited? ❜ ❛ Do you think that’s a little fucked up? ❜ ❛ Oh, so you do speak? ❜ ❛ Do you think it’s really worth it in the end? ❜ ❛ How many more times do I have to tell you? ❜ ❛ You didn’t think that it would bother me? ❜