#also featuring a tiny Lois

[nofacednerd]

Some doodles while I try to figure out how to draw this guy

[wow-wow-wubbsy]

Clark Kent is like that swole teddy bear plush

Also featuring a very tiny Lois because they are the embodiment of "big wholesome and tiny feral"

Based on this post where I already added my drawing, but I thought I'd make a separate post too.

[vinelark]

With the exciting news of Kon being in MAWS season 3 (!!!!!), do you have an specific recs for him when it comes to comics? (I know Young Justice is good for him, but not much outside of that)

hello! exciting news indeed!!! and hell yeah, here are some kon-centric comics outside of yj that i’ve enjoyed reading:

Reign of the Supermen arc (1993)

this arc has kon’s intro, well before he even had the name kon, and it’s worth a read if you haven’t already because of the way he shows up and is peak annoying immediately (said with love). especially Adventures of Superman #501! (the storyline spans a number of titles, reading order here)

(and for a related rec, the reign of the superman (2019) animated movie blends aspects of the original comic arc with the “kon is made with lex luthor’s dna” reveal/retcon; it’s a fun watch! left me with Much To Think About pang-wise, too.)

Superboy (1994)

the most concentrated amount of og jacket and glasses superboy you’ll find in one series; there’s a lot going on here, most of it so very 90s (both in the plot/world and on a more meta level) and also so many adorable kons. special shoutout to my favorite side character, krypto in his “tiny white terrier with a giant attitude” form. (and for a more specific rec i’ll point to issues #60 - 61, in which kon is hopping through multiple realities and we see, among others, robin!kon and “supergrrrl” kon.)

Batgirl (200) #41

this is the issue where cass goes “hmm, i should try to do A Romance” and shows up outside kon’s window to see what all the fuss is about, and they proceed to have the most lavender date of all lavender dates. i adore kon’s inability to shut up here, and also for obvious reasons need to give it a special shoutout for kon taking a “bat-babe” on a date in the clouds.

Adventure Comics (Vol 2) #1 - 6 (2009)

this arc serves to re-settle kon into the world (and smallville) after the whole [waves hand] dying and coming back to life thing. (technically it’s 12 issues, but you’re asking for specific recs so my specific recs are the first six!) this is about kon starting life in smallville and having a prolonged identity crisis re: the superman + lex luthor of it all. cassie, bart, and tim all show up as significant guest stars (one of my fav tim & kon issues of all time is in here) but it’s very kon-centric! i also really enjoy the art, especially when it does wide/landscape shots.

Superboy (2010)

this is a pretty direct continuation from the adventure comics arc, once again feat. kon’s 21st century black t-shirt (sigh) and also kon wearing the tiniest, goofiest pair of Disguise Glasses. that said, it’s a fun, classic “teen superhero juggles school and crushes and a statistically high number of supervillains for a small town (seriously, what the hell was poison ivy even doing in kansas?)” series. also if there were any justice in the world simon valentine would’ve been one of those crushes, but alas.

Convergence: Superboy (2015) #1 - 2

i’ll be honest, i’m not super familiar with the overarching convergence storyline, but i really enjoyed this two-shot featuring a kon who has been stuck in metropolis without his powers, only to suddenly gain them back and immediately start brawling with alternate versions of heroes he knows. i also like the art in this one, and the character designs overall—leather jacket kon my beloved!

Action Comics (2016) #1020 - 1028 (“House of Kent” arc)

this sequence brings kon back into the kent family fold after the timeline fuckery (and i think follows from the young justice (2019) gemworld arc where they re-find kon?)—so basically it’s kon’s re-introduction to clark, and to lois and jon (who’s visiting from his own future adventure) and kara and martha and jonathan. despite spelling conner’s name two different ways in the span of a few issues, it’s a neat speedrun of different kon+superfam interactions, and also a fun time for anyone who’s a fan of kon being solidly part of the kent family. also: jacket kon is back 🙏

this is not at all an exhaustive list, just some of my favs--happy reading!

[youremyheaven]

Some Unverified Celebs I Suspect to be Theatrical Romantics (TRs)

Carolyn Jones

She is most well known for playing Morticia Addams in the 50s sitcom The Addams Family

She's 168cms but is very petite with short limbs so she appears more delicate and shorter

Her face has Romantic-Dramatic-Ingenue essence which is the basic essence of TRs. She's very obviously a "femme fatale". She appears youthful, kind of innocent but also mysterious and seductive.

She has a very small frame and a delicate hourglass body.

2. Odeya Rush

You might recognise her as the mean girl from Lady Bird. She's often said to resemble Mila Kunis (who is a verified TR)👀

She's 163cm tall, has short limbs and is a very petite hourglass. She also has a Romantic Dramatic Ingenue essence and has those tell tale TR bedroom eyes<3

3. Myrna Loy

She's 168cms and has a very petite delicate hourglass body. Her face has a combination of soft and sharp features and her whole aura screams "femme fatale".

In the 30s & 40s she was typecast in exotic roles, often as a vamp before she established herself as a skilled comedic actress.

4.Debi Mazar

She's known for her roles in films like Empire Records & Goodfellas. She's also besties with Madonna.

She's 165cms tall and is so obviously TR. Look at that face.

She has a petite hourglass body as well.

5. Priscilla Presley

Priscilla is a very well known pop culture figure and former wife of Elvis Presley.

She's 163cm, has those bedroom eyes, full mouth, a mix of soft and sharp features and a petite hourglass body

6. Ornella Muti

She's an Italian actress who was in the 80s cult film Flash Gordon as Princess Aura.

She's 168cms

7. Elizabeth Gillies

You might recognize her from Victorious. Although she's tall enough to be an SD at 170cms, I personally think she's TR since she appears shorter than she is, has shorter limbs and does not have any obvious need to accommodate vertical.

8. Charlene Tilton

she's 150cms/4'11 and is a typical babyfaced TR imo. Sexy and cute.

9. Heather Locklear

She's 165cms or 5'5 and is one of the thinner TRs along with Mila Kunis and Morgan Fairchild. nonetheless she looks very much like one to me

10. Beverly D'Angelo

She's 158cms or 5'2 inches

She's tiny, an hourglass, has bedroom eyes and that femme fatale essence.

🦋

what all of these women have in common is their femme fatale essence and their petite hour glass body. if you look at all their pictures, you can tell how they all emanate a very similar vibe. Not every TR is going to be 5 feet tall, some are of average height (including verified TR Selena Gomez who is 5'5)

Although TRs are rare, they're not THAT rare. they walk among us all the time 😌😂 and are easy to spot because they're uncommon enough to stand out from all the other types.

[starry-skies-116]

The Super Trio!!

More information about them below:

______________________________________________________________

Clark:

24 years old.

Is Superman (obviously)

His eyes fade from cobalt blue to sunset pink (a more alien feature) and they don't have visible pupils- instead, they're a shade of teal that blend in seamlessly with the rest of his eyes. His excuse to those who ask him about it are 'cataracts that hinder his vision' hence the glasses.

Has moles underneath both his eyes, as well as tiny black stud piercings.

Mild mannered, gentle and sweet- doesn't come across as much of a country bumpkin as his original counterparts, since he left Krypton when he was a child and not a newborn.

Krypton fell to a combination of political dissent and environmental factors, succumbing to civil war. So while Clark DOES have family, he prefers not to talk about them, much less associate with them. After all, they do bring back memories that he'd rather not remember.

Struggles with his sense of identity and purpose, and tends to be more defiant of authority since people have been trying to control him for basically his entire life. The past still haunts him even to this day.

Has knowledge of Krypton's history, as well as its technology- though he has to be careful about whom he discloses it to and where he stores it.

Basically 90% of Lois and Jimmy's impulse control.

Lois:

24 years old.

Intern at the Daily Planet and aspiring Pulitzer Prize winner.

Her mother is an immigrant from Vietnam- her biological father died before she was born- 'Lane' isn't her actual surname.

Younger sister is Lucy Lane, a New Metropolis Public Security officer- and US Army General Sam Lane is her stepfather.

Ambitious, determined, hardworking, single-minded and playful- basically hasn't relaxed a day in her life. Values the truth above all else.

She is, as Jimmy puts it, an 'unhinged driver.' To put it into perspective, she ran twenty red lights since she first got her license and only got two speeding tickets, and one time she reversed on the highway because she missed her exit (Jimmy was traumatized.)

As Perry puts it, she seems to have a seemingly 'endless' supply of energy, never being exhausted or apathetic. She's also quite perceptive, too, having quite the number of connections via her family- and eventually, her friends.

She has dyslexia.

She doesn't really get along with her stepfather, and doesn't often talk to him- so they don't really have a warm relationship.

Jimmy:

Real name is James, of course.

19 years old (or as he argues, 19 and three-quarters.)

The Daily Planet's photographer- enthusiastic and precocious, and rather easily excitable. Don't let that fool you, though, he's a shockingly adept detective with a penchant for uncovering the truth.

A good judge of character, willing to give others a chance and never overstepping boundaries if he can help it.

His photography skills are still a work in progress- much to Perry's chagrin, instead of clear photos of the subject specifically requested for the article, most of the camera roll is blurry images of Superman.

Superstitious, a firm believer in alien 'conspiracy theories' and the first to propose that Superman is, in fact, an extraterrestrial.

He and Lois are basically 'double the trouble,' as Perry puts it- which is why he assigns Clark to the General Investigations Department, to reel them in.

Has quite a lot of extended family, similar to Clark- unlike the latter, though, they're rather loving to the point of being somewhat overprotective.

Screams at the top of his lungs whenever Lois is driving- thankful for Clark's presence, since before the latter began to work for The Daily Planet, Jimmy was always in shotgun whenever Lois drove and took the brunt of the terror.

[renaroo]

Chris Kent?

Lu <3 You always know the right characters to ask~

My beloved and special boy, my favorite little man, my precious <3

wasted potential: This is probably the most painful part of this particular prompt. Chris Kent, of all the characters I have loved over the years with wasted potential, has probably the largest amount of wasted potential. And I mean this specifically with his original context -- ever since DC Rebirth, and maybe even a little bit before but especially since then, stories featuring “Chris” (or, more accurately “Lor-Zod”) have reinvented a completely different character to tell stories about rather than talk about the stories left on the table for Chris. It’s been so discouraging especially since the original story he had was SO unique and SO powerful

they're deeper than they seem: Chris had so much going on that people don’t really see on their first introduction to him. Like ah yes, a Kryptonian child who is the child of super villains — which to be clear is the only part of him that modern writers seem interested in and is why we’re seeing such horrible versions of him lately. But the original Chris, the real Chris, was a look at children who rise above the abuse they endured in childhood. And it’s not because he’s inherently some saintly presence or knows what to do. He’s able to prove himself good and powerful because he was rescued and shown love and goodness from people who took him in. It’s a story about the importance of families who step up, who foster, who adopt. I just love it.

didn't get enough screen time: This is self-explanatory, but we were absolutely ROBBED of more time with Chris, more time with Lois and Clark as his parents, more time of the deconstruction of childhood trauma/abuse that had only just begun. There are more appearances than people think — I especially like the comics written by Kurt Busiek featuring Chris — but we really deserved more of Chris as he was. Not aged up, not completely transformed into mini-Zod. And ugh it kills me.

I want to carry them in a handbag like a tiny dog: Also extremely self-explanatory. Chris is a precious boy. I will carry him around forever.

they've never done anything wrong in their life <33: Again, throw out everything post-New52 and the TRUE Chris has never done a single wrong thing in his life. Never forget the story of a boy who knew nothing but the abusive life inflicted on him, was welcomed into the loving arms of his foster family, had his world opened up to the idea that he was worth more and that he could be more, and stood firm for his better reality. He is precious. His story is needed. And I love him so much.

[winderlylandchime]

20 questions for fic writers

tagged by @eusuntgratie tysm! <3 <3

1. how many works do you have on ao3?

46

2. what’s your total ao3 word count?

471,609

3. what fandoms do you write for?

Primarily Queer As Folk (US 2000) but I’ve written for cmbyn and I’ve done a ficlet and a drabble for Good Omens

4. what are your top five fics by kudos

tied to a night they never met, I Crossed All the Lines and I Broke All the Rules, ‘cause all I’ll ever be is your dirty computer, you’re like a tattoo (something I can’t undo)

5. do you respond to comments? why or why not?

I do! I write in a teeny tiny fandom which means that I “know” most of the people commenting so the comment section feels like hanging out at a dive bar talking fandom with friends. There’s a post that goes around tumblr that speaks to how people care less about the comments and more about the community and that’s what I feel I get from the comments on my fics. That may change the day I write for a big fandom.

6. what is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

love is so short, forgetting is so long is a major character death fic so that one. yeah. (why did I write it? I have no idea. I don’t even read MCD fics.)

7. what’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Probably (and I’d do it again) and carried me with you

8. do you get hate on fic?

Funny enough most of my hate has been on bookmarks. I don’t know if she doesn’t realize that public bookmarks are, in fact, public or she just doesn’t care, but there’s someone in the QAF fandom who likes to critique my fics in her bookmarks. Thank goodness for the mute feature on AO3.

9. do you write smut?

Sure do.

10. do you write crossovers?

I haven’t. That feels… intimidating.

11. have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge.

12. have you ever had a fic translated?

I haven’t but I would welcome it!

13. have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes but I’ve removed myself as an author of that fic.

14. what’s your all-time favorite ship?

My beloved Brian Kinney and Justin Taylor. Always and forever.

15. what’s a wip you want to finish but probably won’t?

I have a few ideas for outtakes/deleted scenes in the Tattoo ‘verse and I want to write them but also I have so many ideas…

16. what are your writing strengths?

Emotions are my bread and butter.

17. what are your writing weaknesses?

Writing itself. And smut.

18. thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

LaVieEnRose has set the bar and anything less than the care and attention she has given ASL and Deaf culture in her fics just annoys me (unless it’s canonical).

19. first fandom you wrote for?

Your girl was writing Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman fic in high school on yahoo listservs.

20. favorite fic you’ve written?

It’s always my most recent one because I think I keep getting better at writing.

no pressure tagging @bartbarthelme @sheisraging @flowerswehadgrowntogether @xoxoemynn

[josiebelladonna]

the eclipse fics in a nutshell

sleepless eyes, closed to light: oddly tender, pho is sexy, slightly heartbreaking 

devil’s dance: fog, marty friedman made into a vampire anyone?, gay omegaverse

venus in furs: louie in gloves louie in gloves louie in gloves louie in gloves louie in gloves louie in gloves louie in gloves louie in gloves louie in gloves louie in gloves louie in gloves louie in gloves louie in gloves louie in gloves 

angel’s trumpet: vampire alex, doing it on the floor, turning blue, “good boy”

frangipani: invitation to the woods, joey is into bdsm… turned a lot of type o headcanons sideways… heh hehe hoho 😅

the cuckoo clock: alex is soft, coupl’a boys doing it doggy style before breakfast 

mise en abyme: my insecurity over sex toys put into a humorous perspective, mark accidentally gets into it

dreaming of you: alex’s full, soft voice put to sensual use whilst ensconced in velvet and the black of night. eric is also hungry.

diamonds and guns: FUCKING EPIC, there’s a car accident and then alex gets a stripper pole, leather teddies, and body glitter. chuck also says probably my favorite thing i’ve written in a fic ever, “you sexy little matzo ball.”

suicide blonde: eric and florence confessing and getting hammered. bah-BOOM!

camera obscura: lily nicks the skol-camera and takes a bunch of naughty pics to surprise alex and it goes oh so wrong. rob gets some “free porn”, too 😂

monolith: alex brushing his hair in the mirror and being a bad boy 👀

my girlfriend’s girlfriend: hot metal and superheated water, a sex bot?, two girls and a bad plan that will lead to saving alex. sounds like a lost wayans brothers movie and what i get for growing up in the 2000s

the moth: lily hiding in the closet and watching her kid sister nibble on a couple of filipino boys. good lord that sounds wrong 😆

covalent bonds: i shit you the fuck not, the idea for that one came to me in the middle of the night as i was falling asleep. i described it as “terry gilliam directed a sex in the city episode only way more gay”

tiny bubbles: alex taking a bath and francine just waltzes right in to use the toilet. discussion about feeling gross and dirty in the genitalia. the real tension exists with them, after all (and also alex and eric).

magic stick: eric and a pregnant florence hiding in an extra large coffin in a mortuary from killer robots. this one is weirdly wholesome?

night of the witch: two words: slutty alex.

rattlesnake shake: krista missing joey because she will always love him and alex thinking of krista because he wants someone to love him.

bailar conmigo: joey and alex doing a very vague dirty dancing homage (i somehow managed to avoid using “nobody puts baby in the corner”)

basil hallward blues: a roundabout reference to dorian gray, with joey being dorian gray and chuck being basil but also lord henry (like blood from a stone is an odd little homage to dorian gray, because i love that book so much)

effets de soir: alex is by himself and peter calls, and thus ensues a very interesting conversation (i also unpacked some more type o headcanons, probably for good this time, that tag is awful quiet right now 😅)

disciples of the watch: remember that episode of family guy where lois gets fat and peter wants her fatter (or that episode of malcolm in the middle where lois gets fat and hal wants her fatter)? yeah… 😏

cosa del pantano: a de facto double date in yosemite and probably the weirdest shoutout to gary paulson’s hatchet books known to man.

fresh deadly roses: alex resisting the urge to screw chuck silly… while lilian is sound asleep right there right next to him. king diamond’s fairies also may or may not be aphrodisiacs.

man of golden words: the eerie inhabitants ‘verse set in the mid-2000s, with flip phones and everything. need i say more 😜

the sensual world: slutty alex, meet slutty jeff.

blood for poppies: t.s.o. era alex sans the t.s.o. part. featuring an eclipse!

last day in paradise: sending up a similar thing with disciples, but in tahoe. also jeff is on a bicycle and being a good boy for alex 👀

summer in the city: alex is so cold from his state of undeath that lily wants to play with his thermostat- that is the worst thing i’ve ever said, what’re you doing?

dust in the wind: shirtless joey, alex in tight jeans and showing his tummy so much love, pumpkins, candy, a tiny knife, and a big ass nod to the exorcist. any questions?

[ntshastark]

MAWS s2 liveblog: 2x03-2x04

i didn't get the notification when ep 3 premiered so we're doing a double feature again

Episode 3

wait, they're giving him a new power??

==

👀👀👀.

==

oh boy

==

same

==

WELL THANKS FOR THE SPOILER

==

love to see lois in her natural habitat (breaking and entering)!!

==

vicki is kinda giving me my classic!lois fix ngl

==

👀👀👀.

==

you had no backups??????? what kind of scientist-

==

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

==

ok who looks at superman and thinks "hey, do you know what this guy needs? even more superpowers!"???????????????????

and he could've protected silas with his cape, and flown the core to space, like???? he didn't need a forcefield power in any sense of the word!!!

==

<33333333333333

==

YES SHE DOES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😭😭😭😭

==

why is she acting like metropolis is some tiny village lmao it's literally in the name

also. girl. you live in gotham

==

is it normal to go from intern to front page in that short a time? 🤨

==

oh god i'd forgotten about pidge luthor

==

🚨🚨🚨 EVIL TWINK ALERT 🚨🚨🚨

("oh you just mean to say faggot" no. that's all lex luthors. this one is just also a twink)

==

this is so unreal, he looks like a teenager

==

oh thank god i'm not the only one who noticed

==

Episode 4

omg superman's pal jimmy olsen!!

==

yeah, they're definitely making him softer lmao

==

i hate them

==

OH THEY SAID THE THING!!!!!!!

==

this is so itsv!kingpin

==

are they gonna kiss????

==

WHY IS HE DRESSED LIKE A TEENAGER AT SCHOOL

==

this series has a penchant for infantilising their characters, i'm kinda afraid of how they're gonna deal with kara. especially since she apparently also left krypton as a baby, so her biggest differential from clark is gonna be the age

==

these flashbacks are supposed to be lois' tragic backstory but all i can think of is how much better a relationship she had with her dad than usual, like 😭 at least this one is trying lmao

==

and she didn't even have to raise her sister! (rip lucy)

==

i- hm.

==

i actually really like this design

==

wait, the star labs thing is in metropolis??? isn't star labs in central city???

==

i usually find the animation in this series too stiff but the fight scenes are really well done

==

ugh, i was hoping for a kara teaser :/

==

i'm kinda meh about this series ngl. and a lot of it comes from it being too childish, which. it's a kids cartoon.

i should finish smallville..

[themovieblogonline]

Superman Legacy casting news has landed!

When James Gunn announced that he was re-starting the entire Superman storyline, with a brand-new Superman movie called Superman Legacy, the first question that everyone obviously had in mind was "Who is going to replace Henry Cavill?" Thankfully, fans didn't have to wait too long, because he recently announced that David Corenswet will be taking on this Superman Legacy casting in the iconic role, and at the same time he also confirmed that Rachel Brosnahan would be playing Clark Kent's love interest, Lois Lane! With David, he has starred in projects such as Pearl and We Own This City, and in a similar vein to say Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, James Gunn is clearly giving us a character that viewers won’t be able to compare to too many other characters or franchises, and in movie history, this idea always works extremely well. For Rachel, viewers would have seen her in her fantastic role as Miriam 'Midge' Maisel in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, a show which shows she can easily take on the character of Lois Lane, with a fresh approach! When it comes to cinema history, it doesn't get much bigger than Superman, and I'm really excited to see how they'll tackle these fantastic characters. With the highly anticipated announcement of the two leads now confirmed, what fans have now been wondering, is “Who else will feature in the movie?” and, after giving followers just a tiny bit of time to accept the first bit of huge casting news, James Gunn has now added even more actors, to an already impressive line-up. We’ve got Anthony Carrigan (Barry) taking on the role of Rex Mason, and Isabela Merced (Dora and the Lost City of Gold) as Hawkgirl just to start with. Then, we’ve got a James Gunn regular, Nathan Fillion (Suicide Squad) cast as Guy Gardner, and Edi Gathegi (X-Men: First Class) as Mister Terrific. Ultimately, James Gunn has given us some out-of-this-world casting news for Superman: Legacy, and what’s more exciting, is that it shows that the creative process for the movie is in full swing, and James Gunn is clearly very eager to get it done. Bring it on. Read the full article

[eri-cheri]

Now that we have reached the last chapter of the year. It is time to do a 2020 roll call of what I like to call, “State of the Shippers”:

1. IzuOcha. Status: Placated.

-IzuOcha’s could celebrate several cute tidbits throughout the year. Mini moments as they say.

Anime Highlights: The OVA’s came in clutch with moments for shippers all around and IzuOcha is no exception. We got a cute tidbit where Izuku and Ochako bumped into each other and were flustered.

Manga Highlights: Christmas kept on giving to this fandom as the AM doll Izuku gave Ochako made many appearances. A cute fist bump between the two was also exchanged and Mina was right there bouncing with y’all.

Heroes Rising: Izuku super man carried Ochako to safety. And was Angy she was injured. Fans could enjoy the small Lois Lane moment.

Troubling Signs?: Ochako said “I would like to be excluded from this narrative” when it comes to her feelings for Deku. She’s a hero damnit! So if they are in for something, probably won’t be while they are still in school.

II. DabiHawks. Status: Yikes.

- Dabi and Hawk’s very public breakup set this fandom in disarray but also kind of disayay?

Anime Highlights: None yet. This fandom was cruelly cock blocked by Bones. Sorry DabiHawks stans.

Manga Highlights: Where to begin, my goodness. With these fans, I guess the good and the bad is a plus in this homoerotic double agent relationship. We have the notion that Dabi may have known Hawks when they were kids, which may be a positive? Hori sure loves his childhood friends. Other than that. The GIRLS WERE FIGHTIN’. Hawks is now permanently scarred by Dabi and I don’t think it was kinky folks. Tokoyami inserted himself in the middle to White Knight Hawks, Dabi broke up with him via YT expose and overall, shippers could anguish in the absolute MESS that this ship endured this year. But I’m sure that’s part of the appeal. So...yay?

Heroes Rising: They were both in it.

Troubling Signs?: The entire relationship is a troubling sign which again, is part of the appeal. Maybe Hawks will cuddle up with Dabi’s father after the war. That’s troubling! Speaking of...

III. EndHawks. Status: Yearning and Burning.

-If there’s one thing Endeavor couldn’t stop worrying about, it was his hot (in more ways than one) new side piece who probably should have looked at the fine print when signing a contract to be a recurring guest star on “Keeping up with the Todoroki’s”.

Anime Highlights: A fateful meeting finally in high definition for all our eyes to see! Hawks’s unwavering support of his biggest hero was endearing to watch and their shenanigans together spurred the anime onlies to finally jump on the biggest May-December ship in the series.

Manga Highlights: Endeavor’s admiration and concern for Hawks seeped through the pages as we entered our most exciting arc in the manga yet. Fate split these two up yet entwined their downfall together. And that Fate’s name was Dabi...or should I say ⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️ or should I just say Touya!

Heroes Rising: “Don’t bite my head off, Endeavor.” Geez, can you flirt a little less loud Hawks?

Troubling Signs?: They say never meet your heroes and Hawks is in for a rude awakening. We shall see just how deep his admiration runs or if Endeavor’s past will split our dynamic duo up for good.

IV: TodoDeku. Status: “Precious”

-Shoto’s “Midoriya is in Danger” radar was highlighted in both manga and anime. 4th User’s quirk, who?

Anime Highlights: “Midoriya hasn’t returned yet.” “Where’s Midoriya?” “Midoriya! Grab my hand!” “Have some of my Soba Midoriya.” Shoto gets it. His emotional support friend is a danger magnet. TodoDeku’s also enjoyed tiny tidbits in the OVA such as a hand grabbing scene. Gotta hold tight to those crumbs.

Manga Highlights: Two Words. “Precious Friend.” Deku comes in w/o arms or legs fighting for Shoto and Shoto’s honor. These two spent the entire year worried sick about each other, and going against all odds to save each other. Precious Friends indeed. TDDK fans ate.

Heroes Rising: Shoto kicks some dog ass and then faints thinking of Deku (and Bakugo but shh. Let the shippers rejoice.) On the bright side, we have a 3rd movie coming featuring “The Three Musketeers” so shippers of TdDk can HOLD TIGHT to what’s to come.

Troubling Signs?: Shoto still doesn’t know about OFA and he’s gonna have LOTS of questions after this arc. Will Deku finally tell him? If not, it could make or break the ship.

V. TodoBaku. Status: “Shining through the city with a little funk and soul.”

-Who knew the greatest comedy duo we needed was Shoto and his hot headed “friend” or not friend? It still remains unclear to Shoto. Regardless, these two had a fun year.

Anime Highlights: “I wanna see your cute face”, disco dancing, and more fun in the provisional license training. Plus the OVA added some cute moments between the two such as Bakugo staying behind to save Todoroki during a dangerous excercise and his adorable plan neatly animated for us. I’d say TodoBaku’s really were resurgent and energized this year!

Manga Highlights: Shoto, that is not how you properly Catch a Kacchan, I’m sorry. But at least you did it you mad lad. As with Deku, Shoto spent the year worried sick about Bakugo. While the anime let us have our fun, these two were suffering in the manga.

Heroes Rising: Again, Shoto put a dog down and then fainted with Bakugo on his mind (and Deku but we ignore that. Shush.) TodoBaku’s have the 3rd movie to look forward to which is bound to have some amazing content!

Troubling Signs?: They have a lot of trauma to deal with. And a lot of Deku to worry about. I also imagine Shoto will be hurt about being left out of the OFA secret. We shall see what 2021 has to offer.

VI. KiriMina. Status: Unbreakable.

-Changing your hairstyle to match the gal who inspired you in middle school? Sorry y’all but if Mina were a guy, I’d say that’s gay af.

Anime Highlights: We got that backstory Bois. Red Riot’s origin might as well make him be called Pink Riot. Again with Hori and the childhood friends though I wouldn’t exactly call them friends. They just went to the same middle school but Kirishima was highly influenced by Mina’s Chivalrous spirit! A ship is born!

Manga Highlights: The influence is mutual! Mina creates a move based on Kirishima’s unbreakable and we all let out a collective “awwww”. Also in the war arc, we got Kirishima making sure Mina’s chivalrous spirit shines through right into Gigantomachia’s mouth! KiriMina may just be the unsung MVP’s of this arc.

Heroes Rising: They were in it.

Troubling Signs?: I can’t think of a single one. KiriMina’s can enjoy a peaceful sailing.

VII: KiriBaku. Status: Crumb Collectors.

-2020 was an uneventful year for KiriBaku but Bones made sure there were crumbs aplenty! Thank God for OVA’s!

Anime Highlights: KiriBaku’s did thrive in one episode! Kirishima reflects on the sludge incident and evolves his quirk based on inspiring words from Bakugo! Hooray! KiriBaku’s can thrive in their blossoming friendship. The OVA also has Kirishima (and Kaminari but shh) once again following Bakugo’s lead when it comes to the training excercise. How can you not? He’s so manly!

Manga Highlights: Not gonna lie. There is nothing much here this year. I did find a teeny tiny flake in Aizawa’s flashback. Kirishima and Bakugo are sitting next to each other. Oh! And at the hot pot gathering, Bakugo sits next to Kirishima! Eat your crumbs KiriBaku’s! There’s always next year!

Heroes Rising: Kirishima hangs with a lazy Bakugo and delivers the most hilarious line in the whole movie. “Silly Bakugo, there won’t be villains here!” Hahah... Silly Bakugo. Oh you~ KiriBaku’s can inhale the fact that those two sure love to hover around each other!

Troubling Signs?: With great crumbs come little responsiblity. No trouble if there’s no content! ���

VIII: KamiJirou. Status: Singing their hearts out 🎶

-If there’s any ship that’s coming close to canonization, I think this is it, folks! “Think of the person most important to you!” Can’t argue with Midnight!

Anime Highlights: Kaminari does non stop encouraging of Jirou and her hobbies! He works super hard to learn guitar for her sake! We love a king who can encourage his queen!

Manga Highlights: Kaminari thinks of the most important person to him and surprise! It’s Jirou! All of the feels can commence.

Heroes Rising: They were in it!

Troubling Signs?: Kaminari does love his women. And men. Kaminari overall is a huge flirt. But Jirou appears to have his heart strings. ❤️

IX: BakuDeku. Status: Rising. 👑

-Alternative Statuses include Winning, Thriving, Soaring. It’s just been non stop content this year. 2020 is truly the year for BakuDeku. The shippers can rejoice.

Anime Highlights: Three words. Be. My. Cane. The OVA’s helped fan the flames of the BkDk hearts with a surprise! Deku tops! Not only that, we got a lovely shoulder tap of encouragement in the canon material. While in season 4, Deku’s primary focus was Eri. Bakugo and Deku still had their moments to be hella gay.

Manga Highlights: Where do I even begin? I guess we’ll just cut to the chase with Bakugo Katsuki: Rising. We finally saw Bakugo’s true feelings manifest for Deku and if getting stabbed for him isn’t the ultimate showing of love, then idk what is. BakuDeku’s rounded out the year with the Volume 29 cover AND the volume 29 cover drafts to eat at our heart strings. Overall, their relationship got the spotlight in the manga this year. And we’re bound to start 2021 with a dramatic confrontation. Hand holding seems to be the key with these two and it didn’t stop with Heroes Rising...speaking of.

Heroes Rising: The entire movie. Like....yeah. That’s it. [OP, your bias is showing. You have to be SPECIFIC.] {But random criticizer in my head, if I lay out the entire plot of the movie, my post will be too long} [OP....] UGHHHH Okay okay. The POPSICLE MELTING. THE HAND HOLDING. THE CHARACTER DESIGNS OF WHAT MIGHT AS WELL BE THEIR LOVE CHILDREN. Did I mention? “It’s fine if it’s you?” CAUSE YEAH. Oh and All Might randomly officiating their wedding in their heads like idk. Isn’t it just simpler if I say the whole movie??!

Troubling Signs?: Well these two’s relationship is extremely delicate and while it has non stop soared this year, Deku might not take too kindly to Bakugo almost dying for him. Will they stop pushing each other away? Time will tell.

That’s all for this year folks! Happy Shipping and good luck to everyone next year!

[babylooneytoonz]

the Other Lane.

pairing : Clark Kent x Reader

requested by: @dashingcavill [Hope you like this! 💛]

warnings: Angst with a happy ending, and a lot of fluff in the end.

A/N: Ah, I'm really sorry I couldn't help but put some major angst in here, but I swear the ending is happy and I added the right amount of feels and fluff to make it hurt less. 💛

[The Masterlist]

You often wondered if you were born to your parents only to become a commodity that could be compared to your sister, Lois , at all times. Yes, the two of you were different, she had glamourous blonde hair and sparkling blue irises that made her strike out, while you had sombre [Y/H/C] hair and dull [Y/E/C] eyes that peeked out from the tint of your glasses. If the glasses weren't enough to fit you perfectly into the category that was termed as 'nerds', the fact that you loved to bury yourself into mounds and mounds of books, and literature was sure to fit you into that bill. All that comparison, but that didn't lessen the bond that you shared with Lois though.

However, things slowly started changing, the dynamics messing up when Clark Kent came into your life, as a friend and as a colleague.

Lois worked as a reporter for Daily Planet, and you, well you were mostly working in the background, struggling to make a run with your tiny little column on relationship advises. It wasn't like you were any less intelligent, but maybe you just were okay with how everything was going.

It didn't mean that there weren't times at all when Lois made you secretly jealous. To be fair, it didn't bother you when you heard stories of how Lois got herself into trouble yet again, with none other than the Superman came to her rescue. You could still take that, considering the fact that Superman took his duty towards the civilians as his topmost priority, but when you began noticing obvious changes in your sister's behaviour when she talked to Clark, his alter ego; your colleague at work, you couldn't help but start feeling the little pangs of jealousy.

It all began subtly— starting from lingering glances at the workplace, to hands brushing with each other's, almost innocently, yet the two of them had a sparkle in their eyes when it did. At first, you decided to ignore them at work, trying your best to not run into Clark Kent while you were in your office building. The reason for this was still inexplicably strange for you. You didn't even know the man that well, yet you could do nothing in your control to keep your budding feelings for him under check. It was like, the more you avoided Clark Kent, the more you began aching to get a glimpse of him.

As the days passed, you realized that your crush on Clark was slowly getting more prominent, and you started feeling scared, dreading if there ever came a day that your secret crush on him with finally be out. To top it up a notch, you wondered how Lois will react, knowing well aware that there was something blooming between the two of them, although she had never admitted this to you herself. Also, you kept hoping that whatever this was, between Clark and Lois, it was maybe all in your head and that maybe, just maybe, it wasn't even true, and you hoped it wasn't.

Soon, days grew into weeks and weeks flew by as long months, and you realized that what you felt for Clark wasn't just a silly crush, but you were actually falling in love with the man. It was the littlest things that he did that made your heart melt. You would, sometimes, run into him in the cafeteria, where he would be filling up his mug of coffee. He was a gentleman, he would smile and greet you warmly, your eyes meeting his sparkling bright ones as he would move out of the way and insist that you went ahead first. You would often end up taking elevator rides with him, and he would make sweet small talks with you, talking to you about everything, ranging from the weather to a possible alien invasion.

The plan that you had cooked up to avoid Clark Kent went down the drain from those days onwards. Instead, you almost began running into Clark almost everyday. The gossips about Clark and Lois had, by then, died down and you couldn't help but feel relieved, relieved that maybe you had just been dreaming, and there was nothing between Lois and Clark.

"Hey [Y/N], can I borrow your turtleneck? I can't seem to find mine?"

You looked up from the book that you had been binge reading on, flustered and embarassed, as you immediately tossed the book unceremoniously into your blanket. Of course, you couldn't let your sister in on the fact that you were secretly reading the fifty shades series. She would tease the living hell out of you. And then there was the fact that you felt ashamed of the fact that you could practically imagine Clark Kent in your mind as Christian Grey, and it was making you all heated up and bothered.

Lois raised an eyebrow when she saw you red you had turned, "Are you okay? You look like a massive human sized tomato."

"Gee, Lois, thanks?" You mumbled, still reeling from the way she had suddenly barged into your bedroom, as you pushed your glasses over the bridge of your nose, "couldn't bother to knock?"

"Since when do we do these formalities?" She wiggled her eyebrows dramatically, and dashed towards your closet, throwing it open as her fingers began working through the hangers, looking for what she was looking for. She was practically messing up your closet, so you sighed and decided to give her a helping hand. Abruptly, you slid out of the covers, forgetting about the novel that you had hidden underneath and the novel suddenly slipped off the side of the bed and fell to the floor, it's covering full on display.

You facepalmed, burying your face into your hands as Lois walked up to the book and picked it up, smirking obviously as she read out the title out loud just to tease you.

"Looks like my baby sister is finally growing her wings."

"Stop it, Lois. Don't embarass me," you grumbled, looking away. Instead, you dashed up to your closet and pushed her to the side, roughly pulling out your turtleneck as you handed it to her.

"Come on, [Y/N]" she laughed, shaking her head, messing up her perfectly styled blonde waves as she ran a hand through them, "We all have done this. You're not the only one. Nothing to be embarassed about. It's not like you're watching porn."

"It is technically still porn if I'm reading it," you whispered, watching her as she examined the turtleneck and smiled, as though she had pictured just the best trousers to go with it in the back of her mind as she absentmindedly replied back, "Again, sis, we all have done it."

You noticed the way she kept glancing at her phone, with a smile threatening to spill across her features. You raised your eyebrows and smacked your lips together, blinking curiously. She finally looked up and saw that you were staring at her so she grinned, "Guess who has a date tonight?"

"A date?" You asked, absentmindedly.

"Clark asked me out, [Y/N]. He is taking me to this really good Thai place that opened up in the suburbs and I just couldn't decide on what to wear!! This will just go perfectly with my jeans."

It happened so suddenly, but it still did. You felt like someone had just ripped your gut out with bare hands. You suddenly felt empty, was an understatement. You suddenly felt strange and cut off, and everything around you suddenly felt cold and distant and gloomy. You looked up at her, your earlier warmth having dissipated into a cold, dark look and you gave her a smile, biting your lip, "That's great, Lois. Have fun."

Lois noticed the way your face fell, but she couldn't understand or take the hint. She kept watching as you moved away, turning your back towards her and didn't utter another word. She parted her lips, wanting to ask her what had gone wrong suddenly, but decided not to, or rather, keep the discussion for another time. She didn't want Clark to reach before she had even gotten ready. You didn't step out of your bedroom, that night when Lois returned from her date with Clark, and Lois frowned when she saw that the lights to your bedroom were already switched off. You were a late sleeper.

Two months later,

Lois looked up from the article that she had been reading to find you enter the dining room with a breakfast plate in your hand.

"Mornin'," you mumbled, your voice barely audible as you sat down on a chair in front of her, next to your father, Sam Lane. Your father looked up from the newspaper that he was reading, and glanced at Lois who shrugged her shoulders in response and he cleared the throat.

"Honey, don't you think you've been locking yourself up in your room for long now? When was the last time you actually did something that didn't involve either the bed, or your office desk?" The cutting crispness in his voice was enough to slice through your heart, but weirdly, you felt nothing, ecen when you heard Lois gasp and mumble something to her father in protest.

"What do you want me to do, dad?" You asked, sipping your juice, your eyes fixed to your plate.

Ignoring you, Sam turned towards his elder daughter as he narrowed his eyes at her, his loud, booming voice echoing through your house, "Lois, what the hell happened at work? She just quit? And didn't even give a damn valid reason as to what on earth happened?"

"I don't know, dad. She hardly talks to me anymore," Lois replied.

You chuckled dryly to yourself, wondering when you had become so invisible to the world. You were right there with them and yet they regarded you like you weren't even there.

"It was difficult to get you job at the Daily Planet and look at you, throwing it away for whatever the hell the reason was." Your dad barked.

Your fingers clenched into a fist and Lois visibly tensed. Hurriedly, she stood up and announced that she was leaving. You stood up too, but not for work, but rather to go back to the place that you had locked yourself in for the past two months. When you reached the door, you turned around and regarded your father, mumbling, "Why would you care anyway? You never really did before."

You kicked open your room door and slammed it back shut again as you ran straight for your bed. You were trembling like a leaf trying to detach itself from the tree when you buried your face into the pillow and screamed as loudly as you could into it. You were a mess, a walking , talking, living, breathing mess.

You cried, for almost thirty minutes, until you were out of tears. You then sat up and rubbed your eye sockets, finally taking a deep breath. You were letting Clark and Lois affect you so much, you had forgotten what it was like to live normally. How were you supposed to go on like this? If you wouldn't take a command of your own life again, then how would learn to get back up on your feet? When would you learn to accept that you would never get Clark? He wasn't the one for you.

Feelings are so transient, it's like you can feel them slicing through your insides one minute, and then the other minute, you feel unrealistically numb.

With those sorts of destructive thoughts in your mind, you sneaked a bottle of whiskey that night from your father's liquor cabinet at two am at night. You rolled the window pane and snuck out onto the fire escape until you were climbing up towards the roof the building of your apartment, the bottle in tow.

You fixed yourself on the ledge, using your teeth to twist the bottle cap as you took a swig of it, feeling the warm liquid burn your relentless thirst for relief. Sip after sip, you kept staring at the starless sky, mediating your gaze from the sky down to the glittery buildings.

"Will I ever forget you, Clark Kent?" You whispered, into the thin air, laughing bitterly at yourself as you took the last sip from the bottle before it rolled away. The way the lights glimmered in front of you, and one of two cars drove past your building, looking like tiny little blinking lights from the height you were at, you realized one thing. No matter how bad your heart is broken, the world doesn’t stop for your grief.

You were lost in a turbulence of your own thoughts, so entangled into them, you didn't hear the soft thud somewhere behind you, neither the sound of the faintest footsteps that got closer to you, with every passing second. You took a sharp breath, and slowly stepped over the ledge, feeling shudders all over your frame as the winds hit you all over you. You footing, however, slipped, a sharp scream erupting from your lips as you fell backwards against gravity, your heart almost stopping.

Someone suddenly reached out towards you, gripping your wrist, leaving you hanging from the ledge, your body flailing in the air.

He pulled you with a jerk towards you, and your body hit his front, your hair falling all over your face partially covering it. You felt intoxicated, so much, that you had almost died by falling off the building but you didn't feel the scare, the only thing you felt was a sudden surge of adrenaline.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Superman growled, through gritted teeth, his eyes sparkling as you jerked you by your shoulders.

"Clark? Is -- that you?!" You slurred, holding on to his cape tight to hold you in place. You were in a weird state of mind, you could see that it was him, but you couldn't figure out if it really was him, or if it was your mind that was playing an illusion on you.

"Are you trying to kill yourself?" Clark fumed, still holding on to you by the low of your back. He suddenly jumped off the ledge, with you in tow, away from the edge, so the two of you were in the middle of the roof now.

"K-Kill myself? No, I.. I.." You stammered, struggling for the right words but your brain felt frozen.

"Two months, and you don't show yourself. And when I finally see you, you're trying to jump off a fucking building?!" His eyes just then fell on the empty whiskey bottle. He growled, clenching his fists tight as he let go off you and walked up to the where the bottle lay, his cape flying behind him. He bent, lifting it up as he examined it, noticing how the neck of the bottle had your lipstick imprints on it. "And you're drunk. To top it up a notch."

Your nostrils flared in an anger you hadn't experienced ever before, your secret feelings finally crushing you completely, mixed with the alcohol that was rushing through your blood. You growled, like a cornered animal, that was wounded yet didn't want to back down. You pushed him, once, twice, throwing out all your pent up anger and frustration into his steely body like he felt no hurt. You screamed, you lashed, you scratched and you cried, finally coming undone, like beads of a rosary coming apart and scattering all over the floor.

Clark's heart broke at the sight of you. He had always seen you as a strong, happy woman, always smiling for him whenever he saw you at work. And this woman, that stood in front of his eyes right now, was far from it.

"I am not weak! I wouldn't kill myself! You give yourself too much importance, to think that someone would give their life for you!" You lashed out.

You were tired of hitting him like a punching bag. He grabbed you by your wrists, holding them together in front of you, pressed against his chest. He slowly moved, so he was towering over you, his back shielding you from unwanted, prying eyes as he gazed into your eyes, trying to find the answer to where all of this was coming from.

"You don't know what you're talking about. Come on, Lois is worried about you."

You couldn't stop yourself when your hand jerked itself free from his hold, and your palm struck his cheek. There was a crackling noise, of skin against skin, and tears formed in your eyes when the realisation hit you, all the intoxication washing off of you. You had just slapped Superman, a man that could snap your neck by grabbing your throat. Yet, he just stood there, too shocked to even register that you had slapped him right across his face and what was worse, he couldn't understand the reason you had done that. Anger was surfing through his veins, but worse than the anger that he was feeling, he was feeling like someone had pulled his heart out, ripping it to shreds right in front of his eyes.

"Why?" He let go off your other hand, his own palm coming to rest against his cheek as you gave you a look full of hurt.

"Why did you even save me, Clark? You should have let me fall. Atleast, it would have spared me the pain of listening to her name flow out of your lips again."

"Why do you hate her so much? She is your sister, [Y/N] and she cares for you. She worries that you're killing yourself and she doesn't know the reason why--" Clark was losing his temper, slowly but surely. He didn't understand you and that was eating him up.

"The reason why? WHY??! Oh Clark can you stop? And listen to yourself. I love Lois, but she needs to stop trying to govern my life. I'm allowed to feel sad, I'm allowed to feel a fucking heartbreak--" You didn't realise, but your lips were trembling now, your eyes leaking salty tears. You shivered when you felt Clark hold you by your shoulders but you didn't push his arms away.

"Who broke your heart?" He whispered, his voice cracking.

"You're fucking daft for a man who saves the world--" Hissing bitterly , you pushed yourself away from Clark's grip and turned towards the ledge but this time, you didn't try anything that would risk your life. You simply revelled in the cold feeling of the wind striking your tear stained face as you took a punctured breath, feeling Clark's breath on the side of your neck.

"Who broke your heart?" He asked again, but this time it was much softer, and it made you bite down on your lip to hold yourself from breaking into a hysterical crying.

"You did, Clark. You broke my heart." You finally whispered, staring into the abyss in front of you, your eyes cloudy and your throat parched as you continued, your lips trembling, "I loved you. Always did, but you never looked at me. It was always Lois. And it killed me, watching you love her, knowing that you will never love me the way you love her--" Clark let you speak, he wanted to listen to you, for you to let it all out, all those bitter things that you had locked up inside your mind, that was slowly eating you up and killing you from the inside. "I am tired of everyone, for you, for my father and for the world to see me as the Other Lane, as Lois Lane's little sister. My name is [Y/N]. I like to draw although I am shit at it, I can sing in the showers and I hate partying. That is me. I want a normal relationship too, but it seems that the world is against me. I fell in love with one man, and turns out, he isn't even human, he is a freaking superhero from Krypton?"

Clark let out a gruff sounding snort, as he looked down at you. Reluctantly, he reached for a strand of hair that was sticking to your tear coated cheek, removing it and gently tucking it behind your ear. He felt a shudder run down your spine, with just a gentle touch of his hand and he smiled, biting his lip. How was he supposed to tell you what the truth was?

"You remember how we met at the cafeteria every morning ? And I let you take the coffee?"

You nodded, listening to him, trying to control the crying that had now turned to sniffles, as Clark kept speaking.

"And the countless times I ran into that elevator with you and me stuck inside for just two floors?"

"You must have been thinking how weird I was. How unlike Lois--" You began, but you were cut off by Clark's voice.

"I used to wonder if there was anything I could do to make the elevators stop working, so I'd get to spend more time with you. Wretched elevators, not once did anything go according to what I wanted." He mumbled, but he had a small smile playing on his lips, while you just looked on, staring at him in disbelief, wondering if your mind was playing jokes with you once again.

"I thought I would take Lois' help, to you know, figure out if you felt the same way, but you never said anything to her."

"What about the date? Lois and you went on?" You asked.

"Well, I --" he shrug, looking down at his feet, sheepishly, " Lois thought you would confess how you felt for me if we pretended to--"

You were too numb to react; so you just blinked in retaliation. Your blood ran cold, and you suddenly felt light headed. All this while, while you had secretly been pining for Clark Kent to love you back, was it actually the other way round? Was Clark going through the same thing wondering if you felt the same for him?

"That was cowardly." You hissed, through pursed lips, "Trying to pretend to be in love with my sister."

"I was in love with the other Lane," he bit his lip, his face slightly inclined towards you, so he was looking down at you, and you up at him, "I think you are amazing. You are intelligent, and smart. And you're unique. There are these little things I adore about you. The way you greeted everyone whenever I was around-- ranging from the security guard, to the building keepers at the Daily Planet.. the way you forgot to wipe your lips after drinking coffee, and you had this froth all over your upper lip giving you a faint moustache?" He chuckled because you literally let out a gasp, suddenly embarassed.

"Then there were those days you had a bad day and you locked yourself up in your cabin, working all day. I wondered if I should just knock, but I was scared you will tell me off--" he continued, his blues peeking into yours. Your stomach fluttering, you couldn't help but laugh, as though a weight had been lifted off your chest suddenly and held him steady with your hand on his arm. Finally mustering enough courage, you pushed yourself on your toes, and reached up, letting your palm graze delicately over his cheek, caressing his cheekbone with your thumb, "I would have never told you off, Clark. Though that's not what is bothering me right now."

"What is ?" He asked, innocently, relaxing under the touch of your thumb.

"You said you're in love with the other Lane, Clark."

His lips creased, slowly tugging upwards into a smile that was enough to make you feel giddy. Superman wrapped a sturdy arm around you and felt yourself being lifted off, until he was practically holding you in his arms, "Mhm, yep? You got a problem, Miss Lane? Or do Kryptonians don't fit the bill ?"

"Oh, hush, Clark. You're such a dork. But will you be.. my dork?" You bit your lip, holding on to him as though your life depended on it.

"I thought... you'd never ask?" He began, unsure of how to properly weave the complexity of his feelings , churn them into words, something only Clark Kent was good at , and not his alter ego, but found himself halted by the soft press of your index finger against his lips and the sweet whisper of your voice against his ears as he held you close.

“I know, neither did I.” You whispered as he clasped your face in his massive hands and gently touched his lips to yours.

Three years later,

This had probably been the longest that Clark Kent had been away from you, his lover, his best friend, his wife-- four months to be exact. Needless to say, he was excited to be able to see you again, to hold you again.

The familiar silhouette of the cottage on top of the hill came into his view, flowers hanging into tiny earthen pots hanging out on the front porch. The freshly painted white picket fence looked beautiful, and inviting as Lois stood with Martha by the gate, both the ladies sipping tea from their respective cups and saucers. They couldn't contain their smiles when they saw Clark, even though he was covered in what looked like grime and blown up alien intestines?

"I don't even want to know what happened," Lois chuckled, while Martha hugged her son and he kissed the side of her cheek before she scrunched up her nose in disgust at how awful he smelled.

"Well, I guess I'll draw you a bath, you two can talk out here until the baths ready." Both Clark and Lois watched as Martha Kent disappeared into the home and he smiled, when Lois spoke again.

"FYI, she is at the orchard, harvesting the apples for an apple pie," Lois gave him a smug look, fluttering her lashes, "Oh don't pretend you don't want to see her. I can see your eyes darting around, trying to find her. I'll be inside, both of you, just come back in for supper."

He nodded, watching Lois leave and slowly, his fists clenched on either of his sides, he found his way into the tiny orchard that his lovely wife loved to spend most of her time at. He fixed himself by the wooden gate, his eyes admiring you from afar, as you stood on your tiptoes and picked out apples, tossing them into the basket that you held in your arm.

"Need help, Mrs. Kent?"

The basket dropped from your hand as you turned towards the source of the voice, your lips parted in shock. Clark's eyes travelled from you down to your beautiful swollen bump that your loose maternity dress was doing nothing to hide. He chuckled at your response as he walked towards you with longer, faster steps while you simply waddled towards him.

"Jesus, Clark-- I thought you'd miss the birth," you cupped your husband's cheeks in between your swollen fingers as he nuzzled his nose against yours, before kissing you.

"How is my monkey?" He brought his palm to rest against your nine month old baby bump, stroking over the fabric as he whispered against your lips.

"Moving around, not letting me get an ounce of sleep," you smiled, letting your fingers rest over his hand that rested against your stomach, "but I cant really complain now, can I? After all the little nugget's got Kryptonian blood running through their veins."

Clark chuckled, his blue eyes crinkling slightly as he knelt down in front of you, his face in line with the base of your bump as he planted a kiss on the curve of it.

"Come on, Kal Jr, will you stop bothering your mom? She needs all the sleep she can before you push your way into the world and steal our goodnight sleeps for a while," you smiled warmly, as you peered down at him, running your fingers through his hair and he looked up at you, planting another kiss against your bump.

You suddenly frowned and looked at the brown mess on your fingers that stank.

"God, Clark? What the hell? Did you seriously take a dive in a shit pool?"

He chuckled as he pulled himself up again and his hand once again found the base of your stomach to lay his hand protectively upon.

"Alien blood. You should have seen the intestines that covered me. It looked like noddles dipped in black bean sauce and meatballs--" You smacked him hard against the chest to shut him up, but instead he began laughing, his laughter rumbling out of his stomach as you began dragging him inside with his stained cape.

[davidmann95]

I know that you have given many thoughts about what your ideal Superman would be

But I am interested in seeing this in one concise essay

Mind giving us a essay on how you would write your ideal Superman if given the creative freedom to do so?

Why not? No reveals of what I'd do story-wise or big original concepts, but if I could decide the background and setup of Superman entirely to my specifications (though please note I've mellowed out over the years on the necessity of several of these for maintaining a functional status quo for the character):

* Ideally he debuted as Superman and was the worlds' first public superbeing. If my control doesn't extend to the rest of the DCU and the Justice Society was still a thing, he debuted publicly as Superboy as no more or less than Smallville's hometown hero ("Aw, the superhero kid is calling himself Superboy, that's adorable!"), and the journey of how he went from that to The Greatest Of All Time would be a big event in-universe unto itself and coincides with him becoming Superman.

* No interactive Jor-El and Lara holograms at the Fortress, which is a tesseract ala the early 2000s and DC One Million.

* Pa is definitely dead, if Ma's alive she no longer lives in Smallville because unless you're really delving into it ala Superman & Lois it shouldn't be a big part of his life anymore.

* Clark looks roughly like Oscar Isaac, indisputably in the 'classic' mold for the character visually (square jaw, old school Hollywood handsome, pretty much the same hair) but not white.

* Lois while not Iron Man has some kind of ray gun or forcefield or assorted tech to get her plausibly by modern standards into and out of phenomenally dangerous situations in her capacity as a reporter so you don't have to jump through hoops to include her in the A-plot.

* Jon is still a kid. I've infinitely preferred the stories featuring him as a teenager but I'll need to see a lot more play out before deciding "Clark's public with his identity and also leads the Authority, Jon's the new main Superman" would be my new ideal ongoing setup forever, and Jon as a kid has more potential all things being equal than him as a teenager if the latter's without those additional layers. Related note, Jon goes by Superkid.

* Kara and Conner are around as Superwoman and (Superboy? Superguy? Supernova?) doing their own things. Bizarro is an accepted family friend who sometimes visits from Htrae and, due to his inherited super-intellect, actually capable of speaking 'forwards' if he strains himself.

* Lex used to be the corporate guy, now is the mad scientist.

* Future and multiversal counterparts aren't part of the regular cast but embedded as standard parts of his world to the same extent as, say, Kandor.

* Also Kandor is very significantly altered in ways I'd just as soon keep to myself because you never know, but suffice it to say it isn't a literal bunch of tiny Kryptonians hanging around in the Fortress anymore.

* Metropolis is fully an abstract comic book city ala Gotham or Opal or Millennium, not New York.

* His powers narratively scale infinitely upwards to whatever's 'just enough'. He'll strain if he's gotta pull a planet on a chain if that's what's dramatic, he can pull off abstract feats like lifting a book of infinite pages too when that's cool. He'll have to huff it to catch a bullet if he's starting from really far away but also can fly a billion gazillion times faster than light in space. Justify it however you like.

* He has a costume progression (since him having distinct phases of his career marked visually is a plus) that's roughly 'his mom made the original suit using the baby blanket as a cape and modeled off the roughest early images he got of Krypton' < 'he got some kind of Kryptonian uniform/armor except it didn't look completely stupid' < 'he mastered Kryptonian tech enough that he could update Ma's suit with those benefits and go back to it'.

* His assorted identities are all kinda real and all kinda fake, though aside from who he is when alone with Lois Superman is the realest.

[foodwithrex]

The Thai Sweets

Thailand has a sweet craving, as seen by the abundance of sweet delicacies. Thai sweets are a must-try for any Thai foodie. While most visitors are familiar with savoury delicacies like as Mango Sticky Rice, few are aware of other Thai sweets. Thai sweets are made with a variety of fresh and high-quality ingredients, including tropical fruits, palm sugar, rice flour, and coconut milk. The perfume of Thai sweets, such as that of jasmine scented candles and other fragrant flowers, is a distinguishing element. Despite the fact that the components are similar, each Thai dessert has its own distinct flavour. If you get the chance to visit Thailand, you should taste some of these Thai sweets to add a little sweetness to your vacation.

Thai Desserts You Must Try While in Thailand

Khanom Tuay (Coconut Milk Custard)

Khanom Tuay is one of Thailand's most popular local sweets. Khanom Tuay is served in a little porcelain bowl, which is its most distinguishing feature. Rice flour, coconut milk, and sugar are used to make this Thai treat. Pandan leaf juice can be used to enhance the taste. It has a smooth and sweet flavour that tastes like sticky rice and coconut milk. It's been described as having a cheese-like flavour by others. All you have to do to consume it is dig it up with a tiny spoon. Hundreds of little bowls heaped by vendors selling Khanom Tuay are frequently spotted on the street. This dish is extremely popular at local eateries. A modest dish should cost around 3-5 dollars.

Khao Niao Mamuang (Mango Sticky Rice)

Mango Sticky Rice, also known as Khao Niao Mamuang in Thai, is considered Thailand's national dessert and is offered in practically every Thai restaurant. It would be a tragedy if you left Thailand without trying this delectable delicacy. Khao Niao Mamuang is made with sticky rice that has been cooked and then dipped in sweet coconut milk to give it a delicious flavour. Finally, fresh mango slices, which are delicate, supple, and juicy, are served with the rice. Because it is served chilled, this Thai treat is particularly popular during the summer, when mangoes are at their peak. Ending a Thai dinner with the customary Mango Sticky Rice is a popular choice.

Bua Loy (Rice Balls in Coconut Milk)

A typical Thai dessert is Bua Loy. White rice flour is shaped into little balls that resemble lotus seeds. Colors like yellow, purple, green, and pink are used to make the colourful balls that make the dish more appealing. Sugar and coconut milk are used to make this Thai treat. It's sometimes served with eggs or ginger juice.

Roti Sai Mai (Cotton Candy)

Ayutthaya province's Roti Sai Mai is a popular Thai food. This Thai dessert is beloved not just in Siam's old capital, but also in Bangkok's streets. It's even available to sample in Emporium Shopping Mall's gourmet area on the 5th level. Roti Sai Mai is made up of a crepe-like crust called "Roti" that is topped with colourful silky sweets called "Sai Mai." Roti Sai Mai is usually available in several hues. In reality, it's merely to make the dessert seem nicer; it tastes the same. You are free to wrap and consume as many Sai Mai as you like. Roti Sai Mai isn't as sweet as it appears.

Kluay Tod (Deep-fried bananas)

Deep-fried bananas, known as Kluay Tod in Thailand, are a popular dessert. This classic Thai dessert is made from sliced Kluay Nam Wah bananas, a kind of banana native to Thailand. The sliced bananas are dipped in a batter comprised of rice flour, all-purpose flour, sesame seeds, baking powder or historically slaked lime, salt, walnut bits, ripe coconut, and water, then fried until a crisp crust forms and they become aromatic. Although fried bananas are historically served plain, nowadays they are frequently served with ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, or honey.

Khanom Krok (Sweet Coconut Pudding)

Khanom Krok, also known as a pancake or pudding cake, is an old Thai dessert. Rice flour, sugar, and coconut milk combine to make this dessert. The contents are combined together and placed into a huge iron pan with little circular notches, similar to the one used in the takoyaki machine. Khanom Krok is served with sliced green onions, taro, corns, or pumpkin, and has a sweet and salty coconut milk flavour. The dessert is mildly salty and smells like coconut milk. The sensation should be one of "sweet but not greasy." On the street, you will frequently encounter booths selling this dessert. If you can't locate a hawker on the street, visit Siam Paragon's subterranean shop. The amount charged

Khanom Chan (Thai Layered Dessert)

Khanom Chan is a layered and chewy Thai dessert with a jelly-like flavour. Tapioca flour, rice flour, coconut milk, and the delicate aroma of pandan leaves go into this dish. When different materials are utilised to show diverse flavours, this dessert has a variety of hues, including yellow, red, and brown. This layer cake is also considered an auspicious dessert, capable of bringing good fortune and money to those who consume it, as well as ensuring a brighter future for those who consume it. As a result, it is often used in Thai festivals and festivities.

Kluay Buat Chi (Banana in Coconut Milk)

If you enjoy bananas and coconuts, you'll love this Thai dessert! Kluay Buat Chi is a luscious and creamy dessert made with bananas cooked in coconut milk. It's a meal that tastes great hot or cold.

Enjoy The Experience Of Sweet

[superman86to99]

Superman #84 (December 1993)

Superman takes a short Paris vacation! Like, one day short. What's the worst that could happen?

Oh, man.

So, for the past few issues, we've been hearing about children being abducted in Metropolis. Now we see that they're being kept inside a giant toy house by some creepy bald man in Quasimodo clothes who seems to be obsessed with toys -- a "Man of Toys," if you will. Side note: no wonder the children haven't been found... all the articles about them are just gibberish! (See clip below.)

The kidnapper thinks that these kids' parents don't deserve them, and that they're much better off here, in an underground hideout with a man who threatens to starve them if they don't play with him. (And I do mean literally play, with action figures and stuff.) Meanwhile, as these children cry for help, Superman is having the time of his life. While helping move a stranded ship with some huge-ass chains, Superman spots a sunken galleon with a treasure chest inside and fantasizes about keeping the booty...

...before turning it over to the authorities anyway, the big boy scout. Then, he wakes up Lois at 6 AM and tells her they should go to Paris right now, which usually means your significant other is having a mental breakdown, but in this case they can actually do it. And so, after deciding that he deserves to use his powers for fun every once in a while, Superman and Lois drop everything and fly to France with super-speed for the rest of the day/issue.

Anyway: back to the child abduction! Cat Grant and her son Adam attend a Halloween party at Adam's school, but there's a disturbed weirdo in a hideous costume lurking among the crowd. Yes, I'm talking about Jimmy Olsen in his Turtle Boy suit.

Shortly after that, a guy in a dinosaur costume (see, all the creeps are dressed as reptiles) lures Adam out of the party with the promise of "superb video games." What child could resist that? Of course, that turns out to be the kidnapper and Adam ends up in his hideout along with the rest of the missing children and, worst of all, not a single "Lextendo" console.

The kidnapper gets angry at Adam when he refers to the toys at the hideout as "old-fashioned junk" (he was REALLY looking forward to those video games), and even angrier when Adam tries to free the other kids. Adam is brave and puts up a good fight, but...

And those were Adam Morgan's final words. "Uh-oh."

Next, we have a pretty harrowing scene of Detective Turpin letting Cat know Adam’s body was found, and Jimmy and Perry White taking her to the morgue to identify the body (most people probably wouldn't bring their former boss to something like that, but Perry sadly knows more than most about losing a kid). As for Lois and Clark, they were gone so long that the Daily Planet had time to print a headline about the murders. The issue ends when the lovebirds walk into the office smiling like two people who just spent the night fooling around in Paris... only to feel like jackasses when they find out what happened.

To be continued!

Character-Watch:

And that's it for little Adam Morgan who, unlike the also tragically diseased Jerry White, didn't even get any post-death appearances. Adam went from a little kid scared of Superman, to a huge brat, to a character who was approaching likeability as of last week. That's why I hate it when DC kills off young characters like Adam or Liam Harper: in long-form storytelling, children represent potential. Look at how much Wally West or Dick Grayson evolved over the years compared to their mentors! Sure, there's a huge probability that Adam would have ended up disappearing from comics for 25 years anyway, but who knows, maybe we'd now know him as Teen Gangbuster or something. GangbusTEEN.

This issue also represents a turning point for the kidnapper, who is never named or seen clearly in the story itself but I don't think I'm shocking anyone by spoiling the fact that he's Toyman (it's in the cover, for one thing). In his last two appearances before this storyline, Toyman helped Superman save some kids from Sleez and looked genuinely sad to learn about Superman's death, so this is a pretty dramatic change for the character. We'll find out why he went from big softy to child killer in Superman #85 (but don't get your hopes up).

Plotline-Watch:

The most disturbing part of the issue, all things considered, is still the part where Toyman climbs into a giant crib and hugs a huge stuffed bunny. Look at serial killer Tommy Pickles here:

Don Sparrow says:  “Even with the upgrade, Toyman is still just a man in a suit, a common complaint about Superman’s rogues gallery.” Funny you should say that, because I JUST shared an old Wizard interview in our Twitter in which Dan Jurgens talks about how Doomsday came out of his frustration with the fact that most Superman villains are dudes in suits (plus other interesting tidbits from the era, like how it was actually Roger Stern’s idea to bring back Hank Henshaw, so check out that link!).

Don again: “The entire Superman storyline of this issue feels like filler. Diving for buried treasure and soaring off to Paris -- it all feels like wasted time next to the Adam storyline.” I have a theory that the entire ship sequence is there as an excuse to put Superman in those big chains and make that Spawn joke (which I didn’t get until now, since I’ve always read this issue in Spanish).

Superman says that pulling that big ship was "a little easier than expected" -- that's either another hint that there's something going on with Superman's powers since he came back, or a subtle dig at the state of American ship manufacturing.

Another adorable "window tap" scene for the books, and this is the sexiest one so far. Is it me or has Jurgens started copying more than just Teri Hatcher's hairdo from Lois & Clark? (For anyone who thinks Lois has gotten implants, I refer you to this clip.)

While in Paris, Lois asks Clark if he's ever wondered what would happen if his rocket had landed in other countries. Don: “Clark’s conversation with Lois sounds like a bunch of concepts for Elseworlds stories. We eventually would see a Russian Superman, and a British Superman, but not yet the French Superman. (Hire us, DC!)” Yep, got my French Superman pitch ready, Jim Lee. Or just let us do Russian Superman again, since Red Son wasn’t even the first time you published that idea.

Don once more: “Another thing that makes no sense about the ‘new’ Toyman is his resentment of technological toys—when in previous appearances he himself had deadly high-tech toys to vex Superman over the years.” I especially resent his hatred of video game consoles. Incidentally, I wonder what types of games are available for Adam’s beloved Lextendo. Star Lex 64? Mega Man Lex? Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles & Lex?

No one is more upset at Lois and Clark for going AWOL than Whit. NO ONE. He's so furious that his usually grey mustache turned black.

Patreon-Watch:

As always, shout out to our patrons, Aaron, Murray Qualie, Chris “Ace” Hendrix, britneyspearsatemyshorts, Patrick D. Ryall, Samuel Doran, Bheki Latha, Mark Syp, Ryan Bush and Raphael Fischer! Last month’s exclusive Patreon article was about the recently unearthed sequel to Superman 64 for the PlayStation, featuring Metallo, Parasite, and Lois looking even hotter than in this issue:

Hot damn. Find out more at https://www.patreon.com/superman86to99!

And believe it or not, Don Sparrow has even more to say about this issue. Read his section after the jump:

Art-Watch (by @donsparrow​):

I should start off my section with a big caveat:  I flat out hate this issue. There were several weird decisions made in the post-Death-and-Return era (most of them along the same lines of making the Superman titles more grim-and-gritty), and this story was one of the worst of them.  My theory is that, despite the praise and record-breaking sales of the Death and Return storyline, the Superman creative team felt pressure to have more extreme storylines, perhaps in response to the wildly successful Image books coming out at the time.  Between this story, and the upcoming “Spilled Blood” storyline, the Super books take a hard—but temporary--turn into more violent and upsetting storytelling—even though these stories are by the same writers as the previous few years. While death has always been a part of comics, and Superman comics was no exception, there is a jarring glibness and unfeeling toward the way violence is handled in these pages that is quite different from the stories that preceded it.  It’s made all the more jarring by the fact that well-established personalities suddenly veer wildly out of character, Toyman chief among them.  

We start with the cover, and while it is technically well-drawn (by the familiar team of Jurgens and Breeding) it’s also a very upsetting visual.  I think they should have gone with the pieta type pose with Adam and Superman, OR the scary badass bowie-knife Toyman (who apparently has a Cheshire cat smile now) but not both.  But the cover is a good hint at the tonal dissonance of the comic within.

We open with a splash of the now-extreme 90s looking Toyman, with his serial killer shaved head and spooky cloak, ignoring the pleas of hungry kids he has locked up in a tiny jail cell for days at a time (if that sentence doesn’t ring alarm bells for how wrong this is for a Superman story, I don’t know what will). For much of the issue Toyman’s eyes are obscured by glare on his lenses, further de-humanizing a character who was once one of Superman’s more empathetic bad guys.

We cut to Superman tugboating a huge tanker with giant chains and it’s a cool visual (one repeated in the Batman V Superman film).  It feels especially out of place to focus on, given how upsetting this issue is otherwise, but throughout the whole comic, Lois is drawn smoking hot, especially on the two page spread on pages 9-10.

The scenes depicting the actual murder, while still wildly out of place in a Superman comic, are well done, and give a real sense of darkness and menace, which I suppose is the intent.  Perhaps my least favourite visual is the Big Bird stuffie, silently bearing witness to what’s about to occur.

The edges of the panels on get more slashy and off-kilter (to me, looking very much like the layouts more typically seen in Image comics of the day) and I suppose I appreciate the restraint of how little Dan Jurgens shows of the death of a child, showing only a bloody slash on a black background.  This is still a pretty baroque image for a Superman comic, but certainly less violent than it could be, given what is happening.

Cat Grant’s silent horror is well staged, and powerful in its way.   Lastly, Clark Kent bending in sorrow and regret is a powerful image.

While this issue is handled marginally better, and more maturely than other comics on the shelf at this time, I still believe it is one of the biggest mistakes of the era.  Giving a long-established character an unceremonious death for shock value is gross on its own, but making it a child definitely crosses a line for me.  Making it worse is that, while the Toyman is a criminal and a killer, he has shown in past issues (a similar kidnapping storyline involving Sleez) that he genuinely cares for the well-being of children.  So for a long-time reader, this also felt like a betrayal of a long-established, fully developed character.   Adding to the ugliness of this is that Adam dies heroically, trying to free the children who have been caged, unfed, for days, but even in that regard, he fails.  The headline at the end of the issue confirms all the children are dead.  Adam’s death did not buy the other kids enough time to get away. It was all for nothing. Had Adam died, but the other children lived, maybe this issue wouldn’t leave quite as bad a taste. [Max: It’s weird because it’s all told in a way where it’s told in a way where it would make sense, narratively and within the story universe, that the other kids survived, but then it’s almost casually revealed that nope, they died too. A scene of one of the kids relaying Adam’s heroism to Cat in a future issue would have gone a long way.]

Superman doesn’t come off well in these pages, either.  It’s honestly the type of story they should just stay away from, because the more you think about all the calamity that is going on around the clock, the less defensible the whole Clark Kent persona becomes. Superman carving out time to romance his fiancée directly led to the preventable deaths of innocent children—how do you come back from that?

STRAY OBSERVATIONS:

I’m always looking for hints that perhaps Jimmy or Perry know Superman’s secret identity deep down, and Jimmy’s anger at Lois and Clark on their return to the Daily Planet offices would seem to give that theory some credence, as he’s as angry at them as if he knew Clark really were Superman.  Either that, or he’s ticked that it fell to him, and none of them to escort Cat into the morgue. [Max: Has this issue finally converted you to the “Jimmy is terrible” side now, Don?]

I don’t think I’m the only one who disliked the new Toyman—SPOILERS BE HERE: years later, in Action Comics #865, Geoff Johns retconned this whole story, reverting Schott into the criminal who over-relates to kids, rather than the child-killer of this story.  Apparently the infantile Schott, who speaks to “Mother” a la Norman Bates, is a robot so lifelike it fools even Superman, and the “Mother” he’s constantly replying to was the real Winslow Schott trying to recall the malfunctioning robot. [Max: That’s one Geoff Johns retcon I really didn’t mind, even if it felt kind of derivative of his similar “all the Brainiacs are robots made by the real Brainiac” reveal.]

[fishfingersandjellybabies]

In Your Father’s Eyes - fic

Characters: Damian Wayne, Jon Kent, Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, Lois Lane, Alfred Pennyworth, little bit of Clark Kent and Tim Drake and literally everyone Pairing: jondami Summary: Of all the things and all the experiences they thought Jon and Damian would have, it certainly wasn’t this. But they’re all better for it anyway.  A/N: A commission for the lovely @heraldofsong! I hope you enjoy it. :) They asked for a bittersweety fluffy story about the Batfam’s reactions/reminiscing to Jon and Damian having a baby. I chose the middle name ‘Charlotte’ because according to the internet it meant ‘freedom’ or ‘free’ and I felt that described an adult Jon and Damian very well. Barry went with Lois downstairs in case Jon and Damian emerged while she was gone, he could rush her back up. Also, it goes without saying, the Flashes brought Steph, Cass and Kara back from the gift shop the same way. Jon is petrified of holding or even touching the baby sometimes. He eventually gets over that. Some vibes for this fic are ‘Mango Dream’ by Afternoon Bike Ride. 

~~

It was a quiet afternoon at the manor. The warm sun peeking through the curtains. Birds chirping outside. The contented crackle of flame in the fireplace as he and Alfred each sat in a recliner reading a book.

Then Tim called.

“Conner and I are on our way to the hospital. Just about there, actually.” He said urgently. “Damian and Jon were taken there by a group of Green Lanterns.”

“What happened?” Bruce demanded, jumping from his chair as quickly as his old bones would allow him. Alfred glanced up from his novel, closing it immediately.

“That’s the thing…I…I’m not sure.” Tim offered. “I’ve already talked to Damian. He said neither of them were really hurt at all. Just that he needs us there. All of us.”

That was enough for Bruce.

Tim said he’d already called the others, and was in the process of sending Bruce the hospital coordinates. As Bruce and Alfred gathered their coats and head to the car, Bruce’s phone pinged again with a text.

I think you might want to bring your credit card.

Bruce rolled his eyes at Tim’s instruction, but checked his wallet anyway.

The hospital wasn’t in Gotham, or Metropolis, but a smaller city in between. A medium-sized research hospital that the League used often. Out of the way, but staffed with the most skilled in the world, and able to keep a secret or two.

Bruce could already see the gaggle of Green Lanterns on the roof as they pulled in to the parking lot. But judging by their relaxed body language, just like Tim had said, there was no emergency.

So what…?

Lois and Barry were in the lobby waiting for them. She smirked when she saw them, crossing her arms.

“What’s happening?” Bruce demanded. “Are the boys alright?”

“Perfect.” Lois let her smirk become a wide grin. There was a giddy shriek from nearby, and Bruce glanced over. It came from the gift shop, where he could see Stephanie holding something up, showing a confused Cass and judgmental Kara. “We were just waiting here for you to take you to the right ward.”

“Well, I must say, judging by everyone’s attitude, I can’t imagine it’s the ICU.” Alfred quipped. Barry laughed and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

“Nope.” Lois spun away, all but skipping as she led the way. “Barry, you ready to catch him?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She glanced over her shoulder. “We’re heading to the maternity ward.”

Bruce froze.

“…What?”

Barry was instantly at his shoulder, an arm hovering against his back.

“Ms. Lane…” Alfred said slowly. Laughter from the gift shop again, and now Bruce could see what Stephanie was showing the others – baby clothes.

“Wild, right?” She nodded, urging them both to follow. “But it’s true.”

“Apparently the boys were on a mission with a few of the Lanterns, on some planet.” Barry explained as he gently pushed them along. “This planet has way more advanced in vitro fertilization technology than on Earth. Than in the whole damn Milky Way. But apparently a major part of the fight was in a science lab. And I don’t know if it was from blood from injuries or sweat from exertion or what, but somehow both their DNA got into one of the machines, and literally hours later, a baby was being born.”

“An…alien child?” Alfred asked.

“You’d think that, but no. One-hundred percent Damian and Jon. So, only twenty-five percent alien, Kryptonian, from Jon’s side.” Barry hummed. “It wasn’t like their DNA was being added to an already incubating organism. Its creation came about because their DNA got combined.”

“At least,” Lois interrupted. “As far as we know. That’s why we’re here. They’re getting the baby checked out.”

Suddenly, Tim’s text made sense. “We have…nothing for a baby at the manor. Do…you and Clark have anything from when Jon was born?”

Lois’s grin softened. “Not enough to have everything they’ll need. But enough for the first day or so. Clothes-wise, anyway.”

“They’ll…they’ll have to come stay at the manor.” Bruce turned to Alfred, mind already in hyper drive. “Their…their apartment isn’t big enough. Right?”

“They live in a penthouse, sir, not an apartment.” Alfred smiled. “But I’m sure if you asked they wouldn’t mind coming home for a while. Especially with all the foot traffic of new aunts and uncles that they can surely expect.”

“You already know which room Clark and I are staying in, right, Alfred?” Lois teased.

“Of course, Ms. Lane.” Alfred chuckled. Barry suddenly dashed forward, holding the door open for the three of them. “I’m already devising the floor plans for everyone in my head as we speak.”

And even with the three women in the gift shop, the maternity ward was a madhouse of Supers, Bats and Leaguers alike. Tim was talking with Dinah and Ollie, showing them cribs and mobiles on his phone. Conner was talking with Diana, Donna and the two Wally Wests. Lois was already rejoining Clark, who was speaking with J’onn. Jason had already grabbed Alfred and was gently pulling him towards Koriand’r and Roy.

Barry was stepping up behind him. “Has Dick been…?”

Barry pointed, but it was useless, since Bruce had just spotted him. He was away from the crowds, further down the hall, staring into one of the closed doors, his arms folded across his chest.

Bruce nodded and gave Barry a short grin. Barry gently squeezed his shoulder before disappearing into their friends. Bruce inhaled and slowly walked forward. Everyone immediately gave him passing congratulations, and he smiled softly to each of them in return.

Dick didn’t look at him as he approached, kept just staring into the door. Bruce silently stood next to him, and glanced inside himself.

Damian and Jon stood there, next to a plastic crib. They were in matching teal scrubs that barely hid the few bandages they each had across their bodies. Nothing serious, like everyone had told him so far, but still enough that made his heart beat a little faster.

Jon’s wrist hung over the crib, and Bruce could see tiny fingers clinging to his middle one. His other hand was around Damian’s waist, rubbing calming circles against his hip. His head was up, nodding at whatever the doctor standing across from them and the crib was saying.

Damian, surprisingly, was opposite. His head was down, watching the child. His hand was cupping the baby’s head, stroking gently across its tuft of dark hair.

Bruce couldn’t see any other features on the baby. Its face was blocked by its fat belly and gleefully kicking feet. The hand not latched on to Jon’s waved every so often, where he could see a tube connected.

God, he couldn’t even see it and he adored this child already.

“Can you believe it?” Dick suddenly whispered. Bruce turned his head towards him, but kept his eyes on the door. He heard the baby give a loud squeal. Watched as Jon glanced down and grinned, shaking his captured finger. “Damian’s a dad.”

“So it appears.” Bruce smiled.

“He wasn’t one yesterday. There was no plan for him to be one, yesterday.” Dick continued, practically in awe. “This is…incredible.”

“The universe is an incredible place.” Bruce agreed. “…How long have you been here?”

“About an hour.” Dick admitted. “Damian called me when they hit Earth’s stratosphere.”

“Did you get to see the baby at all?” Bruce asked. In his periphery he saw Dick shake his head.

“They were already in there by the time I got here. Jon came out for a hot second to ask me to bring Lois to the ward when she arrived. But otherwise I haven’t talked to them.” Dick sighed. He shifted nervously from foot to foot. “…It’s almost laughable.”

“What is?”

“Damian’s the first of us to be a dad.” Dick smiled wistfully. “Mr. ‘I-Don’t-Need-Anybody’, Mr. ‘I’m-Not-A-Family-Person’, Mr. ‘Jonathan-and-I-Are-Too-Busy-To-Raise-Children’…and he’s the first of us to have a kid. A biological kid.”

“A biological child conceived and born in hours, from what I was told.” Bruce murmured. He chuckled. “Quite a…peculiar birth. Just like him.”

They lapsed into a silence then, as they continued to watch through the door. They could see both Damian and Jon conversing with the doctor, and suddenly, said doctor was lifting the baby from the crib, taking it out of view. The baby clung to Jon’s finger for as long as it could, even pulling a little as it was pulled away.

Almost immediately, Jon turned to Damian, and the two began to speak softly to each other. Damian’s face looked tired, nervous. Jon’s looked similar, but he smiled anyway, cupping Damian’s face in his hands. Damian clung to his wrists, closing his eyes as he leaned into one of the hands.

“…Do you remember when he was little?” Dick asked softly. “So tough and angry. I’d ruffle his hair and he’d try to cut my arm off.”

“He was a little…prickly.” Bruce smiled warmly. “Focused on nothing but Batman’s mission, and being the best. But you freed him from that viciousness.”

“I had help.” Dick laughed, watching as Jon leaned down and kissed Damian, before the two engulfed each other in an embrace. “Don’t sell yourself so short, old man.”

“Don’t sell yourself short either, Dick.” Bruce bumped his elbow into Dick’s side. “For as much as I loved him at the time anyway, much of his growth was because of you.”

“…Look at him, B.” Dick whispered after a moment. Bruce actually glanced at him now, and saw tears in his eyes. “Look how much he’s grown.”

Bruce put a hand on Dick’s shoulder, gave a squeeze as he glanced back towards the door. Damian was twenty-seven now, Jon twenty-four. Both tall and muscular, though Jon slightly more so, and both perfect mixtures of their parents. Each with their own lives, their own identities, creating their own legacies, their own destinies.

But right now all Bruce could see was the children they were. The friends forced together by their fathers, but almost instantly inseparable. The kids who were stronger than any man, and whose favorite game was to climb a life-sized replica of a tyrannosaurs rex that was nestled in a cave, and eat lunch in its mouth.

Damian said something and Jon laughed. Damian’s eyes lit up and his cheeks turned red as Jon kissed his forehead.

Bruce smiled too.

Friends from childhood. Lovers in adulthood.

And now, fathers.

Clark’s baby was a father. His baby was a father.

“I’m so proud of him.” Dick murmured, voice trembling in joy. “He’s just so happy, Bruce.”

Dick turned away, embarrassingly wiping at his eyes.

“God, don’t let him see me like this.” Dick laughed weakly. “It’ll ruin my chances of being the baby’s godfather.”

“It’s endearing.” Bruce promised, turning to look at him. “If nothing else, it’ll heighten your chances. Besides, you’ll still be its uncle no matter what.” A smirk. “And grandpa, depending on who you ask.”

“Oh god, Bruce no.” Dick laughed, wiping faster at his eyes. “I’m too young to be a grandpa.”

“How do you think I feel?” Bruce asked incredulously. “I just got told by Superman’s wife twenty minutes ago that I’m a grandfather!”

Dick looked over at him, eyes soft, the crinkles around his eyes more noticeable with his smile. “You’ll be a great one, Bruce. The very bes-”

There was the sound of a doorknob turning, a latch unhooking. Dick and Bruce both spun back around towards the door to the exam room to find it opening.

Suddenly, the whole hallway was silent, save for a light whooshing, electric noise. Clark was there instantly, Lois in his arms. Conner appeared with Tim, Jason was just finishing pushing his and Alfred’s way through the Justice Leaguers, and the Flashes were each dutifully helping Stephanie, Cassandra and Kara to their feet.

They all waited with baited breath.

It was Jon who was opening the door, and held it open for Damian to walk through. Damian, who had a swaddled bundle tight in his arms, stepped tentatively into the hallway. As soon as he was through the threshold, Jon was at his side, a protective arm around his back.

When Damian glanced up with his wide, shocked eyes – he looked at Bruce first. Then Clark, then Lois, then finally landed on Dick.

“I…” He croaked. Closed his mouth, cleared his throat. Let himself smile slightly as he returned his gaze to Bruce. “We…we have a daughter.”

He turned the baby outwards slightly. Her eyes were closed, but skin was the perfect mixture of Damian’s tan tones, and Jon’s pale colors. She had Jon’s wild curls, but very clearly Damian’s nose and eyebrows. There were immediately a few gasps and coos among the nearby Leaguers.

“Healthy?” Clark asked. “She checked out okay?”

“Completely perfect.” Jon exhaled in excitement. “Doc said she looks like every other baby he’s ever seen, all the way down to the DNA.”

“Anything about…powers?” Clark pushed.

“Dad.” Jon rolled his eyes. “She’s only a few hours old.”

“The doctor told us to monitor her as she grows, and go over your, Jon’s, Kara’s and even Conner’s personal histories.” Damian explained instead. “And if she does at any point present powers, it will likely follow the same timeline as the rest of you.”

Lois stepped forward, gently pressing her hand to the baby’s head. Like always, she asked the question everyone else was too nervous to.

“What’s her name?”

Jon and Damian glanced at each other, and Jon let out a light laugh.

“Martha.” Damian whispered, looking straight at Bruce, with a quick glance to Clark. “Martha Charlotte.”

“Hello Miss Martha Charlotte.” Lois cooed, leaning down to kiss the baby’s head. Martha just yawned, and curled back into Damian’s chest.

“Whose last name?” Dick asked gently, taking his turn to step forward. “Martha Charlotte Kent? Martha Charlotte Wayne? Hell, Martha Charlotte al Ghul?”

Damian smirked and Jon looked heavenward as he mumbled, “To be determined.”

Dick laughed as he looked between the two men. He let his laughter die out and asked, “You two nervous?”

“Is it that obvious?” Jon countered incredulously. “I mean…jeez, I’m still afraid to hold her!” He leaned into Damian’s back. “What if I…I don’t know, squish her, or something?”

“You won’t, Beloved. I promise.” Damian teased, leaning back to kiss at Jon’s cheek.

Dick smiled, and couldn’t help himself. He leaned forward and pressed his temple against Damian’s, looking down at Martha. She gave a contented sigh.

“I am so, so, so proud of you, Damian.” Dick whispered, squeezing Damian’s arm. Lois nodded in agreement as she ran a hand through Jon’s hair, before returning her attention to the baby. “”I am so proud of you both.”

Damian let himself smile, let himself exhale in what almost sounded like relief as he leaned into Dick. He stood there a moment, let Dick and Lois fawn over the baby, before glancing up again. Clark was watching with a bright smile, one almost too big for his face. Waiting excitedly for his own turn, but clearly quickly losing his patience.

Then he looked to Bruce. Bruce who had just been staring silently since they stepped into the hallway, eyes wide, lips parted. A faint, awed smile was etched gently into his face, and it made Damian’s own smile widen. He slowly stepped away from Jon, Lois and Dick and towards his father, angling towards Clark in the process to include him too. “…Father?”

Bruce looked up at his face, the adoration clear in his old blue eyes.

“…I have a daughter, Father.” Damian breathed, looking towards Martha. She smacked her lips sleepily, and Damian’s smile, impossibly, grew. Let himself smile wider than Bruce had ever seen. “And I just…she is already my whole world. I…I’ve never loved someone so quickly.”

“That’s what having a child does to you, son.” Clark smiled.

Damian’s grin faltered, just slightly. “I’m sure it was not this way when I arrived in your life.”

It was a self-depreciating joke, made to downplay Damian’s importance to every single person in this hallway. But Bruce didn’t take it. Bruce didn’t dare play into the darkness that still plagued his youngest’s mind.

“On the contrary.” Bruce hummed, taking hold of his elbow. “I might have loved you even quicker.”

Damian snorted and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he just kept looking at Martha, shifting his hand to run across her tiny cheek. His voice was barely a breath. “…I have a daughter.”

“And she looks like you.” Bruce noted, poking at Martha’s nose. She scrunched it up and shook her head. Damian laughed, and held her even closer. “…I’m so happy for you.”

Damian looked up then, almost in surprise.

“You’re going to be a great father.” Bruce whispered, squeezing Damian’s elbow. “The best of any of us.”

Damian turned back towards his husband just in time to see Dick grab Jon and wrap him in the biggest hug he could. As Dick released him, Jon glanced over at him. “…And he will be an even greater one.”

Jon, who of course heard the whole conversation with his powers, grinned sheepishly.

Damian giggled as Jon stepped towards him, and kissed his forehead, then leaned down to do the same to Martha. A moment later, he allowed himself a deep breath. “Well. You ready?”

Jon glanced over his shoulder, towards their waiting brothers and sisters, to the entirety of the Justice League waiting behind them. He exhaled sharply. “As I’ll ever be, today.”

Dick laughed as he and Lois helped pushed the new parents forward. As Clark stepped closer to Bruce and hugged him in quiet glee.

“Welcome to the family, Martha.” Dick grinned, gesturing out to everyone, before looking down at the sleeping newborn in Damian’s arms. Damian and Jon looked happily at each other. “We’re so happy you’re here.”