( open ) turns into gold in the sunlight

[contacts]

who: lois lane + various
what: a tough as nails journalist gets bitten by a firefly or two and becomes very affectionate
when: saturday, april 29th
where: the park and a bar
warnings: adults in love ("gross" — jon kent)



✘ for jon (closed)

[ there are probably better and healthier means of bonding with a child than taking them out for ice cream once a week, but this is something that lois already knows works and she's still at a loss on how to feel about jonathan kent. he's her son, but he isn't her son, not really. she isn't ready for children and doesn't know if she'll ever be. just because some version of her in another universe had a child at some point in her life doesn't mean that lois ever will, she knows that.

it doesn't really matter, though. she's the adult here and jon's so quick to call her mom, he obviously misses his mother and admires his father endlessly and lois isn't going to fail him just because she never counted on having children. besides, spending time with him is not exactly a hardship. he's cute, generally easy-going, he hasn't thrown any tantrums or anything — the other her probably did a pretty good job raising him. or he just got all that from clark.

so she invites him out for ice cream again and they walk through the park with it. lois has managed to escape the fireflies so far, though she's heard about them. it isn't really the time of day she expects them to be out, though, and so she isn't paying attention — until she feels one bite her in the arm. ]

Damn. [ she probably shouldn't swear around a minor, should she? ]

✘ for taako (closed)

[ lois thinks clark is out exploring, and she's not quite willing to just go back to the housing that she still refuses to call a home. so she texts someone she hadn't been sure she'd contact again instead, someone she's pretty sure will listen and get a kick out of it without making a fuss about it later.

she might have been skeptical about his magic, but she'd like to think that she got a good read on who he is as a person despite that and he'd seemed, well, nice. she really needs more people to drink with, to spend time with outside of work.

that's an odd thought; work has always been everything to lois.

once at the bar, it isn't difficult at all to spot taako. ] Thanks for meeting me. [ she says with a grin that's a lot softer than any expression she's worn during their previous meeting. ]

✘ for peggy (closed)

[ at some point, lois leaves taako alone at their table for a while to freshen up in the restrooms and to get more drinks. leaning against the bar, she meets the gaze of a woman with dark hair in beautiful rolls, immaculate lipstick, a glass of some dark amber liquid in front of her. ]

Scotch? [ lois asks, and ] Can you recommend it?

✘ open

[ between spending time with jon and meeting taako for drinks, lois can be found on a park bench with a soppy grin on her face, ready to tell just about anyone about how great a partner clark kent is.

alternatively, come chat with her in the bar while taako's on a bathroom break or getting more drinks. ]

Comments

[supersweet]

[ Jon pauses from his enthusiastic ice-cream eating to glance at his mom. Hearing his parents swear was always a bit odd, but not that unusual. Though, his father prefers stricter language than his mother. Still. he looks her over in concern. ]

Mom, are you okay?

[contacts]

I think I got bitten by something.

[ "something", like she doesn't have a pretty good idea what it might have been. maybe it was just a regular mosquito. maybe. ]

[supersweet]

[ Jon frets, tugging on her sleeve. ]

Does it hurt? Are you okay?

[contacts]

[ she drops her arm, letting him inspect the bite mark. ]

I'm all right. [ a moment later, she smiles, a softer expression than lois lane usually wears on her face. ] It's sweet of you to worry, but also not necessary.

You're a good kid.

[supersweet]

[ His face goes pink from the compliment and Jon restrains the urge to fidget. ]

'Course it's kinda necessary. But thanks, mom.

[contacts]

[ he's pretty damn adorable, isn't he? lois doesn't think before reaching out to settle a hand on his shoulder, squeezing briefly. ]

It's not your job to worry about me.

[supersweet]

[ Her touch relaxes him. ]

It's not a job. I know you're tough.

[spellslots]

[The invitation is a little surprise, but Taako meant the offer he'd extended to hang out, so he's happy to show up to the bar Lois had suggested. Today's outfit is a pastel pink maxi skirt and a shirt that he thinks is hilarious; the umbra staff is, as always, within reach, but his cloak and hat are at home. He's already acquired himself something colorful and fruity, but hadn't ordered for Lois, not knowing what sort of alcohol she's inclined towards.

He greets her with a grin and wave, noticing the difference in her smile but not sure where to attribute it and honestly, not really caring enough to think too deeply on it.]

No thanks needed, pumpkin. How's the moon been treating you?

[contacts]

Pumpkin, huh?

[ lois is feeling a lot more mellow than she might usually, so the remark is amused more than it is a rebuke. she sits down next to taako, grinning back. ] I like your shirt.

[spellslots]

[No one seems to really care about the terms of endearment back home, but here it's either a "don't call me that" or "what does bubbale mean?" and while he's not exactly starting to feel self-conscious about it, he's noting that it's like A Thing.

Still, Lois just gets a casual shrug, since she doesn't seem to be annoyed.]

I'd make a joke about talking me out of it but you're super not my type.

[No offence.]

[contacts]

[ any other day, lois' reply would have been considerably less relaxed and easy; some scathing remark at the very least. today, she just shrugs. ] You're not mine, either. Mine's Clark Kent. [ that's with an odd mix of emotion in her tone, warmth and wonder, as well as a certain amount of amusement at herself. ]

Yours?

[spellslots]

[He wonders if she's been pre-gaming, but she doesn't seem quite tipsy so much as just relaxed. Still, this is adorable.]

Well, I did have this lil thing with the grim reaper, but we left shit kinda open. [He shrugs, easy, but not really planning to go into what he's got going on here.] You, on the other hand, have got it bad, huh?

[contacts]

Is that some kind of metaphor or are you talking about the actual grim reaper?

[ lois is pretty sure that she can't exclude either option, so asking it is.

and — ] What gave it away?

[mannerism]

[ it's that sort of an evening. the kind that rolls about as work comes to an end. Peggy isn't quite used to her job just yet. The police force was never an aspiration for her and it's a bit of a disappointment, finally making others at the SSR see her only to start from the bottom once more.

still, it gives her the freedom to come and go, to ask questions and that's already a start. It's not optimism approach, mind you, more of a practical sort of thinking.

the same sort of practicality that colours this new-found conversation. ]

Well, it's hardly Dalmore.

[ but then, she could hardly afford that on most days. ]

But overall, I'm not complaining.

[contacts]

[ it's a decidedly odd sort of evening, if you ask lois. she's been feeling more mellow than usual, a little softer around the edges and more affectionate with it. it isn't that she doesn't normally feel the affection she's been voicing and putting into action, it's just that she doesn't act on it. she's aware enough to know that it's odd for her, and aware that it must be due to the bug bite.

nothing to do but wait for it to pass. ]

That's a pity. [ dalmore isn't so bad. ] Though I'm partial to Laphroaig.

[mannerism]

Another Scottish one.

[ goodness, but it makes her laugh, an outright, delighted chuckle. oh to hear a reference and recognize it! for a woman from 1946, this sort of familiarity is as welcome as the scotch itself. she does so hate feeling out of loop and lately that's all she's been feeling. ]

They do seem to get at least that right.

[contacts]

The Scottish? They're definitely getting their spirits right.

[ lois grins back and on impulse sticks out her hand for peggy to shake. ] Lois Lane. Pleasure to meet you. [ it's only been a few minutes, but she means it. ]

[mannerism]

Peggy Carter.

[ she takes her hand, red fingernails still chilly from the glass, shakes it with a little grin. ]

And likewise. Shall you try it, at least? It's really not as bad as I've made it sound.

[contacts]

Oh, I think I will.

[ lois manages to catch the eye of the bartender and orders "one of what she's having" and a fruity drink for taako. ] It can't be worse than some of the things I've had on assignment.

[ particularly embedded in the army. ]

[advanced]

[Bucky is often wary about coming into the main city, but he can't deny that he likes the park and so every few days he risks jogging through there. He might just have passed by, but he notices her on the bench and recognises her right away.

He probably owes her an apology.

He's not good at those, though, so instead he just stops a short distance away, gloved hands pushed into his pockets awkwardly.]

I spoke to Clark about you.

[contacts]

[ he stops a short distance away, standing there a little awkwardly, and any other day, lois might feel the need to poke at him again, to try and get just a little more information out of him than she did last time.

today, right now, she just smiles. ] What did he say? [ it's not fishing for compliments, but neither is she trying to interview him right now. ]

[advanced]

That you could be trusted.

[He doesn't. But he doesn't know her, so he's not about to trust her. Clark holds her in really high regard, though, and hinted that he might not keep any secrets from her in the future either.]

[contacts]

I'd like to think that's true.

[ of course clark said that. of course clark trusts her; the thought gets a somewhat soppy smile out of lois, warm and affectionate in ways she wouldn't usually wear on her sleeve, out for the world to see. ]

[advanced]

[He doesn't know her well enough to know if this behaviour is out of character for her yet, but she seems more relaxed today than she did last time.]

I need to know what he told you about me.

[contacts]

Not much. That you knew. That it isn't because he told you but because you found out.

[ she lifts her shoulders in a shrug, smile a little rueful because of course clark has decided to trust this man who keeps secrets regardless. ] That he thinks you'll keep his secret.

Oh, and one of your many names.