(no subject)

[signifies]

who: Clark and Jon.
what: A special delivery.
when: After the event.
where: Their home.
warnings: None.




[ He's had a delivery from the Perimeter Guard before. This time, Clark receives a medium-sized crate. Puzzled, he opens in the living room. A small creature flies right into his face. He yelps in surprise, crashing into the living room lamp and table.

The kite starts crawling for the window towards the sunlight. Now that he can see it clearly, it's very small. Only a baby.

He has no idea what this is. It must be Kryptonian like the command key was, otherwise it wouldn't have been given to him.

He picks up the little kite and it clings to his clothes, climbing on them. ]

Jon? Are you busy?

Comments

[supersweet]

Coming!

[ His ears prick with the strange sounds in the house and he puts his book down, making his way downstairs. He slides down the staircase, landing on his feet neatly and . . . stares. ]

Uhhh. What's that?

[signifies]

[ He was hoping Jon might know. Clark sighs and holds it out for him. ]

I have no idea. It looks like a rat, doesn't it?

[ It has four wings and no teeth yet. The resemblance is only the texture of its skin. ]

[supersweet]

[ Jon takes it with ease, holding it comfortably and carefully. Living on a farm has given him enough insight on how to take care of animals, even when he is still smarting over Goldie's death at his hands. He looks up to his father, unsure of what to do. ]

Kind of. Its wings are kind of pterodactyl-y.

[ Absently, he scratches the kite's chin as it croons near his chest. ]

[signifies]

Aren't they?

[ It's an alien animal. Probably the only thing to survive from Krypton, if the Portal doesn't bring anything else. ]

Hold on, I'll get my notebook.

[ He returns a moment later with it open to a blank page, and starts to draw the kite.

There's no question of not keeping it. ]

[supersweet]

[ Jon edges closer, watching with unbridled curiosity. He's never seen his father draw before and watching him do so now was interesting. Sometimes, Jon forgets that there are aspects of his father he's unaware of. ]

What are we gonna do with it, dad?

[ Unconsciously, his arms close around it tighter. ]

[signifies]

[ Kara liked to draw and paint more than him. Clark uses his eye for detail to make maps. He prefers to write.

He scans one of the wings with his X-ray vision and starts to sketch it on the facing page. ]

We're keeping it. There's a crate just behind me.

[supersweet]

[ Wow, just like that? Jon stares at him before he grins widely. ]

Really?! He can be our Super-Bat! Damian's gonna be sooo jealous.

[signifies]

[ He chuckles. ]

It'll be a while before that, buddy. We have to find out more about our friend here.

Do you want to start thinking of names?

[supersweet]

[ Ugh. Naming things were hard. He purses his lips, his tongue sticking out as Jon gives this a lot of thought. ]

What about Kelex? Or should he get a more Earth-ish name?

[signifies]

[ He stops drawing and looks up. ]

Kelex? That sounds like a computer.

I think we should have a Kryptonian name for a Kryptonian pet.

[supersweet]

It is the name of a computer. He runs the Fortress back at home.

[ At Clark's request, Jon's expression is subdued. ]

I don't know any Kryptonian names.

[signifies]

I don't either. But I noticed a few patterns from what Kara told me. Maybe we can choose something in-between.

[ He can ask the AI later for confirmation of the kite's gender. ]

[supersweet]

Yes, sir.

[ He continues to pet the kite quietly. ]

Sorry for not knowing any Kryptonian, dad.

[signifies]

[ Clark looks at him. ]

That's not really your fault, son.

[supersweet]

[ He knows, but it's hard to shake off. Jon glances away. ]

[signifies]

[ He lets Jon have his space, sketching quietly.

Clark finishes the wing and turns the page. ]

How's Annora for a girl? Annie for short.

[supersweet]

[ Jon perks up quickly. ]

Annora. Yeah, that sounds neat.

[signifies]

Do you want to pick one for a boy?

[supersweet]

Is Ranger okay? That's the name of my dog back home.

[signifies]

Sure. We can always think of something later, too.

Could you stand in profile, please, Jon?

[supersweet]

[ Jon blinks. ]

What does that mean?

[signifies]

Turn like this, please.

[ He turns to his side. ]

[supersweet]

[ His expression clears up. ]

Yes, sir.

[ And Jon lines himself up, trying not to feel self-conscious. ]

I flipped a coin. It's a girl!

[signifies]

[ Clark finishes up his sketching ten minutes later. ]

Want to have a look?

\o/

[supersweet]

[ Jon scuttles closer, looking over his dad's shoulder. ]

Wow, dad. You really can draw.

[signifies]

Thank you. [ He beams at Jon. ] We'll have to head for the library tomorrow to see if these match anything they have.

[supersweet]

Does the library have Kryptonian books?

[signifies]

I doubt it, but it has several on aliens. There must be something we can compare this to.

[supersweet]

I guess it can't hurt to look.

[signifies]

No, it can't.

Don't worry, okay? We'll figure this out.

[supersweet]

[ Jon cuddles Annie closer. ]

I don't want it to go like mom and cousin Kara.

[signifies]

[ Clark comes over to sit next to him. ]

Feeling lonely, buddy?

[supersweet]

N-No. I mean, you're here and that's good enough for me.

[ But Jon's world is only so big. Riverview has made it bigger, given him friends and other people. And yet, it's foreign to a boy who only ever had his parents and no one else. ]

[signifies]

[ His own words to his parents.

It's different having friends his own age. ]

I'm always here. I can't promise nothing will happen to us, but I won't leave you of my own free will.

[supersweet]

[ Jon nods somberly. Despite his age, Jon's mature enough to realize when people leave and when it is intentional. ]

It's okay, dad. I know. I don't think mom would have left unless she had to. Plus, she has to do important reporter stuff back home.

[signifies]

You're important to her too.

[supersweet]

[ Jon grins, pleased by that admission. ]

Yeah!

[signifies]

Okay. Let's figure out what we're going to feed our new family member.

[supersweet]

[ Jon pokes Annie lightly. ]

She's probably a meat-eater?

[signifies]

Probably.

[ He glances over at the crate she came in. ]

Can you get a blanket? She'll have to stay in that until we can give her a place in the yard.

[supersweet]

Yes, sir. I think I have one in my room.

[ He zooms in and out quickly like a cheater, waving it like a victory flag. Technically he's not supposed to use his powers around the house. ]