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[fingerstripes]

Voicemail

"You know what to do."


Friendr

	Friendr
«		»
	» Age: 23 » Seeking: Friends, running partners, anyone interested in getting out and seeing the world. » Preferences: any » Interests: trapeze, martial arts, breakfast foods » Bio: Let’s get to know each other. See what we might have in common.
	base code by photosynthesis
	Dick Grayson
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Comments

[signifies]

[ Clark's not sure he really gets it either. They're too young to be roaming around with the kind of criminals Dick's described. ]

Would you like to, right now?

[fingerstripes]

It's part of who you are, isn't it? [ Dick's smiling at her again; the faint question there in his face. He wants to know how she defines it. ]

There a reason why you can't be both?

[contacts]

[ lois shakes her head. ]

I've never heard of them. I don't think he has, either.

[fingerstripes]

[ Clark earns a trademark Grayson Smile for that; surprised and delighted. ]

You even need to ask?

[fingerstripes]

[ Dick calls a little later in the day, at a time he assumes Clark will be relatively unoccupied. His voice is warm. ]

So I had an interesting delivery at the station today.

[ikols]

It is, but I wouldn't like to be defined as merely a sorcerer. How boring that would be. And I like to think, [ as she stabs her fork into a morsel on his plate, stealing it to pop in her mouth, ] that I'm all things at once, just to be well-rounded.

[ Tilting her head with a teasing flirt in tow, she squints at him curiously. ]

What would you say I'm like, my Officer?

[signifies]

[ Clark's own voice is equally warm. ]

Oh?

[signifies]

Since we're already up here... [ He smiles warmly. ] Shall we?

[fingerstripes]

[ She's sharp in a way that's somehow still startling. Kind in a way that's never quite without edges. Vulnerable at odd moments. When he'd broken the coffee pot. It tugs at his heart.

Instead he says: ]

You think a lot about this stuff. But that's not all you think about.

[ He slides his fork over onto her plate, stealing a morsel back. He looks for her gaze again. ]

You care.

[ikols]

[ The flicker in her eyes says he's right, she actually overthinks a lot. She drops his gaze when he steals from her plate, poking back at it with her fork just for something to do. ]

Occasionally.

[ Constantly. She finishes her meal, giving a shrug. ]

Quite observant, aren't you? That must make you a competent lawman. Have you put away many criminals?

[fingerstripes]

[ No is the safe answer. Easy to hide behind a lack of practical experience, when he hasn't so much as put on a real uniform yet back home.

Somehow for Loki, he's inclined to go for the truer response. ]

A few, yeah. [ Watch him duck away from that moment of honesty by scooping the plates up and taking them to the sink. ]

Not that they've exactly let me out of the Academy yet, back home. [ A sheepish grin is tossed over his shoulder. ]

Still a few days shy of graduation, if you can believe that.

[fingerstripes]

You seriously shouldn't have.

[ Though it's probably clear just how pleased he is that Clark did. ]

[fingerstripes]

Yeah. He mentioned that. [ With an effort he schools away his worried frown, trading for a small, almost sheepish grin. ]

...Sorry. It's gotta be a little strange to hear about this stuff.

[signifies]

I'm glad you like it.

[ikols]

[ ... Interesting. ]

How brave of you to apprehend them without a badge. [ At some point Loki has moved while Dick's back is turned, silent as a cat. She leans back on the kitchen counter opposite him, sharing his immediate space as if remaining on the other side of the breakfast bar was too far to bear. ] I believe it, by the way. Despite your beauty, you come off as the capable sort. Not many tick both boxes.

[fingerstripes]

Well, you know what they say about appearances. [ She's so quick on her feet that he almost misses the movement until he half-turns and suddenly she's there again. He's blushing already - embarrassment at the odd compliment, at his own desire to keep right on telling her things he shouldn't - and the effect of the sudden proximity compounds it.

She's the one so beautiful it's breathtaking. Dick reminds himself to breathe. ]

You know, a less amiable guy than me might not take that as a compliment.

[ikols]

I don't like to hang out with less amiable men these days.

[ He can take from that what he will and the nugget of a story with it. She cocks her head, watching him with an unblinking, thoughtful stare. ]

Breakfast was good, mainly because I made it. We should do it again sometime. Perhaps binge on the finest of cereals?

[contacts]

It is, but I'd rather know than be in the dark about it.

[ she'll always prefer being informed, even if it's uncomfortable at times. ]

What about me, in your world?

[fingerstripes]

[ He can't really imagine not feeling the same way if their positions were reversed.

And for a moment he wavers. Truth be told, he doesn't have much more than driver's license facts when it comes to Lois personally. But a lot of what he does know has to do with Clark. It doesn't seem fair to start putting that into context for her when he doesn't really even know what the status of their relationship is here. If it's a complicating factor they're working out on their own. Would it change anything if she knew they were married in another world?

He kicks himself a little belatedly now for not just asking Clark the delicate question ahead of time. ]

She won a Pulitzer last year. For a really outstanding op ed on meta human relations.

[ a definite pause. He runs an awkward hand through his hair. ]

Do you... do you want to know more than that?

About you and Clark?

[fingerstripes]

Hey now, we can't all be an effortless Julia Child. [ He tries to match that stare, but there's a smile fighting it off. She doesn't strike him as someone who makes alliances by chance. It's a little flattering to be seen entirely outside of the suit, outside of the framework so much of his life exists inside and still be deemed...

What?

Competent? Worth befriending? Something more than that? ]

But I could definitely use a friend who really gets the fine art of the cereal binge.

[ikols]

I don't know who that is.

[ Cocking her head, her smile grows and she straightens. She gives a wave and green smoke begins to furl around her from the feet-up, a cue to leave. ]

Time to start the day properly, I think. Thank you for your company, this was ... nice.

[ It reminded her of time spent with Verity in Manhattan, hanging out and making breakfast together without any sort of tension in the air. Refreshing. ]

Catch me later?

[contacts]

I won a Pulitzer, but not for that article. Was it her first?

[ but he continues, and lois' lips press together, first in consideration and then to hide a smile. ] So there's a Clark and me.

[ that's already telling. but - ] I don't want to hear about that. [ not yet. she wants to see where this thing with clark leads, first. ]

[fingerstripes]

Fair enough. [ it's the answer he was hoping for, and in a way he admires her all the more for it. It only seems fair, when he hasn't told Clark a thing. ]

And yeah, she's won a few now.

...I was reading her column before I ever thought of putting on a mask.

[ Granted at eight years old he'd been more interested in cutting out the blurry pictures of Superman to paste into his scrapbook, but still. Lois is a presence. ]

[contacts]

A few, huh?

[ that gets a smile from lois, something pleased, a little proud. it's good to know that no matter what the universe and no matter what else goes on, she stays true to herself and her work. it means a lot to her. ]

So when did you put on a mask? How did that happen? [ of course she's going to ask questions. this isn't an interview and it certainly isn't an interrogation, but lois is still lois. ]

[fingerstripes]

[ He's a little easier with the question now, which is probably some combination of the Lois Effect and a little real relief at having the toughest question settled already. ]

...I started when I was a kid. I was about nine, I guess?

I kind of made a few friends in high places when I lost my parents. [ Really he means just one friend in a high place. He hesitated a moment longer. ]

He was interested in helping me bring the murderer to justice.

He goes by Batman. [ He is absolutely watching her face for a reaction. ]