Blue Boyscouts

[shieldborne]

The dimensional distortion over London is being observed by more than one agency--including SHIELD, Interpol, the US military and dozens of others--but it's exceedingly difficult to plan or determine what to do about it, since things are happening so quickly. In the US, especially, the only things that can be done on short notice are to try to monitor the ripples from that distortion that fall within American territories, and to offer a hand (and an armed guard) to anyone or anything thrown through the temporary gateways.

Steve is on duty for this, because he's always on duty, and no one is surprised. He's got part of the STRIKE team at his back, but he's the first and fastest to get to the street after there are reports of light and sound and inexplicable flotsam tumbling out of nowhere into Georgetown, a quarter-mile from the edge of the Potomac, riding in fast on his motorcycle and coming to a halt beneath a churning, iron sky.

Comments

[redcapebluecollar]

Clark can understand that. When he was younger, alcohol might have worked if he drank enough, but as he got older, something shifted and it just got less effective. Not that he much cared for the idea of being drunk, so in the end it wasn't such a bad thing.

"Trust me when I say it made school really awkward." Clark replied with a grin of his own, brows lifting. "Couldn't talk to the girl I liked without almost torching the school. No one saw, but the rest of the year was full of fire safety assemblies because of it."

It was... nice, in some ways to talk about this, especially to someone who it seemed had a similar deal with learning their abilities. Similar experiences even if the source was different and Steve had been older dealing with them.

"Buddy, you just explained most of my childhood. I'm pretty sure all my parents grey hairs were because of my learning my speed, strength, or flying. That was a fun one to figure out when you're not even in second grade."

[shieldborne]

It's just possible that Steve is the dangerous bad boy compared to Clark. He would love to be able to get drunk again. Not that he ever made a big habit of it when he could, but there are nights that seem endless now, and days when his nerves are rattled and he can't soothe the adrenaline down after a fight. He punches things, instead of drinking, until he works himself to exhaustion, but temporary oblivion in a bottle is tempting.

Too tempting, maybe. Maybe it's just as well it doesn't work.

"Are you serious? And I thought puberty was awkward under normal circumstances." He's both impressed and sympathetic. And wants to laugh, but that seems rude.

"You started flying in second grade. Damn...I was still trying to--never mind." Not a happy story there. "But if I could have flown I'd have been up on the Chrysler building petting the eagle statues by the time I was twelve."

[redcapebluecollar]

"Trust me, puberty only gets worse when you've got heat vision." Clark wouldn't be insulted if Steve did laugh, given he was already chuckling a bit himself at the memory. "Capped it all off when I started being able to see through walls and hearing really well."

He shook his head at the memory of his first flight, running a hand through his hair.

"Honestly it was pretty terrifying. Wandered outside in the morning, half asleep to see if dad needed help with the cows and all the sudden I'm floating over the barn. Didn't know how to move around, or more importantly how to get down."

[shieldborne]

"Jesus, you have x-ray vision, too? You should come with a tag listing all your superhuman abilities. Do not remove under penalty of law." He's joking. If, in fact, someone tried to require Superman or anyone like him to wear such a tag--especially under penalty of law--Steve would fight them, without question.

He places the vegetables on the nearest cutting board and gestures invitingly, letting Clark know if he wants to help, he's welcome to slice them. Steve himself starts making up burger patties and puts them in the pan to cook.

"Okay, that does sound scary. What did your parents do?"