14431/All Work, Some Play

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All Work, Some Play
Date of Scene: 07 June 2022
Location: Metropolis Stadium, Downtown
Synopsis: Lois and Clark attend a football game at Metropolis stadium. She has issues concentrating on the game with her latest story heavy on her mind.
Cast of Characters: Superman, Lois Lane




Superman has posed:
The stadium roars with excitement. It's the second quarter of a real nail-biter of a game, with the Metropolis Sharks playing against the Dallas Cowboys. The Sharks have been having a great defensive game, not least of all because of the ascent of a rookie middle linebacker, poached right from college after absolutely dominating. He's a true behemoth of a man, well-muscled and panther-sleek in motion, with a farm boy background that's offered Metropolis locals a quaint bit of rustic to fawn over.

This match is said rookie Jefferson's debut, though his college ball reputation was well established prior, and Clark managed to snag the rights to the Daily Planet's sports coverage in a game of cards. He might have cheated a little bit.

"Whew, Lois, pa was right," Clark remarks, staring down at the field. "That Jefferson's a real ox."

Clark is on the job, technically, but you'd be forgiven for not thinking so; he's wearing a Sharks' jersey and blue jeans, and his cap is official Sharks-brand memorabilia. Even his sunglasses were picked up at a Sharks' souvenir shop.

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois *isn't* on the clock, so she's got the tallest beer the stadium will serve her, and is mostly enjoying herself. Even if football wasn't necessarily her thing, watching just how excited Clark is about the matter has given her a bit more encouragement to actually pay attention to the game. She laughs softly at his comment, "That Jefferson remind you of anyone? I bet he certainly reminded your *father* of someone." Lois gives Clark a rather pointed look, saying that he was quite the ox in his younger days too. She's heard the football stories, even if they were a while ago.

She's wearing a pair of daisy dukes and a floral print shirt tied off just under her breasts. She looks like the girlfriend who just came back from vacation, not the hard working reporter she is. She's keeping her attention as much on Clark as she is the game, and occasionally her own phone. There's some follow up notes inside, her mind still working through this Cult case even if she's supposed to be here relaxing. It's his story, not her's. Her's is in those notes in her phone.

Superman has posed:
Sports are one of Jonathan Kent's passions -- and as such, that love of all things football was ingrained deeply in Clark Kent's psyche, a love made bittersweet by his complete inability to play them.

"Oh, he kind of looks like Pa," Clark mentions. "Back in his highschool days, he was real strapping. And an ace with the pigskin, too. You ever seen those old trophies on the wall? They're not mine, Lois."

Clark smiles warmly at the memory. Indeed, during one of their myriad trips to the farm, Lois likely has seen the wall of trophies -- and, naturally, being no real fan of sports, she never peeked close enough to see they name Jonathan, not Clark.

"I always wanted to, but... well, wasn't for me. I couldn't bring myself to hit anybody. It wouldn't be right, you know?"

Clark was notorious for always flinching in his school days, even if younger students moved too fast at him. He'd lose a game of chicken with a mouse.

"Oh, halftime after this play," he mentions, sitting back. "So... care to tell me what's on your mind, Lois?"

Lois Lane has posed:
"...Really? I just assumed those were... yours. I thought you played football. I didn't realize your father was the star." A thoughtful smile comes across her pale features as she considers that a few more moments. "We'll have to invite your dad to the city sometime, get HIM these tickets. That way, you two can properly enjoy a game and I'll entertain your mother somewhere not sports related." Lois must be quite serious about Clark, to consider voluntarily spending alone time with his parents! She might even *like them*. How strange.

Then he's asking about what's on her mind and she looks down to her phone almost guiltily. She swipes the screen blank, but it's no doubt that he's already caught glimpses of her notes. Her search for someone named Joshua and more self-help groups in the local area. Maybe she's looking at getting help HERSELF? Possibly, but not likely. "Sorry... sorry. I know I should be paying attention to the game, but I figured if YOU are technically working while you're here, I could keep up with a bit of work myself. I'm still looking for this Joshua -- the young woman's uncle? I... I just feel like he's still got to be here, somewhere. If he's not already tied up in a new version of the cult."

Superman has posed:
Clark laughs heartily at Lois' misunderstanding. He lifts his hand -- and gives it a shake, waving the Shark-emblazoned flag he's been clutching in his meaty mitt all game. "Oh, I love the game," he mentions. "I was even on the team. I was the manager -- which is a lot less glamorous, maybe, but no less important!"

Although, in Clark's case, he was a glorified gofer.

"But I could never play, Lois. It wouldn't be fair."

He leans forward and smiles, a gentle curve of his mouth that crinkles the corners of his eyes. There's a way his eyes sparkle when he looks down at the field that seems so very mundane and human; in this shared love of the sport, Clark's like the thousands of other men in this stadium, indistinguishable from the human masses.

It's easy to forget that of course he could never, ever play. He could dominate an entire wall of NFL Linebackers by himself just by walking forward.

That smile doesn't falter as Lois speaks, though it does become more thoughtful.

"It's quite alright, sweetheart, I don't mind. You should at least *try* to relax for a bit, though." His face turns and he glances down at the beauty before him. "Well, I say that, but... I know you won't stop poking at it. Okay, hit me: what do we know about him so far?"

Lois Lane has posed:
Just watching him and that pure joy that comes over his face when he's watching the game, it's enough to make her relax almost by osmosis. She never gets to see him this happy or this relaxed. It makes her look a little guilty as he actually gives in and starts asking her about work. Her teeth worry at her lower lip for a moment, as she looks down to her blank phone screen and then back up to him.

"I.. really don't want to ruin your game, Clark. We can watch. I'll put the work away. Isn't there some big show at halftime, or is that ONLY for the Superbowl?" If there is no show, and likely there isn't, she lets out a slow breath through her nose, debating him and then the phone. "Fine. ONly until halftime is over."

Then she's pulling up her phone screen, starting to look over the notes from the previous case. "Josh Nguyen, in his fifties, veteran... PTSD survivor, always had a harder time fitting in. SHe thinks he joined the cult through this self help group here in Metropolis -- Way of the Open Mind - Positive Affirmation Group Therapy. He was going to them for a while before moving out to the compound."

Superman has posed:
"Lois, it's just football," Clark responds, a perhaps startlingly level-headed take from a man waving a colorful flag and wearing a themed hat. "There's not going to be a big show -- though LexCorp likes to sponsor little events for the home games, so there's usually some music, a giveaway, that sort of thing. Mostly, it's a break for smokes and toilets." Clark lifts one broad arm and stretches it over Lois' shoulders, leaning over in his seat that he might curl up alongside her like a friendly neighborhood mountain. "There'll always be other games. If this is important to you, I want to hear about it."

He smiles and shines, toothy and bright, with all the chiseled charm a small-town boy can muster.

"I haven't heard of them before," he admits. "But there are a lot of therapy groups with veteran associations -- some specifically for them, others with more casual connections. You should start with them, ask around. Could be there are therapy buddies of his still around who might have a better idea of what's going on with him."

Lois Lane has posed:
She certainly isn't complaining about the arm wrapping around her shoulders. Lois Lane smiles a little wider, leaning into him comfortably, her head turning to press a warm, beer-scented kiss against the corner of his mouth. At this rate, they were going to make it onto the jumbo-tron. Not that she'd complain, she's always liked a little fame in her life. She then settles down a bit deeper into his grasp, beer entirely forsaken for the notes on her phone.

"That's not a poor idea. They had a website but it's very out of data and the wikipedia was stripped down in some mis-information battle. If I can track down which therapy group it is, going to a meeting or two shouldn't be a problem. But you're right, there are a LOT of group therapies around. Going to all of this would take three times as long as any other part of this investigation." Not that she's unwilling. She's done worse and focused longer before.

Superman has posed:
What a show they'd be on the big screen: goofy-looking superfan Clark Kent, with his thick glasses and oversized jersey and big ol' hat, next to the ever-lovely Lois Lane, whose face is recognizable anywhere in the world the press is respected.

Or, if not respected, acknowledged, at the least.

"Sounds like you've got your lead, and all it takes now is a little gumption and elbow grease," the big lug declares, giving Lois an affectionate squeeze even as she presses beer-flavored kisses to his clean-shaven jaw. "Even if the group was being used to recruit, I doubt every single member ended up enthralled. If you start asking around, I'm sure you'll find someone -- a lot of these vets keep an eye on each other. Fraternity, once built, is hard to forget."

Lois Lane has posed:
Despite how big and goofy Clark might look in compare to her petite, often fashionable frame, the other thing the big screen would show is just how absolutely in love with the man Lois Lane is. She stares up at him like a woman who, for that moment, sees nothing else in the world. Especially as he puts his arm around her. A few 'awwwwes' go up from the crowd and Lois blushes a bit, but she doesn't pull away.

"You're right. And probably the VA and the Legion is a better place to start that self-help groups. It's... somewhere to go. The information won't come to me. But, today, I'm at all ball game with my best man, so I promise, phone's going away for the rest of the game. Let's just enjoy ourselves..." Lois stays with a smile, kissing his cheek before settling in once more to watch the second half of the game.