4951/Have a second

Have a second
Date of Scene:	18 July 2018
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Some secrets are shared.
Cast of Characters:	Flash, Superman

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Flash has posed:
The request itself was mysterious and awkward, which suggests a number of things. It came in soon after the test sequence with the fungus, but well after a lot of the strategy was enacted: during the downtime of waiting for other groups to prepare for a larger strike. Plenty of time for Flash to think about things and, it appears, come out of left field.

The voice message, which wandered a little in a shy tone (a little unusual to be shy with his teammate) said, "Hi, Kal - I had done some thinking, while we were waiting. Jessica said something, and I thought more /about/ it, and wanted to talk to you privately. Nothing bad! Maybe the Hall, after lunchtime? Our time, not Italy time. You know what, just let me know when you're there, if you want. All right. See you."

Superman has posed:
Kal, as Clark, was at his desk at the Daily Planet when he got the message. With all the time Superman had been spending with the Asgardians and fighting fungus, he was behind on his work and Perry was starting to notice. That meant more long hours. But the message was strange enough that Kal decided to slip out of the office under the pretext of meeting a source. He sent Flash a text message saying he would be there soon.

Not long later, Kal as Superman arrives at the Hall of Justice and goes looking for his fellow leaguer.

Flash has posed:
Since Flash's attention was actually ON this, and worrying it in his mind, the text means he's there instantly. He was at work as well, but his lunch hour starts a bit late, and ends a bit late, so this is hardly an impact. He does bring his roast beef sandwich, though. Food is always a priority even if there are other things. Even a brief search will reveal Flash up in the observation area, since it is deserted, with just the last two bites of sandwich. He made quick work of the thing. "Hi!" Flash says brightly.

Superman has posed:
Kal glances around when he comes into the Observation Deck, noting it was deserted except for Flash. The Hall was quiet today.

"Hey," Kal says with a smile as he walks over to Flash. "I got your message, was a little surprised. Everything okay?" he asks cocking his head slightly and taking Flash's measure.

Flash has posed:
"Oh, yeah," Flash says casually. Overly casually. Stalling. Which is something he actually does a huge amount, but he isn't the best actor out there, either, let alone while being watched by a reporter that's /good/ at seeing when a source is being a little funky. He doesn't seem upset, though.

"I was thinking about death." That's one way to start it off. He grins suddenly. "I mean, in a general... let me go back, I jumped ahead."

Without pause, he starts again. "I was talking to Jessica about secret identities. What they're for. What it's like for her, being exposed. The dangers of it."

Superman has posed:
Kal nods slowly. "Secret identities... That's complicated," he agrees. "She takes a lot of risks, being public. It wouldn't be easy in a lot of ways. What did she say about it?"

Flash has posed:
"She didn't used to be, she was secret before," Flash nods. "She said it's a relief. Called it 'liberating'. That kinda stuck with me. ----But. It's not for me," Flash says, a quick diffusion, in case Superman thought he was going that direction. He lifts both hands (well, hand and a hand with the last of the sandwich) in a 'whoa whoa' motion. Hold those horses.

"And I suspect you either. I mean. I haven't really /talked/ about this before. She sort of knocked my assumptions on their butts. The 'hiding,' she called it. But I mean. I have somebody I'm protecting. And my not-masked job."

Superman has posed:
"No, there are too many people who would get hurt if anyone knew who I was," he says with a sigh. "I hate the lies though, I never get used to the lies.... Sounds like she really challenged you," he says cocking his head slightly. "What assumptions did she knock down?"

Flash has posed:
"It wasn't on purpose or anything, she wasn't prying. Hardly: I was. It's just so strange to me that all of the Avengers are like that. But I suppose they're either targets anyway, like Mr. Stark, or they're gods, like Thor. They don't have parents or something. Captain America's just old and alone." Flash flinches. "I didn't mean it in a bad way." He presses his fingers into his eyes a little, pacing off to one side: just to throw away the wrapper and wolf the last bite of sandwich.

"The lies... I mostly go for partial truth. I mean. My coworkers probably think I have bladder problems." Flash grins abruptly, a quick joke. But the grin doesn't hold. "I don't know what you - have going on. And I'm definitely not asking you about yours, that's not why I asked you to meet."

Superman has posed:
Kal gives a half smile at the quip about his bladder.

"I know you're not prying," Kal reassures him. "I'm not sure why the Avengers all make that choice. But it takes a toll; always in the public eye, always an Avenger, always in danger. Some people might thrive on that, but others... Need the time away to recharge. So they can keep carrying the weight of what they do."

Kal pulls his cape forward, shrouding himself almost as if wearing a red cloak. "Do you regret staying secret?"

Flash has posed:
Flash clearly is listening: he wanted to talk to Kal for this reason. His impressions about it. Get out of his own hyperactive head on the issue. "Regret? Absolutely no. I just. I thought about the things she /does/ have. And there was a big one. That if something happens to her, people know who she was. What happened. If, ha ha, a fungus monster dissolved me to goo, or I time warp and am just gone, that's... just the end of it. My 'real' life would just be this dangling thing. And I don't want to leave anyone with that."

Flash's cheeks suddenly burn, his jaw setting, an emotional rupture of some type just under the surface. Something deeply personal. A deeper place Flash usually glosses past. "Mostly my family," Flash appends. "A loss like that... it eats you. I don't want that for anybody."

Superman has posed:
Kal's expression softens and he purses his lips.

"It would be heartbreaking for them if you just... disappeared, and they never knew why. Harder than knowing what happened and being able to grieve." He draws his cape a little tighter around himself. "There are... diferent kinds of secret, though."

Kal looks away past the edge of the Observation Deck into the empty facilities below. His eyes are unfocused for a moment, then he returns his attention to Flash. "I have family," he says and smiles a bit. "Adopted family. And someone very special to me. My family has known who and what I was from the beginning. My mother, she used to make my costumes for me. She worries, sees the news like everyone else. Sometimes she agrees with what I do, sometimes she doesn't. But she knows. I think she would never want it any other way."

Flash has posed:
Flash looks a little bit surprised at the sharing, though that surprise is only brief. Flash reorients quickly. Lacking pockets, he folds his arms a little bit, head cocked. Observant of the tug of cape, but not thinking badly of it. "I knew you were raised here," Flash answers, with a little nod. "That's a massive thing for her to carry. But massive for you, too, huh? To be what you are, not watching what you say in one mode or the other - a relax from the dual life thing."

Superman has posed:
"Exactly. Flash, you carry an incredible weight because of everything you've done, who you've become. And it changes you, you see things, things happen..." Kal shrugs slightly. "We all need somewhere we can be ourselves, not hiding all the time. Jessica and I aren't that different if you think about it. Both of us have found a way to have that space. She is very public about being who she is, I'm much more private. I wonder if you need to make that space for yourself? It's too long a road to go it alone."

Flash has posed:
"I had my life all in place. I mean, my abilities were an accident out of the blue; I haven't been this my whole life. I'm a bit of a strange case," Flash laughs, and then teasingly adds, "...No need to agree," with a quick wink. The subconsciously defensive, quick humor reduces, though, back down. "Obviously I'm going to use it and stay Flash. It just wasn't /always/ something. It's new-ish, even years later." He fidgets his fingers against his thighs, thoughtful. "I don't /think/ I've been jaded by any of it," Flash adds. Which is probably true, the man is a resilient optimist.

"But I had a thought. And you can say /no/, I mean, it's a weird thought," Flash begins, wrinkling his nose, scratching a little at the side of where the mask touches his sideburn.

Superman has posed:
Kal looks amused at the thought of Flash being jaded by anything. He was the most relentlessly optimistic man Kal had ever met. He envied Flash that at times.

"Oh? What's that?" he asks, curiously. Kal relaxes his hold on the cape and it falls open again.

Flash has posed:
Flash starts to rapidfire talk a little bit. Possibly a nervous thing. "I think I can kind of split the difference here. I'd like to say, hahaha, who I am? But mostly for if I die. Then at least my father will get some closure on it. It won't just... dangle. But that's a responsibility for you, I get that. It's a strange ask." Thinking of others, of course. Flash sticks with it. "But I mean, of all the people to trust, you're up there, Kal. For me anyway. Besides. Team leader." A grin is added. Flash is trying to reduce the seriousness of the moment. His smile probably does do it, despite the content of his speech. "So. I'll go to Batman if this isn't something you're okay with." Respectful. And awkward, but honest: and openly asked by the kindhearted speedster.

Superman has posed:
Kal crosses his arms. He opens his mouth to speak, but then closes it and frowns. Kal exhales deeply, thinking. He wants to tell Flash there is no need for this and that everything will be fine. But it was not true. There had been casualties before and there would again. Good friends had been lost.

He reaches out to put a hand on Flash's shoulder. His expression is somber. "Thank you for your trust. If something happens... I'll make sure he knows who you were and what you've done, for everyone," Kal says and smiles a bit. "But I don't think it will come to that. You've got a lot of hero years ahead of you, and years even after you put the costume down someday."

Flash has posed:
"I can't tell him myself or I would have. He's in prison, it's all monitored. It's not a good time," Flash says, without embarrassment. Just factual. And some low key frustrated anger about it that's well buried. The hidden things behind what's made Flash what he is.

"Okay, great. Band-aid rip time. I'm Barry Allen, I work forensics in Central City. Some various family. Cool. Yep. Okay. There we go." Flash darts through it in his usual high speed manner. He flashes a smile and gives a thumbs up. Simple as that. Brave and quick. "And yeah, I hope - intend?- to be around a long time. So far, no super-fast aging. So that's a plus. Lots more to do."

Barry finally takes a deep and deliberately slow breath. And nods. He's all right.

Superman has posed:
"That explains why you're so smart," Kal quips. He cocks his head slightly and then nods as if to himself.

Kal holds out his hand to Barry. "Pleased to meet you, Barry. I'm Clark, Clark Kent," he says with a smile.

Flash has posed:
"/Oh/?" Flash says. Blinkblinkblink. But as always, he adapts really fast on the fly. The shock was there, an age for the speedster really, and no time at all for anyone else. "Well /okay/," Flash/Barry says, his face and eyes going through a few interesting permutations of digesting what just happened, but the grin wings in, and he's smoothly moving to accept the handshake. "I was thinking you were more of a Charles, but Clark's close. Acceptable."

Superman has posed:
Kal laughs as they shake hands. "Glad it works for you. Now come on, lunch time is over. We've got work to do."

Flash has posed:
"I know. I have four cases that need attention. Okay. See you later," Flash says, and waves a little as the handshake ends. Nothing's different, to him or his behavior, really. It is as big a deal as they choose to make it.