4954/Dinner for Two

Dinner for Two
Date of Scene:	18 July 2018
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Lois and Kal share dinner and thoughts on Asgardian memorial.
Cast of Characters:	Superman, Lois Lane

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Superman has posed:
The air in the apartment is heavily scented with garlic and onions. Kal stirs the sauce on the stove, then drops the noodles into the pot of boiling water. He gives the chicken some attention, adding a touch of white wine and looks up at the clock.

"I think I'll make it," he says to himself.

Rain patters against the apartment windows, a gentle accompaniment to the music playing on his docked cellphone. The apartment is clean and tidy, the table is set. It is amazing what you can accomplish in an hour or so when you can move faster than most.

Kal looks at the clock again and looked around, double and triple checking that everything was in place, then goes back to the kitchen to keep tending to the meal.

Lois Lane has posed:
It's been a long day, and it isn't over yet. But the cheering news is that Kal will be home tonight. Lois holds onto that as she walks through the revolving door in the front of the building from beneath a bright red umbrella. She should make something for dinner, she decides. Something that will help welcome him home so that he can relax. That'll be just perfect.

And so all the way up the stairs, Lois is letting down her long dark hair, and ticking off ideas, considering what they have, and what to cook. It isn't until she gets to the front door of their apartment and smells food cooking inside that she realizes she wasn't the first one home.

Hurriedly shifting the mail from one hand to the other, she lets herself in, and is met with heaven. "Kal?" She shuts the door and hastens into the kitchen. "Kal!" She's careful not to do anything to get him burned by the stove, but she can't wait another moment to wrap her arms around him and bury her face against his chest. "You're home..." comes her shirt-muffled voice as she holds him close.

Superman has posed:
"Whoa, hey..." he says with a laugh, just managing to add the chicken into the sauce in time to turn and be embraced by Lois.

Kal pulls Lois tightly to him and holds her there, savouring being close. He closes his eyes and breathes in the smell of her. Then he looks down at Lois and smiles.

"I'm home."

Kal bends down and kisses Lois, lingering there for a long moment. He smiles for her again when he straightens up, then his eyes go wide. "Uh oh," he says and extricates himself from Lois' embrace. He hurries over to grab an oven mitt, open the oven door and pull out a baking sheet. In the middle of the sheet is a tall white loaf with large sea salt crystals embedded on the top.

"I almost forgot, that was close... I wasn't expecting you home yet. Thought I'd surprise you."

Kal sets the bread on a cutting board and leaves the baking sheet in the sink. He pulls a bottle of white wine from the fridge and offers to pour Lois a glass.

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois turns slowly, looking around the kitchen at all the work Kal has put into welcoming her home. "You'd think I was the one who had to leave the country." She looks almost bewildered by the scene. "How l--How long have you been home? I was gonna do all of this for you, except I was gonna burn one thing and spill another thing."

Superman has posed:
Kal hands Lois her glass of wine and chuckles.

"A little over an hour. I had a meeting at the Hall at lunch, and skipped out a little early. I'm sure Perry won't mind."

Of course Perry would mind, he minded everything. But that was Perry.

Kal pours for himself then clinks glasses with Lois and sips the wine. It is decent, but nothing special. He cannot afford what he would like to be able to offer Lois, not on a reporter's salary in Metropolis.

"Hungry?" he says and proceeds to start plating dinner. Linguini with chicken in a white wine cream sauce; light because Lois did not like anything too heavy. Asparagus on the side of the plate. He puts the plates at their places, then starts cutting the bread for them. Oil and balsamic vinegar are already poured in a plate on the table.

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois clinks glasses along with Kal as he lifts his to her. "You amaze me more every single day," she says as she catches him coming back from the table with empty hands for the moment. She steals another kiss and revels in the feeling of Kal here, pressed against her, and not off in the wild blue somewhere.

"Thank you, Kal," Lois says quietly once the kiss is broken, and she presses her forehead against his. "For everything you are."

Superman has posed:
Kal colours slightly and lingers with her. Then he kisses Lois' forehead and steps back, taking her hands. "Come on, let's eat before it gets cold."

He leads Lois to the table and sits down. He picks up his fork then pauses, looking at Lois with a tinge of a grin. "I missed you." The moment passes. Kal puts his fork down, takes a piece of the bread and dips it in the oil. "What did I miss?"

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois smiles as they're seated and places her napkin in her lap. "You didn't miss much of anything, besides all new episodes of Overbearing Perry. He wants to be the first paper in the tri-state area to break a story about the memorial for the Mercy." She sips her wine and sets the glass down, and dips a bit of her bread in the Vinaigrette, as well.

"I told him to stop getting his tights twisted up and have a little respect."

Superman has posed:
Kal rolls his eyes a bit at that and shakes his head.

"Of course he would," he says, more somber than he had been a moment ago. "I wish you could've been there with me, Lo. It was hard to watch."

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois watches Kal's expression change, her gaze lingering on him a moment before she gives slight nod, and looks back down at her plate.

"I know it was, Baby. I wished that I could have been there if for no other purpose than solidarity. Not many people could have done what you guys did out there. It was amazing to see so many capes in one place." She shakes her head then. "Nobody -should- have seen that, not the way it was cordoned off. Still, I think it does the people good to see so many strong and gifted people whose names, faces, and masks we all know, coming together for a common cause."

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois watches Kal's expression change, her gaze lingering on him a moment before she gives slight nod, and looks back down at her plate.

"I know it was, Baby. I wished that I could have been there if for no other purpose than solidarity. Not many people could have done what you guys did out there. It was amazing to see so many capes in one place." She shakes her head then. "Nobody -should- have seen that, not the way it was cordoned off. Still, I think it does the people good to see so many strong and gifted people whose names, faces, and masks we all know, coming together for a common cause. It reminds us there's still hope in the world."

Superman has posed:
Kal twists some pasta around his fork, eats and chases it with a sip of wine. He brigthens again and gives Lois an appreciative smile. She always knew just what to say.

"It was incredible," he agrees. He smiles. "Some of them spent days and days helping out. Not just with keeping the ship from sinking, but little things.. Playing with the children, healing, even just carrying boxes of supplies. Psylocke was healing some kind of... Psychic injuries. Nuala's an amazing engineer, I think she single-handedly kept the ship in space until the crash. Even SHIELD was there, no questions asked. They just got to work supporting the Asgardians. I haven't seen anything quite like it."

Lois Lane has posed:
Nodding, Lois smiles warmly. "Some of them, I saw in the leaked footage." She pauses, carefully cutting and taking a bite of asparagus.

"And you," she adds. "I can't tell you how overwhelming that moment was. I've seen you work. I've seen you do astounding things. But to see you there, in the midst of everything. So much heartbreak and tragedy. And you there, with everything you represent..."

Lois swallows hard and takes a couple of deep breaths to steady herself, even as her eyes glisten with tears. "It was the most uplifting moment I think I've ever felt."

Superman has posed:
Kal shifts in his seat, and purses his lips just slightly. He reaches over to take Lois' hand, sliding his under hers. He gives Lois' hand a gentle squeeze, then slowly brushes the back of her hand with his thumb.

"It was something," he agrees quietly. "And with the Blue Lantern there... If it had to be this way, Thor couldn't have done things better. The Asgardians deserved that moment."

He lets go of Lois' hand and shifts slightly again, then takes another sip of wine. "I wish it was always like this, so... united."

Lois Lane has posed:
"Nothing happens by pure accident, Kal," Lois assures him as he sets down his wine. "The world builds daily, toward good or ill. Atrocity tips the scale one way. Heroism the other. This is no different. But I think it's tipped the scale farther than you even know. Maybe, I mean, it's possible...that this is the beginning of more unified moments. Between this alien fungus siege and the Mercy, we're seeing more cooperation among heroes than the world has ever seen before."

Superman has posed:
Kal nods and leans forward. He rests his forearms against the edge of the table. "I never thought about it, but I think you're right, Lo, this is different. There's this feeling. The Avengers, Justice League, Titans, X-Men, SHIELD, independents, all fighting together, getting closer than ever," says. His eyes sparkle as he speaks. "None of the bickering, just one purpose. If we can build on that... If people believe and bring that spirit to their own lives? What couldn't we do?"

He gives a wistful half smile and reaches for more bread.

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois nods, a smile brightening her face. "There'll be nothing you can't do," she says. She takes a bite of her chicken, and Mmm's softly as she enjoys it. "I already believe that. But you're building a world alongside them where maybe someday the ones who mean harm will know better than to even try."

Superman has posed:
Kal raises his hand to cover his mouth. "That's the hope," he says around a mouthful of food, then swallows. He smiles appreciatively at Lois and shakes his head. "You're amazing. You're the most passionate person I've ever met. It's..." he gestures, at a loss for words.

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois cracks an amused smile, shaking her head. "Believe me, I know the feeling. You don't even have to say it." She lifts her glass to her lips thoughtfully, arching a brow. "So I sort of...figured I'd just have to show you what words fail to express. After dinner." She winks and takes a sip.

Superman has posed:
Kal smiles into his wine glass as he takes another sip. He sets the glass down on the table followed by his napkin, then gets up and walks around to Lois.

He scoops her up with a grin. "Why wait?"