thisisontherecord | family group chat

( handing the hoodie over, he looks up then and eyes light up with a thought. )

I actually have something that might help. Hold on.

( he’s darting off to his room then, making sure to kick himself out of his sneakers on the way, then coming back in the living room with a spyglass in hand that he holds out to show both of them. )

I used some points I had to ask for something to help with the mission and this is what I got. It came with a note, too. ( to which he pulls it out and reads: ) I will show you things as they truly are.

( looking back to clark and lois, he gives a thoughtful look. )

I was talking to Damian about it and we both concluded it might assist with the possibility of illusions or something like that since when you look through it right now, everything looks like it is.

[What the — oh, huh. Clark reaches out to take the spyglass for himself if Jon will hand it over, inspecting it to see what he can make of it. Which isn't much, as it turns out. It just looks like a spyglass.]

If it does, then you need to hold on to it tight.

( She heads toward the series of hooks she's installed on the wall by the front door to hang up jon's hoodie. Partly in case he's deciding to be Off Again since he's been one heck of an active kid, and Lois knows she's probably supposed to keep up with him better? probably? ... Okay, so realistically, how.

Anyway, then Jon's back, talking about a spyglass and oh. Huh. Wait, so Aurora can help in ways like that? Interesting. )

Good thinking, Jon. How'd you figure out that use of points?

( Clark's got the spyglass, Lois is more interested in the note and giving Jon a ruffle of his hair. )

Definitely sounds like it'll help. And I'm guessing Damian is the mysterious Robin I keep trying to half name?

( Casually going to note that name forever, thank you Jon. )

( when lois goes and name drops damian like that, jon blinks a little in surprise first because… oops??? then again, she was bound to find out at some point so, steepish look on his face, he presses a fist to his mouth and slowly nods before he drops his hand away. )

Yeah… that’s him alright.

( but with most of the attention being on the spyglass clark looks over, he nods as he kicks his wicked foot against the floor a little. )

And yeah. I asked Aurora for something that would help with the mission and that’s what I got. I don’t like that people are going to be so vulnerable with this, so I want to help however I can.

[Clark isn't all that fussed about real name vs. codename, but probably he's coming at it from a unique perspective.]

That was a good idea. If Aurora thinks it'll help, knowing what she knows about what's coming, then I would guess it really will.

[He's not assuming anything, but the balance of probabilities is in their favor, he thinks.]

I don't know how feasible it'll be once things get going, but I think we need to try to implement some kind of buddy system.

( Lois makes a little "hah" sound, since now she can name switch depending on context. It's unimportant in the scheme of things, but nice to have the option now.

Lois doesn't say, depending on what you can trust that she's allowed to say. It's part of what her interview with Aurora highlighted, but it isn't important now, and it's not like she's had Clark sit down to stare at it so it's not only Lois doing the staring, either. )

A buddy system sounds perfect. We have no indications that our earpieces won't continue working, so even if for some reason we end up separated, we can keep in touch with each other.

( All of them. She already has a feeling Jon and Damian will end up in cahoots at some point, given how Jon's days here go, and the fact it's two kids in superheroic uniform making that a major part of their identity. Sometimes it's about riding the lightning, not being ahead of it.

She gives Jon's shoulder a light squeeze. )

Want to help decide on re-group locations throughout the city, Jon? Damian's welcome to them too, though I get the general feeling he already has his spots picked out.

( Then Lois gives Jon a slightly narrowed eyes look. )

Including but not limited to underneath the Bat Cave.

( at that, he shakes his head, arms flying open. )

It was just an idea, gosh. And with all this talk about poisoning us with gas and depowering us, going underground didn’t seem like such a bad idea, ok.

( he’s not upset but he’s… not not upset. )

It isn't a bad idea.

( Granted, doing it under someone's cave might be less than ideal for purposes of anyone wanting to know someone is building a cave under their cave and that it still retains structural integrity, but: )

Even if we don't have confirmation on if a great deal of cement, dirt, or anything else slowing down the radiation particles, having an option to see if it can is worthwhile.

( She gestures a little with her hand. )

Might be useful to have permission first on location in case there are load bearing surprised to avoid, but what do I know? I'm not an architect. Clark, do you have any insight into that?

( You... deal with buildings 1000% more than Lois has ever had to think hard about them. Ever. )

[That question gets a mild look, because Clark can see into the infrastructure of buildings during very bored days at work and he very occasionally catches buildings, but none of this lends up any special insights.]

None whatsoever. I'm a reporter, not an engineer.

[Anyway, back to Jon.]

She is right, it's not a bad idea. And it's good that you didn't get started. But it's also true that you'd need to be careful about this kind of thing — about all I know about digging underground is that can end badly without precautions.

[He does recall a story or two about trapped miners. Not the same situation, but close enough that he wouldn't want Jon and his friend to attempt this without supervision.]

I can handle it. So can Damian. We're the Super Sons.

( as mr. pennyworth so affectionately named them. )

( Lois quirks up her eyebrows. Oh. Well then. She has a sneaking suspicion she's dealing with what kid her had been like, only with the added, mystifying bonus of actual superpowers, or supertrained best friends instead of the kids she'd picked to roll with around her neighborhood.

Or the lack of kids. It depended on who she could con into working for her goals or to come along on her shenanigans. Jon at least doesn't seem to have that particular, uh. Gift. Curse? Damian seems to be the shenanigans leader some percentage of the little their son's telling them. Hmm. )

I take it that's what your duo's called back home? Has a good ring to it.

( Home for Jon. Are there Robins in her home? Probably? She wouldn't know, just about Batman being a rumor on the wind. With a bit of a hum and a musing tone to her voice, she asks: )

By any chance, are you two also super good at asking for forgiveness instead of asking for permission?

( Jon... how much do you take after her in this, asking for Mom Knowledge. )

Edited (so many ares i may be a pirate) 2025-09-17 03:37 (UTC)

I just want to help and I really don’t like the thought of dad or anyone else being left powerless because of some mysterious vent opening up and letting all that in.

( at that, he shakes his head, still firm in his resolve. )

People could get hurt or worse.

[Lois keeps surprising him with her adeptness at diplomatic parenting, because Clark probably wouldn't have started his response by complimenting their duo name. (Although it is pretty cute.)]

People like you. And people like Damian.

[Clark tries to go for "fair and understanding, but firm." He's not sure how well he executes.]

Powerless doesn't mean helpless, Jon, and even with powers, that kind of thing could go badly. We're not telling you to do nothing; we're telling you to be cautious and not jump into things.

( he shakes his head, gently frustrated and being unable to find the words to express said frustration. )

It doesn't matter if I want to jump into things or not. I'm being thrown into it whether I like it or not and I'm going to be at a disadvantage because of being poisoned.

( he's not some skilled assassin like damian is. he's not even some expert combatant like batman or nightwing. he relies a lot on his abilities that he's still coming to learn and being stripped of them and left to fend for himself with whatever he might come up against... he doesn't like it and it very much upsets him at the thought of being unable to protect or help someone. )

( Lois feels keenly in that moment that she and Clark are, in fact, young. Which is peculiar and not anything she appreciates in the grand scheme of things, but she has that sensation of Jon being at a loss in a way she likewise feels his correct parents would have been able to help address. Jon and Clark are wrestling with similar things, from two different perspectives, and she's not sure anything makes this better. With more experience, with a greater breadth of knowledge to call on, would they be, she doesn't know. Enough?

So instead of trying to answer what it is when one feels helpless, when one is deprived of a great deal of strength through factors outside of their control, she moves. She's not Jon's mother in the ways she feels matters most in times like these, but she genuinely does care about him, and she can see if he'll let her pull him into a hug, because it sucks. )

You're right, Jon. You're getting thrown into danger along with a lot of other people, and it freaking sucks. Now we're all left adapting plans for how we're going to show up to help people through this whole shi...fty mission when you shouldn't need to.

( Language catch. Because he and Clark both are painfully not capable of sitting back, even when Clark she knows is struggling with how to manage a suddenly re-calibrated world experience. It's going to be a lot for Jon, too. (She's also two seconds away from asking if he already knows the easiest targets to aim for on an bigger adult as a means of self defense, but that can wait.) )

( he doesn't know what to say — doesn't want to feel so frustrated and helpless and scared with this first mission he's being thrown into. poisoned is not something he thought would happen as a means to show his world is worth saving and willingly done so at the behest of echo. jeez. he REALLY wants to talk to them and give them a piece of his mind for this!! because it's not just him, it's others, too. he can't be the only one who feels this way about it — who feels scared about what could happen.

so he doesn't say anything as lois approaches him and, when she pulls him into her for an embrace, he lets her, face burying itself against her as she does. )

[Sometimes Clark feels like he forgets how young Jon really is. Not completely, not exactly, because that's not possible when looking at him. But he seems so confident in himself compared to what Clark remembers of being that age.

He is just a little boy in the end, though. Their little boy. In one way or another.

Clark steps closer and slips his arms around both of them. A family hug. Not for the first time, probably not for the last. As much as he wishes it wasn't because of Jon being upset, he thinks — he could get used to it.]

( Lois allows herself to rest her head against Clark to whatever degree is practical. However many looping twists and turns have led here, she's here, and so are they. Her boys. Jon gets the benefit from that firm, holding hug. Her words, soft and equally firm: )

We will get through this. Scary as all of it is.

( And it is, on various levels. Lois believes she's grounded enough that the worst extremes of paranoia will push her more toward a lack of trust instead of anything remotely violent, and even then... these are the two people she doesn't know that she truly can't believe, no matter what happens. )

And knowing all of us, we'll do everything we can to help the people around us too.

( One of the best ways to handle fear, and the unknowable, and the out of control in their lives. Do what they can. Be normal super heroes. It might be harder for her Kents, given they're used to being the kind of superhero that the world bleeds in weeping joy for, but she knows they'll manage this too. What she hopes is they don't end up horribly hurt where she can't reach them in the process, but — that too is a fear to handle. In the end, Lois is annoyed by being aware that this isn't something any one of them can prepare enough for. So what she can do, what she can say, is what's honest, even if it's nascent compared to what it may be one day. )

I love you two.

( Love will never be enough to right a worlds wrongs. But it can be enough, knowing. Inadequate as she feels she is for Jon, she can admit that after a month and a half of knowing him, and struggling with all the shades of what he could mean to her, doesn't diminish learning she does love him. She doesn't know anyone who couldn't reach that conclusion after having him be part of their lives. Maybe it isn't the fierce, maternal force she hears some women talk about, but she's fierce enough as she is, and her ovaries don't need to have commentary for her to choose that love over the various denials of it.

To be fair, three months into dating Clark (and sure, knowing him for three years before, but still, three months into dating) she'd faced herself on the fact that she loved him too. Must be a Kent thing. Hell, she kind of thinks she loves Clark's parents and their carefully kept room of Clark's exploits from childhood to his cusp of adulthood, but that too is a thought for some other time. )

[Clark doesn't doubt it for an instant. He can't say what he really thinks will happen in the days ahead, and all he knows about the danger is that it'll be considerable. Based on what Aurora described, a lot of damage can be done — and there's no guarantee it'll be limited to the mental and emotional.

But when he thinks of them on the other side of it, he can only think of them together. A family, in whatever unconventional way they are one. Together. Having done whatever they can for others, and for each other.]

Same. I love you, Lois.

[He shifts around so he can rest his hand on Jon's head. Lois is already holding him, and Clark is holding them, but he feels the need for that extra bit of connection.]

And I love you, Jon.

[He knows, or thinks he knows, that they can only be his parents for so long. Until their universes are saved and they go home, or his real parents show up in Etraya, or...any number of possibilities. There's no guarantee they'll ever have a Jon of their own, and even if they do, it wouldn't be the same. That doesn't change the here and now. He's thought so much about what it would mean for him to have a child, what it means for him to have this child, but in the end Clark can only go by what he feels in this moment.]

We'll make it through what's coming.

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