Embassy Visit

March 28, 2016:

Superman and Wonder Woman finally talk face to face after over a year.

Themyscira House - New York City

(Until Di can get to it): The Themyscrian Embassy is the home of the
Amazonian Delegation to the world. It is their castle, their fortress, their
refuge from the Patriarchs world and the place where they gather friends and
allies, on occasion. The Embassy grounds are, as all embassies are, the
sovereign territory of Themyscria and anything done there falls under
Themyscrian law.

Characters

NPCs: None.

Mentions: supergirl

Plot:

Mood Music: None.


Fade In…

The Embassy has been in a new form of hustle. But that should not be a surprise as Princess Diana has been making many different and unique turns since her return from Apokolips, ones that are a bit more sudden then the ones she was doing on Themyscira prior. Some Amazons are unsettled, those of older blood; those of youth look with an expectant anticipation or even a wariness because of some unpredictability, but despite it all and some of the toxic whispers from home, Diana has kept them all safe.

"No, the children will not see the inside of a cell, they will see the inside of a comforting room and they will want for nothing. If the DEO follows through on them we will have that Agency at our doorstep —" The pause that comes after has the two Amazonian women nodding, Diana did not have to finish. Politics were a game of loaded chess, especially when you throw your weight as Ambassador to keep people safe until other means are proven to be equal or greater.

Black chars from explosives sill marred over olive skin, one on her shoulder expanding up to jawline, the other… Below the waist and on the backside to spread in a splay over hip and thigh. He got his.

"See to their food, keep them together, but keep a watch. If needed send for me." The emptiness of the Embassy is resounding, save for the tapping of keys by the 'secretary' and the running water from the indoor garden behind.

"Zeus grant me strength, or more lightning bolts for the tension." Bridge pinch. She needed a massage from a herd of stampeding centaurs.

"If this is a bad time, I can leave a message with the front desk," Superman's familiar voice offers, in an even but polite tone. Which is… probably very strange. After all, he hasn't been available, he hasn't been around to assist - even after his return from that mysterious disappearance - and the awareness of all of that has caused this polite sort of guilty distance. Even so, his wish to help is stronger than any awkwardness or dysfunction that might be in the air, and promotes the next statement:

"…But if I can do anything, I'd like to."

Superman is physically located outside (because hovering means it's easy to converse in through an open window)— the behavior physically is matching his internal issue: that of keeping at a distance, or being unsure if his presence is welcome, or not. Intrusion on anyone isn't really his preference. His pose is mildly defensive, arms crossed, but he seems to realize that, and drops hands to his hips, shoulders relaxing a fraction.

Slowly, pinched fingers slide down the bridge of her nose as cerulean gaze lifts up to the window outside. Behind Diana the chair of the secretary clatters to the floor with her sudden rise, and it seemed in a manner of seconds she was aiming a cross bow outside the window he drifted just beyond.

The hand that had held a pressure point now extends out to the Afrikkan woman who, by her own recognition now, was lowering her weapon. A curious look from Sirena to Diana and she was already headed outside to the front steps, the gait one of restrained haste. It has been too long, and Diana had worried for her friend but in the back of her own mind - despite bleak times - kept hope and knowledge he was well.

Now outside of that window, Diana's own outline hovers just beside Superman's. From a look that sweeps over the Kryptonian in inspection and unsurety, it quickly shifts to a smile that splits lips from teeth in a vibrant and relieved grin. Superman will quickly find himself in an embrace that is akin to friendship as well as camaraderie, her hand clapping across the back of his shoulder before she backs off to arms distance.

No apology. "I knew you were alright and your gods would keep you well. All is well now, yes?" Yet another up-down of her friend to double check.

Superman's own relief is evident - and he doesn't make an effort to mask it. What is the point of that with Diana, really? And it makes his worry seem… rather stupid, but, well, guilt over possibly making others suffer, well, that's not an unusual or strange emotion for the large man.

The cross bow was, of course, acknowledged: he gave a simple lift of hands, palms up - a gesture of simple 'I come in peace' — but that's not needed. Even so, it's certainly easy to wrap him in a hug with his hands up and out in that position, and he'll return it: after the necessary brief hesitancy on his part, of course. But Kara is a hugger (particularly lately) and he's receptive: he can be trained. And it's purely friendship in his reaction.

The relief of not being met with anger or frustration is clear in his own bright blue eyes, though still holding that guilt back beyond them. That takes time, and he has to forgive HIMSELF for being gone, first, no doubt. "Yes. It was never my intent to make anyone worry," Superman says heavily, but the smile is real. Even if he wasn't fine, he'd still say he was, to prevent that worry, though, so that may mean little! "I'm at full strength again." There was a time when that was not the case, recently, is the obvious implication. …..Well. Physically at full strength.

What was the point of ever pretending, with Diana. But Superman did anyway in parts, where in others…

Diana's head tilts to the side lightly, drawing that long dark hair over her charred shoulder, brows furrowing. But not in inspection in a worry, lowering from their hover as she does so. "Clark. We may bear names - us heroes - that make people think we are infallible, sturdy, and steadfast. Immortal. There are always ways to prove that wrong." A pause in her ascent up the stairs to go back into the Embassy, a hand rising to gesture for him to join her inside.

"But while we live and breathe we ensure they stay as they are until another worthy of the name can fill the shoes." As she has had to her own mother's. That pause though did not fully rest, Diana turned to face Superman from her vantage and smiled, even though her look at him was as harsh as a mother's chiding.

"I worried. We all did. Just because I am Wonder Woman, and you are Superman, does not mean we are not permitted emotion. You have already broken that, now stop trying to evade all truths. Get down here. Share repast with me and find comfort, my friend."

Smile!

Superman - Clark - continues to hover where he was, observing as she moves down out of the hover to the stairway, clearly giving her his full attention on her words, and bringing them all in for consideration. As she gestures for him to join her, he seems to come out of that focus briefly, and moves to drift down and land neatly at her side.

His smile is a sort of mild one, a quiet amusement and awareness of the mother-tone. But not arguing with it, or continuing to apologize or try to defend the action or defend his own apologies… he lets it go. Because sometimes it's nice to try to set it aside for a little while, those inner demons, that fester so often.

"I would be glad to," Superman says, with a humility that he wears well, willing to enter and share a meal… and a time of relaxation. Baby steps to a more complete healing.

"I do hope that you are aware, everyone misses you." Diana states upon re-entry into the Embassy, Sirena remaining with nails clicking over keys, only a glance and a nod passed Superman's way before she was back to work - others in passing doing the same, bearing smiles before they kept on to their duties.

Moving beyond the live garden to the opposing side a large room is left open, as it is off hours for dining among sisters and so they have the entire spanse to themselves while small dishes are brought out of various foods for them to partake of. "Have you visited Kara? Seeing you would lift her immensely, and she deserves it." As there are holes that can runneth over and still not be filled, but the past will go unspoken of unless it is required. It is the past, and here is the now, sitting with her and (almost) whole.

"I do hope you are aware, no doors have closed to you though some may require earning to fully re-open." A pause as she lifts a date from a plate of fruits and smiles to him.

"Being here, now, tells me it is what you seek. No one ever stopped believing and hoping. Ever. It just hurt, and guess what? We heal pretty well, too." Though in saying that she scans him, slowly, almost like she is beneath the skin on this one. "I will leave it to you to tell me /why/, what happened," In saying that the worry is evident. "But that is up to you and that is all you will ever hear me ask."

"Kara… yes," Superman's tone softens a little bit, but it isn't a sadness. Kara is something positive to him, by clear evidence of his reaction. "We're working on her new apartment. She had a couch last time I was there. Progress," he observes fondly. "I'm proud of her." That's a statement that goes outside of just that he's glad the girl got a couch. He adds after a pause, "I told her." Which meant a lot, and he's aware about it.

"I'm addressing each… 'door,'" Superman nods once, to her description, going with her metaphor. "One at a time." He accepts the date from Diana, but mostly just kind of looks at it (through it), his thoughts not on the piece of food. He isn't hedging over what to say, but more that saying it brings back re-living it.

"I chose to take a burden on that was too great. And everyone paid for it. It was supposed to be a simple trip, no one would even notice I had been away." He smiles briefly, but it is forced. Still, he's a master of pretending to be something he isn't. "I have since been reminded I have allies and friends," Superman admits, lifting a hand some, to cut off what he's sure is the response to that one. "That, it seems, are fully capable at handling everything here without me," Superman says. It isn't angry or hurt, it's proud. He's /proud/ the team has done well, the reaction is pure and selfless. "Thank you for that." Directly to her, and heartfelt. That she protected while he could not.

"You are not the only one proud of Kara." Diana offers a small softened smile while she looks down at one of the plates, now giving the food a similar look while Superman speaks, listening with more then just her ears, as she is wont to do, though the time able are few and far between anymore. So Diana feels, at least.

A deep breath in after his hand rises to cut her off, the small smile lifting one corner of her lips in an amused smile that has her rocking back as he goes on. "Why don't you tell them yourself, then?" No, she won't take all of the credit, the League is a team and a family. Superman never was stripped of that title. Never would or could be.

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