Chapter Text
She had asked him to go with her but it isn't really his cup of tea so he declined. He has no interest in body art. And it's not like he can get anything with her anyway. Besides, it was a convention and after a day like yesterday, Kal still can’t really calm down, touched out and stressed, he would just get in the way of her fun.
Although he’s not in the best of spirits and cape business keeps him busy most of the day, she texts him off and on. Jokes to ease the tension he carries, pictures of tattoos she likes, suggestions of what they could have done if he had joined her.When she finds out that some tattoo reality TV star is hanging around offering photos and hangouts at thirty bucks a pop, she covertly snaps her own photo to send to him, bragging about how clever she is for ‘cheating the system’. All it takes is a single reply from him about how annoyed that TV star looks before she sends him a picture of her pouting with her nose in the air.
By far, her most scandalous suggestion: she sent him a picture of the concession stand beer and asked if Superman would be interested in a chugging contest, right there on the convention center floor.
When he breaks up a pretty serious bar fight after the Meteors lose the semi-finals (to the Gotham Knights, no less), that image stays with him. He’d definitely win but how slow should he drink the cheap Bud Light to give her an edge? It’s not a fun game if he doesn’t keep her on the edge of her seat - and it’s such a sexy view, watching her scramble to keep up with him.
How do u feel abt lip piercings? As soon as he reads that text, he has a heart attack. Yes, it’s her body. Yes, he’ll still be with her, they still belong together. But he loves her lips, loves the soft, plump tissue and it would be a real shame to feel stiff jewelry when he much prefers her warm, delicate skin.
…what? Kal isn’t ready. Imagining his woman, small and soft and pliable, with the world’s plushest, most sinful mouth decorated with hard, fake jewels just really rubs him the wrong way. And the image won’t leave. Besides, she works in a corporate setting with the meanest, oldest fuc— fart in existence. What the hell is she thinking?!
Jk! A growl leaves him when the text comes in and he demands that she send him a picture of herself, just to be sure. The chime no more than sounds through and Kal breathes the deepest, longest, most drawn-out sigh of relief. No tacky titanium, no fake jewels, it’s just his woman. His annoying, prankster of a woman who would rather give him a heart attack than lay off the jokes for one measly day. When he responds to her, especially put out, she sends him a video of her blowing a kiss before oh-so casually sipping a Bud Light. Almost against his will, he smiles at it.
It’s almost six o’clock now and she calls out to him, lets him know she’s done. That it’s been a long day and she’s ready to go grab a bite out or (even better but trying not to sound too hopeful) do something with him. He hasn’t taken off his uniform yet today and the break is welcome. Before it occurs to him to head back to his apartment and change, he flies over to the convention center parking lot.
Every cell in his body tenses at the sight of the crowd by the time he realizes he’s still in full Superman regalia. Forcing a lightness he does not feel onto his face, he hovers over the concrete, ready to take off at a moment’s notice. Whole families with liberally tattooed parents and pierced teens greet him. One man has his face heavily tattooed and it takes everything in Kal not to appear bothered - the sight reminds him of an inmate from Stryker’s Island, one that gave him an especially hard time a few days ago. This is clearly a different man, but he’s been on alert all day and he has not prepared for this.
The fake bleeding scars across the man's cheeks look like something from one of his woman's horror flicks and the tattooed blood looks even worse than corn syrup props. It's a miracle and a half that all it takes is a nod of acknowledgment before the man passes and Kal just barely refrains from questioning why the back of the man's neck is completely blacked out. He probably doesn't want to know, even if the sight does spark his curiosity.
Still, every person he comes across is friendly and doesn’t go out of their way to touch him. Kal finds it ironic, actually. Typically, the civilians he crosses paths with in uniform are all hands and suggestive smiles and overly friendly conversation in his personal space. It’s exhausting. It wears him out and it’s easily one of the greater drawbacks to this hero business - he doesn’t agree with Batman, but it would be easier if people weren’t so touchy at the same time.
This particular group looks at him but does not enter his space, even holds their children back from reaching for his form - it’s… it’s not what he expects and that makes this entire happenstance easier on him. Although, he still has to hold himself back from asking too many questions. After all, what motivates a person to get a demon spider surrounded by anatomically incorrect skulls on their shoulder? Much less, why would they show them off like that? Even if it's at an angle, human eyes are in line with each other (for the most part).
In fact, the entire scenario is better received than the usual crowds that nigh on torment him. So much so that he happily makes small talk with those he comes across. It’s easy, albeit common, conversation until he hears it. “Big boy? What are you doing here, handsome?” The small crowd at the parking lot has started to dwindle, hungry kids and tired parents make one hell of a pairing no matter who anyone is. Such is the reason his eyes slide towards her briefly in acknowledgement.
She must have seen a hint of something or other on his face because she backtracks to a wide, roman-style column. The kind that offers privacy from several different angles and waits for him. Several minutes later, he rushes to her. It’s still a public space so he keeps up his guard, doesn’t let her get too close. Not even when she turns her bratty, sexy, sinful pout with those plush, full lips to him.
Although that all goes out the window when he catches a sparkle on her skin. “What’s this, princess?” He yanks her ear gently. Or he thought so but she grimaces and hisses at him. He grunts in apology.His hand falls away, nervous about hurting her.
Her eyes scan their surroundings, left to right. There’s hang ups about that pet name - she doesn’t necessarily like it. But he does and he’s determined to make her like it too. He calls her that when they play, when she puts on her bratty show, when he humors her. More and more often, at least once a day. She won’t ever admit it, stubborn as she is, but it’s starting to get to her. He can sense that it’s doing something for her each time he calls her that. And he would be lying if he said he wasn't happy about it.
The fact that they aren’t in the middle of anything right now and she wears that blush, carries that scent tells him so. It’s just a matter of time until she accepts it just like he accepts her cute nicknames for him. After all, she was made to be his, his princess, his queen. When she bites her lip, he smirks down at her. “I’m waiting, princess.”
His woman hisses at him but he can see her eyes dilate, can feel the moisture in the air as she licks her lips. “Got a new piercing. Kinda spur of the moment. Whaddaya think?” Her earnest expression has him biting back his initial complaints. He can't get into it when she looks at him like that. It's not fair.
Instead, he veers into neutral territory. “Does it hurt?”
In response, she winces hard. “God, yes! It didn’t hurt much at the time but now it’s throbbing and itchy and… Ugh, it’s soooo hard not to fiddle with it!” While not very mature, Kal can’t help but smirk at her wording. When a single eyebrow lifts, her eyes grow wide.
Before she can backtrack, Kal can’t resist. “Yeah, I’ve had that problem for a while now.” She giggles at his joke and as people pass them by, he decides he’s ready to move this along. “Wanna gimme a hand, princess?”His hand falls to her hip, bracketing her to him. If anyone asks, it's to keep her close and outside of anyone's eyesight and not because he missed her.
It’s subtle and if he were anyone else, he’d miss it. But he sees her thighs squeeze together ever so slightly and he smirks to himself - any day now, he’ll call her princess and she’ll be ready and waiting for him, no longer pretending to hate that name. Until then, he’ll keep reminding her that she is his princess, beautiful and spoiled and his favorite person.
And part of being his favorite person is never backing down from a challenge. Kal loves a good challenge. “Oh?” Her eyebrows raise and her nose follows in an exaggerated impression of a royal from some movie or other. “Wouldn’t even buy me dinner first? Psht, some prince.” A toss of her hand and she turns from him, hip out, arms crossed. The sight has him raring to go too, his smirk is all teeth.
“Is that all it would take, baby? Just dinner?” His voice picks up a lower register, growls playfully. Kal’s smirk widens into a sh*t-eating grin as she bites her lip.
“Well, that and we never drank that beer.” Her shrug is not nonchalant enough and it makes her pout. His hand lifts to trace those lips, forgetting that they are in public.
“Never took you for such a cheap date.” She rears back, legitimately pissed off, and Kal smirks deviously at the irritated scowl she levies at him. She's beautiful smiling at him, glaring at him, always. Before she can go off, he hefts her to his chest, and flies off to his apartment to change quickly. “Good thing I’m on a reporter’s salary, princess.”
Her upper lip curls in defiance and rage. As soon as he sees it, he doesn’t hold back anymore. One eye on the horizon, the rest of him turns his attention fully to her, kissing her unreservedly. She’s so pissed that she fights him for it and it’s sexy so he gives her control. Hand in his hair, angling her head, the kiss is deep, hard, hot. He groans into her mouth while she lets a cute little growl of her own loose.
When they land on his balcony, she opens the door and shoves him in. Kal lets her, enjoying her attitude. Cardio is always her favorite way to blow off steam and she pulls him into a round or two. It gets awkward when he bumps her new piercing a couple of times and the mood nearly snuffs out when she protests his hand in her hair as it catches on the new earring post.
Still, as she lays next to him, winded, sated, and in better spirits, Kal decides life is pretty good right about now. “So, be honest.” He turns his head to her, smirking at her continued panting. “How much do you hate it?” She makes a vague gesture to her ear and Kal winces.
“Thought I did a pretty good job.” He purses his lips as he crosses his arms behind his head. This isn’t a test, she isn’t like that. But he does kinda feel put on the spot regardless, lowered guard after sex and all. If he didn't know better, he'd think she planned it.
She giggles and rolls over, runs a hand across his torso following a design only she can see. “You did! If I didn’t know you so well, I would’a never guessed.” He makes a show of sighing loudly, half-assedly pretending to be put out. It makes her smile into his skin and an arm leaves from behind his head to wrap around her.
“It’s a change.” Kal doesn’t necessarily like change. His whole life has been steeped in routine and while this isn’t a bad thing, it’ll take some getting used to at the very least. Especially since it seems to be really painful right now. His woman has pretty advanced pain tolerance (it’s both endearing and frustrating) but this seems unnecessary.
She lifts her head from his chest and pouts. The fake jewel catches in the light and his eyes flash to it for a moment. When her stomach growls, Kal chuckles. It grows in intensity until he practically shakes her body as she blushes.
Since they haven’t spent much time together over the last few days, he volunteers take-out and loses the high ground after she purrs at him - always impressed when he decides to spend money. He makes a show of posing for her, arms akimbo in the infamous Superman pose. Jokes that her hero is here to save the day and smirks as she giggles herself onto her back.
When she tilts her head onto her fresh piercing, she winces. “How long’s it take to heal anyway?” Kal asks.
Looking at anywhere but him, she putters for a moment before answering. “Two to four months.”
“...What?”
“Well I didn’t know that when I got it! They told me that after the fact when they gave me my aftercare kit. Speaking of!” She marches into the bathroom. Kal follows at her heels.
It’s annoying how well she knows his space - how obvious it is she belongs but for some reason, she won’t just stay here. There are two drawers in his dresser that are exclusively for the clothes she leaves behind. She rotates a couple of work outfits here in case she stays the night and they have their place next to his work suits. He made space in the bathroom for her extra towels and washcloths and make-up remover circle thingies.
For a moment, he’s mesmerized as she finds his q-tips and spritzes them in a saline wash. It’s hypnotizing watching her clean her piercing - the bright pink jewel shines in the bathroom light. “What are you thinking about over there?” Her eyes connect with his through the mirror. “I know you’re not big on change but I’ve always wanted one!” He nods, well-versed in it. She wants at least one more piercing and a couple of tattoos. It’s not news but he had hoped they’d discuss it first. At least give him some time to prepare for it.
His woman winces as he tells her as much. “I know, I know. But I’ve wanted one for a long time and I definitely would have lost my nerve if I waited. Besides, once it heals, you’ll probably like it more than I will.” His head co*cks to the side in confusion. She just nods sagely. “Trust me, once the swelling is down and I can change the earring, you’ll have so much fun picking stuff out for me to try on, you won’t even know what to do with yourself.”
That’s probably an exaggeration. The only things even remotely similar are when she lets him pick out her nail polish or lipstick or high heels to model for him. There’s no way earrings are at all similar. She just smiles like she knows a big secret when he protests. Still, when she looks at him, he’s forced to admit as he sees that pretty, small, pink shine in her ear that “it’s not so bad, I guess.”
She giggles and it makes it easier. So, she has a new piercing, big deal. And it’ll take a long time to heal, even bigger deal. It’s not a problem. She’s always wanted one and he will deal with it. Whatever.
“Seriously, what are you thinking over there? All sexy and broody and all.” Well, he can’t let that slide. She thinks he’s sexy? He flexes his pecs at her in the mirror and her giggle and returning shimmy have him chuckle with her.
“Why won’t you move in with me?” It’s an honest question, not meant to start a fight. And he expects her to act all cagey like she normally would, but he’s prepared for that. It just feels so right. Watching her in his space, knowing where he keeps his things, looking so damn comfortable doing so. Why not?!
He assumes she will get nervous and divert the conversation. She always does. Today, for whatever reason, her unpredictability takes the wheel and he’s left grasping at straws as she giggles again. “Wow, I told you it would grow on you!” With that stupid, annoying, sexy, sh*t-eating grin on her face.
Since he didn’t expect that shift, he gets irritated. Still, he chokes down his initial anger to say, “I’m being serious, baby.” And there it is, her wide eyes, biting her lip, moving her weight between her feet. It’s not a fight this time and he’s fine with that. But it also doesn’t look like there will be any resolution on this either. And that bothers him too.
“I…” Her teeth dig in deeper and he growls. She looks at him and rolls her eyes before releasing that plump tissue and his shoulders lose their tension at the action. “That’s asking me to give up a lot, big boy.”
As his brow furrows, she sighs and hops up on the counter to sit. He comes to stand in front of her, caging her in and forcing her to meet his eyes - not this time. She can’t shy away from him this time. The silence stretches on, it’s his only move really against her and as she sighs again, her body loosens. She hates the silence and he loves the sound of her voice. Although, it is a recurring sore spot that he doesn’t talk a lot, that she likes his voice and rarely hears it. She constantly asks him for stories and the like.
Her hands raise to rest on his shoulders and he relaxes at the contact. Leans into her. When the silence continues, she sighs and then glares at his smirk. “I… I have been on my own for such a long time. I don’t know how to be with someone else - not that way. It’s not that easy for me, big boy.”
After a time considering her words, Kal responds. “Why do you think it’s easy for me?” As she blinks up at him, he nods back. “I’ve been on my own for a long time too. I haven’t had anyone in my corner since I lived with my parents. And that was years ago now.” She looks down. And Kal nods, now aware that was supposed to be a convenient excuse. One for him to accept and not ask again. “What’s the real reason, baby?”
His woman worries her lip some until he kisses her better with a peck or two. “Tell me, princess.”
She backs off some and while he gives her a minute amount of space, that’s all she gets. She is the sort to ask for an inch and then steal a mile while she's at it. “I-I-I don’t know how to say it without hurting anyone. It’s bad enough I even think it.” A pitiful shrug and she looks down. Her arms fall too.
It’s probably more polite to back off more, give her extra space. Probably more human to accept the vulnerability and the need for stability too. But he’s not human and at times like these, it feels equally like a curse and a benefit. Because she’s lost that spark he loves to see on her, he jokes, “That’s usually my job. You trying to move in on my turf, princess?” Rao, and it is. More than once he's put his foot in his mouth and had to backtrack severely. He's lost count of the times he's been held hostage for a misspoken word.
Clearly against her will, her mouth scrunches as she fights a smile. When he jokingly snarls with narrowed eyes, she loses her hard-earned stoicism. Giggles into his neck and hugs him as tightly as she can even as her arms can't completely wrap around his chest. He chuckles right along with her, nuzzles her temple and something about it must make it easier for her to say. “I’m afraid. I can’t yet.”
And Kal nods, appreciating the honesty. He tugs her ear again, kisses her cheek. “Soon, baby.” She looks up at him, nervously. He nods again with a playful growl, grinning in promise and sincere happiness - a look he doesn't often wear. “We’ll talk about it again soon.” Her eyelids droop in a sad, despondent way. And she nods hesitantly, agreeingly. For now, it's enough. For now, he can wait.
That look stays on her normally smiling face until he kisses her again, tracks his lips to her ear. “In the meantime, did you bring any lipstick?” And it is a reward when her entire face lights up, that shine sparkles in her eyes, that curve of her sumptuous lips stretches into his smile.
His woman giggles when he waggles his eyebrows at her. After he fetches her purse, she pulls out a darkened, sultry pink. Vibrant, deep and lively, a perfect compliment. He watches with rapt attention as the color coats those plush, sexy lips. All it takes is a joke about how cute her new earring looks in comparison before he’s herding them back to the bed. It’s not long before his chest and abdomen are covered in that lusty tone while the innocent pink in her ear winks back at him each time she moves her head.
Kal growls in fierce anger when the food is delivered before he can see those sexy pink lips wrap around him. She giggles at his ire before abandonning him for their too expensive dinner.
