Who:Conner and Lois What:Arrival log When: backdated to his arrival Where:Kent house Warnings:none, low. mentions of death? Status:Complete
Connor didn’t really know what he should be thinking or feeling. He stayed in his room the last two days. He didn’t come out even for meals. He was just a little bit confused and very frustrated. How did it take so damn long for him to meet Clark back home, but here it was so much simpler? This one seemed to want to meet him, but Connor wasn’t sure if he could trust him yet. Or anyone in that house.
He was in a new place. Everything was different. No Gar, no Rachel. No San Francisco that he’d become accustomed to. Just a house, where Clark also had another ward. A young girl that made his head hurt a little more than he wanted it to.
Finally on the third day, later in the evening Connor decided to explore a little. Finally leaving his room. He was a clone, but he needed food at some point too ontop of that.
Lois still didn’t know what to make about the whole clone aspect. More so on the fact that one half of the DNA was Lex, especially after everything that man had done to her husband. But no matter, she was never ever going to take it out on someone who had no choice in the matter, and as far as she was concerned, Connor was also half of Clark. Knowing this place could be a lot, then adding this situation, Lois had given him space. She was not about to force him to do anything he wasn’t comfortable, hoping he would decide on his to give them a chance.
That evening, Lois had been at the table finishing up some final touches on a story that she was working on for the paper. The sound of someone coming into the kitchen caused her to glance up, expecting Clark or Laura, but she was surprised to see it was Connor. A small smile showing up on her face as she set the notepad that was in her hand down next to her computer. “Hey, was starting to think we might need to send up a rescue team,” it was a joke that she would’ve made to her twins. “Are you hungry?” Assuming that would be the case considering he hadn’t left his room.
Conner wasn’t sure this place wasn’t some kind of weird dream or nightmare induced by Raven. But, he hadn’t disappeared yet. Nothing terrible had happened-yet. So, he thought it might be safe to explore. This place was weird. Conner had a lot to take in. He wasn’t great at emotional processing as it was. He took a little longer to figure things out, but he’d decided to try. At the very least he left his room to shower but that had been about it so far.
He raised an eyebrow for a moment in confusion and then smiled a bit after the joke hit him. It took him a minute apparently. “Yeah..I..sorry.” He responded a bit awkwardly. Change wasn’t easy for him. Krypto on the other hand, had made himself right at home. The dog followed Clark everywhere when he wasn’t with Conner. “A little.” He’d lost track of when the last time he actually ate anything was.
Lois shook her head, smiling at the young man. “You have nothing to apologize for. I’m sure this is a lot to take in without Clark being your guardian, then adding that, it has to be difficult.” That went both ways, but her focus was on the young man in front of her. Lois had already talked to Clark about it, knowing how odd it was on his end. Now she wanted to get to know the young man in front of her, and make sure he felt welcomed into this family since he was in their care.
“Well, I’m no wiz in the kitchen, but I manage. What would you like to eat? Anything specific you want?” She offered, turning her attention to her computer to save her work before closing the computer for the moment. “I can make you some food, and you can tell me what it’s like back home for you,” she knew she could ask Dick, but she wanted to hear it from him. She seemed warm enough. Kind of reminded him of Eve a little bit. But Connor was still a bit cautious when it came to trusting people. He on the other hand had to read people to se how to act, otherwise it was like a blank slate looking back at her. He wasn’t the best with emotions. “It’s..different.” His Clark had made it clear he had other obligations rather than meeting him, this one seemed to have no such hangups. Connor wasn’t sure how to react to that yet. He’d been so on guard with him previously.
“Anything is fine.” He wasn’t overly picky, he didn’t have many experiences with choice or people caring about what he wanted specifically. That much was obvious. “Home was San Francisco. Things were always happening.” In comparison to this place. That too was an adjustment, and one he was struggling with. He wasn’t exactly sure what his place was in all this now.
Lois was used to awkward situations considering the daughter from another world back home. This was definitely awkward but she could handle it. She had handle much worse in her years as a reporter that this was nothing. However, she knew not to push cause that would get them nowhere. For the most part, she was treating him like she would either of her boys with less “mom” attitude that came when her boys were making very stupid choices. Maybe that would change, but he was new to the household and it was not her place to be filling those shoes. “I’m not surprised. I know from the different versions of our world that it can be a lot. The Barry around here is not the one I met, and I know the Clark from your world is not the same one I’m married to, but there are parts that are still the same. And you have Dick along with Barbara around here. Though if you need anything, you’re welcomed to ask Clark or myself.” Lois didn’t want him to feel he had to count on the people from his world. No, she wanted him to feel welcome to turn to her and Clark if he needed it.
“Alright, but no take backs since you gave me free range,” she said with a small laugh, moving into the kitchen. Opening the fridge, she looked over what they had, and made note that shopping needed to be done tomorrow. “How about some pancakes?” She asked after moving from the fridge to the cabinets. Lois was pretty sure everyone enjoyed pancakes and they were a safe bet, so it was a safer choice. “Would you like plain or chocolate chips?” She asked, turning to look over her shoulder, waiting for an answer.
He’d been through a lot in his short existence. Couldn’t even call it a life time since he’d only been alive for about six months in spite of looking seventeen. He didn’t know how to act seventeen. He really didn’t even have memories that were his own. He could probably use some of those, but he didn’t know how to access that part of being human yet. He was still learning. “But you are married still here?” He asked with a hint of confusion, they lived together. Seemed to get on well enough at least from what he observed. He was big on the observation of people, since he didn’t know how to interact well yet. He didn’t even know how to make friends on his own. Dick had assigned him a friend basically the first time.
Krypto decided to join them. The large white lab that followed him everywhere had finally woken up. First by greeting them both. The dog had already long since accepted Clark before Conner had made up his mind. Krypto had no such reservations. The white lab brushed against him for pets, which he received. “Hey buddy.” A hint of warmth to his eyes. He then looked up at her and gave a small nod.
Then she was asking about something and he raised an eyebrow. “Um..chocolate? I’ve never had pancakes with chocolate in them.” He admitted as he rubbed Krypto between the ears, who then made his way over to Lois curiously.
She nodded at his question. “The Clark here that is your guardian is my husband and we’re very much married around here,” she said with a small smile. “And I can’t speak for the one from your world, but I’m sure he at least knows of a Lois.” Considering the story she had heard about the Lois from the other Clark, then adding on what happened to another version of her, she didn’t really want to assume there was a Lois around in his world. What she could assume was there at least had been, but oh, she really hoped that she was still alive. “But how about you tell me about you? Considering you’ll be living here, I’d love to get to know you,” she told him with a smile. Even though the man in front of her wasn’t her son, she still would treat him like she did any child in her care, especially when he was part of Clark.
Her eyes watching the dog with a smile, she could hear both her boys in her head all excited to have a dog in the house. Returning her focus to the conversation, she nodded. “Then we’re going to change that right now. Both my boys loved it, then again what kid is going to turn down chocolate in food,” she asked with a laugh as she grabbed the bag and then set to work on making him some pancakes. “I’ll tell you the same thing I told Laura when she first came here,” she looked at the pancake before at him. “Anything you want to try whether food or an activity, you can write a list or tell us, and we’ll try to make it happen. I’ve been trying to make sure Laura does some of the normal kid things she never got to enjoy, and I would love to do that for you, if you want?” Lois would never force it, but she also knew both of the kids in their care didn’t exactly have a normal life, making her want to do that for them. “I don’t know…the Clark in my world wasn’t very interested in meeting me.” He frowned a little at that comment. That was initially why there was so much strain with him letting Clark in at all. No matter the Clark, he’d started to worry this one would also not want anything to do with him. “Um…about me? Like what do you want to know?” He wasn’t used to just offering up information, he came from a very guarded world in that sense of things. Conner was still figuring out things about himself in that matter. “I was created six months ago.” He knew specs, but he wasn’t sure that was what Lois wanted as far as knowing him.
“I do like chocolate.” He offered a small smile at her comment about making chocolate food. “What are normal kid things to do?” Connor also wasn’t from the world of normal kids. He’d never even experienced school. He’d lived a lot in his short life, but it was still very secular. He only knew a certain way of living, but he leaned on the counter while Krypto explored the house.
Lois was sure there was more to what he said about the Clark in his world considering she refused to believe any version of Clark would be like that. Still, she could only talk about the man who she loved and was married to since he was the one she knew best. “I can promise you that’s very different with the Clark you have around here. As I’m sure you can tell.” Which she was hoping maybe the man in front would see that at some point and be more open to letting Clark and her in, but she’d probably also reach out to Dick later to talk with him. “Whatever you’re comfortable sharing about yourself. Here I’ll even give you something about myself that not many people around here know.” Lois figured not only was it fair but might help him feel more comfortable about opening up, knowing this was something few people around here knew about. “You know I have two boys with Clark. Recently, a third child of mine popped up only she’s a teenager. She’s the daughter of a different version of me that was killed and her father wasn’t Clark.” Lois left off who killed her, feeling that would be a bit too much unless he asked.
His question caused her to think for a moment since that was a tough question to answer. “Honestly there is no this is what normal kids do type of rule. You put my twin boys in a room, and both are going to be very different on what they want to do other than video games. That does seem to be one of the few things they have in common,” she said with a small laugh. “I know with Laura, I’ve been doing minor things to see what she likes, which I can do the same with you. I also have been going all out for the different holidays so she has a chance to see another thing we can do for you. “To answer your question that’s something you need to figure out. Try some things out such as playing a sport, picking up a hobby, etc. Though if you do go with a sport, we will need to talk about your abilities first. We had to do it with my kid, so it’s only fair.” Lois was sure the boy in front of her did not want to hurt anyone, and it was why they would have to work on that, if he wanted to play sports or more Clark would like he did with their son. Moving back to the stove, she flipped the pancakes over before looking back at him. Conner nodded to that. “It is different.” He chewed at his lower lip a bit thoughtfully. He’d learned to mimic people when it came to what he should be feeling and doing. He was only recently starting to figure out what face matched which emotions himself. “I don’t remember you having a daughter…or sons.” That comment must have come off as odd since he hadn’t actually met them, but he had their memories. Or at least, his worlds version. “Do they have powers too?” Conner waited for her response, interested in this Lois. She was kind. Reminded him of his own mother type figure. He waited for a moment before thinking of what to tell her. “I was created about eight months ago, I had a mom kind of…but not anymore. Cadmus took her too. Her name was Eve.”
He paused a moment again and frowned. “...I like video games.” He knew that much. Thanks to Gar he’d tried many video games in the tower. “I don’t have any here though…but it’s okay.” He didn’t come with anything except the curious dog who’d finally laid down in the corner and gotten comfortable. “I’ve never played sports…or gone to school.” He added with a shrug. “Clark seems to want me to.” He was a bit nervous about that part, being around so many kids at one time seemed terrifying.
– “Daughter is from a different universe with someone else as her father, so no powers, but she’s very smart. As for my two boys, one does and one does not,” she admitted, nodding her head. “Though the one with powers is a more recent thing,” she didn’t want him to think her son had them all his life or anything cause that was not the case. Or how her other one had been getting some abilities because of him messing with drugs, which was not something she would share as of right now or maybe not ever unless for a specific reason. “Not all versions have the same thing. As I just proved one version of me had a daughter, so your versions may not have had kids as of right now or may never have them.” The whole thing was complicated, but she had learned to roll with things like this after all she had dealt with since marrying Superman. A frown came over her lips on hearing what happened to his kind of mom. “I’m sorry she was taken. Do you know what happened to her?” She asked gently, moving to get a plate so she could put the food on them.
A laugh left her lips on hearing about him liking video games. “I haven’t met a boy yet who doesn’t like video games,” she said to explain her laugh. “Do you know what system you liked or have played? Since I know we have one here, but if it’s not the one you know, then we can pick it up.” She offered, wanting him comfortable and feeling more at home. Lois was not about to undermine what Clark said, especially since she had made Laura go to school. “You should try it out. We can revisit the conversation if you find you don’t like it. But it’s a way to meet some people your own age,” she told him, meaning what she said. If he didn’t like it, then they would all talk, but he had to try it. Fixing the pancakes on the plate, she grabbed the syrup before placing it in front of him. “Eat up,” she told him. – Conner just listened. It was hard for him to let people in like this. Lois was the first to really get him talking about things. He hadn’t even realized it or he may have clammed up. He frowned a bit as he took in what she was saying. “I’m sorry she’s gone.” He knew what that was like, to lose people you cared for. He’d lost several close friends, as well as his own mother type during his stint with the Titans. Grief pulled you from the inside out. “ I think she’s dead too.” He was pretty certain they’d killed her. The only one who really acted like they loved him and they killed her. If he thought on it too long he’d become angry.
Lois putting the plate in front of him was a well timed distraction. “I don’t know what system it was. Gar bought it. It had controllers….” He trailed off, but that didn’t narrow it down much. They all did. He tried a cautious bite of the pancakes before taking a bigger bite of it. Obviously liking it enough to eat more. “I think it was playstation something?” He didn’t know though for sure. “....Clark mentioned school, yeah.” He was apprehensive, but Clark said it was required.
“...Thank you.” He looked up at her earnestly. She had a rare kindness he didn’t experience often.