Tagged by @mushysquashythingamajig Tagging anyone who wants to share something.
This is probably the most self-indulgent thing I've ever written, which is saying a lot.
Tommy takes a seat at the bar. He waves off the bartender, who gives him a funny look but walks away. He doesn't have to wait long before a beer is placed in front of him. A beer he didn't order. It's a ghastly orange color.
He looks up to see Evan watching him, arms crossed over his chest.
Tommy takes a sip. It isn't bitter like he'd thought it would be. It's not terrible, but it wouldn't be his first choice—or tenth. "Mmm. I love it."
Evan laughs and shakes his head. "You're a terrible liar." He tilts his head—like he'll be able to figure out Tommy's beer order if he just looks at him from the right angle. "I'm going to get it right."
guys i dont know how many more "2 years between each 9 episode season" i can take
was tagged by @corporatebanana in thirsty thursday but i am not working on anything particularly thirsty atm so more superman is all you're getting. Tagging kathy back plus @queermccoy @wee-fuckin-woo @epiphainie and @devirnis if any of you have something to share! Plus anyone else seeing this who wants an excuse to show off what you're working on, now you have one.
this part comes basically right before this bit
The next day when he walks in, Tommy is sitting at his desk, frowning at his computer and idly sipping from his coffee, his glasses slid down to the end of his nose. His tie is a little crooked, and Buck finds him impossibly endearing.
He's so distracted he doesn't even notice the mail sitting on his desk. As reporters, a lot of them get mail all the time. People who want to send in a tip, or give information about an ongoing story, even those they've written about who want to write in their gratitude. Occasionally they get mail from people who are upset at them for the work they do, but the mail is usually screened and pulled for inspection if it's delivered from someone who may wish them ill will.
There's the official Daily Planet logo on the corner of the envelope, which Buck notices is a little strange, but people grab them all the time when they come here for interviews or tours, it's not so surprising to see one mailed back to him. There's no name in the return corner, which is odd, but Buck doesn't really do the kind of journalism that gets people thrown in prison so he's not worried.
Dear Evan, the letter reads. I hope this letter finds you well. I remembered you said you worked for The Daily Planet and I was hoping to send you a line or two asking how you are.
Buck frowns. Who has he mentioned his work to, lately? The only time he remembers bringing it up recently was when he was talking with Superman but—no. Surely not.
Buck keeps reading.
I hope that you have recovered from your injuries (and from the flying) and are already back on your feet. Somehow, I doubt you could be kept down for long. Buck smiles, charmed. If you like, you can put a note in the Daily Planet mail box letting me know how you're doing. Don't worry about the mailing address, it will find its way to me. Promise. Yours, Superman.
The smile on Buck's face as he finishes reading the note is so wide his cheeks hurt. He reads it over again, just to make sure he didn't miss anything, and then a third time just because. The thought that this letter came from anyone but the real Superman doesn't even occur to him. Not many people know he was at the fire, or that Superman flew him to the hospital, and based on his time there Buck knows anyone working at the ER is too busy to bother with a prank like this.
He looks around the bullpen surreptitiously, like everyone is going to know just by looking at him what he's holding in his hand. Everyone is bent over their work already, or chatting with a neighbor. Tommy has disappeared from his desk, Buck notices, but he's probably just gone to grab his second cup of coffee.
Before he can think twice about it, Buck tears out a piece of paper from his notebook and writes his response, sliding it into another Daily Planet branded envelope. He wonders what Superman's plan is for getting the note. Maybe he has a guy on the inside, someone keeping an eye out for Buck's response.
Buck hurries over to the mail box they have in the back of the building, the one employees can use for their work, and is relieved to find it empty.
"I, um," he fidgets, standing in front of the slot. "I'm not sure if you can hear me or whatever, but, uh. Thanks for checking up on me." He slips the letter inside. "I hope this makes it to you okay."
I was tagged by the impeccable @rcmclachlan so I am here with more superman au because that is all I am working on these days.
"C'mon, Hen, you know something! You and Chim must have talked to this guy for hours, I'll take anything at this point."
Hen sighs so deeply that Buck thinks the Mariana Trench must be jealous. She slowly picks up her coffee. Takes a sip. Sets it back down.
"I think Superman is gay."
Buck blinks. And then blinks again. He had been expecting some sort of insight to a possible weakness, maybe even a theory about who this guy really is when he isn't wearing spandex, not…not this.
"Huh," he says, like he's thinking about it. Really, his brain is completely blank, except for the thought about what it might feel like to kiss Superman. He wonders if he grows stubble, like a normal human, if his lips would feel as warm and soft as-
He shakes his head, cutting off that thought. He's investigating right now, damn it, he can't be caught up thinking about Tommy. Again.
"That's, uh. Great for representation, and all, but I was hoping for something a little more. Substantial."
"You don't think my gaydar is substantial?" Hen exclaims. "I knew about you before you knew about you."
"And I am forever grateful you let me figure that one out on my own, but I'm not exactly sure how this helps me out here. It's not like I can just go-go find Superman at a gay club."
"No, but you could find someone else at a gay club." Hen raises her eyebrows meaningfully, shooting her gaze over towards Tommy's desk. Right now he looks like he's a little constipated, rubbing his forehead in the way he does when he can't find the exact word he's looking for. Buck's heart stutters.
"I don't know, Hen," he says, pulling his eyes away before Tommy can notice. "I messed up pretty badly, and I don't want to keep hurting him. Even if I want to apologize and try again, that doesn't mean he wants the same thing."
"You should know that I told Tommy yesterday that you weren't going to be in the office today," Hen tells him, apropos of nothing.
Buck's eyebrows furrow. "Why…would you do that?" Hen had literally asked him on Monday if he was going to be in the office on Wednesday, and he had said yes.
"Because Tommy has only been coming into the office when he knows you are out on assignment."
"Huh," Buck says again, only this time he is actually thinking. He's trying to remember the last time he and Tommy were in the office together at the same time and he can't remember. "How long has he been doing that?"
I think a lot of people who don't like Robby refuse to acknowledge the stress that he's under. And no, it doesn't give him an excuse to be a dick, but he's a flawed human who is going to have his moments.
The idea that he's 'bullying' any of his staff is crazy to me when one of the first conversations we see with him (of the show, really) are two nurses asking Robby if the hospital is going to be sold. Later we see, despite his reassurance, the hospital is under threat of being sold because of patient satisfaction scores.
So it's on him to fix that or else a lot of his staff are going to be out of a job.
So he tells Langdon you need to be nicer, stop quipping in front of the patients. It's unprofessional and leads to bad satisfaction scores.
So he tells Samira you can't keep running a million tests and trying to be friends with your patients. It's leading to longer wait times and bad satisfaction scores.
And then we see Robby doing both of these things throughout the season. Because underneath all the bureaucracy and flaws Robby is a good doctor, and a good man, but he's working in a contradictory system that doesn't care about that.
Reducing Robby down to 'he's a bad boss and a misogynist' is simplifying this incredibly layered show. He's neither good, nor bad, he's simply human. He's gonna fuck up, he's gonna be wrong. He's also going to have wins, he's going to be right sometimes too.
Just like every other character on the show. Just because one is your favorite blorbo doesn't make them perfect.