Quiet Night (Open to All)

[mrs-dibny.livejournal.com]

Everyone's out, even Ralph but things are actually somewhat quiet. Bunch of small fires one or two people can handle. Allanah's asleep so she's at coms.

"Everyone doing okay tonight?" she asks.

Comments

[hugo-clone.livejournal.com]

Hugo grins. This is his favourite part of slow nights like this one.

"'Outlander' here," he says, patching himself in to the inter-team comms net.

"All quiet on the Western front. What's new with you, Sue?" he asks playfully.

[mrs-dibny.livejournal.com]

Always nice to hear from Hugo. "I haven't received kid pictures in ages," she teases. "And if you can find me a new bubble pipe in San Francisco I'll owe you. Allanah broke hers and now she pouts when Daddy gets his out."

[hugo-clone.livejournal.com]

Hugo laughs. "Well, here's a pretty recent one of me and Luum - and I'll keep an eye out for a bubble pipe when I go out tomorrow - er, later today - Luum's snapped another harness."

[mrs-dibny.livejournal.com]

"Again?" she sighs. "Ryan, the new Atom, is one of those geniuses I put to work on updating the childproofing on our quarters now that she's fully mobile. He created something you spray on that makes everything a bit more strong and stretchy. I'll have him send the formula to Cyborg."

This is half the fun of dealing with Hugo. It's another averaged ability person who "married in," and has the same "what to do with a superpowered baby," moments she does.

[hugo-clone.livejournal.com]

"OH, thanks Sue, that would be a huge help." Hugo sighs wistfully. "I'm sure that soon we'll have to get rid of it all together - and just trust him to stay close and not... I don't know, fly off to Pluto on a whim or something." He chuckles, revelling in this quiet moment with a good friend who understands him in a way most of his just can't.

The existence of Sue makes Hugo feel like he actually belongs here, as much as he ever can, living under an assumed name and avoiding attention to prevent comparisons to his more famous counterpart - the Hugo who was born here, in this reality.

He still misses acting, sometimes - but his family and his friends and his very important job ease that most of the time.

He will never stop missing his parents and siblings.

[mrs-dibny.livejournal.com]

"See, that's where you call in someone like J'onn to babysit and help get it out of his system. If he does fly there, a telepathic, space worthy guy can go play 'hide and seek,' with the kid like a champ. Tempest also filed a report when Cheshire was on the prowl about putting a tracer on Lian. Maybe you can play the Titan card and get that set up." He can see the head shake. "Waly reminded me the other night Lian was ten. Ten! Give her two more years and she'll be the same age as when I met her dad. Ugh! I tell you Hugo, I am getting to be Auntie Mame up here!"

[hugo-clone.livejournal.com]

Hugo puts on his very best 'camp' voice - which is frighteningly good - and says "Just remember daaaaahling - life is a banquet, and most poor bastards are starving to death!"

He sobers. "Seriously, thanks for the advice - I'll be sure to remember to give J'onn a call. And you're right, I have no idea where the time goes. It feel like I met Kory yesterday..."

[mrs-dibny.livejournal.com]

"Illusion powers are a real pain, huh?"

Ah! Man in love! "So how are things there these days? Gar still with the hippie girl?"

[hugo-clone.livejournal.com]

"Last I checked, they were - though I'll confess to being a bit out of the loop, I'm afraid. I've been burying myself in this book I'm writing, being a bit distant from everyone. I've resolved to come up for air more often in the near future."

[mrs-dibny.livejournal.com]

"Book? So this is why I haven't heard your golden tones?"

[hugo-clone.livejournal.com]

Hugo shrugs, while inwardly musing over how very much he missed this. "Yeah, I just got bit by the urge to do something with my history degree - so I'm using the analysis and research techniques and turning it to a study of the history of superheroes - specifically their loved ones. Don't suppose you'd want to do an interview?"

[mrs-dibny.livejournal.com]

"I'd love one. Also, Ralph has a line on some heroes from the Old West and a possible metahuman 'wiping out a town,' incident post Civil War. It's one of those mysteries there's not enough evidence to solve situations Ralph loves to play with in his off time."