I uh, I've been making things for the twins. It's nothing too impressive, just makes the "graves" look nice.
It feels better to do something for them now.
...Why would you give a person you know will eventually come back a grave?..
But.. honestly whatever makes you feel better..
Ves? Heeeeey! Hey kid! How are you feeling?
[ There's so much joy and worry packed into his voice that he tried to keep under wraps, but it's spilling out anyway. The twins being alive again? That's got him more on edge than he wants to admit. ]
I wasn't sure if you were being brought back.
[ He laughs, a little breathless, a little raw. ]
Even though you're coming back... you deserved a marker. That you lived. And died. Every time we come back, we're a little different. And that difference? That difference deserves to be mourned. You both deserved to be mourned.
[There was a long blink at that name before a sigh]
"Ves" is the other one.. I feel fine.
Why wouldn't we be? Though us being out last time was a mistake..But yes we're back.. I guess.
That's hust waste of time in my opinion, but do what you want. I will not stop you.. but thats my opinion ..
Right—sorry, Zaph. I'm. Not—
Sorry.
[Kon chuckles, reaching out to ruffle Zaph's hair before he remembers. He drops his hand awkwardly. Kon looks happy, yeah, happy but tired. Exhausted, really. It's been a long few weeks and he hasn't stopped to breathe. And now he can't afford to, with a baby in the picture. ]
A lot's happened since you two have been gone.
[His voice softens.]
I'm glad you're doing good.
It's fine, it's normal to mix us up. We're identical for a reason...
[It watched Kons hand.. as he blinked raising an eyebrow.. like was confused that he put it back down.. but then glad. Thank gods he understood boundaries even if he didn't say them this time]
Oh? Like what? Im not caught up to speed.. anything interesting?
No, you're both pretty different. I'm just scattered-brained.
[Kon laughs, but it's hollow. He doesn't even know where to start. The thousands of clones he freed? The way he drank himself stupid when he found out they were dead and nobody cared? The rage that came from it that made him attack their Lex, then his own. Yeah. Not that.]
Well, your Lex and Superman are getting a divorce. My Lex is dead. I went off-planet for a mission and apparently... I doubt I need to say all of it, but LexCorp is no longer a company.
Same day we found out Lex had a secret infant daughter.
[He rakes a hand through his hair, then chuckles, almost sheepish.]
Speaking of daughters, or, well, kids, I'm gonna be a father. Guess that'd make you and Ves an uncle and aunt to be.
..I ment look wise.. Which slightly irritates me. probably need to cut its hair again..
..Divorced?.. How do you get Divorced when the marriage papers were never filed..
[He blinked slowly as it looked more and more confused.. him looking at Kon raising an eyebrow.]
Why would you kill your Lex?.. He's the one who made you real, why would you kill the man who took resources to even construct you.. That's.. ugh.
[He shook his head stepping back with an annoyed look on his face]
Yeah hes a bastard but he didn't deserve to die like that..
And oh.. cool? Hopefully she's well and you didn't kill her aswell in your fit of rage..
Congratss for you atleast and you mean Uncles..
Oh!
No—
I didn't—
[Kon lets out a breath, rubbing the back of his neck.]
I didn't kill him.
I wasn't even around.
If I had been, I would've tried to help anyone I could. A Red Lantern got them. Whether it was a botched Superboy clone, one of the freed clones, or someone else trying to "take revenge" for me... probably won't ever be known.
[ He forces an easy laugh. It's hard to tell when Kon's not being genuine, when he's not drunk. He's had years of practice on how to perform the part. ]
Do you really think I'm capable of killing a baby?
Gods, kid. No!
Lucky for her, Lex had enough sense to hide the kid before he died. When I got back to check the emergency call, I found him dead and a nurse with an infant hiding in a safe room bed. Little Lena's perfectly safe and happy with Ms. Luthor now.
[He tilts his head, a little lighter.]
I thought Ves was trying out being a girl, but sure! If you both wanna be uncles, that's fine.
Uh.. huh. Okay.. if you say so.. ill believe you..
[He looked confused really as he took a moment and looked away]
Atleast the baby is safe..
..zetta- Vesper.. Vesper - gender isn't a priority with it.. so now they're an uncle.. for now.. okay?.. okay..
If you wanna meet her, I'm sure Ms. Luthor wouldn't mind.
[ Kon offered as he smiled. ]
I'm not sure if you'd like her much right now, though, she's at that age where all she wants to do is screech at things.
And that's fair enough, you've both got a lot of figuring out to do. Just make sure you both enjoy whatever you end up doing.
...I'm not related to her why would i go visit her? I also have other things to do.. I don't have time to see a squealing baby. .. I don't even know how babys are..
I know enough.. I can know whatever i wish. Zet- Vesper.. Will learn later It has other things it also has to focus on.
Technically, you are. She's part Lex, and so are you. But that's all semantics anyways.
[ Kon laughed. ]
Loud. Very very loud and constantly needing attention. I don't think you'd like being around her much right now but maybe when she's older.
Oh yeah? What's Ves working on?
..I'm just.. apart of him- yeah know what yeah lets move on..
[Zaphron rubbed the back of his head giving a hum trying to figure out what to say]
It's figuring out how to deal with um wounds and protective combat.. ya know important stuff..
Still counts, but sure.
[Kon hums, letting it drop. It's not worth arguing, neither twin would believe him anyway. They'd have to figure it out on their own. That's just part of the process of figuring out what you are, figuring out who you are.
He perks up at "wound care," though. That's interesting. ]
Wound care? Huh. Well, I guess you both are supposed to be longer-lasting than my iterations. If either of you ever want help with that—
I'm always around. Wouldn't mind sparring or helping out with field medicine. I could bring one of my kits if you want it.
Hm.. I don't like leaving..
[Ah.. self isolation again. Hiding in the lex Corp buildings..]
..Yeah.. You can say we are..- i.. I don't think It would mind you being around. A little confused.. to say the least.. i cant blame her.
But we have our own kits we're building.... we do appreciate it.
The city's too loud? Yeah, I get that. Took me weeks of training before I could handle being out and about without freaking out after an hour.
[Kon chuckles, but there's no real humor in it, just a whole lot of memory. What a miserable time in his life.
His smile softens at Zaph's stuttering. ]
If you think you'll get in trouble for it, we don't have to. It'd just be nice to spend some time with you both again. I don't wanna rock the boat too much.
[ He holds back the part that stings, the part that wants to say I've made too many graves for versions of you already. Instead, he just smiled at the kid. ]
I want you both to choose for yourselves. Whatever that looks like.
We- we won't get in trouble.. Lex really hasn't been around ya know?.. um we won't get in trouble.. Im just trying to insinuate it probably wont remember you. So thats why it will be confused. Not because we'll be in trouble.
Like dont get us wrong we would like to see you.. Just nervous yes..
I—
I figured as much. It takes a while to remember everything, if you remember at all.
[ Kon had looked through his own files a while ago. He knew memories didn't always come back right. He knew there were a couple of iterations that were discarded as failures for being incomparable with his uploaded memory. He didn't count those ones as him. They were killed for not being him, so it didn't feel right calling them his clones. ]
If you want me around, I'll be around. If you don't, then I'd love to meet you guys when you get time outside. We can go to a butterfly conservatory or something!
... I .. okay.. thank you..
I would need to teach it to be kind again first.. It really doesn't understand butterflies are fragile.. Interesting really on how we're both different. But I think It would like the colors..
You're twins, not clones of each other. You're both made for different things. I think you've said something about Ves being the aggressor of the two of you? I could always take you to your memorial, it's pretty much a massive flower field and garden.
[ Kon paused. ]
Is it fucked up to bring you to your own memorial? I don't mean it like that— it's just a pretty spot I figured you'd both enjoy
Sometimes we feel like clones of eachother.. So.. and yes it is. It really is.
We've seen our own bodies be burnt before.. a memorial would be normal-...you made our memorial a garden?..
Seeing your own disposal is never fun.
I—uh—I’ve never had anything to show for any of my deaths, at the very most nothing good. Every time I came back, I’d walk right back into some ugly rumor from the Daily Planet that I had to clean up.
And that stings. After a few cycles, it starts to feel like you went through all of that for nothing.
I didn’t want that for you two. I wanted you to have something kind. Even if everything else needs to be polished or explained away, you have something to show it happened. I thought the garden was a nice way to show that.
Mhm...
We.. we would like to see it one day.. It.. it would be nice..