love them dearly <3
green hues survey their expression, ensuring they're being honest—— &. seem satisfied. hitting the mean streets of las vegas along wasn't a big deal. ( once you've walked through gotham, could anywhere really get the best of you? ) no. the answers no. still, solo heroics aside, wally prefers someone at his side. someone to shoot a knowing look, share a good laugh, and then move on to the next thing. quipping at crooks and robbers isn't the same as between friends—— way too many bullets flying. ( even though ONE proves too many to most. )
laughter revs, a light rumble in chest, yet stifles itself into a chuckle. springing to his feet, wally balls up what's left of the burger wrapper, it sails through the air—— nice long arc and just barely makes it into the trash. hands clap together, smile growing far prouder. ❛ score one for the red team—— orange team? ... team vegas. ❜ better off keeping it simple; easier on both of them.
part of him wants to ask if they're really sure about this, if they really want to lead him around. ( without witnesses, wally could admit he's a bit pushy ... maybe. ) although, he kept his concerns to himself. no point treading the same track over and over. ( right? ) ❛ m'wally. wally west. better than callin' me your tourist all day, yeah? ❜ they parrot with a grin. ❛ let's do something fun—— oh oh! but near another burger stand. never know; might get hungry later. ❜ ( he would. )
Mark's here for his own personal reasons, but there's no mistaking the way his eyes light up when the offer is extended. There's nothing he loves more than a chance to have some fun, after all—his siblings will still be here when he's done showing this guy around.
Probably. He's been looking for excuses to avoid actually talking to them, anyway.
"You might wanna consider hitting up some of the casinos, 'cause today's your lucky day!" Mark shoots an energetic wink, then laughs at his own little joke. "'Certified guide' is pushing it, but I know my way around well enough, I think. And I happen to be free. I mean, who comes to Vegas with a plan for what they're gonna do, right? Well—I guess responsible people. Anyway, I'll tag along. Beats doin' it all by myself!"
Not a lot of people would flag down a kind stranger for this sort of thing. Mark himself probably would, but he knows it's not really the way most people would go about it. That alone is enough of a reason to want to go along with things, if only for the sake of curiosity and entertainment.
He pushes himself out of his chair, enthusiastic as ever. "I'm Mark, by the way, so you don't hafta walk around all day callin' me your tour guide. You got anything you're especially down for? Somethin' fun, somethin' laid back? I guarantee you I can find whatever."
" aw, supey, y'know i'd do anythin' for ya — 'specially after y'came all this way for li'l ol' me in person but ... "
heels click - clack as they bounce off the ledge beneath. she loves this view, where the city lights look like little stars & the factories are just little candles in the distance. good thing he was willing to bring her; she had hopped right into his arms the moment he said he was here off-duty & begged him to fly. she ain't above begging. 'specially if it means she gets to get lost in the vista, in her thoughts. or ... her doubts ? harley has never been able to read herself like she can others. self - denial & all. right now she's caught in the whirlwind. people weren't exaggerating, from the mouth of superman it's easy to believe anything. he could tell her the earth really is flat & what's she gonna do, say no ? it's friggin' superman. but it's been so long, & last time she had a real patient ... would anyone even take her seriously now?? ever?? maybe it's just a prank, 'cause that one time dinah--
blue meets brown. there's no more masks these days & for a second she regrets it. but his smile is easy, his breathing stable, his gaze steady. warm. he means it, all of it. and even if it said it's because black canary needs a break, she knows just from looking at him what he means: i want to give you a chance, too. to work again, to really help people, to connect with others. to have a place. but----no. if batman & superman can trust her, why can't she trust herself?
" ... okay. let's do it! tell canary i'm in! ohmygosh, i'm gonna be a doctor again !! doctor harley in the house!! i'm really gonna--whoa, can you pinch me ?? i'm a li'l dizzy ... "
LISTENING TO THE GEARS TURNING IN HARLEY'S HEAD DOESN'T TAKE SUPER-HEARING.it's a tall ask ——— it's sudden. several times, the issue came up in the league, and it found itself deferred several times, too. not because of a split decision, though. the world's been on unsteady legs lately [ ... ] there's always another crisis. it hangs over their heads and makes them hesitate to do too much; he can sympathize. every time he laces up the boots, dons the cape, and bears the family crest, he remembers he's a small-town boy from kansas. no amount of super speed or strength made those challenges any less daunting.
&. here he is, asking her to bear a burden far heavier than supervillains or stray meteors. far more important than some of the league's most dangerous assignments ——— mental health is no joke. being bulletproof doesn't protect from the scars, the lingering wounds of trauma that can fester. more than once, he led the charge on mental health, not often met with resistance. he is no man of steel; he is not impervious to sadness and grief. one pants leg at a time, he takes what life gives / he does what he can with his life.
the sunkissed lineaments of his features relax, soft creases crinkling at the corner of his eyes, and never once does he lose his serene smile. it's as soft as the kiss of the morning sun; it embraces and warms. only once does he make his offer ——— he does not insist. he does not attempt to wheedle or push. to put pressure on her in such conditions [ ... ] isn't right. she's entered a new world, far from that man, far from who she used to be &. emerged as something beautiful. not fixed, no, but coming into her own with who she's become for the better. it makes him smile become a grin, a silly one at that, surely. it must be quite the sight of him smiling to himself stupidly while she mulls over such a huge decision. it's clear as day ——— what bruce sees in her, he sees it too: a better tomorrow.
he blinks, once. it takes a moment to regain his bearings and shake off the dizzying radiance he caught in that moment. a laugh, deep and baritone, euphony on gentle chords, leaped from his lips. he sets a hand on her shoulder, offering a polite squeeze. ( not the pinch she wanted, but enough in his eyes. )
❛ dizzy already? and here i was, hoping we could grab some grub. believe it or not, a few hits of sunrays aren't all that filling. guess you could say they're pretty ... a pretty light meal. ❜
some metas for brad / overhaul information ;
001. the abelli family has deep ties to magic; it's their breath, it's their blood, it's their life. it consumes their actions and mystifies their thoughts; they are a family of wanderers, explorers, and adventurers. their house flits between the material plane and countless others, an ever-changing locale. the multiverse itself a countless sea for them to explore—— for better or worse. their house is a grand treasure for things they collect.
002. bradley, like ancestors before him, have delved into countless unknowns with sorcery. braved the depths of forbidden knowledge, unraveled the elements, looked upon its treasures with greedy eyes. such exposure, such dredging into the arcane, has changed him. magic seeps from his veins; it replaces blood——flesh shed for a mystical body. he is magic. a shell of arcane power shaped as a man with all the volatility of the sorcery.
003. those deep ties to magic give deep insight to its workings. access to secrets is not meant for common sorcerers; it's the result of going too far in pursuing something not meant for mortal hands. power, surely, yet not without drawbacks. a dulled sense of taste, a numb sense of feeling, a lack of emotion towards life's small wonders. a need to seek even more grandiose things. it loosens the mind, it taints the sense of reason, it's having thoughts scattered between one plane and the next at all times.
004. brad sits somewhere on the chaotic spectrum. sometimes good, sometimes evil, never against trickery or deceit. all his schemes are a means to an end, a step towards another grand adventurer. despite lacking physical sensation in some regards, his emotions are present. prone to changes based on mood, quick to reflect external circumstances, dangerous at times. he's the life of the party until he's not.
i got this amazing commission from HeloiseArt_ and would highly recommend them!
i'm slowly building my reading list so i can get muse inspo and i love books
I'M CRYING, LOOK AT CLARK'S FACE WHEN LOIS GETS KRYPTONIAN POWERS
CLARK KENT IS THE REIGNING CHAMP OF BEING LOIS LANE'S #1 FAN THAT IS A MAN THAT IS ABSOLUTELY OVER THE MOON THAT HIS WIFE IS SO COOL AND STRONG AND AWESOME HE IS SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW JUST WATCHING HER THIS IS THE BEST OF OF HIS LIFE