&& IN MY DREAMS I SEE — !

          “it’s SEVERELY uncomfortable, and sometimes painful for me to look into the future. i have twisted fate on more than one occasion, anyway. i don’t want to put myself through the agony of seeing how a loved one’s story ends again, especially if i end up changing it anyway.”

          “no, but i know. they don’t need to breathe. they only continue to do so for my benefit. if it’s at all difficult, well -- i have no way of knowing, do i?”

     yes.          “no. they did what they had to do to, and i know at least some people were alive a little longer because of it. it was a fair trade.”

      kent has intense nightmares, and doesn’t know it.      nabu placed a barrier between them and kent’s conscious mind to protect him, and instead gives him vivid dreams of his correct time, his friends, his family, inza.      nabu truly thinks that they’re helping him, but instead, kent just feels homesick.

      el - ek - tra.     kent knew the name meant INCANDESCENT when he first met her, when he first heard her name. that’s what the sound meant to him then -- a being that emits light.       it became her name suddenly, with her on his arm as they were walking one night.           “elektra,” he’d said, as if trying a new word.           “what?” she’d asked.      he didn’t have an answer and only smiled. he loves her name.      el - ek - tra.

     until very recently, kent struggled with perception of time. his days and nights were completely reversed, and minutes felt like hours. after decades out of time, he lost his understanding of it in a normal sense. while he’s adjusted for the most part, he still lacks accurate measurement of time, and is constantly seen checking his watch, a small frown of confusion on his face each time.

           “ ---- maybe it’s better that way.”     his voice falters while he says it. kent nelson is not good at hiding how he feels. he shakes rigidly from panic-spiked veins, grip tight around the helm, cutting into his palms. his chest aches as his old heart races at thoughts of NOTHINGNESS.           “the world needs doctor fate -- that’s what they always say. they don’t mean kent nelson.”     he looks down at the helm, at the slits he’s never been able to see through, and thinks.

           “oh, i know.”      and he does. he’s not like anyone else in the justice league, or the avengers, for that matter. he’s merely the vehicle for nabu, who may or may not continue acting on the best interests of the league. without them, he can fly, he can move objects with his mind and communicate telepathically, but he’s not going to save the world as kent nelson.          “i’m just a walking hand puppet, aren’t i?”

     for a moment, kent holds his tongue, letting his eyes fall shut. if he thinks about it enough, it’s almost comforting, how constant this is. now matter how the world changes, at least one thing will stay the same. he chooses not to respond before donning the helm, choosing pride over his usual precautionary last words.     safely tucked away, kent gave in and let nabu take over. they studied the other for a moment before speaking in their own voice and kent’s at once.          “k̴e̸n̴t̵ ̶n̶e̶l̷s̶o̷n̶ ̴i̴s̷ ̸n̵o̴t̷ ̵a̷l̴o̵n̵e̶.̴”

          “when it comes to clark, there’s not a lot to say that hasn’t already been said a million times before. everyone knows he’s good, everyone knows he’s the best of us. i saw him from the start, all the way to now. i saw how he changed things. if i’ve anything to confess about clark kent, it’s that i’m equally jealous and proud of him. he’s done more in thirty-something years than i have in a hundred. but more than that, i’m just glad to serve alongside him.”

          “i’ve said all there is to say about elektra, to her and to anyone who will listen to me. i only wish she would do me the same courtesy.”

[✉ →  CLARK ] I’m not surprised, honestly.[✉ →  CLARK ] Go get ‘em, tiger. :)